- Joined
- Sep 18, 2012
- Messages
- 343
- Reaction score
- 108
So, after taking NBDE 2 4 times, I can finally say, I passed.
What a ride. I would not wish this upon my worst enemy.
Wanted to help out anyone else struggling out there (or even not struggling).
I have always been bad at standardized testing, but considering Part 1 didn't give me much trouble, I thought Part 2 would be okay.
I First took the exam with my class in Jan 2018. Failed by 2 points. After that, I retook in May 2018. Failed again by 3 points. Both times I used Dentin (book), Dental Mastery, Tufts Pharm, and Decks. I really thought I did enough both times.
My class graduated, and the school let me study on my own in my hometown.
I took a longer break and retook the exam in Dec 2018. I used Mosby for reference, still stuck to Dentin, DBM, Decks, and ASDA papers. I had also signed up for the Kaplan videos and I watched them all and took good notes. I also got pregnant, so when I took the exam I was in my second trimester. But I felt that the exam went better than the first 2. Failed by 3 points.
Now our school has a policy that if you fail 3 times, you are kicked out. I was able to appeal and said give me one more shot at it, and I will put in every single effort that I can. They accepted it.
I delivered in April, took time to just bond with baby.
July 2019
- I started an online course (not Kaplan). It met every Mon-Wed for almost 3 months. We hit high yield topics and participation was greatly encouraged.
- I also did BoardVitals. I LOVED it. Better than any other app or study resource out there, in my opinion. You can pick and choose what subjects you want to be tested on, and how many questions you want (if you want to practice in timed mode).
- I signed up for CracktheNBDE but I think that was way too hard in my opinion.
- Kaplan was also really hard, but my school offered me a mock exam a week before my real one so I did take the mock (did not sign up for Qbank or videos). I got a 67% on it.
- I continued to use Decks, and made sure I knew them IN AND OUT. No exceptions. Took notes on any word or sentences I did not know.
- I used Dentin as a resource, instead of my main book (my main resource was the class).
- I used ASDA papers. Made sure I understood every question and why each one was wrong.
- I would use DBM app when I was driving here and there, on trips, waiting in Ped office with my daughter. I did not use it as heavily as I did the first 3 times.
- Tufts Pharm again, but I again made sure I knew the material in and out. Key for Pharm with me was knowing how and why instead of just straight memorization
- Tufts (i think) Oral Path lecture for Oral Path and it was very helpful. I went through the PPT 2 times, first time wrote it all down, second time tested myself on every slide.
I passively studied from Sept-Nov. After thanksgiving, I studied pretty hardcore 6-8 hours a day.
2 weeks before my exam, I was putting in 10-12 hours a day. I was blessed to have my in-laws watch my child while I studied.
I changed my exam date 3 times from nerves, because it was my absolute last shot at this.
Day before the exam -
I knew the drill, I had been thru it way too many times.
Day 1 -
Format was 100q, break, 100q, long break, 100q, break, 100q, done with day.
SO. The first 100 questions rocked me. I was ready to cry. It was a pretty good mix of everything (minus Pharm, not much on this at all thru my whole exam actually). I did recheck all my answers. But this first section I also took WAY too much time (which I NEVER do). I'm usually very very good with time management and for some reason I just sucked on it (again prob frazzled by the first 100).
Second 100 were much better. It started to calm me down
Third 100 were "easy." I felt okay after this section.
Forth 100 were comparable to second 100.
Walked out of Day 1 feeling okay. I was scared regardless though because I felt just like the 3rd time I took exam.
Day 2 - case based
49q, break, 51q, survey, done.
I feel fine saying this now. But day 2 for me, was a cakewalk. Like it was shockingly easy. I think out of 100 questions I marked 10. And I was unsure about 7 of them. I do not know if I got lucky or if I had just studied that hard for it. Every question I was like "well obviously this is it nothing else makes sense." I reviewed the exam at least 2 times. And didn't change anything.
I would say my exam was distributed evenly on all topics except for Pharm and Perio. Honestly I felt like there was VERY minimal questions on those.
Took exam Dec 26-27, checked my score on Jan 8 and I saw the pass. I cried a lot. Emailed my school. Getting my diploma soon. I have never worked harder in my life for something, and the fact my career was riding on this was so much pressure, AND having a 9mo old in the house. God is great.
Hope this helps ANYONE reading this. You can do it.
What a ride. I would not wish this upon my worst enemy.
Wanted to help out anyone else struggling out there (or even not struggling).
I have always been bad at standardized testing, but considering Part 1 didn't give me much trouble, I thought Part 2 would be okay.
I First took the exam with my class in Jan 2018. Failed by 2 points. After that, I retook in May 2018. Failed again by 3 points. Both times I used Dentin (book), Dental Mastery, Tufts Pharm, and Decks. I really thought I did enough both times.
My class graduated, and the school let me study on my own in my hometown.
I took a longer break and retook the exam in Dec 2018. I used Mosby for reference, still stuck to Dentin, DBM, Decks, and ASDA papers. I had also signed up for the Kaplan videos and I watched them all and took good notes. I also got pregnant, so when I took the exam I was in my second trimester. But I felt that the exam went better than the first 2. Failed by 3 points.
Now our school has a policy that if you fail 3 times, you are kicked out. I was able to appeal and said give me one more shot at it, and I will put in every single effort that I can. They accepted it.
I delivered in April, took time to just bond with baby.
July 2019
- I started an online course (not Kaplan). It met every Mon-Wed for almost 3 months. We hit high yield topics and participation was greatly encouraged.
- I also did BoardVitals. I LOVED it. Better than any other app or study resource out there, in my opinion. You can pick and choose what subjects you want to be tested on, and how many questions you want (if you want to practice in timed mode).
- I signed up for CracktheNBDE but I think that was way too hard in my opinion.
- Kaplan was also really hard, but my school offered me a mock exam a week before my real one so I did take the mock (did not sign up for Qbank or videos). I got a 67% on it.
- I continued to use Decks, and made sure I knew them IN AND OUT. No exceptions. Took notes on any word or sentences I did not know.
- I used Dentin as a resource, instead of my main book (my main resource was the class).
- I used ASDA papers. Made sure I understood every question and why each one was wrong.
- I would use DBM app when I was driving here and there, on trips, waiting in Ped office with my daughter. I did not use it as heavily as I did the first 3 times.
- Tufts Pharm again, but I again made sure I knew the material in and out. Key for Pharm with me was knowing how and why instead of just straight memorization
- Tufts (i think) Oral Path lecture for Oral Path and it was very helpful. I went through the PPT 2 times, first time wrote it all down, second time tested myself on every slide.
I passively studied from Sept-Nov. After thanksgiving, I studied pretty hardcore 6-8 hours a day.
2 weeks before my exam, I was putting in 10-12 hours a day. I was blessed to have my in-laws watch my child while I studied.
I changed my exam date 3 times from nerves, because it was my absolute last shot at this.
Day before the exam -
I knew the drill, I had been thru it way too many times.
Day 1 -
Format was 100q, break, 100q, long break, 100q, break, 100q, done with day.
SO. The first 100 questions rocked me. I was ready to cry. It was a pretty good mix of everything (minus Pharm, not much on this at all thru my whole exam actually). I did recheck all my answers. But this first section I also took WAY too much time (which I NEVER do). I'm usually very very good with time management and for some reason I just sucked on it (again prob frazzled by the first 100).
Second 100 were much better. It started to calm me down
Third 100 were "easy." I felt okay after this section.
Forth 100 were comparable to second 100.
Walked out of Day 1 feeling okay. I was scared regardless though because I felt just like the 3rd time I took exam.
Day 2 - case based
49q, break, 51q, survey, done.
I feel fine saying this now. But day 2 for me, was a cakewalk. Like it was shockingly easy. I think out of 100 questions I marked 10. And I was unsure about 7 of them. I do not know if I got lucky or if I had just studied that hard for it. Every question I was like "well obviously this is it nothing else makes sense." I reviewed the exam at least 2 times. And didn't change anything.
I would say my exam was distributed evenly on all topics except for Pharm and Perio. Honestly I felt like there was VERY minimal questions on those.
Took exam Dec 26-27, checked my score on Jan 8 and I saw the pass. I cried a lot. Emailed my school. Getting my diploma soon. I have never worked harder in my life for something, and the fact my career was riding on this was so much pressure, AND having a 9mo old in the house. God is great.
Hope this helps ANYONE reading this. You can do it.
