Is DAT Bootcamp enough to do well on the 2020 DAT?

[DentalDanCan]

Hey everyone,

I've been using DAT Bootcamp for about 11 weeks now. I have been trying to the learn the information the best I can at my own pace because I have been out of school for a while. I am jussssst about finished with the learning portion of the schedule and am currently beginning the practice test portion of Ari's 10 week study schedule. I will be hopefully taking the DAT in about a month. My big question is: is DAT Bootcamp alone a good enough resource to do well on the 2020 DAT? I have heard that the DAT Bootcamp PAT is outdated, and that PATBooster blows it out of the water. Should I pay the $100 and get the PATBooster at this point in my study schedule? I have also heard that DATDestroyer is great for Bio and GC/OC, but is the Bio/GC/OC on BC on par with destroyer? I have also also heard that tests 6-10 from BC are from something called DATGenius, and are not really helpful. Is there any truth to that?

Heres some quick background on me: I graduated undergrad (BA-biology) about 5 years ago with a sub-par GPA . I got a random job and didn't know what I wanted to do for a couple years until I realized I wanted to pursue admission to dental school. I got in contact with the admissions people my local dental school and they informed me that it wasn't too late for me and that I would need to complete several other prerequisite classes (OC I & II, Biochem, Microbio, etc.) with A's, which I successfully did. They also told me I would need to score about a 23 on the DAT to be considered competitive. I am also super rusty in GC.

Here's my BC practice test scores thus far:
RC: 23, 24, 23, 27
GC: 19, 18, 20, 15, 19
PAT: 21, 21, 22, 22

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[0Mik3cho]

You have time. Get Destroyer and try to do two passes through it. If you run short on time, then on your second pass, only practice questions you didn't really understand or just got wrong entirely. Then once you get closer to the DAT, work on Bootcamp full lengths to refine your timing and get a feel for the timing. If you are already doing full lengths and not feeling terribly fatigued afterwards, I think that's a great sign. When you review, as long as you understand why every answer is either right or wrong, you will be in good shape.

And if you can afford it, PAT Booster will help though I'm not entirely sure it's an absolutely must have like Destroyer is. I liked them but I used them mostly because of reputation not because I can definitively proof that they are better. One notable difference with PAT Booster is they have a few rock keyholes here and there. They won't get you much practice since you really shouldn't waste much time on them anyways. But hey, more practice never hurts.

As for the DAT Genius exams from 6-10, I think they are fine but they are definitely tougher so don't be too concerned if you see your scores drop.

 

[ChewyDrop]

You have time. Get Destroyer and try to do two passes through it. If you run short on time, then on your second pass, only practice questions you didn't really understand or just got wrong entirely. Then once you get closer to the DAT, work on Bootcamp full lengths to refine your timing and get a feel for the timing. If you are already doing full lengths and not feeling terribly fatigued afterwards, I think that's a great sign. When you review, as long as you understand why every answer is either right or wrong, you will be in good shape.

And if you can afford it, PAT Booster will help though I'm not entirely sure it's an absolutely must have like Destroyer is. I liked them but I used them mostly because of reputation not because I can definitively proof that they are better. One notable difference with PAT Booster is they have a few rock keyholes here and there. They won't get you much practice since you really shouldn't waste much time on them anyways. But hey, more practice never hurts.

As for the DAT Genius exams from 6-10, I think they are fine but they are definitely tougher so don't be too concerned if you see your scores drop.

dangg, 28AA.. you savant.

 

[0Mik3cho]

dangg, 28AA.. you savant.

I also know 8 digits of pi.

 

[DentalDanCan]

You have time. Get Destroyer and try to do two passes through it. If you run short on time, then on your second pass, only practice questions you didn't really understand or just got wrong entirely. Then once you get closer to the DAT, work on Bootcamp full lengths to refine your timing and get a feel for the timing. If you are already doing full lengths and not feeling terribly fatigued afterwards, I think that's a great sign. When you review, as long as you understand why every answer is either right or wrong, you will be in good shape.

And if you can afford it, PAT Booster will help though I'm not entirely sure it's an absolutely must have like Destroyer is. I liked them but I used them mostly because of reputation not because I can definitively proof that they are better. One notable difference with PAT Booster is they have a few rock keyholes here and there. They won't get you much practice since you really shouldn't waste much time on them anyways. But hey, more practice never hurts.

As for the DAT Genius exams from 6-10, I think they are fine but they are definitely tougher so don't be too concerned if you see your scores drop.

Thanks so much for your reply. I will definitely consider getting destroyer. You seem very confident that it is a great and necessary resource. Do you maybe have any insight on the complexity/difficulty of BC bio/GC/OC vs. destroyer? I've heard students want to throw the destroyer book against the wall when they do the problems but they always say it was worth it.

 

[0Mik3cho]

Thanks so much for your reply. I will definitely consider getting destroyer. You seem very confident that it is a great and necessary resource. Do you maybe have any insight on the complexity/difficulty of BC bio/GC/OC vs. destroyer? I've heard students want to throw the destroyer book against the wall when they do the problems but they always say it was worth it.

That is a bit exaggerated. It is notably tougher but still very much reasonable. Bootcamp should have already laid a decent foundation. That said, one will still encounter new material in Destroyer but I recognized those as being new material so I didn't stress out over not knowing them. Just review your mistakes and you will be fine.

 

[DentalDanCan]

That is a bit exaggerated. It is notably tougher but still very much reasonable. Bootcamp should have already laid a decent foundation. That said, one will still encounter new material in Destroyer but I recognized those as being new material so I didn't stress out over not knowing them. Just review your mistakes and you will be fine.

I went ahead and ordered destroyer + math destroyer this morning. Prometric just updated their corona virus page and apparently I won't be able to take the DAT until June 1 at the earliest, so I'll definitely have time to go over destroyer once or twice.

I read your breakdown (thanks for making it so detailed) and I like your chill study approach. I am trying to do something similar to what you did by starting with BC for foundation and then moving on to destroyer for practice. I'm also not trying to kill myself by studying 12+ hours a day nonstop. I think you have some really good tips in there. I think if I finish BC early I may spring for PATBooster. I am awful at rock keyholes and pretty much get each one wrong if they pop up on the BC tests. I'm pretty decent at angle ranking, but GC seems to be the bane of my existence for some reason!

Again, thanks for your replies and insight.

 

[DiamonnRose1908]

I’m in the same boat as you! Which method are you using for Reading Comprehension? Your scores are high.


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