Retaking my DAT, could use advice

[Gnj1999]

I took my DAT in august 2022 and my scores were 25-PAT 16-QR 18-RC 22-BIO 20-GC 20-TS 19-AA. I am from a state with no dental school so I've finally come to terms with the fact that these scores won't cut it. I was in denial for awhile because studying was so stressful and MOST of my scores are alright. But I really want to get into 1 particular state school and if I am going to accomplish that I need to do better and I know I can.

First attempt: My study schedule was pretty inconsistent, but I would say I averaged around 4-9 hours a day for 3 months. I used exclusively DAT Bootcamp. I tried to follow Ari's guide, but I have a hard time shifting tasks and it would take me much longer to take notes and do problems. After about month I just gave up on that schedule and went through all of biology, then all of chemistry, then all of organic chemistry. When I would feel burnt out from a topic I would have a full day of PAT, QR, or RC. About 14-20 days before test day I focused heavily on RC, QR, and Ochem because those were my worst subjects. I have ADHD and I am HORRIBLE at math. Because of this I really struggle with RC and QR. I also struggled with Ochem because I had a 4 semester gap between Ochem 1 and 2. If any of you have advice for how to make a study schedule, or have resources you think are better for RC and QR than DAT Bootcamp please let me know.

TL;DR I had a bad study schedule, no way to manage ADHD, and I did very poorly on QR, RC, and Ochem. If you have advice or resources you recommend please let me know

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[Ryxndek]

Honestly, If you can find a way to get accommodations for your ADHD and get time and a half it may really help you. But you’ll have to shell out money for a therapist, get their diagnosis, and get a letter and then have the your DAT ADA(or whoever verifies the scores/gives them, can’t remember) and have that paperwork verified before you can schedule another test. But in the long run it may help boost your RC score. As for QC and OC, OC you just really gotta hammer down the rxns and know the rules if given certain reactants and conditions. You can’t really beat around that bush. But QC it just takes more practice. I was always horrible with the stats problems but got better with time. How many practice exams did you take leading up to the official exam?

Trying to follow someone else’s schedule obviously didn’t work, but now you know what may or may not work for you. Just need to put in the work again and focus and really hammer down your stuff. A great PAT score though!

Hope things end up working out better for you!

 

[PurpleSails]

Those scores aren't bad, the only borderline one is the 16 on QR. But I have seen my peers get into schools with very similar scores. But of course, rest of the application is just as important.
I think following the premade schedules (I used DATBooster) can be detrimental. They are great starting points, and I adjusted it to how I best function. For example, during weekdays, I found it hard to squeeze in long/effective study sessions, so I mostly did Anki cards, videos, and a few questions. Bulk of the studying was left for Fridays and weekends. It came out to 2-3 hours daily on weekdays and 8-9 hours on weekends. So, instead of finishing everything on the daily checklist, I made it more like a weekly checklist. I did 30% of a week worth of studying during the weekdays, and 70% on weekends. So even if I didn't study a lot during workdays, I was able to finish everything for that week.
As someone who struggled with QR section (13-15 on initial practice tests), here is how I did it: There is a section called "extra questions) on DATBooster, and I solved the same questions multiple times. I eventually realized that there are only few different ways they ask the quantitative questions. So I did the tests and the questions over and over again until I basically memorized what kind of questions there are/how to solve each type. So I didn't have to use brainpower to problem solve, I just went through the memorized steps on the DAT. Good luck!

 

[ChemistryDentist]

I took my DAT in august 2022 and my scores were 25-PAT 16-QR 18-RC 22-BIO 20-GC 20-TS 19-AA. I am from a state with no dental school so I've finally come to terms with the fact that these scores won't cut it. I was in denial for awhile because studying was so stressful and MOST of my scores are alright. But I really want to get into 1 particular state school and if I am going to accomplish that I need to do better and I know I can.

First attempt: My study schedule was pretty inconsistent, but I would say I averaged around 4-9 hours a day for 3 months. I used exclusively DAT Bootcamp. I tried to follow Ari's guide, but I have a hard time shifting tasks and it would take me much longer to take notes and do problems. After about month I just gave up on that schedule and went through all of biology, then all of chemistry, then all of organic chemistry. When I would feel burnt out from a topic I would have a full day of PAT, QR, or RC. About 14-20 days before test day I focused heavily on RC, QR, and Ochem because those were my worst subjects. I have ADHD and I am HORRIBLE at math. Because of this I really struggle with RC and QR. I also struggled with Ochem because I had a 4 semester gap between Ochem 1 and 2. If any of you have advice for how to make a study schedule, or have resources you think are better for RC and QR than DAT Bootcamp please let me know.

TL;DR I had a bad study schedule, no way to manage ADHD, and I did very poorly on QR, RC, and Ochem. If you have advice or resources you recommend please let me know

From what it seems like, trying to follow another person's study schedule really derailed you and how you learn. I totally understand the struggle of having to switch between different subjects when studying for such a big exam - I still have this issue in dental school. What really helped for me was only putting 2 or so subjects per day, and then different combinations of the subjects throughout the week. That way I didn't feel like I was switching back and forth like crazy, and each day I had a set idea of what I planned on covering, but no expectation that I would get through any amount of material beyond whatever time I set aside. At the end of the day, you need a personalized schedule that works with you and how your brain works, and there is nothing wrong with that!

It also seems like you're not too bad at test taking per se, moreso staying focused on learning the materials. If you think you need accommodations for the DAT because of your ADHD (if formally diagnosed), it may be definitely worth asking for accommodations! They help a lot and are not looked down upon at all, as it should be. It may also be worth taking a step back and figuring out what information you have a solid foundation of and what you may not. It seems like you're not a fan of math, and frankly, neither was I. That means you may need to spend more time running problems and understanding how to solve those problems. I personally loved the Math Destroyer for this, completely credit it for my score. For RC, free GRE reading practice exams are great.

For all the other subjects, think about the materials you may want to use. If you want to give Bootcamp a shot again, go for it. A change of pace may be good, though, considering I assume you've seen all their material and questions. I always will swear by the Destroyer and Math Destroyer. They were all I needed for the exam and really helped me form that foundation that I think you may not have yet in some of the subjects.

Hope this helps some!

 

[DAT Destroyer]

I took my DAT in august 2022 and my scores were 25-PAT 16-QR 18-RC 22-BIO 20-GC 20-TS 19-AA. I am from a state with no dental school so I've finally come to terms with the fact that these scores won't cut it. I was in denial for awhile because studying was so stressful and MOST of my scores are alright. But I really want to get into 1 particular state school and if I am going to accomplish that I need to do better and I know I can.

First attempt: My study schedule was pretty inconsistent, but I would say I averaged around 4-9 hours a day for 3 months. I used exclusively DAT Bootcamp. I tried to follow Ari's guide, but I have a hard time shifting tasks and it would take me much longer to take notes and do problems. After about month I just gave up on that schedule and went through all of biology, then all of chemistry, then all of organic chemistry. When I would feel burnt out from a topic I would have a full day of PAT, QR, or RC. About 14-20 days before test day I focused heavily on RC, QR, and Ochem because those were my worst subjects. I have ADHD and I am HORRIBLE at math. Because of this I really struggle with RC and QR. I also struggled with Ochem because I had a 4 semester gap between Ochem 1 and 2. If any of you have advice for how to make a study schedule, or have resources you think are better for RC and QR than DAT Bootcamp please let me know.

TL;DR I had a bad study schedule, no way to manage ADHD, and I did very poorly on QR, RC, and Ochem. If you have advice or resources you recommend please let me know

Navigating the road to dental school can be difficult, especially when you are dealing with obstacles like ADHD. Thankfully, the ADA gives extra time on the DAT for students in need - and thanks to your honest post it appears that this could be an option available to you as well! To maximize success going forward, creating a study plan tailored specifically for you is key. With some dedication and direction there's no reason why your can't improve you DAT scores. ; wishing you all the best of luck reaching those goals! #think30 Nancy