Im trying to decide if I should study for the DAT during the summer (where I'll have the most time) and take it early fall or hold off until after fall when I'll have finished Orgo2. If I wait until after fall, I'm afraid I won't have enough time to study. I haven't taken any upper bios either, Just bio 1 and 2. My plan is to use Destroyer, Chads Videos, and Achiever to study with and teach myself Orgo2 as well. Is this a stupid move or do I have a better chance in making a better grade over the summer? What else should I use to study? I did make an A in Orgo 1, but that was last semester, so I'm sure I'll have to warm up to it again as well.
Sophomore stressing when to take DAT
- Thread starter Kratoz24x
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I thought Chad's videos covered orgo 2 pretty well. Even though I already took ochem 2, I think I would've done fairly well if I just watched Chad's videos then use Destroyer to find out areas where I'm weak and use a textbook to cover those areas.
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Learning Orgo2 is much easier than 1. You just learn a bunch of new reagents/mechanisms for the most part with a handful of concepts new to Ochem to like O/M/P directors.
If you think you can teach yourself ochem2 go for it!
Having all day everyday to study for almost 3 months is SOO convenient! If I could have gone back in time and done it all over again I would definitely have taken the DAT at the end of the summer after my sophomore year.
Destroyer and Chad's videos are amazing for the sciences ( I didnt use Chad but a lot of people on SDN will attest to his amazingness)
Check out my review of the hottest DAT study materials that SDN voted on:
http://acedat.blogspot.com/p/dat-prep-materials.html
If you haven't already, definitely get CDP for the PAT. I used CDR and found it fairly representative of the RC section as well.
If you end of teaching yourself Ochem II, I HIGHLY recommend Klein's Ochem as a second language for it! I used both books to refresh my memory but if you are learning ochem 2 for the first time that book is a must!
Good luck, and DON't PROCRASTINATE
(guilty here)You probably know yourself best, so trust your instinct. I took the DAT in early January, and had three weeks during winter break to study. I also had only the two basic bio's and Orgo I. 3 weeks was enough time to teach myself enough to score a 24 on Orgo. Also, don't under estimate the amount of bio that you've never covered, or how much math review you may or may not have to do. Another week would have been great to iron a few things out, but everything went very nicely and I'm going to be entering the Class of 2016! 3 months... that sounds like an eternity to prepare! Stay dedicated throughout summer and you will do amazingly.
Orgo: Chad's Videos, Destroyer, and Orgo as 2nd Lang. are perfect for preparation.
Bio: Check out AP Bio and datQVault. I held off on both of those until a few days before the exam (was going through Kaplan book and Destroyer). Wish I would have switched over earlier. I distinctly remember answering a few questions on the real Bio section that I learned from previous mistakes on QVault.
QR: (regular) Destroyer and Crack DAT Math should be more than enough material. Crack DAT Math has video explanations for each problem. People also recommend DAT Math, but I can't comment on its value - I didn't even go through the entire QR section in Destroyer due to time. I just spent enough to make sure I had a "nice" score considering my time constraint and the fact that QR seems to be the least important section. Another week, would have been nice
Ramble, ramble. Even 4 days of 8hr+ studying and 3 days off each week over the summer could give you great results, and a preservation of summer break. Good luck!
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I'm a sophomore and taking it this summer. I believe you should go ahead and take it this summer because it will decrease stress from next summer when you should be focusing on the application process, and if you screw up you will still be able to retake it in time to apply the next summer as welll (even though you may be late).
Either way, it seems like the smartest option to take it this summer if you are prepared. If you have everything done besides organic 2 I would just go out and buy organic chemistry II as a second language. It will take you a day to go through and will give you a foundation for when you start chads videos
Either way, it seems like the smartest option to take it this summer if you are prepared. If you have everything done besides organic 2 I would just go out and buy organic chemistry II as a second language. It will take you a day to go through and will give you a foundation for when you start chads videos
I've pretty much decided to take start studying over summer. I have already purchased:
Cliffnotes AP Bio Book, 3rd
Campbells Bio Book, 7th
Orgo as a 2nd Language: 2nd semester
DAT Destroyer 2011
I plan on getting:
Chads videos
Topscore
Achiever
CDP
and debating to get:
CDR
CDM
Math Destroyer
DAT qVault
@jonlee: I pretty much have your website bookmarked. It's a great resource. Thanks for all the advice and for all the motivational words. I am glad to have these websites to put me in this situation! I wouldn't know what to do or how to do anything without it..
@jmscx: Thanks man. That makes me feel a lot better about how this summer is going to be. For the most part, I am pretty sure I can stay dedicated. I don't really want to go to any dental school except one, so I'll be striving to do my best. Would you pay for qVault again? and if you would, would you buy just the bio or all the subjects?
@Dgeorg6: I agree. This has been my thought process the whole time. I am glad to see I'm not the only one. You seem to have everything planned out already. If you don't mind, could you tell me how/what you plan on using to study?
Not to sound cocky or anything, just trying to put background into my situation. Money isn't really holding me back from buying the study materials. I just want to get what is going to prepare me the best. At the same time, I don't want to buy so much to where I'm wasting it, or spending too much money ( or time ) on the wrong things. For example: I've heard great things about Achiever, but I still don't want to buy the 10 test since I'll also be buying Topscore. So I guess what I'm asking is: If you could pick the best line up of DAT prep, what would it be?
Cliffnotes AP Bio Book, 3rd
Campbells Bio Book, 7th
Orgo as a 2nd Language: 2nd semester
DAT Destroyer 2011
I plan on getting:
Chads videos
Topscore
Achiever
CDP
and debating to get:
CDR
CDM
Math Destroyer
DAT qVault
@jonlee: I pretty much have your website bookmarked. It's a great resource. Thanks for all the advice and for all the motivational words. I am glad to have these websites to put me in this situation! I wouldn't know what to do or how to do anything without it..
@jmscx: Thanks man. That makes me feel a lot better about how this summer is going to be. For the most part, I am pretty sure I can stay dedicated. I don't really want to go to any dental school except one, so I'll be striving to do my best. Would you pay for qVault again? and if you would, would you buy just the bio or all the subjects?
@Dgeorg6: I agree. This has been my thought process the whole time. I am glad to see I'm not the only one. You seem to have everything planned out already. If you don't mind, could you tell me how/what you plan on using to study?
Not to sound cocky or anything, just trying to put background into my situation. Money isn't really holding me back from buying the study materials. I just want to get what is going to prepare me the best. At the same time, I don't want to buy so much to where I'm wasting it, or spending too much money ( or time ) on the wrong things. For example: I've heard great things about Achiever, but I still don't want to buy the 10 test since I'll also be buying Topscore. So I guess what I'm asking is: If you could pick the best line up of DAT prep, what would it be?
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2011
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Right now my plan goes something like this.. My last final is may 10th. I plan to take about 2-3 weeks from school off and relax and get some shadowing in. after my break I'm going to use a similar schedule to the 8 week study schedule except take weekends off and prob add 3-4 weeks to it. In also going to edit it to my liking with my materials.
Right now I am planning on using
Cliffnotes ap biology
Barrons ap biology
Dat destroyer
Math destroyer
Chads videos
(will prob use both organic as a second language as a refresher because I have them both from my classes)
Cdp
Cdr
Achiever
Topscore
And maybe dat qvault
I may be overdoing it a little bit, but like you money isn't an issue and I would rather over prepare and take it once instead of **** up and have to waste 2 summers on this bad boy
Right now I am planning on using
Cliffnotes ap biology
Barrons ap biology
Dat destroyer
Math destroyer
Chads videos
(will prob use both organic as a second language as a refresher because I have them both from my classes)
Cdp
Cdr
Achiever
Topscore
And maybe dat qvault
I may be overdoing it a little bit, but like you money isn't an issue and I would rather over prepare and take it once instead of **** up and have to waste 2 summers on this bad boy
No one can answer this question but yourself. You seem to have a solid study plan just start at it and take practice tests. If you are consistently doing well with the Destroyer material then your probably on your way to being prepped for the test.
