Those who just took the DAT

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jessica22

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What do you guys think about the overall DAT? It is easier than Kaplan, Topscore? Or it is way harder? Did they make it harder than last year? I am going to take the DAT soon and would appreicate all the comments... Thanks!!!
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personally i think the science is lil easier than kaplan. bio is ok.. but there are some questions that were way out there..

pat's are lil bit tougher though.
 
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I took the DAT twice and honestly, I thought that it truly depends on which test you get. The first test kicked my butt and the second time, it was actually a breeze. I of course studied a lot more to take it the second time but I still believe that the second test I got was much easier material and the first test I felt didn't cover hardly anyting I studied in the Kaplan book, in fact, I was super pissed because I memorized the whole book and for what? Nothing...because the two were completely incomparable as far as I was concerned. But the second test was a lot like it. I know that wasn't much help, but I just don't think it is very accurate for other people to say that it was just like Kaplan because it wasn't. However, Topscore pro is hands down the closest thing to the overall DAT by a landslide. DAT achiever is an absolutely ridigulous imitation of the DAT. Talk about too dificult. The real thing was a lot easier than DAT achiever. Ace the DAT was a pretty accurate program. But stay away from DAT achiever. EXam crackers was absolutely priceless when it came to learning the much needed biology concepts that the Kaplan book leaves out that were all over theDAT. Get this book and you'll be amazed at the amount of extra but very useful info in that beloved book. It has a lot of anatomy things that you need to know. I know for a fact that I got at least five extra questions right that I owe completely to that book alone. I would also recommend the ochem book and genchem. These books explain things very well and you really walk away from them feeling like you understand the stuff. You'll be able to cram more info in and it will stay this time, because of the sheer delivery of the info. I hope this helped. My Biology went from a 17 to a 20. Ochem 17 to 10 and Gchem 16 to an 18. And PAT 18 to 22. I just had to add that one in. I hate math and reading comprehension, and those slam dunked me. But hey, I got in and that's what counts I guess.
 
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kew said:
I took the DAT twice and honestly, I thought that it truly depends on which test you get. The first test kicked my butt and the second time, it was actually a breeze. I of course studied a lot more to take it the second time but I still believe that the second test I got was much easier material and the first test I felt didn't cover hardly anyting I studied in the Kaplan book, in fact, I was super pissed because I memorized the whole book and for what? Nothing...because the two were completely incomparable as far as I was concerned. But the second test was a lot like it. I know that wasn't much help, but I just don't think it is very accurate for other people to say that it was just like Kaplan because it wasn't. However, Topscore pro is hands down the closest thing to the overall DAT by a landslide. DAT achiever is an absolutely ridiculous imitation of the DAT. Talk about too dificult. The real thing was a lot easier than DAT achiever. Ace the DAT was a pretty accurate program. But stay away from DAT achiever. EXam crackers was absolutely priceless when it came to learning the much needed biology concepts that the Kaplan book leaves out that were all over theDAT. Get this book and you'll be amazed at the amount of extra but very useful info in that beloved book. It has a lot of anatomy things that you need to know. I know for a fact that I got at least five extra questions right that I owe completely to that book alone. I would also recommend the ochem book and genchem. These books explain things very well and you really walk away from them feeling like you understand the stuff. You'll be able to cram more info in and it will stay this time, because of the sheer delivery of the info. I hope this helped. My Biology went from a 17 to a 20. Ochem 17 to 10 and Gchem 16 to an 18. And PAT 18 to 22. I just had to add that one in. I hate math and reading comprehension, and those slam dunked me. But hey, I got in and that's what counts I guess.
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Oh my God, you too! I am so glad someone else had the same experience as me--sorry, though. Wow, the first exam I had, yesterday, was so out there. NOTHING was recongnizble. I am telling you that Chem and Ochem and PAT are my strongest. From Kaplan I scored 15-16 on every subject from the Diagnostic. But on the first few full length exams I took from both Kaplan and Scholareware, I was averaging 18--19AA and 22-24 on the PAT. I kept reading so many posts stating that the sciences are much easier on the real thing and that I should score 2-3 points higher on the actual thing. Man, far from it.


Could it really be that the tests could vary so damn drastically? That is totally unfair. How are these exams generated? I heard that the q's are randomly picked from a q bank they have an that would mean each test is different for each person taking it on a given day. So how could I have gotten such an alien exam?


So you feel that Topscore (scholarware) was good for the second exam???? I find that topscore was easier than the Kaplan exams you say that it reflects more accurately what you got on the second DATs you took?

I ordered the DAT achiever which I'll start in a couple of days for my next crack at the exam in three months. A grad fom Columbia D suggested Rudman's Q's and A's on the DAT, ISBN:0837350123.
 
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I don't think the exams vary that much. On that first exam day, my friend took it with me and he repeated back to me a lot of the same questions that I had on my test. So I'm pretty sure it was the exact same exam. Also, for the second exam, there were a lot of people on SDN that were reporting some hard questions and actually told everyone on SDN what they were and sure enough, the next week I took the test and there they were. And guess, what I nailed them. My point is that I don't think the tests vary as much as people say. And it didn't seem that the test changed weekly or anything. I actually think it changes monthly or something because a lot of the answers people were reporting on SDN were like at least a month old. Top score is only good because it gave a good representation of how about 80% of the real DAT was. Then you get the other unpredictable 20% of the DAT that all those geniuses just breeze through. These are the questions that just plain extra studying will help you with. DAT achiever should not be used for practice problems as much as helping you know what areas you need to study more. You'll know though when a question is absolutely ridigulous and that you shouldn't spend an ounce of your time figuring out why you missed it. I really like ace the dat. It's just like topscore and I felt it was a lot better than Datachiever by a landslide. Anyways, good luck. Kenny
 
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kew said:
I don't think the exams vary that much. On that first exam day, my friend took it with me and he repeated back to me a lot of the same questions that I had on my test. So I'm pretty sure it was the exact same exam. Also, for the second exam, there were a lot of people on SDN that were reporting some hard questions and actually told everyone on SDN what they were and sure enough, the next week I took the test and there they were. And guess, what I nailed them. My point is that I don't think the tests vary as much as people say. And it didn't seem that the test changed weekly or anything. I actually think it changes monthly or something because a lot of the answers people were reporting on SDN were like at least a month old. Top score is only good because it gave a good representation of how about 80% of the real DAT was. Then you get the other unpredictable 20% of the DAT that all those geniuses just breeze through. These are the questions that just plain extra studying will help you with. DAT achiever should not be used for practice problems as much as helping you know what areas you need to study more. You'll know though when a question is absolutely ridigulous and that you shouldn't spend an ounce of your time figuring out why you missed it. I really like ace the dat. It's just like topscore and I felt it was a lot better than Datachiever by a landslide. Anyways, good luck. Kenny
Click to expand...

So you think we just got the harder of one or two exams given that month? Man, If I get something like that again, I don't think I do well the second time around either. I really feel like I know the stuff from kapln and Topscore. What else could I possible do. I uderstand my being nervous didn't help, but I was like freeking out. I'll try the Ace the DAT. I just don't know what else I could do to improve. I can understand someone saying that I need to be able to work out quesions even if I've never seen the problem type before, but come on, the DAT I took yesterday was like 80 % alien and 20% familiar, the opposite of what you seem to have experienced.

Thanks for the help.

TomT
 
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TomT said:
So you think we just got the harder of one or two exams given that month? Man, If I get something like that again, I don't think I do well the second time around either. I really feel like I know the stuff from kapln and Topscore. What else could I possible do. I uderstand my being nervous didn't help, but I was like freeking out. I'll try the Ace the DAT. I just don't know what else I could do to improve. I can understand someone saying that I need to be able to work out quesions even if I've never seen the problem type before, but come on, the DAT I took yesterday was like 80 % alien and 20% familiar, the opposite of what you seem to have experienced.

Thanks for the help.

TomT
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Hey tom and Kew... I have just started studying for the DAT using kaplan and will be purchasing TOpscore and Achiever once i am done studying. What did u guys score 1st time around?? lol u guys are freaking me out!
 
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golfmontpoker said:
Hey tom and Kew... I have just started studying for the DAT using kaplan and will be purchasing TOpscore and Achiever once i am done studying. What did u guys score 1st time around?? lol u guys are freaking me out!
Click to expand...

I posted this somewhere. I'm still embarrased and upset but I got a 16AA, 17 total sciences and an 18 PAT.
 
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kew said:
I don't think the exams vary that much. On that first exam day, my friend took it with me and he repeated back to me a lot of the same questions that I had on my test. So I'm pretty sure it was the exact same exam. Also, for the second exam, there were a lot of people on SDN that were reporting some hard questions and actually told everyone on SDN what they were and sure enough, the next week I took the test and there they were. And guess, what I nailed them. My point is that I don't think the tests vary as much as people say. And it didn't seem that the test changed weekly or anything. I actually think it changes monthly or something because a lot of the answers people were reporting on SDN were like at least a month old. Top score is only good because it gave a good representation of how about 80% of the real DAT was. Then you get the other unpredictable 20% of the DAT that all those geniuses just breeze through. These are the questions that just plain extra studying will help you with. DAT achiever should not be used for practice problems as much as helping you know what areas you need to study more. You'll know though when a question is absolutely ridigulous and that you shouldn't spend an ounce of your time figuring out why you missed it. I really like ace the dat. It's just like topscore and I felt it was a lot better than Datachiever by a landslide. Anyways, good luck. Kenny
Click to expand...

Acethedat may be good for extra practice but any sharp student will easily recognize this guide being riddled with many errors and mistakes. Not sure if they have already got that corrected.

Topscore and Kaplan are good because thay have both modeled a lot after ADA's sample exams including those previously released and not seen on the web now. However, their PAT is a joke compared to the real thing.

DAT Achiever is truly the hardest of all practice guides I've found and its problems are definitely worth your great attention if you are looking to be one of the 20 rookies.

Not all tests at the Prometric testing centers are set at equal level of difficulty. You need to be prepared for the worse and not fooling around with this important part of your dental application/entering process.
 
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TomT said:
So you think we just got the harder of one or two exams given that month? Man, If I get something like that again, I don't think I do well the second time around either. I really feel like I know the stuff from kapln and Topscore. What else could I possible do. I uderstand my being nervous didn't help, but I was like freeking out. I'll try the Ace the DAT. I just don't know what else I could do to improve. I can understand someone saying that I need to be able to work out quesions even if I've never seen the problem type before, but come on, the DAT I took yesterday was like 80 % alien and 20% familiar, the opposite of what you seem to have experienced.

Thanks for the help.

TomT
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Dude, I feel ya. When I took it I couldn't agree with you more about the 80% alien 20% familiar thing. I remember almost having a panic attack in the middle of the test because the alien questions just kept coming and kept coming and basically never left from the beginning to the end, which didn't help my panic attack at all. So by the time I got to the reading and I was actually required to concentrate, I was already out to my car with starring down the barrel of my shotgun. Needless to say, I regrouped, took August-December off and decided to not take spring classes and use those months to study and instead take a summer semester to offset it. This worked wonders and took off a lot of stress of studying through the summer when you know other people are finishing it and you still can't seem to feel ready. At least during the summer, you have like five months if you want to study which only pushes you into May which is still before your application is due. I took those five months and busted my A-- It felt a lot better and the material was a lot nicer to go through and I was able to collect my thoughts and change a few strategies. I found a lot better ways to do the PAT (2nd scored 22) and learned Biology a lot better using exam crackers. I still bombed the reading and math, but I hate that stuff. The math was like impossible to finish on time. I absolute sit in a stupor when I hear people score anything over a 20 on that section because I couldn't even read all the word problems in that amount of time let alone work them out and do all the rest of the freakin things that require you to work out. So hats off to those cowboys. But just so you know, taking it the second time does not feel at all like the first. I actually remember enjoying myself if you can believe it. OK, I'm done.
 
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kew said:
Dude, I feel ya. When I took it I couldn't agree with you more about the 80% alien 20% familiar thing. I remember almost having a panic attack in the middle of the test because the alien questions just kept coming and kept coming and basically never left from the beginning to the end, which didn't help my panic attack at all. So by the time I got to the reading and I was actually required to concentrate, I was already out to my car with starring down the barrel of my shotgun. Needless to say, I regrouped, took August-December off and decided to not take spring classes and use those months to study and instead take a summer semester to offset it. This worked wonders and took off a lot of stress of studying through the summer when you know other people are finishing it and you still can't seem to feel ready. At least during the summer, you have like five months if you want to study which only pushes you into May which is still before your application is due. I took those five months and busted my A-- It felt a lot better and the material was a lot nicer to go through and I was able to collect my thoughts and change a few strategies. I found a lot better ways to do the PAT (2nd scored 22) and learned Biology a lot better using exam crackers. I still bombed the reading and math, but I hate that stuff. The math was like impossible to finish on time. I absolute sit in a stupor when I hear people score anything over a 20 on that section because I couldn't even read all the word problems in that amount of time let alone work them out and do all the rest of the freakin things that require you to work out. So hats off to those cowboys. But just so you know, taking it the second time does not feel at all like the first. I actually remember enjoying myself if you can believe it. OK, I'm done.
Click to expand...

Kew,

So when was your first time? and when was your second time?
 
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My first score was also a 16/17/18. That's hilarious that we had the exact same experience on the test and even had the exact same scores. So just so you know TomT, your next scores will be 18/19/22. I know it would be nice to have highter, but they'll get you in somewhere, just apply early and more importantly send in your secondaries as soon as possible cause you're not even considered without them.
 
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I really appreciate your help Kew. Goodluck with you in dental school and your 3 kids too...they're so cute :D
 
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Sounds like u guys had a SH*TTY experiance with the DAT at first.... This only gives me more motivation to possibly know EVERYTHING possible for the dat... even if it requires me to study 4-8 hours a day for the next 3 months, by god i will do it. Have u guys been excepted anywhere or are u appying 2007 cycle?
 
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Kew,

oh... they're so cute... are u in dental school now? so the one in August 2004 was completely different from the one in May 2005 huh. I hope won't get the hard one this 2 weeks later...
 
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I was offered 7 interviews and went to six of them. I was accepted to NYU and Temple and am still waiting to here from AZ and Loma linda. I'll probably end up at Temple though. So I'm 26 right now and I'll be graduating dental school with a 12 yr old a 9 and 8 year old. Holy cow.
 
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kew said:
My first score was also a 16/17/18. That's hilarious that we had the exact same experience on the test and even had the exact same scores. So just so you know TomT, your next scores will be 18/19/22. I know it would be nice to have highter, but they'll get you in somewhere, just apply early and more importantly send in your secondaries as soon as possible cause you're not even considered without them.
Click to expand...

OKay, stop. I think I know what it is. YOU'RE THE FREAKIN ALIEN!!!! That's really funny that you got the same scores as me and the same experience with the exam q's too.

By secondaries you mean scores, or application?

I just don't know what to do more. I can only keep reviewing what I have already. I really feel like I know the stuff. I could definitely improve on test- taking and especially RC. If I don't get that damn alien exam again, I actually think I would do just fine. I'm calling Prometric on Monday.

Thanks for the info, alien exam taking veteran. :D
 
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jessica22 said:
Kew,

oh... they're so cute... are u in dental school now? so the one in August 2004 was completely different from the one in May 2005 huh. I hope won't get the hard one this 2 weeks later...
Click to expand...

Please let me know. Trust me, it will either be similar to Kaplan/Topscore STYLE questions or it won't. That's how you'll know which you have.
 
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TomT,

Can you remember any Bio question on there? I'm taking mine on April 15... so let me compare it and see if it'll be the same test...
 
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Secondary applications TomT. And Just so you know I'm not an alien, but my wife says that "I'm out of this world."
 
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golfmontpoker said:
Sounds like u guys had a SH*TTY experiance with the DAT at first.... This only gives me more motivation to possibly know EVERYTHING possible for the dat... even if it requires me to study 4-8 hours a day for the next 3 months, by god i will do it. Have u guys been excepted anywhere or are u appying 2007 cycle?
Click to expand...

I had applied to NYU, BU, Columbia, UMDNJ as well as Stony Brook as a late applicant for THIS year. I actually got a phone call from NYU asking if I was interested in attending and they wanted to know when I was taking the DATs. They ain't calling me again with the scores I just delivered. I also got an email from BU asking for the same info and to send a picture and $60 asap.
I'm not going to read into it because it could just be standard for them to do this. I huess I will be early for the 2007 cycle.
 
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Ok that was probably one of the gayest things I've ever posted on SDN. Will everyone just scratch that please.
 
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kew said:
Ok that was probably one of the gayest things I've ever posted on SDN. Will everyone just scratch that please.
Click to expand...

Come on! That was fine. You got a wife and couple of kids and you're still rocking her world. I SAY YOU GO BROTHER! :laugh:
 
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TomT said:
Come on! That was fine. You got a wife and couple of kids and you're still rocking her world. I SAY YOU GO BROTHER! :laugh:
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Thanks TomT, you're right.. So I say....JUST WAIT TIL' I'm A DENTIST BABY .......BUUAAAHHH
 
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kew said:
Thanks TomT, you're right.. So I say....JUST WAIT TIL' I'm A DENTIST BABY .......BUUAAAHHH
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DAS RIGHT DAS RIGHT! YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS! :D
Apologies ladies. Just a little goofing off.
 
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jessica22 said:
TomT,

Can you remember any Bio question on there? I'm taking mine on April 15... so let me compare it and see if it'll be the same test...
Click to expand...

pollen producing part of flower, an easy q
simple genetic punnet square q
what does a cell release when infected by a virus? beta inteferon, Interleukin I or II *someone else had posted this and I'm wondering if they too got the alien exam.
Something about an oganism that has ganglia and a definite head structure--choices were annelida, platyhelminthes sort of stuff.

I really just cannot remeber. That's how unrecognzable most of the **** was for me. What kept running through my mind was why are they asking THIS?

TomT
 
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jessica22 said:
Did u two know that you guys scared the hell out of me? :'(....
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Yeah that's right baby, I actually type these suckers down after my test last year. So I will cut and paste this for you. Enjoy. Buuaahhh!!!

Some actual questions were:
Biology-Sea Urchin question: the answer was to prevent another sperm from fertilizing it again.
2nd-Mesoderm question:answer musculo skeletal system
3rd-Which organ produces urine: answer kidneys
4th-Cardiac output-answer I didn't know but it had options like stroke volume times something or divided by something.
5th-Which neurotransmitter is used in skeletal muscle
answer: I put norepinephrine thinking it was talking about basically the sympathetic Nervous System.
6th-Characteristic of Smooth Muscle-Answer: Uninucleated
 
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kew said:
Yeah that's right baby, I actually type these suckers down after my test last year. So I will cut and paste this for you. Enjoy. Buuaahhh!!!

Some actual questions were:
Biology-Sea Urchin question: the answer was to prevent another sperm from fertilizing it again.
2nd-Mesoderm question:answer musculo skeletal system
3rd-Which organ produces urine: answer kidneys
4th-Cardiac output-answer I didn't know but it had options like stroke volume times something or divided by something.
5th-Which neurotransmitter is used in skeletal muscle
answer: I put norepinephrine thinking it was talking about basically the sympathetic Nervous System.
6th-Characteristic of Smooth Muscle-Answer: Uninucleated
Click to expand...

Holy ****, you're an alien I swear. THOSE ARE THE SAME QUESTIONS I GOT!!!
It's just couldn't remember the q's. I figured it would come to me as I passed some simialr info when I got to re-reviewing the sample exams.
 
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:mad:
kew said:
brbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbr!!!!! That's a whistle blowing.
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do u remeber the chem and ochem? I remember one on sigma and Pi MO. I didn't initially know what the symbols were, because they used an E for sigma and they gave a reaction that I couldn't recognize. Something like that. This one in particular bothered me. :mad:

So these exams are not randomly produced! I thought we were never supposed to get the same exam twice, especially in three months. If I knew this, I would have paid more attention to the q/a others have posted.
:mad:
 
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TomT said:
I had applied to NYU, BU, Columbia, UMDNJ as well as Stony Brook as a late applicant for THIS year. I actually got a phone call from NYU asking if I was interested in attending and they wanted to know when I was taking the DATs. They ain't calling me again with the scores I just delivered. I also got an email from BU asking for the same info and to send a picture and $60 asap.
I'm not going to read into it because it could just be standard for them to do this. I huess I will be early for the 2007 cycle.
Click to expand...
I feel ya dude... I will be applying the FIRST day applications go out, May 15th.... but im not taking the DAT until july probably, so i will find out if i just wasted alot of money applying if i get one of these "alien exams"! :laugh: god i hope not... :scared:
 
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Read Kaplan twice through, remembered what I learned in class, took every Kaplan subject test + 4 full lengths, and my scores are below. Took it just once, August 15, 2005.
 
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bio- harder than kaplan
gchem- alot easier on the real thing
o chem- same as kaplan-gotta know your rxns!
pat- the angle ranking is ******edly difficult, the holes section had way many new folds than kaplan. and front top end wasnt that bad
RC/QR- tolerable
first time got 17/18/19 :(
but only studied a week before.
i hate studying for the dats. god let this be over soon.
 
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