8/22 dat done!!

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TheDentist16

TheDentist16

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So I just took my DAT, finished about 2 hours ago. And I must say, this is probably one of the happiest days of my life.

PAT: 21 (87.9%)
QR: 24 (99.0%)
RC: 23 (89.8%)
Bio: 21 (92.3%)
GC: 21 (87.0%)
OC: 27 (98.7%)

TS: 22 (95.6%)
AA: 23 (98.7%) :D

Generally speaking, I thought the actual DAT exam was easier in respects to the practice that I've been doing. The only section that I thought was harder was the PAT, specifically pattern folding. All in all, as many have stated, if I can do it, so can you.

I would like to thank everyone on SDN that has helped me throughout this summer and dentalworks for his DAT 8-week study guide that I based my study schedule on. My family, friends, and you SDNers truly made these scores possible. I am humbled and deeply grateful. I will be posting a complete breakdown later tonight.

Here's my breakdown:

Practice Tests:
TopScore:
Bio/GC/OC/QR/RC/PAT/TS/AA
Test 1: 29/28/30/22/22/20/30/26
Test 2: 22/28/30/30/29/25/27/28
Test 3: 24/28/30/26/22/21/28/26

Achiever:
Test 1: 17/19/19/18/18/16/19/18

**Before I begin the actual breakdown of how I tackled my studying for the DAT, a quick note about materials. KBB was not the best. I read it as a foundation but didn't rely on it at all. Pretty much none of it stuck after I finished with it. Achiever was ridiculous and killed my confidence. TopScore was pretty accurate in its difficulty. Nearly matched that of the real DAT.** Additionally, I modeled my study schedule after dentalwork's 8-week study program.

Biology:
Materials: KBB, Destroyer, DAT QVault, Cliff's AP Bio, Alan's Notes
Comments:
I first started with KBB and realized that practically nothing I read was sticking. Asking advice from a friend who already took the DAT last year, I then bought the Cliff's AP Bio. Solid investment. Cliff's goes through almost everything you need for the biology section of the DAT. It lacked on details regarding the skeletal system (bone anatomy) and special senses (eye and ear).

Next, after reading through Cliff's twice, I then did Destroyer. First time through, I got about 50-60 wrong. Then my second run, I got 10 wrong. After Destroyer 2x, I then reviewed Alan's notes. They are detailed, but very succinct. You really have to know your material to find Alan's notes useful (and they are!).

I intermittently did DAT Qvault (bought the subscription) and it really helped. Started out at 18 for benchmark test #1 and went up to 23 for benchmark test #9 and #10. Very good investment and helped broaden the range of questions I came across.

Overall, I felt quite prepared for the bio section of the real DAT.

General Chemistry:
Materials: KBB, Destroyer, Chad's Videos
Comments:
I watched Chad's videos once, then did Destroyer once. Took notes using the handouts provided by Chad and then ran through Destroyer. I initially tried Destroyer prior to watching Chad's videos and I knew next to nothing. Chad's videos are VERY helpful. It was worth my money!

Overall, I felt super prepared for this section.

Organic Chemistry:
Materials: KBB, Destroyer, Chad's Videos
Comments:
Same thing as General Chemistry. Did Destroyer twice, and looked at the roadmaps too! (They help!)

Overall, I felt really prepared for this section as well.

Quantitative Reasoning:
Materials: KBB, Math Destroyer, Chad's Videos
Comments:
Judging from the success I had with Chad's videos for GC and OC, I plunged into his latest collection of videos, the ones for the QR section. It turns out I made the right decision. I tried Math Destroyer before watching the videos and I ran out of time about 25 problems into it. Post-watching the videos, I nailed all 40 with a few minutes to spare. I did Math Destroyer once through.

Overall, I was really surprised at the QR section. I know it has a nasty reputation for being the section people run out of time on, but I finished with 5 minutes left. There was nothing I didn't know or see before between Chad's videos and Math Destroyer.

Added advice: Please do not underestimate this section! I know I first did because I assumed I knew everything due to my perfect math SAT scores, but that's not the case! Take this section seriously too!

Reading Comprehension:
Materials: Crack DAT Reading (10-test), TopScore, Achiever
Comments:
Crack DAT Reading was nice, I used the 10-test version. Went through all of them, scored 23-25 on each one. It had more history and philosophical passages, very few on science. It helped build my speed and focus.

TopScore reading passages were far more like the real DAT because they were highly technical and science-based. Achiever was a bit overboard in my opinion.

Overall, I was confident going into the RC section. I read every passage (taking 10 minutes maximum), then answered the questions (10 minutes max). I didn't run out of time.

PAT:
Materials: KBB, Crack DAT PAT (10-test), TopScore
Comments:
Well I knew this was going to be a killer. Started out with CDP at a 16, worked my way up to 25 by the end of test 10. CDP was great because it had excellent explanations, and the range of figures/patterns/hole punches were great. Timing is key. But the most important part was practice. Practice, practice, practice. This isn't something you can "learn" how to do, it is simply practice-driven.

Overall, PAT wasn't terrible. Keyholes, hole punches, and cube counting were easier than CDP. Angles and TFE were the same difficulty. Pattern folding was pretty tricky, definitely harder than CDP. The pattern folding on TopScore was more representative of the difficulty of the real DAT though. Actually, TopScore PAT in general is quite representative of the actual DAT. Again, Achiever is pretty nuts.

Overall:
My experience with studying for the DAT has proven to me one thing: with hard work, anything can be achieved. I started my studying on July 5th, and concluded it on August 21st. I worked 8am-5pm Monday-Friday during that timeframe, and yet I still managed to study effectively and efficiently. I guarantee you that your hard work will be bountifully rewarded at the conclusion of your studies.

Once again, thank you to the SDN community. You all are very great and generous people, and I wish you all the best in your future aspirations. Any questions/comments please feel free to ask/post! I will be sticking around SDN for a long time to give back to the community. It helped me, and I hope I can do the same for future DAT-takers.
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SLYgUy2098 said:
So I just took my DAT, finished about 2 hours ago. And I must say, this is probably one of the happiest days of my life. I will post a complete breakdown later, the adrenaline/euphoria/disbelief of being finally done is still settling in.

PAT: 21 (87.9%)
QR: 24 (99.0%)
RC: 23 (89.8%)
Bio: 21 (92.3%)
GC: 21 (87.0%)
OC: 27 (98.7%)

TS: 22 (95.6%)
AA: 23 (98.7%) :D

Generally speaking, I thought the actual DAT exam was easier in respects to the practice that I've been doing. The only section that I thought was harder was the PAT, specifically pattern folding. All in all, as many have stated, if I can do it, so can you.

I would like to thank everyone on SDN that has helped me throughout this summer and dentalworks for his DAT 8-week study guide that I based my study schedule on. My family, friends, and you SDNers truly made these scores possible. I am humbled and deeply grateful. I will be posting a complete breakdown later tonight.
Click to expand...

Great scores! Good luck with your interviews.
 
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SLYgUy2098 said:
So I just took my DAT, finished about 2 hours ago. And I must say, this is probably one of the happiest days of my life. I will post a complete breakdown later, the adrenaline/euphoria/disbelief of being finally done is still settling in.

PAT: 21 (87.9%)
QR: 24 (99.0%)
RC: 23 (89.8%)
Bio: 21 (92.3%)
GC: 21 (87.0%)
OC: 27 (98.7%)

TS: 22 (95.6%)
AA: 23 (98.7%) :D

Generally speaking, I thought the actual DAT exam was easier in respects to the practice that I've been doing. The only section that I thought was harder was the PAT, specifically pattern folding. All in all, as many have stated, if I can do it, so can you.

I would like to thank everyone on SDN that has helped me throughout this summer and dentalworks for his DAT 8-week study guide that I based my study schedule on. My family, friends, and you SDNers truly made these scores possible. I am humbled and deeply grateful. I will be posting a complete breakdown later tonight.
Click to expand...

Great scores!
 
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buckey said:
Nice work. At what point in your studies did you take that achiever test?
Click to expand...
I took my achiever test 2 weeks before my real DAT. At that point, I thought I was nearly prepared for it but after seeing my scores on Achiever, it really killed my confidence. On the flip side, it made me really focused during my last 2 weeks of study. I don't recommend it as being reflective of how you will perform though, since it's unnecessarily more difficult than the real DAT. The reading passages are pretty nice for RC though, perhaps the questions are a bit more involved imo.
 
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crew09 said:
So what was your daily/weekly study schedule like
Click to expand...
I worked in a research lab during that time, so my daily schedule would be go to work at 8am, then work in the lab of course. During my lunch break, I would study and eat in my office rather than in the cafeteria. I would resume work until 5pm, then I would go home. After a half an hour break, I would break open my DAT study material and study until 12am or 1am depending on how much I wanted to get done. Then I would wake up at 6am to get ready for work. So per day, I would average about 8-9 hours of study time on top of regular working hours.

On a weekly basis, I tackled each section separately. So I had roughly 7 weeks to prepare. I tended to focus on each section throughout a particular week in great detail, then start a new section the following week. I did my CDP and CDR almost every other day during this time as well, alternating between the two. On the weekends I would mainly focus on practicing problems, which is simply applying what I learned/testing myself. So if in a given week I did mainly bio, then I would do the Destroyer bio section. So what I did for most sections was on a per-week basis. KBB + Cliff's for bio in a week, chad's videos for gen chem, then chad's videos for ochem, and finally chad's QR videos.

Finally, about 3 weeks before my real DAT I ran through topscore and then achiever. In the week before my exam (this past week) I reviewed all my notes and went through a lot of DAT qVault as well as Chad's practice quizzes for ochem, gchem, and QR. It was tough balancing the time, but once I was adapted to my study/work schedule it became less difficult.

You can also see dentalworks thread on a sample DAT study schedule. I started off using his then modified it to fit my needs. I believe it's sticky-ed.
 
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Congratz!! You totally deserve it.

If you still here, I want to ask how was the RC compared to Test 1 Achiever. I know everything about Achiever is hard. The reason I ask is that after reading half of a passage from Achiever Test 1 RC I am basically give up...So many terminologies...As it turns out, I guess on all the questions on RC because I don't feel like reading the passages. I would also like to hear whether you are suggesting SnD.
(I have asked many times and I am asking again.) I am extremely concerned about my RC because I believe RC score will be my lowest among all scores.
THANKS. AGAIN, CONGRATZ
 
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Hope30 said:
Congratz!! You totally deserve it.

If you still here, I want to ask how was the RC compared to Test 1 Achiever. I know everything about Achiever is hard. The reason I ask is that after reading half of a passage from Achiever Test 1 RC I am basically give up...So many terminologies...As it turns out, I guess on all the questions on RC because I don't feel like reading the passages. I would also like to hear whether you are suggesting SnD.
(I have asked many times and I am asking again.) I am extremely concerned about my RC because I believe RC score will be my lowest among all scores.
THANKS. AGAIN, CONGRATZ
Click to expand...
I have personally not done SnD when working with RC. I read the passage all the way through, and then I tackle the questions. I give myself 10 minutes to read a passage, then 10 minutes to answer the questions. The extra amount of time I spent reading was made up because I knew where every topic was within the passage.

The Achiever RC was pretty difficult, yes, but it is highly technical at the same time. The passages on the real DAT were a little less difficult than the Achiever RC, but they were still technical as well. I think Achiever is the worst RC you can ever see, so if you can manage to get through it then you'll be set on the RC section. Personally, TopScore was far more accurate in its difficulty in RC compared to the real DAT. TopScore also had technical and scientific passages, but the questions were more on par with how they appear on the real test. Achiever's questions were far more difficult. However, even if you don't answer the Achiever questions, just getting through the passage within 10 minutes (if you like to read the whole thing first) should be your goal. If not, then by all means do SnD. I'm not saying one method is better than another, it just really depends on what suits you the best. And good luck again! Any more questions feel free to ask! :)
 
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radmazindds said:
Hahaha! Dr. Tan will be so proud!! :) Congrats man.
Click to expand...
Dr. Tan will be really proud of all of us! I think we all worked EXTREMELY hard and it totally shows! Not to mention that a lot of us took summer classes/had other obligations to attend to, yet we still slaved over our DAT materials and made it.

I stumbled across your post about a week ago, when I was at a pretty low point. I had recently done Achiever and felt pretty bad about my studying. Then I read your breakdown about how you overcame your fears/doubts and it really inspired me to do my best. So I just want to really thank you for that and I will personally do it once we go back to NYU again :)

It's also nice to know that I'm not the only one who is addicted to SDN haha.
 
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SLYgUy2098 said:
Dr. Tan will be really proud of all of us! I think we all worked EXTREMELY hard and it totally shows! Not to mention that a lot of us took summer classes/had other obligations to attend to, yet we still slaved over our DAT materials and made it.

I stumbled across your post about a week ago, when I was at a pretty low point. I had recently done Achiever and felt pretty bad about my studying. Then I read your breakdown about how you overcame your fears/doubts and it really inspired me to do my best. So I just want to really thank you for that and I will personally do it once we go back to NYU again :)

It's also nice to know that I'm not the only one who is addicted to SDN haha.
Click to expand...

Now, I use SDN more than Facebook. :)
 
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SLYgUy2098 said:
Reading Comprehension:
Materials: Crack DAT Reading (10-test), TopScore, Achiever
Comments:
Crack DAT Reading was nice, I used the 10-test version. Went through all of them, scored 23-25 on each one. It had more history and philosophical passages, very few on science. It helped build my speed and focus.

TopScore reading passages were far more like the real DAT because they were highly technical and science-based. Achiever was a bit overboard in my opinion.

Overall, I was confident going into the RC section. I read every passage (taking 10 minutes maximum), then answered the questions (10 minutes max). I didn't run out of time.
Click to expand...

Great job!:thumbup::thumbup: Good luck on your application process.:xf:

Would you please explain how you tackle the RC section in details like SnD or read questions first and so on? Thank you.
 
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shinywisdom said:
Great job!:thumbup::thumbup: Good luck on your application process.:xf:

Would you please explain how you tackle the RC section in details like SnD or read questions first and so on? Thank you.
Click to expand...
I apologize for the late response, been busy at college. I tackled the RC section by reading the passages in its entirety first, then tackling the question. SnD does work for me, but I felt that with the added pressure of the real exam, reading first helped me more.

Yes, it takes more time to read it thoroughly, the that time is more than compensated when answering the questions.
 
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I see a big picture of NYU logo next to your name, I assume this is your top school choice? Why does everyone like that school so much?
 
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Dotoday said:
I see a big picture of NYU logo next to your name, I assume this is your top school choice? Why does everyone like that school so much?
Click to expand...

NYU basically has a 7 year program where you get your BA/DDS. I believe you apply to it straight out of high school...

Our periodontist went this route :) although she said that she did have some regrets over it since she did not get to take other 'fun' classes while in undergrad since she skipped right into dental.


Source: http://www.nyu.edu/cas/Academic/Programs/badds/
 
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heyy congrats!!!

p.s. does anyone have the link for topscore? i'm not sure if i'm on the right website through google.

thank you :)
 
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It sounds similar to the MD/PhD program. Many "fun" classes there. Good luck with your application process.
 
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I think NYU is easier to get into because they charge an outrageous tuition. I truly believe their price is too overinflated.
 
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Do you think other sections carry weight on the DAT or schools just care about sciences?
 
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JOoa0ky said:
NYU basically has a 7 year program where you get your BA/DDS. I believe you apply to it straight out of high school...

Our periodontist went this route :) although she said that she did have some regrets over it since she did not get to take other 'fun' classes while in undergrad since she skipped right into dental.


Source: http://www.nyu.edu/cas/Academic/Programs/badds/
Click to expand...

Whoa didn't know there was still activity on this thread. Yeah, I'm in the BA/DDS program, and correct, you are taken right out of high school.

Your periodontist is right in that there is no time for "fun" elective classes. But that's a price to pay for a 3-year undergraduate track. My oral surgeon also did the BA/DDS track at NYU and said pretty much the same thing. It wasn't entirely fun at the time, but he enjoyed the 7-year track since it did save a year of tuition and the headache of applying to a bunch of dental schools.

Personally, I'm still on the fence about whether or not the program was entirely worth it. Though, to its defense, NYU Dental is my top choice :). My mother went there for the Advanced Placement program back in the late 80's and she loved it. (It was called Internationally Trained Foreign Dentist or ITFD then).
 
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Dotoday said:
It sounds similar to the MD/PhD program. Many "fun" classes there. Good luck with your application process.
Click to expand...

Thank you! And good luck to you too!

Yeah there is the MD/PhD program at NYU as well. It's the medical/graduate version of the BA/DDS program. Ironically, NYU used to have a 7-year BA/MD program but they got rid of it due to a lack of interest. Seems like they might bring it back within the next 5 or so years. There's been some talk about it.
 
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Dotoday said:
Have you gotten any responces from schools yet?
Click to expand...

Since I'm limited to NYU Dental due to the program, no I haven't gotten any responses from schools yet other than NYU. I got a "Application Completed" e-mail from them back in November. After I sent in my Fall 2011 transcript they'll begin reviewing my application and then contact me for my interview.

The timing is completely off from everyone else :(.

EDIT: As far as the price for NYU is concerned, it may or may not be well-justified depending on how you think about it. They do have top-notch clinics and have state-of-the-art buildings. Others though may feel differently. I'm not one to defend or reprimand dental schools, but also one must take into account the location of the school itself. Running a university in a city is quite costly. This is then deferred onto the students as well.
 
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Dotoday said:
Do you think other sections carry weight on the DAT or schools just care about sciences?
Click to expand...

For the DAT itself, I think schools care most about the science scores (aggregated under Total Science) and the PAT. From what I've gathered, QR and RC aren't as important as we've been lead to believe. However that's no reason to under-perform on these sections either, as the AA does indeed matter.
 
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Wow. You are placing a lot.of hopes on NYU. I also agree that the timing is not the best. How are preparing for an interview with them? I admire your bravery. It must be stressful to bet on one school.

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Dotoday said:
Wow. You are placing a lot.of hopes on NYU. I also agree that the timing is not the best. How are preparing for an interview with them? I admire your bravery. It must be stressful to bet on one school.

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Click to expand...

Well, for the BA/DDS program I'm only allowed to apply to NYU haha. I'm still not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. And yeah, it is stressful at times but I can say the same thing about applying to a lot of dental schools too so both routes are stressful in their own way :p.

For interviewing, I'm mainly using SDN's interview feedback and DentalDAT's list of commonly asked interview questions. I'm also going to review my app and know it inside and out, and also my personal statement. I don't think there's anything else I can do to prepare. Since this is the last step before dental school, I can only hope for the best! :xf::xf:
 
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Wow, you are right. The whole process is stressful. I wish you all the best and ai sincerely hope that you will make it.
I did not know that there were interview feedbacks posted in this forum? If not this forum, where did you find them on SDN?

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Dotoday said:
Wow, you are right. The whole process is stressful. I wish you all the best and ai sincerely hope that you will make it.
I did not know that there were interview feedbacks posted in this forum? If not this forum, where did you find them on SDN?

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Thank you :) and best of luck to you as well! If you google "SDN interview feedback" it will be the first link. You can select the school you want to learn more about and then look at the types of questions asked/survey breakdowns.
 
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Wow, thanks. I had no idea this existed.

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