1/12/08 thoughts

Started by bakes
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bakes

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Hello, i took my DAT today and was wondering if you readers would lend me some feedback.


PAT-17
QR -15
RC- 21
BIO- 18
GC- 15
OC- 19

TS- 17
AA- 18

My concerns are that my QR and GC are too low. Do you believe my PAT also needs to be brought up some. My GPA is ~3.2 so i will most likely be retaking. Thanks for your advice and input, i take the both very seriously.
 
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Ok.as I said,I took my DAT today.Well,I don't know what to Say.
got

PAT 20
QR 17
RC 17
bio 17
GC 15
OC 17
TS 17
AA 18

I'm still in the state of shock.I have never seen or read such bio QS.
For those who are preparing.Just through away all the preparing qs and DON'T spend any penny for those preparation tools and just study texts books.
I absolutely didn't see any one thing from Destroye,Acheiver or top score.In any of the section.I was so much upset with bio section that I could not concentrate on any other part which was a mistake.
I think GC was hard,I don't know what happen to OC as I was doing pretty good on the practice examS.I ended it up with this low score.
PAT was much much easier than CDP.Also angle were not that hard,again if I was not thinking about the fact that I screwed the whole science part I would do much much better on PAT.I was so much disappointed that I was thinking to leave the test right after break!!!!!
Well,I knew that I have to take it again,but all to all I got better score than what I was thinking when I was doing the exam.
I was thinking then that the lady sitting outside probably have not seen such a low score since she is working here.Well,was not as bad as I was thinking.
My suggestion to all of you is that,please and please start to read cambell bio book.They will give you a Q to make sure you really understood the fundamental of biology.
As of myself,after a week rest I will start to through away everything and study my text books.Please ask me if you have any qs.
 
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Sorry to hear you guys had so much trouble.

Why the recommendation for textbooks over review books? Is it that the questions were really in depth, or just that they tested you on weird topics?
 
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well, if i got 18 AA i would never retake that test again, just apply very early to 30+ schools, but that's just me,
I am most worried about QR, were there crazy probability, trig, i heard people get 27s on topscore, etc. then get 15 on the real deal, and what did you study for bio, you think even scaum and ap cliffs are not enough ?
 
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Sorry guys,if I scared you.Yes I think they were in depth.I had so many evolution qs.About math,though I didnot do well,but specially I did not think that the trig qs were that hard.I usually do pretty well on algebra but I though that the algebra portion was kind of hard.Don't freak out guys,I was not in a good condition when I took the test,I just found out that I lost my job yesterday since I was studying so this kind of explain my emotional condition.
As far as bio,some of told me here a month ago to go ahead and study Cambell bio and I think at this point that I should of have listened to her/him.
Feel free to ask me any Q you have.
 
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Hey, noshnosh, i have a question about Bio for you.
Have you read Schaum's bio book? because I thought it has much details than Campbell even though it is just a outline book.
BTW, for me, 18TS would be good enough, but there might be the chance that school wants you to retake it.
 
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Yes, for me, campbell BIO was BEST tool for preparing DAT. I read a textbook from the beginning to the end for three times and my bio score raised up from 17 to 21. (AA 18 -> 21) I recommend campbell BIO to those who are preparing DAT right now. Well, I mentioned same thing a month ago at this forum. 🙂
 
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18 TS will not make the cut for most schools, even with a 3.5 gpa. Sorry, this sounds harsh, but you guys should retake the exam while you have time. Check predents.com to see what the avg DAT scores are. Most universities are looking for 20s these days. Although, all websites will state that 17 or 18 is the minimum score they need in ALL sections, it is important that you hit at least a 20 on your AA and TS.

Whether PAT plays a significant role in decisions or not, I don't know. For reference, I will give you my own situation: My scores are 22 TS, 21AA and 16PAT. With a gpa of 3.5+, I have only made it to one dental school (which is sh** expensive).

Your aim should be to make it to the cheapest dental school, be it state or out of state; and for cheap schools, you need good scores.

So, while you have time, retake the test.🙂
 
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milkymonster said:
Yes, for me, campbell BIO was BEST tool for preparing DAT. I read a textbook from the beginning to the end for three times and my bio score raised up from 17 to 21. (AA 18 -> 21) I recommend campbell BIO to those who are preparing DAT right now. Well, I mentioned same thing a month ago at this forum. 🙂
Click to expand...
Did you actually read the whole book again, or how was the method of study that you used for this... I am studying right now with AP cliff and I feel is pretty precise and to the point. I have refer back to campbell in some occasions, but I feel that what they can explain in one or two paragraph takes about 2 pages.
 
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From reading your post, I do not believe you used the study materials in the best fashion. You shouldn't expect those questions from topscore or achiever to show up on the exam - those study materials (from my own experience anyhow) have only been good for getting down your pacing and personal timing for the actual testing environment. Material wise, their help was marginal. For the destroyer, if you utilize it as practice, than it's pretty darn good, especially in the chemistry sections.

My first question from reading you post was this: how well did you answer the destroyer chem questions (without looking at the answer key while figuring them out) ?

noshnosh said:
Ok.as I said,I took my DAT today.Well,I don't know what to Say.
got

PAT 20
QR 17
RC 17
bio 17
GC 15
OC 17
TS 17
AA 18

I'm still in the state of shock.I have never seen or read such bio QS.
For those who are preparing.Just through away all the preparing qs and DON'T spend any penny for those preparation tools and just study texts books.
I absolutely didn't see any one thing from Destroye,Acheiver or top score.In any of the section.I was so much upset with bio section that I could not concentrate on any other part which was a mistake.
I think GC was hard,I don't know what happen to OC as I was doing pretty good on the practice examS.I ended it up with this low score.
PAT was much much easier than CDP.Also angle were not that hard,again if I was not thinking about the fact that I screwed the whole science part I would do much much better on PAT.I was so much disappointed that I was thinking to leave the test right after break!!!!!
Well,I knew that I have to take it again,but all to all I got better score than what I was thinking when I was doing the exam.
I was thinking then that the lady sitting outside probably have not seen such a low score since she is working here.Well,was not as bad as I was thinking.
My suggestion to all of you is that,please and please start to read cambell bio book.They will give you a Q to make sure you really understood the fundamental of biology.
As of myself,after a week rest I will start to through away everything and study my text books.Please ask me if you have any qs.
Click to expand...
 
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I ACTUALLY read whole campbell textbook for THREE times. I`m damn serious. At least I tried to memorize some important things and the way I studied worked for me. It took a month to finish BIO section. I have no idea about AP something.
 
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Montserrat said:
From reading your post, I do not believe you used the study materials in the best fashion. You shouldn't expect those questions from topscore or achiever to show up on the exam - those study materials (from my own experience anyhow) have only been good for getting down your pacing and personal timing for the actual testing environment. Material wise, their help was marginal. For the destroyer, if you utilize it as practice, than it's pretty darn good, especially in the chemistry sections.

My first question from reading you post was this: how well did you answer the destroyer chem questions (without looking at the answer key while figuring them out) ?
Click to expand...

Listen to this guy. He's a DAT legend.
 
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bakes said:
Thanks tamkhan, thus far i think you have been the only one who has noticed MY original questions.
Click to expand...

A 15 in g-chem, and a 17 in TS won't help your admissions bid, and it sounds like you already know that. There really wasn't much to add, because you already said that you plan on retaking it.
 
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TheWiredNerv said:
don't use pre-dents as an estimate for anything. It is a great site but in no way represents the entire applicant pool.
Click to expand...

Pre-dents does not represent the entire applicant pool, true. That being said, the statistics for every school (not the applicants who have been interviewed/waitlisted/rejected), are taken directly from the school's website in most cases. At the very least, it gives you a rough idea of what scores you should be aiming for.
 
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Yes,I have gone over AP bio and I think is very informative.
Please,don't take me wrong,I did not mean that those preparation tools such as Destroyer or Achiever or TS are useless.No,What I meant was that they will ask you very precise questions on the actual exam.For example,I was kept studying all the hormones,embryonic layers and all that as were repeatedly appear on all of those tools.On the actual test,nope, none whatsoever.
 
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noshnosh said:
Yes,I have gone over AP bio and I think is very informative.
Please,don't take me wrong,I did not mean that those preparation tools such as Destroyer or Achiever or TS are useless.No,What I meant was that they will ask you very precise questions on the actual exam.For example,I was kept studying all the hormones,embryonic layers and all that as were repeatedly appear on all of those tools.On the actual test,nope, none whatsoever.
Click to expand...

There are plenty of topics in bio that I studied which did not show up on the actual DAT. The amount of memorization with hormones, embryology, development, and systems biology wasn't a staggering amount though. We'll be hit much, much harder in dental school.

I'm not sure how you used these practice materials, and is why I asked the question in my previous post. How exactly did you use the materials and interweave them to increase your knowledge set ? Most of the time, when people say that they did not find these materials helpful, it's usually because they set out to memorize the questions on a given exam or set of questions. Anyone that does this is basically losing half of what they paid for in their test prep material. For the destroyer, when I got a question correct, I spent an almost equal amount of time looking up any hazy wrong answer choices in my textbooks or on wikipedia/internet site. It takes much longer, but the tailored questions and answers are why we're shelling out that much money for a book of questions and answers.
 
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noshnosh said:
Yes,I have gone over AP bio and I think is very informative.
Please,don't take me wrong,I did not mean that those preparation tools such as Destroyer or Achiever or TS are useless.No,What I meant was that they will ask you very precise questions on the actual exam.For example,I was kept studying all the hormones,embryonic layers and all that as were repeatedly appear on all of those tools.On the actual test,nope, none whatsoever.
Click to expand...
Doesn't mean they won't be on another DAT.
 
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TheWiredNerv said:
Doesn't mean they won't be on another DAT.
Click to expand...

TWN, as promised following the Pats romping of the Jags:

818ocxt.jpg
 
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Montserrat said:
For the destroyer, when I got a question correct, I spent an almost equal amount of time looking up any hazy wrong answer choices in my textbooks or on wikipedia/internet site. It takes much longer, but the tailored questions and answers are why we're shelling out that much money for a book of questions and answers.
Click to expand...

Exactly how to utilize Destroyer and any other test prep material. People in line to take the DAT should follow the "DAT legend" montserrat's advice.
 
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Hey Guys,

I agree with the above posts that 17's and 18's aren't really cutting it anymore. You guys really need to aim a bit higher. Also, I agree with the comment on how to use the destroyer. I found detroyer and organic odyssey extremely useful. You should NEVER expect to see exact questions...it's about learning how to DO questions and think about them in the right ways.

Anyways, wish you all the best.
 
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