3rd time advice

[Salmoides]

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So here is the deal. I graduated in May of 2011 with a BS in biology and a 3.4 gpa and a 3.43 sgpa. I took the DAT and made an 18AA, 19TS, 18 PAT. I got waitlisted from my state school that cycle. So I took the DAT again in August 2011.
Here is that break down.
AA -19
TS-19
OC-18
GC-20
Bio-20
RC-19
QR-17
PAT-17
So after I took it, I was freaking out about the two 17’s. I called the dean of admissions at my state school and asked him if I should retake because of the low pat score. He told me to hold onto my score for now. So I did, and that was a mistake because I now realize that I won’t get in this cycle. So I’m going to take it one more time and I’m just feeling really down in the dumps about all of this. I feel like I need to make at least a 19 in every category to get in. I’ve studied by myself the last two times I’ve taken the DAT and was wondering if I should take a Kaplan course or get a tutor. I haven’t in the past because I’m extremely self motivated, but I’m worried that I’m going to have trouble forcing myself through the prep process for the third time. What do you guys think? Should I get a private tutor? Are there other classes besides Kaplan?

 

[hamptongirl]

If you live in the NY/ staten island area you could take a course with ORGOMAN...the guy who wrote the destroyer.

 

[dentene]

what resources did you use to study?

 

[Salmoides]

I've used KBB chad's videos and crack dat pat

 

[ushaseos]

You will need to use more resources. Do full length practice tests from Top Score and Achiever, this will give you good experience on going through a whole test and all its challenges the same way you would on the real thing.

For single subject stuff, go through Math destroyer for QR, Crack DAT Reading for RC, Schaum's and Cliffs for Bio, DAT destroyer for GC and OC. Once you do the practice questions, analyze your mistakes.

This third time around, make sure you're getting close to 20 AA on Top Score and close to 17-18 AA on achiever before you do the DAT. You'll score well with the right amount of preparation.

You really don't want to take a Kaplan course since it isn't very good. Use that money instead to better resources. With $1500 you'd spend on a course, you can literally buy EVERY practice material under the sun, and if you can complete all of those you can get solid 20s across the board.

Keep your chin up, don't feel depressed. You still have the 3rd chance so there is no reason to lose hope! Good luck!

 

[KillaGorilla]

Use destroyer/achiever/topscore/qvault ... or whatever else for practice questions. Keep practicing those questions until you get them all right. When you can do that schedule a test. Keep practicing the questions until the test. It's pretty simple, but not that easy. GL

 

[exuberant]

You didn't use topscore or achiever?

How did you do the first time?

 

[menouski]

Solid advice from the responses I've read so far, I'm not sure if anyone has already said this but here's my two cents:

DAT destroyer was excellent for BIO, GC, and OC especially. If you haven't used it yet I HIGHLY recommend it. It is expensive but I think worth it for two reasons: it is still much, much cheaper than Kaplan and it is practically an encyclopedia of questions. I also had very good luck with Crack The Dat, for PAT especially, but also for RC and just to get a feel for the test as a whole.

To keep myself studying I would make note cards (for chemistry) for problems I missed and I would type up the answers for biology that I missed. I would go through the notes at least once before bed and that seemed to work pretty good.

Hope some of this is useful, the best advice I can give you it to relax, you'll do much better if you're good and calm. Good luck!!!