First time poster but a couple months lurker and would like to thank everyone who posted their breakdowns during my time of studying as every single breakdown I read encouraged me I could do better. Even though I am a bit indifferent or slightly disappointed that I didn't do better. I actually don't wanna post this cause all these 23+ AA that keeps posting up makes me even more disappointed in myself. But nonetheless I feel like I wouldn't have even scored this high without the SDN community. Everybody's post were very helpful in helping me learn for this exam so thank you all.
So I want to start off by saying that I am a very lazy person and that while I did studied during the months of late May to August, I would have many moments where I just don't feel like doing it anymore after a few hours and just go play some video games most of the time. I did spend at least 3 hours a day at the VERY least and 8-9 hours at most on rare occasions. I can't study for too long or I would start feeling overstress and I believe it would not have been good for my health. So I usually avoid anything that causes me to stress too much or for too long.
I only used a few materials, but the materials I gathered were crucial in aiding my learning. The materials I used were DAT destroyer, DAT Bootcamp, Cliffs 3rd edition, Feralis Notes, and Chads and I believe each one is essential in my learning.
-DAT destroyer - I got ~2-3 questions for my bio section that were probably word for word straight from the destroyer for the bio section. If it weren't for that I would have probably scored as I normally did once you guys see my practice exams. For Gchem and Ochem, just like every breakdown you read, many of the questions given will help you stimulate your learning of the material and why it works like that. I do have some nitpick that there a few questions that seem completely off-field that I doubt would have a likely chance to show up on the actual DAT but that is just my 2 cents and I doubt I am even right.
-DAT Bootcamp - After the update, the actual site ended up looking very close to the actual exam which actually helped in getting used to your comfort zone. The style of questions are definitely right up the alley in most cases so if you can recognize how to do it once, you'll have an easier time doing it later.
-Cliffs and Feralis Notes -Used early on and that's about it, I took notes and used Feralis Notes only for the physiology and anatomy section since I heard cliff's was lacking in it. I would of used the notes more if it weren't so indepth.
-Chad's video and quizzes - He is great for reviewing Gchem and Ochem and his outlines are a great way for a quick review when practicing problems and makes organizing my notes alot easier since it made it easier to look for the section I want.
- Math Destroyer - pretty good in helping you get ready to learn the hard problems. Most of the problems aren't as hard on the actual DAT but it does prepare you for that one problem you will face.
Before I post my actual scores for the DAT I want to show my practice scores from the materials I used.
DAT Bootcamp (all taken the week leading up to my test):
Bio/GC/OC/PAT/RC/ (didn't do QR)
Test 1: 17/18/18/18/18
Test 2: 18/20/18/20/ N/A (I read part of the first reading and rage quit cause I did not like it, stopped altogether for RC)
Test 3: 16/22/19/18
Test 4: 17/19/19/19
Test 5:19/19/18/20
Bio/GC/OC/PAT/RC/QR
ADA 2007 (3 days before test): 16/23/19/Skip/Skip/Skip (I got mad at myself seeing my bio score, that I stopped studying that day, bad idea I know)
ADA 2008 (2 days before test): 17/21/18/20/18/19
As you can see I started getting worried the last few days before my test because of my bio scores I have been getting consistently on my practice exam. I was hoping that during the actual exam I would hope to be tested on mainly things I know because I was already so close to my exam date.
Actual: AA/TS/Bio/GC/OC/PAT/RC/QR
20/20/21/19/22/22/18/20
-Biology - HOLY, I did not expect this. I was definitely surprised based off my practice scores. 2-3 questions came exactly from destroyer, I don't need to swear on this because it was there 100%. I got another question that was just the same but I wasn't sure if it was either from bootcamp or destroyer, nonetheless they were both invaluable to my studying. I felt like nothing in this section was really off course and it actually felt alot easier to me, but my hope did come true since it mostly tested me on things I actually knew.
Now heres the funny thing, I woke up in the morning and I was worrying about the bio section before my exam. 20-30 minutes on the car before I arrive to the test center I totally forgot what "G cell" produces, all I knew it started with a G. I bring up my phone and google it, ohh it makes gastrin. I know pepsin from pepsinogen but I forgot what pepsin did, so I looked up that too on google. The first thing that popped up on google had the bolded words pepsin and chymotrypsin. I was like "hmm chymotrypsin is involved with pepsin and some protein stuff, didn't know that w/e". I didn't even bother trying to figure out what it did because I felt kinda of nervous so I just tried to relax. Fast forward during my exam, saw a question involving protein digestion, (⌐▨_▨).
-Gchem - I don't know what happened, for some reason I just started to get confused on this section when it was generally my best section based on practice exams. I think it was just me but I had a few questions that kind of seemed off and I couldn't seem to answer a couple of them. I knew I screwed up this section once I finished this part of the science section. Really disappointed that I was unable to get at least 20s in all sciences.
-Ochem - I started cussing to myself (making mouth movements) when I went to take a break because I realized I got a freebie question wrong and I figured it out the second my break started and it was something that I should of in no way gotten wrong. Other than that my exam was pretty straightforward and easy, got no NMR and IR questions. Do know your labotory techniques from Destroyer, I would of gotten a question wrong if I did not encounter that specific question in the destroyer.
- PAT - I love rocks. NOT. For Keyholes, there were quite a few questions that looked like it was none of the answers or all of them it was weird. TFE, my worst section when I started practicing that ended up being one of my best. The actual DAT was not any harder than bootcamp. Angle, seemed really hard for me. On bootcamp my angle ranking would go all over the place from missing 4 to 0 to 4 to 9, etc. The angle ranking had many angles that looked the same. I practiced angle early in my studies then stopped practicing the PAT till near the very end, I shouldn't have done that. Hole punching, the line of symmetry method was especially useful. I am too lazy to find and link the video, but there was another video that is less viewed that is also absolutely essential when covering hole punch, Very easy. Cube counting, was just as bootcamp. Pattern folding ended up being much much easier on my actual exam that it was suprising. The answers could easily be crossed out.
-RC - Never been good at reading or english in general and its my 1st language. Always been terrible at reading, my SAT scores don't lie as well. I hate reading, oh but mangas are a-ok. I love manga but it won't help if you want to improve your reading ability. Source - me and my score. I attempted search and destroy while writing key words as I skimmed through the passage after reading the first question.
- QR - I don't know how much I missed to get a 20, the questions were almost all fairly simple except for 1 questions that made no sense whatsoever when I did the problem and compare it to the answer and the answer isn't even remotely close to any of the given answer. Math Destroyer was pretty helpful, I only did 10 test untimed. Chad's QR also helps here too if you need it. I wasn't too worried about this section.
All in all I feel indifferent with my scores, I have a pretty LOW gpa and wanted to offset a little more onto my DAT. Was my fault though since slacked off multiple times during my schedule. Well I still have a year to boost it as much as I can but it can only help so much at best.
Special thanks to Orgoman and Ari, the materials provided by these 2 were absolutely core in helping me retain info and prepared me best for the actual exam.
Too lazy to go post my scoresheet maybe I'll add it in later.
So I want to start off by saying that I am a very lazy person and that while I did studied during the months of late May to August, I would have many moments where I just don't feel like doing it anymore after a few hours and just go play some video games most of the time. I did spend at least 3 hours a day at the VERY least and 8-9 hours at most on rare occasions. I can't study for too long or I would start feeling overstress and I believe it would not have been good for my health. So I usually avoid anything that causes me to stress too much or for too long.
I only used a few materials, but the materials I gathered were crucial in aiding my learning. The materials I used were DAT destroyer, DAT Bootcamp, Cliffs 3rd edition, Feralis Notes, and Chads and I believe each one is essential in my learning.
-DAT destroyer - I got ~2-3 questions for my bio section that were probably word for word straight from the destroyer for the bio section. If it weren't for that I would have probably scored as I normally did once you guys see my practice exams. For Gchem and Ochem, just like every breakdown you read, many of the questions given will help you stimulate your learning of the material and why it works like that. I do have some nitpick that there a few questions that seem completely off-field that I doubt would have a likely chance to show up on the actual DAT but that is just my 2 cents and I doubt I am even right.
-DAT Bootcamp - After the update, the actual site ended up looking very close to the actual exam which actually helped in getting used to your comfort zone. The style of questions are definitely right up the alley in most cases so if you can recognize how to do it once, you'll have an easier time doing it later.
-Cliffs and Feralis Notes -Used early on and that's about it, I took notes and used Feralis Notes only for the physiology and anatomy section since I heard cliff's was lacking in it. I would of used the notes more if it weren't so indepth.
-Chad's video and quizzes - He is great for reviewing Gchem and Ochem and his outlines are a great way for a quick review when practicing problems and makes organizing my notes alot easier since it made it easier to look for the section I want.
- Math Destroyer - pretty good in helping you get ready to learn the hard problems. Most of the problems aren't as hard on the actual DAT but it does prepare you for that one problem you will face.
Before I post my actual scores for the DAT I want to show my practice scores from the materials I used.
DAT Bootcamp (all taken the week leading up to my test):
Bio/GC/OC/PAT/RC/ (didn't do QR)
Test 1: 17/18/18/18/18
Test 2: 18/20/18/20/ N/A (I read part of the first reading and rage quit cause I did not like it, stopped altogether for RC)
Test 3: 16/22/19/18
Test 4: 17/19/19/19
Test 5:19/19/18/20
Bio/GC/OC/PAT/RC/QR
ADA 2007 (3 days before test): 16/23/19/Skip/Skip/Skip (I got mad at myself seeing my bio score, that I stopped studying that day, bad idea I know)
ADA 2008 (2 days before test): 17/21/18/20/18/19
As you can see I started getting worried the last few days before my test because of my bio scores I have been getting consistently on my practice exam. I was hoping that during the actual exam I would hope to be tested on mainly things I know because I was already so close to my exam date.
Actual: AA/TS/Bio/GC/OC/PAT/RC/QR
20/20/21/19/22/22/18/20
-Biology - HOLY, I did not expect this. I was definitely surprised based off my practice scores. 2-3 questions came exactly from destroyer, I don't need to swear on this because it was there 100%. I got another question that was just the same but I wasn't sure if it was either from bootcamp or destroyer, nonetheless they were both invaluable to my studying. I felt like nothing in this section was really off course and it actually felt alot easier to me, but my hope did come true since it mostly tested me on things I actually knew.
Now heres the funny thing, I woke up in the morning and I was worrying about the bio section before my exam. 20-30 minutes on the car before I arrive to the test center I totally forgot what "G cell" produces, all I knew it started with a G. I bring up my phone and google it, ohh it makes gastrin. I know pepsin from pepsinogen but I forgot what pepsin did, so I looked up that too on google. The first thing that popped up on google had the bolded words pepsin and chymotrypsin. I was like "hmm chymotrypsin is involved with pepsin and some protein stuff, didn't know that w/e". I didn't even bother trying to figure out what it did because I felt kinda of nervous so I just tried to relax. Fast forward during my exam, saw a question involving protein digestion, (⌐▨_▨).
-Gchem - I don't know what happened, for some reason I just started to get confused on this section when it was generally my best section based on practice exams. I think it was just me but I had a few questions that kind of seemed off and I couldn't seem to answer a couple of them. I knew I screwed up this section once I finished this part of the science section. Really disappointed that I was unable to get at least 20s in all sciences.
-Ochem - I started cussing to myself (making mouth movements) when I went to take a break because I realized I got a freebie question wrong and I figured it out the second my break started and it was something that I should of in no way gotten wrong. Other than that my exam was pretty straightforward and easy, got no NMR and IR questions. Do know your labotory techniques from Destroyer, I would of gotten a question wrong if I did not encounter that specific question in the destroyer.
- PAT - I love rocks. NOT. For Keyholes, there were quite a few questions that looked like it was none of the answers or all of them it was weird. TFE, my worst section when I started practicing that ended up being one of my best. The actual DAT was not any harder than bootcamp. Angle, seemed really hard for me. On bootcamp my angle ranking would go all over the place from missing 4 to 0 to 4 to 9, etc. The angle ranking had many angles that looked the same. I practiced angle early in my studies then stopped practicing the PAT till near the very end, I shouldn't have done that. Hole punching, the line of symmetry method was especially useful. I am too lazy to find and link the video, but there was another video that is less viewed that is also absolutely essential when covering hole punch, Very easy. Cube counting, was just as bootcamp. Pattern folding ended up being much much easier on my actual exam that it was suprising. The answers could easily be crossed out.
-RC - Never been good at reading or english in general and its my 1st language. Always been terrible at reading, my SAT scores don't lie as well. I hate reading, oh but mangas are a-ok. I love manga but it won't help if you want to improve your reading ability. Source - me and my score. I attempted search and destroy while writing key words as I skimmed through the passage after reading the first question.
- QR - I don't know how much I missed to get a 20, the questions were almost all fairly simple except for 1 questions that made no sense whatsoever when I did the problem and compare it to the answer and the answer isn't even remotely close to any of the given answer. Math Destroyer was pretty helpful, I only did 10 test untimed. Chad's QR also helps here too if you need it. I wasn't too worried about this section.
All in all I feel indifferent with my scores, I have a pretty LOW gpa and wanted to offset a little more onto my DAT. Was my fault though since slacked off multiple times during my schedule. Well I still have a year to boost it as much as I can but it can only help so much at best.
Special thanks to Orgoman and Ari, the materials provided by these 2 were absolutely core in helping me retain info and prepared me best for the actual exam.
Too lazy to go post my scoresheet maybe I'll add it in later.
Good job!
