9/13 DAT.. My thoughts on the test.

[samirmerch]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Well... After about 3 months of studying I'm finally done done done! I was doing research this summer until Aug 31, so I was only studying about 2-3 hours a day. After that, I studied about 10-12 hours/day until my exam. I'm applying for the 2009 cycle since I'm only going to be a junior.

And... the score:

Biology----18 (73.3%)
Gen Chem-21 (86.2%)
Org Chem-27 (98.2%)
Reading---22 (87.3%)
QR--------18 (73.3%)
PAT-------21 (93.0%)
TS--------21 (91.3%)
AA--------21 (91.0%)

Bio was NOT as bad as everyone made it out to be! I was FREAKING OUT. I know I didn't do so hot on this portion of the test, but for me this was about what I was getting on Achiever/TS tests (18-20)... so dont freak out about this section!

Gen Chem was very conceptual. There were about 7 or 8 calculations on my test. I thought it was very easy. ..don't know what i missed on this section. I was getting 21-23 on TS/Achiever

Orgo was very easy. If you know Destroyer and Kaplans section you will do awesome in this section. Again.. no idea what i missed. I thought I aced that section. I was getting 21-22 on TS/Achiever.

Reading was pretty easy. I was scoring about 20 or 21 on Achiever/Topscore. I read through quickly, and began hunting for answers. In the process for hunting answers I got a good grasp of the article so that I could answer the tone questions. Im stoked about this score.

QR... Yea im pissed. I was getting 24-29 on Achiever/TS. I have no idea what happened. I am a math tutor, and got done with all the questions with about 5 minutes left. I think there is an error in the grading system.

What should I do about the QR? Can I complain to ADA? Also.. Do you think that the drop in AA this year as compared to last year will reflect in a negative light for my app next year?

My materials used for the test (which are up for sale) were:

Bio- Kaplan, Princeton AP Review, A bit of schaums, Destroyer
OC/GC-Destroyer and Kaplan
PAT: Crack DAT PAT

I also used Achiever, Topscore, and Kaplan Class Subject Tests (Class was a waste of money).


BUY DESTROYER. It is an essential tool for DAT studying.


that is all.

 

[hxk]

congrats....nice scores....u RC is so high...how to u prepare RC section..what are u topic of RC article?

 

[jigabodo]

Great score. Kudos to you! 👍

 

[samirmerch]

congrats....nice scores....u RC is so high...how to u prepare RC section..what are u topic of RC article?

..honestly i just did practice tests from Kaplan, Achiever and Topscore. I figured out the most efficient way for me to go through the test and stuck with it. Practice is the best way to prepare for RC. I'd say about 40 of my questions were detail. The tone questions were such that as long as you read the passage with some comprehension of it you could figure out the answer pretty easily.

 

[samirmerch]

also.. thanks to poc91nc, sacjumpman, jigabodo, fancymylotus, shunwei. I really based my study habits around your guys' comments on SDN.

Thanks!😀

 

[rOOt_cAnAl]

You totally rocked the DAT!!! Great scores!!!


...just wondering, did you also have the ethical passage on your test???

 

[samirmerch]

no.. i had one about bridges, epidemiology and the nervous system!

 

[samirmerch]

..PM me if you want to buy anything from me like destroyer, kaplan, schaums.

 

[StayinNCali]

I feel you on the QR! There was somethin' screwy. Math tutors shouldn't be scoring the same or barely above the rest of the population. I know the chem tutors and bio majors are blowing everyone else away on their respective strong points.

 

[DDSinProGress08]

will u request an audit for ur test due to the dissapoitment of the math scores, i'm also pretty sure if they graded it correctly you would have gotten in high 20's. It is so unfair for you and the kids that got cheated out of the grade they deserved.

 

[samirmerch]

I dont know if I am going to. I talked to the manager of the ADA's DAT grading department and he basically told me that the answer keys were 'double and triple checked.' I told him that even though that may be true, there could have:

A) Been a mix-up in the answer key used.
B) A screw up in the scale.

Either way, if I audit, all they will do would be go through and cross check my answers to the answer key again. And for 50 dollars I dont think it is worth it, because in reality they are probably too dumb, and care too little to actually solve the problem.

STILL PISSED ABOUT THAT!😡

 

[StayinNCali]

Not alone in your feelings- their all gonna' get a piece of that QR this year.