A New and Easier QR Section

[NumbaOneStunna]

I'm wondering in light of JimKoon or w/e's breakdown of the QR section on August first if the new QR is back to being a joke. Is this the case? Other people who took the DAT tell us what you thought! I'm interested in seeing if it really did get easier all of a sudden. If so that's not really fair to all the people on SDN who had ridiculously low QR scores.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Sublimize23]

I sure hope so! I need all the help in this section I can get! Fair or not, that's what comes with standardized testing.

 

[DJwreckx]

I'm wondering in light of JimKoon or w/e's breakdown of the QR section on August first if the new QR is back to being a joke. Is this the case? Other people who took the DAT tell us what you thought! I'm interested in seeing if it really did get easier all of a sudden. If so that's not really fair to all the people on SDN who had ridiculously low QR scores.

I really hope that's not the case. I'd very much prefer easy science and hard QR than the other way since they have three sections (plus way broader material) compared to only one QR section contributing to your overall performance on DAT.

 

[UCB05]

QR will always always always be about speed, not difficulty. That's the primary complaint of every person who has taken it so far. I'm pretty sure noone would say the QR was difficult if they all had another 30 mins to do it. That being the case, someone who is naturally fast with simple calculations will consider the QR section "easy," whereas someone slower taking the exact same test will consider it "hard." It has nothing to do with the difficulty of the questions themselves. It's all high school math.

 

[dfymarine]

yeah, but the sciences are getting harder

 

[bennijai]

I'll take a harder QR over science anyday.

From what it seems, that guy is just good at math, he just read the questions and it clicked automatically in his head on how to approach it. I mean 30 seconds per question? He definitely knows his math inside and out.

 

[DJwreckx]

but he also said he had no wordy questions in QR (which seriously reduces the time) compared to what other ppl used to say that they had tons of stupid word questions... hmm

 

[Shinpe]

I don't get why these kind of questions even come up. I mean do you guys seriously think that the test-makers one day, have nothing better to do, and while smoking cigarettes they go "Oh I'm bored, let's make the QR easier" or "Oh my g-f dumped me, I'm gonna make the sciences harder". Like seriously????!!!
It's an standardized test, even if there are variations, there are minimal and should be the least of your concerns. Especially since you'd have absolutely no control over it. So maybe just stop wondering "oh did this get harder/easier" and just do your best and leave it at that ...... Then take a shot and be happy that you're done ;p

 

[Shinpe]

I'm wondering in light of JimKoon or w/e's breakdown

And you can probably start by paying a little bit more respect to others. You're not Stunna or W/E, are you??

 

[dl9006]

yea that's pretty rude buddy

and obviously it was just the luck of the draw.

 

[toothes]

And you can probably start by paying a little bit more respect to others. You're not Stunna or W/E, are you??

it's summanumba i think

 

[doc3232]

You are new OP. Take everything you hear with a grain of salt. The QR has NOT gotten easier. It never will.

 

[navneetdh]

I don't get why these kind of questions even come up. I mean do you guys seriously think that the test-makers one day, have nothing better to do, and while smoking cigarettes they go "Oh I'm bored, let's make the QR easier" or "Oh my g-f dumped me, I'm gonna make the sciences harder". Like seriously????!!!
It's an standardized test, even if there are variations, there are minimal and should be the least of your concerns. Especially since you'd have absolutely no control over it. So maybe just stop wondering "oh did this get harder/easier" and just do your best and leave it at that ...... Then take a shot and be happy that you're done ;p

ha ha ha ah
you are hilarious!!

I totally agree!! that was 1 test...and you are seriously ready to make a generalization from 1 test that QR is going to become easier?? ...umm i dont think so. ....yeah sure i hope so!!

 

[UCB05]

Everyone, the scores are standardized. Whether the test was easy or hard, super fast or "doable", you're still scored against a curve of all who took the same version. Joon thought the test was "easy", but obviously missed 9-10/40 to get the 20 (not making any judgment here Joon). Finally, as Shinpe said, I doubt the DAT writers made some blatantly hard (or easy) tests to screw (or help) the poor souls unlucky (or lucky) enough to get that version. And again, even if you get a significantly harder version (highly unlikely), you're still graded against those who took the exact same test. Finally, give Joon some credit. He busted his arse for a very long time. Cudos bro.

 

[NumbaOneStunna]

I don't get why these kind of questions even come up. I mean do you guys seriously think that the test-makers one day, have nothing better to do, and while smoking cigarettes they go "Oh I'm bored, let's make the QR easier" or "Oh my g-f dumped me, I'm gonna make the sciences harder". Like seriously????!!!
It's an standardized test, even if there are variations, there are minimal and should be the least of your concerns. Especially since you'd have absolutely no control over it. So maybe just stop wondering "oh did this get harder/easier" and just do your best and leave it at that ...... Then take a shot and be happy that you're done ;p

If I recall correctly the QR used to be alot easier, and now it's alot harder. So why can't it get easier again? And who's to say that it can't happen over a single test? Of course the percentiles and the scores people get would change with the difficulty of the test. And to the other people, did you even read his breakdown? He said he barely got any long word problems that so many SDNers predents are fustrated with.

And you can probably start by paying a little bit more respect to others. You're not Stunna or W/E, are you??

Shinpoop, chill brah I just didn't remember his name. I scan these forums and after looking at his actual sn i processed his name as jim something.

In order to diffuse the tension of this out of control thread I thought I'd slip these in. Enjoy!

 

[UCB05]

Edit: I take back all that blah blah blah about the test being standardized etc. DAT exposed! Yes!, QR is easier for all of August and anyone scoring below 27 in August is just plain dumb (with the exception of JoonKimDDS) and any 30s was just lucky to take an easy test. Of course I jest, but what is the real implication of this thread then? Now back to some serious DAT discussion...

 

[TedyBearSuicide]

If I recall correctly the QR used to be alot easier, and now it's alot harder. So why can't it get easier again? And who's to say that it can't happen over a single test? Of course the percentiles and the scores people get would change with the difficulty of the test. And to the other people, did you even read his breakdown? He said he barely got any long word problems that so many SDNers predents are fustrated with.

First of all, stop posting irrelevant pictures in your own thread.
Secondly, are you asking us if the QR has gotten easier or telling us? Make up your mind

 

[Shinpe]

,

Shinpoop, chill brah I just didn't remember his name. I scan these forums and after looking at his actual sn i processed his name as jim something.

If it wasn't for that, I'd let it go. You still don't understand people are not there for you to call whatever you want, NumbaOneStoner. I feel bad for your future patients/colleagues. Oh wait, with your attitude, you're probably not gonna have any ....... laugh:

 

[NumbaOneStunna]

Secondly, are you asking us if the QR has gotten easier or telling us? Make up your mind

First two sentences of my original post:

I'm wondering in light of JimKoon or w/e's breakdown of the QR section on August first if the new QR is back to being a joke. Is this the case?

The part you quoted me on was in response to another poster who thought the idea of the test changing so quickly was crazy, I was trying to make a case for the plausibility of a change in the QR section.


And Shinpe you need to chillout, no need to make silly attacks on my character just because I called you Shinpoop as a joke - if I knew you were that sensitive I wouldn't have said anything. Anyways I've always hated it when threads spiral outta control from their original intent, so I'm not gonna respond to anything unless it actually is relevant to the thread.


To all the feelings I've hurt,
<3 NumbaOneStunna

And to make it clear - I did not mean make fun of KimJoonDDS - I just didn't know his name so there's no need to get all angry over nothing.

 

[Sublimation]

 

[NumbaOneStunna]

I know man it's getting pretty intense!

 

[NumbaOneStunna]

Does anyone thinks its ridiculous how different the QR section can be? I keep hearing about all these word problems, and most problems on my test were under 2 lines and were just plug and chug.

 

[kkmaths90]

So what kind of word problems do they ask like complicated ones? and how about probability? are they simple probability Qs or just wiered random ones where you have to spend long time thinking about it?

like this one i hope its not like this one

A roulette wheel consists of 38 slots. 36 of these are
numbered 1 through 36 and colored red or black so
that there are nine red even-numbered slots, nine black
odd-numbered slots, etc. These slots occur with equal
probability. The two slots marked 0 or 00 are each
three times as likely to occur as any one of the other
36. What is the probability that a red even number, a
red 23, or a 00 will occur on one roll of the wheel?

and Are the word problems like the ones on GRE? they are hard :-s i have some problems and they are just wiered :-( and takes time

 

[vlct0ria]

Statistics/probability questions were pretty straight-forward. Trig was awful, for me anyway...and I feel like I had 30 word problems. QR is definitely not getting easier!

 

[kkmaths90]

Thank you...i am really good with Trigs...I have been doing it since like 50 years now lol felt like 30 word problems that sucks lol

 

[UCB05]

A little perspective: Stunna was a 3.9 engineering student at Caltech.

 

[NumbaOneStunna]

Regardless of my background my test looked exactly like Achiever and topscore tests. Many people on SDN say that the QR section they get is very different. If you look at breakdowns people will say QR was cake or it was impossible. I'm not sure myself, but it seems like there are def. at least 2 largely different tests. (Same content but word problem % differs)

 

[sakz]

pretty sure it depends on how much time you put into it. in general i feel like people spend more time on the sciences and have more of a background in it, therefore will score higher on sciences. grab some resrouces and start doing problem after problem. if you know how to turn a word problem into an equation i'm sure you can answer the problem in seconds. just because a word problem is long, doesn't mean it's hard

 

[The Anhedonia]

A little perspective: Stunna was a 3.9 engineering student at Caltech.

Here's some perspective: I have a BSc in Geotechnical Engineering in cursu honorum (3.8 engineering GPA) ---> my QR Score? 17 (AA was 23 though )

Just because your an engineer doesn't mean that you know how to do math, it just means you know how to use fancy calculators and spreadsheets.

 

[NumbaOneStunna]

pretty sure it depends on how much time you put into it. in general i feel like people spend more time on the sciences and have more of a background in it, therefore will score higher on sciences. grab some resrouces and start doing problem after problem. if you know how to turn a word problem into an equation i'm sure you can answer the problem in seconds. just because a word problem is long, doesn't mean it's hard

This. I think you're spot on, but it's just so weird that people are getting their low oddball scores in QR when they were fully capable of doing great on it many years earlier. I have a theory that many SDNers' basic math skills actually atrophy in university for whatever reasons which explains why people think QR is so tough.

Oh KKMath there were no probability problems that long on my test. They were more long along the lines of picking out colored marbles out of a bag with and without replacement nothing out of the ordinary.

Just because your an engineer doesn't mean that you know how to do math, it just means you know how to use fancy calculators and spreadsheets.

If you're referring to the DAT, I think if you're an engineer you should definitely know math at least at that level.

 

[The Anhedonia]

I have a theory that many SDNers' basic math skills actually atrophy in university for whatever reasons which explains why people think QR is so tough.

If you're referring to the DAT, I think if you're an engineer you should definitely know math at least at that level.

atrophy. that's exactly it. sure, the concept of the problems isn't difficult, but crunching the numbers by hand when you haven't exercised those skills in years - therein lies the challenge. what engineer writes out exponents or logarithms by hand? or hand calculates multivariable algebra? sure, it's not hard, but when one relies so heavily on calculators/spreadsheets/CAD, the mind forgets the nuts and bolts. just my opinion though

 

[unlimitedideaz]

www.dentalmaterials.ca

 

[UCB05]

Here's some perspective: I have a BSc in Geotechnical Engineering in cursu honorum (3.8 engineering GPA) ---> my QR Score? 17 (AA was 23 though )

Just because your an engineer doesn't mean that you know how to do math, it just means you know how to use fancy calculators and spreadsheets.

QR is actually easier to prepare for than any of the science sections in terms of content complexity and volume. Basic algebra and geometry and some trig functions and probability and that's it. Anyone can (should) be able to carry out simple equation calculations; it's how quickly one can decipher the wording to set up the equation and then juggle across the equation to derive at your answer. I referred to Stunna because a Caltech freshman 3.9 implies some serious math skills- both basic and advanced. I really don't agree with the atrophy hypothesis either because you can relearn those basics and practice the problems to regain your speed rather quickly. If anything the part I think everyone is pointing out ("needed more time"), is exactly the purpose of the QR section- to test how quickly one can comprehend a problem at hand, formulate an appropriate plan (set up equation) and solve it (calculate). Quick problem solving if you will. The lone variable becomes speed and as I said before in a different thread, "you can't teach speed". You can reach your own max speed by practicing (training), but if everyone is also preparing just as hard, there will be a difference of speed.

Also, ever wonder why a 17 in QR has a higher percentile (63%) than every other section, especially RC which has the lowest percentile (36%) for a 17? Assuming a 17 (or 16) is the average/mean score (not 100% sure about this), that implies that the distribution is not a normal distribution, but one that is skewed to the right. This can happen where the majority is centered around the mean with a few very high scores to pull the curve to the right. In other words, the mean is to the right of the median. I think the cause of this is the speed component.

Finally, you are graded on a curve against all who took the exact same test (version). If test A was so easy that the average was 90% correct, your 90% correct score on test A would be a 17. Likewise, if you took test B, which was so hard, that the average was 40% correct, your 40% correct on test B would now be a 17 also. In fact, it is probably harder to get a 27 or 28 on test A than on test B.

 

[wodehouse]

I think most people do poorly on QR because they assume either:
a) I'm awesome at math. I don't need to study beyond taking a few practice tests. or b) Math is hard and I'll always suck at it. Study time is better spent on something fun like biology.

It seems like all of the "break downs" in this forum mention how little they studied for QR and how much they studied for the other subjects.

 

[NumbaOneStunna]

You guys are both right, it's definitely not just atrophy but even though you can learn it again pretty quickly like UCB05 said - my point was it's stuff that I feel that the majority of SDNers who did bad on would have done better on when they were still taking those basic math classes. You're right it's all about speed, but I if you haven't done long division in years or factored a polynomial or compared fractions in forever it's gonna take you longer. What I'm trying to say is I think very few people hit their "max speed" on QR, because the reason why they are slow is because they haven't done stuff like this in a long time and dont practice enough - not because the time crunch is there to separate those with an innate talent for speedy basic math from those who dont have it. In fact I think the SAT 1 Math is much much trickier and has more of a time crunch than the DAT, yet for some reason alot of the SDNers will say that DAT QR is harder than SAT 1 Math.

I'm just interested by the fact that people who kill the sciences and score way better than me can get a sub 18 or whatever score on the QR because I think if you administered the test to say 10th graders of roughly equivalent intelligence (dont ask me how to define this) most of them would do great on it.