- Joined
- Jul 19, 2014
- Messages
- 47
- Reaction score
- 20
I want to start out by saying THANK YOU! Without SDN I would not have learned how to allocate my time most efficiently and I probably would've ended up spending too much money towards resources that I wouldn't need.
Special thanks to my good friend @panmit. Not only did you save me on the angle portion of the PAT (tetherball method I will explain later) but you also helped me learn a life lesson to always set my goals high, even if achieving them seems impossible at that moment. (check out his awesome breakdown, http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/dat-done-7-8-14.1084282/)
@Ari Rezaei Bootcamp has been an INCREDIBLE, must have resource for conquering the DAT. Thank you Ari and the BC Staff for providing such a affordable and useful tool for a typical college student such as myself.
Now for the breakdown...
Biology 26
General Chemistry 21
Organic Chemistry 27
PAT 24
Reading Comprehension 23
Quantitive Reasoning 24
Total Science 24
Academic Average 24
*(Gotta love these emojis right?)
Resources Used:
Cliff's AP Biology 3rd Edition: (8/10)
DAT Bootcamp: (10/10)
DAT Destroyer: (11/10)
Ferralis Notes (10/10)
Math Destroyer: (9/10)
CHADS CHADS CHADS: (∞/10)
I started studying 8 weeks before my exam date. Week 1-4 consisted of studying 2-4 hours a day (wasn't too motivated at that time) while trying to go through Ferralis, Cliffs, and Chads Videos. Week 4-6 consisted of going through all of destroyer for the first time (4-6 hours studying) and learning how to do the PAT problems. Week 7 I went through all of the Bootcamp tests (except for PAT 6-10 and QR) and tests 1-5 in Math Destroyer. At this time I started studying up to 12 hours a day which remained constant throughout week 7 and 8. Week 8 I repeated all of the science test in bootcamp and finished up PAT 6-10 and Math Destroyer 6-10. I also made my second run through DAT Destroyer and Math Destroyer three days prior to my exam. I DID NOT CREATE A SCHEDULE FOR MYSELF. Do I regret this decision? No. I would plan my day out the night before and work on my weak areas when needed. This enabled me to take half the day off when I was mentally overloaded without the guilty feeling that follows for not following my schedule.
Biology: 26
I started out studying biology by reading a chapter of Cliffs AP bio and then reinforcing it by reading that same chapter out of Ferralis. After I finished through Cliffs and Ferralis, I started on DAT Destroyer and what an eye opener that was. I started forgetting the simple facts that I learned earlier on. To avoid this, I began rereading a chapter of Ferralis every morning before starting my studies. DO NOT TIME YOURSELF WITH DAT DESTROYER! This is solely a learning tool where you memorize the 3-4 facts provided in each question (a lot of the answers are "all statements are true"). Learn and understand why certain statements are false and start making connections with other biological processes! (ex: Bilirubin is a breakdown product of heme → Causes yellow coloration or urine when eliminated → failure of elimination could enter circulation and settle in skin resulting in yellowing of skin (Jaundice) → Thats why bruises are yellow!) Also I highly recommend coming up with stupid reason to remember certain relationships (ex: LH → Leaving of ovum from ovary (ovulation) from LH surge → Leydig cells produce testosterone in the presence of LH)
I started using DAT bootcamp TWO weeks before my exam after I learned all the material. Took a test every day for 5 days and then rinse and repeat the week before my exam. Learn from your mistakes, takes notes and review them frequently until they solidify in your mind.
Bootcamp Biology 23/21/26/23/24
The actual exam was of course random and the sections I studied heavily upon (plants) did not even show up... BUT the answer to every questions I came across could be found in Ferralis! (tip: know your biomes!) 20-30 of the questions are very simple and can be answered with ease. Ultimately I had 9 questions marked and had to take educated guess on. DAT Destroyer proved to be VERY helpful here, two questions were practically taken out of there and thrown into my test!
General Chemistry: 21
I didn't do too hot in this section and was expecting a higher score. I started out by watching Chad's videos and taking very detailed notes. This way when I forgot a concept, I just flipped through my notes to refamiliarize myself rather than rewatching one of his videos, which were entertaining nonetheless. Don't take his quizzes directly after watching the video as you will be going off short term memory, rather take it the following morning to see what you retained. DAT destroyer is OVERKILL but go through it if you're comfortable with those problems. For those of you getting discouraged going through Destroyer Chem, just stop and don't do. Keep your confidence up and continue practicing with Chad's quizzes and Bootcamp (easier) which are both representative of the actual exam!
Bootcamp Chem 25/24/30/24/25
I regret not going over Chad's quizzes the week before my test, probably the reason I didn't score as high as I wanted.
Organic Chemistry: 27
There wasn't one reaction I encountered on the DAT that wasn't covered by Chad (I think I said that right haha). Just like chemistry, watch his videos and take detailed notes. I found it more helpful to create my own notes rather than using the handouts provided by Chad. Organic chemistry is all about understand why reactions occur the way they do (nuc vs elec, electron donating vs withdrawing, stability, resonance etc.). DAT destroyer is useful for all of the conceptual questions that are provided but many of the difficult reaction you will never see on the DAT. I cannot stress enough how helpful Bootcamp was on this section. Many of the questions were identical to the ones proposed by BC, just different molecules.
Bootcamp Ochem 27/30/26/30/25
The exam questions were straight forward, not too many tricks, and I spent the least amount of time on this section (killed it in 17 mins, none marked)
PAT: 24
All you need is Bootcamp. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. This section involves your ability to notice distinct details and visual 3D objects as well as finding a technique that works for you! If you are new to PAT, browse through forums and practice problems with the different techniques you find. Stick with the one that you are most prosperous with and master it.
Keyholes: I found this section easier than bootcamp, contrary to others that thought otherwise. The elimination method proved to be most useful for finding the correct answer. Every answer choice usually has one side or shape that does not correspond to the actual object, which you have to find. If you cant find it, you're likely looking at the right answer so make sure the other ones are wrong. This was my thought process on every problem I approached. Keep in mind the keyhole are in TOP FRONT END view pattern.
TFE: This section was stranger than bootcamp. I had a couple unfamiliar objects with many slanted sides which were hard to visualize. I had to take educated guesses on these as I rarely approached these types on Bootcamp.
Angles: Similar to Bootcamp's angle problems presented on PAT tests 6-10. The angle generator is just for starters to get practice using their chosen technique and is easier than the actual test. I found a version of the tetherball technique most useful for this section. Just as a tetherball rotates in a circular motion around a stationary pole, I would imagine one side of the angle rotating while the other is immobile. Visualizing it in this manner clicked for me and I was able to drastically improve my score. For acute angles, I imagined angles as fish hooks, since I love fishing! Closer to the 90 degree mark of the angle, the less fish I will be able to catch lol.
Hole Punch: Bootcamp is harder and prepares you well for this section. get 13+ right on BC, you'll ace this section. Didn't get any behind the back folds but there were a lot of 1-3 column half folds
Cube Counting: Hell of a lot easier than BC. I was given a maximum number of 14 cubes on a figure while the others ranged around 12.
Pattern Folding: Comparing to tests 1-5 on BC, the actual DAT was a lot easier. BC tests 6-10 were very similar to what I saw. No crazy folds or weird objects that were seen on a couple of the BC tests. Again if you're doing well on bootcamp, you'll be fine for all these sections. If not, keep practicing because dices and cubes with shapes on them are sure to show up which can be easily mastered by using arts and crafts if needed! (tip: use the cut and paste technique!)
Bootcamp PAT: 21/24/21/21/22/21/22/21/20/24
Reading Comprehension: 23
I am over pleased with the score I received on this section! I'm not a great reader and honestly rarely read for pleasure or as a hobby. During the test I used S&D and was able to find many of the answer with ease. I had a passages that were fairly short (maximum or 14 paragraphs) and were anatomy or cell biology related which I'm really interested in. Some of the questions I could answer without even reading the passage, like finding the function of osteoblasts during a fracture. Bootcamp is much harder (especially exam 1 and 2) but prepares you perfectly with the speed at which you need to be reading and answering questions. Also guess what? NO "WHICH STATEMENTS ARE TRUE/FALSE/RELATED QUESTIONS"
Bootcamp RC: 17/18/21/21/20
Quantitative Reasoning: 24
Math Destroyer all the way!! I did tests 1-10 and found them very representative of the actual test. d=vt problems are a must know! Memorize all the formulas given in math destroyer and make sure you are able to finish on time. Many are "gimme" question so dont get boggled up on one of the difficult questions and miss out on easy points! I did not have any permutation or combination problems which I found really surprising...Im good at those.
I do not recommend going through BC QR section unless you need help with timing. My first attempt resulted in me quitting out of the test 14 questions in (only got 7 right out of the 14...
)
Math Destroyer: 36/34/34/33/30/32/30/30/35/36/34
Random TIPS I found useful:
Good luck to all the future DAT takers and remember, breadth over depth!
Btw sorry for the earlier post, I accidently clicked "create thread" when I had just started writing it!
Special thanks to my good friend @panmit. Not only did you save me on the angle portion of the PAT (tetherball method I will explain later) but you also helped me learn a life lesson to always set my goals high, even if achieving them seems impossible at that moment. (check out his awesome breakdown, http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/dat-done-7-8-14.1084282/)
@Ari Rezaei Bootcamp has been an INCREDIBLE, must have resource for conquering the DAT. Thank you Ari and the BC Staff for providing such a affordable and useful tool for a typical college student such as myself.
Now for the breakdown...
Biology 26
General Chemistry 21
Organic Chemistry 27
PAT 24
Reading Comprehension 23
Quantitive Reasoning 24
Total Science 24
Academic Average 24
*(Gotta love these emojis right?)
Resources Used:
Cliff's AP Biology 3rd Edition: (8/10)
DAT Bootcamp: (10/10)
DAT Destroyer: (11/10)
Ferralis Notes (10/10)
Math Destroyer: (9/10)
CHADS CHADS CHADS: (∞/10)
I started studying 8 weeks before my exam date. Week 1-4 consisted of studying 2-4 hours a day (wasn't too motivated at that time) while trying to go through Ferralis, Cliffs, and Chads Videos. Week 4-6 consisted of going through all of destroyer for the first time (4-6 hours studying) and learning how to do the PAT problems. Week 7 I went through all of the Bootcamp tests (except for PAT 6-10 and QR) and tests 1-5 in Math Destroyer. At this time I started studying up to 12 hours a day which remained constant throughout week 7 and 8. Week 8 I repeated all of the science test in bootcamp and finished up PAT 6-10 and Math Destroyer 6-10. I also made my second run through DAT Destroyer and Math Destroyer three days prior to my exam. I DID NOT CREATE A SCHEDULE FOR MYSELF. Do I regret this decision? No. I would plan my day out the night before and work on my weak areas when needed. This enabled me to take half the day off when I was mentally overloaded without the guilty feeling that follows for not following my schedule.
Biology: 26
I started out studying biology by reading a chapter of Cliffs AP bio and then reinforcing it by reading that same chapter out of Ferralis. After I finished through Cliffs and Ferralis, I started on DAT Destroyer and what an eye opener that was. I started forgetting the simple facts that I learned earlier on. To avoid this, I began rereading a chapter of Ferralis every morning before starting my studies. DO NOT TIME YOURSELF WITH DAT DESTROYER! This is solely a learning tool where you memorize the 3-4 facts provided in each question (a lot of the answers are "all statements are true"). Learn and understand why certain statements are false and start making connections with other biological processes! (ex: Bilirubin is a breakdown product of heme → Causes yellow coloration or urine when eliminated → failure of elimination could enter circulation and settle in skin resulting in yellowing of skin (Jaundice) → Thats why bruises are yellow!) Also I highly recommend coming up with stupid reason to remember certain relationships (ex: LH → Leaving of ovum from ovary (ovulation) from LH surge → Leydig cells produce testosterone in the presence of LH)
I started using DAT bootcamp TWO weeks before my exam after I learned all the material. Took a test every day for 5 days and then rinse and repeat the week before my exam. Learn from your mistakes, takes notes and review them frequently until they solidify in your mind.
Bootcamp Biology 23/21/26/23/24
The actual exam was of course random and the sections I studied heavily upon (plants) did not even show up... BUT the answer to every questions I came across could be found in Ferralis! (tip: know your biomes!) 20-30 of the questions are very simple and can be answered with ease. Ultimately I had 9 questions marked and had to take educated guess on. DAT Destroyer proved to be VERY helpful here, two questions were practically taken out of there and thrown into my test!
General Chemistry: 21
I didn't do too hot in this section and was expecting a higher score. I started out by watching Chad's videos and taking very detailed notes. This way when I forgot a concept, I just flipped through my notes to refamiliarize myself rather than rewatching one of his videos, which were entertaining nonetheless. Don't take his quizzes directly after watching the video as you will be going off short term memory, rather take it the following morning to see what you retained. DAT destroyer is OVERKILL but go through it if you're comfortable with those problems. For those of you getting discouraged going through Destroyer Chem, just stop and don't do. Keep your confidence up and continue practicing with Chad's quizzes and Bootcamp (easier) which are both representative of the actual exam!
Bootcamp Chem 25/24/30/24/25
I regret not going over Chad's quizzes the week before my test, probably the reason I didn't score as high as I wanted.
Organic Chemistry: 27
There wasn't one reaction I encountered on the DAT that wasn't covered by Chad (I think I said that right haha). Just like chemistry, watch his videos and take detailed notes. I found it more helpful to create my own notes rather than using the handouts provided by Chad. Organic chemistry is all about understand why reactions occur the way they do (nuc vs elec, electron donating vs withdrawing, stability, resonance etc.). DAT destroyer is useful for all of the conceptual questions that are provided but many of the difficult reaction you will never see on the DAT. I cannot stress enough how helpful Bootcamp was on this section. Many of the questions were identical to the ones proposed by BC, just different molecules.
Bootcamp Ochem 27/30/26/30/25
The exam questions were straight forward, not too many tricks, and I spent the least amount of time on this section (killed it in 17 mins, none marked)
PAT: 24
All you need is Bootcamp. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. This section involves your ability to notice distinct details and visual 3D objects as well as finding a technique that works for you! If you are new to PAT, browse through forums and practice problems with the different techniques you find. Stick with the one that you are most prosperous with and master it.
Keyholes: I found this section easier than bootcamp, contrary to others that thought otherwise. The elimination method proved to be most useful for finding the correct answer. Every answer choice usually has one side or shape that does not correspond to the actual object, which you have to find. If you cant find it, you're likely looking at the right answer so make sure the other ones are wrong. This was my thought process on every problem I approached. Keep in mind the keyhole are in TOP FRONT END view pattern.
TFE: This section was stranger than bootcamp. I had a couple unfamiliar objects with many slanted sides which were hard to visualize. I had to take educated guesses on these as I rarely approached these types on Bootcamp.
Angles: Similar to Bootcamp's angle problems presented on PAT tests 6-10. The angle generator is just for starters to get practice using their chosen technique and is easier than the actual test. I found a version of the tetherball technique most useful for this section. Just as a tetherball rotates in a circular motion around a stationary pole, I would imagine one side of the angle rotating while the other is immobile. Visualizing it in this manner clicked for me and I was able to drastically improve my score. For acute angles, I imagined angles as fish hooks, since I love fishing! Closer to the 90 degree mark of the angle, the less fish I will be able to catch lol.
Hole Punch: Bootcamp is harder and prepares you well for this section. get 13+ right on BC, you'll ace this section. Didn't get any behind the back folds but there were a lot of 1-3 column half folds
Cube Counting: Hell of a lot easier than BC. I was given a maximum number of 14 cubes on a figure while the others ranged around 12.
Pattern Folding: Comparing to tests 1-5 on BC, the actual DAT was a lot easier. BC tests 6-10 were very similar to what I saw. No crazy folds or weird objects that were seen on a couple of the BC tests. Again if you're doing well on bootcamp, you'll be fine for all these sections. If not, keep practicing because dices and cubes with shapes on them are sure to show up which can be easily mastered by using arts and crafts if needed! (tip: use the cut and paste technique!)
Bootcamp PAT: 21/24/21/21/22/21/22/21/20/24
Reading Comprehension: 23
I am over pleased with the score I received on this section! I'm not a great reader and honestly rarely read for pleasure or as a hobby. During the test I used S&D and was able to find many of the answer with ease. I had a passages that were fairly short (maximum or 14 paragraphs) and were anatomy or cell biology related which I'm really interested in. Some of the questions I could answer without even reading the passage, like finding the function of osteoblasts during a fracture. Bootcamp is much harder (especially exam 1 and 2) but prepares you perfectly with the speed at which you need to be reading and answering questions. Also guess what? NO "WHICH STATEMENTS ARE TRUE/FALSE/RELATED QUESTIONS"
Bootcamp RC: 17/18/21/21/20
Quantitative Reasoning: 24
Math Destroyer all the way!! I did tests 1-10 and found them very representative of the actual test. d=vt problems are a must know! Memorize all the formulas given in math destroyer and make sure you are able to finish on time. Many are "gimme" question so dont get boggled up on one of the difficult questions and miss out on easy points! I did not have any permutation or combination problems which I found really surprising...Im good at those.
I do not recommend going through BC QR section unless you need help with timing. My first attempt resulted in me quitting out of the test 14 questions in (only got 7 right out of the 14...
)Math Destroyer: 36/34/34/33/30/32/30/30/35/36/34
Random TIPS I found useful:
- A Protein shake with coffee does miracles for you during the second half of the exam (drink during break)
- Get a fresh shave (yes including the ladies) and put on your favorite, comfortable outfit. Walk into the testing center with confidence and your head up!!
- Getting enough sleep is a MUST, one of the reasons I had my exam at 1:30pm
- Play your favorite music on your way to the testing center. Highly recommend "The Man" by Aloe Blacc as used by panmit.
- Skim through ALL of Ferralis and stop at any unfamiliar words the day before or the morning of (as I did). If you know mostly everything, you'll breeze through ferralis in 30 minutes of less.
- I do not believe in taking a "rest" day before your exam. Why quit at it when you're a so close to the finish line? Some of the information I learned last minute saved me on a few problems.
- Keep going to the gym and/or go for runs to clear your mind. This especially helps when coming closer to the exam!
- Eat fruits and vegetables along with some carbs before you head over to your exam. Believe me, this will help with your stamina
- Its ok to say **** it after strenuous studying and spend the rest of the day relaxing or going out with your friends. You can have a life and pass this exam!
- Take plenty of breaks! I find it easier to retain material when I have mental breaks whether it be browsing Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, iFunny or even SDN!! This could be an example of operant conditioning on yourself!
- DAT QUESTION OF THE DAY!!! Thanks again Ari for yet another great resource! I was all over this on facebook and answered the question minutes after they came up! (around 11:05 am everyday I came to notice)
- The best time to take this exam is during your sophomore-junior year summer in my opinion. All of ochem should be fresh in your mind and you will actually be able enjoy your junior year/summer (when you actually are 21)
Good luck to all the future DAT takers and remember, breadth over depth!
Btw sorry for the earlier post, I accidently clicked "create thread" when I had just started writing it!
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