Advice on taking DAT pleasseee

[farmville]

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[MatthewLeeDDS]

Hi guys,
I was wondering if you guys can give me some advice. So I started studying for the DAT's during winter break until now and I havent studied for the past two weeks because of second round of midterms and i also skipped another 2 weeks last month because of the first midterms of the semester. So i have 2 weeks of studying left for the DAT's and thats when my DAT is scheduled for. So overall i have studied over the span of roughly 4 months with 1 month break in between because of my semester classes. I feel somewhat ready but i am extremely scared to take this test, my practice test scores weren't good at all and i still have a few left to take. I just don't know what to do at this point. I want to take it at my scheduled time now so i can focus on my semester finals and still have a summer left to take classes.

In my opinion, studying for the DAT is all about jamming as much information you can in a short window. The big reason anyone studies for the DAT in the first place is because it's been so long since their other classes that they've forgotten and have to review it! Spreading studying out over 4 months, imo, is setting you up to have to restudy again to remember that you studied at the beginning of the 4 months! I would wait until you have at least 3 weeks of NOTHING do dedicate to the DAT about 8-10 hours/day. I'm sure it's been done a thousand different ways, but I recommend focusing on nothing but the DAT for a little bit. Also keep in mind that if you don't get the score you want, you'll have to wait 3 months to retake.

 

[dentalWorks]

Hi guys,
I was wondering if you guys can give me some advice. So I started studying for the DAT's during winter break until now and I havent studied for the past two weeks because of second round of midterms and i also skipped another 2 weeks last month because of the first midterms of the semester. So i have 2 weeks of studying left for the DAT's and thats when my DAT is scheduled for. So overall i have studied over the span of roughly 4 months with 1 month break in between because of my semester classes. I feel somewhat ready but i am extremely scared to take this test, my practice test scores weren't good at all and i still have a few left to take. I just don't know what to do at this point. I want to take it at my scheduled time now so i can focus on my semester finals and still have a summer left to take classes.

When are you planning to apply?

If you want to apply this cycle... Why don't you postpone it until first week of June? You seem ready, however, you've been taking alot of time off and you've stretched out your studying quite a bit, 4 months of studying = your starting to forget stuffs from first 2 months.

If your applying next cycle, then it doesn't matter whether you take it in 2 weeks, or this summer. You have alot of time ahead of you just in-case you don't score too hot and want a retake.

I know what your going through, 1-2 weeks before my DAT, I was scared crapless, and the only thought that helped me calm down was: Its my first attempt, if I don't do too hot, I can always retake.

Good luck to ya.... and I agree with Boomer, focusing the DAT into a short period is ALOT better than stretching it out.

 

[farmville]

THank you for your replies. I plan on applying this coming cycle, and I know that 4 months is a long time but i wanted to do my best on my first try. I scheduled to take the test April 22nd and I have about 16 days left to fully focus on the DAT. If i push my test to first week of june and do bad then my retake will be september and i will lose my chance for this cycle.

 

[dentalWorks]

THank you for your replies. I plan on applying this coming cycle, and I know that 4 months is a long time but i wanted to do my best on my first try. I scheduled to take the test April 22nd and I have about 16 days left to fully focus on the DAT. If i push my test to first week of june and do bad then my retake will be september and i will lose my chance for this cycle.

I think you have thought this through...and I like your planning....However...

IMO alteast, I also think your putting too much emphasis on the retake. The idea is, your chances of landing a higher score on early June is alot greater simply because you had that 1 big month to focus all your attention into the test..... VS taking it in april 22nd where you've split most of your studies into extended periods and breaks.

Good luck on whatever you decide, your the only one who knows whats best for you 👍

 

[allDAT]

The biggest indicators of your preparedness are your practice test scores. If you are comfortable with the scores you are receiving on your full-length practice tests, then you are ready to take the DAT. If you are not, then you should push your DAT date back.

 

[farmville]

Thanks for your advice, but no im not taking a kaplan course or anything. I am studying on my own, with destroyer, CDP, CDR, chad, KBB, and barrons. I have went over all those about twice. I feel somewhat ready and maybe with the time i have left over (~2 weeks), ill feel a little more confident. I have stretched out my studying for so long that i just feel like getting this exam over with. If i take it after my semester then i will forget most of the stuff by then and i would have to start from scratch. But the fact that my practice exam scores aren't that high is what's bothering me.

 

[ALffreyDO]

Thanks for your advice, but no im not taking a kaplan course or anything. I am studying on my own, with destroyer, CDP, CDR, chad, KBB, and barrons. I have went over all those about twice. I feel somewhat ready and maybe with the time i have left over (~2 weeks), ill feel a little more confident. I have stretched out my studying for so long that i just feel like getting this exam over with. If i take it after my semester then i will forget most of the stuff by then and i would have to start from scratch. But the fact that my practice exam scores aren't that high is what's bothering me.

Hey man, I just took my DAT this past Wednesday. I was in the same boat as you, didn't feel ready two weeks before the exam. I had taken a kaplan course the semester before winter break and planned to take it in January but kept pushing back my exam date b/c I didn't feel ready.
Then the next semester rolled around, and, like you I got bogged down w/midterms and my DAT got pushed to the side. It wasn't until 2 weeks b4 the exam that I was able to dedicate my time (mostly b/c 1 of those weeks was spring break and I studied like crazy).

Honestly, I think you should just be confident in yourself. You sound like you've put a lot of time in (I did a lot of studying but didn't even finish destroyer like you have) I contemplated changing my exam date as it got closer b/c I wasn't doing well in the practice tests either (the kaplan ones). I was getting 17s/18s in the gchem and ochem sections and on one i even got a 16! I was taking practice tests until 2 days before my exam and still wasn't satisfied with my scores, even though I had been studying so much!

The day before my test I wanted to push it back again but a lot of ppl that had faith in me convinced me that I had studied enough and so I just tried to relax - This past Wednesday I ended up w/ a 23AA, 21TS, and 22PAT and was soooo relieved! I seriously think you should have confidence in yourself and don't let fear get you down. Its your decision, but from the sounds of it I'm sure you'll do fine. Good luck!!

 

[farmville]

Thank you so much for ur reply 🙂 (i'm a girl by the way lol) I exactly feel the same way, I just don't wanna get burned out if i continue pushing my test back. But ur reply was very helpful, im thinking of continuing with my study schedule for the 2 weeks i have left and then see from there.

 

[study girl]

Hey,

I actually made a blog about my DAT prep and DAT.

http://bethedentist.blogspot.com/

It basically outlines what I did to get my score, what I did right, and what I did wrong.