any advice?

[Hybridgen3]

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Hi SDN people, I've never posted before but I have read all of your advices bout this test. They are really helpful for me and I greatly appreciate all the advices I could get. However, I have ran into a dilemma recently. My DAT test date is officially on July 29 but I'm thinking about delaying it because I don't think that I'm ready yet. I've been getting 19s and 20s for all of the Kaplan tests and I just took the second topscore test and I got Bio: 26, ochem: 21, ochem: 21, PAT: 23, RC: 19, QR: 22. I know that these scores pretty good and I would definitely be happy if I got these scores on the real DATs although I would hope that I can do even better than these scores. The reason is that I have a low GPA 3.0 flat (with four retaken classes that I have gotten all A's for the second time which means that my AADSAS GPA will be lower- i kno i messed around too much fresh and soph years) so I know that the DATs will really help me or break me. This is specifically my dilemma because I do really well on some tests and then get 19s and 20s on the next one. I don't know what else I can do to study except to read the materials again but sometimes I feel like I'm wasting my time because I suspect that I'm studying the wrong things. Just gets really discouraging sometimes because I've put so much work into this and I don't know if I will get the results that I hope for. Bottom line is I will appreciate any constructive tips that people can give me regarding the test or even my situation as a low GPA applicant. Thanks a lot and for all of the people taking it real soon, good luck.

 

[mikester2]

Dont take any scores that you take from any review book into too much consideration. It really just clogs your brain thinking about it. Just take those practice test and find out where you are weakest in. Then work on those weak areas. Then repeat after each test.

Hi SDN people, I've never posted before but I have read all of your advices bout this test. They are really helpful for me and I greatly appreciate all the advices I could get. However, I have ran into a dilemma recently. My DAT test date is officially on July 29 but I'm thinking about delaying it because I don't think that I'm ready yet. I've been getting 19s and 20s for all of the Kaplan tests and I just took the second topscore test and I got Bio: 26, ochem: 21, ochem: 21, PAT: 23, RC: 19, QR: 22. I know that these scores pretty good and I would definitely be happy if I got these scores on the real DATs although I would hope that I can do even better than these scores. The reason is that I have a low GPA 3.0 flat (with four retaken classes that I have gotten all A's for the second time which means that my AADSAS GPA will be lower- i kno i messed around too much fresh and soph years) so I know that the DATs will really help me or break me. This is specifically my dilemma because I do really well on some tests and then get 19s and 20s on the next one. I don't know what else I can do to study except to read the materials again but sometimes I feel like I'm wasting my time because I suspect that I'm studying the wrong things. Just gets really discouraging sometimes because I've put so much work into this and I don't know if I will get the results that I hope for. Bottom line is I will appreciate any constructive tips that people can give me regarding the test or even my situation as a low GPA applicant. Thanks a lot and for all of the people taking it real soon, good luck.

 

[dreaming2k5]

because I do really well on some tests and then get 19s and 20s on the next one. I don't know what else I can do to study except to read the materials again but sometimes I feel like I'm wasting my time because I suspect that I'm studying the wrong things.

The DAT practice tests (and the real one) are very much hit-or-miss for me. Like, for subjects that I had classes in, those questions I'd get 99% of the time in the biology section. If you're consistently getting 19s and 20s on the practice test, I'm sure you'd do great on the real thing.

From what I see, you have no problem in biology... just general chem and organic chem. As someone once said in my kaplan class -- people focuses more on studying for the chemistry because there're finite things to know in these two sections. Biology is so broad, they can really hit you with stuff you don't know if they feel like it. Anyway, reading won't help for ochem or inorganic chem -- working the problems will.

 

[Hybridgen3]

Thanks guys...i guess ill just study more gchem n ochem...i think that my gchems probably weaker among the two...do u guys think that i should push it back until early august?

 

[dreaming2k5]

I honestly think you'd kick serious ass whether you take it on 29th or early Aug. I wouldn't wait if I'm in your shoes

 

[Hybridgen3]

thanks for the encouragement dreaming....maybe im stressin too much but i can't help it if i am...so i think that im still going to delay it until early august...its just bc too much lies on this test...if i had a better GPA right now then i wouldn't trip at all but unfortunately thats not the case...how high of a score do u think ill probably need to get into d-school wit my GPA which I would assume will be under 3.0 since the four classes i retook will be counted in also...i guess my EC is pretty strong since i've been working more than a year as a dental assistant for general and for ortho...my dads a dentist too...but realistically I think all that doesn't even matter because all that matters in the end are your stats...but yea thanks for your great help as well as anyone else who could give me any input...i can take reality checks too if you wanna give me any honest opinion because i kno i have been studying really hard...so please no sugarcoating...haha...thanx again.

 

[tom3]

take it for what you will, but i scored ~5 points better on average for the science sections on the real DAT. i say take it when scheduled.

also, gen chem was soo easy. if you know the basics, you should be golden.

 

[yebin012]

take it for what you will, but i scored ~5 points better on average for the science sections on the real DAT. i say take it when scheduled.

also, gen chem was soo easy. if you know the basics, you should be golden.

wow. I wish that I was stronger in bio. I feel better about gen chem and organic than bio. You're right- bio is a lot more broad and they can ask anything. How do you study bio to maximize your score? I'm taking it this friday the 29th.