Anyone else frustrated over hole punching?

[cmF]

---

Members do not see this ad.

So both KBB and CDP tutorials say to go through 15 hole punching sections in 5 minutes. I'm spending an average of 15 minutes (blazing fast pace for me) and still getting only 50%-70% correct on CDP practice tests.

I can kill every other section except for this and angles, but the fact that hole punching is taking so long is ruining my other parts of the PAT. Am I the only one that can't wrap their head around hole punching?

 

[jimh53]

I was certainly in the same boat and couldn't figure out strategy for hole punching. Check out this thread on it and the YouTube video in the first post: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=937274

It's a great strategy for sure. I rapidly improved my score and the amount of time I spent on hole punching on CDP.

And my strategy for angle ranking, which may not work on every problem, is to look at the first place and the last place for each answer choice, and (usually) on each problem they will have two or three of the answers that start with the same # angle (and it will be the same on the last place.) I don't know if that's explained well. Just look through the answer choices and look at the first place and the last place, and for each, one number will occur more often than others. They're essentially telling you which are the largest and the smallest in each set, if you just know how to interpret the answer choices. So then you're left with a choice between the middle two angles. It's a quick way to rid of some answer choices and get a pretty good percentage of them right. Of course, it doesn't always work, so you should look back through the numbered angles and see if your answer choice you've deduced matches the images.

 

[cmF]

I was certainly in the same boat and couldn't figure out strategy for hole punching. Check out this thread on it and the YouTube video in the first post: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=937274

It's a great strategy for sure. I rapidly improved my score and the amount of time I spent on hole punching on CDP.

And my strategy for angle ranking, which may not work on every problem, is to look at the first place and the last place for each answer choice, and (usually) on each problem they will have two or three of the answers that start with the same # angle (and it will be the same on the last place.) I don't know if that's explained well. Just look through the answer choices and look at the first place and the last place, and for each, one number will occur more often than others. They're essentially telling you which are the largest and the smallest in each set, if you just know how to interpret the answer choices. So then you're left with a choice between the middle two angles. It's a quick way to rid of some answer choices and get a pretty good percentage of them right. Of course, it doesn't always work, so you should look back through the numbered angles and see if your answer choice you've deduced matches the images.

Thanks Jim. I'll check it out the video and try to apply your angle strategy. You can imagine my frustration when I'm spending 25 minutes on just angles/hole punching so I'm willing to try anything.

 

[KyoPhan]

Hole punch was my favorite section.

 

[cmF]

Hole punch was my favorite section.

It was actually one of my favorites in KBB but that's elementary compared to CDP, but even CDP hole punching is easier than actual DAT right? So I'm very concerned.

Was it always your favorite/best section? Did you always have the innate ability to score well on it? Or did you struggle at first, study, learn, then make it your favorite section? If you're in the latter category, teach me your ways!

 

[KyoPhan]

It was actually one of my favorites in KBB but that's elementary compared to CDP, but even CDP hole punching is easier than actual DAT right? So I'm very concerned.

Was it always your favorite/best section? Did you always have the innate ability to score well on it? Or did you struggle at first, study, learn, then make it your favorite section? If you're in the latter category, teach me your ways!

I felt it was very similar to CDP. I did struggle a bit and had to learn. After you do a few, you get use to where the holes would end up. After about 3 CDP tests, I was getting almost every problem right. Sometimes, I would just fold it myself and punch the hole/unfold to see where the hole turns up. I felt it was helpful.

As posted by jimh53, I used almost the exact same technique as http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ud0ZX0eEFA. The only thing I did different was that I only drew a plus, rather than the entire grid. Saves a little bit of time I guess.

Keep practicing. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it.

 

[xatlasb]

The line of symmetry method that everyone has referenced (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ud0ZX0eEFA) works amazingly well! I've always scored 100% on all my practice hole punches once I started using the technique, and it does make it possible to get that section done in 5 minutes or less.

Also, set up the grids before hand, and during the tutorial on the real thing.

 

[KyoPhan]

Lucky.
The testing center I went told me before I began that I wasn't allow you to write anything during the tutorial. I just did it during the science section since I had extra time.

 

[IsaacYankem]

The line of symmetry method that everyone has referenced (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ud0ZX0eEFA) works amazingly well! I've always scored 100% on all my practice hole punches once I started using the technique, and it does make it possible to get that section done in 5 minutes or less.

Also, set up the grids before hand, and during the tutorial on the real thing.

I went from disliking hole punching to absolutely loving them after utilizing the strategy in this you tube video. With practice, you can hit 14/15 in 5 minutes no problem.

I set up my grids as soon as I set down, test center didn't say anything. But this varies from center to center

 

[lr2014]

Ugh! I hate those freaking hole punches, in CDP I do great in the first 2 sections then I lose all my time with that pointless part. WHY!? on Earth do we need that stupidity in order to become dentists??? That line of symmetry method isn't working for me at all with CDP.

 

[Slumber]

It all comes down to practice. With enough practice, you'll start to pick up speed, a lot of speed! I first started off just like you, but after sufficient practice, I was able to cut my time spent on this section down to 5-7minutes avg.