Anyone's also preparing for the MCAT, PCAT, GRE etc?

[Emmie]

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I'm just curious. Since the MCAT is harder than the DAT for the most part, if I study for the MCAT + the PAT + the MATH, I should be ready for MCAT (note: not for MD schools), DAT, GRE, and possibly for the PCAT as well right? Any opinions on this?

Not that I'll be that crazy to take ALL the exams, I'm just thinking what if I take one of those exams along with the DAT, then I'll have one more doors open for my future. With the competition out there for a spot in a DS, I might feel more secure to have more opinions. Dentistry is definitely where my heart is but this is the second time I'm applying since 2006. If they don't take me this cycle, I'll probably never get in. So I might as well prepare for a backup. Need some inputs guys! 😕

 

[ZH1988]

I'm just curious. Since the MCAT is harder than the DAT for the most part, if I study for the MCAT + the PAT + the MATH, I should be ready for MCAT (note: not for MD schools), DAT, GRE, and possibly for the PCAT as well right? Any opinions on this?

Not that I'll be that crazy to take ALL the exams, I'm just thinking what if I take one of those exams along with the DAT, then I'll have one more doors open for my future. With the competition out there for a spot in a DS, I might feel more secure to have more opinions. Dentistry is definitely where my heart is but this is the second time I'm applying since 2006. If they don't take me this cycle, I'll probably never get in. So I might as well prepare for a backup. Need some inputs guys! 😕

DAT= PCAT-PAT my sister took the PCAT and she studied from a DAT BB and she ranked 2nd or 3rd
also if you study MCAT science books you should be fine for both DAT and PCAT but in return your going to read stuff on the MCAT that you dont need for DAT's or PCAT's.
If i was you i would not take the MCAT because schools are even more pickier, and also becuase their testing styl is not like dat's or pcat's its completly different. so i would say stick with DAT and PCAT and if you know your dat stuff your set for PCAT.
In the end it all comes down to you
best of luck

 

[Emmie]

I heard the PCAT has an English part which is similar to SAT as far as the setup. They have vocabulary section right? And I was told that their math is twice as hard as the DAT, i.e. has calculus questions?

 

[ZH1988]

I heard the PCAT has an English part which is similar to SAT as far as the setup. They have vocabulary section right? And I was told that their math is twice as hard as the DAT, i.e. has calculus questions?

yeah they do have calculus
heres a breakdown

Writing - 1 topic - 30 minutes
Conventions of Language
Problem Solving



Verbal Ability - 48 questions - 30 minutes
Analogies - 60%
Sentence Completion - 40%



Biology - 48 questions - 30 minutes
General Biology - 60%
Microbiology - 20%
Anatomy & Physiology - 20%


Chemistry - 48 questions - 30 minutes
General Chemistry - 60%
Organic Chemistry - 40%



Writing - 1 topic - 30 minutes
Conventions of Language
Problem Solving



Reading Comprehension - 6 passages & 48 questions - 50 minutes
Comprehension - 30%
Analysis - 40%
Evaluation - 30%



Quantitative Ability - 48 questions - 40 minutes
Basic Math - 15%
Algebra - 20%
Probability & Statistics - 20%
Pre-calculus - 22%
Calculus - 22%

 

[Emmie]

wow it seems much harder than the DAT!

 

[bbwreckerz04]

wow it seems much harder than the DAT!

Look on the bright side no PAT for PCAT.

 

[Nasem]

I am currently studying for the MCAT (for medical schools), I also like to use resources from other tests to help my preparation, for this I mean GRE and some DAT materials.

I can honestly tell you that the sciences on the MCAT (if you have a strong science background) are WAY easier than DAT, its 60% directly from passage bassed, whereas in DAT, its allll about the material you've memorized during ur studies, so its different. I would not use MCAT sciences to study for the DAT, those MCAT science preps are all about introducing you to a topic so if you get it on the real MCAT, you don't freak out, but the topics on those study guides are not filled up with details (like how the DAT expects you to know).... so you might be selling urself short by just studying MCAT material

As for the MCAT verbal (my worst section), I have been using GRE reading comprehension (which also has many tone type questions) and the RC of the DAT, yeh I know DAT RC and MCAT verbal are very different, but I have a problem concentrating on boring reads, so I train myself to read long boring passages (like the DAT RC ones) to keep my focus level high.... I feel like this training is helping me with my MCAT verbal cause the verbal passages are only about 600-700 words long, and about 5-7 questions, but mostly tone type questions and they can be very hard / confusing

Of course there are a couple of advantages for DAT takers, NO WRITTING, and NO PHYSICS.... lucky you !!!

 

[zoralsurgeon]

I'm just curious. Since the MCAT is harder than the DAT for the most part, if I study for the MCAT + the PAT + the MATH, I should be ready for MCAT (note: not for MD schools), DAT, GRE, and possibly for the PCAT as well right? Any opinions on this?

Not that I'll be that crazy to take ALL the exams, I'm just thinking what if I take one of those exams along with the DAT, then I'll have one more doors open for my future. With the competition out there for a spot in a DS, I might feel more secure to have more opinions. Dentistry is definitely where my heart is but this is the second time I'm applying since 2006. If they don't take me this cycle, I'll probably never get in. So I might as well prepare for a backup. Need some inputs guys! 😕

TRUE story!! believe it or not - my optometrist took the mcat, dat, and pcat (like you are saying) - and said she thought the dat was the hardest!! simply because the time crunch in every section....thus, she became an optometrist 🙂 Kind of useless info, thought I'd share it though! Best of luck to you! Perhaps we'll be colleagues someday...gl

 

[Blarelli]

I'm just curious. Since the MCAT is harder than the DAT for the most part, if I study for the MCAT + the PAT + the MATH, I should be ready for MCAT (note: not for MD schools), DAT, GRE, and possibly for the PCAT as well right? Any opinions on this?

Not that I'll be that crazy to take ALL the exams, I'm just thinking what if I take one of those exams along with the DAT, then I'll have one more doors open for my future. With the competition out there for a spot in a DS, I might feel more secure to have more opinions. Dentistry is definitely where my heart is but this is the second time I'm applying since 2006. If they don't take me this cycle, I'll probably never get in. So I might as well prepare for a backup. Need some inputs guys! 😕

Apply for DS this year, if you don't get in and want to explore other options, do it after this cycle. If you are out there taking multiple tests, and applying to more than one type of school, adcoms from both sides of the isle are going to be wondering if they are your second career choice, and have them up there for the sole reason of being a backup.