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Greetings Everyone, now is my turn to help others. This forum is great and many of the advices are helpful, however there are people here who lie and discouarge others which is normal in every place. However, this forum is a major thing to my preparations.
This thread is long, ITs up to you to REAd it!! no short cuts to DAT!!!!
First DAT: 2 years agon, didnt study, everything was fresh, and went to try it:
Bio 17
Chem 17
orgo 18
RC 16, piano
math 12
Pat 16
Second DAT: studied for two months really hard, got the ethics passage
bio 21
chem 17
orgo 19
RC 14
math 14
Pat 17
Third DAT: studied again two solid months 4-8 hours daily.
Bio 21
chem 19
orgo 19
Rc 20👍
math 14
Pat 17
I took the DAT last month, and since University of Detriot Mercy really care about bio and RC, I got the interview after a week, and got accepted five days later.😍
SO what can I tell you:
From this long experince dealing with the DAT: I am to a conclusion:
Bio: the first time used only kaplan, the rest there is a guy who posted his notes online and really that guy knew what he was doing, he really simplified bio section good. And destroyer is the magic for this secion, many people here say that destroyer is not enough for bio but if you really read the explanations in details several times, I mean do all of it, 3X.
The second time I took it, I swear almost 1/2 of the questions were exact by the way that was the frap version. Bio is really random, the last version I took, bio was crazy random, mand I almost cried, man they asked like wired things for ex: fatty acids, bioms, plants, and things you would never think they will ask, but still using destroyer I managed to get a good score with it. So: as you can see the guys notes(search here you should find it) and destroyer were all I needed to get a good bio score. By the I bought schwans, AP bio, but I didnt have time to use them, if you have the time do read AP bio since many people think its helpful, but avoid schawns to complicated.
Chem: This section is hard really, i am not joking its hard, why: the reason many people take this class long time ago(Me) and they ask hard questions esp. the calculations. So: on my 1st dat I only used the 5 subject test in kaplan and came with a 17, the frap version was harder and destroyer was not the best tool for that version. Man they asked tons of calc. questions and I never seen them in destroyer, the reason I found it hard, because I did mostly destroyer for this section, and as you know destroyer is tough and test complexed questions. The threw many basic stuff on that version, man I wish I had looked at basic things like kaplan, too late. For my last version destroyer still wasnt the best tool, however most q's were concep. Ex: if you add pressure to this system what will happen, and what like wish compound has the least mp. not that easy but similar. Destroyer was ok, but I find that kaplan is better for this section. listen for caclutions: pick you college book or kaplan online is good too and practice, dont do the calc. in destroyer none of my versions were that hard, however do the conceptual things in destroyer they are good.
orgo: yes I think orgo is the easiest if you study for it your set, I dont think you will get less than 17 if you study kaplan alone, by the way when i say kaplan(blue book+subject tests). Ok whats the deal with this section: it tests basic and I mean basic rxn no more than two steps maybe 3(destroyer is crazy). So: first do kaplan all of it(2 or 3x) then go on to destroyer, man if you know destroyer cold you will aces this section, especiallly the road maps. I mean each morning look at them and memorize them. I know that some of questions in destroyer are crazy, however the explanation is good to read, sometimes you learn something in the middle of the explanation that might help. So yeah do destroyer 2 three times, I know thats alot but it wont sink in until you repeat it several times, just how you exit the highway to school without looking the exit, your used to because you repeat and repeat, we humans learn by repeation.
RC: yeah this section is LUCK, I SWEAR LUCK, PRAY and PRAY not to get the piano or the ethic passage. My first version: piano, man I play the piano, but they ask you parts, scaling numbers, man its hard, so to prepare read about that it might help. The second version is ethics(God is mad at me) man this is brutal, no way to get around it long, boring, stupid questions. To prepare: fisrt version: I used the kaplan method and read all the passage while taking several keywords form each para. but man piano no matter wa its hard. second version: ok: I practiced with achiever, topscorer and kaplan, and was scoring 18's. and 17's, but I really practiced alot. By the way the method was to read the question and search for the answer man It did not work especially with ethics. Third version: Now some good person here on SDN doc somthing( I told you that SDN is helpful) told me this: read the first question, read the first para and write key words, then read second question, and read second para and take keywords, etc etc etc. What you will find out on some passages you might hit the first question in first para, but eventhough, I remeber on one of my passages I kept doing it and reading questions mabye like 7 q's and did not find answer in first 7 para, but after than you read question and you say oh I remeber this word I wrote it down and you look at you sheets and locate it. But, realize I was blessed with an easy passages, man one of them was like 9 passages, I didnt even write anyything just hunting for the answers.
Caution: Do NOT, and I mean DO NOT, switch your method in middle of test, you say oh man writing is too long, let me just search and destroy, especially like I told you I read 7 para and q's and still no answers, be patient you will get there, make sure you practice this way with practice test, nevef switch your method, that wa happened to me last two times, I mean I could have gotten 17 if I used this method. So kaplan method is good, but dont write alot just 2-3 words are enough, and reading questions like I said. Listen do you remeber how I told you I read one question and go to the first para, sometimes I read the passage and the prev. question is in there, so practice and trust me you will get no less than 17, the answers are they its no math, but you got to be smart dont switch methods, make sure you write keywords.
The same friend man I forget the screename (doc) I told him but my hand writing is bad, he was like do this: use both 2 sheets they give you and number them 1-15, and make space between each number so they dont smear, and after you finish the first passage erase the keywords and keep the number and do the same for the third. I told him, but what about the words I mark, If I earse the key words on each passage, I dont have anything to refer to: he told me do not mark anything on the first 2 passages try to finish the questions, only mark passage three if you have time.
Math: I suck and suck at math, on top of that its soooooo hard and crazy, man many word prob. that it takes me 2 min to understand each question they are talking about. I took math in high school like 5 years ago maybe thats why. But kaplan not enough at all(maybe the subject test are good, didnt do them) destroyer is not enough I did it 3 times( but there was a question that they asked on DAT from destroyer on each version I took thats funny(please dont ask what it is). My advice is if you have time and had math in a long time, take precalc. first, or spend time studying for this section, many people do not that is why low scores. bye the way i think topscorer is good.
PAT: I strugled in this man, man man man I suck here too. I bought CDP and I think its a good program, but LINE COUNTING DOES NOT WORK IN THE REAL DEAL, it CDP it works alot. And the pattern folding, cubes are not like CDP more like kaplan. Angles, key, sim to CDP. I used to score 18-19 on CDP, but All I used for TFE was line counting and worked good with CDP, but reall deal I strugled and strugled in that section also I suck at the pattern folding. But the other sections man I thought I got most right and ended up with that score. By the way Wicked tutorial is really good. Advice, do not depend on line counting try to visualize which I couldnt do at allllll. For punching(make a box 4X4, and work backwords making wholes, then you will match to the correct answer) worked well on the real deal, CDP was harder. Cubes on the side number 0-5 down and first count the cubes form right to left(make sure to count right go in order from section to section, after you finish count again to make sure your right, then just go back again from right to left and see which is 0,1,2 etc sided by writing under the correct number on the list you made. then count the x's you made and see if they matched the number you got in the beg. by counting the whole thing, with practice you will be good. Angles all i can say try to spot smalles and largest and go from there.
Advices:
-Try to take this exam ONE time, dont say oh I will try it and see from there.
-Use the right sources
-get advice from SDN, throw away wrong ones
-stop you job if you can, esp. the last two weeks
-make sure you leave some practice exams till the last week, just to set you in the mood for the exam. TAKE full lenght exams, man if you dont by PAT section your brain and body are telling you just click any choice lets go eat and sleep. Full lengh exams help alot to train you to sit there for 4 hrs and some.
-Try to take the DAT before june, why, if a retake is needed, you can repeat before sep. which is still early, man dont put yourself in the situation of applying late or taking the DAT late, man schools will tell you under review until you go crazy when people are hearing on Dec.1 some school dont even get to your file and send a rejection.
-day before the exam: try to do a slight review in the morning, after noon go do something you enjoy, sleep early
My situation: first exam, I took the exam at 7 am NOT good, man all night i was nervouse and thinking about the exam here comes 2 am and im looking at the sealing. went to the exam so tired my brain stop working after PAT.
second time: my wife told me to take it at 10 am, I was like no im going to take it at 7 pm. I studied that night until like 4 am, and went to sleep and woke up at 9 I do not know why, then I was like wa should I do until 7, I was stupid enough to go to the library and study from 10-4, then I was tired by then I went to the center i asked if I can take it early, and again the same thing happend to me tired,tired,tired.
Now the past exam, my wife signed up for me at 10 am, by the most my school exams are around that time, such i function best around that time, but sometimes we men dont listen! man I slept early and woke up at 8 am, and was feeling fresh and good, drove to the exam and tiredness was not the deal this time!!!
Practice EXams:
please do not be fooled when some people tell you that some exams are a waste of time, kaplan is easier but it helps with timing, achiever is hard but i swear I saw 2 bio and 3 chem questions similar to achiever, Topscorer is the best i think, but use everything if you have the time. By the way DO NOT waste your money on kaplan CLASS, the onlin things are the best. Man I went to class the first day and the guy kept talking about hormones and broad bio stuff that never show up on dat, study on you own is way better.
SDN:
If you smoke you will know the meaning of SDN, man since I knew this website I cant stop from looking at it at least 2 times daily. Some people here are golden, some are bad, but overall a great place to be.
God bless you ALL!👍👍👍👍👍
This thread is long, ITs up to you to REAd it!! no short cuts to DAT!!!!
First DAT: 2 years agon, didnt study, everything was fresh, and went to try it:
Bio 17
Chem 17
orgo 18
RC 16, piano
math 12
Pat 16
Second DAT: studied for two months really hard, got the ethics passage
bio 21
chem 17
orgo 19
RC 14
math 14
Pat 17
Third DAT: studied again two solid months 4-8 hours daily.
Bio 21
chem 19
orgo 19
Rc 20👍
math 14
Pat 17
I took the DAT last month, and since University of Detriot Mercy really care about bio and RC, I got the interview after a week, and got accepted five days later.😍
SO what can I tell you:
From this long experince dealing with the DAT: I am to a conclusion:
Bio: the first time used only kaplan, the rest there is a guy who posted his notes online and really that guy knew what he was doing, he really simplified bio section good. And destroyer is the magic for this secion, many people here say that destroyer is not enough for bio but if you really read the explanations in details several times, I mean do all of it, 3X.
The second time I took it, I swear almost 1/2 of the questions were exact by the way that was the frap version. Bio is really random, the last version I took, bio was crazy random, mand I almost cried, man they asked like wired things for ex: fatty acids, bioms, plants, and things you would never think they will ask, but still using destroyer I managed to get a good score with it. So: as you can see the guys notes(search here you should find it) and destroyer were all I needed to get a good bio score. By the I bought schwans, AP bio, but I didnt have time to use them, if you have the time do read AP bio since many people think its helpful, but avoid schawns to complicated.
Chem: This section is hard really, i am not joking its hard, why: the reason many people take this class long time ago(Me) and they ask hard questions esp. the calculations. So: on my 1st dat I only used the 5 subject test in kaplan and came with a 17, the frap version was harder and destroyer was not the best tool for that version. Man they asked tons of calc. questions and I never seen them in destroyer, the reason I found it hard, because I did mostly destroyer for this section, and as you know destroyer is tough and test complexed questions. The threw many basic stuff on that version, man I wish I had looked at basic things like kaplan, too late. For my last version destroyer still wasnt the best tool, however most q's were concep. Ex: if you add pressure to this system what will happen, and what like wish compound has the least mp. not that easy but similar. Destroyer was ok, but I find that kaplan is better for this section. listen for caclutions: pick you college book or kaplan online is good too and practice, dont do the calc. in destroyer none of my versions were that hard, however do the conceptual things in destroyer they are good.
orgo: yes I think orgo is the easiest if you study for it your set, I dont think you will get less than 17 if you study kaplan alone, by the way when i say kaplan(blue book+subject tests). Ok whats the deal with this section: it tests basic and I mean basic rxn no more than two steps maybe 3(destroyer is crazy). So: first do kaplan all of it(2 or 3x) then go on to destroyer, man if you know destroyer cold you will aces this section, especiallly the road maps. I mean each morning look at them and memorize them. I know that some of questions in destroyer are crazy, however the explanation is good to read, sometimes you learn something in the middle of the explanation that might help. So yeah do destroyer 2 three times, I know thats alot but it wont sink in until you repeat it several times, just how you exit the highway to school without looking the exit, your used to because you repeat and repeat, we humans learn by repeation.
RC: yeah this section is LUCK, I SWEAR LUCK, PRAY and PRAY not to get the piano or the ethic passage. My first version: piano, man I play the piano, but they ask you parts, scaling numbers, man its hard, so to prepare read about that it might help. The second version is ethics(God is mad at me) man this is brutal, no way to get around it long, boring, stupid questions. To prepare: fisrt version: I used the kaplan method and read all the passage while taking several keywords form each para. but man piano no matter wa its hard. second version: ok: I practiced with achiever, topscorer and kaplan, and was scoring 18's. and 17's, but I really practiced alot. By the way the method was to read the question and search for the answer man It did not work especially with ethics. Third version: Now some good person here on SDN doc somthing( I told you that SDN is helpful) told me this: read the first question, read the first para and write key words, then read second question, and read second para and take keywords, etc etc etc. What you will find out on some passages you might hit the first question in first para, but eventhough, I remeber on one of my passages I kept doing it and reading questions mabye like 7 q's and did not find answer in first 7 para, but after than you read question and you say oh I remeber this word I wrote it down and you look at you sheets and locate it. But, realize I was blessed with an easy passages, man one of them was like 9 passages, I didnt even write anyything just hunting for the answers.
Caution: Do NOT, and I mean DO NOT, switch your method in middle of test, you say oh man writing is too long, let me just search and destroy, especially like I told you I read 7 para and q's and still no answers, be patient you will get there, make sure you practice this way with practice test, nevef switch your method, that wa happened to me last two times, I mean I could have gotten 17 if I used this method. So kaplan method is good, but dont write alot just 2-3 words are enough, and reading questions like I said. Listen do you remeber how I told you I read one question and go to the first para, sometimes I read the passage and the prev. question is in there, so practice and trust me you will get no less than 17, the answers are they its no math, but you got to be smart dont switch methods, make sure you write keywords.
The same friend man I forget the screename (doc) I told him but my hand writing is bad, he was like do this: use both 2 sheets they give you and number them 1-15, and make space between each number so they dont smear, and after you finish the first passage erase the keywords and keep the number and do the same for the third. I told him, but what about the words I mark, If I earse the key words on each passage, I dont have anything to refer to: he told me do not mark anything on the first 2 passages try to finish the questions, only mark passage three if you have time.
Math: I suck and suck at math, on top of that its soooooo hard and crazy, man many word prob. that it takes me 2 min to understand each question they are talking about. I took math in high school like 5 years ago maybe thats why. But kaplan not enough at all(maybe the subject test are good, didnt do them) destroyer is not enough I did it 3 times( but there was a question that they asked on DAT from destroyer on each version I took thats funny(please dont ask what it is). My advice is if you have time and had math in a long time, take precalc. first, or spend time studying for this section, many people do not that is why low scores. bye the way i think topscorer is good.
PAT: I strugled in this man, man man man I suck here too. I bought CDP and I think its a good program, but LINE COUNTING DOES NOT WORK IN THE REAL DEAL, it CDP it works alot. And the pattern folding, cubes are not like CDP more like kaplan. Angles, key, sim to CDP. I used to score 18-19 on CDP, but All I used for TFE was line counting and worked good with CDP, but reall deal I strugled and strugled in that section also I suck at the pattern folding. But the other sections man I thought I got most right and ended up with that score. By the way Wicked tutorial is really good. Advice, do not depend on line counting try to visualize which I couldnt do at allllll. For punching(make a box 4X4, and work backwords making wholes, then you will match to the correct answer) worked well on the real deal, CDP was harder. Cubes on the side number 0-5 down and first count the cubes form right to left(make sure to count right go in order from section to section, after you finish count again to make sure your right, then just go back again from right to left and see which is 0,1,2 etc sided by writing under the correct number on the list you made. then count the x's you made and see if they matched the number you got in the beg. by counting the whole thing, with practice you will be good. Angles all i can say try to spot smalles and largest and go from there.
Advices:
-Try to take this exam ONE time, dont say oh I will try it and see from there.
-Use the right sources
-get advice from SDN, throw away wrong ones
-stop you job if you can, esp. the last two weeks
-make sure you leave some practice exams till the last week, just to set you in the mood for the exam. TAKE full lenght exams, man if you dont by PAT section your brain and body are telling you just click any choice lets go eat and sleep. Full lengh exams help alot to train you to sit there for 4 hrs and some.
-Try to take the DAT before june, why, if a retake is needed, you can repeat before sep. which is still early, man dont put yourself in the situation of applying late or taking the DAT late, man schools will tell you under review until you go crazy when people are hearing on Dec.1 some school dont even get to your file and send a rejection.
-day before the exam: try to do a slight review in the morning, after noon go do something you enjoy, sleep early
My situation: first exam, I took the exam at 7 am NOT good, man all night i was nervouse and thinking about the exam here comes 2 am and im looking at the sealing. went to the exam so tired my brain stop working after PAT.
second time: my wife told me to take it at 10 am, I was like no im going to take it at 7 pm. I studied that night until like 4 am, and went to sleep and woke up at 9 I do not know why, then I was like wa should I do until 7, I was stupid enough to go to the library and study from 10-4, then I was tired by then I went to the center i asked if I can take it early, and again the same thing happend to me tired,tired,tired.
Now the past exam, my wife signed up for me at 10 am, by the most my school exams are around that time, such i function best around that time, but sometimes we men dont listen! man I slept early and woke up at 8 am, and was feeling fresh and good, drove to the exam and tiredness was not the deal this time!!!
Practice EXams:
please do not be fooled when some people tell you that some exams are a waste of time, kaplan is easier but it helps with timing, achiever is hard but i swear I saw 2 bio and 3 chem questions similar to achiever, Topscorer is the best i think, but use everything if you have the time. By the way DO NOT waste your money on kaplan CLASS, the onlin things are the best. Man I went to class the first day and the guy kept talking about hormones and broad bio stuff that never show up on dat, study on you own is way better.
SDN:
If you smoke you will know the meaning of SDN, man since I knew this website I cant stop from looking at it at least 2 times daily. Some people here are golden, some are bad, but overall a great place to be.
God bless you ALL!👍👍👍👍👍
