BIO on DAT

[rimpy823]

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this may be a repeat question...how detailed does the Bio section get on the DAT?? Should i go crazy and memorize every little detail in the Kaplan book? also,was there anything that was asked that is not included w/in the Kaplan text?

 

[DesiDentist]

Rimpy,

I got a 24 on the biology section and yes, I basically tried to master every single iota of information that I could get my hands on. The Kaplan Review book is not detailed enough for the biology section. It's ironic the Kaplan book is too much in detail for General Chemistry and Orgo but not biology, the most unpredictable subject on the DAT. The subject tests help a little if you are enrolled in Kaplan. However, I found other study guides like "high yield" help as well. For biology master, I mean master everything you can absorb because some of the questions are very weird and every little bit helps. Everyone told me don't study anatomy or physiology, focus on animals. My entire exam was physiology and anatomy and ecology and plants and kreb cycle. It is very random.

I have some biology sources (awesome ones) to study for the DAT, PM me since I am cleaning up my DAT library right now.

Good luck,

DesiDentist

 

[ItsGavinC]

I'll ditto what my desi friend has already said -- study as much as you can get your hands on. Quite literally, it will not hurt you to overstudy for the bio portion of the exam. Typically there will be 2 to 3 questions that will be way out in left field, and an extra bit of studying might help you nail those.

I had a question on my exam which regarded veinous circulation, and I had NO idea what the answer was. I teach the upper division physiology lab. at my school, and I TA for the lecture class, and I STILL had never heard of the concept. Random stuff like that might be nailed down if you study harder for the bio section.

I don't believe that you need to know the structure and function of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (just had a biochem exam, so I had to throw that in), but who knows?!

Good luck!

 

[rimpy823]

Thanks,
besides the kaplan text, what else would you recommend for the bio section? I am taking Kaplan,and quite honestly, it was such a waste...i have topscore and have been getting 17-18's on bio section w/out studying ...is topscore an accurate mock test for the real DAT, especially the bio section?...as for chem and orgo, i have been getting 20+ ...thanks

 

[DesiDentist]

Rimpy,

I would take any test, either Kaplan or Top Score, with a grain of salt. Several of my friends, including myself found that we were getting higher on Top Score than the actual exams. Every exam is different. For the biology part if you are getting 18's that means you have a good knowledge of biology, but if you look closely at Top Score their questions deal with animal taxonomy and weird stuff in that sense. Take the exams and try to understand why you got a problem right and why you didn't...don't take the score you get seriously (high or low). the one downfall for Topscore is that it doesn't explain, in detail, why a certain choice was right or wrong so that takes some active learning on your part.

Good Luck,

DesiDentist

 

[ohgee]

I got 21 on my Bio. Basically, I studied the Kaplan DAT book, memorize them front to back, do all of Topscore tests, do SAT II Biology tests from PR and Kaplan, memorize Kaplan MCAT study notecards, then in 1 day, reviewed all of the bio concepts in Barron's DAT. But if you want to get 23 or 24...then, maybe you want to study the textbooks 😀