Bombed Quantitive!

[sportygirl]

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Well, here are my scores!

PAT 16
QR 11
RC 19
BIO 21
GC 17
OC 18
TS 19
AA 17

I completely bombed QR!! Is there any hope? I have been a dental hygienist for 3 years and my GPA cum is 3.45 and Science is 3.5. I don't know what to do!!

Also, toward the very end of QR, the screen got a little fuzzy, but I really don't even think that mattered! If any, what schools may I have a chance with?

 

[Flipper405]

It's not looking good unfortunately... as little as QR matters, I don't think admissions committees will be able to overlook an 11. You might have to retake. Hopefully, I'm wrong though. Good luck.


woot 300 posts 😀

 

[pbure]

It's not looking good unfortunately... as little as QR matters, I don't think admissions committees will be able to overlook an 11. You might have to retake. Hopefully, I'm wrong though. Good luck.

Yup..retake. What happened? Were there a lot of complicated word problems or you just didn't study for it at all?

 

[Montserrat]

There's a club for those of us who have bombed the QR. Feel free to join.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=442508

There's strength in numbers... well, even if numbers aren't our strength.


I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. There was someone who was accepted to Temple last year with a QR of 12 (blast it, I always forget his screen name). Seems like you have the other topics down well enough though, and if you decide to retake and focus on QR for the next round, that AA score would skyrocket. Good luck dudette.

 

[yorkiepoo]

retake. good luck

 

[ngozi85e]

retake, u'll only do better!

 

[jigabodo]

Ouch...I am sorry. I would suggest a retake as well. At least you only need to focus on QR for now since all your other scores are solid.

 

[BodybldgDoc]

yikes a 11 QR along with a 16 PAT isnt looking good at all. Others are right in that you might want to consider retaking it.

 

[DENTFRIO]

For all of the low QR people.... I have 3 interviews with a 14 QR. This seems to be the trend this year- LOW QR scores. Strangly, I have taken gradaute math courses and gotten A's, but I was slower than all hell when it came to the QR section.

At all the places I applied with a 14, they suggested that I retake and if I was compared directly to an applicant and we were the same in all regards, they may have to take the other applicant based off of this score...

I spend many weeks on my personal statement and I think I got the interviews based on this and many other work experience factors. Who knows- it is worth a try to apply if you are well rounded, you are good at interviews, and all your other stats look great. Do not draw attention to your low score if you plan on applyingm instead focus on other qualities that will make your application stand out. If you retake and get a 15, but go lower in other sections, this would not look great-

I guess it will require looking at all areas of your application and go from there. I do feel for you because I was in the same situation and it totally sucks to hear you may have to retake, but then again, according to the ADEA, schools are looking at the holistic view of applicants more this cycle instead of just scores.

 

[NeverGiveUp]

Well, here are my scores!

PAT 16
QR 11
RC 19
BIO 21
GC 17
OC 18
TS 19
AA 17

I completely bombed QR!! Is there any hope? I have been a dental hygienist for 3 years and my GPA cum is 3.45 and Science is 3.5. I don't know what to do!!

Also, toward the very end of QR, the screen got a little fuzzy, but I really don't even think that mattered! If any, what schools may I have a chance with?

Pretty unlikely to get an 11 on any single section of the DAT. Did you run out of time and didn't manage to mark all unattempted questions?

 

[Jo07]

I hate math. I got a 12.

 

[DENTFRIO]

Seriously, this is making me wonder about the math section.... there are a lot of smart people out there getting 12's-17's on the Math section... ummmmm

 

[Steven11224]

get your hands on as much QR practice materials as possible

 

[StayinNCali]

DentFrio.... there is a test out there with a glitch in the answer key. I love math, got As and A+'s in all my upper division math, I aced the QR on the real Dat but my score came out as a 16. There is NO WAY that I missed 20 out of 40 questions!!! I KNOW that I didn't even miss 10 out of the 40! But what can you do?

 

[Jo07]

To get a 15 you only have to get 16-18 right. I think I got screwed too, because I know I got more right than to get a 12! Some of my problems had jumbled words/numbers but i didn't think to complain at the time. But i guess it is too late and either way a bad score is a bad score. 🙁

 

[predentlsu1]

A glitch in the answer key?? Are you kidding me??....not trying to question your math skills but I dont think that is possible. I would agree that the ADA has made mistakes on the DAT from time to time but not 10+ questions on a section. Do you have some proof of this claim, other than you KNOW you didnt miss that many questions.

I take the test Monday and I have been studying the math just as consistently as the other sections so I should be able to disprove your "consipiracy theory" after the test. However if I score a b/w a 12-15 I may jump on the bandwaggon lol.

 

[StayinNCali]

Here is where I started to question the DAT's correctness of answers. WARNING: BACKGROUND INFO COMING: My specialty since studying the DAT has been the PAT. I ACED "CRACK DAT PAT" and never scored below a 22 on any practice PAT I ever took. I can tell you that there are incorrect answers on every single practice PAT out there. I could prove it while I was taking the test. Often the program would have more than 1 possible correct answer (especially TFE, Pattern Folding, and keyholes) and often times there was no correct answer. I could even catch angle errors. You think this is an erroneous claim but I have a technique which uses the laminated sheets to recreate the angle in order to compare it to the other angles. I used this on the real DAT. So, on the real DAT I found two pattern folding questions which each had two possible correct answers. They were showing different sides of the same structure. I was very dissappointed that the REAL DAT would have errors like all of the practice tests. If you have never caught errors on the practice test than you won't know what I am talking about...but the errors are out there, on every practice test- especially Topscore (which is great for everything else). I used my technique on the REAL angles and still got a 24 (missing 6) so I know there is something wrong with their key in addition to the fact that they have multiple correct answers. This isn't my over-confidence speaking, Angles were the only thing that I was missing on all of my practice tests the 2 weeks before the test-besides the glitches in each test that I would prove wrong after each test to all of my study buddies . (I didn't know if they would allow my technique so I practiced without it). I had planned on not using my angle technique and just missing 4 or 5 angles. But when I was able to use it I knew that I was scoring a 28 having only a 50/50 chance on the 2 questions with multiple answers. The 24 that I got is fine since all of the 20+'s are worth the same in the eyes of the dental schools, but it showed me that, apart from the two gitches that I found, there were answer key problems. If you find those two pattern folding errors (or others since you will have a different test) then this will all make sense to you. If you have never found errors on practice tests than ignore my comments: they will seem crazy and superfluous to you. Good Luck on Monday!

 

[dentz]

StayinNCali,

If you dont mind, can you please describe the laminated sheet method that you were able to use for angle discrimination during the exam?

Thanks

 

[z3u2]

HAAHAA...

seriously, if u are this convinced, just tell ada to remark ur exam.

 

[StayinNCali]

First off, other places that I called said that I could not touch the screen and so I was wondering if I should use it and risk getting busted for getting close to the screen. But at my actual test day, people were very relaxed so I went for it. It's a huge break through if they allow everyone to use it so I don't want to bring our relative scores down... So I'll leave it out of this public commentary. I was hesitant to share it at all for this reason but perhaps through a private message if people don't abuse it. ...Remember it works better on stiff paper (laminated) and it is too slow to use on every problem. Save it 'til the end for the angles that you marked. More helpful is to just master the PAT in general. I recommend Crack DAT PAT to all of my friends because we purchased it twice and then share those two laptops because the subscription never expires. Good Luck P.S. Only 1/4 of the angles need this technique. The others can be mastered visually with other comparative techniques.

 

[dentz]

Thanks..

 

[StayinNCali]

z3u2,
I'm feelin' like the computer scored it as it was told to but the key MUST be messed up. I think they would just use the same key. There is NO WAY they are going to work out the problems to make sure they have they have 1 and only one correct answer and that it matches the key. They are a business, and as such will perform the bare-minimum, for a fee, and that won't prove anything... Do you feel like they would work to re-examine each problem for accuracy?

 

[jigabodo]

z3u2,
I'm feelin' like the computer scored it as it was told to but the key MUST be messed up. I think they would just use the same key. There is NO WAY they are going to work out the problems to make sure they have they have 1 and only one correct answer and that it matches the key. They are a business, and as such will perform the bare-minimum, for a fee, and that won't prove anything... Do you feel like they work re-examine each problem for accuracy?

I think you should ask "how" they are regrading the exam, and explain to them where you think the problem is. The answer may surprises you, you never know. I mean, for 50 bucks, it would be reasonable to expect them work out everysingle problems.

Good luck 👍

 

[BodybldgDoc]

yes I scored low on the QR as well. I blame it on the glitch in the answer key🙄 Lets all just blame it on the glitch in the answer key haha so ridiculous

 

[StayinNCali]

Actually most people find the QR hard because they don't allot enough time for the last 10 easier problems and end up guessing or because they didn't prepare well for it or have a weakness in math. When none of these is the problem and NOBODY can seem to break an 18 in the last month- it makes me wonder because friends last year (including re-takers who got 16-17 this year) consistently scored 17-27 QR last summer and said that G-chem was the hardest part (because missing 3 drops you way down) not QR.

 

[StayinNCali]

To quote a user who just retook:
"QR:
When I took DAT last year, it was easy, but this time, the level of required to solve math problems, I guess, they changed. (maybe due to too many applicant?) Ah, acutally there was one thing that I was really annoyed that they provided me thick marker pen and board to calculate the questions.
It was hacking big I couldn't recognize what I have written a couple of time.
I was actually short in time. Definitely, they raised the level of QR part, I swear. It was not hard like this last year. "

 

[StayinNCali]

A glitch in the answer key?? Are you kidding me??....not trying to question your math skills but I dont think that is possible. I would agree that the ADA has made mistakes on the DAT from time to time but not 10+ questions on a section. Do you have some proof of this claim, other than you KNOW you didnt miss that many questions.

I take the test Monday and I have been studying the math just as consistently as the other sections so I should be able to disprove your "consipiracy theory" after the test. However if I score a b/w a 12-15 I may jump on the bandwaggon lol.

Hey it's not a "conspiracy theory" but are you ready to agree that it is highly unlikely that anyone who retook this year did better on QR than the previous year? Predentlsu1,we'll take you up on your offer to "jump on the bandwagon" 'cause you joined our cause with your latest scores post and comments:

"Bio 20
GC 19
Org 18
PAT 20
RC 20
QR 15

AA 18
TS 19
QR: Ummm....don't know what to say about this, I thought the questions were pretty tough. The biggest problem was time.....the questions were lengthy and in depth and I ended up running out of time toward the end. I made an 18 in QR on the last test so hopefully the adcom will take that into account."

So.... feel free to chime in if you retook the DAT's and how your 2 QR scores compared- I'm sure we would all love to know. FYI: some "more choosy" d-schools have recognized the low QR's this year and are making exceptions to their min 17s on all DAT's.

 

[Cymbidium]

StayinNCali,

If you dont mind, can you please describe the laminated sheet method that you were able to use for angle discrimination during the exam?

Thanks

You just take a piece of paper (which you should be able to see through b/c of the back -lit computer screen) and hold it up to the computer and trace one angle, the move the traced angle over the top of the next angle on the screen to see which is bigger.

They teach you this in Kaplan.

 

[StayinNCali]

Sorry to break it to you, but the new ADA rule is that laminated sctrach paper (not transparent) must be used for the DAT. Occasionally the workers at the test station forget this and give scratch paper but it is extremely rare. The Laminated paper trick is even more accurate though and involves no writing.

 

[Sillygirl]

grumble grumble grumble. 😎 I don't want this post to seem harsh so please don't get mad at me. Let me first start by saying i am ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE at math. I got a c- in geometry in HS for goodness sakes. I knew this when i started to study for the exam. I studied about 2 hrs a day for about 2 months. I put in the work and i earned my score. (20 in QR) By saying there's a glitch in the answer key, its basically invalidating my studying and my score. Unless there are NO people getting over 20s there shouldn't be anything wrong.

I do think it's possible that the test got harder, but its no harder than an extra physics section on the mcat or the math on the GMAT. I got my study materials from the gmat section in the book store and felt more than prepared and even finished with time to spare. Thats just my two cents.

 

[StayinNCali]

NEWS FLASH** "There are many different tests out there"- for example I got the easiest G-CHEM test out there- it was totally conceptual with almost no calculations and almost anyone could have gotten my 25. Be happy that you didn't get our messed up test. I am much better at Math (16)than at GCHEM(25)- but the scores reflect the opposite in this case, don't they. P.S. most people on here study hard and earned their scores. I took a leave of absence from work for 2.5 months and studied 60-75 hour per week for that test. All of my scores show it but QR. I was great at math before I studied- and I was even better on all of my practice exams afterward. Explain to me why %90 of the posts since July have a 19 or below on QR- especially when %80 of these same posts have AA of 19 and above. Do the math- the chances of that many people feeling that they did much better on QR than their score reflects- makes it nearly impossible that they are all coincidence. How many people are saying that about any other section consistently?

 

[PorkChop2008]

Hey all,
I took the DAT twice and scored a 17 in QR the first time and a 22 the second time. I just took the DAT a couple weeks back.

ALL of my scores improved, however the laminated sheet and markers really sucked.

I agree that the QR section starts with several hard questions, I initially skipped these and finished the section, then I went back and worked on the hard questions when I had time. I felt totally prepared for the math section this time around, however the first time it was like I was reading Greek.

The new FRAP crap in the Bio section really threw me for a loop. I've never seen that before and I had FOUR questions on it. heh.

 

[StayinNCali]

Wow! That's crazy! 4 FRAP questions. I had one. We're glad for you that you got a reasonable QR instead of the ones that Math majors and Math tutors can't get a 20 on!

 

[phantasmagoriun]

Yeah I got an 11! But still managed to get an AA of 18. All I know is that something was wrong with that math section. I took a kaplan course and my math scores were some of the highest I was getting, consistently 23 and up. I've never gotten less than an A in a math class in my life. SO the fact that I got in the 80th and up percentile for every section EXCEPT the math makes me wonder what the hell is going on with this test. Not to mention I was working through problems that I KNEW was absolutely right and found no answer in the answer key for it. Oh and one of them had the same answer repeated twice.

It's a bunch of bs....


And F those dry erase markers!

 

[PD3]

FYI: some "more choosy" d-schools have recognized the low QR's this year and are making exceptions to their min 17s on all DAT's.

Could you elaborate on which "more choosy" schools you are referring to? I am sure if you have information, many would like to hear.

Thanks.

 

[StayinNCali]

Obviously I am only interested in Cali schools so I am assuming that this is a trend among more than these three- but UCSF sent me a scondary after the dean of Admissions said that they have an absolute rule of min 17 on all DATs. I have a 16 QR. UOP will occasionally look at 15s or 16's if everything else is high, but this year they are intervieweing several of them early on. They told me to my face that they like 19+ on EVERYTHING- It seems they are not counting QR in that this cycle. Loma Linda sent me a secondary (and none of my buddies)- they have the same rule as UCSF- escept that it is just a recomendation. Several of my friends from previous years were accepted to every school which they applied to and always decided between attending UCSF or UOP so in my experience they are the "most choosy" schools.

 

[PD3]

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[tinker bell]

Years ago when I applied, even anything less than a 17 does not look good with Temple, Pittsburgh. I don't know about NYU though.
But I think having a 19 in any part of the exam will definitely not helping your chance of getting in anywhere