Courses to take before DAT????

[MoLLy1988]

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Ok guys, So I have taken General Bio 1 & 2, Human Anatomy & Physiology I, Human Genetics, and Pathophsiology so far. I'm making a roadmap of what I need to take as far as what do I need to know (or have taken) to be prepared for the DAT. I want to apply for entry in 2011-2015. So I'm taking General Chemistry 1 this fall. So from what I've read I need to take the DAT in spring of 2010 for entry in 2011? So since I'mm be taking general Chemistry 1 Fall 09' do I need to take General Chemistry 2 before I can take organic chemistry? Because I read somewhere there is a lot of Org. Chem. on the DAT. So I'm a little freaked out on what am I supposed to do if Chem.2 is required before Org.Chem???!!!! I won't be able to take it in time for the DAT!!!??? If not then is it ok to go from CHEM.1 to ORG.CHEM. Will I be lost in Org.CHEM without taking part 2 of Chemistry? Sorry for so many questions!! I'm just trying to put my map together. If you have any suggestions on my mapping of this process please let me know, and the essential courses for DAT. Thanks!😀

 

[enfuego]

Can you take Gen Chem 1 & 2 over this summer and take Orgo 1 & 2 next year?

I think you do need Gen Chem 2 for Orgo - I seem to remember learning energy diagrams and molecular orbital theory in Gen Chem 2 and we definitely used that in Orgo. And you'll need it the DAT anyways, so I don't know why you'd skip it.

 

[BillytheEchidna]

Enfuego's suggestion to take General Chemistry over the summer is a good one. Your university might even have it set up so that you cannot enroll in Orgo I without having taking Chem II. They are all prerequisites, so you will have to take them eventually. Don't forget that you'll also have to take General Physics I and II (though those are not tested on the DAT). There is a whole section of Organic Chemistry on the DAT. Some people have taught themselves what they need to know for the DAT, but the class is still required. Some Dental schools also require Biochemistry (which must be taken after Orgo I & II). If you apply to schools that do, consider whether or not it would be possible to take it in the timeframe you have suggested above.

I don't think it is required that you take the DAT in the spring. I took it in August! 🙂 Don't be in such a hurry to do things according to what people on SDN claim is the "only way" to do things! Hypothetically, applying early wouldn't do you much good if you still had the majority of your prerequisites left, and earned not-very-good DAT scores (because you took the DAT before you were ready to). Take your time! Your Genetics and other upper-level classes will look good on your application, but they aren't prerequisites. Try to knock out as many of the prerequisites as you can before you apply and save the electives for later.

That being said, I took the DAT right after completing Cell Bio and I think this really helped me score well on the Bio section (I got a 22, which was my highest score).

 

[Chesnok]

Take physiology of plants and animals, but I think that Anatomy/Phys should be ok. Don't remeber if DAT had the plants quetions. Also, you may take biochem if you have time to combine bio and chemistry, but I guess you need to be done with Orgo before doing that.
Good luck.

 

[MoLLy1988]

Enfuego's suggestion to take General Chemistry over the summer is a good one. Your university might even have it set up so that you cannot enroll in Orgo I without having taking Chem II. They are all prerequisites, so you will have to take them eventually. Don't forget that you'll also have to take General Physics I and II (though those are not tested on the DAT). There is a whole section of Organic Chemistry on the DAT. Some people have taught themselves what they need to know for the DAT, but the class is still required. Some Dental schools also require Biochemistry (which must be taken after Orgo I & II). If you apply to schools that do, consider whether or not it would be possible to take it in the timeframe you have suggested above.

I don't think it is required that you take the DAT in the spring. I took it in August! 🙂 Don't be in such a hurry to do things according to what people on SDN claim is the "only way" to do things! Hypothetically, applying early wouldn't do you much good if you still had the majority of your prerequisites left, and earned not-very-good DAT scores (because you took the DAT before you were ready to). Take your time! Your Genetics and other upper-level classes will look good on your application, but they aren't prerequisites. Try to knock out as many of the prerequisites as you can before you apply and save the electives for later.

That being said, I took the DAT right after completing Cell Bio and I think this really helped me score well on the Bio section (I got a 22, which was my highest score).

Sorry, I know I wasn't specific about the courses I've taken so far. I meant to say that those are all of the science courses I have taken so far . But I have taken other classes that are the non-science prerequisites. Well based on what you've told me I've looked at my schedule for the summer and here what my science courses road map looks like now instead of what I had.

Summer 2009: General Chemistry 1
Fall 2009: General Chemistry 2
Spring 2010: Organic Chem. 1
Summer 2010: Organic Chem 2
July-August 2010 : Take DAT Hopefully!
After dat finish remaining prerequisite courses.

What do you think about my new mapping?

 

[Chuckde]

Perhaps you might want to consider taking bother Gen chem 1 and 2 during the summer if your school offers it. ^ weeks each I believe. They shouldn't be to bad; but orgo during the summer would be ridiculous. You would definitely want to pace yourself in orgo 1 and 2 to make sure you truly comprehend the material.

Also, taking Orgo 2 in the summer before your DAT takes away a lot of time for studying for the other sections. Therefore, if you complete it the spring before the summer, it gives you ample time to keep reviewing it and studying for the other classes.