DAT 08/19/08 --- I feel like ****!

[ddstobe]

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08/19/08

AA 17 (same freaking RC score, % went down though)
TS 18
PA 20

09/30/06

AA 18 (with an unbelievable super LOW RC score)
TS 21
PA 17


I truely feel like ****!!! Honestly, as soon as I walked out the building, the first idea came up was to find the most comfortable way to commit s******! I even heard this voice in my head, "Be gone, big loser, haha want to get in a d-school w/ a 17 AA, maybe next life! I was so depressed, I felt like a major loser. I was so mad at myself for not trying hard enough (~ 3 months studying, from 05/08 til test) and now all those $ (>$3000) went down to drain. I felt like I lost everything, time, money and spirit. I don't even want to finish my master (GPA 3.5 but it doesn't mean **** anymore.) Just want to thank you for all those who had helped me to prepare for the DAT. This is my last post and I truely thank you all, may god bless you!

 

[ksksks]

hey don't worry too much

how did u blow 3000? (kaplan course?)

i think studying alone is a lot more efficient. I remember taking an MCAT princeton course for 2k bucks and I felt I was satisfied with the material they taught (ie. thought they covered everything) --> BS

i'd say the most useful resources are
1. Wiki
2. Your old textbooks

 

[RDH]

Don't be so hard on your self. Its not the end of the world trust me. If dentistry is what you want then do not give up. Sure a 17 is probably not going to get you in but you list a decent/ competitive GPA so that will keep you in the game. You know you can take the DAT four times. I have been on this site long enough to have heard of people taking it three and four times and I am in the same boat as you I even did worse than you on my DAT. When I spoke to the dean of the school i am interested in applying to he said not to worry about old scores and to do well on the next one and he even said to give myself time to make sure that if I do not do well on it to be able to take it again and still be eligible to apply for the same year. If you take it one or two more times all that tell them is how determined you are about becoming a dentist. They want people who truely want to be in this profession not someone who by the time they get to the clinical part decide or realize that dentistry is not for them. Use all resources listed on this site. For reading comp I feel your pain because eng is my second lang and its difficult so for a non native speaker my advice to you is practice practice practice and you will improve.

 

[gentile1225]

did you use destroyer at all?

 

[doc3232]

did you use destroyer at all?

Firstly to the OP, relax. call the schools up and ask them what they think.
Your study methods and materials must be the problem unless you are the type to panic during the test...don't give up though.

good luck

 

[dent2009]

don't lose hope there buddy. Although your chances are not looking great, there's still a glimmer of hope for this cycle if everything else falls into place. Keep up the 3.5 in your masters cause that certainly will look nice on your app. Keep your head up.

 

[Chesnok]

Don't worry man, DAT is not worth of commiting a suicide, life is beautiful even thou you may encounter some bumps. Just rethink your study habits and means for that, and IMO , never do overnighters, just go to bed at 10 pm and sleep like a baby--trust me on this , it will do much better to your brain to retrieve info instead of just cramming whole bunch of stuff during night with a cup of coffee. You need to rest after 6-8 hours of studying. I did so and DAT worked out for me pretty good--maybe it's just me and I like to sleep well.

 

[joonkimdds]

This is why I don't tell ppl to take Kaplan. They rip ppl off but ppl still don't realize it.

 

[efficient]

Don't freak out. JUst forget the DAT for now. Call the schools and ask them what you should do. You might get in this cycle, if not there is next year. Don't worry!🙂

 

[oclor]

Kaplan is absolute crap. I took the course last year and they totally screwed me. Told me I was getting paper and pencil and that I should prepare my paper in such way. Then I get dry erase and I panic and I got an 18. This time I used destroyer, Crack delux, and topscore and got 20. Also don't listen to anything they tell you about the reading section. I followed their methods and got a 17 the first time. This time I totally didn't study for RC and made up my own way 3 days before the test and got 19 on RC.

Trust me man, I've been there. I got rejected from everywhere last year and wished I would get hit by a bus. Still did until today when I took the DAT and got a 20. Just try again but this time get the right material to study with!

 

[ddstobe]

I sincerely appreciate all of your comments, encouragement and kindness.

I spent the entire summer for the DAT. For the past month, I study at least 10 hours a day, Mon - Sun, because I sucked at RC, QR and then PAT the first time, so I focus a lot more on those subjects this time and turns out, my TS went wayyyyyy down. I thought I at least got a 16 on RC because I spent everyday reading something and did SAT verbal.

The first time I took it, I ONLY had Kaplan and my old txtbks, THAT WAS IT! This time around, I actually borrowed a copy of destroyer, bought Crack (that explains my PAT went up, no crack math) and Achiever. I don't understand!

During the time I was taking/writing the RC portion, for some reasons the moderator keep coming in and out (the door is right next to my desk) for at least 20 times during that one hour and he wasn't like helping other students to set up the exam or anything, I so wanted to ask wtf was the problem but I was too upset to even bring that up at the end.

I agree with the idea that the DAT doesn't worth to cost a life but the funny thing is that one of my best friends got a 26 on the MCAT (4.0 student) and she thought the exact same thing as me. I guess it can't cure everything but at least it'll cure the temporary pain. I'm sure I'm not the only one had that idea.

I applied to 18 schools, $12?? to ADEA, $5?? for the DAT, another $12?? for the 2ndaries, but I haven't turn in any 2ndaries yet because I was too busy studying for that stupid **** that explains where the >$3000 went. Should I even bother to turn in my 2ndaries? What are my options? If DAT on Nov 19, do you think the schools will laugh at me? Or maybe I'm just too ******ed!!!

 

[dent2009]

I applied to 18 schools, $12?? to ADEA, $5?? for the DAT, another $12?? for the 2ndaries, but I haven't turn in any 2ndaries yet because I was too busy studying for that stupid **** that explains where the >$3000 went. Should I even bother to turn in my 2ndaries? What are my options? If DAT on Nov 19, do you think the schools will laugh at me? Or maybe I'm just too ******ed!!!

IF I were you i wouldn't send the secondary fees to all 18 schools. You'd be throwing money away. I'd call every school up and get their honest opinion on your chances. I'm sure some schools will flat out tell you to retake, if so then forget about them this cycle. That should probably narrow it down a bit.