DAT 9-14-12, mediocre score with breakdown

[NhuPT]

Hello everyone,

The SDN community has helped me a lot with my studies and I hope to contribute. My score:

PAT: 18
MATH : 18
RC : 18
Bio : 20
GC : 22
OC : 22
TS : 21
AA : 20

I am disappointed because I know I could have done much better, however I am applying this cycle so it will be late for a retake. I couldn't focus well, I tried drinking Redbull the day before to see if it helps me to focus better but it gave me a headache so I didn't drink it on my test day.

I studied for about 2.5 months while working full time up till the week before my test. But I didn't really start studying hard core until a month before the test.

PAT (18) : I never scored bellow 20 on CrackPat and at the end I would get everything 100% except angles. Scored 19 on Achiever. My PAT was very hard, Achiever is a better source for this but study angles from Crack.
Keyhole: Proportions
TFE: Not bad but the choices are similar so its hard to eliminate
Angles: In general I am bad at it, and was praying to not get angles like Crack, but nope I got exactly those angles, probably got everything wrong
Hole punch: My strongest part and I always enjoy doing them, got 100% every time on Crack and Achiever, it was ok, had some 1/3 fold
Cubes: I practiced my PAT on my 14' laptop screen so the cubes look sooo big on the real PAT to me so I was kinda distracted, had to count two cubes twice because I didn't realize there was an illusion cube. Had two illusion cubes but doable. I got 100% on Crack and Achiever
Pattern folding: Crack was a piece of cake, got 100% most of the time without spending too much time. But on the real PAT, it was some kind of complex origami, so it was hard to fold in your head, I suggest practice this with Achiever even though Achiever is still much easier

Math (18) : The calculator sucked so had to do calculation in my head, I actually thought I scored better. I finished with 2 mins to spare so went back to 3 marked long word problems, probably got them all wrong. Had many trig problems though, some were basic, some hard. This was a copy of Math Destroyer! I did go over DAT math destroyer( the book with sciences) but it didn't look like my read DAT. Study Math Destoyer! Had rate problems, mixture, interest, ,mean/median, geometry..

RC (18) : I was praying to not get the piano or physics passage but nope, got the physics passage. My two passages were sooo hard, none S&D, you have to read! I didn't understand half of the questions asked with different statements where you choose if half of the statements is wrong or not and if they are related?! They also ask lots of "If questions.." I am never good at RC to begin with (learned English 8 years ago) so it might be easier for you. I really thought I am going to have to retake DAT due to my RC but I am actually happy to get 18 Achiever is a good practice. I had about the same length but questions asked on Achiever were much clearer. Still score 16 on Achiever.

Bio (20): Mine was heavily focused on genetics, Mendelian laws, origin of life, mitosis/meiosis, some muscle diseases, human genome, developmental bio...all my weaknesses, questions are random. Destroyer is good but still not enough

GC (22) : I hoped for conceptual problems but nope had many many calculation problems, some I have never seen in any practice materials, pH, rate, H, S, G, some were set up, but most of them I had to actually calculate. Very close to Achiever GC

OC (22) : Had like 20 mins left so I flew through this very fast because I wanted to get back to Bio, thought I could get 30 Destroyer all the way

Suggested study materials: Destroyer, Math Destroyer, Achiever, CrackPAT, Chad's (gained many conceptual knowledge from him)

Ok, now I need your input. I applied to 9 schools so far but I want to increase my chance. How many more schools should I add? I am a MA resident, do you think I have a chance at NY public schools? I am thinking to look into 10 more.
My GPA is good:
BCP : 3.95
Science : 3.96
NonS : 3.80
Total : 3.92
EC, work experience, dental experience are good, my letters should be good too ( 3 science, and one from a dentist - my boss)

Thanks everyone and good luck studying!!

Peace

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[EpicDentist]

Don't be disappointed, your scores are fine and should get interviews. Congrats.

 

[Msmouth]

Not mediocre, above average! Congrats and best of luck!

 

[Dentalkid434]

Hello everyone,

The SDN community has helped me a lot with my studies and I hope to contribute. My score:

PAT: 18
MATH : 18
RC : 18
Bio : 20
GC : 22
OC : 22
TS : 21
AA : 20

I am disappointed because I know I could have done much better, however I am applying this cycle so it will be late for a retake. I couldn't focus well, I tried drinking Redbull the day before to see if it helps me to focus better but it gave me a headache so I didn't drink it on my test day.

I studied for about 2.5 months while working full time up till the week before my test. But I didn't really start studying hard core until a month before the test.

PAT (18) : I never scored bellow 20 on CrackPat and at the end I would get everything 100% except angles. Scored 19 on Achiever. My PAT was very hard, Achiever is a better source for this but study angles from Crack.
Keyhole: Proportions
TFE: Not bad but the choices are similar so its hard to eliminate
Angles: In general I am bad at it, and was praying to not get angles like Crack, but nope I got exactly those angles, probably got everything wrong
Hole punch: My strongest part and I always enjoy doing them, got 100% every time on Crack and Achiever, it was ok, had some 1/3 fold
Cubes: I practiced my PAT on my 14' laptop screen so the cubes look sooo big on the real PAT to me so I was kinda distracted, had to count two cubes twice because I didn't realize there was an illusion cube. Had two illusion cubes but doable. I got 100% on Crack and Achiever
Pattern folding: Crack was a piece of cake, got 100% most of the time without spending too much time. But on the real PAT, it was some kind of complex origami, so it was hard to fold in your head, I suggest practice this with Achiever even though Achiever is still much easier

Math (18) : The calculator sucked so had to do calculation in my head, I actually thought I scored better. I finished with 2 mins to spare so went back to 3 marked long word problems, probably got them all wrong. Had many trig problems though, some were basic, some hard. This was a copy of Math Destroyer! I did go over DAT math destroyer( the book with sciences) but it didn't look like my read DAT. Study Math Destoyer! Had rate problems, mixture, interest, ,mean/median, geometry..

RC (18) : I was praying to not get the piano or physics passage but nope, got the physics passage. My two passages were sooo hard, none S&D, you have to read! I didn't understand half of the questions asked with different statements where you choose if half of the statements is wrong or not and if they are related?! They also ask lots of "If questions.." I am never good at RC to begin with (learned English 8 years ago) so it might be easier for you. I really thought I am going to have to retake DAT due to my RC but I am actually happy to get 18 Achiever is a good practice. I had about the same length but questions asked on Achiever were much clearer. Still score 16 on Achiever.

Bio (20): Mine was heavily focused on genetics, Mendelian laws, origin of life, mitosis/meiosis, some muscle diseases, human genome, developmental bio...all my weaknesses, questions are random. Destroyer is good but still not enough

GC (22) : I hoped for conceptual problems but nope had many many calculation problems, some I have never seen in any practice materials, pH, rate, H, S, G, some were set up, but most of them I had to actually calculate. Very close to Achiever GC

OC (22) : Had like 20 mins left so I flew through this very fast because I wanted to get back to Bio, thought I could get 30 Destroyer all the way

Suggested study materials: Destroyer, Math Destroyer, Achiever, CrackPAT, Chad's (gained many conceptual knowledge from him)

Ok, now I need your input. I applied to 9 schools so far but I want to increase my chance. How many more schools should I add? I am a MA resident, do you think I have a chance at NY public schools? I am thinking to look into 10 more.
My GPA is good:
BCP : 3.95
Science : 3.96
NonS : 3.80
Total : 3.92
EC, work experience, dental experience are good, my letters should be good too ( 3 science, and one from a dentist - my boss)

Thanks everyone and good luck studying!!

Peace

Our stats are nearly identical, both on the DAT and GPA spectrum. I was told not to worry too much so I guess we will be fine Are you applying this cycle?

 

[qnzbabi91]

Your score is above average, not mediocre. This site schews our perception of what average is. Good luck with your application!

 

[Menthol]

Your score is above average, not mediocre. This site schews our perception of what average is. Good luck with your application!

i started to wonder whether the national avg is indeed 17~18

 

[Dotoday]

Decent scores. Good job.

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk

 

[NhuPT]

Our stats are nearly identical, both on the DAT and GPA spectrum. I was told not to worry too much so I guess we will be fine Are you applying this cycle?

Yes, I am applying this cycle. How about yourself? I remember your breakdown about that orgo section where you had to do it fast to get back to Bio, I did the same

 

[NhuPT]

Your score is above average, not mediocre. This site schews our perception of what average is. Good luck with your application!

People with your score make me worried

 

[Dentalkid434]

Yes, I am applying this cycle. How about yourself? I remember your breakdown about that orgo section where you had to do it fast to get back to Bio, I did the same

I am applying this cycle as well! As I read your breakdown I literally recounted my DAT experience. I flew through the organic section in ten minutes to go back to the biology as well Your Red Bull = my smoothie I also had a calculator malfunction incident on the real DAT that burned so much time until I decided to resort to doing the calculations by hand (which burned even more time)!

I am sure we will both be fine with the application process. Just keep praying and hope for the best!

What schools are you applying to?

 

[qnzbabi91]

People with your score make me worried

Well, my lateness should be consoling lmao. It's really bad, but I always am last minute when it comes to applying to programs. Good luck with your application NhuPT!

 

[qnzbabi91]

i started to wonder whether the national avg is indeed 17~18

I think 17-80 would be in the 50 percentile so possibly it is the national average but who knows with how slow ada is to update things.

 

[NhuPT]

I am applying this cycle as well! As I read your breakdown I literally recounted my DAT experience. I flew through the organic section in ten minutes to go back to the biology as well Your Red Bull = my smoothie I also had a calculator malfunction incident on the real DAT that burned so much time until I decided to resort to doing the calculations by hand (which burned even more time)!

I am sure we will both be fine with the application process. Just keep praying and hope for the best!

What schools are you applying to?

Another thing that irritated me was the scroll down button where you have to click on that button before you can click next. So you have to click twice before going to the next question. I had to constantly check myself if I didn't click too many times and if I didn't skip any questions. Did it happen to you too?

I am from Boston so I applied to BU, Tufts, UConn, NYU, UoP, Western CA, ASDOH, Case, Nova. I am looking into at least 6 more.

Where do you reside? What schools are you applying to?

 

[NhuPT]

Well, my lateness should be consoling lmao. It's really bad, but I always am last minute when it comes to applying to programs. Good luck with your application NhuPT!

Haha, I am late too, I applied to a couple schools but still haven't done any secondaries yet. I am also a last minute person, took my DAT on 09/14 because the deadline for taking DAT at UoP is 09/15 Good luck to you too!

 

[qnzbabi91]

Another thing that irritated me was the scroll down button where you have to click on that button before you can click next. So you have to click twice before going to the next question. I had to constantly check myself if I didn't click too many times and if I didn't skip any questions. Did it happen to you too?

I am from Boston so I applied to BU, Tufts, UConn, NYU, UoP, Western CA, ASDOH, Case, Nova. I am looking into at least 6 more.

Where do you reside? What schools are you applying to?

Sorry to bud in but that button was so annoying! DAT study materials should make a stupid button like that to prepare us prior to the exam lol

 

[Dentalkid434]

Another thing that irritated me was the scroll down button where you have to click on that button before you can click next. So you have to click twice before going to the next question. I had to constantly check myself if I didn't click too many times and if I didn't skip any questions. Did it happen to you too?

I am from Boston so I applied to BU, Tufts, UConn, NYU, UoP, Western CA, ASDOH, Case, Nova. I am looking into at least 6 more.

Where do you reside? What schools are you applying to?

Yes! That scroll button thingy caught me off guard for some time, but I got accustomed to it after a few questions.

I am from NY so I am applying to the east coast schools (New York, MA, and Penn schools). Eleven in total and three of which are ivies (bad move, I know...but I did not expect my DAT scores to be this low). I am also applying to Boston and NYU!

My committee letter is still not in and will not be in until the end of this month. I am at a serious disadvantage for pre December 1 interviews. Sigh.