DAT Achiever

[skiphotsauce]

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So I'm getting the impression that DAT Achiever is generally harder than the actual DAT, which is good to know considering I just took the first Achiever test and scored 2-3 points lower on each section compared to the Kaplan practice exams (except for QR and OC).

The PAT, however, I found particularly challenging. The keyholes on the first practice exam were vague, even when they showed the answers. And the angle ranking questions were ridiculous-- I don't see how I'll be able to discern a 5 degree difference on test day. Does anyone else (hopefully those that have taken the DAT and have used Achiever) find the PAT portion to be extremely difficult, or is this indicative of what to expect on the actual DAT?

 

[americanpierg]

So I'm getting the impression that DAT Achiever is generally harder than the actual DAT, which is good to know considering I just took the first Achiever test and scored 2-3 points lower on each section compared to the Kaplan practice exams (except for QR and OC).

The PAT, however, I found particularly challenging. The keyholes on the first practice exam were vague, even when they showed the answers. And the angle ranking questions were ridiculous-- I don't see how I'll be able to discern a 5 degree difference on test day. Does anyone else (hopefully those that have taken the DAT and have used Achiever) find the PAT portion to be extremely difficult, or is this indicative of what to expect on the actual DAT?

Keyholes is indeed very difficult on some questions, when you have to judge size and proportion as well as shape. Angles can be as little as 3 degrees, if youre getting all 5 degrees, be happy... very happy.

 

[Bonanzio]

I heard the reading section from Achiever has lately been revamped to cater for nasty passages like those on piano, floating bridges, crocodile, ... that are heavily studded with tone and inference questions.

 

[suhshi]

achiever, in my opinion, is good for:


bio, ochem, reading, math, pat


and it never hurts to practice your timing

 

[uclaDDS101]

I heard the reading section from Achiever has lately been revamped to cater for nasty passages like those on piano, floating bridges, crocodile, ... that are heavily studded with tone and inference questions.

It's true. I've been getting 21-25 on kaplan rc, and i got a 15 on my first achiever rc! I might be in trouble...

 

[Kelong]

It's true. I've been getting 21-25 on kaplan rc, and i got a 15 on my first achiever rc! I might be in trouble...

These passages aren't that bad to handle with the proper strategy adopted. You would probably need to read the passage first with a good understanding instead of jumping straight to the questions with the S & D method.

 

[Bonanzio]

Based on SDN searches, I realized that students who got pianoed or plagued with other tone/inference passages also had a more difficult Keyhole and TFE sections on the PAT. Not sure if this is going to be a consistent trend on the DAT.🙁

 

[Kelong]

Based on SDN searches, I realized that students who got pianoed or plagued with other tone/inference passages also had a more difficult Keyhole and TFE sections on the PAT. Not sure if this is going to be a consistent trend on the DAT.🙁

I wouldn't be surprised to learn about this. ADA's ongoing plan is to make the DAT harder so they can consistently keep the scores at the national average of 17 or 18.

 

[americanpierg]

I wouldn't be surprised to learn about this. ADA's ongoing plan is to make the DAT harder so they can consistently keep the scores at the national average of 17 or 18.

Scores actually keep rising and rising. 20 AA was top 91% in 2006, now its top 85%

 

[Kelong]

Scores actually keep rising and rising. 20 AA was top 91% in 2006, now its top 85%

Precisely, and seems like the ADA hasn't done enough to catch up with their intended goal.

 

[lakers2009]

Scores actually keep rising and rising. 20 AA was top 91% in 2006, now its top 85%

I was just wondering if you have a link for this statistics? thanks

 

[Bonanzio]

I was just wondering if you have a link for this statistics? thanks

You probably won't find a link for that. "americanpierg" must have noted this based on his past observations. I suppose people from SDN have even better stats, with scores mostly in the 20s.

 

[sw1sschez]

Based on SDN searches, I realized that students who got pianoed or plagued with other tone/inference passages also had a more difficult Keyhole and TFE sections on the PAT. Not sure if this is going to be a consistent trend on the DAT.🙁

I thought they curve it based on other ppl who took the same version??????

 

[Bonanzio]

I thought they curve it based on other ppl who took the same version??????

That's what I thought too, but there're more than one version of DAT at the testing centers.

 

[americanpierg]

I thought they curve it based on other ppl who took the same version??????

That's what I thought too, then I heard that they curve it based on all the scores of people taking it within a certain time span.

 

[KirinJ]

Scores actually keep rising and rising. 20 AA was top 91% in 2006, now its top 85%

Does the percentile stay consistent only for a year? Also, if five students got 20 AA, would they all receive the same percentile of 85%?

Thanks.

 

[Kelong]

Does the percentile stay consistent only for a year? Also, if five students got 20 AA, would they all receive the same percentile of 85%?

Thanks.

I can't answer your first question. Based on my past observation, the percentiles of the same scores may not necessarily be the same.

 

[WaxWing]

achiever, in my opinion, is good for:


bio, ochem, reading, math, pat


and it never hurts to practice your timing

I agree. Achiever's chem is really provoking ...