DAT Bootcamp PAT and RC Practice

[ToothHurty32]

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How do I utilize DAT Bootcamp to study for the PAT and RC without ruining the full length practice tests' ability to accurately gauge my standing. Should I just do the recommended daily readings for RC? Do the perceptual ability generators use the same questions as the full length practice tests? DAT BC is my only study source for PAT and RC. Please help.

 

[ToothHurty32]

Do you think doing 3 hours of reading one day a week from DAT BC recommended readings and waiting until I do the full length practice tests to practice answering questions will work out? Any advice on what I should do while reading, e.g., try to improve reading speed, etc.?

 

[deleted903013]

I'd say take a diagnostic RC on bootcamp to see how you do. Identify what it is you need to work on (like reading speed) then go from there. Also, 3 hours a day of reading seems like WAY too much. Do 15-20 minutes a day if anything. 3 hours a day could be better spent studying something like Bio where that amount of time will all but guarantee some sort of improvement. Reading can be luck of the draw.

 

[The Flossoraptor]

There is a way you can do practice questions for the PAT, I did 10 on each section every day leading up to the test and ended up getting a 23 on my PAT.

The practice questions are not part of the simulated tests, they are in their own section, it's been a while and I forgot how to get to them, but they are there.

 

[ToothHurty32]

I'd say take a diagnostic RC on bootcamp to see how you do. Identify what it is you need to work on (like reading speed) then go from there. Also, 3 hours a day of reading seems like WAY too much. Do 15-20 minutes a day if anything. 3 hours a day could be better spent studying something like Bio where that amount of time will all but guarantee some sort of improvement. Reading can be luck of the draw.

Thanks, I meant read 3 hours once per week like on a Sunday or something lol.

 

[deleted903013]

Oh okay that's way more reasonable lol. I wanna reiterate be sure you stimulate test taking conditions. I cannot tell you how much I regret not taking a full length practice test. I started off getting a 26 total science then ended with a 19 QR, even though I was averaging 22 on BC. My scores got progressively worse each section and I blame it almost solely to fatigue. In fact, I ended QR a minute early because I was exhausted. So, take a couple Boot camp full length tests!!

 

[suede]

I got a 29 RC on the real DAT using just BC. I tried BC RC test 6-10 first, but didn't score as well as I wanted..so before jumping into tests 1-5, I read online science journals for about an hour everyday. When I say "read," I mean active reading... like imagine that you have to absorb as much info as you can while reading. Doing that helped me speed up and be more alert while reading. Then, I started BC 1-5 and scored around ~22? When you go through your first couple BC reading tests, try to make a strategy that works for you like.. search+destroy or make up your own. There's a lot of suggested strategies online as well. I posted RC tips under my DAT breakdown as well. Hope this helps!

 

[rockflag_n_eagle]

Don't let your bootcamp scores judge how you will do on the real thing. Anywhere from 17-21 on any given section is GOOD on bootcamp. I scored consistently higher on every section on my real DAT than compared to bootcamp. Use the tests to see how smoothly and confidently you're going thru the structure of the tests then modify your strategy accordingly. Missing a few questions is okay, learn from the missed ones and get similar problems correct on test day.