DAT Bootcamp PAT

[gamecock1992]

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Is it just me or is the PAT on Bootcamp a lot harder than CDP? I hope the actual DAT isn't this difficult some of the TFE are ridiculous! Anybody else notice this?

 

[paymaant]

From my understanding, bootcamp is a little bit harder, CDP is a bit easier. And so the real DAT is right in the middle!

 

[gamecock1992]

ok great! That makes me feel a bit better because I'm averaging a 19 on Bootcamp and my goal is a 20 on the real thing! Thanks

 

[Tajlrak]

Ya I just took the first BOOTCAMP PAT and I think it is alot harder than CDP. I remember when I used to read that CDP was all u need... oh well. Its better to prepare with harder material anyway.

 

[Riz0791]

Can anyone who has taken the DAT compare bootcamp PAT to the real DAT? Thanks

 

[hypemachine]

Can anyone who has taken the DAT compare bootcamp PAT to the real DAT? Thanks

bump. can anyone give a good comparison please?

 

[aznriptide859]

Any particular section you want to know about?

 

[hypemachine]

Any particular section you want to know about?

If you could compare all 6 sections, that would be great. Otherwise though I'm most curious about pattern folding, keyhole, and angle ranking. I don't know if it's just me but I feel angle ranking in Bootcamp is the hardest of all PAT study materials (including Achiever)

 

[aznriptide859]

Hmm, I'll try my best.

1. Keyhole

Definitely had some tougher, WTF moments on the real test than any of my practice tests. However the "pickiness" of the answer choices were definitely mirrored in both my DATBC and Princeton Review practice tests, so be wary of that. Be ready for some seriously irregular shapes - I heavily suggest this section last for your test.

2. Top/Front/Side

Actual test was a bit average, and a tiny bit easier than what I found on DATBC. The key to this IMO is being able to visualize the 3D shape in your mind - my progress depending on the practice test varied. Make sure you count lines and distinguish between visible and hidden creases/corners very well. Also be wary of curved shapes and slopes/triangles.

3. Angle Discrimination

Most mind boggling for me on the test, since the angles tend to have very low degree differences - was prepared well by DATBC since the angles (in the worst questions) only differ by 3 degrees. I suggest using multiple methods (drawing perpendiculars, "laptop method"/angling your head, pixel counting if that works for you, and/or staring at the apex of the angle from as far away from the screen as possible) - use DATBC's angle question generator (or ARG I think they call it on their site).

4. Hole Punching

Mirrored by DATBC the best. The real DAT had a lot of irregular foldings (reverse folds, irregular/uneven folds, and tricky diagonal folds) and irregular hole punches (punches on folds, punches in corners) that were mirrored by Bootcamp's test pretty well.

5. Cube Counting

Pretty similar, though I recall none of my figures had more than 17 total cubes (and some practice tests had it going up to 22). Be wary of edges, since two figures had those tricky "empty cube" centers.

6. Pattern Folding

Hmm, I don't recall this section very well since I finished it relatively quickly, but DATBC has some interesting strategies you can pick up on. One is "transplanting" a face and attaching it on another side, provided you make sure the sides actually meet when the shape is folded up. Make sure to look for unique shapes in the unfolded sheet and find them in the proper configuration in the real shape. Also note that for matching shaded regions on, say cubes, the conjoined areas of the cube can be rotated.

Overall I would say DATBC is about half-same difficulty, half-little bit more difficult than than the real DAT. Of course YMMV for the real test, since the tests change pretty often.

Hope this helps, I can elaborate on any other sections if needed. Best of luck studying 🙂

 

[darkkings13]

Can you give a breakdown on the reading comprehension similarities/differences as well?

 

[aznriptide859]

Can you give a breakdown on the reading comprehension similarities/differences as well?

My reading comprehension was MUCH easier than any of my practice tests - the questions were very straightforward, and any critical thinking questions were very easy to decipher. Not sure if this was my luck of the draw or if it was due to my actual interest in the reading passages, but I performed my best score on the RC. I know for a fact that this is not consistent; two friends who took the DAT in July had very tough RC sections, and one of them had a below average RC score that dragged her overall average score down.

I will say that questions you find asking if the 1st and/or 2nd statement is true, as well as those statement/reason question are really on the real DAT. I would also say that the reading excerpts you find on the DAT are somewhat similar to easier-to-read scientific review papers. Any specific and confusing scientific terms that come up in the passages will rarely ever not be explained in detail, although applying the knowledge to specific critical thinking questions may prove difficult depending on the passage/question.

I might post up a possible strategy later here in this subforum, you can read that for some tips/pointers.

 

[Riz0791]

Can you also compare 2009 ada PAT to actual DAT?

 

[aznriptide859]

Can you also compare 2009 ada PAT to actual DAT?

I didn't take it LOL.

I was seriously considering taking it the last day right before my actual DAT, but then I read on DAT BootCamp's blog on how the online Prometric test doesn't allow you to see missed answers after you take it (it just gives you a score). Kind of pointless, plus I realized (a bit too late) that ordering the paper version required an actual physical form and not just a PDF download from the ADA.

So yea, if I knew about this sooner I might have taken it and gotten the paper form, but to me a $37 test right before a $385 test wasn't really worth it lol.

 

[darkkings13]

can you give us your reading comp strategies? I am still struggling in this area...

 

[aznriptide859]

can you give us your reading comp strategies? I am still struggling in this area...

Sure, I'll post a new thread. Was going to eventually 🙂