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- Feb 14, 2019
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Like so many pre-dental students, when I first committed to dentistry, one thing that consistently came to my mind was the DAT. The exam, especially the perceptual ability section, can be intimidating. However, after taking my DAT yesterday, I can tell you that the test can be conquered by any student. All it requires is a combination of hard work, focus, and great resources. Here are my scores:
Scores
Bio: 21
Chem: 26
Orgo: 30
PAT: 24
RC: 22
QR: 22
TS: 24
AA: 24
In total, I devoted about three months to hard core studying. Technically, I studied longer but I had family obligations, so I had to take a few months off. During the weekdays, I would shadow from the morning until noon, eat lunch, and then, study for several hours. I used the following materials:
Kaplan 2019-2020 DAT Prep Plus
Kaplan DAT Qbank
DAT Bootcamp
PAT Booster
DAT Destroyer
Math Destroyer
Organic Chemistry Odyssey
DAT QVault Reading Comprehension
Resource Breakdown:
Kaplan: I am glad I used Kaplan. By purchasing their prep book, I took two online full length practice exams. The material is different so it gave me more exposure prior to the actual test. I believe a full Kaplan course is too expensive and not really worth it. The prep book, however, is only $38 on Amazon. It gives you good information and has some review questions at the end of each chapter. I read the whole biology section before my exam because I had not reviewed that for a long time. Some of the information was totally unnecessary but most of it was helpful. The Kaplan Qbank was the cheapest product available for additional test questions. I finished all of the Biology and QR questions but I did not review all of them because I was running out of time. Overall, if you have some extra time on your hands, this is a good resource.
Bootcamp: This is a must have for the DAT. I felt more prepared for every section after going through BC. Mike's videos are amazing for chemistry. They give you plenty of important information and are actually fun to watch. I wish I could say the same about Joel's PAT videos but outside of the pattern folding series, they seemed a little unnecessary to me. The biology notes are totally effective but they're a little long. Bio Academy is longer, so use it if you really need to review something you don't understand/remember. The flashcards are definitely helpful, especially with some of the harder topics. All the question banks were very helpful and the practice exams resembled the actual exam. I would say exams 1-5 were much more similar to the real thing than exams 6-10. BC is hands down the best predictor for how you will do on the actual exam.
PAT Booster: This is the best resource if you aspire to get a high score on the PAT. Shahed and the rest of the team behind Booster have done a great job at creating realistic exam questions and comprehensive review material. I watched Shahed's videos first and then did the exams. The exams are harder than BC but by doing them and reviewing the questions I missed, I really got better at the PAT.
Destroyer: Destroyer is also a must have for the DAT. The questions are much more difficult than other sources but they give you plenty of practice. The Math Destroyer tests are actually pretty similar to the QR section, so I would highly recommend it. Make sure to review all the questions you get right and wrong, so you can maximize your improvement.
Organic Chemistry Odyssey: Similar to PAT Booster, this resource will take you to the next level if you aspire to get a really good score on Orgo. I believe Odyssey provided harder questions than the exam but it emphasized key concepts that later showed up on the test.
DAT Qvault Reading Comprehension: I am not a great reader, so I purchased seven extra section tests from Qvault. This resource was helpful but nowhere near necessary. Use it if you feel like you need extra practice.
Breakdown of DAT Scores:
Biology (21): This was oddly my lowest score. I figured this would be a bright spot on my score report because I am a biology major. I think I spent too much time on chemistry and wrongly assumed I would do well in biology due to my extensive background. Overall, none of the questions are super difficult but there are some hard, ambiguous ones. I would recommend studying Feralis' notes and reading Cliffs AP Bio. I also used Bootcamp's Bio Academy to brush up on some anatomy and physiology. You should definitely expect some vague questions on the real thing. For some reason, I felt like BC and Kaplan's questions were much more in-depth but also less tricky than the actual exam. That could just be me though.
Chem (26) & Orgo (30): These two sections were laughably easy. I finished both in a total of 30 minutes. There really isn't anything to discuss here. If you complete all of BC and Destroyer, you should be totally fine on these sections.
Perceptual Ability (24): My PAT section was definitely tough but nowhere near impossible. I think the exam was very similar to Bootcamp, except the pattern folding was a little easier. I had three rock keyhole questions, but after reading several threads, I saw that coming. For preparation, I cannot thank PAT Booster enough. Without that program, I would not have scored this high. I would recommend doing Bootcamp first and then refining your skills with PAT Booster. Bootcamp's questions are simpler. They are really good at instilling fundamentals, and Booster will take you over the top. Shahed's videos are excellent and Booster's exams/generators prepare you well for the exam.
Reading Comprehension (22): Reading comprehension was way easier than expected. I had very straightforward science passages. I am surprised that I did not get a higher score. I have never been an excellent reader, but through practice, I solidified my reading strategy. Ultimately, my strategy was skimming the passage for a few minutes and then using search and destroy. I didn't like any of the Vanilla, Viciviper, etc. strategies on BC because they never worked for me.
Quantitative Reasoning (22): I have always been good at math, so this section wasn't too bad. There weren't as many data analysis or quantitative comparison questions on my exam, so I think that was definitely a plus. I think Kaplan, Bootcamp, and Math Destroyer are all good sources of preparation for this section. Also, I didn't feel that tired at the end because I took some time to rest during the scheduled break.
In the end, if you truly want to become a dentist, you should put yourself in the best position to get into dental school. With quality study materials and dedication, you can make your exam score a strength on your application.
Scores
Bio: 21
Chem: 26
Orgo: 30
PAT: 24
RC: 22
QR: 22
TS: 24
AA: 24
In total, I devoted about three months to hard core studying. Technically, I studied longer but I had family obligations, so I had to take a few months off. During the weekdays, I would shadow from the morning until noon, eat lunch, and then, study for several hours. I used the following materials:
Kaplan 2019-2020 DAT Prep Plus
Kaplan DAT Qbank
DAT Bootcamp
PAT Booster
DAT Destroyer
Math Destroyer
Organic Chemistry Odyssey
DAT QVault Reading Comprehension
Resource Breakdown:
Kaplan: I am glad I used Kaplan. By purchasing their prep book, I took two online full length practice exams. The material is different so it gave me more exposure prior to the actual test. I believe a full Kaplan course is too expensive and not really worth it. The prep book, however, is only $38 on Amazon. It gives you good information and has some review questions at the end of each chapter. I read the whole biology section before my exam because I had not reviewed that for a long time. Some of the information was totally unnecessary but most of it was helpful. The Kaplan Qbank was the cheapest product available for additional test questions. I finished all of the Biology and QR questions but I did not review all of them because I was running out of time. Overall, if you have some extra time on your hands, this is a good resource.
Bootcamp: This is a must have for the DAT. I felt more prepared for every section after going through BC. Mike's videos are amazing for chemistry. They give you plenty of important information and are actually fun to watch. I wish I could say the same about Joel's PAT videos but outside of the pattern folding series, they seemed a little unnecessary to me. The biology notes are totally effective but they're a little long. Bio Academy is longer, so use it if you really need to review something you don't understand/remember. The flashcards are definitely helpful, especially with some of the harder topics. All the question banks were very helpful and the practice exams resembled the actual exam. I would say exams 1-5 were much more similar to the real thing than exams 6-10. BC is hands down the best predictor for how you will do on the actual exam.
PAT Booster: This is the best resource if you aspire to get a high score on the PAT. Shahed and the rest of the team behind Booster have done a great job at creating realistic exam questions and comprehensive review material. I watched Shahed's videos first and then did the exams. The exams are harder than BC but by doing them and reviewing the questions I missed, I really got better at the PAT.
Destroyer: Destroyer is also a must have for the DAT. The questions are much more difficult than other sources but they give you plenty of practice. The Math Destroyer tests are actually pretty similar to the QR section, so I would highly recommend it. Make sure to review all the questions you get right and wrong, so you can maximize your improvement.
Organic Chemistry Odyssey: Similar to PAT Booster, this resource will take you to the next level if you aspire to get a really good score on Orgo. I believe Odyssey provided harder questions than the exam but it emphasized key concepts that later showed up on the test.
DAT Qvault Reading Comprehension: I am not a great reader, so I purchased seven extra section tests from Qvault. This resource was helpful but nowhere near necessary. Use it if you feel like you need extra practice.
Breakdown of DAT Scores:
Biology (21): This was oddly my lowest score. I figured this would be a bright spot on my score report because I am a biology major. I think I spent too much time on chemistry and wrongly assumed I would do well in biology due to my extensive background. Overall, none of the questions are super difficult but there are some hard, ambiguous ones. I would recommend studying Feralis' notes and reading Cliffs AP Bio. I also used Bootcamp's Bio Academy to brush up on some anatomy and physiology. You should definitely expect some vague questions on the real thing. For some reason, I felt like BC and Kaplan's questions were much more in-depth but also less tricky than the actual exam. That could just be me though.
Chem (26) & Orgo (30): These two sections were laughably easy. I finished both in a total of 30 minutes. There really isn't anything to discuss here. If you complete all of BC and Destroyer, you should be totally fine on these sections.
Perceptual Ability (24): My PAT section was definitely tough but nowhere near impossible. I think the exam was very similar to Bootcamp, except the pattern folding was a little easier. I had three rock keyhole questions, but after reading several threads, I saw that coming. For preparation, I cannot thank PAT Booster enough. Without that program, I would not have scored this high. I would recommend doing Bootcamp first and then refining your skills with PAT Booster. Bootcamp's questions are simpler. They are really good at instilling fundamentals, and Booster will take you over the top. Shahed's videos are excellent and Booster's exams/generators prepare you well for the exam.
Reading Comprehension (22): Reading comprehension was way easier than expected. I had very straightforward science passages. I am surprised that I did not get a higher score. I have never been an excellent reader, but through practice, I solidified my reading strategy. Ultimately, my strategy was skimming the passage for a few minutes and then using search and destroy. I didn't like any of the Vanilla, Viciviper, etc. strategies on BC because they never worked for me.
Quantitative Reasoning (22): I have always been good at math, so this section wasn't too bad. There weren't as many data analysis or quantitative comparison questions on my exam, so I think that was definitely a plus. I think Kaplan, Bootcamp, and Math Destroyer are all good sources of preparation for this section. Also, I didn't feel that tired at the end because I took some time to rest during the scheduled break.
In the end, if you truly want to become a dentist, you should put yourself in the best position to get into dental school. With quality study materials and dedication, you can make your exam score a strength on your application.
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