Actual Scores:
- PAT: 23
- QR: 23
- RC: 24
- BIO: 30
- GC: 27
- OC: 27
- TS: 28
- AA: 26
I took my exam over the summer going into my final year of college, so I had a bit more flexibility in my study schedule and already took upper-division biology classes that covered a lot of the exam material. I studied exactly 10 weeks, using DAT Bootcamp exclusively, and followed Dr. Ari's study schedule. I’m a biology major with a strong background in Bio, Gen Chem, and Ochem, which made it much easier to study for those subjects.
I studied 4-8 hours per day consistently. I took 3 days off for my birthday in the middle of my studying and doubled up on work for the subsequent days to get back on track.
PAT 23 (Bootcamp Range: 20-21)
For PAT, I struggled to get above a 20 during practice. Angle ranking was by far my weakest area, and no matter how much I studied for it, I was never able to make a significant improvement. DAT Bootcamp's generators were very helpful for learning hole punching, TFE, and pattern folding. Keyholes were very difficult at first, but with each subsequent day I practiced, they got easier, and I was able to pick out the smaller details that were incorrect.
I learned how to do the hole punching in my head instead of using the drawing method which saved me a lot of time for the other sections. My strategy on the actual exam was to immediately skip to angle ranking and complete it as fast as possible. I would then finish hole punching and cube counting, return to Keyholes, then TFE, and finish the pattern folding last. Pattern folding always came naturally to me, and I only needed a few minutes to get most of them correct.
The actual DAT PAT section felt much easier than Bootcamp. One of the biggest factors that helped me during the exam was the size of the screen. The screen at the testing center was much larger than my small MacBook, and it helped me pick out finer details and complete the questions faster.
QR 23 (Bootcamp Range: 19-25)
This section started off rough for me because I hadn't taken math since my freshman year in college. I was a little rusty, but I improved over time and was able to score a 23 on the real test. I found the question banks to be very helpful and memorized the equation cheat sheet to solve problems. This section is also all about timing, and every second you save counts.
The best way to improve on the QR is to do as many practice problems as possible until you can solve them without even thinking. Small mistakes were a big issue for me, and I was not used to the calculator on the exam, so I often got answers that made no sense and had to redo the entire question. This was a huge time waster, so I recommend you familiarize yourself with the calculator at the beginning of your studies.
RC 24 (Bootcamp Range: 22-26)
This section was the hardest for me. I tried every single method and trick, but none of them worked for me. For the exam, I read the question, then read the passage up until I found the answer, read the next question, and continued. I also highlighted every interesting fact or keyword I found so I could easily go back to reference them.
Timing was my biggest issue at first, but doing all the practice tests helped me figure it out. Also, immediately when the passage pops up, scroll all the way to the bottom and check how many paragraphs there are to estimate your time. Don’t make the mistake of blindly reading the passage without knowing the length. It can tank your entire RC section if you dedicate too much time to the wrong passage. My best advice for this section is to find out what works best for you and stick to it as you practice.
BIO 30 (Bootcamp Range: 23-30)
Biology is my strongest subject, but I still put a lot of effort into this section since it covers a massive range of topics. I read the high-yield bio notes, answered the question banks, and did Anki for all sections. The Bio Bites were super helpful for reviewing immediately after going over the high-yield notes. In the two weeks leading up to the exam, I did the entire anki set to keep everything fresh in my mind. This section was pretty straightforward for me on the actual DAT and similar to Bootcamp tests.
GC 27 (Bootcamp Range: 20-30)
I had a very strong background in Gen Chem and already knew the majority of the material, so I did not spend much time studying for this subject outside of the recommended study schedule. Dr. Mike’s videos were amazing, and he really helped with grasping the concepts rather than just memorizing material. The question banks were great and helped me a lot with the real exam.
The most important thing about this section is to understand the concepts so that you can answer any question that comes your way, regardless if you’ve seen it before. Bootcamp’s practice tests prepared me very well and made me feel confident in the exam.
OC 27 (Bootcamp Range: 22-30)
Organic Chemistry was also a very strong subject for me, and I had very good Ochem professors in college. Dr. Mike’s videos were also excellent for Ochem, and the reaction bites helped me apply the material I learned. I used DAT Bootcamp’s Organic Chemistry flashcards, and they were extremely helpful for memorizing everything covered by the exam.
Similar to Gen Chem, the most important thing is to actually understand the mechanism behind the reactions and visualize what is going on. The Ochem section on Bootcamp is pretty representative of the real test.
Week Before the Exam:
I was behind on Anki, so I finished all remaining flashcards and completed the reviews every day. I reviewed all of my practice tests and dialed everything in to prepare for the test. I also made sure to start waking up at 6:30 am so I wouldn’t be tired on the day of the exam (that didn’t go so well). I’m very good at cramming, so I spent this whole week cramming any remaining content. The day before the test, I spent the whole day studying.
Day of the Exam:
I got ready for bed at 8 pm, took melatonin, and expected to fall asleep quickly, but I was dead wrong. I was tossing and turning all night and didn’t fall asleep until around 3 or 4 am. I woke up feeling extremely sleep-deprived and tried to eat breakfast but couldn’t stomach it.
I drank a ton of coffee and headed over to the center. During the test, I used 15 minutes of my break to eat a sandwich and use the restroom. I decided to end it early and just finish the exam.
If you end up in a similar situation to me, don’t worry. The adrenaline will keep you going, and if you’ve studied hard, you’ll be able to do the exam in your sleep. Worst comes to worst, do not worry, you’ll be fine.
Overall:
DAT Bootcamp is excellent and made studying for the DAT feasible. I recommend it to everyone and am extremely happy I chose them to help me study for my test. Follow the study schedule, do the Anki, and practice, practice, practice. Time management is crucial in every section, and you will improve as you study. Don’t be discouraged if your practice test scores aren’t perfect, just keep going and your hard work will pay off.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Best of luck to all of you!
