- Joined
- Mar 26, 2015
- Messages
- 36
- Reaction score
- 34
Thank you @Ari Rezaei for the wonderful product DAT Bootcamp and for your responses to my questions. Thank you @orgoman22 for the DAT Destroyer and Math Destroyer books and for Nancy texting me with encouragement. And thank you to the active SDN users. You guys are the real MVPs.
My DAT Breakdown
PAT - 24
QR - 25
RC - 27
Bio - 26
GC - 23
OC - 30
TS - 26
AA - 26
I'm a 27-yr old post-bacc student, and a year ago, I was working a finance job with a business degree. If I can do it so can you.
I started studying for a 10 week schedule. I followed Ari's guide for a while, but tweaked it to work for me.
My PAT and Bio scores on Bootcamp were 17 about 7 weeks before my exam. You CAN improve a lot in less than two months.
Materials
DAT Destroyer & Math Destroyer - 5/5
The Bible, Koran, and Talmud of DAT prep material for sciences and math rolled into two nice compact books. I know a lot of people on here say they've done the entire books 6 to 7 times. I did Destroyer ONLY ONCE. I also did only up to Math Destroyer 15 and didn't get to 16 and 17. This worked for me though because I would do 30-40 questions at a time per section and would correct and review all the wrong and the correct solutions. I would use the Internet to really fill in gaps of knowledge.
DAT Bootcamp - 6/5
All-star level prep software that simulates real testing conditions and gives you extra PAT problems, simulators, generators. I cannot express how AWESOME Bootcamp was. Yes, I got absolutely KILLED some days doing the PAT practice exams 6-10, but take comfort in knowing that the angles were much easier on the actual PAT. Do the extra Keyhole practice and TFE generators, and DO NOT lose confidence. Believe. You can do it. Extra Math tests on here are also really great practice. Ari also is very good at responding to questions you send him.
Chad's Videos - 5/5
A great place to start, but it is not the end-all, be-all. I was rusty with my sciences when I started the videos when I started, but once I finished the videos and took all the quizzes I started DAT Destroyer. Chad's Videos will get you started on the bike with training wheels, but you really need Destroyer to ride the big-kids bikes.
Crack DAT PAT - 3.5/5
It's not worth the money. I would just recommend Destroyer. The video tutorials were very basic and didn't focus enough on speed. Destroyer has more realistic level of difficulty of problems.
Cliffs AP Biology 3rd Ed - 4/5
A good place to start but it is not detailed enough I thought on some of the cell biology and physiology material.
Princeton Review MCAT Biological Science Review 2010 Ed - 5/5
Yes, I know I crossed over to those dirty med students' side for this one, but I found the suggestion on a SDN thread from way back. This book is AWESOME for cell biology, genetics, and physiology review. They also have a section that review Bio lab techniques. The book does a fantastic job with on point illustrations, review questions on every page with easy-access answers in the footnotes of each page. Also, the writing for a science book is kind of witty. Biology was easily my weakest subject, but this book really helped and the 2010 version is like $10-15 used. Sooo worth it.
Kaplan - 2/5
So, I have to admit I took a Kaplan course in the fall of 2015 and was originally scheduled to take my DAT in January, but at the end of my Kaplan course. I was NOT ready. I didn't use any other materials, but I am so glad I changed my test date. Sure, I guess Kaplan might be a good place to start, but I had some blah experiences. I took the classes in person, but they make you take PAT and O-Chem reviews online, but they didn't have enough slots for us to take these online review courses in a timely fashion. Just not good. The PAT training is blah. Kaplan teaches a reading comp strategy to draw "road maps". It is garbage. I couldn't get scores higher than a 19-20 using this method, and I would often run out of time. I ended up using search-and-destroy method. Not worth your money.
My own Note cards
I made some of my own note cards, but I only made like maybe 100 all combined including Bio, Chem, OChem, and Math, but I wrote them in ways that I was reviewing material too.
2007 DAT Practice Exam - 3/5
2009 DAT Practice Exam - 3/5
I wasn't a fan of the DAT Practice Exams especially the PAT sections since I felt that you need a computer screen to simulate the real feel and time pressure of that section.
Actual DAT
I recommend doing the Prometric Test Drive. It's $30 for a dry run at a Prometric testing center. You can ask staff there questions you have. I learned I could bring my own earplugs so I did. Also, I'm a type of person who likes to do the motions. Like visualizing and going through the motion of a basketball shot with just your hands. Also, no surprises.
Hotkeys - so you can't use Alt+N or Alt+P or Alt+M to scroll through questions or mark them. You have to click on them, BUT you can use your keyboard to select answer choices A, B, C, D, E and on the calculator for QR. Small details but it saved me some grief of repetitive clicking motions of my index finger.
Bio 26 - This was the most shocking score for me. I am a chemistry/physics person and I openly dislike biology and was hoping for a 22. I scored a 23 on Bio just once on Bootcamp. Bio's questions are very broad and cover a ton of random topics. Destroyer does a great job getting you ready.
Gen Chem 23 - Again, destroyer and Bootcamp a good job of prep.
O-Chem 30 - Easiest science section I thought. Destroyer and Bootcamp on point for this.
Reading C 27 - I used the search-and-destroy method on this.
Quantitative R 25 - This was actually pretty tough. There were a TON of questions that were in written format. It's just those extra steps that were a pain in the butt to stop and draw out. It's best to mark those and come back. I am too hard-headed and didn't really do that, so I ended up guessing on one question b/c I ran out of time. MATH DESTROYER is an absolute must for preparation. They have the hardest questions and will push you to be faster and better.
PAT 24
Keyhole - Challenging. There were a few that were just ridiculous, but Bootcamp beats you up, toughens you up, and teaches you not to lose confidence on the rest of the PAT after a tough Keyhole section. Don't waste time here and be confident to make up points in the other sections
TFE - Very doable. On par difficulty with Bootcamp. There was maybe one that was a little tough.
Angle - This section killed me in Bootcamp, but fear not, the actual PAT angles are a little easier although you still do have a few that are 3 degrees apart with weird orientations and lengths, but generally easier than Bootcamp for sure.
Holepunch - I drew minigrids and used those. I know some people don't use the paper and marker for this, but I think the minigrids are a sure way of getting a 100% on this section. Also, beware, you have half-folds and folds INTO the plane of the paper. I had both those on my exam. Bootcamp has these question types.
Cube - Easy
Pattern - All very doable. Practice, practice, practice.
Last thoughts
Don't kill yourself by locking yourself in a room and avoiding all people for 10 weeks straight. No, I didn't go party, but I still went to the gym for two hours every day, watched movies/basketball, and went to a NY Phil concert. You are not a robot.
Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. Keep up your mental/physical health, and have faith in your hard work. Good luck everyone!
My DAT Breakdown
PAT - 24
QR - 25
RC - 27
Bio - 26
GC - 23
OC - 30
TS - 26
AA - 26
I'm a 27-yr old post-bacc student, and a year ago, I was working a finance job with a business degree. If I can do it so can you.
I started studying for a 10 week schedule. I followed Ari's guide for a while, but tweaked it to work for me.
My PAT and Bio scores on Bootcamp were 17 about 7 weeks before my exam. You CAN improve a lot in less than two months.
Materials
DAT Destroyer & Math Destroyer - 5/5
The Bible, Koran, and Talmud of DAT prep material for sciences and math rolled into two nice compact books. I know a lot of people on here say they've done the entire books 6 to 7 times. I did Destroyer ONLY ONCE. I also did only up to Math Destroyer 15 and didn't get to 16 and 17. This worked for me though because I would do 30-40 questions at a time per section and would correct and review all the wrong and the correct solutions. I would use the Internet to really fill in gaps of knowledge.
DAT Bootcamp - 6/5
All-star level prep software that simulates real testing conditions and gives you extra PAT problems, simulators, generators. I cannot express how AWESOME Bootcamp was. Yes, I got absolutely KILLED some days doing the PAT practice exams 6-10, but take comfort in knowing that the angles were much easier on the actual PAT. Do the extra Keyhole practice and TFE generators, and DO NOT lose confidence. Believe. You can do it. Extra Math tests on here are also really great practice. Ari also is very good at responding to questions you send him.
Chad's Videos - 5/5
A great place to start, but it is not the end-all, be-all. I was rusty with my sciences when I started the videos when I started, but once I finished the videos and took all the quizzes I started DAT Destroyer. Chad's Videos will get you started on the bike with training wheels, but you really need Destroyer to ride the big-kids bikes.
Crack DAT PAT - 3.5/5
It's not worth the money. I would just recommend Destroyer. The video tutorials were very basic and didn't focus enough on speed. Destroyer has more realistic level of difficulty of problems.
Cliffs AP Biology 3rd Ed - 4/5
A good place to start but it is not detailed enough I thought on some of the cell biology and physiology material.
Princeton Review MCAT Biological Science Review 2010 Ed - 5/5
Yes, I know I crossed over to those dirty med students' side for this one, but I found the suggestion on a SDN thread from way back. This book is AWESOME for cell biology, genetics, and physiology review. They also have a section that review Bio lab techniques. The book does a fantastic job with on point illustrations, review questions on every page with easy-access answers in the footnotes of each page. Also, the writing for a science book is kind of witty. Biology was easily my weakest subject, but this book really helped and the 2010 version is like $10-15 used. Sooo worth it.
Kaplan - 2/5
So, I have to admit I took a Kaplan course in the fall of 2015 and was originally scheduled to take my DAT in January, but at the end of my Kaplan course. I was NOT ready. I didn't use any other materials, but I am so glad I changed my test date. Sure, I guess Kaplan might be a good place to start, but I had some blah experiences. I took the classes in person, but they make you take PAT and O-Chem reviews online, but they didn't have enough slots for us to take these online review courses in a timely fashion. Just not good. The PAT training is blah. Kaplan teaches a reading comp strategy to draw "road maps". It is garbage. I couldn't get scores higher than a 19-20 using this method, and I would often run out of time. I ended up using search-and-destroy method. Not worth your money.
My own Note cards
I made some of my own note cards, but I only made like maybe 100 all combined including Bio, Chem, OChem, and Math, but I wrote them in ways that I was reviewing material too.
2007 DAT Practice Exam - 3/5
2009 DAT Practice Exam - 3/5
I wasn't a fan of the DAT Practice Exams especially the PAT sections since I felt that you need a computer screen to simulate the real feel and time pressure of that section.
Actual DAT
I recommend doing the Prometric Test Drive. It's $30 for a dry run at a Prometric testing center. You can ask staff there questions you have. I learned I could bring my own earplugs so I did. Also, I'm a type of person who likes to do the motions. Like visualizing and going through the motion of a basketball shot with just your hands. Also, no surprises.
Hotkeys - so you can't use Alt+N or Alt+P or Alt+M to scroll through questions or mark them. You have to click on them, BUT you can use your keyboard to select answer choices A, B, C, D, E and on the calculator for QR. Small details but it saved me some grief of repetitive clicking motions of my index finger.
Bio 26 - This was the most shocking score for me. I am a chemistry/physics person and I openly dislike biology and was hoping for a 22. I scored a 23 on Bio just once on Bootcamp. Bio's questions are very broad and cover a ton of random topics. Destroyer does a great job getting you ready.
Gen Chem 23 - Again, destroyer and Bootcamp a good job of prep.
O-Chem 30 - Easiest science section I thought. Destroyer and Bootcamp on point for this.
Reading C 27 - I used the search-and-destroy method on this.
Quantitative R 25 - This was actually pretty tough. There were a TON of questions that were in written format. It's just those extra steps that were a pain in the butt to stop and draw out. It's best to mark those and come back. I am too hard-headed and didn't really do that, so I ended up guessing on one question b/c I ran out of time. MATH DESTROYER is an absolute must for preparation. They have the hardest questions and will push you to be faster and better.
PAT 24
Keyhole - Challenging. There were a few that were just ridiculous, but Bootcamp beats you up, toughens you up, and teaches you not to lose confidence on the rest of the PAT after a tough Keyhole section. Don't waste time here and be confident to make up points in the other sections
TFE - Very doable. On par difficulty with Bootcamp. There was maybe one that was a little tough.
Angle - This section killed me in Bootcamp, but fear not, the actual PAT angles are a little easier although you still do have a few that are 3 degrees apart with weird orientations and lengths, but generally easier than Bootcamp for sure.
Holepunch - I drew minigrids and used those. I know some people don't use the paper and marker for this, but I think the minigrids are a sure way of getting a 100% on this section. Also, beware, you have half-folds and folds INTO the plane of the paper. I had both those on my exam. Bootcamp has these question types.
Cube - Easy
Pattern - All very doable. Practice, practice, practice.
Last thoughts
Don't kill yourself by locking yourself in a room and avoiding all people for 10 weeks straight. No, I didn't go party, but I still went to the gym for two hours every day, watched movies/basketball, and went to a NY Phil concert. You are not a robot.
Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. Keep up your mental/physical health, and have faith in your hard work. Good luck everyone!
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