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Hi guys,
I took my exam and here is my breakdown of it 🙂
I am quiet happy with my scores, but I am mostly relieved to be done!
I studied for 5 weeks, for about 8 hours each day.
I chose to limit my study materials and focus on depth rather than variety.
I used...
DAT Destroyer (11/10) - It will make you cry, but its worth it. TRUST ME
Math Destroyer (11/10) - Likewise, hard but worth it
Chad's Videos/Quizes (10/10) - Need I say?
DAT BOOTCAMP (9.5/10) - Best representative of the actual exam - highly suggest it as a final review material
CDP - PAT (9.5/10) - Good to get started on PAT, and actually not that far off from the actual exam
Cliffs' AP Biology (4th Ed) (8/10) - Decent, but not great
Barron's DAT (8/10) - Likewise, decent, but not great
So subject by subject,
Bio - 25 🙂
This section was much easier than anticipated, and I highly recommend DAT destroyer for this as many SDNers have previously did. The questions on destroyer covers variety of topics, and on each question, you learn about 5 different subjects which is awesome for subjects like bio which covers such a variety of topics. DAT BOOTCAMP is also very solid on the topic of bio, and I dare say it best simulates the types of questions you are going to get on the actual exam.
I first started studying for this section with Cliff's AP bio, reading every chapter and highlighting any important areas. I then moved onto Destroyer, and solved 40 questions/day. I then moved on to BOOTCAMP and did 1 test/day.
I also looked at Ferralis' notes, but realized it was too much detail for me, and ended up not using it. However, if you have the time and the willpower to go through the detail, I would recommend doing so.
Also I found Barron's DAT on bio was very easy to read and I ended up going through the entire bio section two days before the exam as a general review
NOTE: I would not recommend doing Barron's DAT for other sections... it really isn't that great. However, considering it only goes for $26 on Amazon, you may just want to pick it up for a quick read.
GC - 23
To be honest, I am not that satisfied with my mark on GC. I always loved chemistry, and I actually thought it would be my highest score. However I had a difficult question I just could not figure out early on in this section, and I think that threw me up a bit 🙁 and what was worst was that I knew I've solved it previously... Considering 1~2 questions can have a huge impact on your score...
Anyways, to prepare for this section..... CHAD'S
Yup, no doubt about it here. Actually the best $50 to spend on your studies. I went through each of his section daily, and solved associated quizzes. After that, I moved on to Destroyer and solved 30 questions daily. Destroyer will make you cry, and my averages going through the first run was quiet horrendous. BUT, likewise to the bio section, I don't believe there is any other material that shoves information in your brain as efficiently as destroyer does.
After, go through the entire GC quizzes for CHAD's in a DAY (if I can, you can!) and it will cement all the GC into your brain.
OC - 23
Likewise to GC, I was hoping for a bit higher, but I am happy with a 23 on OC.
For this section, Chad's is great, but I would highly recommend going through Chad's videos twice (I didn't due to time). Contrary to GC which I believe is based on your ability to understand the question and applying the right formula, OC does have a lot of memorization integrated into it and thus will take more time to stick. I also went through one of Chad's sections daily, and solved associated quizzes. Destroyer will throw a couple of reactions that you probably will never hear of again, but overall it is great for solidifying your knowledge of material.
PAT - 21
ANGLES, ANGLESSSSS 😡
The actual angles on the exam were absurd. There were easy ones, but most of them were just ugh.
It was either hit or miss for me on this section, and I believe this is where I probably got majority of the questions wrong. Other sections were pretty representative of CDP or Bootcamp, except for 1 or 2 crazy questions on each section.
I bought the 10 test edition of CDP, and went through 1/day. I originally started from 20, but was able to move up to 25 by end of all 10. Bootcamp is great for developing a higher understanding of PAT, and Ari does an awesome job in explaining each questions - so props to him I did not have time to go through all 10 of his tests, but if you can, I believe you will score pretty highly on the PAT section.
Overall, I think PAT is the section that takes the longest to get better at, and I would highly suggest you play Ari's little PAT games whenever you have the chance.
NOTE: Contrary to what I saw on many posts, CDP actually was not that easy compared to the real thing, and I think it was a valuable addition to my study material.
RC - 22
This is pretty much representative of what I've been scoring on Bootcamp. I used a little modified version of S&D, as I found going back and forth between the questions too much trouble. Instead, I would go around each question, jotting down couple of words on what it is about and to stick that info in my head, so I can notice it when I go read the passages. Then I would read the entire passage, while also jotting down 5-10 words/paragraph, and noting any potential answers I find.
QR - 25 🙂
Math Destroyer is the only material I used for this. I went through all 15 tests, 1/day and went through them again after. It is much harder than the real exam. The real exam was actually very easy as long as you know the basic concepts. I did one QR test from bootcamp, but found it to be a bit too time-constraint and hard. I would even say it was harder than Math Destroyer. But if you have time, it can't hurt to go through it.
Overall, the exam is only as hard as you make it. Take breaks - One hour of good break will get you further than one hour of forced studying. In the morning of the exam, relax, calm your mind, go for a jog or something. And during the exam, don't let one question throw you off, and always consider time into account.
Oh, if any of you guys know the recent-ish percentile equivalence of my scores, please tell me!
I took my exam and here is my breakdown of it 🙂
I am quiet happy with my scores, but I am mostly relieved to be done!
I studied for 5 weeks, for about 8 hours each day.
I chose to limit my study materials and focus on depth rather than variety.
I used...
DAT Destroyer (11/10) - It will make you cry, but its worth it. TRUST ME
Math Destroyer (11/10) - Likewise, hard but worth it
Chad's Videos/Quizes (10/10) - Need I say?
DAT BOOTCAMP (9.5/10) - Best representative of the actual exam - highly suggest it as a final review material
CDP - PAT (9.5/10) - Good to get started on PAT, and actually not that far off from the actual exam
Cliffs' AP Biology (4th Ed) (8/10) - Decent, but not great
Barron's DAT (8/10) - Likewise, decent, but not great
So subject by subject,
Bio - 25 🙂
This section was much easier than anticipated, and I highly recommend DAT destroyer for this as many SDNers have previously did. The questions on destroyer covers variety of topics, and on each question, you learn about 5 different subjects which is awesome for subjects like bio which covers such a variety of topics. DAT BOOTCAMP is also very solid on the topic of bio, and I dare say it best simulates the types of questions you are going to get on the actual exam.
I first started studying for this section with Cliff's AP bio, reading every chapter and highlighting any important areas. I then moved onto Destroyer, and solved 40 questions/day. I then moved on to BOOTCAMP and did 1 test/day.
I also looked at Ferralis' notes, but realized it was too much detail for me, and ended up not using it. However, if you have the time and the willpower to go through the detail, I would recommend doing so.
Also I found Barron's DAT on bio was very easy to read and I ended up going through the entire bio section two days before the exam as a general review
NOTE: I would not recommend doing Barron's DAT for other sections... it really isn't that great. However, considering it only goes for $26 on Amazon, you may just want to pick it up for a quick read.
GC - 23
To be honest, I am not that satisfied with my mark on GC. I always loved chemistry, and I actually thought it would be my highest score. However I had a difficult question I just could not figure out early on in this section, and I think that threw me up a bit 🙁 and what was worst was that I knew I've solved it previously... Considering 1~2 questions can have a huge impact on your score...
Anyways, to prepare for this section..... CHAD'S
Yup, no doubt about it here. Actually the best $50 to spend on your studies. I went through each of his section daily, and solved associated quizzes. After that, I moved on to Destroyer and solved 30 questions daily. Destroyer will make you cry, and my averages going through the first run was quiet horrendous. BUT, likewise to the bio section, I don't believe there is any other material that shoves information in your brain as efficiently as destroyer does.
After, go through the entire GC quizzes for CHAD's in a DAY (if I can, you can!) and it will cement all the GC into your brain.
OC - 23
Likewise to GC, I was hoping for a bit higher, but I am happy with a 23 on OC.
For this section, Chad's is great, but I would highly recommend going through Chad's videos twice (I didn't due to time). Contrary to GC which I believe is based on your ability to understand the question and applying the right formula, OC does have a lot of memorization integrated into it and thus will take more time to stick. I also went through one of Chad's sections daily, and solved associated quizzes. Destroyer will throw a couple of reactions that you probably will never hear of again, but overall it is great for solidifying your knowledge of material.
PAT - 21
ANGLES, ANGLESSSSS 😡
The actual angles on the exam were absurd. There were easy ones, but most of them were just ugh.
It was either hit or miss for me on this section, and I believe this is where I probably got majority of the questions wrong. Other sections were pretty representative of CDP or Bootcamp, except for 1 or 2 crazy questions on each section.
I bought the 10 test edition of CDP, and went through 1/day. I originally started from 20, but was able to move up to 25 by end of all 10. Bootcamp is great for developing a higher understanding of PAT, and Ari does an awesome job in explaining each questions - so props to him
I did not have time to go through all 10 of his tests, but if you can, I believe you will score pretty highly on the PAT section.Overall, I think PAT is the section that takes the longest to get better at, and I would highly suggest you play Ari's little PAT games whenever you have the chance.
NOTE: Contrary to what I saw on many posts, CDP actually was not that easy compared to the real thing, and I think it was a valuable addition to my study material.
RC - 22
This is pretty much representative of what I've been scoring on Bootcamp. I used a little modified version of S&D, as I found going back and forth between the questions too much trouble. Instead, I would go around each question, jotting down couple of words on what it is about and to stick that info in my head, so I can notice it when I go read the passages. Then I would read the entire passage, while also jotting down 5-10 words/paragraph, and noting any potential answers I find.
QR - 25 🙂
Math Destroyer is the only material I used for this. I went through all 15 tests, 1/day and went through them again after. It is much harder than the real exam. The real exam was actually very easy as long as you know the basic concepts. I did one QR test from bootcamp, but found it to be a bit too time-constraint and hard. I would even say it was harder than Math Destroyer. But if you have time, it can't hurt to go through it.
Overall, the exam is only as hard as you make it. Take breaks - One hour of good break will get you further than one hour of forced studying. In the morning of the exam, relax, calm your mind, go for a jog or something. And during the exam, don't let one question throw you off, and always consider time into account.
Oh, if any of you guys know the recent-ish percentile equivalence of my scores, please tell me!
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