DAT Breakdown To Restore Your Faith

[Brocuspid]

So I just took the DAT today.

Scores:

PAT: 21
RC:23
QR: 23
Bio: 23
GC: 23
OC: 27
TS: 24
AA: 24

Yesterday I was feeling like I didn't know anything, I couldn't solve a probability problem or D=v*t problem to save my life. But I said screw it, I've prepared for this, I know what I need to know and went and took it. I'm quite pleased. I always appreciated it when people would post their comparative Bootcamp scores so here were the averages for my bootcamp tests. I didn't take any full length ones, only the individual subject tests. Here's those scores (averaged):

Bio: 20 (low 18 to high of 22)
GC: 23 (low 21 to high of 26)
OC 20: (low 18 to high of 22)
PAT: 19 (low 18 to high of 20)
QR: 19 (low 19 to high of 21)
RC: 19 (low 18 to high of 21)

So as you can see I did a lot better on the actual DAT. Now what did I do to study? I had a busy semester with research and 17 credits as an engineering major so I didn't really get to prepare as much as I would have liked then. As soon as finals got out the second week in May I went to work. First I watched Chad's videos and took notes on every one. I only watched them once but I reviewed the notes every other day. I went through the DAT Destroyer the first time in 10 days and made note cards on every topic I missed. I got 68% bio, 59% GC, and 48% OC correct the first time through it and felt worthless. Then I started on the Bootcamp tests. Did about half of those for each of the subjects and then did Destroyer again in a period of 5 days. Second time through Destroyer I got 92% Bio correct, 85% GC, and 80% OC. Also both times I went through it, I thoroughly went through the solutions making sure I took notes on anything I didn't know. In the final days leading up to the exam I finished up my bootcamp practice tests (which went much better than before I had done destroyer, imagine that). For math, I used Math Destroyer and averaged about 28 correct out of the 40 in all of those tests.

Also another note. I know there are many people on here that swear up and down about Feralis' notes and how useful they are. Honestly reading them made my brain hurt so I just didn't do it. Destroyer and Bootcamp cover everything. I also feel like the DAT didn't go nearly as in depth as Feralis does and just understanding the fundamentals will get you a lot further than trying to memorize everything in Feralis' notes.

Also I never memorized the Trig Identities. There is this awesome thing called the "Magic Hexagon" that I recommend for that (Google it). And memorize the first quadrant of the unit circle and understand reference angles and you'll be solid for Trig.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Joelgrow]

Hey Amazing score. Congrats. I am just going through some DAT destroyer and Math destryoer. I am not probably as strong as you are in math and sceince since you are an engieering major.

Here is my question. How hard was the actual DAT comparing to DAT destroyer and DAT bootcamp?

If you don't mind, what was your studying schedule like?

I am kinda dumb and don't get it fast, so I need some help here haha.

 

[Brocuspid]

Honestly don't take the fact that I'm an engineering major into consideration here. The science and math that I've been exposed to in college is completely different from the DAT science and math. What made the DAT math challenging for me was that it was math that I hadn't done in many years.

I think the actual DAT was way easier than DAT destroyer and Bootcamp. It didn't go nearly as in depth and most of the questions were recall questions. The times it did go in depth, everything I was exposed to with destroyer and Bootcamp helped me figure it out.

As far as my study schedule, I studied seven days a week. I would study from 8-12 in the morning (doing practice problems), 1-5 in the afternoon (reviewing practice problems), and after dinner I would review my notes on things that I had missed and maybe take a Destroyer math test or Bootcamp PAT test.

However, in my month of full out studying I did actually go downtown and socialize to relieve some stress on Friday or Saturday nights which I actually highly recommend. It got my mind off the test for awhile which did wonders for me personally. However, when it wasn't those Friday or Saturday nights, I was extremely antisocial. I inactivated my social media during the studying process and it took some getting used to not being able to look at that everyday but it allowed me to focus on my studies more than I ever have.

 

[Joelgrow]

Honestly don't take the fact that I'm an engineering major into consideration here. The science and math that I've been exposed to in college is completely different from the DAT science and math. What made the DAT math challenging for me was that it was math that I hadn't done in many years.

I think the actual DAT was way easier than DAT destroyer and Bootcamp. It didn't go nearly as in depth and most of the questions were recall questions. The times it did go in depth, everything I was exposed to with destroyer and Bootcamp helped me figure it out.

As far as my study schedule, I studied seven days a week. I would study from 8-12 in the morning (doing practice problems), 1-5 in the afternoon (reviewing practice problems), and after dinner I would review my notes on things that I had missed and maybe take a Destroyer math test or Bootcamp PAT test.

However, in my month of full out studying I did actually go downtown and socialize to relieve some stress on Friday or Saturday nights which I actually highly recommend. It got my mind off the test for awhile which did wonders for me personally. However, when it wasn't those Friday or Saturday nights, I was extremely antisocial. I inactivated my social media during the studying process and it took some getting used to not being able to look at that everyday but it allowed me to focus on my studies more than I ever have.

Thanks. Hopefully I do well on the DAT like you did here in a month. I am nervous haha. Thanks best luck to you.

 

[sam18]

How did your test scores on bootcamp correlate to your actual scores? (Specifically math)

 

[Brocuspid]

For Bootcamp I averaged a 19 for math. For DAT Destroyer I averaged at least 12 wrong per test.

 

[Brocuspid]

I also took the 2009 DAT online exam. My scores for that were :

88/100 for the Science.
80/90 for PAT.
37/50 for RC.
30/40 for QR.

Overall I thought the 2009 exam was more difficult especially for PAT and Math. My version of the actual DAT was fairly hard compared to the 2009 DAT as far as PAT goes. Definitely more challenging than Bootcamp even though I scored higher. My best section was TFE on Bootcamp, and honestly on the actual DAT I felt clueless. Angle ranking was most similar to the Bootcamp generator tests. I thought pattern folding was easier. Cube counting was fairly similar. Keyhole was straightforward for the most part but there were two or three that had me perplexed.

 

[Brocuspid]

Also I just edited in my RC score of 23. I felt Bootcamp RC was way more difficult than the actual. USE THE HIGHLIGHTER Function on the actual test. That improved my ability to recall 1000 times.

 

[Shadi65]

Congrats!! You killed it!
Do you mind explain how you studied for Bio? I feel like ferali's notes are so dense and complicated. I'm having hard time preparing for this section.

 

[DAT Destroyer]

So I just took the DAT today.

Scores:

PAT: 21
RC:23
QR: 23
Bio: 23
GC: 23
OC: 27
TS: 24
AA: 24

Yesterday I was feeling like I didn't know anything, I couldn't solve a probability problem or D=v*t problem to save my life. But I said screw it, I've prepared for this, I know what I need to know and went and took it. I'm quite pleased. I always appreciated it when people would post their comparative Bootcamp scores so here were the averages for my bootcamp tests. I didn't take any full length ones, only the individual subject tests. Here's those scores (averaged):

Bio: 20 (low 18 to high of 22)
GC: 23 (low 21 to high of 26)
OC 20: (low 18 to high of 22)
PAT: 19 (low 18 to high of 20)
QR: 19 (low 19 to high of 21)
RC: 19 (low 18 to high of 21)

So as you can see I did a lot better on the actual DAT. Now what did I do to study? I had a busy semester with research and 17 credits as an engineering major so I didn't really get to prepare as much as I would have liked then. As soon as finals got out the second week in May I went to work. First I watched Chad's videos and took notes on every one. I only watched them once but I reviewed the notes every other day. I went through the DAT Destroyer the first time in 10 days and made note cards on every topic I missed. I got 68% bio, 59% GC, and 48% OC correct the first time through it and felt worthless. Then I started on the Bootcamp tests. Did about half of those for each of the subjects and then did Destroyer again in a period of 5 days. Second time through Destroyer I got 92% Bio correct, 85% GC, and 80% OC. Also both times I went through it, I thoroughly went through the solutions making sure I took notes on anything I didn't know. In the final days leading up to the exam I finished up my bootcamp practice tests (which went much better than before I had done destroyer, imagine that). For math, I used Math Destroyer and averaged about 28 correct out of the 40 in all of those tests.

Also another note. I know there are many people on here that swear up and down about Feralis' notes and how useful they are. Honestly reading them made my brain hurt so I just didn't do it. Destroyer and Bootcamp cover everything. I also feel like the DAT didn't go nearly as in depth as Feralis does and just understanding the fundamentals will get you a lot further than trying to memorize everything in Feralis' notes.

Also I never memorized the Trig Identities. There is this awesome thing called the "Magic Hexagon" that I recommend for that (Google it). And memorize the first quadrant of the unit circle and understand reference angles and you'll be solid for Trig.

Congratulations! You Destroyed the DAT!

If your GPA is as impressive as these DAT scores you can apply and get interviews at most all schools, including Ivy League.

Thanks for the great breakdown of materials that helped you and a lot of my students seem to agree that the Feralis notes are just too dense, but again some students like them. Guess to each his own.

Wishing you the best in your journey to becoming a dentist.

Nancy

 

[super frank]

Thanks for posting. I take my DAT on Monday and I just finished the 2009. I did well on the sciences and PAT (97/100, 85/90 respectively) and scored identical to you on the RC and QR. How did the actual DAT compare to your 2009 QR/RC? I averaged a 21 on BC QR and around a 23 on BC RC, but the 2009 QR has really left me uncomfortable...

 

[DAT Destroyer]

Thanks for posting. I take my DAT on Monday and I just finished the 2009. I did well on the sciences and PAT (97/100, 85/90 respectively) and scored identical to you on the RC and QR. How did the actual DAT compare to your 2009 QR/RC? I averaged a 21 on BC QR and around a 23 on BC RC, but the 2009 QR has really left me uncomfortable...

Good luck on Monday, stay strong!

Nancy

 

[Brocuspid]

How did the actual DAT compare to your 2009 QR/RC? I averaged a 21 on BC QR and around a 23 on BC RC, but the 2009 QR has really left me uncomfortable...

I felt that the QR on my actual DAT was much easier than it was in 2009. Maybe it was not having calculator that kind of psyched me out when I took the practice test.

 

[Daniella1]

Congrats! The fact that you pulled such an awesome score in bio with just Destroyer and Bootcamp gives me hope because that's what I'm mainly using. Do you have a strong background in bio?

 

[Brocuspid]

Congrats! The fact that you pulled such an awesome score in bio with just Destroyer and Bootcamp gives me hope because that's what I'm mainly using. Do you have a strong background in bio?

I have a terrible background in biology. I took my high school's freshman biology courses, and then I didn't take another until my senior year of college this year (general bio). Everything was relatively fresh from taking the courses this year though before I studied for the DAT.

 

[Krentist_72]

Honestly don't take the fact that I'm an engineering major into consideration here. The science and math that I've been exposed to in college is completely different from the DAT science and math. What made the DAT math challenging for me was that it was math that I hadn't done in many years.

Haha this is so accurate... Currently studying for my DAT in a few weeks, and I have a really strong math background as well, so I wasn't worried about QR until I remembered Diff Eq, Multivariable, Linear, etc doesnt exactly apply to interior angles of octagons and "Bob paints 1 fence in 2 hours" questions.
And congrats on your scores, you killed it!