Dentaldood121
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- Oct 17, 2022
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- Pre-Dental
I’ll start by saying beginning to study every day is the most challenging part, especially when you are unsure about how much you’ll truly know that day on a test or how well you’ll score. However, the most rewarding part is knowing that you showed up that day for yourself and for your future. You can do this!
Attempt 1 Scores:
PAT - 15
QR - 17
RC - 22
Bio - 16
GC - 19
OC - 17
TS - 17
AA - 18
Attempt 2 Scores:
PAT - 18
QR - 15
RC - 21
Bio - 22
GC - 21
OC - 21
TS - 21
AA - 20
Materials Used Attempt 1
I recommend making your own study schedule with the goals you want to achieve each day but also giving yourself grace and having a catch-up day for missed material. I readjusted based on the prior days because I didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself when I knew I was really diving in and learning well, but it took longer for that particular task/subject. My overarching goal was to take all ten science exams with a thorough review of each.
My timeline was interesting because I spent July/August sporadically diving into topics and content reviews, I believe I took one practice test but I wasn’t really in full blown study zone. After Labor Day, I jumped into a rhythm studying pretty much daily. I still did content review but I also did section practice test often. Since I had taken full lengths before my first attempt and had taken the DAT exam before, I didn’t feel the need to complete full lengths. I had a good grasp on the stamina it would require to sit there for over four hours and honestly the rush of energy you get on the day of the test keeps you wide awake. This is why I opted into doing section exams!
ETC:
Utilizing the section test are an amazing feature but ensure you are learning from your mistakes and reading the explanations as to why it is the answer and why the others are not. When I noticed that I was consistently getting material wrong I did a deeper dive into learning about that concept through bootcamp bio notes and Chads prep videos for OC and GC. Also if you complete all ten exams, I highly recommend retaking them spaced out. Not to assume that you’ll get the new score but to identify if you’ve learned from previous mistakes. You might see the same question on your exam so completing this step might familiarize you in how to answer it/solve it on test day.
Ending Advice:
Take care of yourself mentally and physically as you strive to do well on this exam. It requires a lot of discipline and focus so ensure that you are sleeping well and fueling your body!Remind yourself that it’s just a season and you won’t be studying for the DAT forever, it’s a short term sacrifice but you are 100% able to make it. My scores aren’t perfect but I am grateful to have experienced improvement.
Attempt 1 Scores:
PAT - 15
QR - 17
RC - 22
Bio - 16
GC - 19
OC - 17
TS - 17
AA - 18
Attempt 2 Scores:
PAT - 18
QR - 15
RC - 21
Bio - 22
GC - 21
OC - 21
TS - 21
AA - 20
Materials Used Attempt 1
- DAT Bootcamp- I utilized this resource consistently for about 3 weeks or less. I had a few life circumstances that altered my study plans and I buckled down for around 9-10 hours a day doing practice exams and reviewing material. However, it simply wasn’t enough. I guessed on many questions in the biology section, did not review periodic trends and basic information on GC, and just did not have enough time to solidify acid/base in OC. PAT took the worst hit though as my timing was poor and I wasn’t confident in any areas. It reflected on my scores and I definitely needed to retest.
- DAT Booster - This is my number one resource that I highly recommend. The biggest takeaway during my studies was not getting too caught up in content review. Remember, you have learned these concepts before so take a practice test. The great thing about this software is that you can mark questions, after each exam it permits a thorough review and has a “mark” feature. From there, it allows you to view marked questions and with spaced repetition you can identify if you are showing improvement and truly understanding the content. In addition it displays the content you are strong in and you are weak in, this can direct you to the study focus as you prepare.
- Booster Crash Course: I am separating this resource because it did not come with the membership and required additional fees. I’ll be the first person to say that these course were pricey but were worth every penny. I took PAT and Bio session 1, 2, and 3. They are fast paced but jam packed with high yield information and additional test that give you access to great practice questions. For the PAT crash courses my score doesn’t reflect drastic improvement but this was the most challenging section for me. Through the crash course, I identified my strengths and honed in on those throughout my studies to make sure they were solid.
- Chads Prep: This instructor is very great at providing detailed explanations and lessons covering dense topics. While I found the practice test to be unrelated to the actual DAT the content review in each of his videos are helpful and if I had additional time to study, I would have went through more of them. However, if you need to test within 1-2 months, you simply won’t have time to cover 2hr lectures per topic for General chem and o-chem!
I recommend making your own study schedule with the goals you want to achieve each day but also giving yourself grace and having a catch-up day for missed material. I readjusted based on the prior days because I didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself when I knew I was really diving in and learning well, but it took longer for that particular task/subject. My overarching goal was to take all ten science exams with a thorough review of each.
My timeline was interesting because I spent July/August sporadically diving into topics and content reviews, I believe I took one practice test but I wasn’t really in full blown study zone. After Labor Day, I jumped into a rhythm studying pretty much daily. I still did content review but I also did section practice test often. Since I had taken full lengths before my first attempt and had taken the DAT exam before, I didn’t feel the need to complete full lengths. I had a good grasp on the stamina it would require to sit there for over four hours and honestly the rush of energy you get on the day of the test keeps you wide awake. This is why I opted into doing section exams!
ETC:
Utilizing the section test are an amazing feature but ensure you are learning from your mistakes and reading the explanations as to why it is the answer and why the others are not. When I noticed that I was consistently getting material wrong I did a deeper dive into learning about that concept through bootcamp bio notes and Chads prep videos for OC and GC. Also if you complete all ten exams, I highly recommend retaking them spaced out. Not to assume that you’ll get the new score but to identify if you’ve learned from previous mistakes. You might see the same question on your exam so completing this step might familiarize you in how to answer it/solve it on test day.
Ending Advice:
Take care of yourself mentally and physically as you strive to do well on this exam. It requires a lot of discipline and focus so ensure that you are sleeping well and fueling your body!Remind yourself that it’s just a season and you won’t be studying for the DAT forever, it’s a short term sacrifice but you are 100% able to make it. My scores aren’t perfect but I am grateful to have experienced improvement.
