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Hey everyone never posted before but I was constantly on here during the hell that was studying for this test. I took the DAT on Monday and have been too tired and busy with school to post a breakdown earlier. I'll probably add more later, but here are my scores:
PAT: 21 (92.2)
QR: 16 (53.2)
RC: 20 (72.4) PIANO'd
BIO: 27 (99.7)
GC: 22 (90.1)
OC: 22 (91.5)
TS: 23 (98.2)
AA: 21 (93.0)
I did the Kaplan course (here at Cal Poly) for 2.5 months last spring, took 2 months off over summer, and studied for 2.5 months 10-12 hours a day when I came back to SLO. Just like everyone else, I had no life for those last few months. Lots of missed parties, ignoring my fiance and general bad mood. BUT IT WAS ALL WORTH IT. I read that a lot on here when I was studying but it's actually true. I think it's more about learning how to take the test than knowing everything and anything you can about the sciences and math. I'll be "celebrating" my new-found freedom this weekend for sure. OK, brief breakdown, here are my Topscore scores:
TS 1 (1 week before)
AA/BIO/GC/OC/PAT/QR/RC/TS
20/21/18/20/21/19/21/20
TS 2 (5 days before)
AA/BIO/GC/OC/PAT/QR/RC/TS
19/19/19/19/23/17/22/20
TS 3 (2 days before)
AA/BIO/GC/OC/PAT/QR/RC/TS
22/18/20/25/21/22/25/20
I didn't use Achiever because I'd heard too many discouraging stories about it decimating your confidence before the test. I didn't need that going into this thing, so I only did Topscore and I'm really happy I did. I feel like it was a VERY good representation of the DAT; no it's not that difficult, but it's broad and that's exactly how [my] DAT was.
I'm sort of a crammer and that's the best way for me to learn, so taking the tests all within a week of the test may not be the best idea for others, but for me, it worked it out great.
Bio (27): Cliff's AP bio, Destroyer, various textbooks, Google images. I'm a fourth year Bio major and have taken 1 to 2 bio classes each quarter, and I really think that helped on the bio. It was EXTREMELY broad and very very basic. Definitely overstudied for this section but as you can see it paid off too. Destroyer was fantastic for this, not in question format, but in all the topics covered. Went through Destroyer 2x, Cliff's once two weeks before, skimmed through genetics, gen bio and campbells text books and used Google images for histology, embryology and life cycle diagrams. Again, I think even cliff's is overkill but a good base, definitely use it. Kaplan blue book can suck it as far as I am considered. Finished science with 25 minutes left
GC (22): Chad's videos and Destroyer. These two materials are all you need. I SUCK AT GEN CHEM. Hadn't taken a gen chem class in 2 years. Went through Chad's entire gen chem series and half of his o chem series, took very detailed notes, all his quizzes and did Destroyer 3x. If you do all that, I guarantee you a 20+. I WOULD KISS CHAD IF I COULD.
OC (22): Chad's videos, Destroyer, ACS exam study guide and my o chem notes/textbook. I just took the entire o chem series last year so it was very fresh in my mind. Used chad's for lab technique, SN1, SN2, E1 AND E2. The ACS study guide is GREAT practice for this as it too is a standardized test and presents reagents in weird and compact formats. Did Destroyer 3x and knew the roadmaps like the back of my hand. I copied each roadmap into a PDF, erased all the products and printed them out in mass quantities. Did each road map 2x a day everyday two weeks before the exam. I'd post these, but aren't they copyrighted? Let me know if I can and I will...
PAT (21): CDP (Ace 10 test edition) and Kaplan onlince resources. Did every CDP test and never scored lower than a 20 I don't think... Highest was a 26. I just love PAT, and I was actually hoping to do a lot better, but I'll take a 21! Kaplan's stuff is waaaaayyyy too easy but the course gave you really good tips on how to approach each section, especially their cube counting technique and event counting for TFE. I'll post my CDP scores if anyone is interested... Finished with 15 minutes left
RC (20): No practice, only Topscore. I really was hoping to do better and I know I could have but I got PIANO'd. IT REALLY IS AS HARD AS EVERYONE SAYS. I say that not to discourage you, but to make you aware that I consider myself a very good reader and the PIANO passage was just impossible. The questions were ridiculous. I just read the whole passage answered the questions, and came back to it after I finished the other sections. I actually read the entire passage for each of the 3 passages, even though I didn't do this during Topscore (where I was scoring better 🙁). Finished with 15 minutes left and went back over the PIANO passage.
QR (16): Math Destroyer, Kaplan online resources, my roommate/math major Neal. I. am. terrible. at. math. My only two c's in college: calc 1 and 2. I have always been bad. Feared this section the most. Did all 11 math destroyer tests and they were MUCH harder than the actual DAT. Timed myself with all 11 and that's really the best thing you can do. You need to learn to skip the hard problems, just fill in an answer and move on to answer questions you can actually do. I know a 16 is low, but I was SO happy to see it, I was just hoping not to get a 13 or 14. I was getting like 22-24 right out 40 on math destroyer. Say what you will about my score, but I am seriously content with it. brought down my AA a bit though. Finished this section with no time left haha.
Edit: Know the formulas in math destroyer in the first pages of the book! You'll need them for sure.
Study your ***** off for this test, you'll have no life, but it will be worth it. Get Destroyer (math and science) and know it front and back. Read cliffs, go through old notes, and persevere.
I'd like to thank Opeth, Between the Buried and Me, Dream Theater, U2 and James LaBrie for getting me through this test!
I'll edit this a little later when I have more time and add stuff. I'm also selling all my materials, PM me if you are interested.
ASK ANY QUESTIONS YOU'D LIKE! I know I appreciated this forum so much while studying, I'd gladly help anyone who is freaking out. I'm average. If I can do pretty well on the DAT, SO CAN YOU.
... Anyone else applying as a Hispanic URM or URM? Haha I know it's a sensitive subject on here but I'm just curious...
PAT: 21 (92.2)
QR: 16 (53.2)
RC: 20 (72.4) PIANO'd
BIO: 27 (99.7)
GC: 22 (90.1)
OC: 22 (91.5)
TS: 23 (98.2)
AA: 21 (93.0)
I did the Kaplan course (here at Cal Poly) for 2.5 months last spring, took 2 months off over summer, and studied for 2.5 months 10-12 hours a day when I came back to SLO. Just like everyone else, I had no life for those last few months. Lots of missed parties, ignoring my fiance and general bad mood. BUT IT WAS ALL WORTH IT. I read that a lot on here when I was studying but it's actually true. I think it's more about learning how to take the test than knowing everything and anything you can about the sciences and math. I'll be "celebrating" my new-found freedom this weekend for sure. OK, brief breakdown, here are my Topscore scores:
TS 1 (1 week before)
AA/BIO/GC/OC/PAT/QR/RC/TS
20/21/18/20/21/19/21/20
TS 2 (5 days before)
AA/BIO/GC/OC/PAT/QR/RC/TS
19/19/19/19/23/17/22/20
TS 3 (2 days before)
AA/BIO/GC/OC/PAT/QR/RC/TS
22/18/20/25/21/22/25/20
I didn't use Achiever because I'd heard too many discouraging stories about it decimating your confidence before the test. I didn't need that going into this thing, so I only did Topscore and I'm really happy I did. I feel like it was a VERY good representation of the DAT; no it's not that difficult, but it's broad and that's exactly how [my] DAT was.
I'm sort of a crammer and that's the best way for me to learn, so taking the tests all within a week of the test may not be the best idea for others, but for me, it worked it out great.
Bio (27): Cliff's AP bio, Destroyer, various textbooks, Google images. I'm a fourth year Bio major and have taken 1 to 2 bio classes each quarter, and I really think that helped on the bio. It was EXTREMELY broad and very very basic. Definitely overstudied for this section but as you can see it paid off too. Destroyer was fantastic for this, not in question format, but in all the topics covered. Went through Destroyer 2x, Cliff's once two weeks before, skimmed through genetics, gen bio and campbells text books and used Google images for histology, embryology and life cycle diagrams. Again, I think even cliff's is overkill but a good base, definitely use it. Kaplan blue book can suck it as far as I am considered. Finished science with 25 minutes left
GC (22): Chad's videos and Destroyer. These two materials are all you need. I SUCK AT GEN CHEM. Hadn't taken a gen chem class in 2 years. Went through Chad's entire gen chem series and half of his o chem series, took very detailed notes, all his quizzes and did Destroyer 3x. If you do all that, I guarantee you a 20+. I WOULD KISS CHAD IF I COULD.
OC (22): Chad's videos, Destroyer, ACS exam study guide and my o chem notes/textbook. I just took the entire o chem series last year so it was very fresh in my mind. Used chad's for lab technique, SN1, SN2, E1 AND E2. The ACS study guide is GREAT practice for this as it too is a standardized test and presents reagents in weird and compact formats. Did Destroyer 3x and knew the roadmaps like the back of my hand. I copied each roadmap into a PDF, erased all the products and printed them out in mass quantities. Did each road map 2x a day everyday two weeks before the exam. I'd post these, but aren't they copyrighted? Let me know if I can and I will...
PAT (21): CDP (Ace 10 test edition) and Kaplan onlince resources. Did every CDP test and never scored lower than a 20 I don't think... Highest was a 26. I just love PAT, and I was actually hoping to do a lot better, but I'll take a 21! Kaplan's stuff is waaaaayyyy too easy but the course gave you really good tips on how to approach each section, especially their cube counting technique and event counting for TFE. I'll post my CDP scores if anyone is interested... Finished with 15 minutes left
RC (20): No practice, only Topscore. I really was hoping to do better and I know I could have but I got PIANO'd. IT REALLY IS AS HARD AS EVERYONE SAYS. I say that not to discourage you, but to make you aware that I consider myself a very good reader and the PIANO passage was just impossible. The questions were ridiculous. I just read the whole passage answered the questions, and came back to it after I finished the other sections. I actually read the entire passage for each of the 3 passages, even though I didn't do this during Topscore (where I was scoring better 🙁). Finished with 15 minutes left and went back over the PIANO passage.
QR (16): Math Destroyer, Kaplan online resources, my roommate/math major Neal. I. am. terrible. at. math. My only two c's in college: calc 1 and 2. I have always been bad. Feared this section the most. Did all 11 math destroyer tests and they were MUCH harder than the actual DAT. Timed myself with all 11 and that's really the best thing you can do. You need to learn to skip the hard problems, just fill in an answer and move on to answer questions you can actually do. I know a 16 is low, but I was SO happy to see it, I was just hoping not to get a 13 or 14. I was getting like 22-24 right out 40 on math destroyer. Say what you will about my score, but I am seriously content with it. brought down my AA a bit though. Finished this section with no time left haha.
Edit: Know the formulas in math destroyer in the first pages of the book! You'll need them for sure.
Study your ***** off for this test, you'll have no life, but it will be worth it. Get Destroyer (math and science) and know it front and back. Read cliffs, go through old notes, and persevere.
I'd like to thank Opeth, Between the Buried and Me, Dream Theater, U2 and James LaBrie for getting me through this test!
I'll edit this a little later when I have more time and add stuff. I'm also selling all my materials, PM me if you are interested.
ASK ANY QUESTIONS YOU'D LIKE! I know I appreciated this forum so much while studying, I'd gladly help anyone who is freaking out. I'm average. If I can do pretty well on the DAT, SO CAN YOU.
... Anyone else applying as a Hispanic URM or URM? Haha I know it's a sensitive subject on here but I'm just curious...
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