DAT Destroyer: Does everyone else secretly fail this too?

[FindingAJess]

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So, I guess the short version of my story is I do really great in the classroom but not so great on standardized based tests. I've taken the DAT once several years ago and did super poorly (17 AA) but I honestly had no idea what I was doing at the time. Since then, I've found SDN and from that I've found Chad's Videos and DAT Destroyer. I plan to take the test again May 1st.

My Biology background is strong but I have a weak chemistry background (my school didn't have a fantastic Chem department, in my opinion). I've gone through Chad's videos and quizzes and I'm doing pretty well on those - 85%-100% with 100% on most.. Now I'm doing the DAT Destroyer. Oh. My. Gosh. I feel so discouraged! In the beginning of the organic, gen chem, and math sections I got 34/40, 20/20, and 28/40 right respectively. Now that I am in the middle of each section, I am getting 9/40, 11/40, and 29/40 right respectively. Whatttttt? That is such a drastic shift! I'm terrified I'm not learning the concepts as much as I am memorizing the answers without meaning to.

So, I guess my questions are these:

1. Please be honest, did anyone else get as many as 30/40 problems wrong as they went through the DAT Destroyer the first time? Did you end up doing alright on the real exam?

2. Second: Does the DAT Destroyer get harder as you work your way through each section? It seems like I'm so lost in the middle when I was doing not-as-terrible at the beginning!


Thanks for the encouragement! This is my first post on SDN, but I needed understanding ears/eyes.

 

[Chga]

Yea, I was getting more than 50% wrong. It does a good job of testing your knowledge of theory. The real DAT is no where near the difficulty of Destroyer.

 

[FindingAJess]

It's reassuring to know that maybe I'm not the only one. I know the real DAT is supposed to be easier, but when I'm missing so many concepts it just seems over whelming. I'm hoping in the next 6 weeks I can really get this information in, even if it is so much as remembering answers.. Something has to be better than nothing, right?

 

[eugpeng]

the destroyer is a one of the best resources you can use when studying. Yes its hard but you would rather be overprepared than under. The key to doing well is to understand what you got wrong and review the answers carefully especially for the biology section. The chem and orgo section is very good for prep questions. For orgo, if you can get to the point where you don't even need to see the answers to the question and automatically know what the end reaction will be then you should be ready. The destroyer doesnt get harder as you go so you shouldn't be worrying about that. Stop worrying about how many you got wrong but why you got it wrong so when you do the problems again, you won't get them wrong. You should go over the destroyer at least 5 times and know every question. Message me if you need more help

 

[FindingAJess]

Thank you for the offer! I think what you said is correct; maybe I should be more worried about really understanding whats wrong than anything else. I suppose that's pretty obvious, but even with my well intentioned going through 120 problems a day, I think I'm not taking the time grasp everything the way I need to. Maybe I should be more focused on really getting the meat of the issues instead of how many problems I can go through a day.

 

[matardug]

Like you, I took the DAT and scored a 17 the first time. I found destroyer and my scores drastically changed.

1) I did not get that many problems right my first time through destroyer. I ended up with a 23 AA and a 25 TS. So keep working at it and try NOT to memorize the destroyer. Instead make new problems out of its answer key and the answer choices.

2) I thought it got harder as it went on. But for others they might have different trends. Destroyer isn't designed for you to get every question right, it reinforces the concepts and it has a lot of hints of how to DAT might try to trick you on the actual exam. Don't get stressed if you aren't getting them all right.

Just keep studying hard. It looks like you're using the right materials for success!

Good luck!

 

[ns718]

I remember the first time I opened the destroyer, I almost cried and felt like an idiot. I got a lot of them wrong. After going over the material again and reading the explanations in the back of the book, things got better.

 

[zhangtwanger]

Those of us on here don't secretly fail Destroyer, we publicly fail it haha

Still a great resource!

 

[FindingAJess]

Those of us on here don't secretly fail Destroyer, we publicly fail it haha

Still a great resource!

Haha, thank you for your empathy and honesty! I wish you didn't have to relate, but I'm glad to know I'm not alone! I'm going with it a bit slower now & learning more efficiently.. But geez, it's terrifying to add more to the "To Do List" of things to get packed in before D-Day. Definitely worth it though!

 

[Artdent97]

Great thread, I am using Destroyer, it's challenging but I am getting through it. From what I have read on SDN you need to go over the Destroyer more than once.

 

[FindingAJess]

I am definitely doing a lot better at going through today than I was two days ago. The DAT Destroyer is a great tool, but it is one you have to use slowly with more focus on just really making sure you understand everything and not focusing on how long that takes. (Whiiccchhh is terrifying so close to taking the test.)

For instance, I spent half a day going through spectroscopy just reviewing and trying to figure out why I was missing so many of these types of questions... Half a day is a lot of time to spend when you're worrying about every little second of your day and how much studying you can get in (I now take notes into the shower with me, I'm ashamed to say.).. BUT! For that half a day, I'm a lot better off than I was before.