Dat Destroyer Guidance

[Alikhan9]

I wanted to seek guidance on what would be the best strategy to use with destroyer because a lot of threads I have personally read say to go through destroyer twice but wouldn't you by convention remember the answer from previous. Also after answering the questions what should you do after to review them(how to review them) and when should you time yourself while tackling the questions. Also any advice on how to actually finish through destroyer and not just give up in the middle. Because I heard a lot of people who skipped out on questions saying it was hard but in the end they regretted it. I don't want to make the same mistake.

Thank You

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[Incis0r]

any advice on how to actually finish through destroyer and not just give up in the middle. Because I heard a lot of people who skipped out on questions saying it was hard but in the end they regretted it. I don't want to make the same mistake.

If you want the results that only 5% of people achieve, then you need to be willing to do what only 5% of people are willing to do.

Remind yourself of that every time you feel like giving up.

See my breakdown for tips on the DAT Destroyer.

 

[JLT223]

Make flashcards and/or your own notes. If you skip around and don't finish it you're shooting yourself in the foot. Do it all. I personally only did it once because I knew I would remember the questions. I went ALL IN for that one run through.

 

[Alikhan9]

If you want the results that only 5% of people achieve, then you need to be willing to do what only 5% of people are willing to do.

Remind yourself of that every time you feel like giving up.

I agree 100 percent, but there comes a certain point where you have nothing more to give and just mentally exhausted and I am sure people have had that feeling in the midst of tackling destroyer questions. How can you overcome that feeling and not just half heartily do destroyer problems? I am sorry I hope I am making sense.

 

[JLT223]

I agree 100 percent, but there comes a certain point where you have nothing more to give and just mentally exhausted and I am sure people have had that feeling in the midst of tackling destroyer questions. How can you overcome that feeling and not just half heartily do destroyer problems? I am sorry I hope I am making sense.

Tell yourself that if you do poorly on the DAT you won't become a dentist. That did it for me. Failure wasn't an option.

 

[Alikhan9]

Make flashcards and/or your own notes. If you skip around and don't finish it you're shooting yourself in the foot. Do it all. I personally only did it once because I knew I would remember the questions. I went ALL IN for that one run through.

For example, how many questions should I do everyday and after should I review them that day or the next?

 

[Incis0r]

there comes a certain point where you have nothing more to give and just mentally exhausted and I am sure people have had that feeling in the midst of tackling destroyer questions. How can you overcome that feeling and not just half heartily do destroyer problems? I am sorry I hope I am making sense.

When you want to succeed as badly as you want to breathe, then you will be able to muster up the energy needed to push through.

That said, if you are feeling burned out, take a day off, re-group, do something fun, and then attack again.

Also, I only went through Destroyer once, but I did well on my DAT and I'm an average student (so don't feel like you need to do it multiple times) . However, I went through the Destroyer VERY thoroughly (see the breakdown I linked before for more details)

 

[Alikhan9]

When you want to succeed as badly as you want to breathe, then you will be able to muster up the energy needed to push through.

That said, if you are feeling burned out, take a day off, re-group, do something fun, and then attack again.

Also, I only went through Destroyer once, but I did well on my DAT and I'm an average student (so don't feel like you need to do it multiple times) . However, I went through the Destroyer VERY thoroughly (see the breakdown I linked before for more details)

Thank you I just looked at the breakdown it was very informative also thank you for the motivation and advice.

 

[JLT223]

For example, how many questions should I do everyday and after should I review them that day or the next?

That depends on how much time you have, but I'd recommend doing around 30 questions and then reviewing them right after.

 

[Alikhan9]

That depends on how much time you have, but I'd recommend doing around 30 questions and then reviewing them right after.

Im taking my exam late august

 

[Graffix]

I would recommend doing 40 bio, 30 gen chem, 30 ochem questions per day and reviewing them all (just like on the real DAT). This also helps avoiding compartmentalizing sections of the DAT. I would review all the questions the same day and write down every single one I got wrong.

While you will definitely remember a few when you redo them all, there is no way (personally me I guess? ) that I would be able to remember all of them so it was still good practice. Additionally, you'll likely run into questions that you got right the first time out of luck and get to review them again. Lastly, and this is good for some, but after doing it a second time, it built a lot of confidence in my ability to do well on the real DAT.

 

[Likkriue]

Remembering some of the answers is not a bad thing. I remembered a rain shadow on a mountain would have a desert next to it. And guess what? That showed up on my exam. I went through the destroyer more times than I can count and it gave me a 24 TS.

 

[The Tooth Dr]

How many ever questions you end up doing(depending on your timeline) be sure to review any you got wrong/unsure on and figure out the right answer without flipping to the answer key and saying "that's the answer I understand now" is by far the most common lie students tell themselves.

 

[Alikhan9]

How many ever questions you end up doing(depending on your timeline) be sure to review any you got wrong/unsure on and figure out the right answer without flipping to the answer key and saying "that's the answer I understand now" is by far the most common lie students tell themselves.

What tools should be used or that you may have used in order to help you find out the answer?

 

[The Tooth Dr]

What tools should be used or that you may have used in order to help you find out the answer?

Are you using other study materials? I would refer to notes you have taken on those subject areas and anything you forgot be sure to star or add it in if you didn't write it. Theres a ton of info on study materials on the forum, either way its about the path of how you get to the answer and the shortcut will usually leave your score short of where you would like

 

[Graffix]

I used campbell biology as my primary bio resource, My notes + Chad video notes + ucDavis Chem wiki for ochem and gchem. Most of these resources are relatively cheap and effective. Feralis or tyjacob notes wouldn't be a bad option either but they're more condensed.

 

[yuuren]

If you have no idea how to make your own schedule, follow the DAT bootcamp schedule!

 

[rdub]

Here is what I am currently doing for the DAT Destroyer Biology. It has been really effective for me and I highly recommend it.

I made a google doc with a numbered list to record my answers on instead of doing it on paper. I will do about 20 problems at a time, and then go to the solutions in the back. Whether or not I got the answer right, I carefully study the answer to the question. Anything that I didn't already know, I will make notes under that problem in the google doc. This makes it easy because I can scroll through the google doc and read my notes to pound the material into my head rather than going through all 600 problems twice. I can also do it on my phone since its all saved on my google drive. It looks like this...

 

[JLT223]

Here is what I am currently doing for the DAT Destroyer Biology. It has been really effective for me and I highly recommend it.

I made a google doc with a numbered list to record my answers on instead of doing it on paper. I will do about 20 problems at a time, and then go to the solutions in the back. Whether or not I got the answer right, I carefully study the answer to the question. Anything that I didn't already know, I will make notes under that problem in the google doc. This makes it easy because I can scroll through the google doc and read my notes to pound the material into my head rather than going through all 600 problems twice. I can also do it on my phone since its all saved on my google drive. It looks like this...

Basically what I did but I made sections for each topic and put all info from a specific question under the corresponding topic. Making notes like this is seriously the way to go.

 

[DentalLonghorn2014]

Bro, don't give it up. It will get easier. Seriously.
I sucked at doing Destroyer problems. OC, GC, Bio, and Math. I kept getting so many wrong and it was discouraging. However, one day, things started to come together. Slowly, but things started making more sense.

I went from cursing the book to giving it a seat at the dinner table within a week. Literally.

 

[Alikhan9]

Remembering some of the answers is not a bad thing. I remembered a rain shadow on a mountain would have a desert next to it. And guess what? That showed up on my exam. I went through the destroyer more times than I can count and it gave me a 24 TS.

Bro, don't give it up. It will get easier. Seriously.
I sucked at doing Destroyer problems. OC, GC, Bio, and Math. I kept getting so many wrong and it was discouraging. However, one day, things started to come together. Slowly, but things started making more sense.

I went from cursing the book to giving it a seat at the dinner table within a week. Literally.

Thanks for the encouragement man! I appreciate it

 

[DentalLonghorn2014]

Thanks for the encouragement man! I appreciate it

Anytime brother!
I'm not a super smart student either. If I can do it, I am absolutely positive you can do it!
Also, a tip I offer is to not shut out your family and friends during this crucial time. Let them know how important this test is and study to the very best of your ability. Do turn to them for support during your free time. You also have us dental nerds on SDN too! lol

 

[JLT223]

I went from cursing the book to giving it a seat at the dinner table within a week. Literally.

I brokeup with my gf 3 days before starting to study. What a great rebound Destroyer is.

 

[DentalLonghorn2014]

I brokeup with my gf 3 days before starting to study. What a great rebound Destroyer is.

Dang, I'm sorry to hear that man. But you got into Penn so some good came out of it? lol

 

[JLT223]

Dang, I'm sorry to hear that man. But you got into Penn so some good came out of it? lol

If it didn't end I wouldn't be where I am today. Seriously though, I made that book my best friend. So many memories

 

[1passbbsSHAVE]

it's true that you will remember the answers to some questions, but there are questions that you will repeatedly get wrong even after trying.
Those questions are the ones that you need to mark and zero in on.

 

[Alikhan9]

it's true that you will remember the answers to some questions, but there are questions that you will repeatedly get wrong even after trying.
Those questions are the ones that you need to mark and zero in on.

And how did you go by reviewing them

 

[DentalLonghorn2014]

If it didn't end I wouldn't be where I am today. Seriously though, I made that book my best friend. So many memories

Did you sell your friend? Lol

 

[1passbbsSHAVE]

And how did you go by reviewing them

I marked down what I got wrong on my first and second try. Instead of doing third round, I went over the ones I got wrong on first and second try, and probably went over 2~3 more times the questions I got wrong in both rounds. Worked for me. After going over 2.5 rounds like this, I felt pretty confident, except for a very few obscure subjects like animal taxonomy, embryology, etc. I just never grasped those material well in undergrad and while studying for DAT.

 

[JLT223]

Did you sell your friend? Lol

Never