DAT Destroyer OCHEM ... Help me please!

[densaugeo]

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I finally finished all my content review (watching all of chad's videos and going through Cliff's/Feralis) and today I started DAT Destroyer. I did 25 questions from each section.

The Bio and Gen Chem sections weren't too bad, I got over 70% correct and some of the others were just stupid mistakes or facts that I had never memorized.

The Ochem on the other hand ... I'm literally dying. I only got 11/25 right ... 🙁

I do realize that most people get around 50% correct the first time through and that you shouldn't focus on how many problems you get wrong as the Destroyer is just meant to be used as a learning tool but I got almost none of the reaction prediction questions right since I don't have any of the reagents/reactions memorized. I was wondering if it makes sense for me to first make flashcards to memorize all the reactions/reagents before attempting the ochem section? Or should I just continue to do destroyer and eventually I'll somehow memorize the reactions by doing the problems?

There was also a question regarding separating ortho/para isomers; I don't think I came across how to do that during my content review so I was wondering where to read up more about that?


I've been super pumped studying and all but after doing these first 25 questions from the ochem section I feel like I literally don't know anything.

-Feeling discouraged 🙁

 

[matardug]

Well first lets look at the good....you got 70% on the biology and gen chem thats really, really good. Keep up the hard work.

Next, don't be nervous about getting that many wrong....first time I looked at the Ochem I didn't do well either....keep working at it. All the roadmaps and reaction sequences that are in the destroyer NEED to be memorized. There WILL be some sort of reaction sequence on your test (destroyer has ALL of the reactions/reagents that could possibly be on it), so know the products of all of the roadmaps. I think it would be practical to make flashcards of each roadmap sequence to memorize the reactions AND reagents before continuing on. You could also make flashcards and skip over the reaction/reagent questions until you have them memorized.

A book that I found helpful with Ochem is Klein's "organic chemistry as a second language" use this or use your old organic chem book to look up on how to do ortho/para isomers.

Don't be discouraged. You got this. It will all be worth the hard work in the end. If you need any other advice I can try to help!

Good luck.

 

[densaugeo]

Thank you ! I shall keep trudging on.

 

[TyrionDDS]

Don't let the ochem section of destroyer freak you out. It's way harder than anything you will see on the real DAT. In my opinion, if you are using Chad's videos, you should stick to memorizing only the material he covers in his review. The questions in destroyer are good practice, but I found the road maps to be over kill, and a lot of the reactions covered are not likely to be on the test. If you know and understand the reactions and concepts Chad covers you will be more than fine. This is what I did and got a 30 on the real thing.

 

[matardug]

Not all DATs are the same, some are much harder than others. I had to take the test a 2nd time because I was not prepared. The huge difference maker in the 2nd time around, was using dat destroyer and now I have been accepted to dental school. The destroyer you WILL prepare you for what ever might come you way. For my limited study time, and many others time that did well, destroyer was the best way to spend it.

 

[phillyeagles1]

Wow you're doing amazing on the biology and general chemistry sections of destroyer. I am jealous

 

[densaugeo]

Wow you're doing amazing on the biology and general chemistry sections of destroyer. I am jealous

Don't feel bad at all. As I went on I started getting less right. Try doing the problems with a "divide and conquer" mentality.

 

[deleted675097]

I'm in the same boat! Keep your head up. Just be persistent. You'll take it down. One thing I found that helped: ANKI. It's a great program that's free to download. It helps you make flashcards, and you can study them from any platform (Android, Mac, PC, etc.). You can also copy pictures into them, so you can put reaction starting reactions.

 

[phillyeagles1]

Thanks for the uplifting spirits and advice

 

[BYU4you]

Did bootcamp first test and got a 17.
Went through destroyer got half right.
Went through half I got wrong and got Half of those right.
Reviewed the 1-4th left then went back to bootcamp (hadnt remembered anything) and got a 21.

Just keep at it, don't do problems just to do them. 25 problems a day is good. But just doing them to do them isnt.

Take notes understand and go back to review and you'll kill it.