DAT done 04/06/09...retake?

[floopy]

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Here are my scores:

Section Score Percentile
PA 18 63.7
QR 19 81.9
RC 20 66.2
Bio 18 61.9
GC 25 97.2
OC 27 98.2
TS 22 95.3
AA 22 95.4

I am satisfied with my scores in OC, GC, RC, QR (though I would have preferred that QR be 20+). I think my averages (TS and AA) are good as well.

PAT
===
I am most disappointed with my PAT score. On CDP practice tests, I raised my score from 17-18 to 20-22. On the real test I spent way too much time on the first section and then freaked out when I saw how much time had elapsed. I had gotten used to budgeting my time on the CDP practice tests, so I was surprised this happened. I ended up skipping TFE (which is another time sink for me), and completed the rest of the test at an uncomfortably quick pace to try and catch up. I'm sure that caused me to answer several questions incorrectly. Once I got through pattern folding, I went back to complete TFE. I don't know, I think if I went in there on a different day I could score a few points higher (or maybe not).

Biology
=====
I am not happy with this score either. I spent many, many hours preparing for this section. I was not a biology major in college, so I had a big hill to climb. I used Cliffs AP Bio along with the Campbell and Raven textbooks. I also used DAT Destroyer. (I quickly looked at Schaum's and the lesson book that accompanies the Kaplan course, but didn't like either).

Here were my issues with the biology section:
- 1 or 2 questions asked about topics I had never read about (not even tangentially). They were from out of the blue and quite detailed.
- 1 question was worded so poorly that it was unclear how to answer the question. I can't believe this question passed muster with the test designers.
- There were 1-2 questions that I may have been able to answer had I studied the material in a bit more detail. I suppose it's these two questions that prevented me from getting 20+.

My college GPA is around 3.5 (non-science major), and my science pre-req GPA is higher, but science pre-req classes were taken under very easy circumstances. I'm thinking about doing a 1 year masters while I apply to show D-schools I can perform under a heavy load.

Anyway, should I retake to try and bring my PAT and bio scores up? I feel like my lower scores were on the most important sections of the exam. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, please let me know if you have any questions about study materials, etc... Thanks.

 

[brightsmiles9]

SOLID SCORES!! Best of luck to you!! 🙂

 

[tsitneD]

those are good scores. Apply early with good ECs and narative and i think you ll be good. 👍

 

[doc3232]

you should have seen the "random" bio questions coming. Everyone gets them and hates them equally.
I wouldn't retake if I was you unless you REALLY felt that this wasn't your potential. I don't know how you would know this though.

 

[flollipop]

I wouldn't take it if I were you- You have a very solid scores.. Please check your inbox, I pm'd you!

 

[floopy]

Thank you to everyone so far for your feedback. Yes, the bio section is such a crap shoot that I just don't think it's worth re-studying for. Regarding the PAT section, my score of 18 is below the mean at pretty much every D-school. Not sure if that will hold me back or not.

I've gotten some pm's asking me which study materials I recommend. I will write up my recommendations in a separate thread.

 

[CalDent]

Don't retake. I don't know why you're even thinking about it. Your TS and AA are excellent, and PAT is not that bad. I would definitely stick with those scores, and try to make my app better in other areas if need be.

 

[Hot Homer]

Retake ??? those scores are awesome! Good luck !

 

[adizzle87]

good scores dude, stick with them. no retake is neccesary

 

[ZenoVT]

Killer scores, don't worry about an 18. 22 AA 22 TS is good to go!

 

[jay47]

Yeah, do not retake. PAT is not important at most schools, although some place considerable importance on it. Even so, 18 is right around the average for PAT, so you should be good to go. Great job on the test man!

 

[DiscoBalls]

I don't know, I would seriously consider retaking. I mean there are still 4.6% of DAT takes who have a better AA than you, so yeah, a retake is definitely in order

 

[vlct0ria]

Really, a retake? Browse through predents.com and some old DAT breakdown threads on here and you will very quickly realize you do not need a retake.

 

[floopy]

Thank you. I appreciate the advice everyone provided (especially DiscoBalls's 🙂 ). I won't retake unless I get rejected everywhere in the upcoming cycle or if the admissions committees at several D-schools tell me that a retake is necessary.

 

[Seenary]

wat did u use to study for the chem sections?

 

[doc3232]

Thank you. I appreciate the advice everyone provided (especially DiscoBalls's 🙂 ). I won't retake unless I get rejected everywhere in the upcoming cycle or if the admissions committees at several D-schools tell me that a retake is necessary.

This comment tells us that you didn't understand what we were trying to tell you... If you get rejections then you will know something other than your DAT score was your problem. You gpa is good also, so that won't be either.

 

[DiscoBalls]

What are the easy circumstances you took your science pre-req's under?

 

[eldirty]

Very nice scores ... no retake

 

[floopy]

Seenary,

In response to your question, here is what I used to prepare for the gen chem and orgo sections:

*** Used Extensively ***

5 Steps to a 5 AP Chemistry

This book is a study guide for the AP Gen Chem exam. I worked the easy-to-medium difficulty practice problems in each chapter as a diagnostic. I reworked these problems later on after I had done most of my gen chem studying.​

DAT Destroyer

This book is an excellent review for the general chem and orgo sections. I thought a few of the early problems in the orgo section were overkill, but that shouldn't stop you from using it. I found the roadmaps were a useful study tool once I had worked through my orgo textbook.​

Chemistry by Brown, Lemay, 9th edition

I used this general chemistry textbook mostly to teach myself topics that were skipped in my gen chem classes, and to review theory I was weak on. I also worked the easy problems in certain chapters.​

ACS General Chemistry Study Guide

This book is very good. I recommend doing the problems in each chapter as a diagnostic, and then reworking them once you think you've mastered the material.​

Organic Chemistry by L.G. Wade Jr.

This book and it's companion solutions manual were my primary study tool for the organic chemistry section. I scanned each chapter to make sure I understood the core concepts (e.g. acid-base chemistry, resonance, IR Spectroscopy). If not, I read the appropriate sections carefully. Then I worked some easy-to-medium difficulty practice problem to make sure I understood what I read. I also made a list of *important* syntheses. An important synthesis is one that is discussed extensively when it's introduced, one that reappears in several chapters after it's first mentioned, or one that appears on the ADA's DAT outline. For example, I considered Williamson-Ether, SN1/SN2, electrophilic aromatic substitutions, and Diels-Alder to be important. I considered the Pinacol rearrangement and Benzyne Elimination-Addition to be unimportant. Others were more of a judgement call. I recommend making a list and first learning those you know are most important. If there's still room in your brain, learn the less important ones. By the way, once you do this you'll find that you'll be able to recall many of the syntheses listed in the DAT Destroyer road maps.​

ACS Organic Chemistry Study Guide

This book contains many good practice problems, though some are overkill. If you can do the problems in here and in Destroyer, you're good to go.​

*** Used Very Little ***

Barron's DAT Book

This book contains a concise review of most of the core material required for the gen chem and orgo sections. I didn't use this book that much, because I preferred to study from a resource with more detail. It was a better resource towards the end of my studying when I read through it to make sure I knew everything the book touched on.​

Kaplan DAT Review Notes, Lesson Book, and flash cards

I bought these materials used from someone who took the Kaplan course. The Kaplan Review Notes were a good review for gen chem, but for various reasons I didn't like the sections for biology and orgo (not as well organized as the other resources). The Kaplan Lesson Book provides little value for someone who hasn't taken the Kaplan course. I found the Kaplan flash cards were minimally to moderately useful; I made my own flash cards instead.​

 

[floopy]

DiscoBalls, without getting in to too much detail, my academic courseload plus my work schedule didn't always add up to a full day. That's one of the reasons I want to do a 1 year masters...to prove I can succeed under a full load of biological science classes. I also want to strengthen my background in this area since I've only taken the minimal pre-req's for most dental schools.

 

[DiscoBalls]

You may not need to prove anything to them though. Your DAT's prove that you can do good on standardized tests, which is very important to adcoms.

Doing well on a few classes at a time can be deceivingly difficult, as many people in those situations lose focus.

But getting more in depth prereqs is a valuable asset, I won't argue with that