Thank you so much SDNers! This forum has been incredibly helpful!
Real DAT on 8/4/11
PAT: 29 😀
QR: 20
RC: 20
BIO: 24
GC: 23
OC: 25
TS: 24
AA:22
I've been studying for this exam for about 12 hours a day since May 18th. I took the Kaplan class last semester but wasn't able to pay much attention to it because of school. And good thing I didn't waste too much time on it cause the class so wasn't worth the 1400$.
Practice exam scores:
Kaplan Midterm: 21
Kaplan Final: 21
Kaplan Test 1: 21
Kaplan Test 2: 23
Kaplan Test 3: 21
TopScore Test 1: 21
TopScore Test 2: 21
TopScore Test 3: 26
ADA 2009 Exam: 22
What I used:
Biology: KBB (the one that came with the course), Kaplan MCAT biology, Cliffs AP Biology, DAT Destroyer (2x), DAT Q Vault (10 Tests), Kaplan Online material.
I read each chapter of KBB 2x. The first time around I just read through it to get an idea of the chapter. Then I would read it again right after but took extensive notes this time. I would google search anything I was confused about. Then I would read the Cliffs chapter that corresponded with the chapter I read that day in KBB and add whatever was not in the Kaplan book to my notes. I hand wrote all 16 chapters so this took about 6 hours of my day. I would find that after reading all day, I wouldn't have any time left over to review the notes I made. So after my 16 days of reading, I tried to review my notes and found that there were some physiology concepts that I didn't understand. So I decided to open up the Kaplan MCAT book my friend gave me. This was really helpful. The MCAT book is so much more organized than the DAT one and it explains things a lot better. I also took Human Physiology last semester but as usual, never paid much attention in class but it still helped. I went through the 2008 DAT destroyer's BIO section 2x. The first time around I was getting 18's on every 40 question mini test. The second time around I was getting 21's. I also used the DAT Q Vault. It was more fun than sitting around reading notes so I enjoyed it.
Gen Chem: KBB, Chads vids + Quizzes (2x), Kaplan online material, DAT destroyer (4x).
So after I would finish all the reading for biology, I would do the same for chem: Go through each chapter quickly reading it. Then read it again slowly and take long notes. I also watched Chads vids 2 times for gen chem. The first time around, I watched them all in spring break but then decided to revisit them in the summer. I went through all the online material on Kaplan, and even their 5 section tests 2x. I did the DAT destroyer for gen chem 4x. I don't think this was worth it honestly. After the second time I think I was just looking for stuff to do lol. Gen chem is not a section on the test to worry about. I would say, just go through chads vids like 2x and do all the quizzes, and maybe some Kaplan practice tests.
Ochem: KBB, Chads vids + quizzes (2x), Kaplan online material, DAT destroyer (4x).
Same as gen chem. No point in doing the destroyer 4x haha. I also got an A in both ochem 1 and 2 and even though it had been a year since I took ochem everything came back to me fairly quickly.
PAT: Kaplan, Crack DAT PAT- 10 test version, Condog's videos, practice material on PreDDS.net, TopScore.
I loved doing the perceptual ability section because it wasn't like the other sections on the DAT where you have to memorize stuff. It was just practice. I started out with Kaplan. I know a lot of people say Kaplan is too easy and I agree but I think it helped me with Crack DAT PAT. I got a 21 on my first CDP test and went up to a 26 on the last few tests. But I felt that tests 6-10 were easier than the earlier ones- the hole punching on those was way too easy compared to tests 1-5. Crack DAT PAT was definitely good practice and I enjoyed working through it. It was the first thing I did everyday to get myself in a good mood. I also looked at maybe 2 of Condog's youtube videos. I think they're helpful if you're starting out. As for me, it helped clear up a few things. He mentions certain ways to look at things that you may not have thought about throughout your practice but the tips make your life soooooo much easier. I would recommend going through them. I would say TopScore was very close to the real exam. So definitely look at TopScore for PAT.
I still cant believe I got a 29 on this section. I was having soooo much trouble with it during the test. Usually when I went through my CDP tests, I would have about 10 mins left over at the end. But I felt like I was taking wayyy too long on the keyholes and TFE on the real test. I started getting worried and skipped most of the TFE cause I figured I'd just come back to it at the end. I didn't use line counting on the real exam even though I had been doing that for two months of my studying. I started using Condog's technique of only counting lines in certain parts of the picture like a week before my test and this is what I did on the real exam too. I was expecting my PAT score to be one of my lowest. Nothing above a 21 but it ended up being my highest score. Too bad it doesn't count towards your AA haha.
MATH: Kaplan online material, DAT Destroyer (2x), Math Destroyer (2x).
I started out working on the Kaplan math stuff since I was taking the class. Man those section tests were a real pain. I only did about half the math practice that Kaplan gives cause I was just so frustrated with the long workshops that try to teach you how to do math. They were wayyyy too confusing and also draining. Then towards the end of the semester I started working on the DAT destroyer's math problems. I would just take my destroyer to class and work on it- not paying attention in human phys which was probably a bad idea lol. I would do 40 problems in a row and would usually get 10-11 questions incorrect. Then I started working on the Math destroyer in the summer. I got a 16 on the first test. This really broke my confidence. But my score jumped to an 18 on the next test, and then to a 21-23 on tests 3 through 12. The second time around my scores ranged from 22-29. The math destroyer was good practice. I thought it was harder than the real exam even though I scored lower on the real test than I did on most of my math destroyer tests.
Reading: Kaplan, TopScore, Crack DAT Reading, 2009 ADA
This was the section I was freaked out about the most. Kaplan and TopScore were good for search and destroy and CDR was good for tone stuff. I was getting 17's and 18's on Kaplan when I didn't even bother to look through the passage. When I actually tried, my scores were 21's and 22's. I was getting 20's and 21's on the CDR passages. I really liked CDR because the passages were actually enjoyable and you could actually read them all the way unlike the Kaplan and TopScore stuff.
I read on SDN that the 2009 ADA exam was the closest to the reading section on the real exam. This caused me to go into serious depression a few days before my test because I got a 17 even though I tried so hard. I tried the same reading section a second time but was only able to get a 19 this time around. I was so worried that I wouldn't make the cutoff and would have to repeat the test.
I didn't think the real test was like the 2009 test though. It was much easier. I was able to read through all of my passages- 14, 15, and 18 paragraphs. I did the Kaplan method and outlined the passages. This really helped me. It made me pay more attention to what I was reading and helpedme locate stuff more easily.
I don't think I needed to study for this test as much as I did. It honestly was not a bad test. I kept delaying it because I was too scared to take it. I was really tired by the end and just burnt out. Two weeks before my test I left for my cousin's wedding and was away from studying for about a week. I didn't get any real work done the week of my test either because I was too happy from my trip. But I think it was a good idea to go because it made me de-stress. I couldn't even be stressed out if I tried. This helped me because I was able to go into my test really relaxed and happy.
If you just put in the time to study for this test you'll do well. Its not an impossible exam. And prayer helps a lot! I spent the whole tutorial, break, and survey at the end praying for a decent score. And it worked.
I've sent in my application to the 3 Texas schools. I am going to be a senior this year and am majoring in biology with a psychology minor and have a 4.0 GPA. I've done mad volunteer/extracurricular activities. I really hope I get in. I want to go to UT Houston. I am worried about the whole late application business though. Since I took my DAT so late my application obviously wasn't complete. I hope I still have a good chance though.
Real DAT on 8/4/11
PAT: 29 😀
QR: 20
RC: 20
BIO: 24
GC: 23
OC: 25
TS: 24
AA:22
I've been studying for this exam for about 12 hours a day since May 18th. I took the Kaplan class last semester but wasn't able to pay much attention to it because of school. And good thing I didn't waste too much time on it cause the class so wasn't worth the 1400$.
Practice exam scores:
Kaplan Midterm: 21
Kaplan Final: 21
Kaplan Test 1: 21
Kaplan Test 2: 23
Kaplan Test 3: 21
TopScore Test 1: 21
TopScore Test 2: 21
TopScore Test 3: 26
ADA 2009 Exam: 22
What I used:
Biology: KBB (the one that came with the course), Kaplan MCAT biology, Cliffs AP Biology, DAT Destroyer (2x), DAT Q Vault (10 Tests), Kaplan Online material.
I read each chapter of KBB 2x. The first time around I just read through it to get an idea of the chapter. Then I would read it again right after but took extensive notes this time. I would google search anything I was confused about. Then I would read the Cliffs chapter that corresponded with the chapter I read that day in KBB and add whatever was not in the Kaplan book to my notes. I hand wrote all 16 chapters so this took about 6 hours of my day. I would find that after reading all day, I wouldn't have any time left over to review the notes I made. So after my 16 days of reading, I tried to review my notes and found that there were some physiology concepts that I didn't understand. So I decided to open up the Kaplan MCAT book my friend gave me. This was really helpful. The MCAT book is so much more organized than the DAT one and it explains things a lot better. I also took Human Physiology last semester but as usual, never paid much attention in class but it still helped. I went through the 2008 DAT destroyer's BIO section 2x. The first time around I was getting 18's on every 40 question mini test. The second time around I was getting 21's. I also used the DAT Q Vault. It was more fun than sitting around reading notes so I enjoyed it.
Gen Chem: KBB, Chads vids + Quizzes (2x), Kaplan online material, DAT destroyer (4x).
So after I would finish all the reading for biology, I would do the same for chem: Go through each chapter quickly reading it. Then read it again slowly and take long notes. I also watched Chads vids 2 times for gen chem. The first time around, I watched them all in spring break but then decided to revisit them in the summer. I went through all the online material on Kaplan, and even their 5 section tests 2x. I did the DAT destroyer for gen chem 4x. I don't think this was worth it honestly. After the second time I think I was just looking for stuff to do lol. Gen chem is not a section on the test to worry about. I would say, just go through chads vids like 2x and do all the quizzes, and maybe some Kaplan practice tests.
Ochem: KBB, Chads vids + quizzes (2x), Kaplan online material, DAT destroyer (4x).
Same as gen chem. No point in doing the destroyer 4x haha. I also got an A in both ochem 1 and 2 and even though it had been a year since I took ochem everything came back to me fairly quickly.
PAT: Kaplan, Crack DAT PAT- 10 test version, Condog's videos, practice material on PreDDS.net, TopScore.
I loved doing the perceptual ability section because it wasn't like the other sections on the DAT where you have to memorize stuff. It was just practice. I started out with Kaplan. I know a lot of people say Kaplan is too easy and I agree but I think it helped me with Crack DAT PAT. I got a 21 on my first CDP test and went up to a 26 on the last few tests. But I felt that tests 6-10 were easier than the earlier ones- the hole punching on those was way too easy compared to tests 1-5. Crack DAT PAT was definitely good practice and I enjoyed working through it. It was the first thing I did everyday to get myself in a good mood. I also looked at maybe 2 of Condog's youtube videos. I think they're helpful if you're starting out. As for me, it helped clear up a few things. He mentions certain ways to look at things that you may not have thought about throughout your practice but the tips make your life soooooo much easier. I would recommend going through them. I would say TopScore was very close to the real exam. So definitely look at TopScore for PAT.
I still cant believe I got a 29 on this section. I was having soooo much trouble with it during the test. Usually when I went through my CDP tests, I would have about 10 mins left over at the end. But I felt like I was taking wayyy too long on the keyholes and TFE on the real test. I started getting worried and skipped most of the TFE cause I figured I'd just come back to it at the end. I didn't use line counting on the real exam even though I had been doing that for two months of my studying. I started using Condog's technique of only counting lines in certain parts of the picture like a week before my test and this is what I did on the real exam too. I was expecting my PAT score to be one of my lowest. Nothing above a 21 but it ended up being my highest score. Too bad it doesn't count towards your AA haha.
MATH: Kaplan online material, DAT Destroyer (2x), Math Destroyer (2x).
I started out working on the Kaplan math stuff since I was taking the class. Man those section tests were a real pain. I only did about half the math practice that Kaplan gives cause I was just so frustrated with the long workshops that try to teach you how to do math. They were wayyyy too confusing and also draining. Then towards the end of the semester I started working on the DAT destroyer's math problems. I would just take my destroyer to class and work on it- not paying attention in human phys which was probably a bad idea lol. I would do 40 problems in a row and would usually get 10-11 questions incorrect. Then I started working on the Math destroyer in the summer. I got a 16 on the first test. This really broke my confidence. But my score jumped to an 18 on the next test, and then to a 21-23 on tests 3 through 12. The second time around my scores ranged from 22-29. The math destroyer was good practice. I thought it was harder than the real exam even though I scored lower on the real test than I did on most of my math destroyer tests.
Reading: Kaplan, TopScore, Crack DAT Reading, 2009 ADA
This was the section I was freaked out about the most. Kaplan and TopScore were good for search and destroy and CDR was good for tone stuff. I was getting 17's and 18's on Kaplan when I didn't even bother to look through the passage. When I actually tried, my scores were 21's and 22's. I was getting 20's and 21's on the CDR passages. I really liked CDR because the passages were actually enjoyable and you could actually read them all the way unlike the Kaplan and TopScore stuff.
I read on SDN that the 2009 ADA exam was the closest to the reading section on the real exam. This caused me to go into serious depression a few days before my test because I got a 17 even though I tried so hard. I tried the same reading section a second time but was only able to get a 19 this time around. I was so worried that I wouldn't make the cutoff and would have to repeat the test.
I didn't think the real test was like the 2009 test though. It was much easier. I was able to read through all of my passages- 14, 15, and 18 paragraphs. I did the Kaplan method and outlined the passages. This really helped me. It made me pay more attention to what I was reading and helpedme locate stuff more easily.
I don't think I needed to study for this test as much as I did. It honestly was not a bad test. I kept delaying it because I was too scared to take it. I was really tired by the end and just burnt out. Two weeks before my test I left for my cousin's wedding and was away from studying for about a week. I didn't get any real work done the week of my test either because I was too happy from my trip. But I think it was a good idea to go because it made me de-stress. I couldn't even be stressed out if I tried. This helped me because I was able to go into my test really relaxed and happy.
If you just put in the time to study for this test you'll do well. Its not an impossible exam. And prayer helps a lot! I spent the whole tutorial, break, and survey at the end praying for a decent score. And it worked.
I've sent in my application to the 3 Texas schools. I am going to be a senior this year and am majoring in biology with a psychology minor and have a 4.0 GPA. I've done mad volunteer/extracurricular activities. I really hope I get in. I want to go to UT Houston. I am worried about the whole late application business though. Since I took my DAT so late my application obviously wasn't complete. I hope I still have a good chance though.
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