- Joined
- Nov 25, 2009
- Messages
- 16
- Reaction score
- 0
PA 29
QR 30
RC 22
Bio 28
GC 29
OC 25
TS 27
AA 27
I took 3 Topscore Pro mock tests, 1 sample test by ADA, and 1 Kaplan mock test. My scores in those mock tests were around 19-23. So I did much better on the real one, thank God.
Now I'll go through how I thought of the DAT, section by section. Hopefully it'll be helpful to those of you who are taking it before school starts!
PA: Easier than Crack DAT PAT. I was worrying about the angle ranking the week before the test, because sometimes I got as low as 9 out of 15 in the angle ranking part. But on the real test, there were only 3 angle questions which I wasn't quite sure of. I've used Kaplan CD and Crack DAT PAT to study for PA. I only got the King version (5 tests) of Crack DAT PAT because the other two versions were way too expensive. I think 5 tests are pretty sufficient already.
QR: I didn't study much for this section. I don't mean to brag but I've always been good at math, so... Anyways, I noticed Chad recently put up some videos for math as well, and they are free for now. So maybe check those out! I watched the one on probability, but the problem on probability in the real test was very easy, not as complicated as the ones he taught in the video.
RC: I used Crack DAT Reading to study for this section (well, this was the only material I could find for reading). I started trying out the S&D method 2 weeks before the test; it sometimes raised my score but sometimes lowered it too. On the real test, I used S&D on my first passage, and I used up more time than I should (24 min). So I switched to simply read the passage and then answer the questions on the last two passages. I think S&D might be good for those who could stay very calm during tests, because sometimes you just can't find the keyword and that scares me!! Oh, and one more thing, two of the 3 passages were on science, and the third was on something else.
Science:
I used Kaplan and Destroyer for all sciences, and Chad's videos for orgo. Chad is amazing in explaining stuff and drilling the ideas into you!! Destroyer was a good source for practicing problems. Couldn't have done it without either of them!
There were some lab/technique questions in the Bio section on the real test, which I didn't go over in my study (I should have!!). I vaguely remember that info from Biochem class, and I made a guess and moved on. And luckily, there were only two questions on taxonomy (for which I got only 1 out of 10 right while I was doing Destroyer).
Gen Chem basically involved mostly calculation problems and then some simple questions that don't require calculation. Kaplan did a pretty good job in covering all you need to know for Gen Chem.
I studied my ass off for Ochem because I didn't do well when I took the course in college. But it turned out the DAT only tests you basic knowledges. So just know the major reactions and the major mechanisms. Don't need to go into too much detail. But yeah, my score on the DAT for Ochem was lower than those for Bio and Gen Chem, I think it's because I spent too much time in the beginning and was rushing at the end. But the questions in Ochem were not hard, so I guess I made some silly mistakes.
YAY! Finally done with it. I studied for 3 months and 8 days, but I worked part-time meanwhile. I remember reading someone's post saying that you know you're ready when you get tired of studying and just want to get the test over with. That was how I felt two days before the test and then I knew I was ready.
So, since I finally got my freedom back, if you guys have any questions on studying or on the test, just post here! I'll answer them to the best of my ability. Good luck to you all! :>
QR 30
RC 22
Bio 28
GC 29
OC 25
TS 27
AA 27
I took 3 Topscore Pro mock tests, 1 sample test by ADA, and 1 Kaplan mock test. My scores in those mock tests were around 19-23. So I did much better on the real one, thank God.
Now I'll go through how I thought of the DAT, section by section. Hopefully it'll be helpful to those of you who are taking it before school starts!
PA: Easier than Crack DAT PAT. I was worrying about the angle ranking the week before the test, because sometimes I got as low as 9 out of 15 in the angle ranking part. But on the real test, there were only 3 angle questions which I wasn't quite sure of. I've used Kaplan CD and Crack DAT PAT to study for PA. I only got the King version (5 tests) of Crack DAT PAT because the other two versions were way too expensive. I think 5 tests are pretty sufficient already.
QR: I didn't study much for this section. I don't mean to brag but I've always been good at math, so... Anyways, I noticed Chad recently put up some videos for math as well, and they are free for now. So maybe check those out! I watched the one on probability, but the problem on probability in the real test was very easy, not as complicated as the ones he taught in the video.
RC: I used Crack DAT Reading to study for this section (well, this was the only material I could find for reading). I started trying out the S&D method 2 weeks before the test; it sometimes raised my score but sometimes lowered it too. On the real test, I used S&D on my first passage, and I used up more time than I should (24 min). So I switched to simply read the passage and then answer the questions on the last two passages. I think S&D might be good for those who could stay very calm during tests, because sometimes you just can't find the keyword and that scares me!! Oh, and one more thing, two of the 3 passages were on science, and the third was on something else.
Science:
I used Kaplan and Destroyer for all sciences, and Chad's videos for orgo. Chad is amazing in explaining stuff and drilling the ideas into you!! Destroyer was a good source for practicing problems. Couldn't have done it without either of them!
There were some lab/technique questions in the Bio section on the real test, which I didn't go over in my study (I should have!!). I vaguely remember that info from Biochem class, and I made a guess and moved on. And luckily, there were only two questions on taxonomy (for which I got only 1 out of 10 right while I was doing Destroyer).
Gen Chem basically involved mostly calculation problems and then some simple questions that don't require calculation. Kaplan did a pretty good job in covering all you need to know for Gen Chem.
I studied my ass off for Ochem because I didn't do well when I took the course in college. But it turned out the DAT only tests you basic knowledges. So just know the major reactions and the major mechanisms. Don't need to go into too much detail. But yeah, my score on the DAT for Ochem was lower than those for Bio and Gen Chem, I think it's because I spent too much time in the beginning and was rushing at the end. But the questions in Ochem were not hard, so I guess I made some silly mistakes.
YAY! Finally done with it. I studied for 3 months and 8 days, but I worked part-time meanwhile. I remember reading someone's post saying that you know you're ready when you get tired of studying and just want to get the test over with. That was how I felt two days before the test and then I knew I was ready.
So, since I finally got my freedom back, if you guys have any questions on studying or on the test, just post here! I'll answer them to the best of my ability. Good luck to you all! :>
. That's the highest DAT in the country.
!!!!!!!!!!
