DAT Done (9/14/2009) ***RETAKE?***

[hahadino2771]

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I am really worried because I have low* RC score. 😡

Here is the breakdown of my scores:

Bio: 20
Gchem: 22
Ochem: 26
RC: 18 🙁
QR: 29
PAT: 25**
TS: 22**
AA: 23**

Major: B.S. Biomedical engineering
*I am getting my MS in biomedical engineering in June 2011.

GPA: (Overall, BCP, Science) = (3.99, 4.00, 4.00) by the AADSAS scale.

I am going to apply Harvard, UPenn, Columbia, UCLA, UCSF and USC in the next application cycle (2010-2011)



Does anyone know the "cutoff" or "minimum score" for RC in top notch dental schools?

Do you think I should retake DAT?

thank you!








On TopScore, I got 26~27. On the real test, I ended up getting 23 for AA.


Bio: -Destroyer, KAP blue book, Cliff's, Schaums Bio, KAP MCAT Bio, practice tests
-I went through all those books 3~5 times
-problems are really random.
-Even though you study a lot for this section, there still might not be some concepts that you didn't cover.
-Doing a lot of practice problems will help you to get a sense of how much details you have to know for DAT


Chem: -Destroyer, KAP blue book, practice tests
-I didn't really study concepts. You should go over concepts in review books
-On the real tests, there are more # of conceptual problems than calculating problems
-I got like 28~29 on Achiever and TopScore DAT. This section is easy. But 1~2 mistake can drop your score down to 22… So don't be too cocky…


Ochem -Destroyer, KAP blue book, practice tests
-Start out with memorizing the Road Maps in Destroyer
-Do as many problems as possible. Go over explanations for all answers
-Don't forget to study H NMR, C NMR, IR Spec, separation techniques


PAT - Keyhole  very similar to CDP. The only difference is that CDP keyholes are most likely about identifying correct shapes* while some real DAT requires you to estimate correct size of shape.
 Achiever is a lot harder than the real DAT.

- TFE  very similar to CDP and TopScore.

- Angles  little easier than CDP; harder than TopScore
 do 50 angle problems everyday. Trust me. It takes only 10 minutes
My accuracy went from 80% in July to 95% in September

- Hole punch  Achiever. There are some half folding problems. Only Achiever has half-folding problems. On the real DAT, holes are smaller and margins are bigger than the

- Cube  very similar to CDP. But there is no "illusion" problems. Straight forward

- 3D folding  very similar to CDP.
#on the real test, you get nervous and sometime lost your focus. When you're practicing, you really have to work on speed. I would recommend you to finish PAT tests 10 minute early.


QR - Stay focused until the end of exam!
- similar to Achiever, TopScore, CDM
- A lot of people who get like 15 on QR do not really spend much time for this section.
- I completed about 50 QR practice tests.
- Practice makes perfect!
- You have to know all the topics that you have learned in high school Algebra II and Pre-Cal class
ie) standard deviation, sine law, cosine law, basic trigonometry, unit conversion, probability, permutation, combination


RC - It seems like # of comprehension questions are increasing… i.e.) thesis, main idea, interpretation, tone
- I was able to effectively use "search and destroy" technique on TopScore and Achiever and got 20~22.
- This technique didn't work on the real test
- Fonts are really small. You have to get used to reading small fonts
- Crack Reading has a lot of comprehension problems. If you are aiming for good RC score, above 22, I really recommend CDReading. It comes with great practice passages!



Bio Chem Ochem QR RC TS AA PAT
DATPrfssr 1 - - - 21 20 21 - 21
DATPrfssr 2 - - - 22 18 21 - 20
DATPrfssr 3 - - - 26 - 21 - -
DATPrfssr 4 - - - 25 - 20 - -


Bio Chem Ochem QR RC TS AA PAT
KAPLAN 1 18 20 21 - - 20 - -
KAPLAN 2 18 21 25 - - 24 - -
KAPLAN 3 18 19 18 - - 19 - -
KAPLAN 4 20 25 25 - - 22 - -
KAPLAN 5 18 23 18 - - 20 - -
KAPLAN 6 21 23 21 - - 22 - -
KAPLAN 7 19 18 18 - - 19 - -


Bio Chem Ochem QR RC TS AA PAT
AceDATP1 21 28 28 30 28 25 27 20
AceDATP2 21 25 25 30 28 23 26 19
AceDAT1 20 19 19 30 28 20 23 22
AceDAT2 19 19 18 20 28 18 23 18
AceDAT3 19 24 18 28 24 20 23 18


Bio Chem Ochem QR RC TS AA PAT
TopScore1 19 23 19 23 20 20 21 23
TopScore2 22 21 25 26 20 23 23 28
TopScore3 21 21 28 30 20 22 24 24


Bio Chem Ochem QR RC TS AA PAT
KAPLAN 1 26 25 21 - - 24 - -
KAPLAN 2 24 28 30 - - 28 - -
KAPLAN 3 26 28 25 - - 27 - -
KAPLAN 4 24 28 28 - - 27 - -
KAPLAN 5 20 25 23 - - 22 - -
KAPLAN 6 21 23 25 - - 23 - -
KAPLAN 7 26 20 19 - - 22 - -


Bio Chem Ochem QR RC TS AA PAT
Achiever1 19 28 29 29 20 21 23 18
Achiever2 17 18 19 29 19 18 20 19
Achiever3 15 20 19 24 18 18 19 18


Bio Chem Ochem QR RC TS AA PAT
TopScore1 24 28 28 30 22 27 26 26
TopScore2 29 28 30 25 22 30 27 25
TopScore3 26 28 28 30 22 28 27 25
Achiever1 20 28 20 26 21 22 23 19
Achiever2 29 25 23 29 22 26 26 21
Achiever3 20 23 23 29 22 22 23 20


Bio Chem Ochem QR RC TS AA PAT
ADAPrctce 21 28 30 30 19 25 26 25 (September)



1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
CDPAT 20 21 21 20 24 23 24 24 24 28
Average: 23 (in July)

CDPAT 25 23 25 28 25 26 26 23 25 25
Average: 25 (in September)

CDReading 17 17 18 17 16 (July)

CDMath My average was around 27~29. (July ~ August)

 

[hahadino2771]

By the way,

On TopScore, Achiever and other practice tests, I always got 20~22 for RC.


I got "crocodile"....

For this set of passages, search and destroy didn't work....

it actually required comprehension of entire passage...
(i.e. main ideas, interpretation, tones...)

 

[theOregonian]

I would not worry about a thing. Your gpa is very impressive and will overshadow the average RC score. Job well done. Do you feel topscore helped??

 

[bhind]

If you retake you are crazy.

 

[zellyen]

lol dude 23 AA dont retake

 

[datdat]

you got one more year and want to go to a "good" school, why not give it a try again? It's not hurting you at all and get perfect score on RC

 

[SnowDog]

Wow! Awesome scores!
I would not retake.
What did you use for QR?
Goodluck!

 

[hausee]

Will you be so kind to give us a detailed breakdown?

Thanks

 

[hahadino2771]

QR is just like TopScore, Achiever and CDM. By the end of the DAT test, you get really exhausted... you get really tired and less focused.


I really recommend you to take the full set tests in one seating. You gotta practice doing all 4 sections in one seating, including 15 minute break. It will help you stay focused on the QR = )


Personally, CDM (25 test version) is the most helpful because it is very comprehensive and covers all the important topics. = )

I am writing my comprehensive breakdown for each section. I will put it up by tonight.

 

[hausee]

no rush, thanks for the effort.

 

[doc3232]

You will most likely not pull that perfect QR again. Let's say you get 3 wrong (about a 23QR) next time on QR and go up 2 or 3 points on RC, then you will probably drop a point on your AA which is not worth it.
At best, you will get the same AA.

 

[WisdomDoc]

Why on earth would you want to retake it. There is no need for that...big deal you got an 18...

 

[solstice]

By the way,

I got "crocodile"....

For this set of passages, search and destroy didn't work....

it actually required comprehension of entire passage...
(i.e. main ideas, interpretation, tones...)

I could not agree more. Test takers who only practice S&D for reading Comprehension will be cut off guard when they see a passage that actually requires comprehending.

BTW, great job, Do NOT even bother thinking about retaking. ADCOMs are human just like us 😱 (I guess), and if I were one I would think of you as student with high study dicipline overall. They would not look at just one RC score when you have everything else over qualified. So relac and keep up the good work. Congrat again.

 

[americanpierg]

If i were you, I would retake it again. An 18 is really low when everything else is so high. Retake it and do better in RC.

 

[hahadino2771]

Do dental schools only look at AA, PAT and GPA? I heard that there is like an equation for each school that can combine AA and GPA. Does anyone think my RC score will affect my application overall?

p.s. I am applying in the next application cycle in May 2010

If i were you, I would retake it again. An 18 is really low when everything else is so high. Retake it and do better in RC.

 

[zellyen]

Do dental schools only look at AA, PAT and GPA? I heard that there is like an equation for each school that can combine AA and GPA. Does anyone think my RC score will affect my application overall?

p.s. I am applying in the next application cycle in May 2010

no not by much

 

[TheWiredNerv]

Definitely retake

 

[hausee]

are you serious? even retake in 3 month, RC may not improve that much because it require years experience. Plus you can not guarantee he can get other score that high again.definitely no retake.

Definitely retake

 

[bhind]

are you serious? even retake in 3 month, RC may not improve that much because it require years experience. Plus you can not guarantee he can get other score that high again.definitely no retake.

Agreed. I went from a 16 to a 22 on RC from my first test to the second though. But I will attest that between tests I had begun changing the way I read books, papers, news articles. I took the test almost 11 months apart too. Its doable but for the sake of not tainting these scores it is not the wisest decision especially when overall "hahadino2771" is in the 96th percentile or higher.

 

[mikexima]

with that kind of gpa and THOSE scores, yes you must definetly retake. 🙄

 

[littlemango]

18 on RC is actually better than average, it's nothing to be ashamed of and it's not going to keep you from getting into dental school. Relax, you have great scores.

 

[americanpierg]

18 on RC is actually better than average, it's nothing to be ashamed of and it's not going to keep you from getting into dental school. Relax, you have great scores.

actually the average is a 19.XX. its the only section thats ranked that high

 

[hahadino2771]

I just posted my scores on practice tests.

Hope this helps

By the way,

On TopScore, Achiever and other practice tests, I always got 20~22 for RC.


I got "crocodile"....

For this set of passages, search and destroy didn't work....

it actually required comprehension of entire passage...
(i.e. main ideas, interpretation, tones...)

 

[zellyen]

wow your topscore practices are similar to mine but you killed achiever, now you are scaring me for my test tomorrow >.<

 

[bhind]

actually the average is a 19.XX. its the only section thats ranked that

http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/dat/dat_score_frequency.pdf

password: ada

The mean for 2007 was 18.24 for RC. Not sure if they have posted any recent data.

 

[bennijai]

The ones that always asks if they need to retake are the people with 22+ scores...jeez.

 

[JMJRDH1]

Def calls for a retake, to get into those schools you need to have 20+ in all scores regardless of your GPA. Go for it!