DAT DONE, and I have a question!

[KN19]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hi guys, just got back from the test. I will present to you the good the bleh and the ugly.

The good:
RC: 22 (93.2)
BIO:20 (91.8)
GC: 21 (91.8)
OC: 26 (99.2)
TS: 22 (98.3)
AA: 21 (97.2)

The bleh:
QR: 16 (65.3)

The ugly: I BOMBED THE PAT, I was hungry ( my fault ) and OMG I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED 🙁 I just couldn't focus, and I did TERRIBLE, worse than any score I had ever gotten
PAT: 15 (20.3)😡😡😡👎

My GPA: is a 3.73cum, 3.55 science and I applied to 14 schools

Breakdown:

Break Down of Exam:

BIO: Not bad at all, I didn't think it was random. Everything that came up was covered in Cliffs AP and Barron's AP Bio books. I went through most of Cliffs and then realized that I enjoyed the format of Barron's better, so I read the rest of the topics in those chapters. Then I did most of the Bio Qvault exams. My scores ranged from 19-22, so I would say that if you are doing well on Dat Qvault Bio, you will probably do reasonably well on the exam.

CHEM: Chads! Took detailed notes on everything, and then I made flashcards on all important topics and reviewed them daily for the last 2 weeks leading up to the exam. I did his quizzes 3X and did all the DAT Boot camp exams. THESE EXAMS ARE GOLDEN. Very similar to the real DAT! Best investment for the sciences next to Chad's videos!

OCHEM: I did well in Ochem and so this section was pretty good for me. I used Chad's videos to review all the concepts, made detailed notes, made flashcards for all the reactions,and reviewed daily. Know the concepts! I didn't have any reactions that Chad didn't cover! I also did Chad's quizzes 3X and then did all the DAT Boot camp exams. My scores ranged from 22-27. VERY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TEST.

RC: I didn't really prep for this section because I didn't know how to. My RC section wasn't too bad. The first passage was a very dense scientific article, the second and third were still scientific but less dense. I just read the article and answered the questions. Some tone/inference questions but they were not hard at all. The only practice I did was 2 DATQvault RC exams in which I got a 19, and then 21.

QR: It wasn't hard, I just suck at doing math fast. *sigh* I used Math Destroyer to prep, I did 6 tests and I knew how to do the problems. I'm just really slow at it. So if you are doing well on Math Destroyer with time limits. You should be good.

PAT: Well, I was always bad at this section. But the thing is, I was scoring 19-20 on CDP! But I did have a problem during the exam, I WAS SO HUNGRY. I know this is so dumb but I forgot to eat from all the anxiety/stress and I naturally have low BP. I hadn't eaten all day and I took my exam at 4PM. After I got through the sciences and felt good and the anxiety lifted a little, the hunger HIT HARD .I was SO out of focus and sluggish, my head was spinning and I didn't even care. DONT DO THIS! The actual PAT wasn't bad, but I had no focus, my stomach was so loud that I could hear it through my ear buds and headphones X_X
I checked the ADEA guide and found that the schools that I am applying to don't have strict cutoffs so I hope I can at least get one interview. This might really sound like a bad excuse, but its the absolute truth. During the break, I ate all my munchies like a madman and then started stabilizing. Half way though RC I got my focus back and managed to do well on that section.

Well that is it guys, the DAT is not very bad. Just eat remember to eat. >.<

 

[john333]

What did you use to prepare for the PAT?? Was it really hard or you just couldn't focus at all? aha but all your other scores are amazing besides QR kinda but damn.. I think you'll have to retake, mosts schools have a certain cutoff for PAT. You should call and ask all the schools your applying to!

 

[tjung789]

Hi guys, just got back from the test. I will present to you the good the bleh and the ugly.

The good:
RC: 22 (93.2)
BIO:20 (91.8)
GC: 21 (91.8)
OC: 26 (99.2)
TS: 22 (98.3)
AA: 21 (97.2)

The bleh:
QR: 16 (65.3)

The ugly: I BOMBED THE PAT, I was hungry ( my fault ) and OMG I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED 🙁 I just couldn't focus, and I did TERRIBLE, worse than any score I had ever gotten
PAT: 15 (20.3)😡😡😡👎

My GPA: is a 3.73cum, 3.55 science and I applied to 14 schools

Do I need to retake because of that PAT? 🙁 Will I not get into dental school?

Anyway, I'll do a breakdown of the other sections later tonight/tomorrow.

lol the same thing happened to me. you will have to retake my man. 🙁 It sux, but what can you do? Make sure to use achiever for PAT.

 

[KN19]

🙁 But if I retake, I'll have to retake in October...

You think its impossible? Should I call the schools first? My other scores are okay...Gosh so much work and I got trampled by freaking PAT. 🙁

 

[Datooth]

I think a 15 & a 16 is a pretty big deal breaker and definitely grounds for a retake. Though, I would definitely still call the schools and ask.

 

[tjung789]

🙁 But if I retake, I'll have to retake in October...

You think its impossible? Should I call the schools first? My other scores are okay...Gosh so much work and I got trampled by freaking PAT. 🙁

I don't know your situation, but if you have to absolutely apply this cycle then yeah retake in October. Call schools to see which ones will accept an unofficial DAT score report.

 

[Minion]

Are you going do a breakdown ?

 

[KN19]

Are you going do a breakdown ?

Just posted.

 

[Illfavor]

I'd apply, planning to retake. Two sub-17 sections is too risky IMO.

 

[gn4]

I'd apply, planning to retake. Two sub-17 sections is too risky IMO.

I agree. I would apply, but at the same time planning to retake. From Doc Toothache's charts, it looks like those are the two sections some schools don't care that much about, but some schools are different. I know a girl who got in last year on December 3 with similar scores(20AA/20TS/15PA with 16 in QR). She applied to 10 schools and interviewed at 9. On December 3, she was emailed 7 acceptances and she got off waitlist at 1 school in February. So, it's possible. Just trying to say it's not the end of the world, but to be safe, you should plan on retaking. So just start practicing your PAT right now, and then in September, start going hard core on the sciences and Math again.

I think there was a poster on here last year as well who applied to 6 schools with a 19/19/15PA/17QR who got in to 3 schools in December as well. Also got into his first choice at Temple from the waitlist in January or February. Can't quite remember.

Again, these could be outliers, but just saying it's not the end of the world. Just start practicing PAT just in case and plan for retaking. Ask some of the schools as well if they have cutoffs.

 

[Psa]

I'd apply, planning to retake. Two sub-17 sections is too risky IMO.

I agree. I would apply, but at the same time planning to retake. From Doc Toothache's charts, it looks like those are the two sections some schools don't care that much about, but some schools are different. I know a girl who got in last year on December 3 with similar scores(20AA/20TS/15PA with 16 in QR). She applied to 10 schools and interviewed at 9. On December 3, she was emailed 7 acceptances and she got off waitlist at 1 school in February. So, it's possible. Just trying to say it's not the end of the world, but to be safe, you should plan on retaking. So just start practicing your PAT right now, and then in September, start going hard core on the sciences and Math again.

I think there was a poster on here last year as well who applied to 6 schools with a 19/19/15PA/17QR who got in to 3 schools in December as well. Also got into his first choice at Temple from the waitlist in January or February. Can't quite remember.

Again, these could be outliers, but just saying it's not the end of the world. Just start practicing PAT just in case and plan for retaking. Ask some of the schools as well if they have cutoffs.

I agree with these guys! Just apply and at the same time, sign up for an October test. Since you did good in other sections, I would just review the material so it stays with you. And of course make sure your PAT* is in good shape. I'd rather be safe than save couple hundred bucks.


I have a question for other people though:

Lets say he did retake his test but the second time around he did poorly in all sections except QR and PAT. Would schools actually consider separate sections from 2 different test results?

 

[gn4]

I agree with these guys! Just apply and at the same time, sign up for an October test. Since you did good in other sections, I would just review the material so it stays with you. And of course make sure your PAT* is in good shape. I'd rather be safe than save couple hundred bucks.


I have a question for other people though:

Lets say he did retake his test but the second time around he did poorly in all sections except QR and PAT. Would schools actually consider separate sections from 2 different test results?

I think it depends on the school. I made a 16 on QR myself, so I was unsure. I called a couple of schools to ask about retaking. LSU is one school that told me that they didn't think I should retake, however, if I did retake, they would look at the best score from both tests. Michigan told me that they only look at the most recent scores.

 

[Psa]

I think it depends on the school. I made a 16 on QR myself, so I was unsure. I called a couple of schools to ask about retaking. LSU is one school that told me that they didn't think I should retake, however, if I did retake, they would look at the best score from both tests. Michigan told me that they only look at the most recent scores.

Oh wow that's awesome! I heard some schools look at the best test but I didn't think anyone would actually look at best scores from both tests.

 

[asne0407]

Which schools did you apply to?

 

[leejunsoo]

aww that sucks
cause ALL your other scores are good
BUT realistically speaking I bet there are thousands of others with your scores with high QR and PAT scores
isn't PAT considered important for most schools? cause its like the one section that is very different from other standardized exams?

a retake for sure i would say

 

[biomolecmed]

You did well overall. Good job.