DAT done "have to retake again"

[Awuah29]

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I don't know were to start. I blew the DAT . Seriously, the test was very easy, but I don't know what was wrong with me. Everything was perfect coordinated,the time when I started studying, how much time I invested.I am not kidding , I isolated myself starting from Mai, and had only DAT in mind. I had everthing that I needed, maybe too much materials? kaplan blue book, Lippcott book, GRE Math, Flashcards from Kaplan, My own Fashcards 10001 Chem and Organic, Topscore, kaplan CD. I was scoring on Top sore 14/16 and the same score when I took the Kaplan with the CD. I went to the Kaplan thest center and took their free test too.
I did a lot of practice problems and summarized everything over and over again. I just can't believed ! People put in 3 weeks to study for the DAT and score 20's. I am doing something wrong can anyone help me out! Am I maybe not a good testtaker. Did I maybe overstudied myself. I can say yes, because I was miserable for the past month putting so much into the DAT. Now enough talk, I need help!
AA 13
Bio 15
Reading Compreshension 16
PAT 13
Chem 12
Org Chem 11
Quantitaive Reasoning 11 🙁

I feel like giving up ! On the other hand, I'm sure that I can do better.

Now, no school will accept these results am I right ? For sure I need to retake it again in 90 days. Is it not to late in December ? I just gonna call the school to hold on my application ! Now what should I do? Should I start studying tonight, after this disaster today or just put the books aside and have fun. Just to not think about it for a while. Please I need input. Help!
Thanks guys

 

[jdcinza13]

Just keep your head up. Obviously you will need to retake it, but have you completed all of the pre-requisites??? What is your GPA like? Do you have a good foundational knowledge and background gained through classes and regular textbooks or did you just study the materials given to you? Take a day or two off and let your mind settle and you'll be able to get a plan together for taking it again. Good Luck!!!

 

[Awuah29]

Just keep your head up. Obviously you will need to retake it, but have you completed all of the pre-requisites??? What is your GPA like? Do you have a good foundational knowledge and background gained through classes and regular textbooks or did you just study the materials given to you? Take a day or two off and let your mind settle and you'll be able to get a plan together for taking it again. Good Luck!!!

I graduated in Mai. HAVE 3.6 Nonscience and 3.0 Science GPA

 

[Awuah29]

I graduated in Mai. HAVE 3.6 Nonscience and 3.0 Science GPA

I also need advice, if i should start studying again so soon.It's seems that those 5 months studying burned me out! Where should I take it from here. Can't believe to pick those flashcards and books agian to start studying again.

 

[briansle]

You mean "MAY" not "Mai" Right?

Retake the DAT man, I'm sure you'll do alot better the second time around. You'll probably be less nervous and more prepared, knowing what to expect. You have a good gpa so, start studying again. Take a kaplan course if you have money and time, that way you'll see how other people study.

 

[LadyxJC]

What do you think went wrong? Were you nervous to the extreme during the exam? Did you panic? Or did you just not know anything about most of the questions? If you know your material but were just nervous and it was just one of those days where everything possible went wrong, then no, you shouldn't start studying right away. You should take a break and relax a bit before hitting the books again. After all you have 3 months to reprepare for the exam. If you already have the basics down, it won't take 3 months to refresh your memory.

On the other hand, if you know you didn't know the material, then perhaps you should start studying. Maybe it'll be more helpful if you study little by little without stressing yourself too much with studying for DAT all day, every day. Maybe trying setting aside a couple of hours a day to study a particular subject, a few times a week. Try to work out a study schedule for yourself, starting as soon as possible, so that you won't have to work as intensely a few weeks before the exam.

Anywayz, don't let your current scores drag you down too much. Brush it off and move on. A bad day could have happened to anyone. But if you know you could have put more into it to have scored a higher grade, then take the opportunity to do it the second time around. Good luck~

 

[Awuah29]

What I realized in the test was that I ran out of time. It took me 40 min to finish Bio. However, I marked some question's that I wasn't sure of.
(About 10) Now my questions! Do I get the question as wrong if I just marked them? Or is it only for leaving the questions blank (inconplete) . Spend too much time also on Chemistry which of course heavily affected my performance in Organic Chem . I'm in the same situation like phosphorylation! I've come to the conclusion not to give up and I 'm starting to marked off my calendar day by the day. I can't wait untill those 90 days elaspsed.

 

[justletmein]

hello Awuah! No, you don't get the questions wrong if you mark them, that's only an indicator to help you out! If you don't answer a question (leave it blank) those are considered "incorrect." Goodluck man, and never stop practicing!

 

[wimmcs]

I would say to start studying soon again. Pretend you are starting brand new. I can relate to you since I also have a ton of materials (all yours and then some) and I thought this may be detrimental at times. Also, try to study smart. Don't do what you did in the past. In studying for the DAT, I realized that I should have done it smarter. I concentrated for a month straight in bio, then the next month was ochem, then I pushed myself at the end to do PAT, chem and QR... not very smart. But those last 3 were my least favorite. If I had to do it again, I would study a few hours 3 or 4 biology, then I would study another 3/4 hrs in chem, then I would rotate. I just wanted to know everything there is to know about Bio NOW for a month, and then I jumped to Ochem. What happened at the end of my studying, I found that I had forgotten quite a bit of info on both bio and ochem since I hadn't touch them in a long time. For example, I went thru every question in the 1001 ? in Ochem in my second month and when I was reviewing prior to taking the test, I just picked up random ?s from this book and didn't know the answers anymore!!! This scared me!! Anyway, drop your dissapointment, forget about what happened and concentrate and focus for what's about to happen in the next 90 days. Believe me, it was so hard for me to concentrate and focus, having to take care of my house and 3 children. I always had an "excuse" why I wasn't studying, whether it was laundry, cleaning, etc. I also had in the back of my head that I could always retake it. So, at the end for me it worked out, my scores are not spectacular, and I'm glad no retake is necessary. I do believe we do sabotage ourselves and I was prepared for the worst. Try hard not to sabotage yourself and study smart and LEARN the materials. I also wrote something in the phospho thread as well as I wrote additional things when I took my DAT (read them if you would like). Again, brush off the negativities, drop the BS and start over again with a new perspective that will help you overcome the challange coming in 90 days. Good luck!

 

[ItsGavinC]

You seriously need to revamp your study methods as much as possible, and in study in such a manner that makes you look at the material from a different angle.

Scores as low as yours (12s and 13s) can be obtained simply by marking random answers. In fact, not to be harsh, but I think somebody who knows nearly NOTHING about the tested topics could guess and have a fair chance of doing better than your score of 13.

Scoring 14/16 on TopScore should have been your first clue that you weren't truly ready to take the real exam.

 

[boogaking]

From you GPA it is obvious that you know the subject to some extent... I think from what you have mentioned above... that this was just a case of not understanding the DAT format... or lack of practice with this style of testing... forget being burnt out ...if you are in deed serious about dental school...and if you desire to apply during this cycle.... at this point you need to get your butt in gear and get back into study mode... get a copy of TS or one of the many prep guides... and practice practice and practice... and when you all good with that... practice again... it's like preparing for a race or a marathon... you need to build up your endurance... and that starts with the first lap...

If you want to hear about burnt out... I should let you talk to some of my friends that are in their second year of dental school... get through all their classes ...like pathology... with their NBDE part I just right around the corner... talk about stress!

 

[Awuah29]

You seriously need to revamp your study methods as much as possible, and in study in such a manner that makes you look at the material from a different angle.

Scores as low as yours (12s and 13s) can be obtained simply by marking random answers. In fact, not to be harsh, but I think somebody who knows nearly NOTHING about the tested topics could guess and have a fair chance of doing better than your score of 13.

Scoring 14/16 on TopScore should have been your first clue that you weren't truly ready to take the real exam.

Gavin, I seriously, study hard for the DAT. Fact is that I did not study smart I devoted less time on Chemistry, Org Chemistry Math and PAT. I was scoring 14/16 on Topscore, but I thaught that my score will go up by 3 points since topscore is harder. My big mistake was that I did not go over my wrong answers when I took the Topscore and taught Que ser?, ser?ce I just want to bring this behind me. It's just devasting that I just wasted my time, on the other hand I realized that I need to change my study habit.
I will appreaciate any input from you guys
thanks

 

[drat]

I think you need a personal tutor. I said this to phospho, too. Studying for a multidiscipline exam like the DAT is much different than studying for just a bio exam or just a chemistry exam. You need an unbiased opinion to gage whether or not you're learning the material. And how efficient is your studying? It's CRUCIAL you look at your wrong answers and right answers. Know why each and every option for the question is either right or wrong. I DEFINITELY learned the most by looking at ALL the test questions after each exam. Topscore doesn'r give you the reason why each answer is correct and this is a good thing. You figure it out!! 😉

 

[Awuah29]

I think you need a personal tutor. I said this to phospho, too. Studying for a multidiscipline exam like the DAT is much different than studying for just a bio exam or just a chemistry exam. You need an unbiased opinion to gage whether or not you're learning the material. And how efficient is your studying? It's CRUCIAL you look at your wrong answers and right answers. Know why each and every option for the question is either right or wrong. I DEFINITELY learned the most by looking at ALL the test questions after each exam. Topscore doesn'r give you the reason why each answer is correct and this is a good thing. You figure it out!! 😉

private tutor ?
Can not afford Kaplan!

 

[drat]

does your undergrad offer tutoring? doesn't have to be a kaplan tutor -- just someone who knows the material well.

 

[Awuah29]

does your undergrad offer tutoring? doesn't have to be a kaplan tutor -- just someone who knows the material well.

The thing is I graduated all ready. It's not that i don't understand anything. I just not study smart or more or less did not understand some concept, and just memorized whatever I could memorize. I will find me a private tutor. I think my probleme is understanding the concept in depth and the wording of the questions or the overall set up of for example chem and orgo questions.

Is there any help for me?

 

[J2AZ]

Awuah29,
Take a week to refresh and then start over. LadyxJC is right when she says you must first know the information. So I would review one or two topics each night. For bio read and take notes (even if you never review these notes). Recite important information a few times in your head before moving on. At the end of each chapter look back over the diagrams. Try to tie all the sections together (e.g endocrine with repro with cell bio with neuro with the msucle..etc.) For gen chem go out and by the Cliff notes and read the book about 3 times (once a month or so). It is only about 140 pages and an easy read. For O-Chem find the Examkrackers book and read it 3 times. Adding this book to by study routine took my O-Chem score from 14 to 23. Also make a long list of the reactions. There are about 70 or so. Memorize 10 a night over the course of a week. Each day review the previous days and learn the next 10. You will begin to recognize reactants and you will see some major patterns, especially in regard to carbonyl compounds. Do not stress. Do not sacrafice sleep for study. You have more than enough time to study. My first two months studying were a waste because I worked during the day and studied late. I got no sleep and retained nothing. Exercise is also important. Go for a 20 minute walk or run each morning. That along with atleast 7 hours of sleep will go a long way to helping your score. Finally, once you learn the info you must take practice exams under a test like environment. The DAT is about finding a rhythm. 40 minutes to get through the bio section is way too long and based on your post you know that. When I started I could not get through the entire science section. I was scoring 14 an 15. One reason was I did not know the material and wasted too much time on each section. The week before the exam I could finish bio in 15 to 20 minutes. On test day it took 30. If you want good paractice exams for math and PAT buy the top score CD. If you want good practice exams and subject tests for the sci you need to find someone who took kaplan and still has computer access. They may be willing to share their password or they may be willing to print out all the exams and explanations. With these tests do the following. Take the test. Review the test answers (right and wrong) and retake the test. Take two days to study what you do not know and then take the tests again. It is slow going but worth it. Finally you need to eat right and breathe the day of the exam. This is not the end of the world. Take your time and don't worry about the outcome.

 

[kalix]

👍 👍 👍

 

[phosphorylation]

hey buddy, listen, its not the end of thw world. Trust me. I did almost what you did on the DAT. I've been getting rejections from schools, but I also have 4 or 5 letters from different schools wanting me to take the test again in December.

Go to the thread I posted when I took my test. There is so much advice on that thread, I printed it out, and I have it hanging on the wall. look at sprgrovers advice.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=134856&highlight=sprgrover

I'm not sure if podil's advice is still posted, but podil did good on the DAT and was extremely helpful on SDN.

There is so much advice on this forum, and if you read it for a while, you'l see how it all revolves around the same thing.

don't go insane buying all those books
study smart
dont study section by section, its not one of those tests you take in school; you actually have to KNOW the material. i memorized it, and look what happened

i don't think I deserve giving anybody any advice after what i did on the DAT, but all I can say is calm down. I was really really depressed the first week. just ask anyone on SDN. but you get through it. I've been quiet lately, trying to study my butt off for the test, so I can just come up to SDN one day and give everyone my scores. its hard. i know its hard. but this is life, you can do it. our SDN warrior justletmein has lots of advice about this. ask him about his sword🙂

just don't give up buddy. PM me if you need anything. keep your head up. don't be too depressed about this. someday you'll be sitting in your dental office thinking and laughing to yourself about this.

i wish you the best of luck



-phospho

 

[jini]

I would find someone who is also planing to take the DAT, and form a study group with them.

I wish you do better next time.

 

[busupshot83]

just don't give up buddy. PM me if you need anything. keep your head up. don't be too depressed about this. someday you'll be sitting in your dental office thinking and laughing to yourself about this.
-phospho

That was one of the most encouraging phrases I've heard in the dental forums in a while. 👍

 

[shindrome]

hmm...maybe focusing on a few materials would be better. just remember that so many people can study for just a few weeks and pull off 20's. it could be anything, maybe they're fresh out of college or just plan smart as fu%*. the point is, everyone has their own road to success. just keep your head up and take advantage of the fact that you've seen it and done it. now that you're nice and "desensitized" to the whole experience it should make you a little more relaxed for your next DAT crushing experience! never stop chugging...seriously though once you're in dental school, you'll look back and laugh at all this! i feel that way too! pm me for any other questions you might have! good luck!