DAT done!! ....here's what I think

[sushi17]

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Hey guys! This is my first time posting and I just wanted to give some feedback as to how the test was. First of all, here are my test scores:

PAT 18
QR 17
RC 21
Bio 22
GChem 20
OChem 20
TS 21
AA 20

I used Topscore and took the Kaplan course to study. I have to say though that the class wasn't all that bad. I used to be pre-med and kaplan for me wasn't as great for the MCAT, but I think it definately helped for the DAT.

As for the test:

Bio: so I definately saw questions that I was like "how the hell am I supposed to answer this?" I even had a few questions that kaplan never taught, but I was able to answer based on what I remember from my undergrad classes (I was a bio major). So this section is doable, but what really helped me with this section was going into the test knowing your going to get some crazy questions and not letting those questions throw you off! If you go into the test thinking that, it will mentally prepare you for the test. I worked for me!

GChem: Okay so everyone was saying that there are up to 3 calculation questions, but that was not true with me! I had like 7 calculation questions, and most of them I had to calculate the answer. But, again I didn't let that throw me off and the calculations were pretty easy.

OChem: I got a few questions that I wasn't too sure of, but for sure doable. It wasn't very hard.

PAT: Yeah I totally thought I did better than this, but I never got above a 19 when studying. Everything in this section was easier than kaplan and maybe even topscore, EXCEPT ANGLES!! wowwwww. That was intense.

RC: Kaplan helped me out with this section because they had practice tests with the tone and authors voice questions that were on the DAT, except the real DAT has more of those types of questions. Overall it wasn't so bad for me since I was pre-med, and the verbal MCAT was a lot worse than this. The key is to look for the author's voice. Always know what the author thinks about what he's writing!

QR: This was not so bad, but I have never been good and math, especially word problems so I guess I'm happy with that. As long as your good with math, then you should be set. I never really studying for the math and PAT, and I guess that's reflected in my scores.

Well, I hope this helps. If anyone has any questions please dont hesitate to ask! 😀 Good luck to all of you!

 

[lopkiu]

now i am really worried
it really seem like kaplan doesn't help in the bio section now, what review material do u suggest to give a boost on wat kaplan lacks?

 

[chessxwizard]

Cliff's AP biology is a gem. 🙂

 

[sushi17]

I'm not really sure what else helps. I've been hearing that Cliff's or maybe shaums helps a lot, but I never looked at those books. I was a bio major so that kinda helped me out. The strategy I used in the real DAT with the hard questions was just eliminating the answers that I knew were wrong, and choose the answer that made the most sense to me, and that also helps a lot!

 

[tympo]

Great scores, good luck with your quest.
Can you tell me how much time did you spend outside of the Kaplan class to study for this and if you don't mind could you tell me your Kaplan scores for the diagnostic, midterm and final. PM me if you want.

Thanks

 

[sushi17]

I pretty much studied everyday for maybe about 5-6 hours? Sometimes less than that. Here are my scores for Kaplan:

Diagnostic: Midterm: Final:
Bio 17 Bio 17 Bio 26
GChem 18 GChem 15 GChem 17
OChem 19 OChem 18 OChem 21
RC 15 RC 20 RC 21
QR 13 QR 15 QR 18
PAT 16 PAT 18 PAT 18

 

[tympo]

Thanks for replying,
wow, how did you get you Bio score to go up that high?

 

[Iamscared]

do you mind posting what you got on the topscore tests? you AA of 20 and PAT of 18 is what im aiming for...and my test is at the end of the week so I'm getting nervous

 

[sushi17]

tympo: I really don't know! I think I was studying the bio section a few days before that test, so I think that's how that happened. For me, it really depends on what type of questions I get on the test.

Iamscared: I only did the first practice test to completion. The other tests I just did the natural sciences and the quantitative reasoning, so those aree the only scores I have to give. Here you go:

Topscore:
Test 1
Bio 17
GChem 17
OChem 15
PAT 19
RC 29
QR 16
TS 17
AA 16

Test 2
Bio 24
GChem 19
OChem 19
QR 15
TS 21

Test 3
Bio 19
GChem 20
OChem 20
QR 20
TS 20

 

[td4azklz]

Hi to everyone!
I am currently taking the Kaplan DAT course, but to be honest, I don' think it is as helpful as many people say it is. Did you say that you spent about 5-6 hours a day everyday studying? What is it about Kaplan that you found to be the most beneficial?
Thanks.

 

[jigabodo]

Hi to everyone!
I am currently taking the Kaplan DAT course, but to be honest, I don' think it is as helpful as many people say it is. Did you say that you spent about 5-6 hours a day everyday studying? What is it about Kaplan that you found to be the most beneficial?
Thanks.

First off, to the OP: solid score! Job well done!!

If you search the forum, you'll see that as many people in this forum have mentioned, they dont reall think the course is worth that much money. However, they do have a lot of resources, but it is up to you to utilize them. I took the course recently (ended 2 wks ago) and thought that if all you do is go to class and do some "passive listening", you'll pbb end up with a 16 on the DAT if you are lucky.

By the way, I study on avg. 6-8 hr a day in addition to the course. I think the best thing about the course is the practice tets and subject tests.

 

[sushi17]

you know its really weird. Some people say Kaplan really helped and others say it didn't. I never had the chance to study 5 hours EVERYDAY, but I tried to study at least that much. Again, I studied for the MCAT before the DAT because I was originally pre-med, so I kinda already knew a lot of the stuff too. But I definately believe that other sources should be utilized besides Kaplan to study, especially for the PAT section. I really thought that Kaplan was a good indicator of what scores I got on the real DAT. Now some people believe this is true and others don't.