DAT DONE! My Scores, Tips, and Thank yous

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BalooTheBear

First off, I just wanted to thank everybody. I know I wouldn't have done as well if it wasn't for everybody on this board and the tips they share.
And here are my scores:

AA: 21
TS: 21
Bio: 20
GChem: 22
Ochem: 23
PAT: 20
RC: 20
QR: 21

I'm hoping to go to Illinois-Chicago. I have a 3.5 GPA.
What do you guys think my chances are for getting in there?

My Tips:

Schaum's Biology Outline!!!!

Do Achiever AND TopScore.
I honestly saw more than 10 questions that were almost verbatim from some TS/Achiever test. And those 10 questions definitly made a difference.
Also, Achiever/Topscore were much harder than the actual test. This relaxed me so much during the test when I realized that.

DAT Destroyer. highlight difficult questions for genChem/Ochem and repeat them until they're simple concepts. This made a world of difference for me.
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Good job...
I heard Schaums is a little excessive though.
Just don't forget to apply ;)
 
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Great Job!!!! Im shooting for scores around that area or higher, now u have one less thing to worry about.
Ohh by the way Schaums Bio notes r like $11 bucks
 
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BalooTheBear said:
First off, I just wanted to thank everybody. I know I wouldn't have done as well if it wasn't for everybody on this board and the tips they share.
And here are my scores:

AA: 21
TS: 21
Bio: 20
GChem: 22
Ochem: 23
PAT: 20
RC: 20
QR: 21

I'm hoping to go to Illinois-Chicago. I have a 3.5 GPA.
What do you guys think my chances are for getting in there?

My Tips:

Schaum's Biology Outline!!!!

Do Achiever AND TopScore.
I honestly saw more than 10 questions that were almost verbatim from some TS/Achiever test. And those 10 questions definitly made a difference.
Also, Achiever/Topscore were much harder than the actual test. This relaxed me so much during the test when I realized that.

DAT Destroyer. highlight difficult questions for genChem/Ochem and repeat them until they're simple concepts. This made a world of difference for me.
Click to expand...

Could you share the method you used to study? and how long did you study for everyday? for how long? and things like that...

Thank you!!
 
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siba:
i studied lightly (3-4 hours a day) for 2 months. Then for the 3-4 weeks before the test, about 12 hours a day (my record for 1 day was 18 hours straight). The week before the test, I cut back to like 6 hours a day so i could regain some strength

I read the following books: Kaplan DAT Blue Book, Kaplan MCAT OChem, Kaplan MCAT Bio, Kaplan MCAT GChem, Cliff Notes DAT, DAT Destroyer, 3 TopScore tests, 3 Achiever Tests, Schaum's Biology Outline.
I made summary notes for each book I read and reviewed them a couple times, so it was kinda like re-reading the book (but only the significant portions, not the filler info that isn't worth reading again).


snooper:
I really didn't do much for QR other than Destroyer/Achiever/Topscore. Repetition is key for this section and getting your mind to see things quickly.
The thing that really helped me was taking Calculus I in the fall semester
 
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Can you provide me with a link where I can buy Schaum's Biology Outline. Thanks
 
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what do you mean by the Kaplan blue book?

is it the one you can buy @ the bookstore or is it the books you get from the class? Also are the MCAT Kaplan books the one you got from the bookstore or the tutoring session.
 
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The Kaplan DAT blue book i'm talking about is just from the bookstore.

The MCAT books I had to buy off of kaplan. you can buy their books without taking their classes if you contact them directly (whatever local site you have)
 
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are the MCAT books different from the actual textbook of OCHEM, genchem, bio. (besides the fact that they give you sample questions thatll show up in the DAT). Are the materials much harder than when you took these classes in school? My school has a pretty hard bio, genchem and ochem program so I was wondering if i could just use my tests, books and notes from school or should I get the actual MCAT book. sorry for asking so many questions. :p
 
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JOODiFF said:
are the MCAT books different from the actual textbook of OCHEM, genchem, bio. (besides the fact that they give you sample questions thatll show up in the DAT). Are the materials much harder than when you took these classes in school? My school has a pretty hard bio, genchem and ochem program so I was wondering if i could just use my tests, books and notes from school or should I get the actual MCAT book. sorry for asking so many questions. :p
Click to expand...

the mcat book is good becasue it provides a great quasi-in depth outline of what to study for human systems, cellular respiration and evolution. of texts will help to extend your knowledge of the major areas that the test focuses on. i used it b/c i had no classes in anatomy and found that it was perfect. as for the rest of bio (biological diversity, cladistics, lab techniques, etc) you'll have to scramble and use cliffs/schaums/texts to fill in those holes.
 
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Definitely do not rely on your tests from school. These study aids are designed around the types of questions on the exam. Who knows if your classes covered the same material in the same manner (other than biology topics like cellular respiration where you can just memorize pathways). The math section is unlike anything you would encounter in school, it is more like high school math in my opinion. I highly recommend Topscore Pro along with Kaplan... like baloo said some of the questions are verbatim on the actual exam.
 
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BalooTheBear said:
First off, I just wanted to thank everybody. I know I wouldn't have done as well if it wasn't for everybody on this board and the tips they share.
And here are my scores:

AA: 21
TS: 21
Bio: 20
GChem: 22
Ochem: 23
PAT: 20
RC: 20
QR: 21

I'm hoping to go to Illinois-Chicago. I have a 3.5 GPA.
What do you guys think my chances are for getting in there?

My Tips:

Schaum's Biology Outline!!!!

Do Achiever AND TopScore.
I honestly saw more than 10 questions that were almost verbatim from some TS/Achiever test. And those 10 questions definitly made a difference.
Also, Achiever/Topscore were much harder than the actual test. This relaxed me so much during the test when I realized that.

DAT Destroyer. highlight difficult questions for genChem/Ochem and repeat them until they're simple concepts. This made a world of difference for me.
Click to expand...


Congrats on your scores!

I have a question: Are Topscore and Achiever purely full-length practice tests? No supplement reading/studying materials? If so, how many tests do they provide?

Thank you!
 
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Baloo,

i'm curious why you got the individual Kaplan MCAT study books in addition to the Kaplan DAT material.

Did the MCAT material have more helpful stuff in it than the Kaplan DAT?

Thanks.
 
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snooper-

i got them because i used to be pre-med, but then decided dental.
they cover similar content, but they have variations/gaps. all books have variations/gaps on the science topics, so thats why its good to read several books covering the DAT sciences
 
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hey, i'm preparing for the dat this winter...
but i couldn't find achiever test prep...
where did you get it?
 
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google dat achiever. it's a 50 dollar program that encompasses 3 full length exams
 
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