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- Jul 13, 2010
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So, after creeping on these forums for months and studying for a few months, I have finally finished the DAT. Take it from me, I am seriously an average joe when it comes to standardized testing and crap like the DAT. I studied for about 3 months, didn't get serious 'till the last month. Got even more serious the last 3 days before the test. Here's the breakdown.
PA 21 Used: CDP, Kaplan BB. Kaplan BB is a good start for all the subjects in my opinion. Not too in depth for anything, but it gets you going. The PA stuff in the book is way too easy, but it helps get the feet wet. CDP was pretty right on with everything EXCEPT angles and patterns. The real deal is so much harder. Some of the angles were so close to each other that I swore I was looking at the same damn thing. When push came to shove, I used the "bicycle" method talked about somewhere on these forums. Whoever you are bicycle idea man, you rock. Pattern folding went from ridiculously easy to ridiculously ridiculous. The rest of the PA stuff is easy if you study all the CDP problems.
QR 21 Used: Destroyer, Math Destroyer. KBB. I got insanely lucky on this section. No stats, but it was still hard as hell trying to keep up with the timer. Literally, you have only about a minute to do each problem if you are pacing yourself. I still feel this is actually the hardest section of the DAT, just because the time kicks you in the baby maker. If you are gunning for a high score on the DAT, don't omit this section in your studying like I did.
RC 26 Used: Search and destroy. Never studied for this, as RC is something I am naturally good at. Just kidding. I actually kind of suck at reading, but I used the search and destroy method as some people have talked about on here. Systematically, heres how I did it. I would read the first 4 paragraphs of the reading section at a normal pace then go straight to the questions. I made sure I knew those 4 paragraphs well, because if any of the questions the DAT asked weren't pertaining to those 4 paragraphs, I knew where to look. In the next 8 paragraphs, lol. It doesn't seem like much, but when you can cut out 4 paragraphs in your search time, it helps. I didn't get PIANO'ed.
BIO 20 Used: KBB, Destroyer, Cliffs AP BIO. Everything you heard about this section being random and weird is effin' true. I studied the MOST for this section for the test, and I went too in depth. It even asked me some random question about polyspermy or something. The most important thing about this section is having a good bio background, and having knowledge of a bunch of random facts. Don't waste your time overkilling the studying for this section. Cliffs is good for the broad, but I can't help but feel that the need for random knowledge of facts is necessary too.
GC 24 Used: KBB. Chad's vids. Destroyer. All you need. Those two would make some ridiculous ass kicking duo in the chem world. Kinda like captain planet, but not as weird or green. I feel that the gchem was pretty basic, if you know all the formulas Chad talks about, and you know the stuff in the destroyer book solid, this section will get owned.
OC 20 Used: KBB. Chad's vids. Destroyer. Probably the only score I was disappointed in. Even a 20 in OC is a 79% for my version of the DAT. To be honest, I was terrible in OC in undergrad sciences and it shows. I literally remembered the OC Destroyer section front to back for this section, and I even had Chad back that up. I guess I couldn't compensate for my bad OC background.
I also used Topscore for my practice tests. I didn't use anything else and got low 20's for my scores. So I guess the rumors of Topscore being pretty close to the DAT but being slightly easier is true. Topscore has some pretty crappy customer service and website though. As Hank Hill would say, "I tell you what."
TS 21
AA 22
Overall, I feel that the DAT is definitely doable. I got burnt out the last week of studying and I had a slight panic attack the night before. Some Red Hot Chili Peppers cured that. Don't let this test phase you. I utilized the right materials everyone has been boasting on this forum, and they really work. It just takes some sit down and elbow grease. My scores ain't that amazing compared to some of the people on this forum, but meh. Seriously though, don't forget the PAT and QR sections. I could have seriously boosted my scores if I didn't get rushed in QR and got pwned by angles and folding patterns in QR.
P.S. I want to thank the Red Hot Chili Peppers for making their music. I literally listened to them every time I studied. They helped me get out from Under the Bridge. Lol.
PA 21 Used: CDP, Kaplan BB. Kaplan BB is a good start for all the subjects in my opinion. Not too in depth for anything, but it gets you going. The PA stuff in the book is way too easy, but it helps get the feet wet. CDP was pretty right on with everything EXCEPT angles and patterns. The real deal is so much harder. Some of the angles were so close to each other that I swore I was looking at the same damn thing. When push came to shove, I used the "bicycle" method talked about somewhere on these forums. Whoever you are bicycle idea man, you rock. Pattern folding went from ridiculously easy to ridiculously ridiculous. The rest of the PA stuff is easy if you study all the CDP problems.
QR 21 Used: Destroyer, Math Destroyer. KBB. I got insanely lucky on this section. No stats, but it was still hard as hell trying to keep up with the timer. Literally, you have only about a minute to do each problem if you are pacing yourself. I still feel this is actually the hardest section of the DAT, just because the time kicks you in the baby maker. If you are gunning for a high score on the DAT, don't omit this section in your studying like I did.
RC 26 Used: Search and destroy. Never studied for this, as RC is something I am naturally good at. Just kidding. I actually kind of suck at reading, but I used the search and destroy method as some people have talked about on here. Systematically, heres how I did it. I would read the first 4 paragraphs of the reading section at a normal pace then go straight to the questions. I made sure I knew those 4 paragraphs well, because if any of the questions the DAT asked weren't pertaining to those 4 paragraphs, I knew where to look. In the next 8 paragraphs, lol. It doesn't seem like much, but when you can cut out 4 paragraphs in your search time, it helps. I didn't get PIANO'ed.
BIO 20 Used: KBB, Destroyer, Cliffs AP BIO. Everything you heard about this section being random and weird is effin' true. I studied the MOST for this section for the test, and I went too in depth. It even asked me some random question about polyspermy or something. The most important thing about this section is having a good bio background, and having knowledge of a bunch of random facts. Don't waste your time overkilling the studying for this section. Cliffs is good for the broad, but I can't help but feel that the need for random knowledge of facts is necessary too.
GC 24 Used: KBB. Chad's vids. Destroyer. All you need. Those two would make some ridiculous ass kicking duo in the chem world. Kinda like captain planet, but not as weird or green. I feel that the gchem was pretty basic, if you know all the formulas Chad talks about, and you know the stuff in the destroyer book solid, this section will get owned.
OC 20 Used: KBB. Chad's vids. Destroyer. Probably the only score I was disappointed in. Even a 20 in OC is a 79% for my version of the DAT. To be honest, I was terrible in OC in undergrad sciences and it shows. I literally remembered the OC Destroyer section front to back for this section, and I even had Chad back that up. I guess I couldn't compensate for my bad OC background.
I also used Topscore for my practice tests. I didn't use anything else and got low 20's for my scores. So I guess the rumors of Topscore being pretty close to the DAT but being slightly easier is true. Topscore has some pretty crappy customer service and website though. As Hank Hill would say, "I tell you what."
TS 21
AA 22
Overall, I feel that the DAT is definitely doable. I got burnt out the last week of studying and I had a slight panic attack the night before. Some Red Hot Chili Peppers cured that. Don't let this test phase you. I utilized the right materials everyone has been boasting on this forum, and they really work. It just takes some sit down and elbow grease. My scores ain't that amazing compared to some of the people on this forum, but meh. Seriously though, don't forget the PAT and QR sections. I could have seriously boosted my scores if I didn't get rushed in QR and got pwned by angles and folding patterns in QR.
P.S. I want to thank the Red Hot Chili Peppers for making their music. I literally listened to them every time I studied. They helped me get out from Under the Bridge. Lol.
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