DAT IN 1 WEEK CRUNCH TIME

[Fancy312]

Okay so, I have never posted on here, but I really, really need some last minute advice since my DAT is in one week.

I have been doing the usual, DAT DESTROYER/ DATBOOTCAMP/ KAPLAN 2015 DAT BOOK/ FERALIS/CRACK DAT PAT section
A lot of this has been overwhelming since I keep trying to focus on my weakness (orgo and gen chem), and since its approaching I feel like I'm losing my confidence every time I see my orgo practice scores . They are low guys, and by low, I don't even feel like mentioning them. I'm confident in bio, pat, and reading (sigh). Advice I've taken is to go with it, keep going hard this week and to take the DAT, and see how it goes, and to NOT postpone it, but I JUST DON'T EVEN KNOW ANYMORE MAN. Any advice and or suggestions from anyone, please let me know, much appreciated from a hesitant student at 1 am.

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[thehonya]

I'd stop worrying so much about your practice scores and just study and review your notes. I stopped doing tests entirely a few weeks before my DAT (with the obvious exception of PAT and RC) because I felt it was way more productive to just focus on remembering my notes. 1 week is good if you seriously get down to business. If your weakness is orgo then do that for 4 hours a day until your test. If you think about it most people would feel like a week is more than enough to review for a university orgo final, it's definitely doable for your as well. Remember that everyone taking the DAT has a section they're weak in so you aren't alone

One thing I found that helped with bio is to download the anki flashcards and do a whole bunch a day. I think at my last week I was doing 150 a day (which was about 2 1/2 hours of review for me). They really help you memorize all the little stuff.

 

[Fancy312]

I never even heard of these notes and I just googled them, they look really intense! but also very helpful. Thank you so much for your advice, I was waiting patiently and looking at my email tab while studying to see if anyone replied! Its really hard seeing where my weaknesses are and attempting to overcome them, while still grasping on to what confidence I have. I'm going to try to just hardcore review and see how it goes by the end of the week.

 

[Fancy312]

I never even heard of these notes and I just googled them, they look really intense! but also very helpful. Thank you so much for your advice, I was waiting patiently and looking at my email tab while studying to see if anyone replied! Its really hard seeing where my weaknesses are and attempting to overcome them, while still grasping on to what confidence I have. I'm going to try to just hardcore review and see how it goes by the end of the week

 

[Cope93]

Don't worry about practice scores your real scores will be higher, focus your remaining week on Gen Chem and O Chem and you will be fine. My Gen Chem section was really conceptual based so don't get tied up with nitty gritty details just understand the concepts as well as you can and the calculations were very straight forward. For orgo, just know the "main" reactions and the big concepts as well. Best of Luck

 

[FeralisExtremum]

If you're really not ready yet, I'd postpone. The DAT should ideally be taken once, don't do a practice run on the real thing if you know you won't do as well as you'd like.

 

[Fancy312]

Cope93

Don't worry about practice scores your real scores will be higher, focus your remaining week on Gen Chem and O Chem and you will be fine. My Gen Chem section was really conceptual based so don't get tied up with nitty gritty details just understand the concepts as well as you can and the calculations were very straight forward. For orgo, just know the "main" reactions and the big concepts as well. Best of Luck

Thank you for your advice, can I ask what you mean by conceptual in get chem and orgo? The only reason I did really well in orgo in my undergrad was because my professor had a PhD in teaching, and actually did research on how he would present the material to us. I loved that class, but going back now and reviewing it makes me panic.

 

[Fancy312]

ALRIGHT guess who wants to postpone their exam 2 weeks... yours truly

 

[Dr. Dan]

If you're really not ready yet, I'd postpone. The DAT should ideally be taken once, don't do a practice run on the real thing if you know you won't do as well as you'd like.

Feralis is right, you don't want to have to do this test more than once, it's just too stressful. You should only take it when you're absolutely ready!

ALRIGHT guess who wants to postpone their exam 2 weeks... yours truly

Don't feel bad about doing it! If I wasn't forced to take my exam on Nov 7 (only 2 test dates a year here in Canada), I would have definitely spent a few additional weeks preparing. Stay positive!

 

[DAT Destroyer]

Okay so, I have never posted on here, but I really, really need some last minute advice since my DAT is in one week.

I have been doing the usual, DAT DESTROYER/ DATBOOTCAMP/ KAPLAN 2015 DAT BOOK/ FERALIS/CRACK DAT PAT section
A lot of this has been overwhelming since I keep trying to focus on my weakness (orgo and gen chem), and since its approaching I feel like I'm losing my confidence every time I see my orgo practice scores . They are low guys, and by low, I don't even feel like mentioning them. I'm confident in bio, pat, and reading (sigh). Advice I've taken is to go with it, keep going hard this week and to take the DAT, and see how it goes, and to NOT postpone it, but I JUST DON'T EVEN KNOW ANYMORE MAN. Any advice and or suggestions from anyone, please let me know, much appreciated from a hesitant student at 1 am.

Hello Fancy312,

The DAT indeed is a VERY challenging exam! I always advise students to weigh on the side of caution and reschedule if you have any doubts. There are MANY MANY different versions of the DAT and some are more challenging than others. It is important to be prepared for whatever comes your way.

IMO, you made a good decision to postpone for a few weeks.

Wishing you the very best on your DAT

Take care..Nancy

 

[Fancy312]

Thank you Nancy! I appreciate it

 

[DAT Destroyer]

Thank you Nancy! I appreciate it

You are welcome!! Keep going the finish line is near..

 

[Fancy312]

This got me curious now, Nancy when you say how theres some easy or difficult DAT exams, can you possibly give me some examples of tests that fall in this category. Just curious to compare them

 

[DAT Destroyer]

For example, some Bio versions have plant questions, some have a few, and some have none. No way to know prior to the test. General Chemistry might be filled will calculations or might be more theory, again no way to tell. QR section might be trig or no trig, a lot of word problems or a few. The Destroyer was designed to prepare you for whatever comes your way. From my observation and years of experience with my classroom students I have concluded that some tests are harder than others.


Remember when you were in elementary school and the teacher said last minute you were going to have a test the next day on chapters 1-3. If you are like me, you weren't too happy about it, but being a good student you studied chapters 1-3. Feeling fully prepared your teacher passes out the test and you discover it's only on Chapter 1. Well think of the ADA as your teacher and they are basically telling you to study everything, but you will only be tested on a small part of it. The problem is there is no way to know beforehand what it will be. No easy way out, over prepared is ALWAYS better than under prepared.


Just my 2 cents


Hope this makes sense.


Nancy

 

[Baileyy259]

ALRIGHT guess who wants to postpone their exam 2 weeks... yours truly

Are you glad you ended up postponing? I am really considering it (making 16s on my practice tests)