DAT Material

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

dentguru52

Membership Revoked
Removed
Joined
Aug 20, 2019
Messages
29
Reaction score
1
Hi everyone I’m having a hard time studying organic for the DAT. I took organic in undergrad but really struggled with it. I didn’t understand the concepts. Any strategies or tips you all may have that can help me the DAT Ochem section?

Members don't see this ad.
 
I highly, HIGHLY recommend getting the DAT Destroyer for all sections of the sciences, but especially organic chemistry. The doctor who wrote it, Dr. Romano, has several degrees in organic chemistry and breaks down the information very well and practically for the DAT. Using the Destroyer is destined to get you a 20+ OC, and if you commit it all to memory you're likely thinking 30.

I also enjoyed the Destroyer Facebook group. Dr. Romano posted daily questions there, including organic chemistry, and many of those question types actually ended up on my exam. 10/10, would recommend again and again.

 
Hi everyone I’m having a hard time studying organic for the DAT. I took organic in undergrad but really struggled with it. I didn’t understand the concepts. Any strategies or tips you all may have that can help me the DAT Ochem section?

I would suggest Chad's Videos to learn the material and Destroyer to reinforce it.
 
I would suggest Chad's Videos to learn the material and Destroyer to reinforce it.

Orgoman also has a ton of free videos online, especially in the chems and bio. Definitely worth checking out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Members don't see this ad :)
DAT destroyer is material for people who already finished the material and understand it well. To make the most out of the available resources, some chronology has to be in order.
I’ve read mikes videos are good but if you’re not a millionaire I’d opt for the even better professor, Chad, whose videos also happen to be affordable for us peasants. Chad’s videos, in my opinion are the absolute best when it comes to breaking down unfamiliar material which was the sole reason I got 98 in GC1 and 99 in GC2. He’s also the reason am killing it in OC right now.

Chad’s videos are $9 a month, comes with a guideline pdf (that I printer and so should you) that explains the material step by step and follows the videos extremely well. Has excellent quizzes at the end of each subject and a bigger quiz at the end of each chapter. His material for OC is presented in two ways, actual classroom with real students and also available in a slides fashion with him at the corner of the screen explaining things while scribbling on the slides. Chads videos is study material.

DAT destroyer ($150) is pure random questions from all chapters. It is not designed for someone who hasn’t read the material yet. I have it and it was virtually useless until I finished both GC courses to actually start making a good use of its GC section. It’s is excellent at what it does but you need to recognize when to use it. DAT destroyer is a testing material.

Mikes videos are ($500) for 3 months. Similar to chad’s format and delivery method and, if I may, came after chad’s videos adopting everything good about it while adding his own excellent delivery method but it is in way worth the price even if you’re making the most out of everything bootcamp has to offer. $200 is the sweet spot for bootcamp not half a G!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
DAT destroyer is material for people who already finished the material and understand it well. To make the most out of the available resources, some chronology has to be in order.
I’ve read mikes videos are good but if you’re not a millionaire I’d opt for the even better professor, Chad, whose videos also happen to be affordable for us peasants. Chad’s videos, in my opinion are the absolute best when it comes to breaking down unfamiliar material which was the sole reason I got 98 in GC1 and 99 in GC2. He’s also the reason am killing it in OC right now.

Chad’s videos are $9 a month, comes with a guideline pdf (that I printer and so should you) that explains the material step by step and follows the videos extremely well. Has excellent quizzes at the end of each subject and a bigger quiz at the end of each chapter. His material for OC is presented in two ways, actual classroom with real students and also available in a slides fashion with him at the corner of the screen explaining things while scribbling on the slides. Chads videos is study material.

DAT destroyer ($150) is pure random questions from all chapters. It is not designed for someone who hasn’t read the material yet. I have it and it was virtually useless until I finished both GC courses to actually start making a good use of its GC section. It’s is excellent at what it does but you need to recognize when to use it. DAT destroyer is a testing material.

Mikes videos are ($500) for 3 months. Similar to chad’s format and delivery method and, if I may, came after chad’s videos adopting everything good about it while adding his own excellent delivery method but it is in way worth the price even if you’re making the most out of everything bootcamp has to offer. $200 is the sweet spot for bootcamp not half a G!

You're right that the Destroyer is aimed for those who have previously taken General Chemistry. But, why would you be going in to take the DAT without having taken a chemistry course? Any of these resources are only useful if you've taken the course in college already. Don't let those tens of thousands of dollars worth of tuition go to waste--use what you learned previously to build on your knowledge! Why not look at your old gen chem book rather than having to buy new materials? That's what I did (shoutout to Tro). Don't take the DAT in isolation.

With all of this being said, the Destroyer does a great job at breaking the questions down well enough to understand the material. Regardless, you'll need some background. Don't go in blind.
 
Does anyone here have any shortcuts tips or tricks with Ochem reactions and material? No matter how much I try to learn it, I can’t seem to get it.
 
Does anyone here have any shortcuts tips or tricks with Ochem reactions and material? No matter how much I try to learn it, I can’t seem to get it.

Memorize reactions from DAT destroyer. He has around 8 road maps and put the reactions your weak in on flash cards. Go over the reactions you only have trouble with. Also, I’m not strong in organic chemistry when I took it in undergraduate earning a B in OC1 and a C in OC2. I got a 19 on the organic chemistry section the first time I took the DAT. Second time I took it, I received a 21 on the organic chemistry section.

Note: You will be very surprised how easy organic chemistry actually is on the actual DAT.
 
Memorize reactions from DAT destroyer. He has around 8 road maps and put the reactions your weak in on flash cards. Go over the reactions you only have trouble with. Also, I’m not strong in organic chemistry when I took it in undergraduate earning a B in OC1 and a C in OC2. I got a 19 on the organic chemistry section the first time I took the DAT. Second time I took it, I received a 21 on the organic chemistry section.

Note: You will be very surprised how easy organic chemistry actually is on the actual DAT.

Do you know where they are? I can’t find them. Don’t you also have to know chirality? Are there memory tricks to learn the reactions?
 
Do you know where they are? I can’t find them. Don’t you also have to know chirality? Are there memory tricks to learn the reactions?

DAT Destroyer does have roadmaps for organic chemistry. It’s usually around the answer key after 250 problems.

For Chirality, I watched a video on YouTube and practiced the method they showed. That was actually one of my weakest subtopic in organic chemistry.

Also, don’t approach organic chemistry that you can’t learn it. Tell yourself you’re going to master it and you will be in good hands. If you keep telling yourself you don’t know how to do it, you’re only going to stress yourself out more.
 
DAT Destroyer does have roadmaps for organic chemistry. It’s usually around the answer key after 250 problems.

For Chirality, I watched a video on YouTube and practiced the method they showed. That was actually one of my weakest subtopic in organic chemistry.

Also, don’t approach organic chemistry that you can’t learn it. Tell yourself you’re going to master it and you will be in good hands. If you keep telling yourself you don’t know how to do it, you’re only going to stress yourself out more.
Are the roadmaps good enough for the DAT Ochem? Also, do you have any memory tricks for the reactions or chirality?
 
Are the roadmaps good enough for the DAT Ochem? Also, do you have any memory tricks for the reactions or chirality?

The roadmaps are more than good enough for the DAT OC. You should still know a good amount of information not regarding the reactions.
 
Hopefully this tip isn't too late. I highly recommend going onto youtube and searching for The Organic Chemistry Tutor (OCT), he has great videos that has helped me strengthen my weak areas in chemistry and organic. However with organic you cannot just remember mechanisms without understanding the reason why the reaction is happening. Once you are able to i.d the nucleophile and the electrophile you'll be able to predict the products better. Trust me I was where you were at, my undergrad performance in organic was far from stellar very sub par. But using OCT has helped me and given me confidence in both organic and chemistry. I recommend him to everyone, plus it's free help!
 
Top