DAT on Monday...What Do You Think?

[militantmango]

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My DAT is this Monday, August 9! I'm starting to get super burnt out and tired of studying. 🙁 I have been studying for about 2 months, 4-12+ hours per day. My average practice test scores (various sources) have been:

BIO 19-20
GC 18-19
OC 18-19
PAT 21-23
RC 18-19
QR 17-18

Of course, compared to the people on this site, these scores make me feel like an idiot. I don't understand how people on here are able to get such high scores. I don't consider myself a dumb person, but it feels almost impossible to bring my scores up.

I just graduated with a 3.68 GPA (3.61 Science GPA). If I got scores on the real DAT like the ones I've been averaging on practice tests, do you think I even have a CHANCE of getting into dental school anywhere? I really want to go to Midwestern (Glendale). (Thoughts?)

Did you guys notice higher scores on the actual DAT than on your practice DATs, or the other way around?

Here's hoping...

 

[shahinc]

My DAT is this Monday, August 9! I'm starting to get super burnt out and tired of studying. 🙁 I have been studying for about 2 months, 4-12+ hours per day. My average practice test scores (various sources) have been:

BIO 19-20
GC 18-19
OC 18-19
PAT 21-23
RC 18-19
QR 17-18

Of course, compared to the people on this site, these scores make me feel like an idiot. I don't understand how people on here are able to get such high scores. I don't consider myself a dumb person, but it feels almost impossible to bring my scores up.

I just graduated with a 3.68 GPA (3.61 Science GPA). If I got scores on the real DAT like the ones I've been averaging on practice tests, do you think I even have a CHANCE of getting into dental school anywhere? I really want to go to Midwestern (Glendale). (Thoughts?)

Did you guys notice higher scores on the actual DAT than on your practice DATs, or the other way around?

Here's hoping...

Call Midwestern, I think the average for their admitted class last year was a GPA of 3.4 and DAT of 19 !!

So based on that, you should be in. However, I have been reading that people with 3.7 GPA and AA 20 and TS of 20 did not even get an interview. So I am not sure which is which.

 

[Chemboy23]

PAT - Probably so
GC - maybe (I was scoring 23-26 on Topscore and got a 16 in this section)
OC - Yes, it is very simple on the real test
QR - HELL NO!!! I would say work on timing in this section, I got burnt here and was scoring ~21 every time in Topscore
RC - really not much to say, just hope and pray you don't get pianoed
Bio - sort of hard to say, if you're a Bio major, probably so (you're ready), if not...you need to read over Cliff's AP Bio and find your weaknesses. When you find them, make notecards to study them. I am a Bio major and got a 18 on the real test. My test was the hard version I guess though. I know all of them are hard, but it couldn't have possibly been any harder than mine.

So, I would say study QR like crazy. Study stuff you've never seen before. I had a word problem that used arcsin/arctan/arc something else, I had no idea what to do. Also, make sure you know standard deviations, absolute inequality graphs (how to interpret them), interest problems, etc...This section kills most people's score.

I'm not trying to discourage you, just trying to warn you before you get slapped in the face like I did. And whatever you do, DO NOT rely on that calculator. Mine screwed up and, like an idiot, I tried to work my way through it w/o telling anyone. I called ADA to get a retake, can't do it b/c I didn't document it or let the TA help. I didn't think I had time, so I tried to wing it. DO NOT do this if that happens to you.

Best of luck man! You'll do fine, just study your math a lot this weekend. Take Sunday off and let your brain rest.

 

[militantmango]

Thanks for the words of encouragement! I needed that!! I will focus on QR this weekend. I have been getting around 18 even though I blindly guess on the last 9-10 questions due to time (I furiously click for the last minute), so I figure I'm "getting it"...just not doing it fast enough. I don't know what to do about that...probably just practice more.

I hope I don't get pianoed, but I did take a Piano 101 class during college, so maybe that will help me out lol (I doubt it). What was your RC strategy? I tend to do "search and destroy" because I'm such a slow reader...

 

[dentist2be2011]

I took my DAT yesterday, and did well. My practice scores were similar to yours, and I got 24 TS, 23 AA and 22 PAT.
Just go over the problems you got wrong, and really understand all your mistakes. QR, if you have math destroyer or any other prep material, just time yourself and do it everyday before the test. The day before the test, do not freak out. Try not read SDN, i know it is very addictive. But knowing how well or bad other people did right before the test can be both good and bad. Just relax, go over everything. Good luck!

 

[shiftypoptart]

For practice test compared to the real thing I was scoring 14-16 on crack DAT, and 17-18 on kaplan and ended up with 20+ scores on every section... But in all honestly you can't rely on a practice test to tell you your final score because some people score high on the practice and ended up with average scores on their real thing. Best thing I can tell you is take it before you get burnt out because it happened to me and who knows I may have done better if I planned my studying a bit better. Go in head strong and tackle that science section then you'll feel confident for the rest of the test. Last piece of advice, use your last day to just relax so youll be fresh to take your test.