DAT Orgo without Orgo 2

[201Blue]

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I'm in the summer class now but I'll be taking my DAT at the end of June. Any advice on how to cover the topics needed for the DAT from Orgo 2? Chads videos seem helpful.

 

[chill45]

I'm in the summer class now but I'll be taking my DAT at the end of June. Any advice on how to cover the topics needed for the DAT from Orgo 2? Chads videos seem helpful.

From my experience with organic: Organic 1 taught me how to study for the class, but Organic 2 actually taught me what the crap I was looking at. I really couldn't imagine taking the DAT without Organic 2 under my belt, but I'm sure it's possible. I guess if you start studying now and use destroyer (since it has great explanations) it would also give you an edge in the class.

 

[sacapuntas]

Very possible, I did it and it was my best section. I know a few other people matriculating to dental school this fall that did it as well. Them doing well encouraged me to do the DAT before OC 2 so that I didn't need to take the DAT the same spring I was applying to D-School.

The materials I found essential for this task:

Organic Chem as a 2nd language 1st and 2nd semester topics - I read through these books and did most of the problems in them. It helped a lot.

Chad's Videos - watched all videos and did all quizes several times

DAT Destroyer - I got to the point that I knew how to do every problem in DAT Destroyer O-Chem. I repeated the section until not only did I know every answer, but why they were right.

I went back and forth between these resources and made a lot of flash cards.

TopScore was the last resource I used for O-Chem and it gave me confidence I really did know the material.

You will probably study an extra 2-3 weeks to do the DAT before OC 2, but for me it was worth it as I am not stressing about studying for the DAT now.

 

[201Blue]

Very possible, I did it and it was my best section. I know a few other people matriculating to dental school this fall that did it as well. Them doing well encouraged me to do the DAT before OC 2 so that I didn't need to take the DAT the same spring I was applying to D-School.

The materials I found essential for this task:

Organic Chem as a 2nd language 1st and 2nd semester topics - I read through these books and did most of the problems in them. It helped a lot.

Chad's Videos - watched all videos and did all quizes several times

DAT Destroyer - I got to the point that I knew how to do every problem in DAT Destroyer O-Chem. I repeated the section until not only did I know every answer, but why they were right.

I went back and forth between these resources and made a lot of flash cards.

TopScore was the last resource I used for O-Chem and it gave me confidence I really did know the material.

You will probably study an extra 2-3 weeks to do the DAT before OC 2, but for me it was worth it as I am not stressing about studying for the DAT now.

Oh wow ok! I'll look into that. I think it's a plus I'm in the class now so as I'm studying, those topics will be reinforced and I'll be able to go to someone if I have questions but this is great for a confident boost so I don't have to wait until the class is completely over. I'm always nervous about taking an extra week or two because then I'll keep doing it.

 

[Babyblue57]

I disagree. I was a TA for OC, OC1 teaches you the language of OC, OC2 is where you learn the bulk of reactions. You need both.

 

[TheDentist16]

I agree with Babyblue. In order to do well on the OC section of the real DAT, a thorough understand of Orgo 2 is needed. The OC section has a lot of reactions with various reagents and synthetic processes that are normally taught in Orgo 2. However, to know what each reagent does and why such reactions occur the way they do, Orgo 1 is needed. Basically, you learn representative mechanisms (not needed for the real DAT) in Orgo 1. You are expected to know the mechanisms and thus arrive at reaction schemes in Orgo 2. Chad's Videos goes over broadly both Orgo 1 and 2, but the classes for each are still highly recommended.

 

[sacapuntas]

I disagree. I was a TA for OC, OC1 teaches you the language of OC, OC2 is where you learn the bulk of reactions. You need both.

I am going to have to disagree with your disagreement.

Some people don't need the class to learn content, if the OP doesn't then they can take the DAT a semester earlier.

And to be honest, I had only a very simplistic understanding of a lot of OC 2 when I took the DAT. I understood how to answer questions for it, largely through memorization and doing LOTS of problems yet it went very well.

It is tough to say it isn't possible to do this when myself and several I know have done this. There are people I have met that have taken neither o-chem and still done adequately on the DAT. It is all about your motivation and ability to self teach.

 

[Rlow04]

I am going to have to disagree with your disagreement.

Some people don't need the class to learn content, if the OP doesn't then they can take the DAT a semester earlier.

And to be honest, I had only a very simplistic understanding of a lot of OC 2 when I took the DAT. I understood how to answer questions for it, largely through memorization and doing LOTS of problems yet it went very well.

It is tough to say it isn't possible to do this when myself and several I know have done this. There are people I have met that have taken neither o-chem and still done adequately on the DAT. It is all about your motivation and ability to self teach.

I'm going to have to agree with your disagreement of his disagreement. If you're a good self studyer - Chad's will be fine. The real DAT is heavy on first semester Ochem and light on second semester. Just look at the specific reactions listed by the ADA that they're going to test on (http://www.ada.org/sections/educationAndCareers/pdfs/dat_users_manual.pdf page 47) and learn those reactions.

I didn't go to class second half of Ochem because I learned more by reading the book and doing all the problems in the chapter. You'll be fine if you're confident in your abilities.

And follow up Chad's videos with DAT Destroyer.