Hey guys! So I've decided to take my DAT in January before spring classes begin. I will be taking kaplan from October 1st - Decemebr 6th. I also plan on self-studying all of winter break with DAT Destroyer and Chad's Videos.. (by the way, does anybody recommend DAT bootcamp for self-studying as well) I originally was going to self-study all of winter break with DAT bootcamp, Chad's videos, and DAT Destroyer for the whole winter break 8 hours/day. But I heard winter break isn't typically enough for one of the biggest tests you'll ever take. ANY ADVICE? COMMENTS! ANYTHING HELPS! Is kaplan a waste??? I hear its full of practice exams and you can get a free course if you dont like your score. I know people generally do kaplan or self-study but im gunna try and do both even though it's expensive. I really just see it as an investment towards my future! PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOUR OPINIONS ARE!!!
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I didn't do Kaplan, but I did buy their book and while it did help me have a solid base of somewhere to start for studying, I'm finding quite a few mistakes in it as I'm working through Destroyer, so take it with a grain of salt. I don't get why you'd go with them again with a free course if they already failed you once, but that's just my opinion...Bootcamp and Destroyer and old class notes and videos should be all that you need.
Yes cause longer and you'll start to feel burned out. A month is plenty of time, but it depends on who you are as a student- do you slack? Do you study rigorously? Some people need a couple of months; others have gotten excellent scores in only two weeks. With Destroyer and Bootcamp, the goal isn't to just go through it once- you have to go through it many times to grasp the material.
I think Kaplan is a huge waste of time and money. A month with Destroyer and Bootcamp (if you've been studying for several months beforehand which is your current plan) should be enough time, but I'd seriously reconsider how you plan on studying in the few months leading up to those resources.
Please stop slamming Kaplan every chance you get, it is not right and some students need the structured environment. As I have stated before perhaps it is not enough to get the high scores, but some students are totally lost and need this type of guidance.
Just my 2 cents with a lot of experience in this field.
Check your messages.
Here's my 2 cents: paying thousands of dollars for a course whose instructors have minimal qualifications and materials are not thorough enough or even specifically tailored for the DAT (mostly just repurposed MCAT material) is inefficient and a huge waste of money when there are far better (and cheaper) resources to dedicate one's time for on the DAT.
A student being able to make their own study schedule, structure their own study time, and stick to it is a critical skill - not just for the DAT, but into dental school as well. Students shouldn't waste money on courses that are a crutch for their inability to manage their own time.
Preparing for the DAT, taking the test, applying to dental school, and traveling to interview is an expensive enough process as it is. There's absolutely zero reason to back a course run by Kaplan who views preparing for the DAT as nothing more than a means to make money. Even that I would be willing to overlook if their materials were high quality or even remotely cost effective - they aren't.
I'll continue to give my honest feedback every chance I get. What's not right is advocating blowing thousands of dollars on a subpar course.
