DAT Procedures once you get into the center

[ksksks]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hey thanks to everyone who is so kind in this forum. I am also trying to help many people out just like you folks. I am a Canadian who has to drive down all the way near Seattle and I was not too sure about the testing conditions, the procedures, the "sharpies and whiteboard" thing, the type of chair (leather/wood?) etc LOL sorry i am asking too many specifics, but I am just trying to imagine how the place would look like inside.

Could someone elaborate their own DAT experience (Good/Bad 🙁 ) in step by step (including the breaks?)

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP and ASK ME ANYTHING, I WILL HELP TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES

 

[DrDentista]

lol

Don't think to much about the center and everything. It will get you too nervous.

Basically think of a fancy classroom with cubicles, and each cubicle has a nice chair and old ass computer. You take your test on this old ass computer.

There are cameras up above so don't pay too much attention to them but know they are there.

When you take the test prop the keyboard to the side...it will give you more space to work with.

When you come in they check your IDs and I arrived early to my exam so they just let me take my exam early which was nice. I still asked for 15 minutes so I could "cool" down haha. I was getting nervous already.

Then you get your thumbprint and picture taken and sign this sheet

Then they give you a whiteboard and markers. Make sure the markers work. If you can ask for more markers. Make sure to CAP the markers. I forgot to cap my markers while I was reading other questions and they ran out ! ha, so I sat there taking the test with my hand up in the air and then someone came in to give me markers. The whiteboards are better than paper in my opinion. Paper you may run out of room but with whiteboards you can just erase quickly and have all this space again =o)

Okay so the 15 minute tutorial is available on ada so read it early, when you are at your computer just close your eyes and try to relax, ignore the tutorial.

Okay so for breaks as soon as it starts run out and get signed out. THEY ARE SO SLOW in signing you out and even in. I think I heard a few people on SDN say that. They seriously think the time factor doesnt matter but honestly try to just say you need to go to the bathroom badly so they pick up the pace. I ran to the bathroom and then ran back and it took her a good 3 minutes to sign me back in. Loser. I didn't run out of time but the point was I wanted to sit back at the desk and just cool down. Not waste half my time being signed in and out. I don't get why the hell they are so slow with it. Don't they know people are taking timed exams.

Anyways, your score pops up after this survey.

Thankfully I ended up with a 21 AA 20 PAT but I'll admit I covered my eyes and then slowly peeked haha.

SOOO I peaced the hell out of that place =) Well they had to sign me out of course. Another 15 minutes, losers.

Just make sure you somehow let them know you only have 5 minutes otherwise they take their dandy old time. Better yet when you sign in write your name in BIGGG LETTERS so when they flip through to find your name it stands out. The lady would pass my name and I'd say you just passed it ...it's 2 pages forward...she would go 4 pages backwards. Mad dumb.

SO KEEP YOUR COOL, I get very nervous with big tests so spend the tutorial time just relaxing. I didn't write down any notes etc. Everything was in my brain so I spent the full 15 minutes just sitting there and relaxing with my eyes closed and PRAYING ha.

GLUCK you will be fine eat a good healthy breakfast. I generally don't eat a full breakfast but everytime I took a practice on my own I always ate breakfast forcing me to get used to it.

OKAY hope this all helps. Wait one more thing to help you, put some nice smelly lotion on your hands so when you are trying to relax smell it. I did it, and hey it worked =)

 

[DrDentista]

BTW not sure if you know but the prometric center, well at least the one near me allows you to go through a mini trial run if you pay 25$ or something. They will do everything as they would on test day so you get a feel for it. Call up your testing center, they should most def have it. Mine had it...not that I did it but since you're concerned...

 

[ksksks]

thank you so much dentista! great help indeed

 

[Doc Numbskull]

Also, take a candy bar with you to the test center. They usually have someplace where you can keep it. Mine had a fidge and a counter to leave it on. When you hit your 15 min break, eat some of it. Just don't eat so much that it gives you a upset stomach. The brain runs on glucose and that little bit extra really helped me power through RC and QR.

 

[DrDentista]

candy bar?!?!?!? what?!?!?! are you serious????

Eat something healthy...maybe a nutri gran bar, NOT candy.

 

[Orgodox]

I heard you can pay 15 dollars and check out the center before and do the tutorial we get when it starts. I didnt do this but you might want to

 

[ryry]

Hey thanks to everyone who is so kind in this forum. I am also trying to help many people out just like you folks. I am a Canadian who has to drive down all the way near Seattle and I was not too sure about the testing conditions, the procedures, the "sharpies and whiteboard" thing, the type of chair (leather/wood?) etc LOL sorry i am asking too many specifics, but I am just trying to imagine how the place would look like inside.

Could someone elaborate their own DAT experience (Good/Bad 🙁 ) in step by step (including the breaks?)

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP and ASK ME ANYTHING, I WILL HELP TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES

i took mine in nyc so it might be different from your testing center, but basically, you check it at the front. you need two ID cards (i only have my driver's license, so had to use my credit card as second ID - but since you are coming from canada, i assume you will bring your passport).

and you go into this room where take your photo and fingerprints. they gave me 4 laminated sheets, two pens and a dry eraser (make sure the pens are working just fine before you enter the room).

the actual testing room is like a library quite room. little cubicles, each with computers. they provide you with ear muffs if you need something to cover up your ears - there may be a lot of people in the room. when i took mine, it was a full house.

to answer your specific question, my chair was a big leather chair. very comfortable.

one thing that happened to me which might not have happened to others is that the system crashed. everyone's computer in my room crashed and they had to reboot the system. but nothing to worry about - the computer saves all your answer choices every few seconds to be ready for situations like this.

just know that if you need to leave the room for any reason, they finger print you on your way out and way back.

hope this helped!