DAT RETAKE EDITION (2009-->2010); Mixed Feelings!

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2PacClone23

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Before I continue with my opinions of how I did and all that, just wanna thank SDN and you all for answering my stupid questions.


Now the breakdown:

Bio/Chem/OChem/PAT/RC/QR/TS/AA

2009:

Biology: 17
Chemistry: 22
Organic Chemistry: 17
PAT: 19
RC: 24
QR: 17
TS: 18
AA: 19

2010:

Biology: 19
Chemistry: 21
Organic Chemistry: 18
PAT: 20
RC: 18
QR: 19
TS: 19
AA: 19


Thus:

2009: AA/TS/PAT = 19/18/20

2010: AA/TS/PAT = 19/19/20




Biology: When people said random, I knew kinda how they meant because I had taken this test before. But what the ****!? This test was totally random and asked some random crap! Of course, some stuff was straightforward but I’d say about 1/3 of the questions were WTF or you had to think about it. I got this one picture about Sporangia and it’s like “identify it”, and I didn’t know WTF that was! All in all, I improved a lot since last year, and I attribute that to the Thinkwell videos and a better understand of biology from my classes. Well, not really. Just Thinkwell. Watch his videos. Go through Kaplan, if you don’t understand something, write it down on notepad, then go to the referenced ThinkWell video and watch it. It may get too detailed but it’s good. DAT Destroyer was useless for this.

Chemistry: Once again, DAT Destroyer is overkill and not really worth it. Just use CHAD and KAPLAN and you should be fine. In fact, Chad alone is good enough. Just do it. Pay it. Watch it. Live. Chad is the man and he will get you a 19+. I got a 22 last time so I’m kinda pissed I lowered the score. I honestly don’t remember what I could have missed but I did, so whatever

Organic Chemistry: SIGH! Once again, I do well below my expectation. Orgo is like one of my best sections on TopScore; I got like 19’s all the time. I get it. I made notecards of the roadmaps in Destroyer and I memorized them. And I still got raped! Why you ask? I’ll tell you why: Spectroscopy!!! Last test, I didn’t have ANY!!! This time, I had like 2 NMR’s, and 1 Carbon NMR’s. It was so annoying. I didn’t really know crap about it! I had like 1 IR too. If I had gotten my old test, I would have done better. I’m really pissed that I did so well on the reactions, yet got owned on the NMR section. No lab techniques or anything either.

PAT: CDP is amazing for this. I got 19’s and 20’s on it and a 20 on the real thing. I got a 19 last time so it was improved. I had about 10 minutes leftover so I just went back and reviewed my marked questions. No surprises here. Keyholes were on par with CDP; same with TFE. Hole Punching was 2x easier. Cube counting was super easy. Pattern was also easy except a few.

RC: WHAT THE ****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I get a 24 last time, which was my HIGHEST score and I get a 18, which is now my LOWEST score. What happened? I’ll ****ing tell you what happened: I got the PIANO PASSAGE!!! I didn’t know what you guys were referring to. I knew it was a really hard passage but I really didn’t think it’d be that hard. I mean come on, it’s about pianos! The passage is super detailed and the questions require you to read each and every line carefully. It was impossible. Sad part is, I had two really easy passages before it (one about cell communication and another about Aspirin), and then BAM! I see the Piano passage. My heart stopped and I was like “oh crap…I’m SOL!”. But then I just tried my best but I got owned. I feel really bad about this section. I was getting 21’s on Topscore. I can only imagine now what my AA would have been had I gotten a better RC score. I’m so pissed about this. I mean, what are the odds of getting this passage?!?! Why did this happen to me? I hate my life. Who the hell loses 6 points on RC?!?

QR: Know your angles. Did the whole ‘go through the easy stuff first, and hard stuff last’ approach and I got the 19 which is way better than my 17. Math was actually easier this time around than last time. Nothing crazy. Everything could have been solved had I had more time. Well maybe like 1-2, but still. Pretty nice.


Overall: Honestly, I don’t know what to think. My scores improved everywhere except GC and RC (where I got PWNED). I don’t know guys. My AADSAS GPA is about 3.3 with a science GPA of like 2.9. I know, it’s low but what can I do? I don’t know. I applied to UNLV, Western, UCSF, USC, UCLA, UoP, ASDOH, NYU, Boston, Maryland, Harvard (lol). I really don’t know what will happen. My #1 choice is probably Western or USC. Either way, I hope I get it. It’s really frustrating and hard on me to know that I tried so hard, and yet didn’t improve (at least from a AA-perspective), yet did better in every other section pretty much. It’s hard. It really is. I hate the Piano passage. I’m never gonna go near one again.


Oh and here are my scores from the practice tests:

CDP (Crack DAT PAT)

20/20/20/19/20

CDM (Crack DAT MATH)

17/19/20/17/19


Top Score 1

Bio/Chem/OChem/PAT/RC/QR/TS/AA

19/20/17/20/21/19/19/19

18/17/19/19/21/21/18/19

17/18/19 (just sciences)
 
Before I continue with my opinions of how I did and all that, just wanna thank SDN and you all for answering my stupid questions.


Now the breakdown:

Bio/Chem/OChem/PAT/RC/QR/TS/AA

2009:

Biology: 17
Chemistry: 22
Organic Chemistry: 17
PAT: 19
RC: 24
QR: 17
TS: 18
AA: 19

2010:

Biology: 19
Chemistry: 21
Organic Chemistry: 18
PAT: 20
RC: 18
QR: 19
TS: 19
AA: 19


Thus:

2009: AA/TS/PAT = 19/18/20

2010: AA/TS/PAT = 19/19/20




Biology: When people said random, I knew kinda how they meant because I had taken this test before. But what the ****!? This test was totally random and asked some random crap! Of course, some stuff was straightforward but I’d say about 1/3 of the questions were WTF or you had to think about it. I got this one picture about Sporangia and it’s like “identify it”, and I didn’t know WTF that was! All in all, I improved a lot since last year, and I attribute that to the Thinkwell videos and a better understand of biology from my classes. Well, not really. Just Thinkwell. Watch his videos. Go through Kaplan, if you don’t understand something, write it down on notepad, then go to the referenced ThinkWell video and watch it. It may get too detailed but it’s good. DAT Destroyer was useless for this.

Chemistry: Once again, DAT Destroyer is overkill and not really worth it. Just use CHAD and KAPLAN and you should be fine. In fact, Chad alone is good enough. Just do it. Pay it. Watch it. Live. Chad is the man and he will get you a 19+. I got a 22 last time so I’m kinda pissed I lowered the score. I honestly don’t remember what I could have missed but I did, so whatever

Organic Chemistry: SIGH! Once again, I do well below my expectation. Orgo is like one of my best sections on TopScore; I got like 19’s all the time. I get it. I made notecards of the roadmaps in Destroyer and I memorized them. And I still got raped! Why you ask? I’ll tell you why: Spectroscopy!!! Last test, I didn’t have ANY!!! This time, I had like 2 NMR’s, and 1 Carbon NMR’s. It was so annoying. I didn’t really know crap about it! I had like 1 IR too. If I had gotten my old test, I would have done better. I’m really pissed that I did so well on the reactions, yet got owned on the NMR section. No lab techniques or anything either.

PAT: CDP is amazing for this. I got 19’s and 20’s on it and a 20 on the real thing. I got a 19 last time so it was improved. I had about 10 minutes leftover so I just went back and reviewed my marked questions. No surprises here. Keyholes were on par with CDP; same with TFE. Hole Punching was 2x easier. Cube counting was super easy. Pattern was also easy except a few.

RC: WHAT THE ****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I get a 24 last time, which was my HIGHEST score and I get a 18, which is now my LOWEST score. What happened? I’ll ****ing tell you what happened: I got the PIANO PASSAGE!!! I didn’t know what you guys were referring to. I knew it was a really hard passage but I really didn’t think it’d be that hard. I mean come on, it’s about pianos! The passage is super detailed and the questions require you to read each and every line carefully. It was impossible. Sad part is, I had two really easy passages before it (one about cell communication and another about Aspirin), and then BAM! I see the Piano passage. My heart stopped and I was like “oh crap…I’m SOL!”. But then I just tried my best but I got owned. I feel really bad about this section. I was getting 21’s on Topscore. I can only imagine now what my AA would have been had I gotten a better RC score. I’m so pissed about this. I mean, what are the odds of getting this passage?!?! Why did this happen to me? I hate my life. Who the hell loses 6 points on RC?!?

QR: Know your angles. Did the whole ‘go through the easy stuff first, and hard stuff last’ approach and I got the 19 which is way better than my 17. Math was actually easier this time around than last time. Nothing crazy. Everything could have been solved had I had more time. Well maybe like 1-2, but still. Pretty nice.


Overall: Honestly, I don’t know what to think. My scores improved everywhere except GC and RC (where I got PWNED). I don’t know guys. My AADSAS GPA is about 3.3 with a science GPA of like 2.9. I know, it’s low but what can I do? I don’t know. I applied to UNLV, Western, UCSF, USC, UCLA, UoP, ASDOH, NYU, Boston, Maryland, Harvard (lol). I really don’t know what will happen. My #1 choice is probably Western or USC. Either way, I hope I get it. It’s really frustrating and hard on me to know that I tried so hard, and yet didn’t improve (at least from a AA-perspective), yet did better in every other section pretty much. It’s hard. It really is. I hate the Piano passage. I’m never gonna go near one again.


Oh and here are my scores from the practice tests:

CDP (Crack DAT PAT)

20/20/20/19/20

CDM (Crack DAT MATH)

17/19/20/17/19


Top Score 1

Bio/Chem/OChem/PAT/RC/QR/TS/AA

19/20/17/20/21/19/19/19

18/17/19/19/21/21/18/19

17/18/19 (just sciences)


congrats!! u did well twice idk why ur so upset...i get u wanted to improve ur AA but if u look at the bright side u did improve in other areas and u got a 19AA twice shows consistency and a 19 is above the avg so be proud and better, be happy as shyt that ur done...lucky u....ive read on here that schools has a 2.75 cut off for gpa so ur still above that dont worry so much, u did all that U could do now the rest is out of ur hands apply and see where it takes u.

again congrats!
 
As soon as I saw your second RC score... I knew it was piano...

My RC dropped from 20 -> 16 because I got the Piano passage!!!

I feel you... but your score are def. better than the last one I think...

Congrats and enjoy your weekends!
 
Before I continue with my opinions of how I did and all that, just wanna thank SDN and you all for answering my stupid questions.


Now the breakdown:

Bio/Chem/OChem/PAT/RC/QR/TS/AA

2009:

Biology: 17
Chemistry: 22
Organic Chemistry: 17
PAT: 19
RC: 24
QR: 17
TS: 18
AA: 19

2010:

Biology: 19
Chemistry: 21
Organic Chemistry: 18
PAT: 20
RC: 18
QR: 19
TS: 19
AA: 19


Thus:

2009: AA/TS/PAT = 19/18/20

2010: AA/TS/PAT = 19/19/20




Biology: When people said random, I knew kinda how they meant because I had taken this test before. But what the ****!? This test was totally random and asked some random crap! Of course, some stuff was straightforward but I’d say about 1/3 of the questions were WTF or you had to think about it. I got this one picture about Sporangia and it’s like “identify it”, and I didn’t know WTF that was! All in all, I improved a lot since last year, and I attribute that to the Thinkwell videos and a better understand of biology from my classes. Well, not really. Just Thinkwell. Watch his videos. Go through Kaplan, if you don’t understand something, write it down on notepad, then go to the referenced ThinkWell video and watch it. It may get too detailed but it’s good. DAT Destroyer was useless for this.

Chemistry: Once again, DAT Destroyer is overkill and not really worth it. Just use CHAD and KAPLAN and you should be fine. In fact, Chad alone is good enough. Just do it. Pay it. Watch it. Live. Chad is the man and he will get you a 19+. I got a 22 last time so I’m kinda pissed I lowered the score. I honestly don’t remember what I could have missed but I did, so whatever

Organic Chemistry: SIGH! Once again, I do well below my expectation. Orgo is like one of my best sections on TopScore; I got like 19’s all the time. I get it. I made notecards of the roadmaps in Destroyer and I memorized them. And I still got raped! Why you ask? I’ll tell you why: Spectroscopy!!! Last test, I didn’t have ANY!!! This time, I had like 2 NMR’s, and 1 Carbon NMR’s. It was so annoying. I didn’t really know crap about it! I had like 1 IR too. If I had gotten my old test, I would have done better. I’m really pissed that I did so well on the reactions, yet got owned on the NMR section. No lab techniques or anything either.

PAT: CDP is amazing for this. I got 19’s and 20’s on it and a 20 on the real thing. I got a 19 last time so it was improved. I had about 10 minutes leftover so I just went back and reviewed my marked questions. No surprises here. Keyholes were on par with CDP; same with TFE. Hole Punching was 2x easier. Cube counting was super easy. Pattern was also easy except a few.

RC: WHAT THE ****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I get a 24 last time, which was my HIGHEST score and I get a 18, which is now my LOWEST score. What happened? I’ll ****ing tell you what happened: I got the PIANO PASSAGE!!! I didn’t know what you guys were referring to. I knew it was a really hard passage but I really didn’t think it’d be that hard. I mean come on, it’s about pianos! The passage is super detailed and the questions require you to read each and every line carefully. It was impossible. Sad part is, I had two really easy passages before it (one about cell communication and another about Aspirin), and then BAM! I see the Piano passage. My heart stopped and I was like “oh crap…I’m SOL!”. But then I just tried my best but I got owned. I feel really bad about this section. I was getting 21’s on Topscore. I can only imagine now what my AA would have been had I gotten a better RC score. I’m so pissed about this. I mean, what are the odds of getting this passage?!?! Why did this happen to me? I hate my life. Who the hell loses 6 points on RC?!?

QR: Know your angles. Did the whole ‘go through the easy stuff first, and hard stuff last’ approach and I got the 19 which is way better than my 17. Math was actually easier this time around than last time. Nothing crazy. Everything could have been solved had I had more time. Well maybe like 1-2, but still. Pretty nice.


Overall: Honestly, I don’t know what to think. My scores improved everywhere except GC and RC (where I got PWNED). I don’t know guys. My AADSAS GPA is about 3.3 with a science GPA of like 2.9. I know, it’s low but what can I do? I don’t know. I applied to UNLV, Western, UCSF, USC, UCLA, UoP, ASDOH, NYU, Boston, Maryland, Harvard (lol). I really don’t know what will happen. My #1 choice is probably Western or USC. Either way, I hope I get it. It’s really frustrating and hard on me to know that I tried so hard, and yet didn’t improve (at least from a AA-perspective), yet did better in every other section pretty much. It’s hard. It really is. I hate the Piano passage. I’m never gonna go near one again.


Oh and here are my scores from the practice tests:

CDP (Crack DAT PAT)

20/20/20/19/20

CDM (Crack DAT MATH)

17/19/20/17/19


Top Score 1

Bio/Chem/OChem/PAT/RC/QR/TS/AA

19/20/17/20/21/19/19/19

18/17/19/19/21/21/18/19

17/18/19 (just sciences)


I know what you mean... we had same exam and I thought those questions are stupid...and Orgo was harder than my expectation due to tooooo many spectroscopy questions...😡
 
Hmm... If you got that 24 RC on the test you took today, that would have been even better. They might think your 1st RC was a fluke.
You improved everywhere and got rid of those 3 17's and improved your TS. But, your RC went down tremendously from 24->18. I don't know which is better cause schools love high RC score. Good luck this cycle :xf:
Oh yea, I think you need a retake 3rd time cause your gpa is below average. These scores will not cover your gpa. You need a 21AA+.
 
Dude, I say awesome job! Granted, the rc is effing frustrating but whatever. You did everything you could and your scores are super legit! Congrats on being done! Slash I've applied to pretty much all the schools you did so maybe I'll be seeing you next fall haha
 
I was rooting for you, man. I'm not trying to butter you up, but really, you did a great job and your scores are higher than average. 👍
It's a tough test. You did your best with what todays DAT handed to you. Congrats. Be proud of yourself, and enjoy the rest of your summer vacation.
If you have some good EC's/volunteer work, and a kick *** PS, I don't see how you couldn't get some interviews. Keep us updated please!
 
good job dude i guess my prayer for u was answered...
dont stress the rc theyll see the inconsistency with the first exam...

gl with apps
 
Damn, that's rough. I was piano'd the first time I took the test so I totally understand. If I were you, I would start applying to some masters programs right now as a backup but still hope for the best. That sciGPA needs a little work.
 
Yo, im gonna be honest. you might have trouble gettin in so be prepared for that. It's better to be realistic than to be optimistic--although a bit of faith never hurts. Trust.

Your biggest weakness is your low science GPA (followed by your overall GPA). On the flip side, your DAT is somewhat competitive for most of your listed schools (except UCLA, UCSF). Why didn't you apply to Midwestern-IL (since it is new and most likely will have lower standards), MWU-AZ, and Temple?

I'm assuming you are going into your Senior year so ima lay it down for ya:

1) keep taking upper div bio courses AND DO WELL! in the case you gotta re-apply next year. i dont believe in Academic updates..that ish doesnt do nothing. if they not interested in you they put you in the "no-go" pile. they not gonna think "oh maybe lets check his academic updates" since a few courses wont boost your GPA much and they be reeaaal busy. exception: you are SUPER borderline. AU is more a check they do when you got interviewed already to make sure you didnt get Cs/Ds/Fs and kept up the work.

2) Take some chill courses to bump your overall GPA. EASY courses that aint jus fo giggles, but will also compliment your interest in dentistry. na mean?

Example:
manual dexterity (CERAMICS, beginning keyboard, pottery, finger breakdancing)
undergrad business classes (finance, running a business, entrepreneurship).
psychology, sociology, etc

3) If when February/March rolls around and you still are not in, apply to postbacs or biology-related MS (non-thesis). Get the 1-year options so you dont have to do 2 years. Do NOT wait too late to apply because everyone will be scrambling last minute to get into a MS/postbacc = more competition. Act fast. my homie Ricky Bobby says it best, "If you aint first, you're last"

4) If you get in, AWESOME! if not, at least you got a plan B (Masters or postbacc). OPTIONAL: Take DAT 3rd time if you MUST..but understand it is a risk for your already decent scores. also 3rd time is the last time.

Hope this helps.
 
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Yo, im gonna be honest. you might have trouble gettin in so be prepared for that. It's better to be realistic than to be optimistic--although a bit of faith never hurts. Trust.

Your biggest weakness is your low science GPA (followed by your overall GPA). On the flip side, your DAT is somewhat competitive for most of your listed schools (except UCLA, UCSF). Why didn't you apply to Midwestern-IL (since it is new and most likely will have lower standards), MWU-AZ, and Temple?

I'm assuming you are going into your Senior year so ima lay it down for ya:

1) keep taking upper div bio courses AND DO WELL! in the case you gotta re-apply next year. i dont believe in Academic updates..that ish doesnt do nothing. if they not interested in you they put you in the "no-go" pile. they not gonna think "oh maybe lets check his academic updates" since a few courses wont boost your GPA much and they be reeaaal busy. exception: you are SUPER borderline. AU is more a check they do when you got interviewed already to make sure you didnt get Cs/Ds/Fs and kept up the work.

2) Take some chill courses to bump your overall GPA. EASY courses that aint jus fo giggles, but will also compliment your interest in dentistry. na mean?

Example:
manual dexterity (CERAMICS, beginning keyboard, pottery, finger breakdancing)
undergrad business classes (finance, running a business, entrepreneurship).
psychology, sociology, etc

3) If when February/March rolls around and you still are not in, apply to postbacs or biology-related MS (non-thesis). Get the 1-year options so you dont have to do 2 years. Do NOT wait too late to apply because everyone will be scrambling last minute to get into a MS/postbacc = more competition. Act fast. my homie Ricky Bobby says it best, "If you aint first, you're last"

4) If you get in, AWESOME! if not, at least you got a plan B (Masters or postbacc). OPTIONAL: Take DAT 3rd time if you MUST..but understand it is a risk for your already decent scores. also 3rd time is the last time.

Hope this helps.


Yeah man I appreciate it. I don't now what do though. Should I re-apply again next June if I don't get in anywhere? When do Master programs open up and where in California do they offer non-thesis 1 year programs? That'd be sick and I'd try so hard to ace those courses!

A post-bacc is a total waste of time for me. I have so many bacc courses that a few more A's here and there won't raise the GPA significantly.

But yeah that's what I'm looking at; if I get in anywhere, then AWESOME! If not, then I apply for masters in march (like you said but I still need help figuring what's what) and then also reapply for dental schools again (if I don't get in) in June + DAT.


SIGH!
 
yea i got ur version the first time. identify that thing in bio was wtf to me too. hahhaha. so my luck is better i guess since i got owned on the first one. my RC was like 15 for piano. jumped to 20 this time. i feel ya.
 
Hey man...I had the same test you had and you did much better than I did. The sporangia question...lol...I was like man wtf??? The piano passage was ridiculous as well...it seems we both have the same luck lol...best of luck to you bro! I feel your pain!
 
I think I got the same test too. I got 19 19 21

I have to say though that I have seen the sporangia diagram before in my high school biology class. I think I still got it wrong though.
 
Yeah I don't know.

It's my luck you know? I don't want to take it a third bloody time!!!
 
Yeah man tough break on the Piano Passage. I got the ethics one and was pissed about it. Luckily I figured it out somehow though--perhaps the questions were easier to narrow down and guess when you have an Idea what the words mean. All around they should remove those ridiculous piano and ethics passages.

Either way, I do not envy you if you have to take it a 3rd time.
 
I don't think you need to take it a third time unless you don't get in this cycle. Start applying for masters programs in November and then wait to take it a third time after the masters program assuming the worst.

I was in the same exact situtation where I got a 19/19/19 while getting piano'd... didn't get in and went to a masters program and retook the DAT afterwards with much less studying than I did the first time and got a 21/20/17.
 
Yeah definitely don't feel down about your RC. I was getting in the low 20's in my RC practice, and got a 17 with the piano version. It sucks.
Overall, however, you're sitting pretty. Don't go and only celebrate that it's over, but you have reason to celebrate with those scores. Very solid.
Good luck!
 
Yeah definitely don't feel down about your RC. I was getting in the low 20's in my RC practice, and got a 17 with the piano version. It sucks.
Overall, however, you're sitting pretty. Don't go and only celebrate that it's over, but you have reason to celebrate with those scores. Very solid.
Good luck!

Alright thanks for the encouragement man. I know my scores would be sick if I had like a 3.7 GPA but I don't. My AADSAS GPA is like a 3.27, which isn't horrible but it ain't great either. My science GPA is the killer.

Does anyone know if the UCR 1 year biochemistry non-thesis program is legit?
 
i wouldnt count out another year of post bacc of science courses. lots of admins look at your most recent trend. id talk to them personally and get their opinion before planning your next attack - the only thing you will get here is conjecture.
 
i wouldnt count out another year of post bacc of science courses. lots of admins look at your most recent trend. id talk to them personally and get their opinion before planning your next attack - the only thing you will get here is conjecture.

True but a bunch of science courses here and there won't help my GPA whatsoever.
 
Are you sure?

They might not help your gpa improve that much, but they'll help your trend be one of better grades if you do well in them. 😀
 
Wouldn't a 1 year masters be 10x better though? If I could pull off like a 3.8 GPA, I'd be pretty happy.
 
My reading comprehension dropped too from 20 to 18 because of that stupid piano passage. I can't forgot that passage, I spent about 20 some minutes.
 
haha . . . I love it. Great idea.

Just to put in my two cents though, I don't think the piano passage is that tough. The first time I took the DAT I got that section. I was relieved at the time because I play the piano, so I was actually interested in the information. I got a 25.

I retook a year later and got a 22 becuase there was a section that looked like it could have come from a biochemistry journal. THAT was tough. My advice is to practice reading with total focus, until you can read at least a couple pages without letting your mind wander once. That's what I did the first time around and it worked. I blame my drop in score on too much coffee. 🙂
 
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That video was actually very interesting. 🙂

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