5
557684
This is my first post on SDN. I have been following these threads off and on for about 4 years now. Before you read any further this post is not for those of you that expect to read something about an amazing score or all the materials that I used, rather I hope to provide some encouragement and words of advice based of personal experience. (I have slept about three hours in 2 days so I hope my thoughts come across clear when writing).
First thing. Get on SDN and see what those who have done well used for their studying material- 99% of the time it is cliffs/barrons/ feralis/alan's notes (really they are all super similar) Chad's videos, datQvualt, DATbootcamp, and DAT destroyer (+Math), CDP with the occasional kaplan blue book. The one thing I don't think gets stressed enough is you have to fully commit your time to these resources to expect the results from them. Just following a study outline does not secure scores. You really commit to a new level, you must practice and practice and practice, then practice about practicing!!!!! Chad does tell you everything, literally!! However he is so smooth at talking you just think oh ya that make since, and then later in a questions you think "Chad you didn't cover that". As one thread previously said you go back and watch the video and sure enough........"I am sorry Chad you did say that I will never doubt you again". So for Chad's worth every penny and most importantly WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN and WATCH MULTIPLE TIMES!
Now, this was written on here before by someone else and it is 100% true, once you get your study plan GET OFF SDN. You will go through so many roller coasters of emotion during your study time that getting on here and seeing someone with a photographic memory say they got a 24 AA will only cause unnecessary stress. Don't compare yourself to the brilliant minds on here, just use their strategies.
Now, the purpose of this post. I took the DAT in 2009. I have always considered myself smart. However, when studying for the DAT I had to change my train of thought. In college I could always get A's or B's on exams simply from studying "enough" then just use the test itself to help answer questions and "figure it out as I went" (timing was not an issue like the DAT). I didn't care if I got a 100 as long as I did well enough- the little points didn't matter to me and were not worth putting the extra time in studying for. For the DAT this is NOT the case, and it took me a long long time to figure this out and realize what it would take to do well. The DAT is a matter of scratching and clawing for every point, and when your tired, you just have to find a way to keep going. (watch a Ray Lewis pregame speech and you will find motivation)
I studied 2 full months starting June 1 until Aug 5. I studied EVERY single day. The first month about 6 hours a day while working. The last month I stopped working and studied 10 - 12 hours a day, then the last week I really got burned out and just did as much as I could. I used the 8 week program, with a slight extension of time. When I started destroyer I broke just like almost everyone does the first time. I couldn't believe I was going to go through this all over again, just to do poorly. I listened to the people who had used it before who said "just stick with it". The one thing for me I found was a huge problem with DAT destroyer and even bootcamp in MY PERSONAL case was, I would review the answer and I would learn from my mistakes. However, I am extremely good at memorizing short term so I would memorize the answers, starting to revert back to old study habits, even though I was trying to learn WHY I got it wrong. LESSON- LEARN why the answer was right, all the threads say this- sometimes easier said than done. Now I am pretty sure I had about 10 total questions from Destroyer on my DAT, so the memorization actually worked out in this case. DATbootcamp is great too! It's worth every penny. I had all the tests, including PAT and RC. If your asking are the resources similar? Yes, but no matter how similar they are, and what people say, you must learn the material. PERIOD. That is what matters most.
Now my scores today were not magnificent by any means, and I do not think I blew anything away at all, and do not think I am even allowed in the same restaurant as other's who post on here let alone at the same table..... I just wanted to share with people who may feel overwhelmed when reading scores on here and having any self doubt when studying, and show them when you truly try and really put the time in and get others around you to support you, you will do well. In 2009 I scored the following (keep in mind no calculator then):
PAT: 19
QR: 12 (pathetic this was the 7%...........7th percentile......pathetic)
RC: 21
BIO: 14
GC: 14
OC: 16
AA:15
Scores for today:
PAT: 22
QR: 17
RC: 19
BIO: 20
GC: 18
OC: 21
AA: 19
Again, I don't think I blew the thing away but I hope that people who are maybe struggling will find some hope and motivation for their studying. I could honestly write a book on here about everything, but I hope that those of you feeling a worried about the process right now find some hope and just stick with it. The process is like a marathon, its painful but if you keep grinding it will be worth it.
First thing. Get on SDN and see what those who have done well used for their studying material- 99% of the time it is cliffs/barrons/ feralis/alan's notes (really they are all super similar) Chad's videos, datQvualt, DATbootcamp, and DAT destroyer (+Math), CDP with the occasional kaplan blue book. The one thing I don't think gets stressed enough is you have to fully commit your time to these resources to expect the results from them. Just following a study outline does not secure scores. You really commit to a new level, you must practice and practice and practice, then practice about practicing!!!!! Chad does tell you everything, literally!! However he is so smooth at talking you just think oh ya that make since, and then later in a questions you think "Chad you didn't cover that". As one thread previously said you go back and watch the video and sure enough........"I am sorry Chad you did say that I will never doubt you again". So for Chad's worth every penny and most importantly WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN and WATCH MULTIPLE TIMES!
Now, this was written on here before by someone else and it is 100% true, once you get your study plan GET OFF SDN. You will go through so many roller coasters of emotion during your study time that getting on here and seeing someone with a photographic memory say they got a 24 AA will only cause unnecessary stress. Don't compare yourself to the brilliant minds on here, just use their strategies.
Now, the purpose of this post. I took the DAT in 2009. I have always considered myself smart. However, when studying for the DAT I had to change my train of thought. In college I could always get A's or B's on exams simply from studying "enough" then just use the test itself to help answer questions and "figure it out as I went" (timing was not an issue like the DAT). I didn't care if I got a 100 as long as I did well enough- the little points didn't matter to me and were not worth putting the extra time in studying for. For the DAT this is NOT the case, and it took me a long long time to figure this out and realize what it would take to do well. The DAT is a matter of scratching and clawing for every point, and when your tired, you just have to find a way to keep going. (watch a Ray Lewis pregame speech and you will find motivation)
I studied 2 full months starting June 1 until Aug 5. I studied EVERY single day. The first month about 6 hours a day while working. The last month I stopped working and studied 10 - 12 hours a day, then the last week I really got burned out and just did as much as I could. I used the 8 week program, with a slight extension of time. When I started destroyer I broke just like almost everyone does the first time. I couldn't believe I was going to go through this all over again, just to do poorly. I listened to the people who had used it before who said "just stick with it". The one thing for me I found was a huge problem with DAT destroyer and even bootcamp in MY PERSONAL case was, I would review the answer and I would learn from my mistakes. However, I am extremely good at memorizing short term so I would memorize the answers, starting to revert back to old study habits, even though I was trying to learn WHY I got it wrong. LESSON- LEARN why the answer was right, all the threads say this- sometimes easier said than done. Now I am pretty sure I had about 10 total questions from Destroyer on my DAT, so the memorization actually worked out in this case. DATbootcamp is great too! It's worth every penny. I had all the tests, including PAT and RC. If your asking are the resources similar? Yes, but no matter how similar they are, and what people say, you must learn the material. PERIOD. That is what matters most.
Now my scores today were not magnificent by any means, and I do not think I blew anything away at all, and do not think I am even allowed in the same restaurant as other's who post on here let alone at the same table..... I just wanted to share with people who may feel overwhelmed when reading scores on here and having any self doubt when studying, and show them when you truly try and really put the time in and get others around you to support you, you will do well. In 2009 I scored the following (keep in mind no calculator then):
PAT: 19
QR: 12 (pathetic this was the 7%...........7th percentile......pathetic)
RC: 21
BIO: 14
GC: 14
OC: 16
AA:15
Scores for today:
PAT: 22
QR: 17
RC: 19
BIO: 20
GC: 18
OC: 21
AA: 19
Again, I don't think I blew the thing away but I hope that people who are maybe struggling will find some hope and motivation for their studying. I could honestly write a book on here about everything, but I hope that those of you feeling a worried about the process right now find some hope and just stick with it. The process is like a marathon, its painful but if you keep grinding it will be worth it.
