DAT retake. mixed feelings

[Cappi]

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Edit: Breakdown is few posts down

So here's my old post
"Went in pretty confident but the biology section totally caught me off guard. It has random stuff that I've never seen before. Also got passages with lot's of inference question. Totally different from the practices I've done and totally messed up search and destroy method. I was never good in English so I couldn't really complain.

PAT21
QR19
RC17
Bio17
GC22
OC21

TS19
AA19

Really bummed out about bio. I was expecting at least a 20 on my TS.
Have a GPA of 3.1 over all and 3.2 science.
Had above 3.5 for the last year of college since frat and lots extracurricular destroyed my grade during sophmore and junior.
Held Vicepresident, Public Relations, Community Service in my frat and clubs. Costarted a club. Went on dental mission to costa rica. Did research in the nutrition department. Interned at the emergency room. Have tons of random community services for clubs/frat. Of course the usual Dentist shadowing. One with a general and one with an Endodontist.
I just wish to stay in southern California and go Western or USC. I don't know if my stats are possible. Any Suggestions?"

Retook my DAT today. Got mixed feelings.

BIO 22
Chem21
Ochem20
PAT 22
RC 19
QR 22

TS21
AA21

I was shocked about my 17 Bio last time. so i study like crazy and it paid off.
RC increased which I was happy about. I just want to say search and destroy does not really work anymore. cause there's a lot of proving hypothesis and theories. They give you some statement and ask which of the answer choices does it prove.

What I was really bummed out about is my chemistry and ochem which are my strength and are suppose to higher than all other score. They got lower this time. I'll post a break down later tonight. Super hungry right now

 

[AlbinoPolarBear]

Lay off the SDN crack dude.

21/21/21, with no sections under 19 is extremely solid.

Good luck on applications!

 

[Cappi]

It's because of my low gpa. i need a good dat to balance out. I was told I need at least 22.

 

[AlbinoPolarBear]

Whats your overall GPA and science GPA?

 

[Cappi]

It says on my post. 3.1 overall 3.2 science from mostly B- bio and mostly A in chem/ochem. mostly Cs in GE classes.
I've noticed quite a few destroyed their dat these few days. A little Jealous. haha
def tougher cycle this year

 

[AlbinoPolarBear]

Sorry my bad.

Yeah your GPA is on the low side, but you do have a chance with a school like USC (average accepted applicant has GPA of 3.2 and DAT of 19). It will cost a pretty penny though.

 

[LetsGo2DSchool]

You should be happy with your scores. I'm sure you will get interviews.

 

[Cappi]

Here's the break down.

As you see from my previous Dat. I got 17 on my bio. This time I memorized all the notes that are getting circulated around in the forum. Know what's special about it's phylum. Such as...coelom, what kind of circulatory system, excretion, movements. Know your ectoderm, mesoderm, endoderm. DAT loves those. Know your biomes. Most questions are in the kaplan book if you read carefully. What really help me this time is making my own chart and notes for bio. Organize your own notes. Make your own ,laboratory, experiment, disease, taxa chart and tape them to your wall or on the ceiling of your bed. It doesn't work if you use other people's notes, you HAVE to make your own for this to work better.

Chem and Ochem: Not much to say. Still chad + dat destroyer is gold. pH color was on the test that chad didn't review. Pretty much everything else is straight forward. Don't know why I got them wrong. Perhaps I work through them too fast. Had half an hour left.

PAT: Harder than last year. hole punching has crazy folds. The cross technique from youtube really helped. I probably got most wrong in angle and hold punching. Angle you just have to go with your guts and work through them really fast. Cube counting....no one should be getting any wrong on this section. There was a cube today that was badly drawn and flat.

RC: I think they switched out the old passage. Hopefully no more frat, piano, and ethic. There were lots of questions that gives you statement of answer and reason and ask you whats wrong with it. Also alot of questions that they give you a statement and ask which hypothesis, theory, or what not does it prove. The best practice to do now is to practice reading scientific passage. Everytime you read a paragraph, summarize that paragraph when you practice. Cause I know during tests we all get nervous and forgot what we just read and had to reread the paragraphs for like 3 times. I used kaplan's mapping strategy.

QR: Harder, more word question than before. Had p-value last time non this time. More word problems this time. Know speed = distance/ time solid. There's quite a few combination to that such as combine work speed. Def know your probability such as at least getting n out of how ever many or getting n number of result out of how many tries. Know your unit conversions. Write down all your notes for math on the dry erase board during that 15 minutes break.

Others: If you are thinking of drinking energy drink, don't drink monster, nos, or other carbonate. You will want to pee really bad during the test and waste valuable time. Try 5 hr energy or some energy shot instead. But try during non testing days to see how you react to it first. You don't want to be freaking out during the test. Ask for extra marker and wet wipes. They tend to dry out really fast. I find late morning test time to be the best. Wake up early, review your formulas quickly and don't eat too much. If you want, you can get some protein bars before the test. Don't review at the prometric office. It'll make you more nervous. Pray, meditate, music, or whatever to keep yourself calm. You are more likely to make stupid mistake when you are nervous.

That's about it folks. I made sure I was in the first batch of applications this year. Hopefully I get in to USC, NYU or BU with my low GPA.

 

[LetsGo2DSchool]

That's about it folks. Hopefully I get in to USC, NYU or BU with my low GPA.

NYU is looking good. They value DAT scores more than GPA.

 

[BerrF12]

Congrats on your scores! Thanks for the advice also. But you might want to delete some of the things in your breakdown...don't want to get in trouble for giving things away...

 

[Cappi]

Quick question for you guys. Should I still have apply for UOP with my gpa. I was going to only apply if I had 22. For state school, I only have western and USC. UCSF and UCLA's gpa are way high for me right?

 

[wthareuserious]

Quick question for you guys. Should I still have apply for UOP with my gpa. I was going to only apply if I had 22. For state school, I only have western and USC. UCSF and UCLA's gpa are way high for me right?

I'd say apply to UoP, but not UCSF or UCLA....they definitely value high GPA's...but if you have money to blow just add them on haha

 

[LetsGo2DSchool]

I would avoid UCLA. Overrated IMO. I wasn't too impressed either during my visit -- they don't even offer tours, only self-guided tours. It's like what's so difficult about spending 10 minutes walking someone around the building?

Perhaps because it's a public school and thus the Admissions people don't really care whether you apply to their school or not?