DAT Study Plan; Too many resources? Help! DAT Bootcamp, Kaplan, DAT Destroyer, Chads?!

[Typical Average Student]

After doing heavy research on how to prepare for my DAT by looking through breakdowns, I've structured out my study plan:
I will be studying 8-10 hours a day from May 13 - July 5th (7 weeks) with maybe 1 day of break per week. Totaling roughly 400 hours of studying.

The resources I have:
- Kaplan On Site Course (this was a surprise gift from my fiancee (who got a 23 on the DAT with the course alone); so no bashing on me for using it! )
- Cliffs AP Bio
- DAT Destroyer + Math Destroyer
- Chad's Videos/Quizzes
- 2007 + 2009 DAT
- DAT Bootcamp? (Maybe if time permits)

I plan on using Kaplan, Cliffs, and Chad's Videos to learn/review any material I need to for about 2 weeks. Followed by Math Destroyer for 5 days, Chad's Quizzes (chem and orgo only) for 4 days, and DAT Destroyer for 8 days; all along with Kaplan's quizzes/workshops throughout the weeks.

If I follow my schedule correctly, I should have about 2 weeks left so I was wondering if DAT Bootcamp is worth squeezing in or is what I have sufficient enough to schedule for an earlier test date?

After all my materials I want to leave about 2-3 days before my test to do the 2007 and 2009 DAT along with 1 of 5 of Kaplan's last full length tests given through the course. This is so I have a nice relaxing day before my exam.

Any input is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Daneosaurus]

Don't skip Bootcamp! It's a pretty decent measuring stick of where your at. I would recommend taking the bootcamp tests throughout your study so you can see what needs improvement.

 

[irishmom]

DAT Bootcamp is a must! After I took the DAT the first time doing it pretty much like you plan on doing and and not doing too well (AA 17), I retook after just doing DAT Bootcamp along with Khan Academy to bone up on Chemistry, and got a 22.

 

[Digitalangel]

i agree, DAT bootcamp is great you should definitely use it. I would also recommend doing as many timing practices as you can. i felt a big portion of the test was knowing what questions you need to spend more/less time on and when to skip if you dont know it right away, especially for PAT/QR

 

[DentalDoge]

You should take 1 or 2 days beforehand off and just relax.

Just remember, take everything from Kaplan with a grain of salt. They have good techniques but also bad, time-consuming ones.

Just be on the lookout when taking the course!

 

[2THDDS]

From my experience and backed my many others who have used it, Kaplan books/courses aren't really that great.
If you had no other material to start with, it is a good starter, but not enough to make you feel confident about the test.

Your fiance deserves a recognition for pulling off a 23 with only kaplan!!

All the bashings aside, I would start with Chad's video for gen chem, orgo. Then use cliff or feralis for biology.
When you've reviewed all the science materials, then proceed onto doing DAt destroyer. Go over it twice or even more if you feel the need.

As a final check, do the bootcamp and make sure why you get certain problems wrong.
For me and a lot of people, bootcamp scores were pretty representative of the real score. (my science scores were all similar) (Math and PAT, I cannot attest to how accurate it is, they were both harder than the real test)

 

[nickh]

If you are for sure taking Kaplan, I would just ditch chads videos and cliffs because they are just another review. But definitely keep the destroyers, then do boot camp of you have time. And you don't really need the 2007 and 2009. If you put in the hours for destroyers and boot camp, your will be fine

 

[GinaS2K]

If you are for sure taking Kaplan, I would just ditch chads videos and cliffs because they are just another review. But definitely keep the destroyers, then do boot camp of you have time. And you don't really need the 2007 and 2009. If you put in the hours for destroyers and boot camp, your will be fine

Chads vids r a must.

 

[T_Chris]

Gen Chem => Chad's Videos is a must (24)
O-Chem => Chad's + Destroyer (22)
Reading => (23)
Bio => Cliff's to study and Destroyer Practice
But my favorite tool was the ACE for the lectures (24)
AA: 23