DAT Study Schedule struggle.

[toothlover23]

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I am looking for some serious studying recommendations. I have started with Ari 10 weeks study schedule yesterday. I started with reading chapter 1 destroyer dynamite biology notes and was overwhelmed but the 50 pages. I cant seem to keep up and finish the materials in a day and I ended up overwhelmed and discouraged. I only read the first chapter and did section 0 of mike general chemistry notes and couldn't seem to grasped the concepts in the videos. I didn't get to do the QR, PAT as per the schedule says because I was too tired and couldn't retain anything.


I am scheduled to take my DAT in early August, and I am afraid I will run out of time if I continue going at the slow pace I am going and falling behind on Ari schedule. I will love and advice you guys have to offer.

 

[sditty70]

I am totally in the same boat as you. I started Ari's schedule last week and was super discouraged the first day. I ended up having to split it up into multiple days. Luckily, when I started day 2, 3, etc. I found myself being able to complete things faster(the PAT practice), reading an article, watching the GC videos, etc. so don't give up! Starting to study is the hardest part but I think once you get into the groove, things get a bit better.🙂

 

[toothlover23]

I am totally in the same boat as you. I started Ari's schedule last week and was super discouraged the first day. I ended up having to split it up into multiple days. Luckily, when I started day 2, 3, etc. I found myself being able to complete things faster(the PAT practice), reading an article, watching the GC videos, etc. so don't give up! Starting to study is the hardest part but I think once you get into the groove, things get a bit better.🙂

Thank you!! How's the PAT going for you? After watching the videos 1-10. I attempted to do the first practice and got discouraged with that too lol! I'm so confused with the PAT.

 

[kxc]

Hey this isn’t really a recommendation so much as it is encouragement. I’m on day 3, and the first day I felt SO overwhelmed. I also had to review the chem chapter “0” because I’ve been out of school 2 years. I was very discouraged and turned to the FB study group for some motivation and lots of people were telling me it get easier. Like I said I’m on day 3 and as the days go on it feels more natural. Studying doesn’t feel so foreign and useless to me. And you have to keep in mind that you’re not just looking at this stuff and then you’re done with it. So if you don’t fully comprehend but you sort of get it it’s okay to move on because his study schedule will go back and forth. It’s not like you’ll never see the content again. You will still review it. It’s kind of like in class when you don’t understand the lecture completely but you start understanding once you review. Treat this portion like a lecture and go back to it when you can, but the second half of Ari’s study schedule is review. 🙂

Unrelated to your post, but when are you applying for dental school? I’m submitting my app tomorrow, but I won’t be taking the DAT til July 27th so I was wondering if I’m the only crazy person doing that so late in the application cycle.

 

[kxc]

And like the other commenter said, there will be some sections that you’re like crap, how can I ever remember this, that you’ll spend forever on. BUT you’ll breeze through other sections. I’ve always kind of had a natural ability for PAT style questions, so I was going through that portion quickly and watched it at 1.5x and 2.5x as well as the QR videos. So don’t worry about not having enough time, there will be sections you go past quickly and then there will be others you take “too” long on. Your days might not always match up exactly with Ari’s but that’s okay as long as you cover all the content he recommends.

 

[Medin2017]

I am looking for some serious studying recommendations. I have started with Ari 10 weeks study schedule yesterday. I started with reading chapter 1 destroyer dynamite biology notes and was overwhelmed but the 50 pages. I cant seem to keep up and finish the materials in a day and I ended up overwhelmed and discouraged. I only read the first chapter and did section 0 of mike general chemistry notes and couldn't seem to grasped the concepts in the videos. I didn't get to do the QR, PAT as per the schedule says because I was too tired and couldn't retain anything.


I am scheduled to take my DAT in early August, and I am afraid I will run out of time if I continue going at the slow pace I am going and falling behind on Ari schedule. I will love and advice you guys have to offer.

Try alternating between tasks to keep things fresh.

 

[sditty70]

Thank you!! How's the PAT going for you? After watching the videos 1-10. I attempted to do the first practice and got discouraged with that too lol! I'm so confused with the PAT.

I got super discouraged at first too! I just kept practicing them over and over again and then I started to feel a bit more comfortable. For the keyholes especially, you need to be pay super close attention to the details and how everything lines up.

 

[toothlover23]

Hey this isn’t really a recommendation so much as it is encouragement. I’m on day 3, and the first day I felt SO overwhelmed. I also had to review the chem chapter “0” because I’ve been out of school 2 years. I was very discouraged and turned to the FB study group for some motivation and lots of people were telling me it get easier. Like I said I’m on day 3 and as the days go on it feels more natural. Studying doesn’t feel so foreign and useless to me. And you have to keep in mind that you’re not just looking at this stuff and then you’re done with it. So if you don’t fully comprehend but you sort of get it it’s okay to move on because his study schedule will go back and forth. It’s not like you’ll never see the content again. You will still review it. It’s kind of like in class when you don’t understand the lecture completely but you start understanding once you review. Treat this portion like a lecture and go back to it when you can, but the second half of Ari’s study schedule is review. 🙂

Unrelated to your post, but when are you applying for dental school? I’m submitting my app tomorrow, but I won’t be taking the DAT til July 27th so I was wondering if I’m the only crazy person doing that so late in the application cycle.

Thank you for the encouraging words! Your right it has gotten a little better after the first day. I'll most likely submit my application in July but I'll be taking the DAT early August so you will be fine! I called the schools I'm gonna apply to and they said it was okay if I was applying in August too! I just want to make sure I study for the DAT efficiently and hopefully make a good score so that's what I'm taking it later lol.

 

[toothlover23]

And like the other commenter said, there will be some sections that you’re like crap, how can I ever remember this, that you’ll spend forever on. BUT you’ll breeze through other sections. I’ve always kind of had a natural ability for PAT style questions, so I was going through that portion quickly and watched it at 1.5x and 2.5x as well as the QR videos. So don’t worry about not having enough time, there will be sections you go past quickly and then there will be others you take “too” long on. Your days might not always match up exactly with Ari’s but that’s okay as long as you cover all the content he recommends.

How are you studying for the QR section? Are you following what the schedule says? I been watching the khan academy videos per the schedule but they seem really basic.

 

[artist2022]

Unrelated to your post, but when are you applying for dental school? I’m submitting my app tomorrow, but I won’t be taking the DAT til July 27th so I was wondering if I’m the only crazy person doing that so late in the application cycle.

Just to go off topic a little, but I noticed this in the other forum too- I think you should specify that you're applying via TMDSAS because most of the people here apply via AADSAS (which can only be submitted June 5th) and you might be confusing them by saying you're submitting your app already Also, while July 27th for TMDSAS might be kinda sorta "late", you can definitely make up for it if you score really well. If you do decide to apply via AADSAS (I know you're planning to do this next year), then it's not very late but you still need to score well. Good luck!

To the OP: Don't be discouraged. It is a lot of material, and getting through it quickly but efficiently is hard. Just let your motivation be to take this exam once and be done with it, not having to worry about it ever again! You'll get through it 🙂 Also, if Ari's schedule doesn't work for you, try something else. I too studied all summer and took my DAT on 8/9, and instead of doing a little bit every day, I did one subject all day. One day Bio, one day GC, one day OC. Breakdown here if you'd like: DAT Breakdown! 8/9/2017 - 25AA/24TS/22PAT. If it's hard to get started, like if you feel that you don't have a solid foundation, then I'd maybe try to get Kaplan honestly (Kaplan DAT Strategies, Practice, & Review). It did help to refresh and give me a base that I built upon with Bootcamp and Destroyer. Best of luck!

 

[tiper15]

Thank you!! How's the PAT going for you? After watching the videos 1-10. I attempted to do the first practice and got discouraged with that too lol! I'm so confused with the PAT.

I suckkkkkkkkkkkkkkked soooo hard at PAT when I first started. Like TFE and pattern folding were nightmares. And keyhole. Its honestly just practice practice practice. Get a phone app that lets you practice whenever youre on the bus or something or just bored in bed.

 

[Vienne16]

Im on week 2 of the 10 week schedule and I'm telling you after like a week you just get so into the flow that I finish a day in about 5-6hrs and the first couple days were 12hr days! And if you are discouraged at PAT section in the beginning then its totally normal, I was questioning myself with my inability to understand TFE and after two days I LOOOVE PAT the lines and shapes just start making sense. Overall tho everything takes time, don't expect to feel comfortable until like week 3 when you've had time to learn a lot of the info and now you are just learning and practicing and it becomes more of a life style!! Good luck.