DAT Study Schedule

[isuclones85]

Hello Everyone, this is my first time posting and I am going to be taking the DAT's around July'ish I'm thinking. My copy of DAT Destroyer is in the mail and I already have the Kaplan BB. I guess my question is how did most of you who did well on the DAT study? I've been reading around and I know the whole Kaplan with Destroyer with Topscore/Acheiver song and dance, but I'm interested in how some of you planned your day around studying, for how long, and how many subjects did you tackle in a day/night if you chose to study more than one topic. I plan on kicking into overdrive very soon and I'm just interested in some of this specific info.

Not gonna lie I'm a little nervous about this whole ordeal. My GPA isn't stellar but it also isnt bad. I need to DOMINATE this little test or my confidence level will crash. I plan on getting into dental school no matter how many times it takes me, no matter how many times I need to retake the DAT. Nothing is going to stop me, but I really need this good first score on the DAT. I've been reading around and some of you pick up the people when they've fallen by giving them words of encouragement etc. I know I haven't even taken the DAT yet but I feel like I'm about to climb Everest. Thanks for any of the advice you guys will give me.

I'm new by the way, I am from Iowa and am keeping my fingers crossed on getting in to Iowa, but I am willing to go where ever I need to go, as long as they call me a doctor when I am finished.

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[joshwake]

best of luck to you.. I almost feel like I wrote what you just did. I am in the same boat. I messed around my first 2 years of college and I am paying for it now. I have to do well on the dat, but i look at it this way: I can make up for years of slacking if I just lock down and study hard for the dat.

 

[skyisblue]

I'm in the same boat as you too. I say look at some sample DAT tests and study accordingly. You'll know what you're lacking then.

It doesn't matter how much time and work you put into the DAT as long as you do great on it.

 

[danbarr]

whatever you do do not take the DAT unless you are confident in the study material. I don't mean to be the devils advocate but a you need a good DAT score if your GPA isn't great!!!. I took the DAT last year thinking i was ready and I got a 15 AA for rushing. whatever you do don't rush!!!. Study the best you can until july and if you have to move the exam for latter there is no shame in that. The way I studied was orgo and bio one at the time, since i'm more confortable with studying I'm tackling math and gen chem at the same time, i'm planning to re-take the DAT on end of june. I've spoken to many counselors and students so I can tell you with confidence the DAT score is the first thing the acceptance committee sees before they even read your essay ( if they even read it for the first cut) or other qualifications. Make sure you have some shadowing hours/community service hours that always helps. the best of luck to you, i'm sure you will conquer this everest!!!!
ps. i'm using topscore/achiever/kaplan

 

[thanotoriousfob]

I've taken the test before ISU (got 19 PAT, 19 TS, 17 AA), and the way I studied was mostly Kaplan. I also had Kaplan problems in adobe form (can't remember where I got them from) and those seemed like good help. I'm taking the DAT again by early June and the way I'm studying this time is Kaplan again and DAT destroyer. I've skimmed through destroyer but haven't actually tried solving any of the questions, but they seem tough. I've had people tell me it works great, but you have to put in the work to get the good results. So I'm doing a chapter of two subjects together each day. Example: Orgo and Gen chem together each one chapter and try to really understand it. I go over sections I don't understand with textbooks. Next day I'll do bio and QR, and so forth. I don't think I'll be able to keep this up everyday because I work full time, but if I do fall behind, I'll try to do two chapters every two days instead of one. The important thing is to understand the chapter before moving on. Use text books or other resources to help clear up or explain the stuff Kaplan doesn't really do well at. I wouldn't depend entirely on Kaplan because it doesn't explain everything, and since I have taken the DAT, I can tell you that the bio section has alot of stuff not covered in Kaplan. I almost felt the bio section did nothing to help me. Luckily, I had a pretty solid foundation in bio or I would have completely bombed that section. Try Topscore also. I found that topscore is the closest practice test to the DAT in terms of difficulty. If you want good practice with the PAT, try Achiever. Those PAT questions are sometimes insane, and i found myself getting 15's and 16's on those practice tests. Just make sure you feel confident. Anyways, back to studying for this god-forsaken test. blah.

 

[isuclones85]

Thanks for some of the tips guys, as some of you might agree I wish I could turn back time to the first year of college and ace everything but you can't really do that now can you. I feel even more hopeless when I study one chapter of bio for instance, and then I feel like I've forgotten everything two days later. I am having a hard time fitting studying for the DAT into my schedule due to freaking out about current tests in my classes so I can pull my GPA up. Wow this isn't stressing at all is it

 

[SimSimma]

ive been having a difficult time studying for the dat and studying for the semester as well. i just try to fit it in whenever possible, mostly on the weekends. im currently on spring break- so ive been sitting with the gen chem the longest, since it seems to be my weak area... I did all the kaplan material, now working on achiever- next comes the destroyer- once i master the destroyer ill feel confident enough for the dat. good luck!