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Hey guys,
I took the DAT on 4/22 and wanted to share my results. I've been a lurker for a long time and have learned a lot from everyone here. Now its my turn to give a little back to the community. Thanks for all of your help.
Here's the breakdown:
PAT: 23 (96.2)
QR: 16 (65.3)
RC: 21 (88.9)
BIO: 20 (91.8)
GC: 22 (95.2)
OC: 25 (98.4)
TS: 21 (96.2)
AA: 21 (97.2)
The QR could have been better, but I am very pleased with my overall results.
I'll give a breakdown on the testing conditions and how I studied for the DAT.
The Test:
When you arrive at the testing center they will check your ID, take your picture, and scan your fingerprint. I was given two laminated sheets of paper (blank on one side with a grid on the other) and two dry erase markers. Make sure they give you two markers. If you leave the cap off of one it can dry out a little and can take a few extra (precious) seconds to get going. There was an eraser at the testing station. The test station consisted of a monitor, mouse, and keyboard. They also had a pair of over the ear headphones available to cut down on extraneous noise. I would also recommend bringing a pair of earplugs (I think they are allowed.) The guy next to me was coughing up a lung and the earplugs would have been a big help. The room consisted of 8-10 stations, all cubicles, with 4-5 in use while I was taking the test.
I had plenty of time to complete the natural sciences section. I finished with just under fifteen minutes. This gave me plenty of time to review all of the questions that I had marked. The biology section was very straightforward. You either know the answer or you dont. If you know your basics inside and out you wont have any problems with the general and organic chemistry sections.
The PAT section was what I expected, although the angle ranking and pattern folding were more difficult than any of the practice materials I used. I finished this section with about one minute to go. This included the time to review several of the problems that were giving me problems.
I lucked out and had three relatively basic passages for the reading comprehension section. I finished the RC section with about 2 minutes to go. Most of the questions are pretty straightforward and the answer can be found directly from the passage. The tone questions seemed to be the most difficult for me.
The QR section was by far the most difficult section for me. I didnt spend as much time studying for this section as the other sections. As a non-traditional student its been awhile since Ive immersed myself in trig and geometry. Unfortunately, almost half of my test was trig and geometry. The hardest part of this test is the time limit. If you dont know the answer to a problem mark it and come back later. Make sure to hit all of the easy questions first.
DAT Preparation:
I started studying for the DAT approximately 3 months before my scheduled test date. I spent approximately 2-4 hours each weeknight, and 6-8 hours every Saturday and Sunday. Heres a breakdown on the materials I used and my thoughts on each one.
Study Materials:
Cliffs AP Biology and Barrons AP Biology: Both of these books are very similar, however one may have slightly more information than the other in a particular topic. Together they make a great combo. I found the problems to be very close to those found on the actual DAT. I read each book three times and took the practice tests and chapter quizzes after I was finished reading. I then reviewed the answers I missed on the tests and quizzes. Grade: 9/10
ExamCrackers: I used the ExamCrackers MCAT study guides for Biology, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry. I think these guides are very informative and helpful for studying. Some of the questions are based more on passages, but if you can successfully answer the questions youll be well prepared for the DAT. Grade 8/10
ExamCrackers 1000 Questions: I used the ExamCrackers 1000 questions books for Biology, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry. The questions are similar to the ExamCrackers review books, but just many, many more. On average I completed 200-300 questions in each book. I focused on the questions in my weaker subject areas. Im sure this series is excellent for the MCAT, but for the DAT your valuable studying time can be spent elsewhere. Grade 6/10.
DAT Destroyer: I highly recommend the Destroyer book. I found the level of difficulty to be much higher than the actual DAT without being too difficult. If you can answer the problems in this book you wont have any problems come test day. Make sure to answer the questions several times and know them forward and backwards. The QR was the only section that I did not complete. For the biology section review and study all of the possible answer choices in addition to just the right answer. Grade 9/10.
Kaplan Bluebook: Used as a stand-alone study guide this book doesnt have much value. However, it is very valuable for touching on the basics of what you need to know and does a great job as a very detailed outline to be supplemented with other resources. Despite a lower grade for this book I do consider it a must buy as an outline source. The sample test at the back is a good way to help judge your studying progress. Grade 7/10.
Text Books: I only used my textbooks as a final study aid for topics that were giving me trouble, or when I wanted additional detail on a topic. As a general study aid I would advise against reading large sections of your textbooks. Theres just too much information that will never be asked on the DAT, and your time can be more efficiently used with other study aids. Grade 7/10.
Crack The DAT PAT: This is a must have resource for studying for the PAT. I found each section of the 10 sample tests to be an accurate representation of the actual DAT. The hole punching bonus section is much more difficult than the actual test, but if you can do these you wont have any problems on test day. Grade 9/10.
Crack The DAT Reading Comprehension: This package comes with 30 reading passages in 10 tests. The length, detail, and difficulty of the passages are very similar to the real RC section on the DAT. The types of questions they ask are slightly different than the actual test. I found the TopScore and Achiever questions to be more representative of the actual test. This is still a great resource for learning to pace yourself and reviewing the passages. Grade 8/10.
Cliffs DAT: This book is a waste of money. The questions are so easy that they dont provide any real study value. Id avoid this title. Grade 4/10.
TopScore and DAT Achiever: TopScore and DAT Achiever are computer-based simulations of the DAT test. Each includes three sample tests. You can take each section separately, or all together. You can also choose to turn the timer on or off. These are great resources for simulating the DAT. I felt that each section is similar to the actual test. The general chemistry sections had more calculation problems than the actual test that I took. Grade 8/10.
Thats it. Sorry for such a long post. I just wanted to give my thoughts and observations. I wish everyone the best and good luck on the DAT and getting admitted to dental school! Please let me know if you have questions or comments.
I took the DAT on 4/22 and wanted to share my results. I've been a lurker for a long time and have learned a lot from everyone here. Now its my turn to give a little back to the community. Thanks for all of your help.
Here's the breakdown:
PAT: 23 (96.2)
QR: 16 (65.3)
RC: 21 (88.9)
BIO: 20 (91.8)
GC: 22 (95.2)
OC: 25 (98.4)
TS: 21 (96.2)
AA: 21 (97.2)
The QR could have been better, but I am very pleased with my overall results.
I'll give a breakdown on the testing conditions and how I studied for the DAT.
The Test:
When you arrive at the testing center they will check your ID, take your picture, and scan your fingerprint. I was given two laminated sheets of paper (blank on one side with a grid on the other) and two dry erase markers. Make sure they give you two markers. If you leave the cap off of one it can dry out a little and can take a few extra (precious) seconds to get going. There was an eraser at the testing station. The test station consisted of a monitor, mouse, and keyboard. They also had a pair of over the ear headphones available to cut down on extraneous noise. I would also recommend bringing a pair of earplugs (I think they are allowed.) The guy next to me was coughing up a lung and the earplugs would have been a big help. The room consisted of 8-10 stations, all cubicles, with 4-5 in use while I was taking the test.
I had plenty of time to complete the natural sciences section. I finished with just under fifteen minutes. This gave me plenty of time to review all of the questions that I had marked. The biology section was very straightforward. You either know the answer or you dont. If you know your basics inside and out you wont have any problems with the general and organic chemistry sections.
The PAT section was what I expected, although the angle ranking and pattern folding were more difficult than any of the practice materials I used. I finished this section with about one minute to go. This included the time to review several of the problems that were giving me problems.
I lucked out and had three relatively basic passages for the reading comprehension section. I finished the RC section with about 2 minutes to go. Most of the questions are pretty straightforward and the answer can be found directly from the passage. The tone questions seemed to be the most difficult for me.
The QR section was by far the most difficult section for me. I didnt spend as much time studying for this section as the other sections. As a non-traditional student its been awhile since Ive immersed myself in trig and geometry. Unfortunately, almost half of my test was trig and geometry. The hardest part of this test is the time limit. If you dont know the answer to a problem mark it and come back later. Make sure to hit all of the easy questions first.
DAT Preparation:
I started studying for the DAT approximately 3 months before my scheduled test date. I spent approximately 2-4 hours each weeknight, and 6-8 hours every Saturday and Sunday. Heres a breakdown on the materials I used and my thoughts on each one.
Study Materials:
Cliffs AP Biology and Barrons AP Biology: Both of these books are very similar, however one may have slightly more information than the other in a particular topic. Together they make a great combo. I found the problems to be very close to those found on the actual DAT. I read each book three times and took the practice tests and chapter quizzes after I was finished reading. I then reviewed the answers I missed on the tests and quizzes. Grade: 9/10
ExamCrackers: I used the ExamCrackers MCAT study guides for Biology, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry. I think these guides are very informative and helpful for studying. Some of the questions are based more on passages, but if you can successfully answer the questions youll be well prepared for the DAT. Grade 8/10
ExamCrackers 1000 Questions: I used the ExamCrackers 1000 questions books for Biology, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry. The questions are similar to the ExamCrackers review books, but just many, many more. On average I completed 200-300 questions in each book. I focused on the questions in my weaker subject areas. Im sure this series is excellent for the MCAT, but for the DAT your valuable studying time can be spent elsewhere. Grade 6/10.
DAT Destroyer: I highly recommend the Destroyer book. I found the level of difficulty to be much higher than the actual DAT without being too difficult. If you can answer the problems in this book you wont have any problems come test day. Make sure to answer the questions several times and know them forward and backwards. The QR was the only section that I did not complete. For the biology section review and study all of the possible answer choices in addition to just the right answer. Grade 9/10.
Kaplan Bluebook: Used as a stand-alone study guide this book doesnt have much value. However, it is very valuable for touching on the basics of what you need to know and does a great job as a very detailed outline to be supplemented with other resources. Despite a lower grade for this book I do consider it a must buy as an outline source. The sample test at the back is a good way to help judge your studying progress. Grade 7/10.
Text Books: I only used my textbooks as a final study aid for topics that were giving me trouble, or when I wanted additional detail on a topic. As a general study aid I would advise against reading large sections of your textbooks. Theres just too much information that will never be asked on the DAT, and your time can be more efficiently used with other study aids. Grade 7/10.
Crack The DAT PAT: This is a must have resource for studying for the PAT. I found each section of the 10 sample tests to be an accurate representation of the actual DAT. The hole punching bonus section is much more difficult than the actual test, but if you can do these you wont have any problems on test day. Grade 9/10.
Crack The DAT Reading Comprehension: This package comes with 30 reading passages in 10 tests. The length, detail, and difficulty of the passages are very similar to the real RC section on the DAT. The types of questions they ask are slightly different than the actual test. I found the TopScore and Achiever questions to be more representative of the actual test. This is still a great resource for learning to pace yourself and reviewing the passages. Grade 8/10.
Cliffs DAT: This book is a waste of money. The questions are so easy that they dont provide any real study value. Id avoid this title. Grade 4/10.
TopScore and DAT Achiever: TopScore and DAT Achiever are computer-based simulations of the DAT test. Each includes three sample tests. You can take each section separately, or all together. You can also choose to turn the timer on or off. These are great resources for simulating the DAT. I felt that each section is similar to the actual test. The general chemistry sections had more calculation problems than the actual test that I took. Grade 8/10.
Thats it. Sorry for such a long post. I just wanted to give my thoughts and observations. I wish everyone the best and good luck on the DAT and getting admitted to dental school! Please let me know if you have questions or comments.
