DAT vs. MCAT

[kinkocopies3]

Well, I wasn't sure which forum to post this in, but just out of curiosity, is the DAT more difficult than the MCAT? I don't know anything about the DAT, so I am not sure how to compare the two Just wondering what you guys think.

Thanks!

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[subtle1epiphany]

I quickly looked thru the kaplan guide for the DAT and there seemed to be a similar emphasis on the basic sciences, but anatomy of the tooth was present. Also, there is a section involving three dimensional perception, rotation, and mirrors.
It is also graded differently than the MCAT.

 

[OrthoFixation]

The number of people taking MCAT & DAT must be extremely small. Most people have already made a move to dental or medical by the time admission tests are rolling around.

I will be surprised if you get any posters with real experience with both exams. The rest of us are all biased.

Since medical school likely has higher entrance GPAs, I would think that the MCAT would be more competitive in terms of achieving the same percentile rank.

 

[peptidoglycan]

I used to teach bio for both of the tests, and it seemed like DAT was more fact-based, while the MCAT was more interpretation-based. Interestingly, med school is very fact-based, so the DAT may actually be a better test for med school admissions. Also, if I remember correctly, there is no verbal section in the DAT and, in the biology section, they are required to learn photosynthesis, whereas the premeds are not. Otherwise, the knowledge base is exactly the same. Good luck!

 

[elias514]

I teach both the DAT and the MCAT at Kaplan, so I know a lot about both exams. You really cannot compare the two in terms of relative difficulty, because they pose different challenges to test takers. Both are difficult exams, but for different reasons.

 

[shekashi]

Hi,

I took both exams, so I am one of the rare who can say unbiasly (I hope) that the DAT is easier than the MCAT.

The DAT is indeed more fact-based and therefore easier. The MCAT requires similar factual knowledge and then application of that knowledge in a new situation (very difficult). Also, the MCAT verbal is much, much, much harder. The math section on the DAT is very simple IMO. However, the PAT section of the DAT is very difficult, it is looked upon heavily by Dental Schools and is more of an acquired skill through practice than intellectual ability.

I can elaborate more if you wish, but I would say that they require the same collegiate knowledge in science, but are testing it in very different ways.

Regards,

shekashi

 

[dmitrinyr]

I have never taken the DAT but I took the MCAT and have looked through a DAT practice test once just for comparison sake and from that example I can tell you that the MCAT is much harder. Both cover basically the same material, but the DAT seems to ask fact-based questions and questions that straightout test your knowledge of the topic while the MCAT tests you on the same stuff but do so by having you interpret passages and figure out what information is important and what is not.

Ironically, many medical school exams ask questions in the style of the DAT( i.e. a basic factoid question).

 

[Pre-Dent-David]

I have taken neither of them, but I can honestly tell you that the DAT is harder! WTF!?!?! Yes, WTF.

 

[Mr. Rosewater]

it's hard to say whether a curved test is easy or hard.

 

[MeowMix]

Having taught PS for MCAT, and quantitative reasoning for DAT and OAT, I think MCAT is harder on these sections.

The simple math that was challenging for my DAT/OAT students, was just part of a PS problem for MCAT. Many of the same physics principles are tested, but in less detail on the OAT.

However, the perceptual ability test on the DAT is something else altogether. There is nothing analogous on MCAT, and it is very difficult to develop this ability in a limited time.

The other big factor is the curve and the peer group tested. From my limited experience with students, the group tested on the MCAT is generally at a higher academic level than the DAT and OAT, so it would be harder to do well.

 

[sgilani]

the science on the DAT is not passage based, unlike the MCAT. that could be good or bad, depending on your strengths.