DAT vs. the MCAt -- which is easier?

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those who have taken both or know of those who took both...If you prepared for the MCAT already and did average, are you somewhat prepared for the DAT? thanks everyone

 

[elias514]

Preparation for the MCAT per se is not adequate for the DAT, because you have to aggressively prepare for the perceptual ability section on the DAT. No portion of the MCAT even remotely resembles the PAT section of the DAT.

 

[Pontifex Maximus]

IMO the MCAT, no physics on DAT 🙂

 

[Mr. Rosewater]

neither are easier b/c both are graded on a curve.

 

[Eyecon82]

neither are easier b/c both are graded on a curve.

well...isn't the ACT based on a curve as well? and obvioulsy the mcat is harder than the act.....

 

[willthatsall]

What constitutes harder? Which one has more difficult questions? Which one is harder to score in a certain percentile? The students who take the MCAT are probably, on average, better students than those who take the DAT so the MCAT is probably more difficult to score in a high percentile. If I'm off base with that idea please don't be offended, it's just an idea I have. I guess the real question to determine difficulty would be if they were each graded by the percentage of questions answered correctly like a conventional test, which one would be easier because that way the sample of test takers would not matter. Having said all that, I have no idea about the DAT.

 

[mikeyboy]

I've heard people who have prepared for both that the science on the MCATs is harder, the verbal is different but comparable. It just comes down to whether you have good spatial reasoning. My friend took the DAT once, did very poorly on that portion, studied extemely hard for it the second time and still didn't do that well, but I just tried it and got 4/5 questions right. Guess all those years of playing simulated 3D video games pays off!

 

[MrTee]

A friend of mine who actually got into med school but withdrew and decided to go to dental school instead told me that there is no comparison between mcat and dat, being that dat is substantially easier. I'm assuming he scored a higher percentile on the dat than his mcat, although I didn't ask.

 

[indo]

According to pre-med egos, the mcat is far more difficult.

 

[jlee9531]

my friend being predental and comparing the two tests...was glad he didnt have to take the mcat since it was shorter test and there was no physics on the test...

plus with the greater amount of stressed out premeds taking the test and having them all in a single room...trouble... 😀

 

[Elizabeth1028]

Having never taken the DAT, I can't speculate. However, Kaplan has free practice tests of both on their website, so you can check them out and decide for yourself. 😀

 

[Blade28]

Not even going to touch this one with a 10-foot pole... 🙂

 

[elias514]

Look, the science questions on the DAT are "easier," because the science sections are comprised exclusively of first and second-order questions. The former type is factual recall (though the fact is usually a rather obscure minutia), the latter involves application of a basic concept such as solubility product constant. The MCAT, on the other hand, is characterized by the fact that it has many third-order questions, which involve synthesis of different concepts and facts and application of this synthesis to a particular situation.

That said, I think that the DAT perceptual ability sections is very challenging--as difficult as anything on the MCAT, if not more so. The top-front-end problems are downright brutal.

 

[HollyJ]

I've taken both tests (although only practice DATs), scored in the same percentile range on both, and I think that the MCAT is substantially harder, mainly due to the tougher science and the longer length. I can see, though, that someone who had a tough time with spatial reasoning might think that that part of the DAT would outweigh the tougher parts of the MCAT.

 

[exmike]

My sister was a former premed that went to dental. She said the DAT science was substantially easier than MCAT science, but then she got leveled on the PAT section of the DAT. You really cant compare the two head on, they're different creatures.

 

[Balki]

This is my first time posting on premed section so bare with me. I think the point is that you'll need to study hard for both tests. Many of my friends were taking MCAT (while I took DAT) and I found DAt to be much more time constrained (maybe it's just me). Also complitely different approach are required for both tests, yes the sciences are the same (minus the physics) but the tests are substantially different. And this has posibly has to do with the difference in the professions.
Just one more thing to add. I trully believe one can improve the DAT scores on certain sections substantially. While it might not be doable to do so on MCAT. Also the percentile is about the same on Both tests if I am not mistaken what constitutes a 30 on Mcat would be comparable to about a 20 on DAT. Correct me if I am wrong. In my own expereince I found that people who studied hard for MCATs and then decided to take the DAT, still end up spending a lot of time studying.
Good luck to all of you.

 

[Peterock]

My roommate took both. I know he got a 8v/12/12 on the MCAT, all I know about his DAT score is that it was 99% overall. He said every part of the MCAT was more difficult and that he studied very little for both. His SAT I verbal was a 760 for the record....

My friend also took the DAT, never took the MCAT but prepped for it basically said the same thing. She scored in the 99%ile on the DAT but said she would have trouble scoring over a 30 on the MCAT.

My impression is that a 85-90% on the MCAT is like a 99% on the DAT. This doesn't surprise me too much as premeds tend to be a little more academically nerdy than predents. Yes, I am biased, and yes, this is only my feeble, weak opinion. Regardless, it doesn't matter one bit and I'm thankful that I never have to take either of these tests for the remainder of my natural life.

 

[akalin24]

The DAT is a joke compared to the MCAT!!

 

[Dentalist]

The DAT is a joke compared to the MCAT!!

What an ignorant post

 

[Bad Mojo]

I've taken and taught both. Personally, I'd rather take the DAT than the MCAT. While the science does throw in more general biology stuff (taxonomy, ecology, etc.), it is just one section and it doesn't require the same type or amount of critical thinking that the MCAT does. The novel DAT sections (perceptual ability, quantitative reasoning) can be tricky but are easy to manage by practicing. You do them a few times and you've got it down. The reading and verbal sections on both are tricky. MCAT focuses on higher thinking through more difficult question, but the DAT throws a lot at you in a little amount of time. For reading, though, time was much more of an issue on the DAT for me personally. Overall, the MCAT requires both a comprehensive knowledge base and the ability to rapidly think on a high level.

 

[Eyecon82]

I've taken and taught both. Personally, I'd rather take the DAT than the MCAT. While the science does throw in more general biology stuff (taxonomy, ecology, etc.), it is just one section and it doesn't require the same type or amount of critical thinking that the MCAT does. The novel DAT sections (perceptual ability, quantitative reasoning) can be tricky but are easy to manage by practicing. You do them a few times and you've got it down. The reading and verbal sections on both are tricky. MCAT focuses on higher thinking through more difficult question, but the DAT throws a lot at you in a little amount of time. For reading, though, time was much more of an issue on the DAT for me personally. Overall, the MCAT requires both a comprehensive knowledge base and the ability to rapidly think on a high level.

That's probably the most qualified statement in this whole thread