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Difficulty of the DAT
Started by Kiluminati
Kiluminati said:
Wow, the '06 people are starting early..
I agree with Dr. Bear and say that the PAT was the most difficult section. Thankfully it is also the least important section as well. Of course, this depends on the schools you are going to apply to. Some value the PAT and put a greater weight on your score -- for instance, UOP.
Now just because the PAT is the most difficult doesn't mean the rest aren't difficult. Study hard for the whole exam and practice extra hard for the PAT.
Best of luck to you.
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The DAT is only as hard as you make it.
If you made above a 3.0 in your science classes, then a good month of studying you should be ok.
The DAT is not a very hard test (although it can be if not prepared). I was out of my bio degree two years and only studied a week before taking it. Sure I didn't kill it, but an 18 in my book is ok and 20 on PAT. If I put in my own 2 cents, I'm sure a 20+ would have been possible.
SO to answer your question, the hardest section is the one you spent least time on. Take a practice test and find your weak spots. For instance, I did not touch PAT because I thought it was easy and still got a 20. I got a 19 in O-chem, but a 17 in G-chem. I thought the G-chem was kinda rough on me, only because thats where I spent the least time.
If you made above a 3.0 in your science classes, then a good month of studying you should be ok.
The DAT is not a very hard test (although it can be if not prepared). I was out of my bio degree two years and only studied a week before taking it. Sure I didn't kill it, but an 18 in my book is ok and 20 on PAT. If I put in my own 2 cents, I'm sure a 20+ would have been possible.
SO to answer your question, the hardest section is the one you spent least time on. Take a practice test and find your weak spots. For instance, I did not touch PAT because I thought it was easy and still got a 20. I got a 19 in O-chem, but a 17 in G-chem. I thought the G-chem was kinda rough on me, only because thats where I spent the least time.
The PAT
I had a hard time with General chemistry. I was getting 15-18 on all the practice tests. 2 weeks before taking the test a friend suggested that I develope and memorize a sheet of Gen Chem formulas. I went through my 12 practive tests and wrote down every formula that was used. During the tuturiol given before the test I wrote down those formulas to use when the Gen Chem section arrived. I got a 29! 😱
Definitely the PAT. Paractice, Practice, Practice....
I would have to agree that the PAT is the 'hardest' (I prefer to label it as the 'strangest') part of the DAT.
I thought that the math was the most annoying. I didn't think I had done poorly and it was my lowest score...17. Science wise, everything was much easier than Kaplan. I studied orgo and g-chem in one week, bio in one week, and breezed through the reading and math the third week (which kind of showed). PAT I had studied for about two weeks over the summer. I still say my score was luck or maybe I was just ultra calm. Break down: rdg: 18, mth: 17, orgo: 29, g-chem:25, and bio: 23 (and i didn't feel prepared for the bio...i don't think you ever will), but that's part of the test too.
