doing the DAT and the MCAT

[todds]

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has anybody attempted to do the MCAT and the DAT at the same time....currently i'm studying to take the DAT in late august and found that the science sections are pretty similar between the DAT and MCAT. MCAT is early august, so i felt that if im studying for the DAT, might as well do the MCAT as well. Of course i would have to study extra physics for MCAT and perceptual ability for the DAT. thoughts?

 

[r0entgen]

has anybody attempted to do the MCAT and the DAT at the same time....currently i'm studying to take the DAT in late august and found that the science sections are pretty similar between the DAT and MCAT. MCAT is early august, so i felt that if im studying for the DAT, might as well do the MCAT as well. Of course i would have to study extra physics for MCAT and perceptual ability for the DAT. thoughts?

i really don't think the mcat and dat are very similar at all. maybe the subjects tested may be similar, but the emphasis on the topics are very different...for example, in bio, the mcat emphasises humans and the dat emphasises animals...

 

[DrTacoElf]

They are similar but not super similar.

Big differences
PAT on the DAT
physics on the MCAT
DAT is all free response questions except for RC
mcat verbal is WAY harder than dat rc because in the mcat every question is not word for word they are inference, on the dat only 25 percent of the questions are this type at the most.
the mcat is all passage based except for a few free response thrown in every now and then
mcat is a more taxing test becuase its longer and is only offered 2x per year
I have taken both btw

 

[a2thdr]

They are similar but not super similar.

Big differences
PAT on the DAT
physics on the MCAT
DAT is all free response questions except for RC
mcat verbal is WAY harder than dat rc because in the mcat every question is not word for word they are inference, on the dat only 25 percent of the questions are this type at the most.
the mcat is all passage based except for a few free response thrown in every now and then
mcat is a more taxing test becuase its longer and is only offered 2x per year
I have taken both btw

Be careful, taking both could signal to both professions admissions committees that you aren't committed to either one.

 

[ItsGavinC]

If you are going to take both, which is certainly up to you, then you need to study for taking the MCAT and the DAT will fall into place.

If you study for taking the DAT and believe the MCAT will fall into place, you'll be sorely mistaken.

The MCAT, while not an impossible test by any means, is much different and requires different knowledge than the DAT. The knowledge BASE is the same for both tests, but the MCAT requires you to have greater knowledge and apply it much differently.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

 

[wammmy]

I wish I had a load of money to just take exams for fun...

 

[rocknightmare]

i would def recommend studying for the MCAT for the DAT..

 

[onetoothleft]

Be careful, taking both could signal to both professions admissions committees that you aren't committed to either one.

I think too many of us have taken both for that to really be that much of a consideration. Just be ready to talk your way out of an interview question, I don't think they would take someone else over you just because you took both tests.

 

[QuietGuy]

If you are going to take both, which is certainly up to you, then you need to study for taking the MCAT and the DAT will fall into place.

If you study for taking the DAT and believe the MCAT will fall into place, you'll be sorely mistaken.

The MCAT, while not an impossible test by any means, is much different and requires different knowledge than the DAT. The knowledge BASE is the same for both tests, but the MCAT requires you to have greater knowledge and apply it much differently.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

I agree. You can't go wrong studying for the MCAT and taking both tests. If you study for the DAT and take the MCAT, you not going to do well. IMO, the MCAT is more difficult.

 

[ianwright]

I agree. You can't go wrong studying for the MCAT and taking both tests. If you study for the DAT and take the MCAT, you not going to do well. IMO, the MCAT is more difficult.

a lot of people on this forum (and the DAT forum) are advising to study from MCAT books for the DAT

i don't see how that could help - since - wouldn't you be studying much more than is necessary - (i don't want to waste time learning things i won't need)

does what i post make sense? if not - explain...

 

[QuietGuy]

a lot of people on this forum (and the DAT forum) are advising to study from MCAT books for the DAT

i don't see how that could help - since - wouldn't you be studying much more than is necessary - (i don't want to waste time learning things i won't need)

does what i post make sense? if not - explain...

TODDS intends on taking both tests. He would be better served to study for the MCAT since the test is more difficult.