DONE 8/25/09..better late than never & 3rd times a charm!!!

[bounce13]

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DISCLAIMER: This is extremely long…but after working to conquer this beast for over 2 years now I have a lot to say!😀

Also, my DAT was 8/25 but I’m just now getting around to doing this. Better late than never. I’m new to SDN and still trying to figure it out..but I decided I owe it to give back to those whose advice helped me so much. I’m going to try and be more active on here and am happy to answer any questions about DAT stuff or d-school in general. Here goes--I’ll start w/ most recent scores and work backward…

3rd Attempt 8/09:
PAT:--18 (61.1)😕
QR:---16 (53.2)😱
RC:---28 (99.8)😎
Bio:---24 (98.7)
GC:---22 (90.1)
OC:---22 (91.5)
TS:---23 (98.2)
AA:---22 (96.4)

To all of you 2nd and 3rd timers out there…persistence pays off and it CAN be done!!! My scores aren’t the best ever but wait til you see where I started…

I took it for the first time 8/07 (summer after my junior year) without really having a CLUE what I was doing. I took the Kaplan course that spring, on top of having a full load and working part time…bad idea. I found myself struggling to complete the coursework on time and consequently ended up “studying” very little during the course itself. I spent the summer playing catch up, outlining the white book, and studying flashcards. I was young and naïve and thought this would be enough to just sort of wing it…I WAS WRONG. I also regret not taking it immediately after finishing orgo classes…this would have saved me all that time I wasted relearning it!

1st Attempt 8/07 (embarrassing but I’m going to post nonetheless):
PAT:--16 (36.7)
QR:---13 (15.1)
RC:---21 (80.2)
Bio:---16 (33.8)
GC:---17 (47.5)
OC:---15 (30.6)
TS:---16 (35.6)
AA:---16 (31.1)

OUCH. 2nd attempt I went back through ALL of the Kaplan material and got a lot more from it this time. When taking the course I printed out ALL of the subject and full length tests w/ explanations and compiled them into this HUGE 3” binder. First time I didn’t use it..this time I went through almost all tests + explanations. This helped a lot b/c I saw which ?s I was missing and where I needed to focus more. I highlighted and outlined Kaplan blue & white books (basically the same thing) and compiled notes from questions I missed on practice tests. Working gen chem problems gave me the most trouble toward the end so I practiced these on a whiteboard over and over.

Sidenote: For those just starting out, Kaplan really is a good resource to start with. Everyone bashes it but it really does give a nice overview. However, I definitely think it needs to be supplemented with additional materials. I’ve had friends though who’ve gotten 19s just doing Kaplan and then cramming for about a month. So whatever floats your boat. I personally needed more.

2nd attempt I also got TopScore---HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Half the battle is getting the timing down and getting used to taking it on the computer. Sorry I don’t have my TopScore results.

2nd Attempt 10/08 (still embarrassing):
PAT:--15 (23.4) <<wtf
QR:---15 (39.0) <<wtf again..starting to think I have a learning disability
RC:---18 (44.0)
Bio:---18 (64.6)
GC:---18 (61.7)
OC:---17 (51.1)
TS:---17 (50.4)
AA:---17 (48.3)

WOW. Ok so at this point I obviously reach a crossroads and start to get really pissed off. I thought about giving up but I knew I wasn’t stupid and decided to try one last time and give it my all. I started stalking SDN and trying to figure out which study materials/methods were getting people the highest scores. Here’s what I came up with and used for my 3rd attempt:

-Princeton review Hyperlearning MCAT biological sciences review (bio and orgo)
-Princeton review Hyperlearning MCAT physical sciences review (gchem and math)
-Destroyer
-CRACK the PAT (10 test version)
-Topscore
-Kaplan (went back through outlines/?s missed on sample tests, flashcards)
-Campbell’s General Bio textbook- I still had this from undergrad and literally (yes, I have no life) read the glossary and some of the chapters
-Cliffs AP bio-glanced over a couple days before the test- great overview

I wish I had my practice scores to post but my laptop is busted and crashed right after I took it. I remember I was getting anywhere from 18-25s in every category on Topscore and anywhere from 18-25s on CDP. I also remember TopScore #2 being most similar to the real thing.

**Breakdown**
PAT: Kaplan, CDP, TopScore. Kaplan actually wasn't that to help me learn how to see things, strategies, untimed practice. CDP was most similar to the real thing, with slightly harder cube counting, keyholes, and angles. But..do NOT rely on the line counting method for TFE on the real thing. This strategy will cut it for CDP but not on the real thing. Also, I swear the actual DAT had these crazy holes punched in the middle of holes..like I cant even explain it. They were punching these phantom holes in places where you’re not allowed to punch holes. This was my strongest section too. I always felt confident about PAT but literally didn’t sleep the night before and it showed on this section. CDP and TopScore will help you get your timing down and get used to staring at the comp for that long. Move quickly in the beginning so you’re not freaking out come pattern folding. Finally, Sama951’s wicked sick PAT tutorial saved my life—check it out!

QR: Kaplan, PR Hyperlearning MCAT physical sciences review math section, SDN, Destroyer, Topscore. Start by reading any and all posts by STREETWOLF! This website was awesome for key formulas http://www.tutormemath.org/mathresources.html and check out this sweet trig trick posted by mkut http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=658017&highlight=trig+triangles I liked Destroyer’s math too. Time was always the issue here. I went through and automatically skipped any word problems/long calculations and answered ones I knew I could get right off the bat (i.e. basic algebra) Usually I could get about half right doing this. Then I went back through with whatever time was left and tried to find some more I could answer. I thought the real thing was WAY harder than anything I’d practiced. This could’ve just been me and the fact that I haven’t had math since high school calculus. Again, insomnia did not help.

RC: TopScore. This has always been my strongest section. I don’t know why but it just comes easy. So I didn’t do much to prepare. My second attempt I got the infamous piano passage and did think it was really hard. So I went into it my third time with the mindset that no matter what I had to keep moving. My 1st attempt I used S&D, got a 21. 2nd attempt used kaplans strategy of writing key words, got an 18. 3rd time went back to S&D, got a 28. Try different methods and figure out which works best for you. I somehow finished with 5 min left and was able to go back through my marked inference/tone questions. TopScore is the best for getting timing down and learning how to stare at a passage onscreen and hunt for keywords.

Bio: Kaplan, PR Hyperlearning MCAT biological sciences review, Destroyer, bio textbook. Overall bio wasnt too bad. This is probably what I spent the most time studying for. Try to see the bigger picture and don’t get hung up on trivial details. The Princeton Review Biol Sciences review was my saving grace. I cannot say enough good things about this book. I’ve debated hanging on to it just to have as a reference—seriously. I went through the entire book 3 times highlighting and making handwritten outlines. I reviewed questions missed on Kaplan tests, Destroyer and Topscore and literally sat down and read all of the definitions in the glossary of my bio textbook to make sure that I at least recognized most everything they could ask. It all comes down to how much time you have to study.

GC: Kap, PR Hyperlearning MCAT physical sciences review, Destroyer. Kaplan was very good for this section. Almost exactly the same. I took the free Kaplan online practice DAT the day before the real thing and I swear I had several ?s on the real thing that were almost identical to the ones on this test!!! On the real thing there are more conceptual things and the calculations are often set-up for you. Destroyer was way harder than the real DAT but still great b/c it made me feel prepared. Anyone should be fine just using Kap though. I don't remember anything from class freshman year, so refreshing myself was pretty awful. Just get out a whiteboard and work problems over and over

OC: Kap, PR Hyperlearning MCAT biological sciences review, Destroyer. Strangely enough I’ve always liked ochem! I had a really good prof at UNC so it came back quickly when I was re-teaching myself. DESTROYER, DESTROYER, DESTROYER!!! The roadmaps were AWESOME and I’d say over prepare you. Know Destroyer cold and you should be fine. I made copies of all the roadmaps with the products covered up and would go through and fill these in to help me practice. Kap flashcards were good for drilling basic reactions too.

TESTING CENTER/GENERAL STUFF:
I live in NC and my testing center was actually warm. I would still recommend dressing in layers so you can take off as much as you need..the only rule is if you go in wearing a sweatshirt or something you cant remove it while you’re in the testing room. If you want to take it off you’ve got to physically get up, walk out of the room, and go put it in your locker. The prometric people were very nice and let me hang my sweatshirt right outside the door and said that if I needed it during the exam just to wave at them (b/c they’re watching you the whole time) and they’d run it in to me. So that’s what I’d suggest. They let me wear my own earplugs, which worked like a charm when combined with the huge ones they give you. You’re given 2 (cant get more) laminated sheets, 2 pens and an eraser. The pens dry out very quickly, so don't leave them uncapped for too long!! But you can always wave at the guy and he’ll come running in w/ more if you need more. Go in there calm and confident and all your hard work WILL pay off!
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Whew-ok, so that’s about it. I graduated May of 08 with a Spanish major/chem minor. GPA sucks (3.33 overall/3.0 science) but I have lots of EC’s, service, dental experience (I worked as a dental assistant all of last year following graduation.) I applied to 8 schools..submitted apps late (9/1) and have interviewed at UK and UNC so far. Should know something by Dec 1st!!! I’m currently taking 4 post-bac courses to help my GPA and will return to work in Dec until whenever d-school starts. I’m so glad that the majority of the battle is over...I hope!

I wish everyone the best of luck and if you’re like me and are starting to think you cant do it…YOU CAN!!! Don’t give up and let a failure be motivation for you to try that much harder the second time!!!!!!!!! Sorry this was so scatter brained, I feel like I forgot a lot of stuff..just ask if you have any questions!

EDIT: I've added a photo of the score report for those who wanted to see it. I’m also selling all the materials I used to study (check out my post in the classifieds to see what I have and pictures of my stuff>>
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=681476

 

[OU11BB]

great Job!! good luck this year

 

[blamb]

Nice improvement!!! 🙂Congratsss! I was wondering where this free Kaplan test is? I looked on the website and couldn't find it. And also what S&d strategy did you use for the RC?

 

[Extirpator]

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[preppydoc]

Thank you so much for posting this!! I am am in a similar position... I never post on this site because, well I am just too embarassed... I started off thinking that medicine was for me, then quickly realized after shadowing both physicians and dentists that dentistry is a much better fit. I never took the MCAT and I am going to focus on studying for the DAT. I actually studied and took the DAT last year and it was a really sad, dismal situation... but I am happy that someone else was able to gain confidence and succeed.

Thank you again for posting... I need to actually make a study guide and stick to it!! Good luck with the application process... I will be rooting for you 🙂

 

[bounce13]

Hey guys,
Thanks for all of the positive feedback! blamb, go to kaptest.com, graduate admissions, other tests, DAT, Learn about the DAT (in column on the left), then you'll see a little circle pop up near the top right that says Take a Free Practice DAT Online, click sign up, and then i think you just have to give your name and email and they send you a code to access the test. Seriously, do this test! I was shocked to see some nearly identical gen chem and ochem questions on the real thing!

As far as S&D goes, I literally seacrhed and destroyed. I dont know how else to say it. I dont know why but RC has just always been my strongest section. I did kind of stalk SDN before my test to try to find out what passages other people had, which were the hard ones, etc..but when it really comes down to it that wont help you. If anything it'll just make you freak out when the piano pops up! Just try out different methods on timed tests (TopScore, Kaplan, Achiever) and figure out which method works best for you and stick with it. I practiced several methods (kaplans method of writing out topic/keywords--killed my time and didnt work for me at all, glancing over the questions before starting to answer--didnt work either, etc.) In the end I just used regular search & destroy and worked quickly to skim and keep track of key concepts and words in my head and their relative location in the passage. My questions were usually not asked in the order they appear in the passage..but I'd devote 1-2 mins at the start of each passage skimming it so that at least i'd get the general flow. then i went in order to answer the questions 1 by 1..i'd literally pick out ONE key word from the question i was being asked and fly through the passage skimming it until i found that word. If i couldnt find it after about a minute or if it was a tone/inference/"all of the following EXCEPT" I'd mark and move on. Like I said, just practice your method and stick with it sothat you can stay calm and keep moving on test day.

My passges were syphyllis, cancerous cells, and cell-communication. Im sorry but I remember aboslutely NOTHING about any of them(which is why I should have posted this in Aug!!)..except that I remember them all being relatively easy and that I had 5 mins at the end to go back and figure out analytical/inference questions I'd marked. I really think half of its luck which passges you get and therefore how calm youre able to stay. I had piano the time before this, and although some people think piano was fine, i literally freaked out and lost a lot of time this way.

OU11BB, i'll PM you back once I finally have time to sit down and give some good thought you your questions 🙂

 

[azar87]

Amazing post man thank your for inspiring me and the others here who are going at it for the 3rd time after being dissapointed people like you are why i love this forum and i wish you nothing but all the success in the world and it seems to be that destroyer really did help you along with kaplan being the top resources so just congrats man you have amazing scores.

 

[allstardentist]

wow nice job! you just proved that nothing is impossible and everything can be conquered including DAT.