Don't know what to buy for practice.

[sdnlurkeress]

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Hey guys. I've been looking through a bunch of threads and I guess the top choices for practice tests are the DAT Destroyer, DATQVault, and DAT Bootcamp. A lot of people who've done well seemed to have all these resources at once but honestly that sounds really expensive. I wanted to know what you guys felt like was the best deal. Could I realistically get away with just having one these? I'm leaning towards DATQVault alone but I'm scared not having the Destroyer to push me further in my studies will be the difference between scoring a 22 and 25. I already have the Cliff's AP Bio and plan on purchasing Chad's videos which will be around 50 to 85 dollars depending on how long I want to study. I think for the PAT I will rely on one of the above sources which adds to my confusion.

 

[customx]

Destroyer and Chad's are musts, followed by Bootcamp, crack DAT PAT and qvault

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[SmileDesignersDDS]

crack dat for the PAT and the reading, Destroyer for the sciences and math, use Campbell's bio for bio, also you can use cliffs for bio as well. Just warming you that Campbell's is a huge text book but covers every bio topic tested on the DAT. Cliffs is a condensed book. Hope this all helps!

 

[SmileDesignersDDS]

Btw I wouldn't trust bootcamp all too much. My friends bootcamp had a lot of mistakes. Also they didn't even have the nerst equation

 

[ICUrunning]

Btw I wouldn't trust bootcamp all too much. My friends bootcamp had a lot of mistakes. Also they didn't even have the nerst equation

Im pretty sure everyone's bootcamp questions are the same. But you can check with Ari.

OP, in addition, DATQvault bio was great.

 

[emitpeels]

+1 for bio qvault and also PAT!

 

[Ari Rezaei]

Btw I wouldn't trust bootcamp all too much. My friends bootcamp had a lot of mistakes. Also they didn't even have the nerst equation

If your friends find any mistakes, they are more than welcome to message me. But we've only received one correction email in the past 6 months. We have had thousands of pre-dental students use DAT Bootcamp. Our content has been thoroughly reviewed, and I personally review each question to offer the best DAT prep experience anyone can get.

 

[pilotdentist]

Boot camp is your best value purchase. I did not get Crack dat pat but instead used boot camp which teaches PAT w excellent explanations... I got a 24 PAT on test.

It's also spot on for everything else...(except QR)

 

[emitpeels]

I personally hated crack dat PAT

 

[dp93]

CDP was too easy. still get it though, good practice nonetheless, just don't read too much into the scores.

 

[sdnlurkeress]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I noticed the majority of you guys are leaning towards DAT Bootcamp which I am as well and that there aren't as much DAT Destroyer comments. Am I supposed to assume that is a "must buy" (like Chad's videos) because of the feedback most of the people who have posted breakdowns have given or could you argue that the Bootcamp provides a good enough of a practice in the gen chem and orgo sections that I would be fine without the destroyer? Buying both would mean around 300 dollars total for supplements (if I included the Chad videos) and that's a little much for me.

 

[customx]

Le we in mind you can always sell destroyer after you're done with the test and recoup probably 75-80% of what you paid.

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[sdnlurkeress]

Thats a good point.

 

[pilotdentist]

I just sold my destroyer math combo on ebay for 140. Cost 200 new...

Yes, you need destroyer assuming you have enough time to review it thoroughly.

 

[Triflate]

I've used almost every resource except for Achiever, and I can tell you this - Bootcamp has been the best one out of all of them. The PAT alone is worth the money. QR - a bit too extreme but everything else is on point - especially bio, GC, and OC. Destroyer is a bit of overkill and kind of a rip off in hindsight, but I guess it'll help you sleep better at night depending on what kind of student you are. Math Destroyer is good, however. Honestly the best bang for your buck is bootcamp. It is also difficult and can be frustrating at times, but that's science, and the more you know, the better off you are. Whoever said bootcamp has mistakes honestly has no idea what they are talking about. And if you ever find something wrong or have questions about anything - their customer service is the best of any pre-health prep materials. If I had to do it all over again I would get QVault (bio only), borrow destroyer from someone (for Bio ONLY), math destroyer, and bootcamp.

 

[sdnlurkeress]

@Triflate thank you for your response firstly. So you would say Bootcamp's GC and OC is just as good as the Destroyer? Those are the areas I will be the weakest in without a doubt.

 

[Triflate]

It's not that bootcamp is better - it's that bootcamp resembles what you're most likely to see on the real thing a lot better. There's a huge disconnect (in my opinion) between destroyer GC/OC and bootcamp. Destroyer is a lot more calculation based, while bootcamp is a lot more concept based. The calculations on bootcamp are simple - but if you don't know the concept - then you won't be able to do the calculations. If you're weak in chemistry, then yes, I would suggest you work a little with destroyer. I just want to give you a heads up that some of those questions on destroyer are ridiculous. I'm a chemistry major and i know for a fact that some of that stuff on destroyer is way out of the scope of general chemistry. Bootcamp asks a lot more standardized questions. The DAT is a standardized test, so it's good to get the proper exposure to that kind of strange "standardized" wording that you'll encounter on the real thing. If you're weak in GC and OC, I totally forgot to mention Chad in the above post. Chad is obviously the #1 source for chemistry. Make sure you learn/write EVERYTHING that he says, do well on his quizzes, then switch gears to bootcamp and you should ok 🙂

If you're really really really weak in chemistry and if you think you'll sleep better at night if you do destroyer, then go for it. But it just depends on your comfort level with chemistry (and your budget). It might be a pain in the butt for you but I'm sure you'll get through it. If you work Chad's, then destroyer, then bootcamp (in that order), you should be in very good shape with both GC and OC. But like I said, it all depends on how strong you are in these areas of chemistry.

 

[kingenamel]

Destroyer+chads+cliffs AP

Achiever was too much and it became a waste of the little time I had left to study.--I bought the 7 test version and didnt finish it. If you have months to study for the DAT and you can actually do well on Achiever you will find the DAT a lot easier. At least that is what I found.

 

[sdnlurkeress]

Okay so I have another quick question. For the new Bio section is the 3rd edition of Cliff's AP Bio enough? I've seen some people say they've taken genetics or anatomy already and that helped them but I don't really have that option as I am taking this exam at the end of this summer.

(If it helps I have already taken Microbiology and Biochemistry)

 

[Triflate]

I used a combination of cliffs, barron's, feralis, and campbell's 8th edition. I think Feralis/campbell covers most of the A&P you need to know. Destroyer bio is also great. Cliffs/barrons is a little lacking in A&P. Cliffs was good for genetics and feralis/bootcamp filled in the gaps for genetic technologies. Also, chad has a video on genetic technologies that is helpful. Cliffs is a great place to get started though.

 

[sdnlurkeress]

Okay cool. I downloaded the new Feralis Notes so I'll just read that in conjunction with Cliff's. Thanks again.