- Joined
- Jun 5, 2007
- Messages
- 44
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
- Pre-Dental
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Took the DAT today. Wanted to share the experience and some tips. Here are the scores. (Used Destroyer, Kaplan and TopScore...see notes below)
O.C.--24--94.4%
G.C.--22--88.7%
BIO--19--75.3%
PAT--19--75.2%
R.C.--21--80.2%
Q.R.--17--63.2%
A.A.--21--91%
T.S.--22--95.3%
Starting from the sections where I have least to say. (if you're short on time or patience, skip the next 3 paragraphs. The most important stuff I have to say is in the sciences)
PAT--I routinely topped 20 on topscore, so I'd say that the actual DAT PAT was a little harder, but Topscore and Kaplan arent bad. When you practice make mental notes. For example I noticed that for keyhole you use the big empty squares as a last resort, because very often they don't appear to scale anyway. I mean I'm not a PAT expert, but you pick up on certain trends when you practice--especially holepunching--where theres a couple of folds they just recycle over and over again.
Q.R.--okay, I know 17 looks like it sucks but it was a success for me. I basically looked at each problem and if I didn't know what to do right away, I guessed and marked it. Believe me I notched a 17 without knowing a single trig function. I then used the extra time to guess and check the other ones. It isn't very sophisticated but I'm telling you its the only way I survived.
R.C.--I developed a technique while practicing the reading comp, and since I have done well. If you use Topscore It is exactly the same except before the questions appear you can view the entire passage instead of using half the screen for passage and half for questions. This is what I did: First I made sure to read the passage only in that little window because when I reference it to look back for answers I want it to appear exactly as it did when i first read it. Notice that the paragraphs are numbered. I wrote down the number of each paragraph and titled it. when i was finished i had an understanding of the passage and my own custom mini table of contents. I finished every passage ahead of schedule and notched a 21.
O. C. and G.C. and BIO-- I can only say this one way. Once you have your foundation in these subjects (for foundation just use any of the classics: Kaplan, Cliff's AP Bio...) you need the experience doing the problems. DESTROYER!!!!! A lot of people think that doing problems in a question format booklet will leave you lagging in the conceptual department. I cannot disagree any more strongly!!! The explanations in the solutions sections are flawless in depth and to the point. Also, every potential DAT taker and his mother has the book, so if you dont understand something, you can just get on here and ask anybody. Remember its not a practice test. If you treat it as one you are shooting yourself in the foot. I mean O.C. and G.C. 24 and 22 respectively. need i say more? as far as bio, when i first looked at destroyer i thought some of the questions were very specific, but I can't stress enough how similar some of my questions were. I mean had i not looked at destroyer, i would have thought the test nothing like what i studied. Understand: I read kaplan and cliffs basically twice each, and im glad i did, because i needed that to round my general knowledge, but in terms of specific questions IT JUST DOESN'T CUT IT!! get the destroyer and stay on top of the updates. I dont care if you need the shipped like every other day. Without my updates im looking at another summer of this studying crap. I mean I could sit here and tell you exactly what number questions in destroyer pointed me in the right direction on the actual test but im not risking trouble for all you guys out there. Ive said enough. know destroyer bio--every answer choice--why its wrong or right--and get those updates!!!!!!!!!!!.....!!!!...!!! ...(!!!!)
Intangibles: when i sat down i went nuts and panicked and my body was shaking and answered a whole bunch of orgo questions wrong, but i used the awesome "mark" feature and when i had finished all 100 questions once, and had a full half hour left, and my mind was once again functional i went back and changed them. (THANK G-D) so if youre the type to spaz, spaz away and move quickly and eventually you'll calm down. arite guyz, thats all i got for you. good luck to all.
O.C.--24--94.4%
G.C.--22--88.7%
BIO--19--75.3%
PAT--19--75.2%
R.C.--21--80.2%
Q.R.--17--63.2%
A.A.--21--91%
T.S.--22--95.3%
Starting from the sections where I have least to say. (if you're short on time or patience, skip the next 3 paragraphs. The most important stuff I have to say is in the sciences)
PAT--I routinely topped 20 on topscore, so I'd say that the actual DAT PAT was a little harder, but Topscore and Kaplan arent bad. When you practice make mental notes. For example I noticed that for keyhole you use the big empty squares as a last resort, because very often they don't appear to scale anyway. I mean I'm not a PAT expert, but you pick up on certain trends when you practice--especially holepunching--where theres a couple of folds they just recycle over and over again.
Q.R.--okay, I know 17 looks like it sucks but it was a success for me. I basically looked at each problem and if I didn't know what to do right away, I guessed and marked it. Believe me I notched a 17 without knowing a single trig function. I then used the extra time to guess and check the other ones. It isn't very sophisticated but I'm telling you its the only way I survived.
R.C.--I developed a technique while practicing the reading comp, and since I have done well. If you use Topscore It is exactly the same except before the questions appear you can view the entire passage instead of using half the screen for passage and half for questions. This is what I did: First I made sure to read the passage only in that little window because when I reference it to look back for answers I want it to appear exactly as it did when i first read it. Notice that the paragraphs are numbered. I wrote down the number of each paragraph and titled it. when i was finished i had an understanding of the passage and my own custom mini table of contents. I finished every passage ahead of schedule and notched a 21.
O. C. and G.C. and BIO-- I can only say this one way. Once you have your foundation in these subjects (for foundation just use any of the classics: Kaplan, Cliff's AP Bio...) you need the experience doing the problems. DESTROYER!!!!! A lot of people think that doing problems in a question format booklet will leave you lagging in the conceptual department. I cannot disagree any more strongly!!! The explanations in the solutions sections are flawless in depth and to the point. Also, every potential DAT taker and his mother has the book, so if you dont understand something, you can just get on here and ask anybody. Remember its not a practice test. If you treat it as one you are shooting yourself in the foot. I mean O.C. and G.C. 24 and 22 respectively. need i say more? as far as bio, when i first looked at destroyer i thought some of the questions were very specific, but I can't stress enough how similar some of my questions were. I mean had i not looked at destroyer, i would have thought the test nothing like what i studied. Understand: I read kaplan and cliffs basically twice each, and im glad i did, because i needed that to round my general knowledge, but in terms of specific questions IT JUST DOESN'T CUT IT!! get the destroyer and stay on top of the updates. I dont care if you need the shipped like every other day. Without my updates im looking at another summer of this studying crap. I mean I could sit here and tell you exactly what number questions in destroyer pointed me in the right direction on the actual test but im not risking trouble for all you guys out there. Ive said enough. know destroyer bio--every answer choice--why its wrong or right--and get those updates!!!!!!!!!!!.....!!!!...!!! ...(!!!!)
Intangibles: when i sat down i went nuts and panicked and my body was shaking and answered a whole bunch of orgo questions wrong, but i used the awesome "mark" feature and when i had finished all 100 questions once, and had a full half hour left, and my mind was once again functional i went back and changed them. (THANK G-D) so if youre the type to spaz, spaz away and move quickly and eventually you'll calm down. arite guyz, thats all i got for you. good luck to all.
