first time practice dat test

[lwergod]

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scored a 17 aa with little to no study background. bio/gc are tests of knowledge and I seem to have forgotten a great deal of info from freshmen year. OC, needs more practice, as i just wrapped up oc II fall semester of my junior year. Math/Pat, I scored 18/19, respectively, despite having guessed 5-8 questions due to time constraints. Reading sucked. I prefer to read and comprehend the big picture, but the science passages required a lot of attention to detail and scanning for random info.

current gpa is 3.52(up from 3.42 from before fall semester started, earned a 4.0 this semester), junior at top 35 public uni.


I don't know if 21+ is a feasible score for me to attain considering this weak af starting point. thoughts?

 

[FeralisExtremum]

I think 21+ is easily attainable regardless of starting point, it's just a matter of being thorough enough in your preparation. How did you prepare for the exam the first time?

 

[lwergod]

I only looked at the most foreign section which was/is the PAT. Reviewed some questions on DATBC, and jumped right into the kaplan practice test.

edit: also any pointers, or sources would be appreciated.

 

[lwergod]

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[FeralisExtremum]

I'd start with looking at breakdowns in this forum - a lot of different users have posted their scores, the material they used to prepare, how long they studied, advice for others, etc. I would try to read at least a few of these to get a feel for what you think is most effective and then structure a study plan. You can find a very nicely organized collection of DAT breakdowns at this link: DAT Breakdown Compilation Thread (future test takers, look here!)

 

[Quinque]

I think it’s normal to score low on your first practice exam. I took a practice exam before I started studying and I think I got sub 17 on a few sections, but after studying consistently I was able to see my practice scores go up. I ended up getting a 23 on the real thing.

 

[zToothinator]

Agree with everything that has been said so far. Depending on how much time you have before your exam, it's definitely to score above a 21. The nice part about scoring a 17 now is that it's much easier to improve it to a 21 as opposed to a 20 -> 24 improvement. If you're able to identify what topics you're weakest in, you can focus on reviewing those areas first to get the best bang for your time.