For married with a family test takers only:D

[bakes]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hello,
As the title indicates I am married and have 3 wonderful kids. I was curious to know how others like me are preparing for the DAT. I have read numerous threads with breakdowns which say that the certain individual studied for 2 months 6-8 hours a day. This alone I find so comical I sometimes have trouble sleeping at night!😀 My wife and I both work, she works at night I work in the day and we get to see each other only in passing when we talk about the children. So back to my point, anyone out there have any advice for an overworked underslept father of 3 who is trying to man handle the DAT!
Thanks for the replies and for those in my same shoes, you are not alone!

 

[Shinpe]

I dont have children, not even married (or even close to being married for that matter lol). But honestly, I think the more important question you should be asking is how it's going to be in dental school. Have you considered that? I mean studying for DAT you could do probably less hours a day but for longer, but in dental school, you're basically going to be LIVING dentistry everyday (from what I hear at least), which doesn't really leave any room for much else (depending on the school again, but more or less). I think if you consider that and you're fine with that, then you can definitely somehow get through studying for DAT. I don't think it's much compared to how much you'll have to study in dental school and for the boards.

 

[Astros1fan]

Well it's difficult I do have to agree with you. I find it ridiculous when I hear people say stuff like I studied 6-8 hours daily for months. I basically cut my hours in half, so I can go to school full time on tues and thurs. or recently study for the DAT, but with my physician wife's schedule so ridiculously random most of the time I have to cut my study hours short to get the girls and do things with them. Same thing during the school year. I can't go to tutoring or stay later after class or be in study groups for the same reason.

It's also definitely a guilt trip with kids. I'm trying to study or do school work but I feel bad for not being there for them. I keep telling myself that it will pay off in the end, but it's awfully difficult. I try not to do school stuff after I pick them up and do most of my studying after they go to bed which means staying up till 3:00 in the morning then wake up at 6:00 and start all over again. I also try to put 2 weekends out of the month to just do stuff with the family.

Keep your head up and moving forward, we'll get there. We're non-traditional compared to all these kids. But I would'nt have it any other way.

 

[torque]

Married with a baby on the way 🙂

I had to cut some hours to take the prerequisite courses and to study for DAT as well.

My wife's working full time but in the midst of ridiculous budget cuts here in california, we are living everyday with the concern of getting laid off (wife's working for a NPO).

So yeah, it's really tough but once I get in, we are planning to take out a loan and my wife will be working as well.

Keep your chin up champ and good luck to all of us !!

oh and yeah, my studying time is from 7 pm to 2 am too.

 

[bakes]

Well it's difficult I do have to agree with you. I find it ridiculous when I hear people say stuff like I studied 6-8 hours daily for months. I basically cut my hours in half, so I can go to school full time on tues and thurs. or recently study for the DAT, but with my physician wife's schedule so ridiculously random most of the time I have to cut my study hours short to get the girls and do things with them. Same thing during the school year. I can't go to tutoring or stay later after class or be in study groups for the same reason.

It's also definitely a guilt trip with kids. I'm trying to study or do school work but I feel bad for not being there for them. I keep telling myself that it will pay off in the end, but it's awfully difficult. I try not to do school stuff after I pick them up and do most of my studying after they go to bed which means staying up till 3:00 in the morning then wake up at 6:00 and start all over again. I also try to put 2 weekends out of the month to just do stuff with the family.

Keep your head up and moving forward, we'll get there. We're non-traditional compared to all these kids. But I would'nt have it any other way.

Thanks for sharing your experiences with me and the other readers, its comforting to know that despite all the people telling me how ridiculous it is for me to want DS that others are in my same situation. Are your children older? My youngest is 9 months and as you know she has to be watched all the time, but like you said we wouldn't change it for the world. Just think soon our full time jobs will be to study!

 

[Astros1fan]

Thanks for sharing your experiences with me and the other readers, its comforting to know that despite all the people telling me how ridiculous it is for me to want DS that others are in my same situation. Are your children older? My youngest is 9 months and as you know she has to be watched all the time, but like you said we wouldn't change it for the world. Just think soon our full time jobs will be to study!

My girls are 9 and 7. But 8 years ago in hygiene school my daughter was 1 and I was basically in school M-F 8-5 (not fun) But even more impressive was my terminator of a wife being able to finish undergrad in 4 years with a 4.0 and having a 1-2 year old then halfway thru a newborn. Freaking nerd!

 

[razblo]

I posted this in another thread earlier tonight that when I was touring a school, a little over a year ago, I met a pre-dent student that was a mother of four!

 

[bakes]

I posted this in another thread earlier tonight that when I was touring a school, a little over a year ago, I met a pre-dent student that was a mother of four!

That is simply remarkable! My wife is talking about a 4th:S

 

[microbio]

I have a three yr. old son and a 3 month old daughter, I currently attend college 3/4 time and shadow. My wife stay's at home with the children. I study on average of 6-7 hours a day sometimes more like 8-10 and will have studied around 2 1/2 months by the time I test. I don't believe it is necessary to study this much. I guess it is more a question of how you learn? I need to have repetition, the test is designed with traps so even if you think you might understand something you may only understand it partially and will therefore get it wrong. I don't know enough about your circumstances to dispense advice. However if given the opportunity I would definitely had started studying 6 months ago. That said if you are waiting until next summer to apply you have the perfect opportunity to start studying a little bit at a time right now. As test time gets closer then perhaps you could put more time into it, and by then you will have close to 9 months ( I believe June 1st adsass opens up the applications for 2011 app. cycle) I would think you would be well prepared by then.

 

[bustedgrill]

No kids but I have a wifey. I too am studying for the DAT. The best advice I can give to you is that you need to find time for just you and your wife. Thursday after 5pm all books are closed and cell phones are shut off. We just spend time together, have dinner, go fish or watch a movie. It helps a lot, it gives you and your wife something to look forward to each week.