For those about to take the DAT

[Intent]

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I just wanted to give a few pointers out there to those taking the exam about some things i've noticed about the DAT

1. Do not change your answers if you finish early, most likely you were correct the first time

2. You cannot memorize the questions in destroyer and expect to nail the gen chem section, you may get away with it for orgo but not for gen chem, trust me. You will see a very similar question you saw in destroyer with 95% of the same components, but worded differently and if you don't understand how to break the question apart you will not get the right answer.

3. The bio section has a good deal of conceptual questions, there is less fact recall and more application style questions then I thought there would be. I saw a post once comparing the DAT to the MCAT and a student said the DAT was all memory, it isn't so, just a heads up.

4. Crack PAT is not the same as the DAT section. You cannot count the lines on the DAT, they all have the exact same number of lines in terms of height and width, the rest of the PAT section are similar.

5. You need to know your algebra big time for the math section. I am terrible at math, it shows in my scores. Go back and learn the basics instead of thinking you can memorize math destroyer and be okay with it.

6. The reading section will probably but not certainly be two interesting topics followed by a very dense heavy science orientated final passage. They lay it on thick in the end.

7. The orgo section is probably the easiest section on the exam. It is just applying the facts you know about orgo, nothing really conceptual, very strait forward. There isn't anything too far out on this section.

I think thats about it, I just wanted to write this down for anyone who's on the fence debating about whether or not they are ready to take the exam. If you're convincing yourself you know the material when you are memorizing it perhaps without even realizing it, spend a little extra time taking more practice tests, otherwise you're good to go. Good luck everyone!

 

[mustardseed]

Great tips! Mostly agree with them all-especially the first one!
wish I had this kind of advice before I took mine.

 

[lr2014]

Yeah, I always have problems with tip # 1. lol

 

[ChrisM07]

The bio section has a good deal of conceptual questions, there is less fact recall and more application style questions then I thought there would be. I saw a post once comparing the DAT to the MCAT and a student said the DAT was all memory, it isn't so, just a heads up

Did you feel though that the questions on the real exam were similar to the style seen in destroyer? I don't think the questions in destroyer are all recall.

Also, was the gen chem section calculation heavy?

 

[Intent]

They were similar topics, but they were reworded so that you would recognize the components of the question and say okay this looks familiar, but if you didn't understand exactly what the question was asking and were not able to rearrange the problem and look at it from a different perspective you might get thrown off. You're right they aren't all recall in destroyer, some are just strait facts, but as far as calculations go you'll need to be able to play around with say log functions. Some of the questions were hard for me to set up even plugging them into the appropriate formula with all the variables. I took the destroyer course too and I even think the author could have had some more examples or perhaps another way to reword things. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's helpful to look at a problem and realize that it can be asked more than one way, I hope that helps

 

[themrn]

thank you so much for the tips!!

now i'm really worried about g chem and reading lol

 

[elysium13]

I've fallen into the trap of #2. I've gone through the gen chem section in destroyer so many times that I've memorized how to answer the questions specifically instead of breaking it down and learning the concepts. I'm glad someone pointed that out.

Great advice, thanks!!

 

[blankman321]

I've fallen into the trap of #2. I've gone through the gen chem section in destroyer so many times that I've memorized how to answer the questions specifically instead of breaking it down and learning the concepts. I'm glad someone pointed that out.

Great advice, thanks!!

ditto^^^^^, intent what would you say is the best practice for General Chemistry, i've found Chad's to be really useful but also dont want to have a false sense of security if I just look at the questions and simply memorize the question when they tweak it a little bit to throw me off.

also for bio, I know you can't memorize all the info and have questions straightforward but would you say Qvault bio is the closest to having application type questions. I did really well on the first free practice test and I havent even finished reading cliffs AP bio

 

[Intent]

I wish I knew how to approach the gen chem. I am taking the exam a 4th time this august. I got an 18 three times. Here are my scores
1st attempt:
PAT: 18
QR: 16
RC: 16
BIO: 19
GC: 19
OC: 21
TS: 19
AA: 18

2nd attempt:
PAT: 18
QR: 16
RC: 18
BIO: 18
GC: 17
OC: 19
TS: 18
AA:18

3rd attempt:
PAT: 20
QR: 14 (Good god!)
RC: 20
BIO: 18
GC: 17
OC: 21
TS: 19
AA: 18

I have a really good memory, so i figured i'd bet set if I memorized cliffs, which was no problem I could recite the thing in my sleep. memorize destroyer and think okay if I know how to solve these they will be exactly the same on the exam, but they weren't, and I had to apply the cliffs knowledge to the bio. I am restarting from scratch. I am going to watch all of chads videos, then go over destroyer, then q vault and perhaps achiever. I think the practice tests will really let you know if you have a handle on the material, since they are all worded differently it might be best for those of us who are used to looking at the same problems to see it presented in a different light. My friend did great on gen chem, she told me she changed the numbers herself in the problems to see if she really understood it. Because after going over destroyer 8 times you can just look at the problem and know how to set it up based on the numbers. My exam is August 21st, so I have two months which is more than most people have plus i've been taking this exam for the last 12 months so it should be plenty.

 

[aznnytezx]

How did you improve your reading comprehension from first exam to the third exam?

 

[Springs01]

Thanks for your tips! Do you think it's okay to skip studying carbohydrate and protein chemistry for the orgo section? I'm just so burned out and it's too late to force anything more inside my brain.

 

[Springs01]

I am taking the exam a 4th time this august.

@Intent, I thought you could take the DAT 3 times max. Can you tell me how you were allowed to take it a 4th time? Who knows, I might be in the same shoes one day. and Good Luck!

 

[Intent]

How did you improve your reading comprehension from first exam to the third exam?

The first time i took the exam I guessed on every single reading question, all of them. I just clicked away. I had a passage on fiber optics, then prions, and I forget the last one. The second time around I actually read it and did search and destroy, and the last time I took it is a little funny. You'll get into the zone doing the reading passage, you'll become the terminator looking for certain words and phrases, its amazing how much you'll focus during that section.

 

[Intent]

@Intent, I thought you could take the DAT 3 times max. Can you tell me how you were allowed to take it a 4th time? Who knows, I might be in the same shoes one day. and Good Luck!

Thanks, if you do wind up having to take it a fourth time, all you need to do is write a letter to the ADA asking for permission and let them know you are applying to dental school again, all they want is a rejection letter and they will green light you. As for the proteins and carbohydrates, I would know primary secondary tertiary etc characteristics for proteins, and nothing much about carbs

 

[Intent]

I also forgot to mention one thing, be on the lookout for conversion between units on the gen chem section, pay close attention in destroyer to the problems that have to be converted before solving, it will help

 

[babowc]

my GC section was mostly conceptual.
Hardly any calculation/conversions.

It's never a for-sure answer about what you'll be getting.

I studied GC and OC like crazy, and went over Cliffs AP three times, but still only managed a 18/18/21 bio/gc/oc. Mainly, bio had crazy anatomy which I was not prepared for, and GC had crazy conceptual, which again, I was not prepared for.

IMO there's no such thing as "over-studying" for the DAT, if you want to do well.

Go all out, and study your heart out for 2-3 months.
I managed a 20AA which I'm content with, by studying for 5 weeks.
If I had to do it over, I would give up three times that amount.

 

[MVD89]

I am about to take my DAT in 3 weeks and this was the kind of advice I needed, thank you!
Would you say that the OC section is mainly synthesis reactions like in the Destroyer? Also how in depth do they go with spectroscopy?
Any good recommendations for practice tests besides the ADA one. I just finished the destroyer for the second time, watched all of Chad's videos, read AP cliffs bio, and the Kaplan Blue Book. So some new material is in need haha. 🙂

 

[tjung789]

Would you say that for Ochem we should be fine memorizing the reactions and that we don't really need to be too conceptual for the test?

 

[Intent]

Would you say that for Ochem we should be fine memorizing the reactions and that we don't really need to be too conceptual for the test?

Ochem is one of the only sections I think where you can get away with memorization. They won't throw any conceptual questions at you for ochem, but gen chem is a totally different story.

 

[Intent]

I am about to take my DAT in 3 weeks and this was the kind of advice I needed, thank you!
Would you say that the OC section is mainly synthesis reactions like in the Destroyer? Also how in depth do they go with spectroscopy?
Any good recommendations for practice tests besides the ADA one. I just finished the destroyer for the second time, watched all of Chad's videos, read AP cliffs bio, and the Kaplan Blue Book. So some new material is in need haha. 🙂

Know your NMR and your IR, theres only a few values that you really should know, maybe 10 or so for both combined. You'll likely get one synthesis on the exam. Know how to do all the synthesis reactions in the destroyer, they have a few that are very similar. I haven't taken achiever but I hard it is great, and Qvault for Bio is well...these guys obviously realized there is a market for DAT materials, and just like the destroyer you will see some questions that are almost exact and will pop up on your exam.

 

[hawkeye712]

Thanks for your tips! Do you think it's okay to skip studying carbohydrate and protein chemistry for the orgo section? I'm just so burned out and it's too late to force anything more inside my brain.

Intent, can you comment on this question please?

 

[biomolecmed]

Thank you for the valuable tips.

 

[KGreene]

I am about to take my DAT in 3 weeks and this was the kind of advice I needed, thank you!
Would you say that the OC section is mainly synthesis reactions like in the Destroyer? Also how in depth do they go with spectroscopy?
Any good recommendations for practice tests besides the ADA one. I just finished the destroyer for the second time, watched all of Chad's videos, read AP cliffs bio, and the Kaplan Blue Book. So some new material is in need haha. 🙂

A great place to get a few more questions is from the OAT released tests, just ignore the physics! The same company makes both tests

 

[KGreene]

I am about to take my DAT in 3 weeks and this was the kind of advice I needed, thank you!
Would you say that the OC section is mainly synthesis reactions like in the Destroyer? Also how in depth do they go with spectroscopy?
Any good recommendations for practice tests besides the ADA one. I just finished the destroyer for the second time, watched all of Chad's videos, read AP cliffs bio, and the Kaplan Blue Book. So some new material is in need haha. 🙂

A great place to get a few more questions is from the OAT released tests, just ignore the physics! The same company makes both tests. In addition, the american chemical society has gen chem and organic chem tests they relsease that really helped me a lot!

 

[Intent]

Intent, can you comment on this question please?

I would say know the destroyer question 155 in the 2012 version. And know DEFINITELY about primary structure (it is the order of the amino acids) and secondary structure etc, if you don't know anything else make SURE you know that. Very good chance you will get a question relating to that topic

 

[Xo1991]

Sorry Intent, but what is question 155 in destroyer? I have the 2013 version and they are in different order.

 

[Intent]

it says, at a pH = 1.6, all groups will be in their protonated forms and it gives you a picture of a protein with a the pKa's, it's phenylalanine, and it says at a pH of 1.6 which structure correctly depicts the molecule