for those who took the real DAT/Achiever/Kaplan

[zriceman]

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I posted this in the DAT section but didnt get any response, so i m reposting it here.

I took scored 19 s on all the the three RC from Achiever.

But when I took my kapalan diagnostic i scored a 13 on the RC!!!

I used the same strategy of searching for key words on both but the answers in kaplan diagnostic were not as straightforward as Achiever's.


Is the real DAT RC like Kaplan's????

 

[DrSmiles12]

I didn't think that Kaplan's RC was like the real DAT. Then again my first reading passage was HUGE, it was like 3 times the length a normal passage! There was no way I could have had time to use Kaplan's method to make the memory map thing.

I finally bagged Kaplan's idea and come up with my own variation that worked for me. I read the first ? then started skimming at the begining of the passage looking for the answer, but at the same time making a mental map of what each paragraph's general idea was. I never read the passage but just searched for the answer to each question. I found answers easier that way and started to see better results so I practiced a few more times that way before I took the DAT.

 

[harjay]

I studied only on kaplan's RC tests from taking the class.
Taking notes ("road map") of the key words and a couple-word summary of each paragraph. I got better and better at the practice tests and did better on the real than I did on Kaplan's.

I suspect the types of questions asked on the two tests you took might be slightly different? That could explain the huge score gap.

 

[USU24]

Yeah, I thought the Kaplan's RC was crap. My variation: reading really fast. Totally works.

 

[Fonz]

Yeah, I thought the Kaplan's RC was crap. My variation: reading really fast. Totally works.

Road map strategy is pretty whack. I never finished on time while using it. Just read at a good pace but make sure you are paying attention to what you are reading and taking note of where to find certain information. I thought that the real DAT RC was MUCH easier that kaplan's. My readings were easier to follow and they were actually interesting.

 

[musl85]

i got a 23 on the RC and used Kaplan for practice exclusively. I thought the articles were of similar length to the ones on kaplan practice tests and the questions similar.

I guess the best thing to do is to practice a variety of method, and see which one nets you the best score on practice tests. It also probably varies from test to test, which method works the best.

🙂

 

[Lopyswine]

the road map sucks. takes WAY too much time.

just get good at reading really fast. Make a mental outline of the whole passage in one straight read through. Then at each question you can bounce back to the specific areas.

ALso for the all the "tone" type questions, you'll have read the entire passage so you wont have to guess.

 

[jigabodo]

the road map sucks. takes WAY too much time.

just get good at reading really fast. Make a mental outline of the whole passage in one straight read through. Then at each question you can bounce back to the specific areas.

ALso for the all the "tone" type questions, you'll have read the entire passage so you wont have to guess.

I agree. There seems to be more and more tone questions appearing on the actual DAT. You won't be able to answer them with "skim and search" method.

 

[SuperDuper]

I agree with all of you. Kaplan RC really sucked.
Kaplan was good for PAT (It was harder than the actual DAT questions so it prepared me very well) and both Chemistry sections.

My DAT had a very few human anatomy questions on it (which is what my Kaplan course focused on) so I was very disapponted.

RC just takes too much time to use Kaplan's method, so I just skimmed through the passages and answered 4 questions at a time.

For the math section, I didn't really study because one of my majors in undergrad was Mathematics 😀😉🙂😎

 

[GatorDDS]

FWIW i took the kaplan class and i think their RC is good with similar passages but their method SUCKS, for me anyways. I just read the first question then start skimming for the answer, then read the next question start skimming through the passage for the answer etc rinse and repeat.

i scored a 22 on RC not spectacular but pretty good i think

 

[shake]

I found the real RC to be somewhat different from Kaplan's, mainly in terms of the types of questions. I didn't use Kaplan's mapping strategy. I think it's very time-consuming. I read through the passage at a fairly quick pace but paid attention to the content. Then I moved on to the questions. Kaplan's prep materials have strong sides but the RC is not one of them, IMHO.

 

[Chga]

... my friend thought that his real dat RC was pretty straight forward and ended up scoring a 28.. he scored a 22 on topscore.

I did achiever and i scored a 15,16,19 on the RC, using different strategies and on the real dat i got a 15 on the RC (useing the strategy that got me the best score on achiever).. which destroyed my AA

so... yeah dont depend on Acheiver/topscore ... not too accurate on the RC, although combination of them will help you out

 

[mut9ya]

I posted this in the DAT section but didnt get any response, so i m reposting it here.

I took scored 19 s on all the the three RC from Achiever.

But when I took my kapalan diagnostic i scored a 13 on the RC!!!

I used the same strategy of searching for key words on both but the answers in kaplan diagnostic were not as straightforward as Achiever's.


Is the real DAT RC like Kaplan's????

The DAT I took had many RC conceptual questions, the clock was in the upper right or left corner, I was running out of time, I got the really long passage, and had to guess on most questions. I was about to break the computer haha. I think I got a 12 on kaplan diagnostic.
Just read as much as possible and do your best on the test.
You will be fine. Good luck

 

[tigertooth08]

I used the Kaplan book to study myself... I'm broke so a course was too much.

I did dandy on RC (24).. I scanned the passage very quickly the first time, jotted a few stats, read the questions and skimmed for answers. I never ran out of time, but I've always been a quick reader. I liked the mapping idea, but I did it a little quicker/less intense.

 

[Suzan]

.

 

[jigabodo]

Just a general question:

Is the RC for the DAT anything like the Critical Reading for the SAT?

It's similar, but there are more scientific passages on the DAT than SAT.