help - your honest advice

[petitedds86]

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hey guys. i need some serious help/motivation. my exam is in ten days and i have not studied nearly half as much as i should have. 😳
i'm feeling so anxious and worried, but i can't get myself to sit down and study anything! all i've done is some bio here and there...no gen chem at all....some orgo...my qr and pat suck....except angle ranking and hole punching...

pleaseeeeeee give me ANY advice on what to do to prevent myself from going down in spirals big time before the big day?😕

is there any hope whatsoever in doing decent on this exam??

 

[musl85]

if you have not studied for Gchem at all, i would suggest postponing while you have the chance. No point to in wasting $170 on a test you know you are not ready for. It maybe late for the cycle, im no expert. But i would reschedule and nail it the first time around.

 

[jigabodo]

hey guys. i need some serious help/motivation. my exam is in ten days and i have not studied nearly half as much as i should have. 😳
i'm feeling so anxious and worried, but i can't get myself to sit down and study anything! all i've done is some bio here and there...no gen chem at all....some orgo...my qr and pat suck....except angle ranking and hole punching...

pleaseeeeeee give me ANY advice on what to do to prevent myself from going down in spirals big time before the big day?😕

is there any hope whatsoever in doing decent on this exam??

Like mus have said, if you think you are not ready you should seriously consider postponing it. It is a lot better to just wait a few more days and perform better than having to wait another 3 months to retake it again.

I think there are a lot of things that can be done in 10 days, but most importantly, you should simulate real test environment. Try to take as much full lengths as possible - not just individual sections so you dont "burn out" during the exam.

 

[predentlsu1]

If you take this test lightly you will not be happy with your scores. There is no magical pill that makes you sit down and study. It comes down to either you want it or you dont. It make take you making bad scores on the test before you realize that you had better get serious about this. It happened to me.....the first time I took the test I just kinda had a nonchalant attitude about it and would study two hours here or 3 hours there and I got a rude awakening come test day. Studying for long hours is not fun but it is something that you had better get accustomed to if you every plan on making it into a professional school.

 

[golfer]

Good test results=hard work (I am not naturally gifted in anyway academically so it took me a good 2 months of hard work)

 

[petitedds86]

thanks so much for all of your responses!

problem is that i can't postpone the exam anymore ( i already have, twice!) because one of the schools' due date for the DATs is not far from my exam date...that's the only reason i'm taking it the day that i am...and i'm close to pushing it.

and about the cycle being close to mid-way through, that worries me a lot. i've sent out all applications and even some secondaries...i feel like i've wasted so much time and money and now this exam cost might go to waste too...

i have destroyer and topscore. i haven't really done either. i began some organic chem q's in destroyer...haven't even opened topscore.
do you think i should just begin with those?
(p.s. - my classes have started already too and that's quite a stress within itself)

i fear that rude awakening so much...😕

 

[musl85]

when did you start studying?

Part of me says go with destroyer, you could def go through it 2 times in 10 days, it will help more than topscore, but topscore gives you test practice in terms of time and endurance, and PAT/RC practice.

 

[petitedds86]

i've never really only studied hardcore. i've been making flashcards since july and i'm not done because there is so much to add if i were to do that! so i just stopped.

i just went through all of the orgo index cards, some of bio and still, no g-chem.

i began doing like 2-3 hours a day of studying, about 2 weeks ago. i feel like my attention span is so short, i'm kind of freaking out about how i'll be sitting there for 4 and a half hrs taking this exam!!

do i not sleep for the next week? do i live on caffeine? i think my own anxiety is gonna kill me before i take this test...goodness gracious help me! lol

i feel so helpless and hopeless

 

[Shermanmurman]

i've never really only studied hardcore. i've been making flashcards since july and i'm not done because there is so much to add if i were to do that! so i just stopped.

i just went through all of the orgo index cards, some of bio and still, no g-chem.

i began doing like 2-3 hours a day of studying, about 2 weeks ago. i feel like my attention span is so short, i'm kind of freaking out about how i'll be sitting there for 4 and a half hrs taking this exam!!

do i not sleep for the next week? do i live on caffeine? i think my own anxiety is gonna kill me before i take this test...goodness gracious help me! lol

i feel so helpless and hopeless

I think you can do it if you buckle down for the next 10 days. I think you should put your classes aside for the next 10 days and focus. I don't think you should postpone it b/c maybe it takes you seeing a "bad" score for you to do better. I think if you put if off, the same thing will happen, and you will be freaking out a month from now. just take it and see how you do. Good luck

 

[musl85]

i mean im going to be honest, forgive me for it 🙂

for this exam, you need to study hardcore, i wasted 3 months 6-12 hr days to get my scores. I know for me, 1 month at 2-3 hour days would definitely not be enough, but i dont know your capabilities as a student. Besides learning the material, you still need to practice taking the test. Im sry for sounding harsh.

You are def in a tight bind, not sleeping will only help you to do worse. You need to sleep to process all your learning. Just try your best to go through destroyer thoroughly, then try topscore, if you have to take it in 10 days.

The bright side is thatits all a learning experience, and there is always next years cycle, so you know what you need to do.

 

[petitedds86]

thanks sherman for optimism and wishing me good luck...i mean i will do whatever i can in the time that i have, in the next ten days...🙂

and musl, i really do appreciate ur honesty. that's what i needed. it's so painful to think of having to possibly think of next year's cycle even but like you said it is a learning experience and it's life...

you get out of it what you put into it! and i'm gonna have to deal with it i guess there's no point in expecting the absolute worst and focus on the time i have to use it productively ..i'll definitely do destroyer and topscore and sleep so my mind absorbs the stuff as much as possible...

senior year - you're gonna be put on hold!

 

[jigabodo]

thanks sherman for optimism and wishing me good luck...i mean i will do whatever i can in the time that i have, in the next ten days...🙂

and musl, i really do appreciate ur honesty. that's what i needed. it's so painful to think of having to possibly think of next year's cycle even but like you said it is a learning experience and it's life...

you get out of it what you put into it! and i'm gonna have to deal with it i guess there's no point in expecting the absolute worst and focus on the time i have to use it productively ..i'll definitely do destroyer and topscore and sleep so my mind absorbs the stuff as much as possible...

senior year - you're gonna be put on hold!

I just want to say that confidence is another thing that really matters. If you decide to take the test, you should really, relly try to go in with the mentality that you will destroy the DAT - no matter how anxious and unprepared you feel like. This is not saying that you should take it lightly, but more of a "bring it on" attitude. I know this is easier said than done, but having someone tell me right before the test that "you will own this test" made a big difference in my score I believe. There are also many gunners in this forum that are willing to help you out here if you have any questions.

Best of luck.

 

[petitedds86]

hey jiga, ur so right! attitude is a lot...the confidence will definitely let the mind do its thing to the best of its ability cuz when anxiety gets in the way, all else goes wrong!

thanks 4 ur uplifting words 🙂

sept 10...i'm gonna own it😀

 

[ToshibaBlue]

I'm taking the test Sept 10th also! Good luck! Cute user name.

 

[petitedds86]

best of luck to us both toshiba!! say it with me...WE...WILL...OWN....IT!!!!! lol

and thanks 4 the comment about username 🙂

 

[SspeedyS]

I guess you just need to take a deep breath and think logically throughout the test. If an answer makes sense to you, then it's probably the correct one.

 

[petitedds86]

hey sspeedys thanks 4 the advice. deep breaths do help. i just gotta remember to breathe, period lol.
i'll take anything and everything in terms of words of encouragement, advice, etc 🙂

 

[saaz55]

yea agree with jiga about the whole mentality thing. i relieved my anxiety by looking at myself in the mirror and then i started yelling at myself saying "dont worry youll be fine" and all that jazz and then slapping myself in the face a few times to make sure it goes through. now that i looked back on it it seemed pretty psychotic but damn did it help for me on my exam. really keeps you in check. oh know some people who listened to music that made them pumped and excited. so if ur normal and not into self abuse, do that.

 

[Scuzzy87]

Don't panic now -- it won't get you anywhere! All you can do is relax, get good rest and eat healthily. Just think of it this way, the entire exam is multiple choice, and hopefully you have gone through some of the portions (such as the sciences, QR) throughout your time in undergrad. Also, with the PAT and reading comprehension, if you are rested and calm you will be able to approach the questions more rationally and logically. Also, I've noted that several people on this forum have a habit of putting others down or attempting to scare them and making them feel like they are not prepared. So, get off the forum and try to do as much as you can with the time that you have left.

Also, the dentist that I was shadowing studied the night before for the DAT and managed to get in to dental school after doing only 2 years of undergrad (granted that his undergrad GPA was great). In short, nothing is impossible.

 

[ToshibaBlue]

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[ToshibaBlue]

Don't panic now -- it won't get you anywhere! All you can do is relax, get good rest and eat healthily. Just think of it this way, the entire exam is multiple choice, and hopefully you have gone through some of the portions (such as the sciences, QR) throughout your time in undergrad. Also, with the PAT and reading comprehension, if you are rested and calm you will be able to approach the questions more rationally and logically. Also, I've noted that several people on this forum have a habit of putting others down or attempting to scare them and making them feel like they are not prepared. So, get off the forum and try to do as much as you can with the time that you have left.

Also, the dentist that I was shadowing studied the night before for the DAT and managed to get in to dental school after doing only 2 years of undergrad (granted that his undergrad GPA was great). In short, nothing is impossible.

LOL! The night before?! What in the world? What were his scores, and when in the stone age did he take it? Was it back then, when 15's were accepted with no college degree? Before it was on the comp? I met a dentist who said he spent a week, his test was about 6yrs ago. Nothing is a competitive as it is today. Yikes.

 

[Scuzzy87]

LOL! The night before?! What in the world? What were his scores, and when in the stone age did he take it? Was it back then, when 15's were accepted with no college degree? Before it was on the comp? I met a dentist who said he spent a week, his test was about 6yrs ago. Nothing is a competitive as it is today. Yikes.

Well, I don't know what his scores were, but I do know that his GPA was up there and at the University of Alberta, your pre-req and overall GPA is worth 60%, the interview is worth 10%, and the DAT is worth 30%. Oh yeah, he graduated from dentistry about 5 years ago, so I'm assuming he took the DAT in 1998. Oh yeah, the University of Alberta still doesn't require applicants to have a college degree.

In my opinion, the Canadian DAT also seems to be a bit easier than the American DAT (no organic chem, no QR, our test isn't computerized, and there is a manual dexterity portion for us--but even that isn't so bad). I think that you can study forever for the DAT or just minimally, but if you don't have the ability to remain calm under stressful situations, then you most likely won't succeed on test day or in the dental profession.