Helpful method for those DAT takers

[46976]

I?m relatively new to SDN??..actually I didn?t even know about the site until after my acceptance. I?ve recently been exploring the site and am becoming almost addicted. Anyway??.after venturing a few of these threads I thought I?d ?chime in? with a lit?l advice of my own.

The biggest obstacle I encountered with the DAT was TIME. Like most dental/med students I was consumed with learning the info rather than the METHOD.

The information is the easy part? The method of taking the DAT is the crucial aspect.

I, routinely, was feeling rushed and was not completing the sections. Mainly concerning the Quantitative Reasoning and Chemistry sections. After reviewing my practice tests I found that the four ??s I left blank at the end were very easy (or easier than others). So rather than spending too much time on answering one hard (not really hard but rather time consuming) question correct, I realized I?d rather answer the four easy ones by skipping the hard one.

Therefore I developed a system of prioritizing ??s concerning the relative time the questions take. I started to time individual questions and ranked them as:
1?
2?
3?

1= 15 sec; 2= 30 sec; 3= 1 min and over
So??..After taking many practice exams I started to recognize the type of questions for which I knew were time consuming?.I would automatically skip these questions and only revisit if time allowed. If time doesn?t allow go back and jus? randomly insert a guess for those few skipped ??s

After perfecting this method I allowed myself to score over 20?s.

The hardest thing for most of you intelligent students to over come is skipping a question you know you can answer?..Remember your only skipping it temporarily?.You?ll re visit if you have time but other wise you?ll be guessing on the long questions and increasing your percentage by answering more, shorter questions correct.

Anyways take this for what you will??It?s my lit?l method that worked very well for me. It doesn't matter how smart you are if you can't finish the test.

I?ve got a few tricks for the PAT if you?re interested. Post a thread.

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[airvent]

I have been gradually coming to the same conclusion.

Well, lets here your PAT method. Thanks

 

[DrTacoElf]

I will offer a slightly modified suggestion. If you ever decide to skip a question Mark it and pick an answer Never leave a question blank b/c there is a chance you might not get back around to it.

 

[46976]

Each block structure has about 4 ?'s that correspond to it.......... right?
Before answering each section of ?'s ....Go through the structure and count the sides of each block and tally it up using this system:

sides exposed # of blocks
0 /
1 ///
2 ////// jus' an example
3 //
4 ///
5 //

Systematically go through each row and put a mark (tally) next to the corrisponding catagory after each block is counted.

After this is completed start the questions that corrispond to this block structure.
ex........How many blocks have two sides exposed? go through your tally marks and the answer is 6

If you use this method you will get all 15 of these questions right every time as well as saving a lot of time doing it!

 

[DoctorSaab]

Nice. Have you got any more advice?

 

[Sprgrover]

I will offer a slightly modified suggestion. If you ever decide to skip a question Mark it and pick an answer Never leave a question blank b/c there is a chance you might not get back around to it.

I agree 100%.

 

[ScottW3]

I have a slightly different technique for the blocks. Its actually the one suggested in Barrons book. I go through and count exposed sides by levels. For instance, if there are 3 blocks on the highest level, 5 on the level below it, and 7 on the one below it, I would write down something like this:

5
4
4
---
4
4
3
4
2
---
3
3
4
2
1
1
3

This way if i happen to miss a cube (if the total number of numbers I wrote doesn't match my initial count) then I could check each level without having to do the entire thing again. I hope that makes sense. Then, if the question asks how many with X sides painted, i go and put a mark next to all of them and count them up. I use different marks for each number. Reading over this it sounds like this is much more complicated, but give it a try. I never miss one and fly through this section.

 

[ap7dgs]

I?ve got a few tricks for the PAT if you?re interested. Post a thread.

Any tricks for angles?

 

[Piznut99]

Do you have any methods for KEYHOLES?

 

[wimmcs]

Do you have any methods for KEYHOLES?

YES!! Please share tricks with keyholes and maybe holepunch!! Thanks!!

 

[DrTacoElf]

for hole punch consider the # of paper layers too.

 

[ScottW3]

A very useful tip for hole punch is to look at the very first fold. The holes in the answer choices should display symmetry to this fold. I don't believe this hold true under the circumstance where a punch is made that does not go through all sheets. Hope that was helpful.

 

[DrTacoElf]

A very useful tip for hole punch is to look at the very first fold. The holes in the answer choices should display symmetry to this fold. I don't believe this hold true under the circumstance where a punch is made that does not go through all sheets. Hope that was helpful.

you misunderstood me, when i say # layers.

1 fold = 2 holes
2 folds (symmetrical) = 4 holes

 

[46976]

The angle section is half visual and half reasoning. On about half (or more)of the questions you should be able to deductively reason out two of the possible answers purely by using the largest/smallest angle. From there it is up to you to use your best judgement on the two remaining angles and answers.

ex..I know this one is larger than that an this is definitly the smallest.....um.......therefore I can rule out a & c.......now between b & d ........

The key is using your reasoning skills as well as those visual one's......YOU can do it....practice those quick reasoning skills.

 

[jheidenr]

Does anyone know if you are allowed to hold your paper up to the computer monitor and mark the angles? You can do this and see the angle through the sheet of paper. this is what they suggested on hard angle ranking questions...just want to make sure its legal before the exam.