Hey all, I'm getting frustrated with PAT. :(

[Undecipherable]

My DAT is 5 days away. I've been using BootCamp, and the last 2-3 exams had ridiculous key holes and TFEs. I take like 12 mins average on those, and even then I'm not sure if I did all of them right (problems in the generators are easier IMO). By the time I get to angles/hole punches/cubes, I'm mentally beaten and slow down even though I'm fairly good at those sections when I'm alert and have 10 minutes for each of them. .

Plus, I always run out of time and have to randomly guess on the last handful of Pattern Folding. BC's pattern folding is hard for me, too.

I did one full CDP test and got a 19 (had to guess on a couple at the end due to shortage of time) but would rather be safe than sorry by going off of my performance on BC.

Any helpful advice? Or even just words of encouragement.

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[kholley25]

Bootcamp is really hard. I was getting ~19 and 20 on BC and ended up with a 25 on the actual DAT.

By best advice would be to get REALLY good at hole punching and cube counting (as those are easiest to defeat) and time yourself for the other 4 sections.

You will survive.

 

[Undecipherable]

Bootcamp is really hard. I was getting ~19 and 20 on BC and ended up with a 25 on the actual DAT.

By best advice would be to get REALLY good at hole punching and cube counting (as those are easiest to defeat) and time yourself for the other 4 sections.

You will survive.

You maybe right. I've been wanting to conquer it all and have been butting heads with that approach lately, lol.

It may help me to step away from PAT for a few hours, work on QR, RC, and sciences and then re-approach PAT. Right now, I'll probably pull my hair out if I see another key hole problem - ha.

 

[bsal1]

I found the real DAT To be way easier than CDP especially for the angle ranking and hole punching sections.

 

[must.love.dogs]

I thought I was going to get like a 10 on the PAT (seriously, lol!) because I couldn't even get to the pattern folding section in bootcamp but I got a 22!!! I was literally crying 3 days before my exam because I was so frustrated with the PAT section and I just couldn't get it down. The keyhole and TFE are MUCH easier on the actual test than Bootcamp. I think the bootcamp keyholes have way more little differences in detail whereas the answer choices on the actual test are more obvious.

Good luck!!!

 

[postpitadh]

I wouldn't go in expecting the DAT PAT to be much easier bc that's the wrong mindset to have, but i was surprised when I scored 24. just keep perfecting your strategy and never spend too much time on one problem!

 

[Undecipherable]

I wouldn't go in expecting the DAT PAT to be much easier bc that's the wrong mindset to have, but i was surprised when I scored 24. just keep perfecting your strategy and never spend too much time on one problem!

Yes, thank you. I'm just going to expect Key Holes, TFEs, and Pattern Folding to be harder for me and try to become faster as finishing those sections in 10 minutes/each to the best of my ability with more practice. Meanwhile, I'll perfect my skills on Angles, Hole Punches, and Cubes so I can really nail those sections.

I have 3 tests on Achiever, too. Did one test and couldn't finish it. Should I bother with the other two?

 

[Undecipherable]

I thought I was going to get like a 10 on the PAT (seriously, lol!) because I couldn't even get to the pattern folding section in bootcamp but I got a 22!!! I was literally crying 3 days before my exam because I was so frustrated with the PAT section and I just couldn't get it down. The keyhole and TFE are MUCH easier on the actual test than Bootcamp. I think the bootcamp keyholes have way more little differences in detail whereas the answer choices on the actual test are more obvious.

Good luck!!!

I skimmed through Key Holes on the 2007 exam and was second guessing myself because the answers seemed so obvious. That test is 8 years old now, though. I don't want to get too comfortable looking at it, and difficulties could have increased over the years - lol.

 

[postpitadh]

Yes, thank you. I'm just going to expect Key Holes, TFEs, and Pattern Folding to be harder for me and try to become faster as finishing those sections in 10 minutes/each to the best of my ability with more practice. Meanwhile, I'll perfect my skills on Angles, Hole Punches, and Cubes so I can really nail those sections.

I have 3 tests on Achiever, too. Did one test and couldn't finish it. Should I bother with the other two?

Yep, just think of it as a game! The more fun, the better. I can't speak for Achiever because I used Bootcamp, but the more practice the better! For you, time is of the essence so make sure all your studying is helping your confidence as well. Good luck!

 

[eveline162]

My friend and I just took the DAT a week ago and we thought that the keyholes and the folding was definitely a lot harder on the real thing compared to bootcamp. My strategy on the real one was to skip the keyholes first and do all the other sections first and come back to it later. As you said earlier, since you are good at other sections, you should prioritize those first and do the ones you're not comfortable with later. I made a mistake in spending too much time on keyhole and TFE my first time taking the DAT and I wasn't able to finish and ended up not doing as well. My advice just keep practicing on bootcamp until your test day. I went from a 17 to a 23 and my friend went from an 18 to a 24 just by using bootcamp for PAT.

 

[PocketRocket]

I spent a minute/question on Key holes and TFE so by the time it was angles I was already half way through the PAT test. That was always my indicator of whether I should speed up or slow down

 

[Undecipherable]

My friend and I just took the DAT a week ago and we thought that the keyholes and the folding was definitely a lot harder on the real thing compared to bootcamp. My strategy on the real one was to skip the keyholes first and do all the other sections first and come back to it later. As you said earlier, since you are good at other sections, you should prioritize those first and do the ones you're not comfortable with later. I made a mistake in spending too much time on keyhole and TFE my first time taking the DAT and I wasn't able to finish and ended up not doing as well. My advice just keep practicing on bootcamp until your test day. I went from a 17 to a 23 and my friend went from an 18 to a 24 just by using bootcamp for PAT.

What did you think of TFE?

 

[Doctor Asnan]

I was scoring 15-16 on boot camp and was worried because my state school has a cutoff of 17 for all sections. I ended up getting an 18 on the real thing. I guessed on the entire last section because of time.

 

[jsptr986]

half of your success on test day is mental. wake up early, eat a good breakfast/lunch, get to the test site early, JAM out in your car, tell yourself and BELIEVE you got it. do not stress and think positive. good luck!

 

[Doctor Asnan]

half of your success on test day is mental. wake up early, eat a good breakfast/lunch, get to the test site early, JAM out in your car, tell yourself and BELIEVE you got it. do not stress and think positive. good luck!

Lol....
It's really not that big of a deal man. Just prepare for the exam like you would anything else then let Jesus take the wheel.

 

[eveline162]

What did you think of TFE?

After practicing with the TFE on bootcamp, the TFE and angles were really easy for me, so you definitely should just go over bootcamp everyday for at least an hour a day and you should be fine.

 

[Carbohydrates]

That's my goal until I take the test. I hope bootcamp will help cause I'm not making any progress so far.

 

[enamel88]

So what was the real PAT compared to BC? Last time I scored 23 on the real thing with just crack dat pat and found to be pretty easy, but I took it 2012 so idk if much has changed between then and now.

 

[willwash]

It's still early in the application cycle...60 dollars (or 100 in some cases) to postpone your DAT is an option.