How exactly do you guys study for OCHEM and gen chem section using DAT destroyer?

[CherryBlossom1412]

Hi guys! I'm having trouble with chem section. I been doing practice problems on destroyer but i have been getting like 60% of genchem and ochem (even when i look at my notes and stuff, and not timed). I'm getting really discouraged and worried that I won't pass DAT. I feel like there're so much information,, especially about reagents and products on ochem, to know. Now I'm not sure how to study for it anymore.
I reviewed everythign already before i started doing the practice problems on destroyer but it seems like i'm forgetting everything too. Can you guys tell me how you guys study for chem section using destroyer?? Thanks so much!

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[pookatooth]

Do questions, what you get right you're good. What you get wrong, you need to review. (Concept using videos, problem using explanations.) Know the material so well that you could explain it to your dog. Rinse and repeat. It is a lot of information but its possible, hard work and you'll do well.

 

[knewstance]

I'm in the same boat as you. I agree with you that it is pretty discouraging. I about threw my math destroyer book across the room the other day out frustration. Something that I started along with destroyer is making a list each day for each section of things that I got wrong.

If I get a reagent/product incorrect, I write it down. If I miss an equation in math or GC, I look it up and write it down. If I don't know a fact or a definition, I make a note on it and maybe expand a little bit.

I've found this to be helpful because the next time I run into that same topic, either I know it or I know exactly where to look so that I get the right answer. Hopefully with enough repetition, my daily lists shrink and I am able to answer the questions on the same concept without looking at my notes.

 

[I'mFlossy]

I did horribly in ochem during undergrad so I knew that I really wanted to show the admissions committee I could improve at the subject on my DAT! I made flashcards FOR EVERYTHING. Every. Single. Reaction. But beyond memorizing reagents and products, I tried to really UNDERSTAND the concepts of WHY things were happening. For me this was really helpful, because if I did forget a reaction I could rely on my chemical thinking to get me through a problem. I have always thought that chemistry is definitely something that should be understood rather than memorized.

Get good at what you are good at and understand what areas you struggle in. When you find a difficult area: pause and go use other resources to dig deeper (youtube, old chem books, Chad's videos).

I skipped HNMR, CNMR, and any kind of spectra...for me this was a waste of time and brain space. I only got asked one question on this topic.

If you know generally how electrons move and why they do what they do you can figure out a lot of ochem without memorizing!

I felt ochem destroyer was WAY harder than the ochem on the DAT. I felt like the chem section in destroyer was = to the DAT.

Group all of your similar reactions together using charts!!!!! Give a special look at reactions that appear similar but are completely different****

Overall, you just really need to break this subject down to its bare bones and organize reactions in a way that makes most sense to you. Make packets, charts, and flashcards.

Coming from a previous ochem failure - THIS SECTION IS POSSIBLE TO DESTROY!!!! You just definitely need to grind.

My Ochem Stats:
B- Ochem 1 (no idea how I pulled this off)
C- Ochem 2 (don't know how it wasn't a D...got a 49% on my final)
DAT = 21 in the ochem section!!!

You can seriously do it you just really need to commit!

AND in regard to Chem:

Memorize the basic formulas: Q=mcat, Pv=nrt... blah blah blah and write these down IMMEDIATELY on your notes page during the exam. I would look at the question and see what information I was given then I would try to fit that into a formula. Generally it would work! Practice your math skills and know molecular and empirical formulas. Practice practice practice.

 

[jsptr986]

do chad's videos. he tells you exactly what you need to know. and then i would run through destroyer.

 

[fit2]

after chad's videos and review, I started doing Destroyer problems in chunk. Every day do like 40 bio questions and another day like 30 ochem and 30 gchem. Once I finshed the book once, I went through it again in chunks. Don't time yourself really for these problems. some tend to be harder and longer. Make sure you understand the concepts of each problem. Some of them are really tricky but they can teach a lot

 

[FeralisExtremum]

What was your content review like before beginning Destroyer?

 

[blablabla1]

You need to do some extensive review of the actual material prior to destroyer using Chad's videos. Once you've mastered/memorized the concepts and equations, then move on to Destroyer.

You don't really need to time yourself on destroyer, that's what Bootcamp and the other practice test services are for. There's so many problems on Destroyer that you will naturally get faster as you get exposed to more and more problems that are similar to each other. Just go through all the problems, solve a small number of them in one go (about 20-30 problems) and see how you did. Even if you got the question right, look thoroughly through the explanations because Destroyer may show you a method or shortcut to solving/memorizing something that you didn't know about before.

Write down the explanations you find helpful/concepts you didn't get right. This is time intensive, but will really help you.

Once you get to Bootcamp or whatever service you decide to use, the practice tests will be a lot easier

 

[Malash]

I’m getting really discouraged. O chem is difficult for me, my practice scores are low and I have one week until my test. I’ve been using BC but I haven’t done well in any of the practice problems. Someone let me know what I should do or look into.

 

[blcopp]

do chad's videos. he tells you exactly what you need to know. and then i would run through destroyer.

This. I did about 20 questions on destroyer and realized it was frustrating me, so I ONLY used Chad’s videos for ochem (he has a multiple page handout that you can print out) and did well (I think I got a 21). I would have gone through destroyer after Chads but ran out of time. I did use bootcamp to study Ochem. Bootcamp was harder than the actual DAT, I think I was scoring like 16-17 on bootcamp.