How important is the PAT?

[1TrickUnicorn]

Guys Im really struggling with the PAT. I tried watching DATBootcamp's PAT videos but they did not help. Im considering getting PATBooster for their PAT videos or even hiring a private tutor at this point. Is the PAT even important and is it okay if I score 15 or 16 on it?

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[zToothinator]

It’s not super important and won’t drag down your AA but I’d still try to get at least an 18. PAT is just a lot of practice. It takes more time for some people for the questions to click.

For me, I approached most of the PAT questions with process of elimination. So identifying one different feature between two answer choices and determine which is the correct feature. Then keep going until finding the correct answer. Start slow. Focus less on time and more on identifying the correct answer. As you practice more, speed will come.

Also, focus on getting the easier PAT sections down. Hole punching and cube counting both have good strategies on Bootcamp and those sections you can score 13+ with enough practice. That’ll give you more room for error in the remaining sections.

 

[1TrickUnicorn]

It’s not super important and won’t drag down your AA but I’d still try to get at least an 18. PAT is just a lot of practice. It takes more time for some people for the questions to click.

For me, I approached most of the PAT questions with process of elimination. So identifying one different feature between two answer choices and determine which is the correct feature. Then keep going until finding the correct answer. Start slow. Focus less on time and more on identifying the correct answer. As you practice more, speed will come.

Also, focus on getting the easier PAT sections down. Hole punching and cube counting both have good strategies on Bootcamp and those sections you can score 13+ with enough practice. That’ll give you more room for error in the remaining sections.

Thankyou! Im not finding the strategies on Bootcamp any helpful to be honest, it's the same old commonsense stuff. I think Im having trouble with timing, how can I improve that? Do you think I should spend go in the order of the questions or do the parts that Im more comfortable with first?

 

[asdfhhadsf234]

I often wonder this since it was by far my highest section (26).

My strategy was to just do generators 15 minutes each daily for 3 alternating them. Flf keyhole I was doing terribly until I started the bootcamp trainer game. It really helped.

10 days out from my exam I did one test a day. Averaged like a 24 on those.

 

[AppalachianDentalBoy]

According to an old doctoothache thread surveying admissions it went AA>TS>RC>Bio>GC/OC>PAT>QR

 

[zToothinator]

Thankyou! Im not finding the strategies on Bootcamp any helpful to be honest, it's the same old commonsense stuff. I think Im having trouble with timing, how can I improve that? Do you think I should spend go in the order of the questions or do the parts that Im more comfortable with first?

My strategy was to do the parts I was more comfortable with first. For the DAT, since all the questions are worth the same, try to get as many points as you can first, then go back for the more difficult ones.
For me, I did angle ranking -> hole punching -> cube counting -> keyholes -> TFE -> pattern folding

 

[Zesta]

According to an old doctoothache thread surveying admissions it went AA>TS>RC>Bio>GC/OC>PAT>QR

Not quite, some schools value certain sections higher than others. QR is the one section where there is a general census that it does not really matter.

 

[AppalachianDentalBoy]

Here's the thread. Bit dated at this point but find the schools you want to attend and check for yourself.

2012 How US DS Rank DAT/GPA/Other Selection Criteria

@Zesta See the thread.