How long did you study for the DAT?

[myameena]

I was thinking of studying for the DAT all summer and then taking it in the fall. Study about 3 hours each night. My hubby thinks I should study for 6 months 8 hours a day. What is reasonable????

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Pre-Dent-David]

Well I am not an expert or anything, but my common sense advice is : as much as necessary gauging your progress on how well you do on sample tests. Im sure it varies depending on person quite a bit so I dont know if anyone could give you any solid numbers on how much to study.

 

[DesiDentist]

You do not want to overkill yourself. Also, since you are married you should spend some quality time with your husband too. I studied for a while. I took that blasted kaplan class which I thought would sufficiently prepare me, but it didn't. So i studied for another 3 months after the kaplan class for about 3-5 hours a day. I split up morning 2-3 hours studing with a 2 hours break then 2-3 hour study session in the afternoon (different subject).

DesiDentist

PS: myameena..you tried to PM me but my inbox was full, please re-send your original message. Sorry.

 

[oceansize]

I don't know how prepared you are already, but I hadn't had any science classes for many years. I put in 1 month of part time and 2 months of full time studying.

 

[MidwestDental]

It really depends a lot on how prepared you are already. And how much effort you are willing to put in/ how perfectionist you are and what score you want.

I say this especially if it has been a while since you took the courses and you took them only once. Versus someone who just finished them. was a bio major who knows genetics, physiology and physical chem backwards and forwards.

The biggest issue I had were gaps in knowledge. For example, my chem class never went over phase changes/ solutions. So I had to learn it on my own and that sucked! I also had to learn the lytic/lysogenic cycles, the lac operon, etc. And some stuff on ethers, phenols and carbohydrates.

It really also depends how perfectionist you are. And how high/low your GPA is. I'd say for someone who is already well prepared and has all day to study, 6 weeks. For others it could be 6-7 months of on and off studying, perfecting your PAT skills, etc. Hope this helps.

 

[Yellowman]

I believe 3 hours per night for a month or two is more than enough if you are actually studying the entire 3 hours. DAT is not tricky......you either know or don't know the questions. I think if you know the Kaplan book (the thick one) inside and out and do 3 or 4 practice tests, you'll be more than prepared.....just make sure you get plenty of sleep the night b4.

Most of my classmates studied a month or two and they all did fine (20 avg). I studied for a week goofin off for the first 4 days, so actual stuyding time was like 3 days....and did fine. A close friend of mine studied for a hour and a half the morning of the test in the parking lot of the sylvan learning center and got 21 avg ! So don't freak yourself too much! Good luck!

 

[dudelove]

Yes it all depends on what you know already. back when I took the dat in 94 or 95(geez I am getting old) the only book out there was some betz guide. I studied it through and through 3 days before the exam and scored in the mid 20s on all the sections. Some other friends of mine started 2 months or so in advance. My only advice is concentrate and be disciplined. Don't study the night before...just releax