how long is long enough

[Starzz]

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hey guys... i have a ? about our good old DAT which has taken over our lives... i know this has been addressed 1000 times, but i'll make it 1001... how long does a person need to study for the DAT in order to get a good score that they should be set for d-school... any thoughts? 😳

 

[JavadiCavity]

I'd say 6 to 8 weeks at least.

 

[Starzz]

yea 6-8 is about right.. i'd say a month solid is even good.. cause sometimes one can't do a 6-8 or longer.. but minimum a month with decent study skills

 

[sinned]

yea if you hit it hard for about a month or so, it is generally sufficient, because during the first week you need to at least review the Bio, Chem, and Orgo...then in the second week, look over weak areas of the Bio, Chem, and Orgo, then start introducing yourself to PAT, QR, and RC, then in the third week, constantly review the sciences and get more involved in the the other parts of the test, and in the last week or two, take a bunch of practice exams and go over anything and everything that you missed...and should net you a decent grade

 

[qaztake82]

about 2 weeks is a good review and a week to practice, after all u should be familar with most of the stuff from class

 

[BAJackson16]

unless your a rock head like me....ive been studying since 2nd week of may...plan on taking it 2nd week in august. 5 hrs/ day

 

[Starzz]

jeez jackson, since may... now thats dedication.. i've been studying for a couple weeks.. i feel i know the stuff pretty decently anyways.. i mean its all review, except pat.. hopefully i'll do well on the actual thing as well...

 

[honestpredent]

6-8 weeks is the generic answer but it's not the most accurate one. If you are like 80% of most pre-dental applicants in that you are a Junior or Senior in college that took their pre-requisites just a year or two ago then 6-8 weeks will be appropriate. If you are like the other 20% who worked after college and hasn't seen a chemistry book in 3 years then it might take you as much as 6 months to prepare considering you will have to re-teach yourself everything.

There is a big difference in reviewing and learning something all over again. Reviewing is easy and will require less time. Relearning something is a pain stakingly long process and it could take you much longer than 8 weeks. So don't fret if some of you are spending 5 months or more preparing for the DAT. It may take you that long.

Take advice on here with a grain of salt. Like any infomercial, the people selling you the product or offering the advice don't tell you the entire story. Yes, a person may have prepped for a week and got a 25 on the DAT. What they didn't tell you is that they got A's in AP chemistry and AP biology in high school and just finished their junior year with A's in general chemistry, organic chemistry and general biology. Background means everything with DAT prep.

In other words, just because someone can spend two weeks and get a 20 on the DAT doesn't mean you can. The main question you should ask yourself is how much do you already know and remember regarding your pre-req's. That will tell you how long you need to prep. For some people that means a week; for others that means 24 weeks.

 

[Starzz]

tru thought.. everyones study habits are diff... ya gotta do what ya gotta do though.. just a random story, fits with this convo., my friend took the dat the first time and got a 17/15,after studying for like 6 months with a kaplan course... she then took it 4 months later and studied for a week while in school but not taking any of those prereq classes and scored a 23/22... and now shes gonna start dental school and is just chillen the summer away.. funny thing that, the kaplan class and effort made her score lower than her own way.. just a random thought 😛

 

[LissDentist]

Jackson:
Just curious, i've been studying since the 2nd week in May as well, and I am taking the test on August 18....i need about a 23-24 as well because my GPA is about a 3.2, 3.0 science. How far along are you in the book...just want to see if i'm on track.

 

[Sprgrover]

unless your a rock head like me....ive been studying since 2nd week of may...plan on taking it 2nd week in august. 5 hrs/ day

I admire your stamina...