How much can I improve my score, 6 days before DAT

[NeuroscEYEnce]

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Hello everyone! I took top score test 1 and 2 and here's my breakdown. My GPA isn't so hot so I'm in need of a score of 20-21 or higher. How much can I improve my score these last 6 days. Any tips? I've been doing destroyer and chads practice problems, along with crackDAT PAT. Here's my breakdown:

Topscore Test 1:
BIO- 15
GC- 18
OC- 15
PAT- 16
RC- 18
QR- 16
TS- 16
AA- 16

Topscore Test 2:

BIO- 18
GC- 18
OC- 16
PAT- 17
RC- 19
QR- 15
TS- 17
AA- 17

 

[jmh018]

You have been doing chads practice problems but have you watched the videos? If not, I would suggest it. Watch them on fast play if you find yourself completely out of time.

Campbell bio AP review book is great. You can read it in one night if necessary and it covers most of the general topics you will see. I used this and studied it for about one day and every question was somewhere in that book.

 

[Glimmer1991]

Barron's AP bio was a wonderful source for biology and also an easy read. For the chemistries, Chad is really all you need. I'd focus on him and NOT the Destroyer.

 

[jmh018]

I agree with skipping destroyer for chemistry

 

[NeuroscEYEnce]

You have been doing chads practice problems but have you watched the videos? If not, I would suggest it. Watch them on fast play if you find yourself completely out of time.

Campbell bio AP review book is great. You can read it in one night if necessary and it covers most of the general topics you will see. I used this and studied it for about one day and every question was somewhere in that book.

Yes I've watched all Chads videos except bio. But I'm thinking of reviewing all my notes to get the concepts in my head. Hopefully it'll work along with watching chads videos on things i don't understand. My problem is timing. I take too long to answer questions also, but maybe it's because I don't know stuff like the back of my hand.

 

[NeuroscEYEnce]

Barron's AP bio was a wonderful source for biology and also an easy read. For the chemistries, Chad is really all you need. I'd focus on him and NOT the Destroyer.

Wow your score is amazing! Great job!! 😀

What did you do your last week before your exam?

 

[EpicDentist]

I did terrible on Topscore but did better on the real exam. Aside from the results of Topscore....if you don't feel prepared, then don't take the DAT - push it back. You want to do this correct the FIRST TIME.

On the Destroyer-- I did Destroyer 5-6x for the chemistries and scored in the top 95 percentile on those sections, which makes me disagree with the person above who says to "skip destroyer for the chemistries."

I'm confused as to why they even advised that. Just saying.

 

[Zat]

I definitely think you should do the gen chem and orgo sections for destroyer...you can probably go through all the questions in about 2 days if you really work hard at it.

As for destroyer bio...you should probably just read the answer solutions and hope you retain some of it.

Honestly it's a lot easier to do well on the chemistry sections then it is for bio IMO, and you'll be doing your TS and AA a favor by putting a bit more time into those over bio.

 

[Toofly01]

If you only have SIX days left:

Bio: AP Cliffs for general review, be warned the anatomy section here is not in depth enough.
Gchem: Chads vids/probs for spot checking concepts and problems, and review formulas for all possible types of problems asked.
Ochem: Chads vids/probs for spot checking concepts. Roadmaps found in Ochem Destroyer answer key.
PAT: Do 1 a day and go over the one you did from previous day. Kinda like doing 2 PAT's. Use CDP and/or Achiever.
Reading: Do 1 a day and go over the one you did from previous day. Use CDR.
Math: Do 1 a day and go over the one you did from previous day. Use Math Destroyer (separate book, NOT the math section found in the big destroyer book).

Just my two cents... and remember your own advice, "You Can Do It!" Good luck!

(Other things: Read some breakdowns for study ideas but don't spend a whole lot of time on SDN. Get crackin'!) 🙂

 

[tracy123]

Realistically you will not improve that much at all. In my honest opinon you should just try to do as many practice problems as you can. Then go over the ones you got wrong and really try to understand the concepts because the DAT is all concepts. You will never see a question asked the way you expect it to be asked. I did a practice test every other day during the last week of my test. Also, don't try to start anything new if you don't know it at this point oh well just do your best that's all you can do. Don't Freak out you will know more than you think you do. I promise you everything will just start coming back to you as you go through the problems and in Gen Chem when you start seeing the same answers in the answer choices that you have on your paper you will start smiling on the inside. I mean that's what happened to me. lol

Good Luck!!!

 

[Glimmer1991]

You will never see a question asked the way you expect it to be asked.

I agree with this, which is why I NEVER did a full practice test, and it didn't come back to bite me whatsoever. I know this method really works well for some people, but if timing isn't a massive issue for you (and it won't be in the sciences if you know your stuff), I don't think that practice tests are necessary. Since you only have so little time, I think you'll be better off spending the 5 hours you would be using on practice tests to review more concepts. Focus on Chad, Barron's AP or Cliff's AP (whichever you choose, they're both good), and the first 8 tests of Math Destroyer. I'd do a PAT test every day, too, to keep that fresh in your mind.

👍 Good luck!

 

[macari11]

definitely dont skip the destroyer, memorizing the road maps alone will give you like automatic 17 on OC haha so in 6 days?? just lock yourself in a room and put a do not disturb sign on it and do chads 10 hrs/day, destroyer 3 hrs/day, crack dat pat 3 hrs/day

 

[Glimmer1991]

On the Destroyer-- I did Destroyer 5-6x for the chemistries and scored in the top 95 percentile on those sections, which makes me disagree with the person above who says to "skip destroyer for the chemistries."

I'm confused as to why they even advised that. Just saying.

For me, the Destroyer ended up being COMPLETE overkill. It just stressed me out and didn't really help in the end. There was ONE question in the OC I couldn't have gotten right without the Destroyer; it didn't help me with any questions on bio and GC. Hour for hour, the payoff definitely wasn't worth the time I put in. Also, I think the roadmaps are too comprehensive for this exam--they are testing you almost entirely on the main points of the course, and some of the stuff in the maps is just too obscure. Chad is absolutely the most efficient source, and with 6 days left, efficiency is crucial! 🙂 If there was more time, sure, do the Destroyer to get in the groove of doing practice questions. But, especially with a time constraint, it isn't necessary. At least not to me. 🙂

Also, the week before my test, I ramped it up and studied about 6 hours a day. I went through all of Barron's AP one more time and went over the most important chapters of Cliff's AP. I went through all of Destroyer the again, but like I said, it was unnecessary. I watched all of Chad's videos on high speed and did his quizzes. Two days before my test, I reviewed the stuff that I kept forgetting but thought would be important (photosynthesis stuff, cellular respiration, taxonomy things). The day before, I lightly reviewed my chem notes that I had taken from Chad, but I didn't really do much studying. I was too antsy to concentrate. I couldn't sleep the night before my test and took it at 8 AM, which I suggest doing--go ahead and get it out of the way!

BTW, I never took any full practice tests. I found it much more worthwhile to review whole concepts rather than just focusing on isolated problems (which is another reason why I don't recommend the Destroyer). If you do Chad's quizzes and the quizzes at the end of your bio books, I think you'll be good. It worked for me, and although I'm good at science, I am by no means a whiz!

GOOD LUCK!