how to study for DAT conceptually?? (2nd time around)

[flycd05]

so I took the dat's in april and was very disappointed with my scores considering i had used kaplan (went through it roughly twice), did the tests for achiever and topscore, and even went through the whole book for schaum's bio once.

bio - 16 (ouchhh)
chem - 18
orgo -18
rc - 21 (only good thing - def. practice achiever for this)
qr - 18
pat - 17

i really tried focusing a lot more on bio but it turned out to be my lowest score. the test has pictures and lab stuff that i never saw while studying. how did you guys study for this part of the bio??? did you use campbell's book and just go through all the diagrams or what?

also, im getting destroyer this time around so im hoping it will make a diff. but my main concern is that how did you guys study for bio and chem b/c i mostly focused on the details but the real DAT was all conceptual, so i mean how do u guys study for that?

any input would be great! thanks

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[doc3232]

I heard all the concepts are based on an overall understanding of the material, which seems easier than the specific details.
I think destroyer will help you a lot.

 

[flycd05]

anyone have any other suggestions?

 

[TheWiredNerv]

Don't memorize. Look at the big picture for everything.

 

[ngoel]

I've been having the same problem, where I feel like my studying isn't really getting me anywhere. There's just so much information that it's really hard to organize. Luckily, the ADA has helped us out there and organized it for us (at least partially). They have on their website the exact specifics of what will be tested on the DAT, in relatively broad terms.
It's sort of helped me organize and direct my studying. Starting from the top, I'm just going down through each topic and basically outlining the most important facts and conceptual ideas from each. A lot of people on SDN have recommended this approach, and I must say - it does seem to be working in terms of determining which concepts I'm strong and weak in.
Obviously, different approaches work for different people, but it's nice to have an outline directly from the test makers. Has this approach worked well for many others?

 

[siba]

but I think understanding is based on knowing the basics first. How do you understand w/o knowing the fundamentals to be juggled with.

I'm struggling with the same problem... how do you "understand" and not "memorize"??

Help please!

 

[playa2652]

Study the basics first in a Kaplan book and then use destroyer, topscore, and achiever to solidify that you know the basics and can take anything that the DAT hits you with.

 

[dominican drums]

Is this DAT Destroyer thing really useful.....honestly i wasn't even sure it was legit at first.....

To me it appears to be just a large database of DAt questions, and not so much a study guide ( If you will)

 

[joonkimdds]

Schaum, DAT destroyer and some AP bio.