I just finished up with my DAT and scored the following:
Bio: 18
GC: 20
OC: 19
PAT: 25
RC: 19
QR: 17
TS: 19
AA: 19
I dunno how I feel about these scores because I know I could have done better. I couldnt sleep the 3 nights before my test because I couldnt stop thinking. Then when I actually did fall asleep I would toss and turn because I was trying to do stuff in my dreams like balance impossible chemical equations, haha. I could tell I was tired during the test and couldnt give it my full attention. I also scored a lot better on practice tests...so I dunno.
Im gonna post a breakdown after a few beers and a nap. Stay tuned!
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Breaking it down:
Before ever coming across SDN, I had ordered The Princeton Review DAT self-paced study package since they did not offer the course where I live because of "lack of demand." I find that a little hard to believe considering they are located in the middle of a D1 campus of 40,000+ students...but anyway, this was my first real study material. I went through the "in class compendium" taking notes and doing all the assigned homeworks for each section and took their practice diags as well as the 2007 ADA and thought I was ready to spank the DAT. While I was basically waiting for my test date, I came across SDN and that's when I realized I wasn't as prepared as I thought I was.
Ill post a little about each section and what supplemental materials I used besides TPR and what I think about the materials.
Bio (Score: 18)
Materials:
Anyway, I definitely saw some recycled material from the past exams(ADA 2007 and 2009) and I think even a question from qVault was on there. qvault was a good resource from what I could tell, but some of questions are so easy it was almost insulting, haha. Destroyer is a good material for practice questions, but has questions much harder than the real DAT. IMO it's a better resource for OC and GC than it is for bio. Achiever was good for practice questions as well, I thought it was pretty on par with the real DAT as far as bio goes. It's also good for practicing your timing if that is something you are having trouble with.
GC (Score: 20):
Materials:
Anyways, as everyone knows, Chad is great here. I think someone who has never taken a chemistry class could learn it all from chad and score decent on the exam. Achiever is good practice, questions are definitely harder than the real exam but if you can do them then you should be able to do easier questions of the same type. Same thing with destroyer. One of the things I did notice tho is that a lot of these materials are calculation based, when on the real DAT there are a good deal of concept questions. Nothing too hard tho.
OC (Score: 19)
Materials:
PAT (Score: 25)
Materials:
RC (Score: 19)
Dont really have much to say here because I didn't really study for this section. I think I did one of the RC sections in Achiever, and the RC on 2007 ADA and that was it. I was just praying that I didnt get the physics passage.
My method was TPR's method. Read the whole first paragraph, and the first sentence of each of the following paragraphs, and the whole last paragraph. As you are reading, jot down 2-4 words on what you read for each paragraph so u can reference back.
QR (Score: 17)
Materials:
Anyways, thanks to everyone on SDN. SDN has been the best resource. Let me know what you guys think about my scores, Im debating a retake. My overall GPA is about a 3.55 and my science GPA is probably around a 3.2. My undergrad school is known however for its rigorous science curriculum and in turn has the highest rate of acceptance into medical school (I know, not dental school) in the state...for what thats worth... I decided somewhat recently that dentistry was indeed my passion so im not quite the typical applicant. I graduated in 2009 and am going back and finishing up prereqs (english, stats, stupid **** like that) right now. Im open to state and private schools as well, and even looking at some abroad.
Thanks for reading, everyone! And good luck!
Bio: 18
GC: 20
OC: 19
PAT: 25
RC: 19
QR: 17
TS: 19
AA: 19
I dunno how I feel about these scores because I know I could have done better. I couldnt sleep the 3 nights before my test because I couldnt stop thinking. Then when I actually did fall asleep I would toss and turn because I was trying to do stuff in my dreams like balance impossible chemical equations, haha. I could tell I was tired during the test and couldnt give it my full attention. I also scored a lot better on practice tests...so I dunno.
Im gonna post a breakdown after a few beers and a nap. Stay tuned!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Breaking it down:
Before ever coming across SDN, I had ordered The Princeton Review DAT self-paced study package since they did not offer the course where I live because of "lack of demand." I find that a little hard to believe considering they are located in the middle of a D1 campus of 40,000+ students...but anyway, this was my first real study material. I went through the "in class compendium" taking notes and doing all the assigned homeworks for each section and took their practice diags as well as the 2007 ADA and thought I was ready to spank the DAT. While I was basically waiting for my test date, I came across SDN and that's when I realized I wasn't as prepared as I thought I was.
Ill post a little about each section and what supplemental materials I used besides TPR and what I think about the materials.
Bio (Score: 18)
Materials:
- TPR
- Cliffs AP Bio (just the sections over taxonomy, botany, and the cycles)
- DAT qVault (about 100/550 of the Questions)
- Destroyer (about half of the bio section)
- Achiever (took the first 3 tests)
Anyway, I definitely saw some recycled material from the past exams(ADA 2007 and 2009) and I think even a question from qVault was on there. qvault was a good resource from what I could tell, but some of questions are so easy it was almost insulting, haha. Destroyer is a good material for practice questions, but has questions much harder than the real DAT. IMO it's a better resource for OC and GC than it is for bio. Achiever was good for practice questions as well, I thought it was pretty on par with the real DAT as far as bio goes. It's also good for practicing your timing if that is something you are having trouble with.
GC (Score: 20):
Materials:
- TPR
- Chad
- Achiever
- Destroyer
Anyways, as everyone knows, Chad is great here. I think someone who has never taken a chemistry class could learn it all from chad and score decent on the exam. Achiever is good practice, questions are definitely harder than the real exam but if you can do them then you should be able to do easier questions of the same type. Same thing with destroyer. One of the things I did notice tho is that a lot of these materials are calculation based, when on the real DAT there are a good deal of concept questions. Nothing too hard tho.
OC (Score: 19)
Materials:
- TPR
- Chad
- Achiever
- Destroyer
PAT (Score: 25)
Materials:
- Crack the DAT PAT (10 test version)
RC (Score: 19)
Dont really have much to say here because I didn't really study for this section. I think I did one of the RC sections in Achiever, and the RC on 2007 ADA and that was it. I was just praying that I didnt get the physics passage.
My method was TPR's method. Read the whole first paragraph, and the first sentence of each of the following paragraphs, and the whole last paragraph. As you are reading, jot down 2-4 words on what you read for each paragraph so u can reference back.
QR (Score: 17)
Materials:
- Math destroyer
Anyways, thanks to everyone on SDN. SDN has been the best resource. Let me know what you guys think about my scores, Im debating a retake. My overall GPA is about a 3.55 and my science GPA is probably around a 3.2. My undergrad school is known however for its rigorous science curriculum and in turn has the highest rate of acceptance into medical school (I know, not dental school) in the state...for what thats worth... I decided somewhat recently that dentistry was indeed my passion so im not quite the typical applicant. I graduated in 2009 and am going back and finishing up prereqs (english, stats, stupid **** like that) right now. Im open to state and private schools as well, and even looking at some abroad.
Thanks for reading, everyone! And good luck!
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