I need your advice; What to do in the next 20 days...

[UCSD1984]

As many of you may know, I'm taking the DAT on the 26th. As I sit here half-way through AP Cliff's for the second time, I'm beginning to think it may be a good idea to construct a solid schedule for my next 2.5-3 weeks before the exam. Here's what I have completed thus far...

1.) AP Cliff's Bio once (forgot everything though)

2.) All of Chad's Gen.Chem, O.Chem, and QR videos with extensive notes, fully detailed. I have done all his quizzes and am half-way through doing Gen.Chem's quizzes for the second time.

3.) I've only done about 1/3 of Destroyer, and it's been random, jumping to random questions. I feel as though it would be best if I tore through all of Destroyer in a 3 day time-span about 2 weeks before the exam, and then again during the last 2 weeks, going more slowly and focusing more time on the ones I got wrong (which should be about 50% of them judging by how foreign they all still look to me).

4.) I've done no practice tests yet. I am ordering TopScore and ADA 2009 tonight when I get home. When should I take these?

5.) I've only done 2 CDP Exams, I scored an 18 on the first and a 15 on the second (ouch, I know). I plan on finally watching all of condog's premium videos tonight when I'm unwinding, and taking one of his practice exams.

Although I have only 20 days left(19 technically), I feel like I can still get a TON done in this time. I have a tremendous amount of respect for everyone on this site, so I decided to see what you all think I should do.

As for today, this is my plan: Read through 3 Chapters of AP Cliff's very slowly (should take me about 3 hours, maybe more including the questions at the end), going through my Chapters 3-5 Gen.Chem notes from Chad's and taking the corresponding quizzes. When I get home, I will watch all of condog's videos and take one of his practice PAT tests.

Tomorrow will be 3 more Chapters of Cliff's which means I should be done with it (maybe 1 or 2 chapters left, not sure I'd have to check), and Chapters 6-7 Gen.Chem notes from Chad's and taking the corresponding quizzes as well. Then a Crack DAT PAT test, and possibly 40-50 QR questions from Destroyer.

As far as the remaining 17 days, I would LOVE to hear what you guys think I should do. Constructed breakdowns would be most valuable to me since I'm almost at the panic point and I'm not exactly thinking clearly. Sometimes I'll be half-way through a Cliff's Bio chapter and think to myself "crap, I've yet to memorize the O.Chem roadmaps", and I'll attempt to memorize them for like an hour and get discouraged and end up wasting time.

Any and all input is appreciated. God bless all of you.

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[Demps]

Looks like the section you need to invest some great deal of time is PAT, but it is not pessimistic. You have ~3 weeks and spending 1-2 hour each day and get the hang of it on PAT, you should definitely get 20+ on this section.

I recommend take all three practice tests on Topscore before like 21st~22nd (~5days before your exam). Leave some time for yourself to review the questions you got wrong. I don't mean to stop you but I don't know what good it can bring you taking a full length test a day or two before the real exam.

Lastly, on the week before the exam:

Organize yourself. Make notes on things you have a hard time understanding. Obviously, something you know already, reviewing it may be good but you already know it anyway. For example, I made like 5 page-long notes for all subjects about a page each. For BIO, I wrote down like pathway I had trouble memorizing, some hormone names etc.... Concepts and mechanisms that I had trouble retaining for GC and OC and some conversions worth knowing for QR.

I spent the last 4-5 days reviewing the questions I got wrong on Destroyer and Topscore, the 5-page note I mentioned, taxonomy chart on DATQVAULT, and GC+OC Chad's Quiz one more time.

You still have a lot of time bro. I think you will do fine and good luck!

 

[UCSD1984]

Looks like the section you need to invest some great deal of time is PAT, but it is not pessimistic. You have ~3 weeks and spending 1-2 hour each day and get the hang of it on PAT, you should definitely get 20+ on this section.

I recommend take all three practice tests on Topscore before like 21st~22nd (~5days before your exam). Leave some time for yourself to review the questions you got wrong. I don't mean to stop you but I don't know what good it can bring you taking a full length test a day or two before the real exam.

Lastly, on the week before the exam:

Organize yourself. Make notes on things you have a hard time understanding. Obviously, something you know already, reviewing it may be good but you already know it anyway. For example, I made like 5 page-long notes for all subjects about a page each. For BIO, I wrote down like pathway I had trouble memorizing, some hormone names etc.... Concepts and mechanisms that I had trouble retaining for GC and OC and some conversions worth knowing for QR.

I spent the last 4-5 days reviewing the questions I got wrong on Destroyer and Topscore, the 5-page note I mentioned, taxonomy chart on DATQVAULT, and GC+OC Chad's Quiz one more time.

You still have a lot of time bro. I think you will do fine and good luck!

Demps, I can't thank you enough for the input. I didn't know DATQVault had a Taxonomy Chart? I need to look into this. I keep forgetting about DATQVault. I've taken 1 benchmark test on there and got about 60% of the questions right (this was weeks ago). I need to order all their questions and go through them. Doing Bio questions doesn't bother me at all, even if I get a ton wrong. It's memorization so it's not stressful to study. I'll order those exams tonight and start working on them as soon as I finish through Cliff's again.

Looking forward to hearing more input.

 

[Demps]

Demps, I can't thank you enough for the input. I didn't know DATQVault had a Taxonomy Chart? I need to look into this. I keep forgetting about DATQVault. I've taken 1 benchmark test on there and got about 60% of the questions right (this was weeks ago). I need to order all their questions and go through them. Doing Bio questions doesn't bother me at all, even if I get a ton wrong. It's memorization so it's not stressful to study. I'll order those exams tonight and start working on them as soon as I finish through Cliff's again.

Looking forward to hearing more input.

Yea I liked DATQVAULT a lot - good $20 investment. I think DATQVAULT + AP Cliffs was more helpful on biology section than Destroyer.

 

[UCSD1984]

Yea I liked DATQVAULT a lot - good $20 investment. I think DATQVAULT + AP Cliffs was more helpful on biology section than Destroyer.

I'm not surprised, to be honest. I've skimmed through about 40 questions in Destroyer's Bio and they don't seem like something I would ever imagine seeing on a broad-spectrum exam. Perhaps some of them, I'm sure...just not the majority.

I've read through 2 chapters in Cliff's so far. Smoke break and back to the grind

 

[UCSD1984]

One bump for maybe some more advice from the vets or the 20+ AAers.

 

[Gomsemari]

i think u can do all the datqvault practice tests without paying by submitting a question you make.

 

[2PacClone23]

write down your weaknesses, study them ONLY, repeat datqvault or any test, repeat.

 

[flyingforever]

As many of you may know, I'm taking the DAT on the 26th. As I sit here half-way through AP Cliff's for the second time, I'm beginning to think it may be a good idea to construct a solid schedule for my next 2.5-3 weeks before the exam. Here's what I have completed thus far...

1.) AP Cliff's Bio once (forgot everything though)

2.) All of Chad's Gen.Chem, O.Chem, and QR videos with extensive notes, fully detailed. I have done all his quizzes and am half-way through doing Gen.Chem's quizzes for the second time.

3.) I've only done about 1/3 of Destroyer, and it's been random, jumping to random questions. I feel as though it would be best if I tore through all of Destroyer in a 3 day time-span about 2 weeks before the exam, and then again during the last 2 weeks, going more slowly and focusing more time on the ones I got wrong (which should be about 50% of them judging by how foreign they all still look to me).

4.) I've done no practice tests yet. I am ordering TopScore and ADA 2009 tonight when I get home. When should I take these?

5.) I've only done 2 CDP Exams, I scored an 18 on the first and a 15 on the second (ouch, I know). I plan on finally watching all of condog's premium videos tonight when I'm unwinding, and taking one of his practice exams.

Although I have only 20 days left(19 technically), I feel like I can still get a TON done in this time. I have a tremendous amount of respect for everyone on this site, so I decided to see what you all think I should do.

As for today, this is my plan: Read through 3 Chapters of AP Cliff's very slowly (should take me about 3 hours, maybe more including the questions at the end), going through my Chapters 3-5 Gen.Chem notes from Chad's and taking the corresponding quizzes. When I get home, I will watch all of condog's videos and take one of his practice PAT tests.

Tomorrow will be 3 more Chapters of Cliff's which means I should be done with it (maybe 1 or 2 chapters left, not sure I'd have to check), and Chapters 6-7 Gen.Chem notes from Chad's and taking the corresponding quizzes as well. Then a Crack DAT PAT test, and possibly 40-50 QR questions from Destroyer.

As far as the remaining 17 days, I would LOVE to hear what you guys think I should do. Constructed breakdowns would be most valuable to me since I'm almost at the panic point and I'm not exactly thinking clearly. Sometimes I'll be half-way through a Cliff's Bio chapter and think to myself "crap, I've yet to memorize the O.Chem roadmaps", and I'll attempt to memorize them for like an hour and get discouraged and end up wasting time.

Any and all input is appreciated. God bless all of you.

Keep your emotions aside, fight like a Man. Good luck!