I'm in a big problem. Your advice would be much appreciated.

[Lazerous]

So I'm essentially freaking out at this point. I plan on taking the DAT sometime within the first week of August.

The materials I currently have to study from:
-KBB
-DAT Destroyer

Just last night I finished reading through KBB for the first time. So today I decided to crack open Destroyer (also for the first time) and when I started on the Orgo section I simply began to freak out because I felt like all the days and weeks I spent studying KBB was for nothing.
I jumped to the Bio section and that seemed to be a little better for me but some of those questions I was completely clueless about.

Like I said, I'm pulling my hair out at this moment because I don't know what to do.

Any ideas? I was possibly thinking of going back to KBB and reviewing all the material, this time making sure I memorize it all instead of reading through it AND THEN taking the dive into Destroyer.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[NuckingFutz]

First of all, you need to REMAIN CALM!!

The DAT destroyer is all about...well destroying you in areas you're weak in. Trust me, the ochem section IS very tough (I'm having a rough time in it right now) so don't think that you're the only one having troubles here (especially on this forum).

I recommend you to pick up some other materials in complement what you have right now. The Bio section in the KBB is lacking in many areas so I recommend getting either Cliff's AP Bio or Schaums Bio (or both if time permits) to fully prepare your self for the bio section. I believe that KBB is sufficient for the chem sections (although you may need to refer to a textbook for ochem if it really is owning you).

When you get that out of the way, you should probably get Topscore, Achiever and Crack DAT PAT as well to further help prepare you for the worst!

You have time so keep your head up and keep on chugging along

 

[mddang]

There are more things out there for you to read other than KBB. For bio, you've got Schaum's, Cliffs, etc. Destroyer orgo is full of reactions you won't need to know for this test, but if you're having trouble with the basics, you should probably review your course notes.

You should also look into dat achiever, topscore , and crack dat pat. Save the practice tests for after you have already done a good amount of studying.

You might also want to reconsider taking the test at a later date if you are still not feeling confidant a week before your test date.


Aww man. The guy above said the same thing LOL.

 

[Lazerous]

First of all, you need to REMAIN CALM!!

The DAT destroyer is all about...well destroying you in areas you're weak in. Trust me, the ochem section IS very tough (I'm having a rough time in it right now) so don't think that you're the only one having troubles here (especially on this forum).

I recommend you to pick up some other materials in complement what you have right now. The Bio section in the KBB is lacking in many areas so I recommend getting either Cliff's AP Bio or Schaums Bio (or both if time permits) to fully prepare your self for the bio section. I believe that KBB is sufficient for the chem sections (although you may need to refer to a textbook for ochem if it really is owning you).

When you get that out of the way, you should probably get Topscore, Achiever and Crack DAT PAT as well to further help prepare you for the worst!

You have time so keep your head up and keep on chugging along

I really do appreciate the advice.
It's been a little over a year since I took OChem, and I've forgotten most of the reactions. Simply reading over them in KBB didn't help much either.

So what I was thinking, instead continuing on doing Destroyer problems and being clueless about the reactions (since reactions make up most of the questions) I was thinking about going back to KBB and sitting on each funtional groups reaction section and memorizing them.
Or do you recommend I keep doing destroyer and learning as i go?

Also, I doubt I have much time for both Cliffs and Schaums bio, and admittedly I do have a pretty weak background of Bio even from college (teacher sucked hard), if you were in my situation which one would you recommend?

Thanks!

 

[NuckingFutz]

Sorry mddang

Worse case scenario would be memorizing the reactions (i'm half and half here). Since you have the destroyer, there's something called ROAD MAPS in the solutions section of the ochem section (starts on solution 118 or something) it's really helpful so spend some time memorizing that

For bio, I only have Cliffs and I think its very well written. However, the more resources you have the better. I hope you like reading because from what I hear, Schaums is as dense as you can get for a science resource (though it is informative) so take your pick. Basically, for ochem, you just need to keep practicing until it becomes second nature. That's what i'm working on so good luck!

 

[polarmolar]

guys, wouldn't you have to have the reactions memorized for ochem anyway? Isn't that like 80% of what they test one (and in destroyer also)?

 

[Lazerous]

Sorry mddang

Worse case scenario would be memorizing the reactions (i'm half and half here). Since you have the destroyer, there's something called ROAD MAPS in the solutions section of the ochem section (starts on solution 118 or something) it's really helpful so spend some time memorizing that

For bio, I only have Cliffs and I think its very well written. However, the more resources you have the better. I hope you like reading because from what I hear, Schaums is as dense as you can get for a science resource (though it is informative) so take your pick. Basically, for ochem, you just need to keep practicing until it becomes second nature. That's what i'm working on so good luck!

Actually all of these replies are helping calm down more, so thanks! I guess I'm just overwhelmed by how much information there is!

Well I dislike reading, but you have to do what you have to do (which would explain how I managed to read all 950+ pages of KBB). However, if Cliffs gives all the info I need for the bio section in a smaller package then I will go for that. How have you been scoring on the Bio section of practice tests with knowledge from cliffs? Oh and is this the book: http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/books?id=4159834902718&isbn=0470097647

 

[TeamGuo]

guys, wouldn't you have to have the reactions memorized for ochem anyway? Isn't that like 80% of what they test one (and in destroyer also)?

Yes there is some things that you just have to memorize, but for orgo, if you know how the acid/base works, pretty much how the electrons gets pushed around, you shouldn't have to memorize.

Ie. If you can identify the nucleophile and the electrophile in a reaction, no need to memorize.

 

[billythekid]

Buy Crack DAT PAT

 

[rdhdds1]

Hey bra look. Most to all of us on this forum freak out about testing for the DAT. The only thing freaking out is going to do is make you have cranial flajulations on test day. RELAX!!!

That being said; I am pretty much in the same boat as most of the others on the forum. I am good in some areas and weak in others. I do not know everything and I do not anticipate knowing everything by the time I take the DAT (my 2nd time).

What I do is review KBB and spend the rest of that day reviewing Schaums for Bio, Gchm and Ochm. KBB gives a good base but lacks in a WHOLE lot of areas.

If you have time get TS, Achiever, and Crack both math/PAT.

Destroyer is named that for a reason. It will break you! However, in doing so it will certianly point out your weak areas. If you do a question in destroyer and get it wrong or don't understand something use your text, Wiki and the forum to ask questions to ensure that you do understand. SDN is probably the best resource to ask questions on so that you can have a variety of answers that might bring things home for you.

Good luck on your studies bra and don't freak. It is only a test

 

[ADent327]

I was reading the KBB to get myself started and refresh my memory ( it's been 2 years since i have sat in any heavy bio or chem course)

FYI i did start to freak out as well- I think they format the KBB in a way that makes everything look simple when in reality it isn't...then you freak out wondering why you aren't getting it as quickly as you "should" (I graduated with a psych degree so that is what i attributed the "freaking out phase" to be triggered by lol )

I got about 7 chapters into the KBB for bio and couldn't take it anymore.... then I went to schaums and read the corresponding chapters (after that i felt much more confident) and yes schaums is intense. I found that schaums was a little hard to read especially for things like energy transformations and such...I read through that chapter but I am going to supplement it with my old bio textbook which is much more organized and better pictures and graphs...I also began typing up review notes at night forcing myself to look at the material over again and again...although I have more time, not taking the DAT until springtime...

maybe read through schaums and take a few more practice tests??

other sections i really haven't started yet so i cant say much...

maybe reschedule your exam date and get more confident?...

You have options so don't freak yourself out !!! and good luck

 

[ADent327]

oo yeah and Destroyer is suppose to be really hard... If you can get through destroyer you can get through anything.

 

[mike787]

Try reading Cliffs and make sure to do the Destroyer and read the answers carefully because they have a lot of info in them

 

[Lazerous]

I was reading the KBB to get myself started and refresh my memory ( it's been 2 years since i have sat in any heavy bio or chem course)

FYI i did start to freak out as well- I think they format the KBB in a way that makes everything look simple when in reality it isn't...then you freak out wondering why you aren't getting it as quickly as you "should" (I graduated with a psych degree so that is what i attributed the "freaking out phase" to be triggered by lol )

I got about 7 chapters into the KBB for bio and couldn't take it anymore.... then I went to schaums and read the corresponding chapters (after that i felt much more confident) and yes schaums is intense. I found that schaums was a little hard to read especially for things like energy transformations and such...I read through that chapter but I am going to supplement it with my old bio textbook which is much more organized and better pictures and graphs...I also began typing up review notes at night forcing myself to look at the material over again and again...although I have more time, not taking the DAT until springtime...

maybe read through schaums and take a few more practice tests??

other sections i really haven't started yet so i cant say much...

maybe reschedule your exam date and get more confident?...

You have options so don't freak yourself out !!! and good luck

Thanks for the reply!

I managed to calm myself down by simply closing all text and dat prep books and sittinf there for a couple of hours relaxing and coming up with a newly revised study method.

In the end, I decided to put Destroyer to the side. I found an old Barrons DAT prep book that I am now studying from. I definitely don't recommend it as a stand alone study guide, but it works out quite well when I supplement it with KBB.

Barrons does manage to cover everything KBB does (or at least for the orgo section since that is what I am doing now) only in like 40 or 50 pages. So it simply gives you all the info in a nutshell, and from there, when I come across something I odn;t know too well I flip over to that section in KBB and review it.

I'm defintely beginning to feel a little more confident in my orgo knowledge. I'll probably also use Barrons for GChem and then go buy Cliffs for bio.

 

[Lazerous]

Try reading Cliffs and make sure to do the Destroyer and read the answers carefully because they have a lot of info in them

Yeah, I think I am going to end up getting cliffs since I probably don't have as much time to read through the details of Schaums.

 

[polarmolar]

I could be wrong but a lot of people have said Barrons contains many mistakes and should be avoided, except for the PAT...

 

[doc3232]

First of all, you need to REMAIN CALM!!

The DAT destroyer is all about...well destroying you in areas you're weak in. Trust me, the ochem section IS very tough (I'm having a rough time in it right now) so don't think that you're the only one having troubles here (especially on this forum).

I recommend you to pick up some other materials in complement what you have right now. The Bio section in the KBB is lacking in many areas so I recommend getting either Cliff's AP Bio or Schaums Bio (or both if time permits) to fully prepare your self for the bio section. I believe that KBB is sufficient for the chem sections (although you may need to refer to a textbook for ochem if it really is owning you).

When you get that out of the way, you should probably get Topscore, Achiever and Crack DAT PAT as well to further help prepare you for the worst!

You have time so keep your head up and keep on chugging along

This is the most common (and hence best) advice for studying...

 

[Lazerous]

I could be wrong but a lot of people have said Barrons contains many mistakes and should be avoided, except for the PAT...

Nope, you are quite right. The questions in Barrons have many mistakes and so I am not doing the questions.
I am just reading their explanation on OChem and the likes and I am supplementing it with KBB so if there is a discrepancy I will just take KBB's word for it.

Thus far there was only one discrepancy and that is what happen to the MP of alkanes as branching increase. The weird part is that barrons was right and KBB was wrong (I searched for the answer on this forum) in saying that MP decrease with increased branching when in reality it is supposed to increase due to greater symmetery and thus better crystal lattice formation.