Is this a smart move?

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I registered for the DAT within this week, and ever since, I've been on the ups and downs about it. One day, I feel like I'm going to dominate this thing. Then, the next day, I feel like I'll burn myself out studying the way that I am before the day even comes. It seems like an endless cycle.


I have 5 weeks left til the big day.

This summer, I haven't done anything other than take the Kaplan course and a lab class M-TH (which wasn't difficult or that time-consuming, but required some attention).

I will admit that I did not completely keep up with Kaplan materials during the course, which leaves me to where I am today:


*Finished Barron's DAT 2nd edition.
*only halfway through Kaplan's book. 🙁
*1/3 of subject tests done from the online Kaplan materials. I feel like as I'm trying to rush through the materials, and as a result, I don't perform as well.
*Recently subscribed to Chad videos and started going through it.
*Read 50 pages of Cliff's AP Bio, Read 70 pages of Barron's AP Bio.
*Started only the QR of Destroyer.

Main dilemma:
Ideally, I want to be able to review the materials a lot of times before I take the test to feel like I am prepared and have given it my all on test day. That's just how I am. I don't know if I will get that feeling from just 5 weeks of studying. Also, I don't want to "CRAM" and rush through the materials just to say that I've finished it. I think the reason why I initially scheduled for that date was because it was before the academic school year started... Maybe it's a personal thing, but I always had this idea that I WOULD NOT want to study for the DATs on top of my full-time courses because I would not want to jeopardize my GPA.

People who have taken the DAT and studied while taking a full course load...

Is it a smart move to push back the DAT in order to feel more prepared and have lots of time to review? But would it be a LOT, LOT HARDER to study for the DAT while trying to do well in classes, too? Did you have time to study for classes on top of that? Is it better just to take it at the very beginning of the academic year or would it be okay to take the DAT a few weeks, or a month after even with a full course load?

I'm leaning more towards this approach. If I have 5 weeks to really, really soak into the materials, and push through everything at least once or twice, it'll be okay when school starts... because after that, I would have maybe 4 weeks to review it several times til I feel ready.

Please let me know if you don't think this approach is very beneficial, or that it's not realistic due to my course load. I will be taking 3 science classes and 1 other class. :/

 

[txlonghorn]

I think it depends on you for the most part. If you think you can handle being a full-time student and study for the DAT, then it will work for you. From my experience, I tried studying during the semester and preparing for the DAT, and it did not happen for me (this is why I studied for the summer).

As for the stuff you have completed, I think you will need to step up the effort if you want to dominate the test. You will need to put in the hours to prep for the subjects, test yourself, and improve your weaknesses.

 

[LaFleur]

I would agree that it depends on you and what you think you can do. My brother prepared for the exam for 3 weeks (studied only with KBB, Baron's DAT, and Cliff's DAT) for example and pulled a 21TS 22AA. Some people take 2-3 months and way more practice material (Topscore, Destroyer, CDP, Cliff's AP Bio, etc) to achieve those scores. Go with what feels good for you.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

 

[TK2006]

I registered for the DAT within this week, and ever since, I've been on the ups and downs about it. One day, I feel like I'm going to dominate this thing. Then, the next day, I feel like I'll burn myself out studying the way that I am before the day even comes. It seems like an endless cycle.


I have 5 weeks left til the big day.

This summer, I haven't done anything other than take the Kaplan course and a lab class M-TH (which wasn't difficult or that time-consuming, but required some attention).

I will admit that I did not completely keep up with Kaplan materials during the course, which leaves me to where I am today:


*Finished Barron's DAT 2nd edition.
*only halfway through Kaplan's book. 🙁
*1/3 of subject tests done from the online Kaplan materials. I feel like as I'm trying to rush through the materials, and as a result, I don't perform as well.
*Recently subscribed to Chad videos and started going through it.
*Read 50 pages of Cliff's AP Bio, Read 70 pages of Barron's AP Bio.
*Started only the QR of Destroyer.

Main dilemma:
Ideally, I want to be able to review the materials a lot of times before I take the test to feel like I am prepared and have given it my all on test day. That's just how I am. I don't know if I will get that feeling from just 5 weeks of studying. Also, I don't want to "CRAM" and rush through the materials just to say that I've finished it. I think the reason why I initially scheduled for that date was because it was before the academic school year started... Maybe it's a personal thing, but I always had this idea that I WOULD NOT want to study for the DATs on top of my full-time courses because I would not want to jeopardize my GPA.

People who have taken the DAT and studied while taking a full course load...

Is it a smart move to push back the DAT in order to feel more prepared and have lots of time to review? But would it be a LOT, LOT HARDER to study for the DAT while trying to do well in classes, too? Did you have time to study for classes on top of that? Is it better just to take it at the very beginning of the academic year or would it be okay to take the DAT a few weeks, or a month after even with a full course load?

I'm leaning more towards this approach. If I have 5 weeks to really, really soak into the materials, and push through everything at least once or twice, it'll be okay when school starts... because after that, I would have maybe 4 weeks to review it several times til I feel ready.

Please let me know if you don't think this approach is very beneficial, or that it's not realistic due to my course load. I will be taking 3 science classes and 1 other class. :/

Here is what I think. Don't be offended.

You have spent way too much time on too many different resources when you could have just focused your 100% on the Kaplan course. Just finish the KBB for the course and review all the subject tests twice.

I would highly suggest against pushing the test back into the school year. That'd be risking a lot.

Kaplan course is enough to get you into 20's - from experience and talking with many people who've taken the Kaplan course.

Like I said, while all of those study aids that you've mentioned are VERY GOOD, you should have put the Kaplan course as your priority since you spent 1000+ on it. It is solid foundation all around.

P.S. I took the Kaplan course, too. I went through the entire online material three times (except for the full-length exams). At the same time, I used the Destroyer, too. I went through the destroyer three times. It was enough to get me well prepared.