Is Top Score accurate?!!

[losinghair]

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Hi,long time reader, first time poster...

I have been frantically preparing for the DAT and am scheduled to take it in a week (gotta meet those deadlines 😡 ). I have been testing with Topscore and just plain hit a wall with it. Can some one who has used it please tell me if you honestly feel top score in an accurate comparison of what you will actually score on the real test? ie; is it easier, harder, the same?

Please only posts from people who have ACTUALLY TAKEN THE DAT. I constantly see people who haven't taken the test giving expert opinions. Its appreciated, but to be honest, you cannot say what works and what doesn't until your done.
Anyway.... help please!!!

 

[OU11BB]

check out my breakdown. i am glad i finished w/topscore b/c i felt like the wording of the questions were more similar than kaplan and destroyer

btw i got 18 on TS 1 and 19 on TS 2

 

[amcmahon]

check out my breakdown. i am glad i finished w/topscore b/c i felt like the wording of the questions were more similar than kaplan and destroyer

btw i got 18 on TS 1 and 19 on TS 2

I agree about the wording. Kaplan tries to trick you, TopScore and the real DAT are very clear and straight forward. I scored much better on the real DAT than TopScore.

TopScore: 18 TS
DAT: 23 TS

 

[LittleTomato]

topscore is more accurate than kaplan, and I also did better on the real DAT than on topscore for most sections, I have all of my topscore scores compared to my actual scores on my breakdown found here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=767847.


best of luck!

 

[JustwantDDS]

I did exactly the same as TS, and I read SO many posts here that said you'll go up AT LEAST a point.
nope didnt happen.
so disappointing 🙁

I think I just was hit with a wave of panic and a hard test.....i dunno.🙁

 

[losinghair]

check out my breakdown. i am glad i finished w/topscore b/c i felt like the wording of the questions were more similar than kaplan and destroyer

btw i got 18 on TS 1 and 19 on TS 2

wow, thanks. I have to say I'm very discouraged with top score. I feel like the science questions are worse than they should be. Does that seem right? I am just trying to figure out if I should give myself another 2 weeks of study time. I'm 4 days away from the test now. i don't know what else I can do to improve and I fee like going into it with 18's on topscore may not be the smartest thing. Advice anyone???

 

[losinghair]

topscore is more accurate than kaplan, and I also did better on the real DAT than on topscore for most sections, I have all of my topscore scores compared to my actual scores on my breakdown found here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=767847.


best of luck!

Thanks for sharing! So how do you feel it prepared you for the science section? I'm not at all worried about RC, PAT, but OC and GC are the worst. do you feel like the actual test was "lighter" than the questions you received on top score?

 

[losinghair]

Sorry to hear that, are you going to retake it?

 

[losinghair]

justwantdds.... sorry to hear that, you going to retake it??

 

[chickensoupdr]

My test is in a couple days, and I've tried taking the Topscore practice tests as well. How does the level of difficulty/types of questions for the science section (bio, gc, and oc) compare to that of the actual dat? Should I expect to see similar questions? Also, did you guys think the bio questions on topscore was random, or is this not even considered random compared to the real thing?

 

[LittleTomato]

I thought that the science sections were more difficult on topscore than on the real DAT. I scored about 4-6 points higher on the real DAT, and I didn't do much studying after I started taking practice tests. Don't take this as a rule though, I'm not sure if this is accurate for other people as well.

Topscore can be a little more specific, but if you are really disappointed with the scores you get, they should motivate you to study more. This way, when the actual DAT comes around and your scores come up on that screen, you wonder if those are your scores and like triple check your name on the screen in utter shock and disbelief, and then proceed to do a very quiet victory dance while sitting on the swivel chair in the testing room. But modestly, of course. And then you can spend some time with your family and friends because heaven knows you haven't seen them in months and it will make them feel better to know that you are actually seeing daylight again.

Best wishes!

 

[shahinc]

Kaplan is a Joke.

Add 2 to your TopScore and you will have your real DAT scores.

Best of Luck

 

[Strikeout13GB]

my scores were a point or two better than my Topscore scores but I thought the real DAT was harder...idk how that works but if your doing fine on topscore you'll do fine or better on real DAT...good luck, o yea topscore PAT was a joke, crack dat pat is where its at

 

[losinghair]

I thought that the science sections were more difficult on topscore than on the real DAT. I scored about 4-6 points higher on the real DAT, and I didn't do much studying after I started taking practice tests. Don't take this as a rule though, I'm not sure if this is accurate for other people as well.

Topscore can be a little more specific, but if you are really disappointed with the scores you get, they should motivate you to study more. This way, when the actual DAT comes around and your scores come up on that screen, you wonder if those are your scores and like triple check your name on the screen in utter shock and disbelief, and then proceed to do a very quiet victory dance while sitting on the swivel chair in the testing room. But modestly, of course. And then you can spend some time with your family and friends because heaven knows you haven't seen them in months and it will make them feel better to know that you are actually seeing daylight again.

Best wishes!

Haha! I hope thats what Ill be doing! 😛 Even though I haven't taken the test yet I feel as though top scores questions are a lot more specific than you would see on the real thing. I've have friends who are D1's right now look at them and they all sy theres no way the would have scored as well had the actual test been that specific. The bio section on test #3 asked some of the craziest specific taxonomy questions ever. But, like you said, its scares the @#%$ out of me and makes me study harder. Im planning on getting what I get on topscore. If I get higher I will explode out of that place with joy! medestly of course 😀

 

[losinghair]

I thought that the science sections were more difficult on topscore than on the real DAT. I scored about 4-6 points higher on the real DAT, and I didn't do much studying after I started taking practice tests. Don't take this as a rule though, I'm not sure if this is accurate for other people as well.

Topscore can be a little more specific, but if you are really disappointed with the scores you get, they should motivate you to study more. This way, when the actual DAT comes around and your scores come up on that screen, you wonder if those are your scores and like triple check your name on the screen in utter shock and disbelief, and then proceed to do a very quiet victory dance while sitting on the swivel chair in the testing room. But modestly, of course. And then you can spend some time with your family and friends because heaven knows you haven't seen them in months and it will make them feel better to know that you are actually seeing daylight again.

Best wishes!

my scores were a point or two better than my Topscore scores but I thought the real DAT was harder...idk how that works but if your doing fine on topscore you'll do fine or better on real DAT...good luck, o yea topscore PAT was a joke, crack dat pat is where its at

hmm... yeah your not the first to say that. Unfortunately, I cant afford crack dat pat and since it's a week until the test, Im concentrating more on the sciences. Im getting 24+ on topscore pat so even if it falls 4 points Im fine with that.

 

[losinghair]

Well, My test is in the morning. I'm nervous, but at the same time I know there is nothing else I can do and that I have worked my butt off for this. That brings me a bit of peace 🙂. Also, I have spent a great deal of time in prayer and I know the lord will be with me in that nasty little cubicle. So far my scores on top score (average of three tests):
Bio-21, GC-17, OC,18, QR-16, RC-20, PAT-22. I know that according to most of you I should score a little higher, especially on the gc and oc sections, but I'm trying not to allow myself to believe that. I would rather be wonderfully surprised at the end than severely disappointed, know what I mean?

Anyway, Thank you to everyone who posted on here for your help! You have been very giving of your time and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it. Please keep me in your prayers as I have kept you in mine.
God bless!! 🙂

 

[losinghair]

Well It's done and over with. not the worst scores in the world, but I am beyond disappointed in myself. I have flat out busted my A#$ for this f-ing test and it barely paid off. Angry doesn't even begin to express how I feel. Top score was accurate in some areas and waaaaaaay off in others.

heres my breakdown:
AA:17
TS:18
Bio:19
GC:16
OC:18
PAT:25
RC:19
QR:15

Topscore predicted pretty accurately for the sciences, and the math was about the same too. HOWEVER, they only got the scores right. topscore concentrates HEAVILY on taxonomy in the bio section. There wasn't one question on the actual test about it and the wording of the questions compared to the real thing was NOT the same. Most of the questions I feel I missed could have been answered correctly had I been used to seeing them in that format.

In the G-chem section, I honestly didn't feel like I did badly in it. I knew how to do almost every problem they asked me, but there wasn't enough time and some of the questions were worded funky. Honestly I just plain needed to study for this better. Its the same score I got on all three topscore tests.

The O-chem section was the same score I got on all three practice tests as well, but I had never seen half of the things they were asking me about! Any question that wasn't a reaction I can confidently say I got right. I was pretty confident with almost every possible type of reaction going into the test and then out of nowhere they start asking me to identify intermediates?!!!? That was just plain dirty. I had at least five of those things. other than that I was asked some of the most obscure concepts that I doubt any review would cover. That pisses me off that they do those things.

The PAT. Man what can I say here. I heard person after person complain about how the real thing is so much harder than topscore, but I straight up blew this thing out of the water! 99th percentile!! To be honest, the angle ranking on topscore was waaaay harder and the small window they give you for the test is awful to look at, so a nice big screen for the real thing was nice. Also, the apertures were nastier than topscore to figure out, but they usually only had one viable answer which made it easier to figure out while topscore had four answers that were all very similar making it harder. The folding's were quite a bit more elaborate than topscore also, but I felt well prepared for it and they made more sense than top score also. cube counting and hole punching were the same.

The QR section was absolutely ridiculous!!!!! Believe it or not, the math I had on topscore was ten times harder than on the real thing. and I blew threw every problem. So why did I score so low? because even though I went through each problem quickly, there just was NOT ENOUGH TIME!! They generously offered a calculator this year thinking it would help, but its a basic style and is basically worthless with algebra. I dot care how good you are at math, this was flat out impossible.

My RC was almost the same as Topscore, but honestly topscore never asked me one tone or inference question so I was a little at a loss for those, but they weren't awful. They didn't make it easy to answer though. almost every question was asking me about something that you needed to verify from another section of the reading which took forever.


Honestly, the testing center was pretty nice. The two guys who ran it were really helpful and made sure it stayed quiet the entire time. I was never distracted or anything.

I don't know what I could have done differently. Gchem was my biggest nightmare. It always has been. I just don't know how to get better at it! I'm sure theres a lot I could do but I'm still too steamed to think of it right now. I'm screwed for this entire year, and Im sick of sitting around while slackers make it into dent school and bomb everything and party all the time. I would kill to be in their shoes and they take every second for granted.

I know there not the worst scores in the world, but there just not competitive. Knowing that answering 4 more questions right would have gotten me a 19 enrages me. Its going to take me a while to get over this.🙁😡