It's Official: I'm going to fail Part 1.

[sjdent]

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OK, I'll just say it. I am totally freaked out. This post is for all those people who feel exactly like me (hopefully, you're out there!). I have reached the point where I have basically touched on and studied nearly everything once, but realize that I just don't know enough. I don't know jack, actually. Anyone else feel the same? And how are you dealing with it?

I study a review book, sigh and pat myself on the back....then flip through old exams and pretty much have a panic attack. I just had one 5 minutes ago, as a matter of fact, after looking through a biochem/phys test where I knew very little.

 

[anamod]

Do you realize you only need to get 70% of the national average. And on the standard score conversion for the 1998 exam that meant getting 42/100 on the anatomy section 39/100 on the micro /path, 57/100 on the dental anatomy and a whopping 37/100 on the biochem/ phys part. I just started studying today and will go through the dental decks once and a old test or 2 and that is it. Your like a lot of my classmates who are flipping out about this, I plan on studying 2hrs a day for this week we have off and golfing the rest of day at least 18 holes a day. I hope this helps you.

 

[PERFECT3435]

anamod,

are you sure 18 holes/day will help you enough on the boards.
i think you should play 24. LOL

good luck

 

[anamod]

Thats the minimum 🙂 I hope for at least 27. I figure wake up at 8:00 study until 10:30ish and golf from 12:00 until whenever.

 

[sandman]

See its a great post like that that makes me smile. I get worried and focussed and I try to study, but ultimately end up watching tv or screwing around on the internet. I just started studying this past weekend. I just don't care anymore. D = dentist people. I'm sure I'll pass, I've heard you kinda have to try to fail. I'd like to do really well and put up some big numbers, but why. So I can show everyone else how much better I did on regurgitating useless biochemistry factlets. I'd much rather call someone over and say hey look at this MODBL with four pins that I did with amalgam. Unltimately the hands will be what determines the success. I'm not here to do research. 39 to pass. Thank you. I hadn't heard those numbers before and now that I have I have a new found sense of apathy.

 

[anamod]

Lovely isn't it. I really don't know about 4 pins, I think 3 and some good line angle retention grooves would suffice 😉

 

[cusp of carabelli]

i think you should just skip the pins and use amalgabond...save time and stress of worrying about drilling the pins too far and getting a furcation involvment...^_^

 

[sjdent]

Anamod, I know this is boring detailed boards-speak, but the numbers you're quoting are 70th percentile..........my understanding was that you had to score in the 75th percentile to PASS. (We're looking at the same Dec. 1998 score conversions?) And a flat-out score of 60-100 is a guaranteed pass. Are my facts off? I've been counting on that 75 scaled score, but is it really 70?! What do the rest of you people think.

 

[anamod]

I looked it up and I think you are right so that just means that you have to get 3-4 more questions right than what I stated above. I really think that you need to relax and relize that everyone is in the same boat.

 

[sjdent]

oh, please. i'm just being realistic and want to get a good score.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Do you realize you only need to get 70% of the national average.

It sounds even better if you relate it in the terms that the ADA uses in their technical report: passing usually equate to getting 40-50% of the total number of questions correct.

So, 160-200/400 questions is going to equate to that 75 scaled score, which equates to a pass.

 

[ItsGavinC]

But to the OP, I also feel like I'm going to go down the tubes with my grade as well.

 

[anamod]

oh, please. i'm just being realistic and want to get a good score

I understand that and best of luck to you I hope you get the score you want, I just think some people get to caught up in the whole thing and make it out to be more than what it really is a (large) test

 

[kerrydds06]

Sometimes the ANXIETY helps you to focus and sometimes it may consume you. Embrace this anxiety and let it help you to focus. The hardest part of any challenge is not the task at hand but the preparation.
Hope this helps someone. 👍

 

[tinker bell]

Sorry to rub it in, but don't you think that relying on 1998 national average is kinda risky? That is six years ago, to be exact. And any kind of numbers do go inflate years after years. I remember people said 18, 19 DAT average is good enough to get in dental school back in 1999, not any more. So, watch out. These days, people seem to be smarter, score higher. I wouldn't bank on those numbers.
Good luck with your studying

 

[anamod]

I agree that resting on 1998 scores is risky but I really don't think that students are getting that much higher of scores. I'm sure it's a little higher. I just think people blow it way out of perportion. I'm still not changing my strategy.