j-s
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Hello everyone! I took my OAT yesterday and it went well. This community (as well as Reddit) has been tremendously helpful so I wanted to share my experience in case anyone needs it.
I, like many people who are applying right now, had my test canceled/pushed back many times. My test was originally supposed to be at the end of March and it got pushed back pretty much 4 months...so the past 7 months have not been fun. I realize my study schedule/time frame may not be super useful to those who are studying right now as it was dragged out superrrrr long, but I can share some insights on how I studied, what materials I used, and what my scores are. I would say I really only needed about 2.5months to study, but my schedule was super erratic because of all the cancellations.
ANYWAY, here are the materials I recommend using and how I used them:
Here is what I learned while studying for the OAT:
Note: for DAT Bootcamp, I put in scores that represent the average of ~4 tests
Anyway...I know this was a really long post but I hope y'all find it useful. You got this!! Let me know if you have any questions, I will try to answer them to the best of my abilities.
I, like many people who are applying right now, had my test canceled/pushed back many times. My test was originally supposed to be at the end of March and it got pushed back pretty much 4 months...so the past 7 months have not been fun. I realize my study schedule/time frame may not be super useful to those who are studying right now as it was dragged out superrrrr long, but I can share some insights on how I studied, what materials I used, and what my scores are. I would say I really only needed about 2.5months to study, but my schedule was super erratic because of all the cancellations.
ANYWAY, here are the materials I recommend using and how I used them:
1. DAT Bootcamp (with subscription): this is by far the most comprehensive resource. It has MANY MANY practice questions and practice tests that will not only reinforce concepts but also get you into the testing mindset. I find that it was difficult for me to just stare at my notes (specifically for GC and physics) because at the end of the day it was about identifying what type of question they are going to ask and what equation/concept I need to respond with. I highly recommend this resource (get the OAT version so it comes with physics tests). It links to Chad's videos for physics, which I'm sure a lot of you know are absolutely fantastic. Again, practice is key and I think having enough questions and detailed explanations to every question you do is key to your success. Reading notes only goes so far.
2. Kaplan (specifically Kaplan practice tests): I didn't use Kaplan to study because I had already gotten the DAT Bootcamp, but I would recommend their online practice tests that come with the book. The tests are similar in format, much more difficult (which will over-prepare you), and also have detailed explanations. I did however briefly went over the physics section and thought the organization was actually pretty good.
3. Youtube videos (e.g. Organic Chemistry Tutor): LOOK UP AND UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU DON'T GET! These videos are free and short and most likely will help you in the long run.
4. OAT destroyer: I bought an older version of the destroyer to use as practice. I did a lot of the OC questions and all of the BIO, QR, and physics questions. Definitely not a must, but if you don't feel like getting the Bootcamp subscription and/or other question banks/practice tests, I would say this is a pretty good substitute. Each question also has really detailed explanations.
5. ADA OAT: the test that's been floating around...took it two days before my actual exam.
Here is what I learned while studying for the OAT:
- You don't have to understand something straight away - practice and it'll stick
- Review your questions by topic - I noted down every single question I have gotten wrong (or questions I felt were difficult) into sub-categories (e.g. Oxidation/reduction, chemical solutions, nomenclature etc.), which helped me identify which section I was weakest in and also helped me review things quickly by topic
- Study at your own pace/time - I am a night person, so I would often get up around noon (lol) and if that's you, I assure you that it's fine. Just make sure you're awake on the day of the test lol.
- Test center: the people that worked at the center I tested at were super chill and nice. I had to put everything away, wasn't allowed to write anything during the tutorial (sadly), but received a 30-minute break where I could eat, drink, and access my phone and notes. Be sure to arrive early in case there's a line - lots of tests are happening.
- Bio: coming from a biology background, this section was not bad for me. I would say the DAT Bootcamp summary notes are more than enough. I wouldn't try to memorize EVERYTHING because you would be spending way too long and the stuff might not even get tested. Understand the fundamentals, see what themes pop up from practice questions, and you should be fine. E.g. they almost always would ask about some step in meiosis/mitosis, so be sure to understand those.
- GC: felt pretty similar to DAT Bootcamp questions and the ADA OAT; know how to do simple calculations like moles and limiting reagents
- OC: this was one of the harder sections for me. I personally didn't really use flashcards but tried to understand what each reagent would do based on their chemistry. E.g. KMnO4 has so many oxygens, it doesn't make sense for it to be reducing something (so it must be oxidizing); practice by recognizing patterns. Know the names of things because a lot of times they may only give you the name of a compound, not its structure, so you'll need to be able to draw things to figure out stereochemistry/hybridization etc.
- RC: fairly straight forward. I just read through the whole thing, highlighted keywords, and answered. I wouldn't recommend skipping a question and going back because by the time you review it, you may have gone through all three passages and kind of forgot what the first one was about.
- Physics: my weakest section...I studied really hard for it by doing countless questions and categorizing them. Eventually, you will find that you need to master kinematics, energy and momentum, and know the basic formulas for the rest of the subjects. Knowing which subjects are tested on more will allow you to divide your time more effectively. Also, skip and mark a question if you're taking a long time! This section can be challenging if you're running out of time, so don't stay on anything for too long if you can't figure it out.
- QR: also a section I didn't study a ton for, but I would recommend really reviewing weaker areas because this section could potentially help you lots in raising your AA.
| BIO | GC | OC | RC | PHY | QR | AA | TS | |
| DAT Bootcamp | 370 | 360 | 370 | 380 | 300 | 380 | 360 | 350 |
| Kaplan diagnostic | 340 | 360 | 370 | 340 | 270 | 390 | 350 | 330 |
| Kaplan 1 | 390 | 330 | 320 | 390 | 300 | 360 | 350 | 340 |
| Kaplan 2 | 330 | 390 | 340 | 380 | 310 | 330 | 350 | 350 |
| ADA OAT | 400 | 390 | 370 | 400 | 370 | 400 | 390 | 380 |
| OAT | 400 | 400 | 400 | 400 | 380 | 400 | 400 | 400 |
Anyway...I know this was a really long post but I hope y'all find it useful. You got this!! Let me know if you have any questions, I will try to answer them to the best of my abilities.
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unfortunately, you have to wear a mask the entire time, but better to be safe than sorry.
