Kaplan Practice Test Scores...Good or Bad?

[Nismoboy]

Hey everyone:

Congrats to all those who have done well on your DAT's. God willing the rest of us will do well on ours.

I have read the book twice and I started doing some practice tests from the Kaplan Test center and I was wondering if I am progressing enough seeing that I am taking the DAT on 8/16/04:

I took one TopScore Bio test, one TopScore Organic test, one Kaplan Biology test, 5 Kaplan Organic tests, and 3 Kaplan Gen. Chem tests. My question is: "Am I on track to do well on the DAT?" By well I mean 18-20.

TopScore:
Biology-18
Organic-17

Kaplan:
Biology-16
Organic-16, 15, 13, 18, 12 (after I got a 13, I went through my notes and flashcards and got an 18 )
Gen. Chem.-16, 17, 15, 14, 14

I really don't understand why my scores are all over the place.

I used the Kaplan book, TopScore, and the Kaplan flashcards.

I would greatly appreciate some advice on how to do better and/or if I am doing well enough to get an 18-20 on the real DAT. Thanks in advance.

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[Nismoboy]

Any suggestions or comments are welcomed...please....thanks.

 

[SloppyJoe]

I think you have to get at least 19 if not 20 on Kaplan tests to be on track for a 20 on the real thing. Topscore can be a little lower at 18, but not everything is set in stone. So study hard, and good luck.

 

[dane4695]

I would try and step it up a bit because Ive got straight 19's so far on both Kaplan practice tests and i'm still worried...(i know a 19 on kaplan PAT means crap...) and i honestly thought the ochem / gen chem sections were easy, I just haven't trained myself to avoid stupid errors.

I would really read through the books thoroughly, make flashcards on the stuff you don't know (this is a facts based test), and then get some extra materials/books.

 

[Sprgrover]

I agree with the other posts that state you should try to bring up your Kaplan scores a bit. In my opinion Kaplan is a tad harder than the real thing (and Topscore much harder by comparison). I believe you are a good track to obtain an 18-20 score. Don't get discouraged by a low score along the way - its just practice, nothing more nothing less. Who know's why your scores are all over the place (as well as mine for that matter). It could have to do with the nature of the questions, your mood, your confidence with the material, a combination of all of these as well as other factors. Don't spend too much time dwelling on them and instead focus your energy and thoughts on getting that 20+ score. You can do it! I had a wide range of practice scores myself though I kept on studying and it paid off for me. You still have plenty of time to soak in some more information for the DAT. Keep studying and best of luck!

 

[Nismoboy]

Thanks guys for all over your advice and encouragement. I know I shouldn't dwell on some bad scores here and there, but it's just so discouraging when your scores aren't consistent (i.e. I just got yet another 14 on a Kaplan GC test) But, Sprgrover, you're right, I really shouldn't dwell on these "practice" scores. Thanks again.