Longtime lurker, Hello!

[roquer2]

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Hey everyone, current members and potential, future dental classmates! I've been browsing this forum for a while now (a year and a half to be exact). I've been trying to soak up and absorb everything people have been saying. I've referred to a lot of new and old threads, trying to figure out what I need for my upcoming DAT, how the application process works, etc. I'm a pre-dental, 4th year undergrad, so I took the traditional route to Dental school. I've completed almost everything (but Evolution -_-) and will be graduating this Fall '13. I'm applying right now and getting everything semi-prepared before the big portal opening. This is just an informal introduction, so hello!

Now, I know there are late threads discussing tips and such for the DAT. However, I like things to be fresh (as in, 2-3 months recent fresh)(OCD, yea 🙄) and I want to kick off my first post with this simple question: How much did the DAT Destroyer kick your tail end?

Now, I just got done with Chad's videos. Went through the Ochem and Gen Chem vids once, quizzes like 2-3 times and made notecards with Study Blue. I still have yet to start Bio (as well as the other 3 sections), but I'll be starting on Bio after I get thru my Immunology test tomorrow.

Now, being the curious fellow I am, yesterday I sat in a cubicle, threw in some earplugs and started the 1st 30 questions of Ochem from the DAT Destroyer (2009 version) with a 30 minute timer. I finished with 8 mins to spare, but missed 7 whopping questions 😡 That's not the worst news tho. I started Gen Chem today, same set up (30 min timer, 30 questions) and HOLY MOLs I missed 22 questions (only 8 correct!!!) I've heard of people getting their butts whooped, but did I underperform severly from those who did terrible their first time as well?!

I'm scheduling my DAT this week (aiming for early June - mid June), but this is not what I wanted to see, and now I feel completely discouraged to take it! I was so confident going thru Chad's, making notecards of concepts and shortcuts, and then BAM Jim Romano came and backhand me across my #8 and 9.

Honestly, I was neglecting the Gen Chem section just a little and focused heavily on Ochem, but this is just ridiculous. I tried applying the concepts on my notecards from Chad, but I managed to only get 8 right (I also have that feeling that maybe 1 or 2 of the 8 correct, I still might not know the FULL concept of / got lucky)!

The TLDR cliffs:

-DAT Destroyer 2009, Did first 30 questions for Ochem and Gen Chem in simulated 'testing environment'
-Missed 7 on Ochem
-Missed 22 on Gen Chem 🙁
-Dr. Romano backhanded my # 8 and 9 out of my mouth, now thinking of scheduling a restoration over my potential DAT date

So my question is, how bad did people get destroyed by the Destroyer? I have to say, this is truly a nice piece of humble pie, but too much has me sick to my stomach and ready to puke. Any advice?

Yes, I know, strongfirstpost. Lol. Thanks everyone!

ps: Don't worry, I'm not one of those people to post once and that's all. I've joined this board to lend any advices I may have and I will definitely get a write up/break down on my DAT study sched and scores when I get the chance! Afterall, most of us are looking for that same goal, Dental school. I'm just glad to be part of this community, finally.

 

[Hsurb]

TLDR LOL!


















Long time lurker here too. Getting destroyed on practice tests is how you improve and learn what you need to focus on. I just started studying for the DAT and taking it seriously to apply this summer. I hate seeing low scores on practice tests it really hurts my ego but getting those low scores shows you how much you can improve. Good luck brah.

 

[xatlasb]

First off, kudos to you for even attempting that! I know I went through and used Destroyer as a study tool and NOT as a simulated practice DAT.

With that said, I'd say I probably got like 40% of the questions right my first round through. I also went through Chad's thoroughly before moving to Destroyer. I also chose to focus more on ochem than gen chem, since I had done AP in high school and just felt more confident about gen chem than ochem.

You sound like you are rocking ochem already, since Destroyer questions are considerably more challenging than Chad's quizzes. I would not let this discourage you, you sound like you are on the right track! Just make sure you go through the solutions and understand how to solve the problem. Make a study sheet with all the formulas that you encounter on Destroyer, that's what I did and it seemed to really help me.

 

[roquer2]

TLDR LOL!


















Long time lurker here too. Getting destroyed on practice tests is how you improve and learn what you need to focus on. I just started studying for the DAT and taking it seriously to apply this summer. I hate seeing low scores on practice tests it really hurts my ego but getting those low scores shows you how much you can improve. Good luck brah.

Thanks bro. Yea, got the TLDR cliffs up for those not wanting to punish themselves with my paragraphs lol!

Trust me, I felt like I was going to punish the DAT till I just went thru a little of the Destroyer. Thing is crazy. But true, i'll agree. I definitely have my weaknesses exposed, so that's a postive way of lookin at it. Thanks for chiming in brah!

What schools are you going to apply for? Maybe you have the same scope as me. Goodluck man

 

[roquer2]

First off, kudos to you for even attempting that! I know I went through and used Destroyer as a study tool and NOT as a simulated practice DAT.

With that said, I'd say I probably got like 40% of the questions right my first round through. I also went through Chad's thoroughly before moving to Destroyer. I also chose to focus more on ochem than gen chem, since I had done AP in high school and just felt more confident about gen chem than ochem.

You sound like you are rocking ochem already, since Destroyer questions are considerably more challenging than Chad's quizzes. I would not let this discourage you, you sound like you are on the right track! Just make sure you go through the solutions and understand how to solve the problem. Make a study sheet with all the formulas that you encounter on Destroyer, that's what I did and it seemed to really help me.

Thanks for posting man!

I honestly don't feel too accomplished with Ochem bc I rocked it last year and yet I still missed a good amount. And everyone has their strong and weak points. I thought Gen Chem would be a breeze bc, well, it's Gen Chem. So I see it as, "I can kill Ochem and suck at Gen, but another can kill Gen but be destroyed vice versa". It's just not a good feeling to have a weak base in the fundamental chem, you know that feel?

I did make over 500+ notecards already for Ochem and Gen combined, but the problem is being exposed to a question and not knowing how to start it 😡

Anyways, thanks for dropping in and the advice! Much appreciated

 

[Dotoday]

Lol. Do not worry so much about getting wrong answers doing the destroyer. The book is tough. It is designed to discover and point out your flaws. Make sure you study that concepts of the questions that you missed and get back at it again. This will make you stronger.
Good luck.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

 

[roquer2]

Lol. Do not worry so much about getting wrong answers doing the destroyer. The book is tough. It is designed to discover and point out your flaws. Make sure you study that concepts of the questions that you missed and get back at it again. This will make you stronger.
Good luck.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

Trying not to. It's just...I only got 8 right out of 30??? It's just a terrible feeling in my stomach. But I guess that's the consensus: no matter how bad I do on the Destroyer, it'll only expose my mistakes and help me.

I'm just not used to scoring this bad since the beginning of my undergrad 😳

Thanks for posting bro

 

[J777]

Ha this is a great post! You will probably find that as you work through the Destroyer, you will improve and make less mistakes. Also, you might just want to take your time on the Destroyer questions and not worry about staying within the 30 minute constraint. As others have noted, it is helpful as a tool to point out weaknesses and improve your knowledge, even if you are finishing before the 30 min is up. Either way, it is very common to miss many Destroyer questions so don't worry too much.

 

[Glimmer1991]

I thought the Destroyer SUCKED because it wasn't a good representation of the test. All it does is "destroy" confidence and grossly over-prepares you. Granted, having extra knowledge is never a *bad* thing in life, but it isn't exactly the most efficient thing when you are preparing for a very specific test.

Do not think that because you are struggling with the Destroyer, you won't do well on the test. If you are confident that you really know Chad--and only you can judge your own abilities and mastery--you will be able to do very well on the DAT. Chad cuts out all of the extra fluff and give you the "down and dirty" of what you need. Seriously, there was one question on my OC section that he didn't cover; it was really obscure and dealt with an antiquated lab method, so I don't fault him at all for this!

However, back to your original question--how much did it kick my butt the first time through? I was absolutely horrendous at the GC section. I probably was also getting about 8/30. However, I did really well on the OC section because I had just finished the class and had taken it with an outstanding teacher. I was probably getting more like 27/30 right on it. Bio was hard, and I didn't do so hot on it, either.

I went through the Destroyer 2 or 3 times, though, and did much better on my subsequent attempts. You absorb more than you think you do as you go through it. However, you have to go into it with the right ATTITUDE. I was seriously just getting MAD as I went through the GC and wasn't absorbing anything. I took a step back, though, and realized that I might as well learn this stuff--I started again a few days later and really learned more from it.

That being said, what I *did* learn was a waste (in terms of this test). The DAT makes sure you have a general knowledge of the chemistries. You may get 1 or 2 questions per section on the nitty-gritty details.

Best of luck!

 

[roquer2]

Ha this is a great post! You will probably find that as you work through the Destroyer, you will improve and make less mistakes. Also, you might just want to take your time on the Destroyer questions and not worry about staying within the 30 minute constraint. As others have noted, it is helpful as a tool to point out weaknesses and improve your knowledge, even if you are finishing before the 30 min is up. Either way, it is very common to miss many Destroyer questions so don't worry too much.

Yea ,I stopped simulating the actual test enviroment and just used it to work out problems. I'm doing 30 questions a day per GC and Ochem and making notecards of the ones I missed. I'm making stupid mistakes due to reading the questions too fast. This seems to be a common theme/pattern I've noticed...Just did another 30 from Ochem and missed 17. Oh well, least I'm taking my time trying to understand my mistakes!

I thought the Destroyer SUCKED because it wasn't a good representation of the test. All it does is "destroy" confidence and grossly over-prepares you. Granted, having extra knowledge is never a *bad* thing in life, but it isn't exactly the most efficient thing when you are preparing for a very specific test.

Do not think that because you are struggling with the Destroyer, you won't do well on the test. If you are confident that you really know Chad--and only you can judge your own abilities and mastery--you will be able to do very well on the DAT. Chad cuts out all of the extra fluff and give you the "down and dirty" of what you need. Seriously, there was one question on my OC section that he didn't cover; it was really obscure and dealt with an antiquated lab method, so I don't fault him at all for this!

However, back to your original question--how much did it kick my butt the first time through? I was absolutely horrendous at the GC section. I probably was also getting about 8/30. However, I did really well on the OC section because I had just finished the class and had taken it with an outstanding teacher. I was probably getting more like 27/30 right on it. Bio was hard, and I didn't do so hot on it, either.

I went through the Destroyer 2 or 3 times, though, and did much better on my subsequent attempts. You absorb more than you think you do as you go through it. However, you have to go into it with the right ATTITUDE. I was seriously just getting MAD as I went through the GC and wasn't absorbing anything. I took a step back, though, and realized that I might as well learn this stuff--I started again a few days later and really learned more from it.

That being said, what I *did* learn was a waste (in terms of this test). The DAT makes sure you have a general knowledge of the chemistries. You may get 1 or 2 questions per section on the nitty-gritty details.

Best of luck!

Hey Glimmer, nice to have you in on this thread!

Yea, you wouldn't believe how hard I was clinching my fist when I started checking my answers.It's really really quiet in this part of the library, and I found myself dropping F bombs pretty loud lol. I'm not trying to use this as a practice test anymore. I'm just going to soak it all up. Going thru 30 questions a day seems to be such a great pace. Hopefully it'll pay off at the end.

Thanks for lending your experience!