MCAT first than DAT

[gpannu]

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Hi,

I am writing the MCAT in April and I plan to write the DAT in May. I've spoken to many of my friends who have done this. I just wanted some more opinion. If you study hard for the MCAT are you prepared for the DAT. I understand there are some differences but it seems that the MCAT sciences are more than enough for the DAT.

Anyhow, how long should I expect to study for the DAT after writing the MCAT.

Thanks.

Please don't ask my why i'm writing both tests.

 

[ItsGavinC]

If you study hard for the MCAT and are able to do decent, then you'll rock the DAT.

In terms of sheer amount of material and the need to compile it and really understand it, the MCAT completely dominates the DAT.

 

[Temple2007]

Just study the section on spatial ability and physics is not on the Dat. You should do great on the DAT like Gavin posted.

 

[mmapcpro]

I thought I read somewhere that admissions committees frown upon students who take both exams, as it indicates an uncertainty with regard to your career choice.

Does this hold any validity? Or just an old-premeds tale? 😛

 

[dr_benj]

They don't have any way of knowing if you took the MCAT unless you tell them. So don't tell them.

 

[Revellian]

I thought the bio, gchem, and ochem sections on the DAT were just about identical in terms of diffuculty compared with the MCAT. If you study and do well on the MCAT for these sections, then you should do comparably well on the DAT. You should just review the material for the DAT and brush up on anything you forgot.

The only real difference for me was on the reading comprehension. On the MCAT you actually have to understand the passages (tone, implied meaning, symbolism), while on the DAT you simply recall factual data from the passages. This made the DAT reading comprehension section much easier for me. Review the sample test for this section of the DAT and you should be golden.

Make sure you get LOTS of practice for the perceptual ability. It's one of the "practice makes perfect" sections. Make sure to review your Alg I and II for the quantitative reasoning.

I think I would leave a little bit more time in between tests than just one month. I guess the question is, how long do you think you would need to study and do well on the perceptual ability and quanititative reasoning? Personally, I would take an extra month and schedule my DAT for June instead of May. What could it hurt? This should give you plenty of time to master those two sections and really do well. But that's just me.

Oh, and about adcomms frowning on people taking the two tests, I think that's a pre-med's tale. What will matter, however, is if you APPLY to two different programs. I was never asked about which tests I had taken during the admissions process for any of the schools I applied/interviewed.

 

[jt639]

I took both the MCAT and the DAT and I'd have to agree with Revellian on the differences.

The reading comprehension section is MUCH easier on the DAT than on the MCAT. The extra sections of Perceptual Ability and Quantative Reasoning aren't too bad. Definitely practice the perceptual ability part. The more familiar you get with it, the faster you'll be at getting through some of the easier sections (cube counting). They can only arrange it in so many ways, you sort of get used to it. The math portion just requires practice as well.

I also noticed that the biology section of the DAT included a broader range of information. I remember studying for the MCAT and learning mostly physiology (maybe since it was harder to understand) but on the DAT, they would also ask about the food chain or other things that you don't normally focus on with the MCAT. Just my opinion.

Good luck on both, and its okay to take both tests. They don't ask what tests you've taken unless you bring it up. I guess there's always that random chance they'll ask you in an interview but I've never heard anyone asked that before as well. The only thing THEY DO ask if you ARE in the process or HAVE applied to other health professional schools.

 

[critterbug]

Originally posted by ItsGavinC
If you study hard for the MCAT and are able to do decent, then you'll rock the DAT.

In terms of sheer amount of material and the need to compile it and really understand it, the MCAT completely dominates the DAT.

I disagree Gavin.

When you study for the MCAT you should be preparing differently for it than you would the DAT. For example: the key to doing well on the MCAT is learning basic concepts and being able to extrapolate data from passages in a timely manner. You should be tuning your thought processing and problem solving skills for the MCAT.

On the other hand, the DAT will test you differently. In the Biology section, you will need to memorize more trivial information such as Ecology, Classification, etc......which is information that usually insn't stressed on the MCAT. On the MCAT, you will see more Biochemistry, Physiology and Molecular Biology (Basic concepts hidden within fairly complex passages and experiments)

In my opinion, taking standardized tests isnt just WHAT you know, but how you prepare for the test. The two tests will test you on the same basic knowledge, but will test you in a different way. With the MCAT, alot of the times the answer will be embedded within a passage and just waiting for you to "figure it out" with your basic knowledge. On the DAT, if you dont know it, you dont know it. They are cut and dry questions. On the DAT, you will need to memorize more, and work the problems in the KAPLAN book, as those are pretty much representative of what you will see on test day.


In my opinion, if you do well on the MCAT, you will *probably* do well on the DAT. But don't underestimate the DAT. Make sure you know the DAT test format and supplement your studies by practice DAT style questions. Spend time memorizing the KAPLAN book and familiarizing yourself with the DAT format, pop in a few practice tests, and you should be good to go.

Good luck to ya.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Originally posted by critterbug
I disagree Gavin.

When you study for the MCAT you should be preparing differently for it than you would the DAT. For example: the key to doing well on the MCAT is learning basic concepts and being able to extrapolate data from passages in a timely manner. You should be tuning your thought processing and problem solving skills for the MCAT.

You may study differently (and of course do) for the two exams, but I *still* think that anybody who is well prepared for the MCAT (in whatever manner they study) will rock the MCAT.

This is my personal experience.

I can see people doing fairly well on the DAT 19 or 20 and still not doing well on the MCAT. I don't see it going the other way.

 

[critterbug]

Originally posted by ItsGavinC
You may study differently (and of course do) for the two exams, but I *still* think that anybody who is well prepared for the MCAT (in whatever manner they study) will rock the MCAT.

This is my personal experience.

I can see people doing fairly well on the DAT 19 or 20 and still not doing well on the MCAT. I don't see it going the other way.

Are you sure about that?

I agree with your last statement simply because I believe there is a direct correlation between studying/preparing for the DAT and doing well on the exam. This doe not *always* hold true for the MCAT, for reasons that I stated above.

But I would not be so confident to think that success on the MCAT guarantees success on the DAT. If an individual does average on the MCAT ( 28-32 which are decent scores) and then turns around and takes the DAT without ANY preparation whatsoever (ie knowing test format, time constraints, quesiton formats, etc) I wouldn't *think* that they would do well on the DAT simply because they did well on the MCAT. And lets not forget that there are 2 sections on the DAT that arent even remotely similar to the MCAT (Quant. Analysis and PAT)

The reason is, becasue they are 2 different tests with two different testing styles.

I dont care how much you know the material OR how intelligent/smart you are, 50% of doing well on standardized tests is being confident and familiar with test format and testing style. Heck, that is true for any test!!

I still stand by my opinion 😀

 

[critterbug]

To answer the OP's question.....

Be sure to give yourself a solid month of preparation for the DAT. Since you just took the MCAT, concepts should still be fresh on your mind. By then, you should be solid with GCHEM and OCHEM. Jsut spend majority of your time reviewing the additional Biology that the DAT tests you over. I cannot stress enough that you will need to review Ecology, Plant Biology, and Classification as you WILL see this on the DAT. ANd of course dont forget the PAT and Quant sections (however, the physics section should have sharpened your basic Quant skills)

Spend the rest of your time doing practice tests in the back of the big KAPLAN book as well as TOPSCORE and familiarizing yourself on doing calculations as opposed to problem solving (MCAT reasoning) The DAT can be calculation intense on some questions in the GCHEM section. Alot of times on the MCAT, you dont need to actually calculate the answer on GCHEM, just setting up the formula and noticing relative trends will allow you to get the answer. But on the DAT, you will be asked for #'s that will require you to do most if not all of a calcualtion associated with a particular formula. For example, I will use colligative properties. An MCAT style question will ask whether or not the melting point will increase, decrease, or reamin the same. Knowing the concept will enable you to answer that question. On the otherhand, the DAT will ask you *how much* the melting point decreases, so a calculation will be required to answer the question. Just simple understanding of the test differences will allow you to change your thinking mode for the DAT and will hopefully ensure success.

If I left anything out, I'm sure someone will chime in 😀

Again, good luck and study hard!!

 

[johndental]

From what I have seen, not a lot mind you as its from undergrad friends studying for the test, the DEPTH of questions on the science sections of the MCAT is quite a bit deeper.

Its my opinion that its a tougher test without even having taking it. Gavin is correct. 20 on dat aa does NOT translate into high MCAT. Mediocre DAT, while it easily will get you into dental school, will definitely get you a crappy MCAT score. If you havent rocked the DAT sci/aa sections then forget it. I did but man I dont know whether I could have done real well on the MCAT. Those science questions are harder from what I have seen and I've known people with better grades than me who have had to retake their MCATs.

And frankly competion for MD programs is downright brutal and I think this may be why the test is so hard. Many who dont do well on the MCAT just go to law school, sometimes dental school, DO etc.

Also that test is an all day affair isnt it? talk about endurance. Seems that would be one of the big battles with that thing.

If you have studied your ass off the mcat relax. I would think you will do real well on the DAT. Just be relaxed when you go into take the test. Spend some time with PAT stuff as well. Its the one section of the DAT that is a bitch but its a nonacademic indicator and some schools dont pay much attention to it.

 

[Revellian]

From my experience with the DAT and MCAT, I really have to disagree. Like I said, the science sections are very comparable, while only the reading comprehension is easier on the DAT. My scores reflected the similarities and differences between the tests. I really didn't see a difference in terms of depth of questioning. I don't know what else I can say. I did well on the DAT science and I did well on the MCAT bio and physical sciences, so in my case my performance on the DAT correlated with my performance on the MCAT.

So, having taken both tests, I would say that if you do well on one then you'll do well on the other; you do poorly on one, and you'll do poorly on the other. Double your MCAT science score (out of a possible 15), and expect to get close to that on the DAT (out of a possible 30). I did.

 

[Yellowman]

as someone who took both the mcat and dat, i'd have to agree with gavin.

Reading comp on Mcat is infinitely harder than the one on dat. Like one of hte previous post stated, all you need to do on dat verbal section is refer to the passage, and locate the answer to the question. mcat verbal requires deep understandiing of the passage as questions are thought provoking.

as for chem, bio etc.....it's true that the scope of questions is broader in dat....for example, ecology and plant phys are not tested on mcat, but these subjects are fairly easy to study for last minute. i'd say anyone who's studied for mcat will do well (well meaning 20+) on the dat because the difficulty of ochem and g-chem questions are much much greater on mcat than dat. For example, i've never even seen ir spec or c- or h-nmr questions on the dat, whereas these questions were fairly common on the mcat. plus the fact that you have to study for physics for the mcat doesn't help.

anyhow, from my personal experience, i'd have to say that mcat is a measurably more difficult test than dat. i studied for mcat for about 3 months and got a 30. Then about month after mcat, for dat I studied for plant phys, ecology, visual perception the night before the test and got 20/20.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Originally posted by Yellowman

anyhow, from my personal experience, i'd have to say that mcat is a measurably more difficult test than dat.

That's what I was trying to point out. The MCAT is *MUCH* more difficult than the DAT.

Although the question format may be different, anybody who is WELL prepared for the MCAT, shouldn't have trouble scoring at least 20s on the DAT.

 

[w3chen99]

Not to beat this point to death, but I completely agree that the MCAT is significantly more difficult than the DAT. The MCAT asks for much deeper comprehension as well as more knowledge of the different subjects. I don't really think it is necessary to take the MCAT solely to do well on the DAT because you are essentially overstudying for the DAT.

My personal experience is that I studied for the MCAT for several months and got a 30. I took the DAT 5 months later and studied 2 weeks and got 25/23. Going through the DAT material was cake after all that time studying for the MCAT! I think the one thing that helped me the most by taking the MCAT was learnign to take the test very quickly and efficiently. The MCAT is all about being fast without making many mistakes. With the experience of taking an 8 hours test efficiently under my belt, I was able to cruise through the 4 hour DAT and have lots of extra time to review my answer choices in each section (Except for the PAT part).