mini poll on DAT

[vixen]

Can you guys post how long you studied for the DAT and what you used:

When I first took it (18/17), I studied about 2 months while working in the summer, and went to Kaplan. Looks like this second time I take it I won't have time/money to go to Kaplan, so I'm looking for another source (I still have Kaplan's books though). I heard that topscore is good? Any advice and if you guys posted what you did, I'd really appreciate it, thanks

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[Yah-E]

Simseema17,

If you do a search on my member #, you'll find a lot of my DAT studying info! Remember, practice, practice, and practice! Know the Kaplan Science Review book front to back and you'll be ready!!

Good luck, get 'em 20s!!!

 

[steiner19er]

Kaplan was the biggest waste of $700 I ever spent in my life. My teacher sucked, she did not show up for half the classes. We took some practice tests, but never got the results. So in the end I never studied. The Kaplan books are good though, but I was never motivated to use them. So anyone who is thinking of taking Kaplan in Chicago (near Loyola), don't waste your $$. I have the Kaplan books, and 2 others I got from a bookstore, I am going to be giving them away shortly.

 

[DMD DOC]

I studied for about two weeks and I felt that I was well prepared. I used the Kaplan DAT review book and it was very useful. I ended up getting a 21 Academic and a 18 PAT. Just study the basics they aren't going to ask anything too specific, I think a lot of ppl make the mistake of wanting to know everything, which is fine, but not the right state of mind for these tests. I also agree about NOT taking a review course, my friend took one and had a similair experience to the post above.

Hope this helps.
Vikas

 

[groundhog]

The KAPLAN program is a "review" course. It works best for those who were able to master the subject matters while in college and who then put in quantity and quality time at the computer terminals in the KAPLAN learning center.

 

[al]

I spent a good month studying for the dat, 6-10 hours a day, everyday. for the first two weeks I used Kaplan books to relearn the theory. Then the last two weeks I reenrolled at kaplan (I took kaplan the summer before, but didn't take it seriously) for $200 reenrollment fee solely to use their computers, practice tests, subject tests. I definitely got the most out of these practice tests so to anyone out there who needs to study for the dat, I suggest to crank these out like crazy. Practice practice practice!

 

[vixen]

For those of you who retook it, which scores did the schools take: your most recent, your best or the average of the two? Is it different for each school? Thanks a lot

 

[Yah-E]

I want to say that schools looked at my latest scores (the new one). Then again, I can't be 100% sure. I strongly believe that they appreciated the increase from my old one to my new one. I've heard rumors about schools taking the highest scores or even averaging scores, again, not 100% sure! Call your schools of interest and bluntly ask them would be your best bet.

 

[koreangrL]

KAPLAN is the way to go..i wasn't big on the review book or the classes, the most useful tools kaplan had were the practice problems in their library and the practice tests on their computors. Do those over and over! i got a 23/20 after a summer of kaplan, its worth it.

 

[Stanford Fencer]

i second the kaplan suggestions. i'm in fact teaching at kaplan now (not really for the money because the pay is low, but i wanted to help out future colleagues!). a 26/18 after just a few weeks of evening studying (i work full-time).