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Here's a link to my 1st experience last year:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/my-oat-experience.1147287/
My scores last year were TS350/AA350. I know they are good scores but I'm Canadian and I'm trying to go to Waterloo's school and they have an average OAT acceptance of 370 so I knew I had to bring my score up.
My studying materials this year:
OAT Destroyer
Cracking the OAT book for Physics
Chad's quizzes
Kaplan practice tests
I didn't use the destroyer or cracking the OAT last year and I think those 2 things are what really helped me bring my score up this year. I didn't re-watch Chad's videos because I just re-wrote my notes again. I didn't want to pay for the videos again so I just paid for the quizzes for practice.
I did the destroyer questions over and over and over again until I could basically get them all correct. The first round through the destroyer, I took notes of the solutions for every question (especially biology). I basically re-typed all the biology solutions, and then after I finished all 500 of the questions, I organized the information into topics (circulation, photosynthesis, digestion, etc). And then I tried memorizing all of the fact.
Overall, the destroyer did a GREAT job at exposing you to a lot of the questions that may pop up on the test.
I did the cracking the OAT physics questions a lot too. I really think that book is great for getting the theories across because there are a lot of theory questions on the OAT.
I used to be SOOOOOO bad at reading comprehension it was disgusting. But the Kaplan strategy really worked for me this time! Skim through the passage first, take LITTLE notes for each paragraph, then go tackle the questions.
Going into the test, I felt the most confident about the QR section, because I love math so much and I know I'm quick and it didn't scare me. But I definitely felt like this year my QR sections was harder than last year's... and it shows in my scores lol I went from a 390 in QR to a 350.
Kaplan's practice tests are awesome for preparing you for the real thing. I took like 5 of them and I treated each one like the real thing (except the 4th one because I was lazy when it came to the RC so I didn't answer any of those questions lol) .
I didn't really study much after taking a practice test. I would do them in the morning and then watch TV and eat popcorn the rest of the day to let my brain relax. I didn't really study much the day before either because I just wanted to relax.
I was trying my best to stay calm and relaxed because I didn't want my nerves getting to me and then me screwing up. And that worked well until like 2 hours before and I started getting nervous again but I went for a walk and calmed myself down again. I think it's really really important to remain calm because that's when the material will come to you the easiest.
I took almost the entire 15 minutes for the tutorial. I finished the actual tutorial within 5 but I just sat down trying to calm down for the next 10.
The actual test:
BIOL: I was actually starting to get really worried because I felt like almost half the material was stuff that I never even saw or studied. But I guess just because it felt that way didn't mean I didn't know them? I don't know. The OAT destroyer does some magic in teaching you literally everything you need to know without you even realizing it. But it works and it is so magical I swear! There was also an "image" question this time. I was given a micrograph of an organelle and I had to decide which organism it belonged to. Never seen that before.
GCHEM: I felt the same as biology for this. Destroyer is again very amazing for this!
OCHEM: I felt like this was the easiest section for me. Again, OAT Destroyer is a MUST have!!
RC: Kaplan is the best for practice this section. The questions and passages are all very similar to Kaplans.
PHYS: Last year I felt like my physics section was so hard but this year I felt it was way easier for me. Probably because I used cracking the OAT this time.
QR: I don't know what happened here to be honest lol but the destroyer is really good for preparing you for this also. By the end of this section, I knew it was going to be one of my worst probably and I was getting so scared of getting the same score as last year and having to take the test AGAAAAAIN! By this point, my heart was RACING and I felt like I was about to faint because I knew my scores were about to pop up in like 53 seconds. I hit "end" and covered my eyes.. opened them to see a survey lol. I did the survey then closed my eyes again... opened them and I couldn't believe my eyes. I was shaking.
Here are my practice scores:
KAP1/KAP2/KAP3/KAP4/KAP5/ADA
BIOL: 360/ 370/ 290/ 370/ 320/ 370
GCHEM: 330/ 350/ 360/ 390/ 390/ 370
OCHEM: 340/ 340/ 340/ 350/ 390/ 370
PHYS: 310/ 350/ 320/ 330/ 370/ 380
QR: 330/ 370/ 360/ 380/ 320/ 400
RC: 370/ 340/ 350/ 200/ 360/ 400
TS: 340/ 370/ 330/ 380/ 390/ N/A
AA: 340/ 350/ 340/ 340/ 360/ 380
REAL TEST:
BIOL: 400
GCHEM: 400
OCHEM: 400
RC: 370
PHYS: 350
QR: 350
TS: 400
AA: 380
MORAL OF THE STORY IS: DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED BY ANY OF YOUR PRACTICE TEST SCORES! At the end of the day, any practice test you take is going to give you a lower score than your real test. Except the ADA practice test. That one will give you the closest score to what you will probably actually get.
And just remember, if you want it bad enough, you will get your score. Don't give up. Stay motivated. Stay happy and healthy!
I'm also selling my studying materials so if anyone is interested, send me a message!
-OAT destroyer (sent from the heavens)
-Kaplan review notes textbook
-Kaplan lesson book
(both of the Kaplan books have practice tests inside them that are great!)
-Kaplan flashcard
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/my-oat-experience.1147287/
My scores last year were TS350/AA350. I know they are good scores but I'm Canadian and I'm trying to go to Waterloo's school and they have an average OAT acceptance of 370 so I knew I had to bring my score up.
My studying materials this year:
OAT Destroyer
Cracking the OAT book for Physics
Chad's quizzes
Kaplan practice tests
I didn't use the destroyer or cracking the OAT last year and I think those 2 things are what really helped me bring my score up this year. I didn't re-watch Chad's videos because I just re-wrote my notes again. I didn't want to pay for the videos again so I just paid for the quizzes for practice.
I did the destroyer questions over and over and over again until I could basically get them all correct. The first round through the destroyer, I took notes of the solutions for every question (especially biology). I basically re-typed all the biology solutions, and then after I finished all 500 of the questions, I organized the information into topics (circulation, photosynthesis, digestion, etc). And then I tried memorizing all of the fact.
Overall, the destroyer did a GREAT job at exposing you to a lot of the questions that may pop up on the test.
I did the cracking the OAT physics questions a lot too. I really think that book is great for getting the theories across because there are a lot of theory questions on the OAT.
I used to be SOOOOOO bad at reading comprehension it was disgusting. But the Kaplan strategy really worked for me this time! Skim through the passage first, take LITTLE notes for each paragraph, then go tackle the questions.
Going into the test, I felt the most confident about the QR section, because I love math so much and I know I'm quick and it didn't scare me. But I definitely felt like this year my QR sections was harder than last year's... and it shows in my scores lol I went from a 390 in QR to a 350.
Kaplan's practice tests are awesome for preparing you for the real thing. I took like 5 of them and I treated each one like the real thing (except the 4th one because I was lazy when it came to the RC so I didn't answer any of those questions lol) .
I didn't really study much after taking a practice test. I would do them in the morning and then watch TV and eat popcorn the rest of the day to let my brain relax. I didn't really study much the day before either because I just wanted to relax.
I was trying my best to stay calm and relaxed because I didn't want my nerves getting to me and then me screwing up. And that worked well until like 2 hours before and I started getting nervous again but I went for a walk and calmed myself down again. I think it's really really important to remain calm because that's when the material will come to you the easiest.
I took almost the entire 15 minutes for the tutorial. I finished the actual tutorial within 5 but I just sat down trying to calm down for the next 10.
The actual test:
BIOL: I was actually starting to get really worried because I felt like almost half the material was stuff that I never even saw or studied. But I guess just because it felt that way didn't mean I didn't know them? I don't know. The OAT destroyer does some magic in teaching you literally everything you need to know without you even realizing it. But it works and it is so magical I swear! There was also an "image" question this time. I was given a micrograph of an organelle and I had to decide which organism it belonged to. Never seen that before.
GCHEM: I felt the same as biology for this. Destroyer is again very amazing for this!
OCHEM: I felt like this was the easiest section for me. Again, OAT Destroyer is a MUST have!!
RC: Kaplan is the best for practice this section. The questions and passages are all very similar to Kaplans.
PHYS: Last year I felt like my physics section was so hard but this year I felt it was way easier for me. Probably because I used cracking the OAT this time.
QR: I don't know what happened here to be honest lol but the destroyer is really good for preparing you for this also. By the end of this section, I knew it was going to be one of my worst probably and I was getting so scared of getting the same score as last year and having to take the test AGAAAAAIN! By this point, my heart was RACING and I felt like I was about to faint because I knew my scores were about to pop up in like 53 seconds. I hit "end" and covered my eyes.. opened them to see a survey lol. I did the survey then closed my eyes again... opened them and I couldn't believe my eyes. I was shaking.
Here are my practice scores:
KAP1/KAP2/KAP3/KAP4/KAP5/ADA
BIOL: 360/ 370/ 290/ 370/ 320/ 370
GCHEM: 330/ 350/ 360/ 390/ 390/ 370
OCHEM: 340/ 340/ 340/ 350/ 390/ 370
PHYS: 310/ 350/ 320/ 330/ 370/ 380
QR: 330/ 370/ 360/ 380/ 320/ 400
RC: 370/ 340/ 350/ 200/ 360/ 400
TS: 340/ 370/ 330/ 380/ 390/ N/A
AA: 340/ 350/ 340/ 340/ 360/ 380
REAL TEST:
BIOL: 400
GCHEM: 400
OCHEM: 400
RC: 370
PHYS: 350
QR: 350
TS: 400
AA: 380
MORAL OF THE STORY IS: DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED BY ANY OF YOUR PRACTICE TEST SCORES! At the end of the day, any practice test you take is going to give you a lower score than your real test. Except the ADA practice test. That one will give you the closest score to what you will probably actually get.
And just remember, if you want it bad enough, you will get your score. Don't give up. Stay motivated. Stay happy and healthy!
I'm also selling my studying materials so if anyone is interested, send me a message!
-OAT destroyer (sent from the heavens)
-Kaplan review notes textbook
-Kaplan lesson book
(both of the Kaplan books have practice tests inside them that are great!)
-Kaplan flashcard
I'll be taking it for the first time in just under a month, also hoping to get into Waterloo.
