My Breakdown... Again! :)

[Glimmer1991]

DAT Breakdown

Hi, everyone! Along with many others, I've read these forums weekly during my DAT prep, which began at the beginning of May and ended in August. However, I've never posted anything before! I took my DAT today, though, and I want to share my experiences with others so that maybe I can help someone else like you all have helped me.

Some background info on me:
I decided to take my DAT a bit early. I had organic chemistry last year (sophomore) and I knew it would be long gone from my memory by next year, so I decided to buckle down and go for my test this summer! That being said, I haven't had many upper-level biology courses. No human anatomy, plant physiology, etc. However, I have had genetics, which was very useful. My organic teacher was also AWESOME, so that definitely gave me a leg up on the OC section. I had pretty much forgotten all of GC, so I retaught it to myself this summer along with lots and lots of bio. QR is not my strong suit, but I did study for it.

Before I get into my breakdown, I wanted to say that if anyone has ANY questions, feel free to ask! I want to help others. I was so anxious and terrified during this process, so if I can make it easier for someone else, that would be awesome!

Okay, so my scores:

26 AA
30 TS
23 PAT
30 BIO
30 GC
29 OC
21 QR
21 RC

What I used to study: Chad's videos, Kaplan Blue Book for bio only, CliffNotes AP Biology, Barron's AP Biology, DAT Destroyer, Math Destroyer, Crack PAT

How long I studied: 3 months, approximately 4.5 hours a day during the week. I didn't always study on the weekends. I also took off days here and there (probably about 2 weeks total). I didn't have a job this summer, but I did shadow a dentist once a week.


When I posted my breakdown previously, I had a few people ask me if I was just naturally a "genius" or something of the sort. Am I smart? Yes, I have some natural talent in the intelligence arena. However, I am not a genius. I do, however, know how to study smartly. I see breakdowns where others claim to study 10-12 hours a day for 3 months. I don't want to step on anyone's toes, but seriously, I don't see how a person could possibly be productive for that long. All throughout my studying, I read these forums and thought I wasn't doing enough. I didn't EVER do a full practice test. I didn't buy Achiever, I didn't buy qvault, I didn't buy TopScore. I honestly had a life outside of my studying, and I think it helped to keep my morale up. Also, by not trying to cram so much into one day, I think my retention was better. I've become good over the years at ignoring the "fluff" when trying to study things, so I tried to make the best of my time, especially when studying biology; Basically, if something in one of my study resources was super in-depth, I'd make sure I knew the basics and moved on.

I'm more productive in the mornings. I'd get up around 9, eat breakfast, and then study until about 3 in the afternoon. However, I took breaks! I'd study for an hour, then go take a shower. Study another thirty minutes and then go dry my hair. I'd often go eat lunch with my mom or grandmother. Then, at 3:30, my boyfriend would get off work and we'd just hang out for the rest of the day. Doing so was my stress reliever, and without something to look forward to every afternoon, I think I would have gone insane! Basically, my point here is to not feel bad if you maintain a life during your studies. I was very fortunate to have not needed a job over the summer (thank you, Mom and Dad!), but if you do have to have one, PLEASE make some fun time for yourself! You deserve it!

Also, every day, I studied multiple subjects; I wouldn't just spend 4 hours on one thing and call it quits. I think I would have killed myself with boredom that way. I'd study one topic for about an hour and then move on to something else. I especially hated studying biology (I was so overwhelmed because I had to teach myself A&P, plant stuff, etc.), so I'd intersperse bio studying with Chad's videos, which I thought were fun to watch!

Now, on to my thoughts on each section:

PAT: I do not know how I pulled a 23 on this. IT WAS THE HARDEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE. Some people think this section is easier than crack, but be forewarned that this section can also be killer! I went through each of the 10 Crack tests, some multiple times, and usually finished each with 10 minutes to spare. I typically scored around a 23 on them. However, this test was about 50x harder than any Crack test I saw. I found myself marking about every other question. When I saw I had about 35 minutes left and was barely halfway done, I started hyperventilating. I had 7 minutes left and I had to go back through the FIFTEEN questions I had just straight-up skipped; I didn't even count how many I had marked! The hole punches were weird and tiny, the folds were more intricate, etc. The keyholes, which I usually get about 14/15 right on crack, were outrageous. So stinking hard. TFE was harder than crack. The pattern folding at the end was harder, plus I was running out of time so I could hardly think. However, on a positive note, the cube counting was easy!!! So, my thoughts for this section--maybe mine was just ridiculously hard and this isn't the norm. However, even if you feel like you are absolutely floundering throughout, don't give up! I really thought I had maybe a 16 on this. I literally kept praying during this section that I could just guess some right. Seriously. I knew I had nailed the sciences, and I kept thinking to myself, "I'm going to have to retake this WHOLE DANG THING because I'm going to fail this section." Phew. My break was right after this, and the lady at the front desk was telling me to calm down because she could see how badly I was shaking. I wanted to cry. I went out to the lobby, did stretches, prayed, and came back in for the reading.

BIO: Many different subjects were covered, but none of them were random. There wasn't a single one that wasn't covered in Cliffs, Barron's, or KBB. Heck, I think every answer could have been found in a single one of the books. No need for me to have studied them all! On that note, I highly suggest Barron';s. To me, it's a much easier read than the others. I did the Destroyer bio section 2x for this, but I think it was overkill. Like I said, I got everything I needed in the other books, and their practice questions ended up being much more helpful than those in the Destroyer. Studying for this was difficult, but it paid off!

OC: I took both semesters of orgo last year and did well in both; my teacher was absolutely incredible. There was one question I was unsure of in this, and I guess I missed it! The reactions were with very common reagents, and things weren't nearly as detailed as I was used to doing in my class. Chad's is all that is necessary for this. Once again, Destroyer was overkill, though I got most of the problems right on my first time through because my class was such a great preparation. Personally, I wouldn't suggest learning the roadmaps (I didn't). A lot of that stuff is just far too detailed for this section. Make sure you really KNOW CHAD. His quizzes were also very realistic.

GC: I hadn't done anything with this subject in a while. I don't really like chemistry, so it all left me very quickly. I went through Chad's videos 3x for this, and it was all I needed. Sadly, Destroyer was once again overkill, but I did it twice. There were quite a few math problems, but they were easy (the plug and chug sort). Lots of questions were purely conceptual, and for the math questions, a lot of them just required you to set up the equation, not to actually do it! That saved lots of time. Do Chad's, KNOW IT, and you will be set.

RC: I did not really study for this section. I had very high SAT writing and reading scores, so I thought I could nail this. I also did a few practice tests and did well on them. However, my test stunk big time. I swear, even for some of the "S&D" type of questions, the answers just weren't in the stinkin' article, even after I had gone through it multiple times. Also, I am convinced that two of the questions on my final passage required me to have previous knowledge of geography, which I do NOT have! If the answers to those geographical questions were in the article, they must have been in invisible ink or something because I couldn't find them! So, yeah, this section was hard. I know I didn't do badly on it, but I thought I'd do better. When I handed my score report to my Mom, my first comment was literally,"My lowest score was my reading!!!" We both cracked up. I honestly thought this was going to be my highest score. Hah!

QR: Meh. I hate math, and I'm more than happy with this score. I suggest knowing trignometry, including the advanced stuff. This section wasn't outrageously difficult (save for a few problems), but time was just the biggest issue. I probably made some simple mistakes because obviously, nobody really has time to check over anything. Oh well. Like I said, I'm excited about this score. I went through the Math Destroyer tests 1-8 about twice, but especially on the crazy rate problems, I just said, "To heck with that!" and never really learned how to do them. (What a slacker I am!!) I wouldn't stress too much about the super difficult permutation/combination stuff. That being said, some of the algebra was difficult, and the trig stuff was hard, even though I knew all the stuff in Chad's QR videos.

I am not applying until next year, and I am so glad to have all of you along with me for the ride!

Like I said, ask away with any questions. Good luck to everyone who has yet to take the DAT! I did NOT feel ready for this, but I'm the kind of person who never feels ready for tests. You can do it. I am not a genius, and I did. I have a boyfriend, a life, and greatly enjoy my free time.

**Please see below for a collection of PMs and my responses**

---

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[Ferneezy]

terrible. you're a bad person and you should feel bad for making a bad brag thread.















just kidding. you shouldn't have deleted the first one in the first place. in that regard, your skin is a tad too thin. but on a real, positive note: solid, solid performance. hope to emulate a fraction of it when my time comes.

 

[awaitsimpatient]

Great scores , Congratulation, haha, someone called me a genius troll on SDN

 

[qnzbabi91]

Your science scores are stellar. Totally should have never deleted it. Haters gonna hate They are just jealous.

 

[Glimmer1991]

you shouldn't have deleted the first one in the first place. in that regard, your skin is a tad too thin. but on a real, positive note: solid, solid performance. hope to emulate a fraction of it when my time comes.

Hah! No joke. I'm normally one of the thickest-skinned people around, but people weren't taking any of my questions and concerns seriously because of my scores and GPA. I just wanted some dang advice, not a scathing lecture about how my stats were so good that having concerns made me a "cave dweller" and "socially inept." Oh well!

Thank you all, though! Especially in the DAT Discussions forum, I find everyone to be exceptionally helpful, motivational, and just plain old nice. You're all awesome!

 

[two thirty]

Great scores. I had a similar study strategy where I spent a couple of months studying 3-4 hours a day rather than going as long as some breakdowns here. I went into superman mode the last week and averaged like 9-10 hours a day and I don't think I could have possibly done that for any longer. I was so burned out and it really got to me when my friends would go out on a Friday night and I was the only person in the library.

Granted, my scores weren't like yours, but they were still above the average accepted and I was thrilled with my results.

Not trying to start something, but I really am curious if people don't exaggerate the amount of hours they study. I know people in real life tell me how many hours they study and it's just straight bs. Sitting in the library on facebook for 2 hours is not study time hah.

 

[LaughingGas]

Seriously. People forget that you have to study efficiently and its all about time management. Nice scores btw

 

[Rootz90]

DAT Breakdown

I’ve had a few people ask me where my breakdown went, and well, here’s the answer—I deleted it. I ran into some people being quite rude about my scores and breakdown (as though they thought my intention was to brag or intimidate others) and highly considered deleting my account on this site. I got rid of my breakdown, but I ultimately decided to stay on SDN because I feel strongly that I should give back to the community that helped me so much through my studying process. SDN led me to the right resources, and for that, everything you all do is so invaluable! Now, on to my breakdown. I edited a few things.

Hi, everyone! Along with many others, I’ve read these forums weekly during my DAT prep, which began at the beginning of May. However, I’ve never posted anything before! I took my DAT today, though, and I want to share my experiences with others so that maybe I can help someone else like you all have helped me.

Some background info on me:
I decided to take my DAT a bit early. I had organic chemistry last year and I knew it would be long gone from my memory by next year, so I decided to buckle down and go for my test this summer! That being said, I haven’t had many upper-level biology courses. No human anatomy, plant physiology, etc. However, I have had genetics, which was very useful. My organic teacher was also AWESOME, so that definitely gave me a leg up on the OC section. I had pretty much forgotten all of GC, so I retaught it to myself this summer along with lots and lots of bio. QR is not my strong suit, but I did study for it.

Before I get into my breakdown, I wanted to say that if anyone has ANY questions, feel free to ask! I want to help others. I was so anxious and terrified during this process, so if I can make it easier for someone else, that would be awesome!

Okay, so my scores:

PAT 23
QR 21
RC 21
Bio 30
GC 30
OC 29
TS 30
AA 26

What I used to study: Chad’s videos, Kaplan Blue Book for bio only, CliffNotes AP Biology, Barron’s AP Biology, DAT Destroyer, Math Destroyer, Crack PAT

How long I studied: 3 months, approximately 4.5 hours a day during the week. I didn’t always study on the weekends. I also took off days here and there (probably about 2 weeks total). I didn’t have a job this summer, but I did shadow a dentist once a week.


When I posted my breakdown previously, I had a few people ask me if I was just naturally a “genius” or something of the sort. Am I smart? Yes, I have some natural talent in the intelligence arena. However, I am not a genius. I do, however, know how to study smartly. I see breakdowns where others claim to study 10-12 hours a day for 3 months. I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, but seriously, I don’t see how a person could possibly be productive for that long. All throughout my studying, I read these forums and thought I wasn’t doing enough. I didn’t EVER do a full practice test. I didn’t buy Achiever, I didn’t buy qvault, I didn’t buy TopScore. I honestly had a life outside of my studying, and I think it helped to keep my morale up. Also, by not trying to cram so much into one day, I think my retention was better. I’ve become good over the years at ignoring the “fluff” when trying to study things, so I tried to make the best of my time, especially when studying biology… Basically, if something in one of my study resources was super in-depth, I’d make sure I knew the basics and moved on.

I’m more productive in the mornings. I’d get up around 9, eat breakfast, and then study until about 3 in the afternoon. However, I took breaks! I’d study for an hour, then go take a shower. Study another thirty minutes and then go dry my hair. I’d often go eat lunch with my mom or grandmother. Then, at 3:30, my boyfriend would get off work and we’d just hang out for the rest of the day. Doing so was my stress reliever, and without something to look forward to every afternoon, I think I would have gone insane! Basically, my point here is to not feel bad if you maintain a life during your studies. I was very fortunate to have not needed a job over the summer (thank you, Mom and Dad!), but if you do have to have one, PLEASE make some fun time for yourself! You deserve it!

Also, every day, I studied multiple subjects… I wouldn’t just spend 4 hours on one thing and call it quits. I think I would have killed myself with boredom that way. I’d study one topic for about an hour and then move on to something else. I especially hated studying biology (I was so overwhelmed because I had to teach myself A&P, plant stuff, etc…), so I’d intersperse bio studying with Chad’s videos, which I thought were fun to watch!

Now, on to my thoughts on each section…

PAT: I do not know how I pulled a 23 on this. IT WAS THE HARDEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE. Some people think this section is easier than crack, but be forewarned that this section can also be killer! I went through each of the 10 Crack tests, some multiple times, and usually finished each with 10 minutes to spare. I typically scored around a 23 on them. However, this test was about 50x harder than any Crack test I saw. I found myself marking about every other question. When I saw I had about 35 minutes left and was barely halfway done, I started hyperventilating. I had 7 minutes left and I had to go back through the FIFTEEN questions I had just straight-up skipped… I didn’t even count how many I had marked! The hole punches were weird and tiny, the folds were more intricate, etc. The keyholes, which I usually get about 14/15 right on crack, were outrageous. So stinking hard. TFE was harder than crack. The pattern folding at the end was harder, plus I was running out of time so I could hardly think. However, on a positive note, the cube counting was easy!!! So, my thoughts for this section—maybe mine was just ridiculously hard and this isn’t the norm. However, even if you feel like you are absolutely floundering throughout, don’t give up! I really thought I had maybe a 16 on this. I literally kept praying during this section that I could just guess some right. Seriously. I knew I had nailed the sciences, and I kept thinking to myself, “I’m going to have to retake this WHOLE DANG THING because I’m going to fail this section.” Phew. My break was right after this, and the lady at the front desk was telling me to calm down because she could see how badly I was shaking. I wanted to cry. I went out to the lobby, did stretches, prayed, and came back in for the reading.

BIO: Many different subjects covered, but none were random. There wasn’t a single one that wasn’t covered in Cliffs, Barron’s, or KBB. Heck, I think every answer could have been found in a single one of the books… No need for me to have studied them all! On that note, I highly suggest Barron’s. To me, it’s a much easier read than the others. I did the Destroyer bio section 2x for this, but I think it was overkill. Like I said, I got everything I needed in the other books, and their practice questions ended up being much more helpful than those in the Destroyer. Studying for this was difficult, but it paid off!

OC: I took both semesters of orgo last year and did well in both; my teacher was absolutely incredible. There was one question I was unsure of in this, and I guess I missed it! The reactions were with very common reagents, and things weren’t nearly as detailed as I was used to doing in my class. Chad’s is all that is necessary for this. Once again, Destroyer was overkill, though I got most of the problems right on my first time through because my class was such a great preparation. Personally, I wouldn’t suggest learning the roadmaps (I didn’t). A lot of that stuff is just far too detailed for this section. Make sure you really KNOW CHAD. His quizzes were also very realistic.

GC: I hadn’t done anything with this subject in a while. I don’t really like chemistry, so it all left me very quickly. I went through Chad’s videos 3x for this, and it was all I needed. Sadly, Destroyer was once again overkill, but I did it twice. There were quite a few math problems, but they were easy (the plug and chug sort). Lots of questions were purely conceptual, and for the math questions, a lot of them just required you to set up the equation, not to actually do it! That saved lots of time. Do Chad’s, KNOW IT, and you will be set.

RC: I did not really study for this section. I had very high SAT writing and reading scores, so I thought I could nail this. I also did a few practice tests and did well on them. However, my test stunk big time. I swear, even for some of the “S&D” type of questions, the answers just weren’t in the stinkin’ article, even after I had gone through it multiple times. Also, I am convinced that two of the questions on my final passage required me to have previous knowledge of geography, which I do NOT have! If the answers to those geographical questions were in the article, they must have been in invisible ink or something because I couldn’t find them! So, yeah, this section was hard. I know I didn’t do badly on it, but I thought I’d do better. When I handed my score report to my Mom, my first comment was literally, “My lowest score was my reading!!!” We both cracked up. I honestly thought this was going to be my highest score. Hah!

QR: Meh. I hate math, and I’m more than happy with this score. I suggest knowing trignometry, including the advanced stuff. This section wasn’t outrageously difficult (save for a few problems), but time was just the biggest issue. I probably made some simple mistakes because obviously, nobody really has time to check over anything. Oh well. Like I said, I’m excited about this score. I went through the Math Destroyer tests 1-8 about twice, but especially on the crazy rate problems, I just said “heck with that!” and never really learned how to do them. (What a slacker I am!!) I wouldn’t stress too much about the super difficult permutation/combination stuff. That being said, some of the algebra was difficult, and the trig stuff was hard, even though I knew all the stuff in Chad’s QR videos.

I am not applying until next year, and I am so glad to have all of you along with me for the ride!

Like I said, ask away with any questions. Good luck to everyone who has yet to take the DAT! I did NOT feel ready for this, but I’m the kind of person who never feels ready for tests. You can do it. I am not a genius, and I did. I have a boyfriend, a life, and greatly enjoy my free time.

DUDE even the dumbest person knows you are bragging your score man... come on...

 

[Glimmer1991]

DUDE even the dumbest person knows you are bragging your score man... come on...

Is this sarcasm?

 

[vlaura0214]

ERMAHGERD U NERDDDD.


Haha jk Or actually take it as a compliment! I personally don't see anything wrong with being a nerd and efficiently studying.

Pretty sure I told you this last time, but I'll say it again. Phenomenal scores! Want to trade scores? haha

 

[Glimmer1991]

ERMAHGERD U NERDDDD.

I saw this last night and cracked up!

 

[jpark1800]

how in god's name do you keep all of the stupid reageants and different reactions straight in your head? i am fed up. i can't remember them. i dont know whether to focus on the stupid product that gets formed or the mechanism. i used to be really good at ochem. i took it a year ago though so i forgot everything. also im forgetting bio like wildfire.

i also think its good you did a breakdown. you benefited from the sdn commmunity, you thus got a high score, and you did your duty of giving back. Trust me there are probably a lot of ppl who used sdn to their advantage and didnt give a breakdown. what's funny is that i bet all of the predents at my univ act like the latter, which is selfish and propagates throughout the life, and then gives the feds an excuse to take more of ppl's money

 

[Rootz90]

ERMAHGERD U NERDDDD.


Haha jk Or actually take it as a compliment! I personally don't see anything wrong with being a nerd and efficiently studying.

Pretty sure I told you this last time, but I'll say it again. Phenomenal scores! Want to trade scores? haha

lol you are a nerd too.

 

[Menthol]

i have to say.. thank you so much for not applying this cycle..
the true dat destroyer..

 

[vlaura0214]

I saw this last night and cracked up!

LOL YES! Steve is the man.

lol you are a nerd too.

I know. haha 8)

 

[aqz]

http://memegenerator.net/instance/26672290

But seriously...

I have a dream, that one day everyone can get along.

Don't crush my dreams. Seriously.

 

[Glimmer1991]

how in god's name do you keep all of the stupid reageants and different reactions straight in your head? i am fed up. i can't remember them. i dont know whether to focus on the stupid product that gets formed or the mechanism. i used to be really good at ochem. i took it a year ago though so i forgot everything. also im forgetting bio like wildfire.

For OC on the DAT, you don't need to know the mechanisms for anything... They'll never ask you that! However, I WOULD know the intermediates for certain special reactions (free-radical halogenation, aldol condensation, reactions that go through a carbocation intermediate, etc). Luckily, though, you don't have to search for these on your own... Chad covers all of the ones you would need in his videos!
Interestingly enough, though, I had to switch my method of knowing OC when I went to study for this test. My teacher REALLY stressed mechanisms, so I wasn't so used to looking at two reactants and immediately determining their products; I typically went through the mechanisms to get to the products (and doing so was necessary for his class because we really had to know our stuff!). For the DAT, though, it's just a memorization game of "X+Y=Z" when it comes to the reagents. I really, really suggest learning all of the ones that Chad gives. Just keep going over them and redoing his examples in the videos and quizzes. Don't get down on yourself... I know that when I got frustrated with something while I was studying, I couldn't retain anything about it. If you had organic in the bag last year, you can do it again. I felt that the test was really just wanting to make sure I knew the basics, plus a few random questions thrown in along the way.

Also, on the bio, that is EXACTLY how I felt, too. I went over KBB once (yuck), Cliff's AP once, and Barron's AP twice. I didn't know *everything,* but it got to the point where I knew I couldn't learn any more because I just kept forgetting things. I think just about everyone things that bio is a monstrous beast, and it really is. I relied on these sources to essentially teach me A&P and plant stuff and made a good score... So this just really testifies that they ARE enough to prepare!

 

[Glimmer1991]

http://memegenerator.net/instance/26672290

But seriously...

I have a dream, that one day everyone can get along.

Don't crush my dreams. Seriously.

HOW'D YOU KNOW?! My master plan, actually, is to delete my breakdown every few days once the hype dies down and then reload it a few days later. That way, fresh batches of people can see it every time! It'll be my signature way of "bumping." You figured me out!

Seriously, though, I do feel lame for reuploading this because I know most of you have already seen it! I've had lots of people ask me for it, though, so I want to help them and any future people out! You are all great and I shouldn't have let some bad apples make me reconsider wanting to be a contributing member of SDN.

 

[shootingstar7]

Your science scores are stellar. Totally should have never deleted it. Haters gonna hate They are just jealous.

Haha I was saying to myself ''haters gonna hate'' while reading your post. qnz is right, they r just jealous.

 

[Toofly01]

I loved reading this the first time, and again for the second time. Congrats Glimmer, and never stop being awesome just because a few people notice you and feel insignificant or insecure. People will hate, whether you're at the top or bottom- might as well be at the top.

Rockin' scores.

 

[citykidjunior]

Thank you for reposting.

You have every right to brag, especially since you are providing ultra-helpful information to others.

 

[Smurf12]

I've had a few people ask me where my breakdown went, and well, here's the answer—I deleted it. I ran into multiple people being quite scathing about my scores and breakdown and highly considered deleting my account on this site. I was even called a "cave dweller" and "socially inept" because I had concerns about other areas of my app... As if the scores make the whole applicant, yeesh! It was as if they maybe thought my intention was to brag or intimidate others, and I can assure you, it is not! I want to help others and assure them that people with relatively normal lives have hope for doing well on this test.
So, if I was going, my posts were going with me. I got rid of my breakdown, donated to the site because I am so appreciative of how it helped me, but I ultimately decided to stay on SDN. Why? I feel strongly that I should give back to the community that helped me so much through my studying process. SDN led me to the right resources, and for that, everything you all do is so invaluable! Now, on to my breakdown. I edited a few things.

Likewise. Wish me luck next week.

 

[biomolecmed]

Amazing scores. Awesome job. Congratulations.

 

[Glimmer1991]

Likewise. Wish me luck next week.

good luck!!

 

[Krusty]

DAT Breakdown

I’ve had a few people ask me where my breakdown went, and well, here’s the answer—I deleted it. I ran into multiple people being quite scathing about my scores and breakdown and highly considered deleting my account on this site. I was even called a "cave dweller" and "socially inept" because I had concerns about other areas of my app... As if the scores make the whole applicant, yeesh! It was as if they maybe thought my intention was to brag or intimidate others, and I can assure you, it is not! I want to help others and assure them that people with relatively normal lives have hope for doing well on this test.
So, if I was going, my posts were going with me. I got rid of my breakdown, donated to the site because I am so appreciative of how it helped me, but I ultimately decided to stay on SDN. Why? I feel strongly that I should give back to the community that helped me so much through my studying process. SDN led me to the right resources, and for that, everything you all do is so invaluable! Now, on to my breakdown. I edited a few things..

.Hi, everyone! Along with many others, I’ve read these forums weekly during my DAT prep, which began at the beginning of May. However, I’ve never posted anything before! I took my DAT today, though, and I want to share my experiences with others so that maybe I can help someone else like you all have helped me. .

.Some background info on me: .
.I decided to take my DAT a bit early. I had organic chemistry last year and I knew it would be long gone from my memory by next year, so I decided to buckle down and go for my test this summer! That being said, I haven’t had many upper-level biology courses. No human anatomy, plant physiology, etc. However, I have had genetics, which was very useful. My organic teacher was also AWESOME, so that definitely gave me a leg up on the OC section. I had pretty much forgotten all of GC, so I retaught it to myself this summer along with lots and lots of bio. QR is not my strong suit, but I did study for it..

.Before I get into my breakdown, I wanted to say that if anyone has ANY questions, feel free to ask! I want to help others. I was so anxious and terrified during this process, so if I can make it easier for someone else, that would be awesome!.

.Okay, so my scores:.

.PAT 23.
.QR 21.
.RC 21.
.Bio 30.
.GC 30.
.OC 29.
.TS 30.
.AA 26.

.What I used to study: Chad’s videos, Kaplan Blue Book for bio only, CliffNotes AP Biology, Barron’s AP Biology, DAT Destroyer, Math Destroyer, Crack PAT.

.How long I studied: 3 months, approximately 4.5 hours a day during the week. I didn’t always study on the weekends. I also took off days here and there (probably about 2 weeks total). I didn’t have a job this summer, but I did shadow a dentist once a week..
.
.
.When I posted my breakdown previously, I had a few people ask me if I was just naturally a “genius” or something of the sort. Am I smart? Yes, I have some natural talent in the intelligence arena. However, I am not a genius. I do, however, know how to study smartly. I see breakdowns where others claim to study 10-12 hours a day for 3 months. I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, but seriously, I don’t see how a person could possibly be productive for that long. All throughout my studying, I read these forums and thought I wasn’t doing enough. I didn’t EVER do a full practice test. I didn’t buy Achiever, I didn’t buy qvault, I didn’t buy TopScore. I honestly had a life outside of my studying, and I think it helped to keep my morale up. Also, by not trying to cram so much into one day, I think my retention was better. I’ve become good over the years at ignoring the “fluff” when trying to study things, so I tried to make the best of my time, especially when studying biology… Basically, if something in one of my study resources was super in-depth, I’d make sure I knew the basics and moved on. .

.I’m more productive in the mornings. I’d get up around 9, eat breakfast, and then study until about 3 in the afternoon. However, I took breaks! I’d study for an hour, then go take a shower. Study another thirty minutes and then go dry my hair. I’d often go eat lunch with my mom or grandmother. Then, at 3:30, my boyfriend would get off work and we’d just hang out for the rest of the day. Doing so was my stress reliever, and without something to look forward to every afternoon, I think I would have gone insane! Basically, my point here is to not feel bad if you maintain a life during your studies. I was very fortunate to have not needed a job over the summer (thank you, Mom and Dad!), but if you do have to have one, PLEASE make some fun time for yourself! You deserve it!.

.Also, every day, I studied multiple subjects… I wouldn’t just spend 4 hours on one thing and call it quits. I think I would have killed myself with boredom that way. I’d study one topic for about an hour and then move on to something else. I especially hated studying biology (I was so overwhelmed because I had to teach myself A&P, plant stuff, etc…), so I’d intersperse bio studying with Chad’s videos, which I thought were fun to watch!.

.Now, on to my thoughts on each section….

.PAT: I do not know how I pulled a 23 on this. IT WAS THE HARDEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE. Some people think this section is easier than crack, but be forewarned that this section can also be killer! I went through each of the 10 Crack tests, some multiple times, and usually finished each with 10 minutes to spare. I typically scored around a 23 on them. However, this test was about 50x harder than any Crack test I saw. I found myself marking about every other question. When I saw I had about 35 minutes left and was barely halfway done, I started hyperventilating. I had 7 minutes left and I had to go back through the FIFTEEN questions I had just straight-up skipped… I didn’t even count how many I had marked! The hole punches were weird and tiny, the folds were more intricate, etc. The keyholes, which I usually get about 14/15 right on crack, were outrageous. So stinking hard. TFE was harder than crack. The pattern folding at the end was harder, plus I was running out of time so I could hardly think. However, on a positive note, the cube counting was easy!!! So, my thoughts for this section—maybe mine was just ridiculously hard and this isn’t the norm. However, even if you feel like you are absolutely floundering throughout, don’t give up! I really thought I had maybe a 16 on this. I literally kept praying during this section that I could just guess some right. Seriously. I knew I had nailed the sciences, and I kept thinking to myself, “I’m going to have to retake this WHOLE DANG THING because I’m going to fail this section.” Phew. My break was right after this, and the lady at the front desk was telling me to calm down because she could see how badly I was shaking. I wanted to cry. I went out to the lobby, did stretches, prayed, and came back in for the reading. .

.BIO: Many different subjects covered, but none were random. There wasn’t a single one that wasn’t covered in Cliffs, Barron’s, or KBB. Heck, I think every answer could have been found in a single one of the books… No need for me to have studied them all! On that note, I highly suggest Barron’s. To me, it’s a much easier read than the others. I did the Destroyer bio section 2x for this, but I think it was overkill. Like I said, I got everything I needed in the other books, and their practice questions ended up being much more helpful than those in the Destroyer. Studying for this was difficult, but it paid off!.

.OC: I took both semesters of orgo last year and did well in both; my teacher was absolutely incredible. There was one question I was unsure of in this, and I guess I missed it! The reactions were with very common reagents, and things weren’t nearly as detailed as I was used to doing in my class. Chad’s is all that is necessary for this. Once again, Destroyer was overkill, though I got most of the problems right on my first time through because my class was such a great preparation. Personally, I wouldn’t suggest learning the roadmaps (I didn’t). A lot of that stuff is just far too detailed for this section. Make sure you really KNOW CHAD. His quizzes were also very realistic..

.GC: I hadn’t done anything with this subject in a while. I don’t really like chemistry, so it all left me very quickly. I went through Chad’s videos 3x for this, and it was all I needed. Sadly, Destroyer was once again overkill, but I did it twice. There were quite a few math problems, but they were easy (the plug and chug sort). Lots of questions were purely conceptual, and for the math questions, a lot of them just required you to set up the equation, not to actually do it! That saved lots of time. Do Chad’s, KNOW IT, and you will be set..

.RC: I did not really study for this section. I had very high SAT writing and reading scores, so I thought I could nail this. I also did a few practice tests and did well on them. However, my test stunk big time. I swear, even for some of the “S&D” type of questions, the answers just weren’t in the stinkin’ article, even after I had gone through it multiple times. Also, I am convinced that two of the questions on my final passage required me to have previous knowledge of geography, which I do NOT have! If the answers to those geographical questions were in the article, they must have been in invisible ink or something because I couldn’t find them! So, yeah, this section was hard. I know I didn’t do badly on it, but I thought I’d do better. When I handed my score report to my Mom, my first comment was literally, “My lowest score was my reading!!!” We both cracked up. I honestly thought this was going to be my highest score. Hah!.

.QR: Meh. I hate math, and I’m more than happy with this score. I suggest knowing trignometry, including the advanced stuff. This section wasn’t outrageously difficult (save for a few problems), but time was just the biggest issue. I probably made some simple mistakes because obviously, nobody really has time to check over anything. Oh well. Like I said, I’m excited about this score. I went through the Math Destroyer tests 1-8 about twice, but especially on the crazy rate problems, I just said “heck with that!” and never really learned how to do them. (What a slacker I am!!) I wouldn’t stress too much about the super difficult permutation/combination stuff. That being said, some of the algebra was difficult, and the trig stuff was hard, even though I knew all the stuff in Chad’s QR videos..

.I am not applying until next year, and I am so glad to have all of you along with me for the ride!.

.Like I said, ask away with any questions. Good luck to everyone who has yet to take the DAT! I did NOT feel ready for this, but I’m the kind of person who never feels ready for tests. You can do it. I am not a genius, and I did. I have a boyfriend, a life, and greatly enjoy my free time.

 

[awaitsimpatient]

Wondering if you had any type of responsibilities while you studied for this exam : like paying bills for housing, food, taking care of children/ elder, working, family issues and others distractions during time studying for DAT!!
Haha, I sound like a hater now lol, I studied like 18 hrs per day and went through hell every time i studied for exams..My third time DAT on top of all obligations i had, two family members die, i guess that explain why I am happy with my low scores
Anyways, just keeping your amazing thread alive

 

[Glimmer1991]

I'm very fortunate in that I didn't have many responsibilities during my prep. I shadowed a few hours a week, but other than that, I had no bills to pay--I'm young and still live with my parents. I have the utmost respect for all of you who can manage working and taking care of your families throughout this challenge, though!!

I honestly studied about 4 hours a day, though, for 3 months. I also took off days here and there when I just couldn't muster up the mental energy to study--probably about 2 weeks total. I never studied past 4:00 (when my boyfriend got off work) and would spend the afternoons with him. I hardly get to see him during the school year because we go to different universities, so I wanted to make that time count!

During my last week, though, I did study more--probably about 7 hours a day.

Its sounds like you really DID go through hell, and I think schools will be understanding if it is ever brought up. The scores don't make the whole applicant, and you have TONS of real experience to bring to the table! I'm rooting for you!

 

[azimmer]

I just want to say that your scores are beautiful! Haha I studied for 3 months as well and only got a 20AA so I don't think that you're bragging because you definitely studied more efficiently than I did. People on here are sometimes really hateful probably because they aren't happy with their own scores! Keep up the good work. I've never seen scores so pretty

 

[Dotoday]

Awesome scores. Congrats.

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk

 

[shiftparadigm]

I'm glad you reposted your breakdown because I didn't get to say congrats the first time! Definitely don't think you're bragging about your scores, even though I personally think you have a right to. Who wouldn't if they scored a THIRTY on TS and 26 AA?? That's freaking cray. Haters gonna hate. Seriously though, GOOD JOB.

 

[Glimmer1991]

Thank you all so much! Oh, and thanks for having my back, too!

 

[ReaverOpS]

Oh man! Hahaha it's too bad you're applying next cycle! Now my chances of getting into a dental school have considerably dropped Lol jking! Such a beast! Gratz on your scores! You pwned it!

 

[The10thDentist]

Great Breakdown! I can't believe people think you are bragging, this isn't Facebook people! We don't even know who she is. She's just trying to help others, and if you don't understand altruism, than dentistry is not for you. I def. like your remarks about having a life, and not becoming a recluse. That is def important! I worked, went to the beach and played volleyball once or twice a week, kept up with my sports, and partied when summoned. Balance, is crucial to your sanity and health, which will definitely reflect on your performance! GL next cycle!

 

[tigerteeth22]

This is super helpful. I agree, I will benefit from this post when I go study for my second DAT probably this summer. I had only done a Kaplan class which was a good intro to what to expect but not enough to demolish it. I didn't even think 30's were possible....
Good thing they require two forms of ID and fingerprints otherwise i'd question how ONE person got a 26 AA. Congrats!

 

[Glimmer1991]

Hey, everyone! I've gotten a lot of PMs over time, so I thought it might be helpful to post some of the more meaningful ones to my breakdown. I've deleted all identifying information.

Hi Glimmer,

First, thanks for answering my question about what sources were good for anatomy and other subjects that show up on the Bio section. I wanted to ask you a followup question: what would you attribute your (really high) science scores too? Going through your breakdown, it seems like you used the same sources that a lot of people here do (KBB, Chad's, Cliffs & Barrons for Bio, Destroyer, etc). Despite a lot of these people studying the exact same material, there's a pretty huge variance in scores, from roughly 20-30. Why do you think this is? Obviously some of it is variance in natural ability, just like with college exams where people study the same material but get different scores. However, you really scored high, particularly on the sciences. Do you attribute this to luck? Native intelligence? Diligence in practice and studying? I (like yourself) consider myself a person of above average intelligence and I used to do extremely well on my college exams because of two key reasons: I would make sure I really understood everything, especially the stuff that gave me trouble at first, instead of shying away from it and hoping it wouldn't show up - and I would make sure I really knew everything right down to the fine details, because you never know what can show up on an exam. I was very thorough in this way.

So circling back to your scores, especially your Bio score, the thing that worries me a lot is people claim to have studied basically the same Bio material as you, but the scores are just all over the place - some 20, some 25, some (you) maxing it out at 30. A lot of them mention that they got "totally random" questions that their material didn't cover. You, on the other hand, seem pretty confident that the material really does cover everything. So what's the deal here? Did you just get 'lucky', or would you say it was just a matter of being more thorough with your studying and processes of elimination?

Sorry for such a long message, I'm just trying to get inside your head a bit so I can learn for my studying as well.

Hey! You're very welcome, and thank you!

Although it's an unpopular opinion, I think that where most people screw up is by using too many resources. People in the 19-24 range typically say that "getting your hands on as many practice materials and questions as possible" is the best study route for the sciences.

I disagree with that 100%. Like me, it sounds like you're also the kind of person who likes to know things thoroughly. When you use chad, kbb, cliff's, barron's, qvault, topscore, achiever, destroyer, and everything else under the sun, there is no WAY you could actually learn everything. I chose to pick a few solid resources and learned them to the best of my abilities. Furthermore, when people rely heavily on practice problems, especially biology, they just pick up on little random pieces of info instead of genuinely learning the entirety of the topics at hand.

I DID do practice problems, but only the ones that were at the ends of the chapters of Cliff's and Barron's. (I also did Destroyer, but those problems honestly weren't very helpful, especially for Bio. Almost every question seems to have the answer "all of the above," which is highly annoying and easy to catch on to!) I think that continually re-reading the material and going back over your weak areas in that manner is much more beneficial than just testing yourself with a random assortment of questions. Also, when if I did those practice questions at the ends of the bio chapters and didn't know something, I'd go back and thoroughly review it.

Another thing I did that ended up being extremely beneficial was to go back and study the bio topics that I kept forgetting the four days prior to my exam--cellular respiration, the classification chapter from cliff's, photosynthesis, and hormones. It was a ton of info to cram into a few days, but I had already gone over it all quite a few times before and was just merely refreshing myself. I am SO GLAD that I did! Pound out your weaknesses those last few days.

For GC and OC, I think that people who claim to use Chad and don't score very highly just don't TRULY know his material. I did Chad's quizzes probably 10 times for GC and at least 3 times for OC. If you know and can apply (at least in a basic sense) everything that he teaches, you should be in a great position to score well. He is by far the best resource I found.

The questions from bio were random only in that they covered a wide range of topics. I knew my stuff from those books pretty well, and there ended up being about three questions that I had to make educated guesses on--the answers to those questions weren't explicitly covered in any of the materials, but I was basically able to piece everything together.

GC and OC seemed to really just test on the basics. It wasn't like I needed to know some crazy-hard specifics about Diels-Alder, make a very difficult ICE table (like in the Destroyer), or know about the zillions of reaction mechanisms. Both sections had about 2 questions that gave me some trouble. I guess I missed one in OC!

If you are a thorough learner and use the resources I did, I think they are highly sufficient. I know you didn't really mention this, but the only thing I would have studied for differently is the PAT--I think I ended up with an incredibly difficult version, but dang, I wish I had studied some harder materials! Crack the DAT wasn't sufficient, but most others think it is.

As a final note, about the luck... To hear others talk, there seem to be some ridiculously hard versions of the science sections out there. That may be true, but deep down, I think maybe they just spread themselves out too much and never really mastered what they supposedly had "learned." For the most part, I think all those practice tests end up doing is just making people either feel like they're actually studying, even if they really aren't learning much of anything. This is a very doable test so long as one is willing to put in the effort and knows how to study efficiently.

Best of luck to you! Please, don't hesitate to ask me anything else!



Hello,

I am writing you because I see you post on SDN quite often and had a few questions.

First, I have been reading some on SDN and have seen responses all over the board. Some say practices do not compare to the real DAT and some say they are spot on. Recently, I have seen some lower breakdowns for the first part of the year. Do you think that the test is more difficult this time of the year?

My exam is in 2 weeks and I am getting nervous (as expected). I have completed Chads Videos, Kaplan Blue Book, Crack DAT, and most of the Achiever exams (I bought 7). I am working on the DAT Destroyer right now too.

I am a little troubled on my current standing because my scores are are varying. On the old 2007 DAT I scored 21 SNS, 21 PAT, 23 QR. On Achiever exams I range 15-17 overall. Crack PAT I score regularly 20-23. I have yet to take the 2009 DAT exam. (I read it is too easy compared to the exams now, is this true?)

What advice would you suggest with my remaining time?

Thanks and all the best!

Hey, there! I'll help with what I can!

First off, when it comes to practice tests and how representative they are of the real test, I can't really comment because I never took one. Yup, that's right--zero practice tests. I felt like they would be a total waste of my time. I'd rather spend my time reviewing entire concepts (i.e. whole chapters of my study materials) than just looking at isolated problems that may teach me one tiny detail about a topic without giving me the overall picture. So yup, no practice tests! I did not practice problems occasionally (the ones from Chad, in Cliff's and Barron's AP bio, and even the Destroyer--yuck!).

It looks like you've picked a good assortment of study materials. If you could, I'd grab Barron's AP bio and review that sucker in your last week. IMO, it was MUCH better than the KBB biology. Also, Chad is the best resource EVER. So long as you really have mastered what he teaches, you will be set for the chemistries. I used the Destroyer, but it was complete overkill. Chad was all I needed.

And, finally, on the topic of test difficulty... I definitely don't think it's harder at this time of the year. I honestly just believe that people in the summer study harder. During the summer, you have a whole three months to study with no interruptions. Most of the breakdowns you've seen lately are of people who studied sporadically for 2 months while also juggling school and a job. I think it's the trend every year that the summer people have the highest scores, because their entire summer consists of studying. That's how mine was! I studied ~4.5 hours a day for 3 months and didn't have any other classes to worry about on top of it. It served me well! I'm not saying it can't be done during the school year, it's just much harder because of the additional responsibilities.

Let me know if I can help you with anything else! I wish you the best on your exam!

I've heard that Achiever was harder than the real exam, but I never used it. I'm a Mac user, and they don't have a program to support the Mac OS (lame!!). If anything, though, I'd have used it for PAT practice. The PAT on my exam was OUTRAGEOUSLY hard, and CDP wasn't good enough for prep.



Hey Glimmer,

I thought I'd ask you a question, since your DAT scores have now become my inspiration!

Did you think your classes prepared you significantly for the DAT? What would you tell someone a few years out of school who did not do super well in her science classes?

Btw, anyone who says you're just trying to brag is full of crap. I'm sorry, but it's true. It's good to have people like you around to inspire everyone else that what seems to be impossible is actually achievable.

Thanks!

Hey there! Thank you so much for being so kind... I think sometimes, people have a tendency to tear others down on these forums! Lame!

Anyhow, I feel like the only class I had taken that legitimately helped me on the DAT was organic--I had an AWESOME professor, and that helped immensely. However, the test was much, much easier than his class. They are really just testing you on the basics; there weren't any crazy multi-step syntheses with obscure reagents or anything like that! I honestly had just 3 or 4 questions I had to even remotely think about.

I had also just taken genetics with a great professor, which made studying for the genetics part easy. However, my genetics questions on the DAT were mostly definition-based and pretty easy. If you study the genetics sections in Cliff's/Barron's, they are definitely enough preparation.

Beyond genetics, I really hadn't had ANY upper-level science classes. (Well, I had taken cell bio, but it was a complete joke and I learned nothing.) With hard work and determination, you can DEFINITELY prepare for this test even without the courses. I really, really recommend everything in my breakdown (except the Destroyer because it was such overkill). I taught almost all of the biology to myself and had to reteach myself GC (I had forgotten it all... I hated that class!). I also hadn't had a math class in 4 years. One thing I would have done differently is to actually prepare for the reading section... Reading is truly my strong point, so I didn't prepare for it, and the test ended up biting me in the butt! However, I think my reading section was a bit unfair--some of the questions required me to know stuff about geography, which I do not know! (I spent so much time searching for those geographical answers to no avail... And I've read other people's breakdowns who had the same test as me and they said the same thing! Ugh!)

Best of luck to you, and seriously, just zero in on what you're learning and I think you'll be set! It's a lot of work, but it can really pay off!


Hey! I was wondering when you were studying did you study all your subjects simutaneously or did you tackle one at a time and then practice everything at the end?

Every day, I studied bio, gc, and oc. I'd switch between the three and spend about an hour and a half on each. Then, I'd study for another hour each day on either the PAT or the QR section--I basically switched those off on a day-to-day basis. If I had done just ONE thing at a time, I think I would have gotten terribly bored... And, if I had waited until the very end of my preparations to mix them all together, I'd have totally forgotten everything I learned in the beginning! I definitely suggest mixing it all up. It keeps you motivated and you won't get so bored--I know bio almost bored me to tears at times! Let me know if I can help with anything else!



Hi glimmer! I was wondering if you could help answer some questions about DAT resources for me? That would be amazing!

Absolutely! Fire away!

Yay! Blah I have so many but I guess what is worrying me the most is DAT destroyer! That book is a killer and since everyone says its overkill a for all the sections, then why is everyone saying you need it? Is it truly possible to get 30s on the chems using just chads?

By and large, the Destroyer stressed me out and upset me for GC. I was good with the OC from the start because I had an awesome teacher and had just finished the course. I spent tons of hours on it, and it had little payoff.

There was ONE question on the OC section that I wouldn't have gotten had I not done the Destroyer. Everything in GC was covered by Chad. Chad is an incredible resource and if you can apply what he teaches, you are absolutely set.

So, although I won't COMPLETELY discount the Destroyer, just know that it is outrageously harder than the real thing (I'm serious, the OC section is especially easy on the test). However, if you already have it, I'd still go through it simply because it gets you in the mindset of solving chemistry problems. The first time I went through the GC (which I HATE), I was so disgusted and disheartened that I hardly learned anything. About halfway through it, though, I finally decided I wouldn't care about how many problems I missed and just trudged through the rest of it. To my surprise, when I went through it the second time, I had actually learned a lot! Truly, don't worry about how you perform with the Destroyer. It's not an accurate representation of the test in the least bit!

Also, for the Bio section of the Destroyer, it was outrageously long, very detail-oriented, and overall annoying to me. It didn't help me answer a single question on the test that Cliff's and Barron's hadn't covered. If you know those two books, I wouldn't put much stock in the Destroyer. What really bugged me about it was that almost every question had the answer "All of the above," which was 1) really easy to pick up on and 2) not something that actually happens on the real test.

Obviously, you can tell I didn't like the Destroyer very much. If you are truly good with Chad, you are good for the test.



Hey there, I had a DAT question for you, if you don't mind!

How do you think Chad's orgo/gen chem quizzes compared to the real thing? I saw a post where you said the Destroyer is not worth the time you put in, so I'm wondering where you got the bulk of your chemistry practice from?

Thanks!

Hey there! Well, to start, I honestly got the *bulk* of my practice from the Destroyer because it's so long and I did it multiple times... but it wasn't the sort of practice I needed! Too hard!!

Chad's quizzes were much more representative of the real thing, and honestly, even lots of his questions are too labor-intensive. For example, on my tests, a lot of the "math" type GC problems just required me to set up the equation, not actually solve it. Destroyer is just outrageously hard compared to the real test. If you REALLY know Chad, I don't see how you could go wrong. His OC questions were good, too, but I've heard he's revamped them to make them harder. If anything, I suppose that could only be a good thing, but I think they were difficult enough as is. I probably did each of his quizzes at least ten times. Also, I went over his videos three times each, I think. Watching them in fast play doesn't take that long!

I never learned the roadmaps in the destroyer, which a lot of people seem to do. I think it would take a TON of time and have very little payoff. There was only one question on my test with a really obscure reagent, but everything else was pretty much cut-and-dry "do you know the basics?" kinds of questions.

If I can help you with anything else at all, let me know! Best of luck!

 

[free99]

I made the cut! haha. Thanks for taking the time to craft up responses to all of us worried DAT'ers Glimmer!

 

[Cello]

Hey Glimmer, thanks for the extremely useful and insightful posts. I am now about 18 months away from the DAT, but I will be taking classes right up to one month before the exam date (including o-chem 2 and biochem), so I'm going to get started this summer. The info you give here is very encouraging and helpful.

Also, because the negative people seem to leave a more lasting impression on forums like these than do the vast majority of nice and helpful people, let me just say that you're not the first person to want to delete a forum account on account of jealous or mean-spirited people, and you won't be the last. Good on you for sticking it out, this thread alone makes you worth your salt as a poster.

Thanks again.

PS- Any recommendations for audio only DAT study resources which I might listen to in the gym or while driving?

 

[Glimmer1991]

Thank you so much, Cello! Ironically, I've found people to be much kinder now that I'm not fresh meat! Funny how that works, and I've seen other newbies get the same treatment I did. Maybe it's some sort of secret SDN initiation.

There are definitely helpful and kind people here, though, and it makes it worth it to stay. I just don't see how people would think anyone who posts a breakdown is bragging. It doesn't take a rocket scientists to figure out that doing so is theoretically "helping the competition," ya know? Why would someone who is egotistical want to do that? Oh well! Reading the breakdowns of others helped me TREMENDOUSLY, and I'm glad I can pay it forward!

I know you're a loooong way out, but if you have any questions along the way, I'd be more than happy to help! I personally didn't use any audio-only resources, but I've heard of people using called "MCAT osmosis." The reviews I've read on it have been mixed, though; I think it has a lot of errors or something along those lines. Here's an idea, though--record yourself reading the Cliff's/Barron's chapters on photosynthesis and respiration, load them on your iPod, and listen to them in the car! It sounds sort of silly, but I actually considered doing it. I found it hard to memorize all of the little details in those chapters, and they're quite important for the DAT. The human anatomy/physiology chapters were hard for me, too, since I hadn't taken the class... You could record those, too.

 

[free99]

I have mixed feelings on the audio-learning. I actually had a question on my exam that I wouldn't have gotten right, had I not been listening as I drove to my exam, though! My gripe with it is that they throw a lot at you very quickly and it's hard to digest it all, especially while trying to focus on the road, haha. I found myself listening to the same 3 CDs (all on human physiology) several times. After the third time through, I started to really retain a lot of it. If you don't mind incredibly lame jokes sprinkled into some valuable material, I'd say give it a shot!

 

[Glimmer1991]

I have mixed feelings on the audio-learning. I actually had a question on my exam that I wouldn't have gotten right, had I not been listening as I drove to my exam, though! My gripe with it is that they throw a lot at you very quickly and it's hard to digest it all, especially while trying to focus on the road, haha. I found myself listening to the same 3 CDs (all on human physiology) several times. After the third time through, I started to really retain a lot of it. If you don't mind incredibly lame jokes sprinkled into some valuable material, I'd say give it a shot!

Did you use the MCAT osmosis videos? You never said what you used!

 

[free99]

Did you use the MCAT osmosis videos? You never said what you used!

Oh, haha, my bad! I used MCAT Audio Osmosis on CD (only the biology sections).

 

[Cello]

Thank you so much, Cello! Ironically, I've found people to be much kinder now that I'm not fresh meat! Funny how that works, and I've seen other newbies get the same treatment I did. Maybe it's some sort of secret SDN initiation.

There are definitely helpful and kind people here, though, and it makes it worth it to stay. I just don't see how people would think anyone who posts a breakdown is bragging. It doesn't take a rocket scientists to figure out that doing so is theoretically "helping the competition," ya know? Why would someone who is egotistical want to do that? Oh well! Reading the breakdowns of others helped me TREMENDOUSLY, and I'm glad I can pay it forward!

I know you're a loooong way out, but if you have any questions along the way, I'd be more than happy to help! I personally didn't use any audio-only resources, but I've heard of people using called "MCAT osmosis." The reviews I've read on it have been mixed, though; I think it has a lot of errors or something along those lines. Here's an idea, though--record yourself reading the Cliff's/Barron's chapters on photosynthesis and respiration, load them on your iPod, and listen to them in the car! It sounds sort of silly, but I actually considered doing it. I found it hard to memorize all of the little details in those chapters, and they're quite important for the DAT. The human anatomy/physiology chapters were hard for me, too, since I hadn't taken the class... You could record those, too.

Great idea, thank you.

 

[EpicDentist]

Nice break down. Congratulations on the great scores!

 

[blankman321]

you're probably heard this for the thousandth time, but congrats on your scores. Wish the best of luck to you in getting admitted to dental school

so as a checklist these are the stuff I should get to get the job done

Bio - Kaplan Book & AP Cliffs

GC - Chad, I regret spending money on the DAT destroyer

OC - Chad, also regret spending money on the destroyer

QC - dont know what can help here, I like math but im slow at it, so i guess more practice

RC - SAT reading was my lowest score, yet I like to read numerous books, maybe I just suck at reading and dont want to accept it. lol

 

[Glimmer1991]

Thank you, everyone!

Blankman, two slight corrections on that list: Use Barron's AP bio instead of KBB and get the math destroyer for QR practice!

 

[youngy]

Dang, i thought i had done pretty well and this score still intimidated me.

Keep yalls chin up.

I think with hard work! This is not impossible.


Good job!

Dont be hating. People!

 

[melmu001]

When did you took the dat?

 

[Glimmer1991]

Thanks, guys! I took it back in August of 2012.

 

[Shadowwalker]

DAT Breakdown.

Hi, everyone! Along with many others, I've read these forums weekly during my DAT prep, which began at the beginning of May and ended in August. However, I've never posted anything before! I took my DAT today, though, and I want to share my experiences with others so that maybe I can help someone else like you all have helped me. .

Some background info on me:
I decided to take my DAT a bit early. I had organic chemistry last year and I knew it would be long gone from my memory by next year, so I decided to buckle down and go for my test this summer! That being said, I haven't had many upper-level biology courses. No human anatomy, plant physiology, etc. However, I have had genetics, which was very useful. My organic teacher was also AWESOME, so that definitely gave me a leg up on the OC section. I had pretty much forgotten all of GC, so I retaught it to myself this summer along with lots and lots of bio. QR is not my strong suit, but I did study for it..

Before I get into my breakdown, I wanted to say that if anyone has ANY questions, feel free to ask! I want to help others. I was so anxious and terrified during this process, so if I can make it easier for someone else, that would be awesome!.

Okay, so my scores:

26 AA
30 TS
23 PAT
30 BIO
30 GC
29 OC
21 QR
21 RC

What I used to study: Chad's videos, Kaplan Blue Book for bio only, CliffNotes AP Biology, Barron's AP Biology, DAT Destroyer, Math Destroyer, Crack PAT.

How long I studied: 3 months, approximately 4.5 hours a day during the week. I didn't always study on the weekends. I also took off days here and there (probably about 2 weeks total). I didn't have a job this summer, but I did shadow a dentist once a week.

When I posted my breakdown previously, I had a few people ask me if I was just naturally a "genius" or something of the sort. Am I smart? Yes, I have some natural talent in the intelligence arena. However, I am not a genius. I do, however, know how to study smartly. I see breakdowns where others claim to study 10-12 hours a day for 3 months. I don't want to step on anyone's toes, but seriously, I don't see how a person could possibly be productive for that long. All throughout my studying, I read these forums and thought I wasn't doing enough. I didn't EVER do a full practice test. I didn't buy Achiever, I didn't buy qvault, I didn't buy TopScore. I honestly had a life outside of my studying, and I think it helped to keep my morale up. Also, by not trying to cram so much into one day, I think my retention was better. I've become good over the years at ignoring the "fluff" when trying to study things, so I tried to make the best of my time, especially when studying biology; Basically, if something in one of my study resources was super in-depth, I'd make sure I knew the basics and moved on. .

I'm more productive in the mornings. I'd get up around 9, eat breakfast, and then study until about 3 in the afternoon. However, I took breaks! I'd study for an hour, then go take a shower. Study another thirty minutes and then go dry my hair. I'd often go eat lunch with my mom or grandmother. Then, at 3:30, my boyfriend would get off work and we'd just hang out for the rest of the day. Doing so was my stress reliever, and without something to look forward to every afternoon, I think I would have gone insane! Basically, my point here is to not feel bad if you maintain a life during your studies. I was very fortunate to have not needed a job over the summer (thank you, Mom and Dad!), but if you do have to have one, PLEASE make some fun time for yourself! You deserve it!.

Also, every day, I studied multiple subjects; I wouldn't just spend 4 hours on one thing and call it quits. I think I would have killed myself with boredom that way. I'd study one topic for about an hour and then move on to something else. I especially hated studying biology (I was so overwhelmed because I had to teach myself A&P, plant stuff, etc.), so I'd intersperse bio studying with Chad's videos, which I thought were fun to watch!.

Now, on to my thoughts on each section:.

PAT: I do not know how I pulled a 23 on this. IT WAS THE HARDEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE. Some people think this section is easier than crack, but be forewarned that this section can also be killer! I went through each of the 10 Crack tests, some multiple times, and usually finished each with 10 minutes to spare. I typically scored around a 23 on them. However, this test was about 50x harder than any Crack test I saw. I found myself marking about every other question. When I saw I had about 35 minutes left and was barely halfway done, I started hyperventilating. I had 7 minutes left and I had to go back through the FIFTEEN questions I had just straight-up skipped; I didn't even count how many I had marked! The hole punches were weird and tiny, the folds were more intricate, etc. The keyholes, which I usually get about 14/15 right on crack, were outrageous. So stinking hard. TFE was harder than crack. The pattern folding at the end was harder, plus I was running out of time so I could hardly think. However, on a positive note, the cube counting was easy!!! So, my thoughts for this section--maybe mine was just ridiculously hard and this isn't the norm. However, even if you feel like you are absolutely floundering throughout, don't give up! I really thought I had maybe a 16 on this. I literally kept praying during this section that I could just guess some right. Seriously. I knew I had nailed the sciences, and I kept thinking to myself, "I'm going to have to retake this WHOLE DANG THING because I'm going to fail this section." Phew. My break was right after this, and the lady at the front desk was telling me to calm down because she could see how badly I was shaking. I wanted to cry. I went out to the lobby, did stretches, prayed, and came back in for the reading. .

BIO: Many different subjects were covered, but none of them were random. There wasn't a single one that wasn't covered in Cliffs, Barron's, or KBB. Heck, I think every answer could have been found in a single one of the books. No need for me to have studied them all! On that note, I highly suggest Barron';s. To me, it's a much easier read than the others. I did the Destroyer bio section 2x for this, but I think it was overkill. Like I said, I got everything I needed in the other books, and their practice questions ended up being much more helpful than those in the Destroyer. Studying for this was difficult, but it paid off!.

OC: I took both semesters of orgo last year and did well in both; my teacher was absolutely incredible. There was one question I was unsure of in this, and I guess I missed it! The reactions were with very common reagents, and things weren't nearly as detailed as I was used to doing in my class. Chad's is all that is necessary for this. Once again, Destroyer was overkill, though I got most of the problems right on my first time through because my class was such a great preparation. Personally, I wouldn't suggest learning the roadmaps (I didn't). A lot of that stuff is just far too detailed for this section. Make sure you really KNOW CHAD. His quizzes were also very realistic..

GC: I hadn't done anything with this subject in a while. I don't really like chemistry, so it all left me very quickly. I went through Chad's videos 3x for this, and it was all I needed. Sadly, Destroyer was once again overkill, but I did it twice. There were quite a few math problems, but they were easy (the plug and chug sort). Lots of questions were purely conceptual, and for the math questions, a lot of them just required you to set up the equation, not to actually do it! That saved lots of time. Do Chad's, KNOW IT, and you will be set..

RC: I did not really study for this section. I had very high SAT writing and reading scores, so I thought I could nail this. I also did a few practice tests and did well on them. However, my test stunk big time. I swear, even for some of the "S&D" type of questions, the answers just weren't in the stinkin' article, even after I had gone through it multiple times. Also, I am convinced that two of the questions on my final passage required me to have previous knowledge of geography, which I do NOT have! If the answers to those geographical questions were in the article, they must have been in invisible ink or something because I couldn't find them! So, yeah, this section was hard. I know I didn't do badly on it, but I thought I'd do better. When I handed my score report to my Mom, my first comment was literally,"My lowest score was my reading!!!" We both cracked up. I honestly thought this was going to be my highest score. Hah!.

QR: Meh. I hate math, and I'm more than happy with this score. I suggest knowing trignometry, including the advanced stuff. This section wasn't outrageously difficult (save for a few problems), but time was just the biggest issue. I probably made some simple mistakes because obviously, nobody really has time to check over anything. Oh well. Like I said, I'm excited about this score. I went through the Math Destroyer tests 1-8 about twice, but especially on the crazy rate problems, I just said, "To heck with that!" and never really learned how to do them. (What a slacker I am!!) I wouldn't stress too much about the super difficult permutation/combination stuff. That being said, some of the algebra was difficult, and the trig stuff was hard, even though I knew all the stuff in Chad's QR videos..

I am not applying until next year, and I am so glad to have all of you along with me for the ride!.

Like I said, ask away with any questions. Good luck to everyone who has yet to take the DAT! I did NOT feel ready for this, but I'm the kind of person who never feels ready for tests. You can do it. I am not a genius, and I did. I have a boyfriend, a life, and greatly enjoy my free time..

**Please see below for a collection of PMs and my responses**

Glimmer, That really means when you said "However, this test was about 50x harder than any Crack test I saw."

 

[Glimmer1991]

Glimmer, That really means when you said "However, this test was about 50x harder than any Crack test I saw."
.................

My PAT was particularly hard... But luckily, not everyone seems to have this experience! And hey, I still did pretty well on it, so it must have been curved--which means it was hard for everyone who took my version!