- Joined
- Jun 19, 2015
- Messages
- 6
- Reaction score
- 6
Hey guys! I just took my DAT yesterday and was very shocked and surprised with my scores. A lot of the posts on these forums helped me in my studies, so I thought I would post my scores and describe my study process.
Perceptual Ability: 21
QR: 20
RC: 25
Biology: 25
Gen Chem: 30
OChem: 22
TS: 25
AA: 24
Study Breakdown:
Kaplan 2015, DAT Destroyer, CRACK DAT PAT, and Math Destroyer
I studied for about 5 and a half weeks, from 6-8 hours a day (only 2-3 a day on weekends, if that). Took about two weeks to read the Kaplan book (didn't look at QR section), then went through DAT destroyer twice (except QR) and went back and read Kaplan from time to time on sections I needed a bit more refreshing on.
Perceptual Ability: I got the 10 test edition of CRACK DAT PAT and took all 10 of them, starting out with getting 17-18 on first couple, and getting around 22-23 by the time I got to the 10th. I found it was very good in everything except some of the keyholes on my DAT were literally indescribable shapes, and there is no preparing for them. The cube counting on CRACK DAT was harder than my actual DAT, the hole punching, angles, TFE, and pattern folding were all similar (Pattern folding may have been a little easier on my DAT). The Kaplan practice DAT keyholes were more comparable to the actual DAT, except for the odd shapes. However, the rest of Kaplan (especially angles and hole punching) is much easier than the real DAT. Overall, I am happy with my 21.
Qr: Math Destroyer was great! Much harder than the actual DAT. I typically never finished a Math Destroyer Exam on time, so when I was flying through the QR section, I got a little to complacent towards the end, and ended up running out of time. I would say that the Math Destroyer, had I kept my original pace, would have given me 21+ for sure.
RC: No way to prepare. The only thing I did was do the practice sections in my Kaplan book and on the two practice DAT's that came with it. I used the search and destroy method. Didn't look at the passage at all before I started the questions. I found a lot of it was factual, maybe a little of critical thinking. There were only 1-2 questions per passage about tone, opinion, etc. I jotted down which numbers those were, and after I finished the other questions I was able to have good guesses for them.
Science: I am a biology major, so that probable helped with my Bio score a bit. I am heading into my senior year of undergrad, and a lot of the material I had taken a year or two ago. Kaplan was a good refresher of the material for me, but in no way would have been enough. DAT DESTROYER WAS AMAZING. I attribute my OChem and Gen Chem scores directly to the Destroyer. The questions are pretty tough at first, but really help solidify difficult concepts. The road maps for orgo in the destroyer are awesome.
Practice DAT's: I took two full length practice DAT's, one two weeks before my exam, the other 1 week before my exam. I did better on my real DAT on everything except PAT (23 on both practice exams). I only got a 19 AA and 21 AA, respectively, on those two practice exams, but it really showed me where I needed to focus my last week of studying to shore up the gaps in my knowledge, and prepared me for the length of the exam.
Good luck to everyone! I hope your DAT experience goes as well as mine did 🙂.
Perceptual Ability: 21
QR: 20
RC: 25
Biology: 25
Gen Chem: 30
OChem: 22
TS: 25
AA: 24
Study Breakdown:
Kaplan 2015, DAT Destroyer, CRACK DAT PAT, and Math Destroyer
I studied for about 5 and a half weeks, from 6-8 hours a day (only 2-3 a day on weekends, if that). Took about two weeks to read the Kaplan book (didn't look at QR section), then went through DAT destroyer twice (except QR) and went back and read Kaplan from time to time on sections I needed a bit more refreshing on.
Perceptual Ability: I got the 10 test edition of CRACK DAT PAT and took all 10 of them, starting out with getting 17-18 on first couple, and getting around 22-23 by the time I got to the 10th. I found it was very good in everything except some of the keyholes on my DAT were literally indescribable shapes, and there is no preparing for them. The cube counting on CRACK DAT was harder than my actual DAT, the hole punching, angles, TFE, and pattern folding were all similar (Pattern folding may have been a little easier on my DAT). The Kaplan practice DAT keyholes were more comparable to the actual DAT, except for the odd shapes. However, the rest of Kaplan (especially angles and hole punching) is much easier than the real DAT. Overall, I am happy with my 21.
Qr: Math Destroyer was great! Much harder than the actual DAT. I typically never finished a Math Destroyer Exam on time, so when I was flying through the QR section, I got a little to complacent towards the end, and ended up running out of time. I would say that the Math Destroyer, had I kept my original pace, would have given me 21+ for sure.
RC: No way to prepare. The only thing I did was do the practice sections in my Kaplan book and on the two practice DAT's that came with it. I used the search and destroy method. Didn't look at the passage at all before I started the questions. I found a lot of it was factual, maybe a little of critical thinking. There were only 1-2 questions per passage about tone, opinion, etc. I jotted down which numbers those were, and after I finished the other questions I was able to have good guesses for them.
Science: I am a biology major, so that probable helped with my Bio score a bit. I am heading into my senior year of undergrad, and a lot of the material I had taken a year or two ago. Kaplan was a good refresher of the material for me, but in no way would have been enough. DAT DESTROYER WAS AMAZING. I attribute my OChem and Gen Chem scores directly to the Destroyer. The questions are pretty tough at first, but really help solidify difficult concepts. The road maps for orgo in the destroyer are awesome.
Practice DAT's: I took two full length practice DAT's, one two weeks before my exam, the other 1 week before my exam. I did better on my real DAT on everything except PAT (23 on both practice exams). I only got a 19 AA and 21 AA, respectively, on those two practice exams, but it really showed me where I needed to focus my last week of studying to shore up the gaps in my knowledge, and prepared me for the length of the exam.
Good luck to everyone! I hope your DAT experience goes as well as mine did 🙂.