I took the OAT la few weeks ago and I did good. I’m going to break down my experience and timeline the best that I can.
For background, I did not work or take any summer classes so I could study every day. But I did take a much-needed break once a week.
Timeline:
5/18/21- Took my last final of junior year
5/22/21- Took the Kaplan Diagnostic Test (did horrible, 280 AA, but don’t let it discourage you)
5/25- 6/25/21- Went through each chapter of the Kaplan 2021 OAT Book, rotating the subject each day. I usually did 3-4 chapters a day. I took a break on Sundays.
6/28- 7/26/21- I used Chad’s OAT Prep. I was able to get the 90-day free trial (but I don’t think it’s free anymore) I did 1-2 practice subject test each day, while rotating the subjects.
7/27/- 8/11/21- I used OAT booster for more practice. Each day I took as many practice subject tests as possible.
8/9/21- I took a full-length practice test to stimulate the environment before my exam.
8/12/21- Took my exam and left the testing center with a euphoric feeling!
Study Materials:
Quizlet 10/10- Quizlet is great for making flashcards and studying preexisting ones. I use Quizlet all the time. Just search OAT exam on Quizlet and you can find hundreds of sets to study. There are ads, but they aren’t much of a distraction.
OAT Booster 9.5/10- I found OAT late into my studying process, but I wished I found it earlier. Their practice test questions are very representative of the real OAT. They had great flashcards and notes for most of the subjects. I loved their extra questions section where they broke down questions from each topic within each subject. The only problem is that they did not do that for physics. They also didn’t have any videos for physics.
Chad’s Videos and OAT Prep 9/10- In my opinion, Chad’s videos were better than any other videos I seen. (Better than OAT booster and Khan Academy) Chad gives amazing explanations and really breaks down material into its main components. His practice tests were good, and he had great video and written explanation for each question. However, the tests don’t have a timer that counts you down and they don’t cover every topic on the OAT. For example, I did not see any plant biology or taxonomy questions.
Kaplan OAT Prep Plus 2021-2022 Book 7/10- I bought the book so I could have a quick refresher of all the topics. I think the book did a decent job covering all the subjects. Each chapter had practice questions at the end, but some of them weren’t multiple choice. The book came with 2 free practice tests, but the tests are a lot harder than the actual OAT.
How I Prepared:
Biology- I used the Kaplan book to read through each topic and refresh my knowledge of each topic. I made Quizlet for the topics I struggled with and studied those during my free time. The OAT Booster practice tests helped me pinpoint which topics that I needed to read more on.
Gen Chem- I used the Kaplan book to familiarize with the questions. I practiced a lot with each of my resources. Make sure that you can do calculations, such as an ICE table and memorize the periodic trends!
Organic Chem- Memorize reagents! I made index card flashcards to memorize reagents and products. I split my deck into 5 so I could study 1/5 each day. I used all my resources to practice it a lot. Also, memorize spectroscopy rules and acidity rules. I used Quizlet for that.
Reading Comprehension- I honestly only did 3 practice reading tests (1 Kaplan, 2 OAT Booster) and I was fine.
Physics- I made flashcards to memorize formulas. This is another subject that you just must practice a lot. Chad's videos are great for understanding these difficult concepts.
Quantitative Reasoning- I just did a lot of practice problems with every source. Time management is the key here. Also practice using the calculator. You can type on the keyboard to use it on the real test.
My Final OAT Scores:
Academic Avg- 350
Total Science- 360
Quantitative Reasoning- 340
Reading Comprehension- 350
Biology- 360
General Chemistry- 400
Organic Chemistry- 330
Physics- 330
Final Thoughts:
It is a lot to study, but make sure you give yourself breaks. Studying is not one size fits all. Find what works best for you and stick to it. I like to be organized, so I made myself a calendar before I started studying. Remember that you know more than you think. Go into the test with a positive attitude and you will be fine! Best of luck to anyone else taking it!
For background, I did not work or take any summer classes so I could study every day. But I did take a much-needed break once a week.
Timeline:
5/18/21- Took my last final of junior year
5/22/21- Took the Kaplan Diagnostic Test (did horrible, 280 AA, but don’t let it discourage you)
5/25- 6/25/21- Went through each chapter of the Kaplan 2021 OAT Book, rotating the subject each day. I usually did 3-4 chapters a day. I took a break on Sundays.
6/28- 7/26/21- I used Chad’s OAT Prep. I was able to get the 90-day free trial (but I don’t think it’s free anymore) I did 1-2 practice subject test each day, while rotating the subjects.
7/27/- 8/11/21- I used OAT booster for more practice. Each day I took as many practice subject tests as possible.
8/9/21- I took a full-length practice test to stimulate the environment before my exam.
8/12/21- Took my exam and left the testing center with a euphoric feeling!
Study Materials:
Quizlet 10/10- Quizlet is great for making flashcards and studying preexisting ones. I use Quizlet all the time. Just search OAT exam on Quizlet and you can find hundreds of sets to study. There are ads, but they aren’t much of a distraction.
OAT Booster 9.5/10- I found OAT late into my studying process, but I wished I found it earlier. Their practice test questions are very representative of the real OAT. They had great flashcards and notes for most of the subjects. I loved their extra questions section where they broke down questions from each topic within each subject. The only problem is that they did not do that for physics. They also didn’t have any videos for physics.
Chad’s Videos and OAT Prep 9/10- In my opinion, Chad’s videos were better than any other videos I seen. (Better than OAT booster and Khan Academy) Chad gives amazing explanations and really breaks down material into its main components. His practice tests were good, and he had great video and written explanation for each question. However, the tests don’t have a timer that counts you down and they don’t cover every topic on the OAT. For example, I did not see any plant biology or taxonomy questions.
Kaplan OAT Prep Plus 2021-2022 Book 7/10- I bought the book so I could have a quick refresher of all the topics. I think the book did a decent job covering all the subjects. Each chapter had practice questions at the end, but some of them weren’t multiple choice. The book came with 2 free practice tests, but the tests are a lot harder than the actual OAT.
How I Prepared:
Biology- I used the Kaplan book to read through each topic and refresh my knowledge of each topic. I made Quizlet for the topics I struggled with and studied those during my free time. The OAT Booster practice tests helped me pinpoint which topics that I needed to read more on.
Gen Chem- I used the Kaplan book to familiarize with the questions. I practiced a lot with each of my resources. Make sure that you can do calculations, such as an ICE table and memorize the periodic trends!
Organic Chem- Memorize reagents! I made index card flashcards to memorize reagents and products. I split my deck into 5 so I could study 1/5 each day. I used all my resources to practice it a lot. Also, memorize spectroscopy rules and acidity rules. I used Quizlet for that.
Reading Comprehension- I honestly only did 3 practice reading tests (1 Kaplan, 2 OAT Booster) and I was fine.
Physics- I made flashcards to memorize formulas. This is another subject that you just must practice a lot. Chad's videos are great for understanding these difficult concepts.
Quantitative Reasoning- I just did a lot of practice problems with every source. Time management is the key here. Also practice using the calculator. You can type on the keyboard to use it on the real test.
My Final OAT Scores:
Academic Avg- 350
Total Science- 360
Quantitative Reasoning- 340
Reading Comprehension- 350
Biology- 360
General Chemistry- 400
Organic Chemistry- 330
Physics- 330
Final Thoughts:
It is a lot to study, but make sure you give yourself breaks. Studying is not one size fits all. Find what works best for you and stick to it. I like to be organized, so I made myself a calendar before I started studying. Remember that you know more than you think. Go into the test with a positive attitude and you will be fine! Best of luck to anyone else taking it!
