My OAT Experience

[aosos1]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi everyone! I took my OAT and I wanted to share my experience since I learned a lot during my preparation reading others' posts.
To prepare, I took the Kaplan course, watched 50-60% of Chad's videos, and used the destroyer (+physics). I studied 5 days a week for around 5-8 hours a day. I started my Kaplan course in mid May and slowly started studying then. After the online course finished, I started watching Chad's videos and working through the destroyer. Towards the test date, I read over some bio chapters of the Kaplan book. I would say Kaplan's full lengths were probably the most helpful since they forced me to sit down and take the entire test. Although the Kaplan course went over so much material in each lesson, it reinforced important topics, so I do not regret taking the course. I think the way to get the most out of each lesson is to thoroughly read the assigned chapters before each lesson. Sometimes I would just skim through the chapters (partly since it was when I had just started studying) which did not allow me to gain as much during the lessons. I also took most of the quizzes/section tests that are provided. I thought Chad's gen chem and physics videos were great since he goes over concepts while solving problems (I did not watch his organic chem videos).
I would say one of the most important things for me was to go into the test feeling confident. I was feeling very anxious but I reminded myself of how I've spent my summer studying and tried to stay relaxed. Once the test started, my nerves went away and it felt like I was taking a Kaplan exam. I am so relieved it's over!

Kaplan 1/2/3/4/5
330/330/340/350/360

OAT
Bio 360
GC 390
OC 400
RC 360
Phys 350
QR 390
TS 390
AA 380

Please let me know if you have any questions!

 

[skra7]

Wow congrats on the awesome scores! How many times did you go through destroyer?

 

[Deedee7519]

Hi everyone! I took my OAT and I wanted to share my experience since I learned a lot during my preparation reading others' posts.
To prepare, I took the Kaplan course, watched 50-60% of Chad's videos, and used the destroyer (+physics). I studied 5 days a week for around 5-8 hours a day. I started my Kaplan course in mid May and slowly started studying then. After the online course finished, I started watching Chad's videos and working through the destroyer. Towards the test date, I read over some bio chapters of the Kaplan book. I would say Kaplan's full lengths were probably the most helpful since they forced me to sit down and take the entire test. Although the Kaplan course went over so much material in each lesson, it reinforced important topics, so I do not regret taking the course. I think the way to get the most out of each lesson is to thoroughly read the assigned chapters before each lesson. Sometimes I would just skim through the chapters (partly since it was when I had just started studying) which did not allow me to gain as much during the lessons. I also took most of the quizzes/section tests that are provided. I thought Chad's gen chem and physics videos were great since he goes over concepts while solving problems (I did not watch his organic chem videos).
I would say one of the most important things for me was to go into the test feeling confident. I was feeling very anxious but I reminded myself of how I've spent my summer studying and tried to stay relaxed. Once the test started, my nerves went away and it felt like I was taking a Kaplan exam. I am so relieved it's over!

Kaplan 1/2/3/4/5
330/330/340/350/360

OAT
Bio 360
GC 390
OC 400
RC 360
Phys 350
QR 390
TS 390
AA 380

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Congratulations !! How did you think each section compared to Kaplan & destroyer? Also did you get any geometry & trig in QR or was it quantitative comparison questions ?

 

[aosos1]

Wow congrats on the awesome scores! How many times did you go through destroyer?

Thank you! I went through the bio/oc/gc once and the physics twice.

 

[aosos1]

Congratulations !! How did you think each section compared to Kaplan & destroyer? Also did you get any geometry & trig in QR or was it quantitative comparison questions ?

Thank you! For me, each section of the destroyer was more difficult than the actual OAT but it helped identify my weak points. For Kaplan, the GC and QR were on the same level as the test..maybe the GC on the test was a bit easier. The reading, OC, and physics were easier than Kaplan.

 

[minjy3]

Congrats on your awesome scores! I'm writing my exam in a few days and was wondering if you came across any trig or geometry questions?

 

[optom1020]

wow, congrats on the scores they are amazing!! you must be so relieved! Im taking mine soon and I am freaking out!! a few questions, was OC tough? my brain is going to explode from memorizing all of the reactions! also, I have heard for multiple ppl that the physics section is more conceptual vs asking for calculations.. what were your thoughts on that section?

 

[aosos1]

wow, congrats on the scores they are amazing!! you must be so relieved! Im taking mine soon and I am freaking out!! a few questions, was OC tough? my brain is going to explode from memorizing all of the reactions! also, I have heard for multiple ppl that the physics section is more conceptual vs asking for calculations.. what were your thoughts on that section?

Thank you!! OC was not too tough for me since I took it last semester. It was a lot simpler and less detailed than I expected. For physics, there were more conceptual questions than I expected..maybe 50/50.
Good luck!