New DAT format!

[polola55]

I want to confirm the news that I have received is authentic. I heard that ADA would allow one to use a calculator on the QR section of the March 2010 DAT and after.

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[vlct0ria]

I want to confirm the news that I have received is authentic. I heard that ADA would allow one to use a calculator on the QR section of the March 2010 DAT and after.

Well that just freakin' sucks for all of us who had to suffer without them! Glad the ADA finally wised up and fixed a problem though.

 

[Tommy43087]

WOOOOWWW if what you are saying is true, that reallllly sucks for the all the people who didnt get to use it before (like me and most of the people on here)

Its kind of unfair, but this was a huge issue and at least this is being resolved.

 

[fsddsms]

That sucks so much for everyone who had to do that section without one. I hope they make it harder than it already is bc everyone has no excuses now!! ... Excuse my bitterness bc it was my worst section hehe.

 

[Avery07]

I want to confirm the news that I have received is authentic. I heard that ADA would allow one to use a calculator on the QR section of the March 2010 DAT and after.

This is true. I looked it up on the ADEA website a while ago and found some documentation.

However-- the calculator is nothing fancy. It's like the basic (non-scientific) windows calculator. + - X / functions only.

Nonetheless, it will help.

 

[flying rider]

Seriously? That would have helped so much!! Even a non-fancy calculator. That was my worst section too. I'm kind of bitter.

 

[polola55]

I'll still take the DAT in feb 2010. I hate the on-computer calculator!

 

[BiomajorPreDent]

I don't think a basic non-scientific calculator will be THAT helpful. I thnk they will adjust the difficulty of the questions accordingly.

 

[fsddsms]

having a calc ready on hand might mean the G Chem section may be much harder too if they require you to solve it out instead of just set it up!!

 

[skiphotsauce]

Although many of us feel we would do better with the calculator, everyone has this same advantage so everyone's score would be reflective of that.

All in all, this should make little difference because relative to each other, everyone will still score the same. Unless they change the type of questions, then it's a different story...

 

[iwannabadentist]

i practiced qr so much that after a while i could do basic calculations in my head faster than a calculator - at least a guesstimate, which is all you need for 90% of the questions. i personally think that allowing a calculator of any sort defeats the entire purpose of the section. the actual math in this section is wayy too easy, its just a matter of how quick you are on ur feet. thats what i felt they were testing all along, not actual math!

 

[Svart Aske]

You're not allowed to bring a calculator. It is my understanding that the calculator will like the on-screen one that comes with Windows.

 

[LNinlove]

I was a little bitter about this when I first heard...but I'm over it now...I was accepted with my QR score and that's all that matters. I am sure they will make it a bit harder now...not the easily worked problems. We will have to wait and see if chem gets any harder too.

How are they going to level the playing field between those that took it without the calc vs those that took it with? Scores are good for a few years...maybe they will look at the raw % instead of the actual number.

 

[BiomajorPreDent]

the calculator might only be available in the QR section.