Oat vs dat

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michaelscarn

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I'm sure this topic has been discussed in length before, but I can't really seem to find anything about it, so I was wondering if anyone has taken the DAT and the OAT and can tell me how they compare.

I am planning on taking the DAT the end of May. I took the OAT last year when I was pursuing optometry, and did fine enough on it to get in to opt school, but long story short I changed my mind. So any advice is very helpful!

Thanks.

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I can't answer your question but I sooo wish the DAT had a physics section like the OAT instead of the QR section.
 
I can't answer your question but I sooo wish the DAT had a physics section like the OAT instead of the QR section.

Maybe they'll take away the QR section and replace it with physics. I really woun't be surprised, physics is a pre-req for dentistry but not tested on the DAT, and mathematics aren't exactly part of the pre-req courses, yet they are tested on the DAT.... its ******ed if you ask me
 
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Maybe they'll take away the QR section and replace it with physics. I really woun't be surprised, physics is a pre-req for dentistry but not tested on the DAT, and mathematics aren't exactly part of the pre-req courses, yet they are tested on the DAT.... its ******ed if you ask me

What would you rather memorize? Basic math formulas or physics formulas.

That and physics will most likely build on the math anyhow.

Personally I'll take the math. Its pretty basic, it just most of just don't do it everyday and the time constraints.
 
What would you rather memorize? Basic math formulas or physics formulas.

That and physics will most likely build on the math anyhow.

Personally I'll take the math. Its pretty basic, it just most of just don't do it everyday and the time constraints.

If I had a choice between physics (something I studied in college) vs basic math (something I studied in highschool).... I would go with the physics 100%

Anyways, wer going off topic here, sorry michaelscarn, but I don't think there are many folks around here who have taken both DAT and OAT. Maybe you should try the "Dental" and "Optometry" forums, chances are you'll find a student who attends either dental or optometry school and had taken both exams
 
The Biology, Gchem, Ochem are all similar. The level of math required is similar but the subject matter tested upon seems to differ some. But as pointed out above the OAT has physics whereas the DAT doesn't and the DAT has the PAT (Perceptual Ability) whereas the OAT doesn't. I'm not intimately familiar with the OAT but spent a fair amount of time studying with a couple friends who were preparing for the OAT.

Hope this helps but I bet there's someone out there with a better famiarity with both exams.
 
Hey has anyone in here taken the OAT and the DAT? I am switching career plans to dentistry and was wondering how the DAT compared. Thanks!
 
Hey I was wondering if any of you have taken the DAT and the OAT and was just wondering how they compare. Thanks!
 
They're the same except instead of physics, the DAT has perceptual ability.
 
Yes, they are the same. You will find many overlapping questions in sample DAT and sample OAT because they are both written by ADA. Hint: I have encountered some real OAT questions from the sample tests they provided. It'd be a good idea to study both samples.
 
They are very similar. Instead of physics on the OAT, you take a perceptual ability test for the DAT.
 
I didn't take the real DAT, but I used DAT testing materials to study for the OAT since it was cheaper (used) and easier to find than OAT materials. Studying for the DAT prepared me really well for the OAT, except the perceptual ability section is the physics section. I heard it's word for word the same test in the other sections. Perceptual ability seemed way easier than physics, and the physics section was a bit harder than math (not by too much).
 
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