Old Tests in D-school

[Cofo]

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I was reading in a recent thread about how to succeed in D-school. Many people said they got old tests. I am an undergrad, and I am a little interested in these old tests.... What are the old tests, exactly? Are they tests that the students that are 1 year ahead of you, give you? Who gives you these "old tests"....WHO gives you these old tests? How do you get one? Also...be honest with your answers...is it easy to get an A on a test by studying old tests, or is it easier to get an A just by studying hard?

 

[dinesh]

You get tests from the class ahead, or maybe a few years ahead. THings get passed down and added to.

Sometimes,you are lucky to ahve a great classmate, who has and isn't worried about lending you.

As for my university, ther eis a 'bank' of final questions. Say maybe 20 for the essays.
They draw from the same pool of questions each year. Why?Because realistically, there are only so many things, for example in Oral Physiology that you can ask. Once you do all the past papers, covering each topic, you're good to go.

Of course, studying BEFORE you start doing past papers is better ;0

 

[I'mFillingFine]

In my school you have a big brother or sister who gives you all the materials he has collected from past "Bigs" as well as anything he added from his own first year. (Sorry for male pronoun - hey, it's proper grammar!) Some of this stuff includes old exams.

Professors here have mixed feelings about us studying from them. Of course, if a prof writes a new exam every year he usually encourages you to study from old ones and will give them to you himself. Some don't encourage it but don't get upset. Some simply photocopy last year's exam and that's yours. The latter happened to us, and when it got out that we had a copy, the ENTIRE class had to take the ENTIRE exam again. 👎 👎

Of course, each prof has every right to write a new exam every year, so if you depend entirely on the exams you have, you cannot complain if there are no identical questions.

It really depends on the class for how you should study. Always study...it's just a good idea. Whether you go to class every day and study from your notes (for those profs that don't read from the powerpoints)...or whether you just memorize the powerpoints, or whether a prof's lecture notes suck and you actually have to read the book (GASP! Don't worry...this won't happen a lot 😉)...you'll figure out what you need to do for each class.

Just be really careful, in case academic honesty issues come up. Just keep to the rule of never telling any profs/administrators you have old exams and using non-school e-mail to pass them around. And I never made this post. 😛

 

[Lidopaine82]

in our school the older class sells the test file to the younger class... although everyone winds up getting them for free lol

 

[DDSY]

in our school the older class sells the test file to the younger class... although everyone winds up getting them for free lol

So you're the one who bought the old tests, huh? 😆

 

[Lidopaine82]

So you're the one who bought the old tests, huh? 😆

heck no. ima cheap bastard

 

[Cyclysm]

old exams here are against the honor code that we have unless they are given to us by the professor. that being said, there are classes where the professor does not rewrite the exam and old exams circulate. obviously that is an easy A. the curriculum has changed recently and the professors no longer hand back exams, so between those two things old exams wont help you and you do not get the new ones back. the admin is trying to cut back on the cheating that goes on. it has worked except for the classes the have not changed and the exams are still around.

 

[DDSY]

What school is that?

old exams here are against the honor code that we have unless they are given to us by the professor. that being said, there are classes where the professor does not rewrite the exam and old exams circulate. obviously that is an easy A. the curriculum has changed recently and the professors no longer hand back exams, so between those two things old exams wont help you and you do not get the new ones back. the admin is trying to cut back on the cheating that goes on. it has worked except for the classes the have not changed and the exams are still around.

 

[dinesh]

old exams here are against the honor code that we have unless they are given to us by the professor. that being said, there are classes where the professor does not rewrite the exam and old exams circulate. obviously that is an easy A. the curriculum has changed recently and the professors no longer hand back exams, so between those two things old exams wont help you and you do not get the new ones back. the admin is trying to cut back on the cheating that goes on. it has worked except for the classes the have not changed and the exams are still around.

It's against our regulations to have past papers as well.That doesn't stop us.

 

[Billy Gilmore]

What school is that?

Based on previous posts by Cyclysm, I would assume he/she attends Michigan.

 

[Cyclysm]

Based on previous posts by Cyclysm, I would assume he/she attends Michigan.

true.

 

[buchey]

the old tests certainly go around at my school. its very well known, by us, by the profs, by the deans, its no secret. they exams change, a lot. the exams are mostly older exams from before 2000, when they used to give exams back (in order to be studied for the finals and for the incoming class to have), then they started collecting them. since collecting around 2000, classes have been scribing exams - a pretty good job at it too. scribed exams are just exactly what it sounds like, you walk out of the exam and write down everything you remember. collectively, we get the whole thing. it becomes a study tool for the finals, and classes below us get to use them. then the exams change. its a really great way to know exactly what the prof wants you to know, and it makes you think of the material in ways you may not have noticed it. our class was lucky to have someone with an industrial scanner, so we have taken many many many binders of exams and turned them to pdf, and are shared that way. we have a class e-mail that everyone can access, and posts their study tools and whatever exams they may have. its not cheating at all, its sharing study tools. anyone who only studies old exams and not the material will probably not pass the exam - at least i wouldn't. thats my $0.02

 

[Dukie]

I was reading in a recent thread about how to succeed in D-school. Many people said they got old tests. I am an undergrad, and I am a little interested in these old tests.... What are the old tests, exactly? Are they tests that the students that are 1 year ahead of you, give you? Who gives you these "old tests"....WHO gives you these old tests? How do you get one? Also...be honest with your answers...is it easy to get an A on a test by studying old tests, or is it easier to get an A just by studying hard?

Why are you worrying about this now if you are an undergrad? Get in to school first and you'll see the way things work there.

 

[Cofo]

Why are you worrying about this now if you are an undergrad? Get in to school first and you'll see the way things work there.

😡 Why are you getting on MY THREAD to not answer or discuss anything about this thread's purpose? You actually took the time to come on this thread and post? You must have NO LIFE.i am really tired of people like you, coming on my threads, and other people's threads, posting condescending remarks like "YOU'RE ONLY AN UNDERGAD! GET INTO SCHOOL FIRST." or....this one is my favorite..."YOU'RE ONLY AN UNDERGRAD, QUIT ASKING THESE QUESTIONS AND JUST GO HAVE SOME FUN! COME BACK WHENEVER YOU'RE ABOUT TO TAKE THE DAT"
...........maybe us people that are new to the whole "dental school thing" want to ask some questions because we are just simply interested. Ever think of that? GET OFF MY THREAD, Dukie. Us undergrads are just excited that we know what we want to do with our lives. You should go get one. 👍 Good day.

 

[1992Corolla]

ok...


Back tests are usually given out by upperclassman, but professors give them out too. Most of the time it is to get a feel for the types of questions that will be asked. Some classes I have had have repeated the whole test almost owrd for word. Some classes have a few repeat questions. The best bet is to study the required material and then go through back tests to compare yourself to past classes.

 

[ldsmbhc]

Calm down. Judging by the way you have handled yourself on SDN, you should be more concerned about improving your people skills than with old tests. If you don't improve this part of your life, it won't matter how good your marks are to the admissions committees. Not only that, you will be miserable as a dentist. I hope you take this advice with a humble attitude. Good luck.

 

[Cyclysm]

ok...


Back tests are usually given out by upperclassman, but professors give them out too. Most of the time it is to get a feel for the types of questions that will be asked. Some classes I have had have repeated the whole test almost owrd for word. Some classes have a few repeat questions. The best bet is to study the required material and then go through back tests to compare yourself to past classes.

i totally agree with this. old exams can be a valuable study tool. my problem with old exams is when people use them as a way to cheat. knowing that the exam wont have changed and relying on that as the chief form of studying. i do not believe that there is any place for cheating in professional school, but that is not a reality.

 

[I'mFillingFine]

😡 Why are you getting on MY THREAD to not answer or discuss anything about this thread's purpose? You actually took the time to come on this thread and post? You must have NO LIFE.i am really tired of people like you, coming on my threads, and other people's threads, posting condescending remarks like "YOU'RE ONLY AN UNDERGAD! GET INTO SCHOOL FIRST." or....this one is my favorite..."YOU'RE ONLY AN UNDERGRAD, QUIT ASKING THESE QUESTIONS AND JUST GO HAVE SOME FUN! COME BACK WHENEVER YOU'RE ABOUT TO TAKE THE DAT"
...........maybe us people that are new to the whole "dental school thing" want to ask some questions because we are just simply interested. Ever think of that? GET OFF MY THREAD, Dukie. Us undergrads are just excited that we know what we want to do with our lives. You should go get one. 👍 Good day.

Woah. Just woah. Woah. I really hope this is some kind of joke and you two are actually lovers or something. Chill!

That whole comment about relaxing before dental school is the smartest thing you can be told...don't dismiss it so easily. I know what you mean about asking questions out of curiosity, but it's pretty clear who is asking "What are some tips for not barfing on my cadaver? Gross is going to be so weird!" and "omg, how do I PASS EXAMS? I'm flipping out!". Hence the advice to calm down.

Woah.

 

[Envision]

😡 Why are you getting on MY THREAD to not answer or discuss anything about this thread's purpose? You actually took the time to come on this thread and post? You must have NO LIFE.i am really tired of people like you, coming on my threads, and other people's threads, posting condescending remarks like "YOU'RE ONLY AN UNDERGAD! GET INTO SCHOOL FIRST." or....this one is my favorite..."YOU'RE ONLY AN UNDERGRAD, QUIT ASKING THESE QUESTIONS AND JUST GO HAVE SOME FUN! COME BACK WHENEVER YOU'RE ABOUT TO TAKE THE DAT"
...........maybe us people that are new to the whole "dental school thing" want to ask some questions because we are just simply interested. Ever think of that? GET OFF MY THREAD, Dukie. Us undergrads are just excited that we know what we want to do with our lives. You should go get one. 👍 Good day.

Chill out.

 

[Cofo]

haha, I didn't know this thread was still going. Hey guys, I wanted to say sorry about me getting angry. In real life, I NEVER get angry. I think I posted my angry post whenever I hadn't eaten anything all day, and was stressed out about one of my final exams. Whoops! 😳 I shouldn't have gotten upset, but seriously, it is getting a little old when people decide to comment on whether or not I should be asking a certain question, in regards to my grade level status. I am a freshman in college, finishing up my first semester right now. If I have a question, it's because I am just curious, and I also do not want to screw anything up, because I have a time schedule to meet by Spring 2009, or I have to wait until 2010 to even apply to dental school. I need all the help I can get!

 

[Envision]

haha, I didn't know this thread was still going. Hey guys, I wanted to say sorry about me getting angry. In real life, I NEVER get angry. I think I posted my angry post whenever I hadn't eaten anything all day, and was stressed out about one of my final exams. Whoops! 😳 I shouldn't have gotten upset, but seriously, it is getting a little old when people decide to comment on whether or not I should be asking a certain question, in regards to my grade level status. I am a freshman in college, finishing up my first semester right now. If I have a question, it's because I am just curious, and I also do not want to screw anything up, because I have a time schedule to meet by Spring 2009, or I have to wait until 2010 to even apply to dental school. I need all the help I can get!

Perhaps, but your question is irrelevant to your current schedule and status, so with that, answering it doesn't help you at all at this point. If your gonna post on an online forum, expect a wide array of comments. telling you to relax because your only a freshmen is good advice whether or not you choose to take it. You want help? here is my advice, If you want to be a professional one day, its best to start now.

 

[beannaithe]

Teachers usually release the old exams at Pitt because they like us to have an idea of WHAT to study. So it's usually a good idea to go through all of the material that you're learning and then look over the oldies. Sometimes if the teacher is busy, he'll only make up new questions and base some of them off of the old ones. Some just do that because that's what they do...it depends on all of the teachers.

Most release the oldies (then the upper classmen compile it and sell it to the underclassmen....) so we get an idea of how the questions are formulates and what the teachers feel as though the important topics are.

Some classes follow the board format.

To be honest though, as an undergrad I mean really....just WAIT and don't worry about it. You'll have all of dental school to look at old exams...why not enjoy being an undergrad? You shouldn;'t worry about everything else right now. Plus, it will be different depending on what school you go to...exams will be different based on teachers, etc.