please help, need DAT advice :(

[flybynight]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Hey SDN,

I have been trying to go through the dat qvault tests, and keep myself from getting overwhelmed.... Based off my scores thus far, should I hold off on taking the DAT? (My GPA is a 3.9, research pub, & tons of EC stuff) I am worried cause I applied super late in the cycle (end of Aug), and since my DAT is just a few days away, I really don't know what to do. I just want to get accepted somewhere, anywhere. 🙁

Here are my statistics so far:

Biology (18.5)
19 19 17 19 18

Gen Chem (19.5)
20 18 20 20 19

Orgo (18.8)
19 19 18 21 17

Math: (Average 20.3)
21 20 20 19 20 22

qVault PAT:
20 20 19 21 21 20

CDP:
21 22 20 21

 

[Pillowcases]

Right now you shouldn't worry about being late into the cycle. There's absolutely nothing you can do about it except doing well on the DAT and hope for the best (there's always next cycle in case you bombed it). It seems like you're fairly prepared for the test though, and if you can score around 20-21 then you have a real shot at it.
Good luck and and I love you <3 \(^-^)/

 

[flybynight]

I calculated my AA's so far in excel and for the past 6 q-vault tests, they have been 20, 19, 19, 20, 19, 19

seems pretty consistent, but i'm hoping on test day the real one doesn't skew too far off (well, on the lower spectrum 😉 !)

Are the Q-vault tests pretty representative of the real thing?

 

[teal14]

Did you take the 2007 and 2009 practice DAT exams? I personally scored higher than qVault on bio and ochem, and about the same on gchem. What I did for the last few days was to print Feralis notes and memorize whatever I could like crazy.

 

[predentalgirl]

DAT Bootcamp.

Best representation of the exam, hands down.

Get your hands on those exams, and you will score around that ballpark on exam day.

 

[flybynight]

DAT Bootcamp.

Best representation of the exam, hands down.

Get your hands on those exams, and you will score around that ballpark on exam day.

thanks! i'll check it out. i was initially going to use achiever, but I'm looking for something that is as close to the real dat as possible

 

[flybynight]

Did you take the 2007 and 2009 practice DAT exams? I personally scored higher than qVault on bio and ochem, and about the same on gchem. What I did for the last few days was to print Feralis notes and memorize whatever I could like crazy.

No not yet, I plan on taking them soon though.

Did you feel like the ochem questions were random? They seemed to range from extremely easy to really tough. I went through chad's videos twice, and did well on his practice quizzes, but I've never seen some of the stuff presented on qvault... I'm really starting to feel like I have major holes in my orgo - not the best feeling one week away from test day! 🙁

 

[Kevlar09]

Ochem was extremely easy, it's very simple, unlike any practice tests I have ever taken. You applied this cycle and still haven't taken your DAT? Not to worry you but that is pretty late. It does take about 3 weeks for your score to be available to schools once you have taken the test.

 

[paymaant]

Don't worry about your practice scores. Just focus on learning the material and acing the real DAT. You have no reason to push back your exam date, given that you are already applying.

 

[Faux]

Don't worry about your practice scores. Just focus on learning the material and acing the real DAT. You have no reason to push back your exam date, given that you are already applying.

Hes barely halfway through qvault and hasn't even done a full length test yet alone a bootcamp.

I think thats more than enough reason to push it back.


You're scoring just fine on qvault and people usually score a bit higher. Finish vault and get through bootcamp, understand your mistakes and then you should feel ready.

 

[teal14]

No not yet, I plan on taking them soon though.

Did you feel like the ochem questions were random? They seemed to range from extremely easy to really tough. I went through chad's videos twice, and did well on his practice quizzes, but I've never seen some of the stuff presented on qvault... I'm really starting to feel like I have major holes in my orgo - not the best feeling one week away from test day! 🙁

I don't remember if they were random, but I thought they were harder than the DAT and I scored at least 2 points above qvault on the real thing. I used the "save question" feature on qvault and kept going through the questions I got wrong, reading the solutions and understanding my mistakes. Personally, I found chad's videos & quizzes to be the most helpful resource for ochem. PM me if you have any questions and good luck!

 

[flybynight]

Hes barely halfway through qvault and hasn't even done a full length test yet alone a bootcamp.

I think thats more than enough reason to push it back.


You're scoring just fine on qvault and people usually score a bit higher. Finish vault and get through bootcamp, understand your mistakes and then you should feel ready.

When do you think would be the 'point of no return'....if i haven't passed it anyway, lol. I am scheduled for Oct 28 now, and the next available testing date I could sit for is Nov 13 - do you think it's likely to make significant improvement in that time?

I've taken a few more q-vaults - here are my updated scores:

CRACK PAT 21 22 20 21 25 Avg (21.8)

QVAULT BIO 19 19 17 19 18 18 19 20 Avg (18.6)

QVAULT GC 20 18 20 20 19 20 19 Avg (19.4)

QVAULT OC 19 19 18 21 17 17 18 19 Avg (18.5)

QVAULT RC 21 22 Avg (21.5)

QVAULT QR 21 20 20 19 20 22 18 Avg (20.0)

QVAULT PAT 20 20 19 21 21 20 20 Avg (20.1)


I doubt i'll ever feel 100%, and I'd truly just be happy with an average score as long as it's likely to get me in somewhere this cycle... I worked really hard for the GPA/ research and I just want to get on with life!!

I'm a she btw 🙂 😛

 

[flybynight]

I don't remember if they were random, but I thought they were harder than the DAT and I scored at least 2 points above qvault on the real thing. I used the "save question" feature on qvault and kept going through the questions I got wrong, reading the solutions and understanding my mistakes. Personally, I found chad's videos & quizzes to be the most helpful resource for ochem. PM me if you have any questions and good luck!

That's a great idea.. I'll start marking the ones I got wrong and go over them like crazy... Thank you!!!!

 

[flybynight]

So I just took the 1st gen chem test on bootcamp. made an 18.... pretty freaking devastated.

My test is in 4 days, and the bootcamp test was WAYYYY different than q-vault. I'm beginning to think that I should push my exam to nov 13. I know it's late as ****, but i don't want 18 or under :'(.... but i dunno....what do you guys think I should do?!?! sorry for my mania. 🙁

You all have been so helpful! xoxo

 

[Pillowcases]

Bootcamp is very very similar to the actual DAT. I don't know if you should push your test back or not, but if you can do well on other sections then it's possible to score 20+ I didn't do well on bio but still turned out fine.
Heres a little owl for you \[^-^]/ good luck