Preparing for DAT in September. How should I prepare besides taking the KAPLAN course?

[joker937]

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Hello, everyone!

I'm planning on taking the DAT in late September. I'm currently enrolled in a DAT KAPLAN preparatory course, but I've heard that it won't be enough to fully prepare me for the exam. I was wondering if anyone had some books they'd recommend, KEEPING IN MIND that I already have the kaplan books.

Thanks, everyone!

 

[goldcrown17]

Hey Joker!

I've prepared with Kaplan books as well, and they honestly only hit the bare basics of what you need to know. You should fully understand everything in those books and I honestly didn't use my kaplan books very much because I felt they were too basic.

Anyways, I'd suggest getting destroyer for sure! It will make you cry and want to give up (guaranteed) but it asks questions in a way that makes sure you understand all of the concepts. I just finished my first time through destroyer last week and am already feeling so much better as I expand to other materials, practice tests, and of course a second time through destroyer. Get the main book (DAT Destroyer) for sure, but I also feel like practice tests 1-10 are awesome as well.

I also highly recommend bootcamp. Kaplan's PAT is way to easy, and bootcamp software comes with 10 practice test and a generator for each type of PAT question while being fairly detailed in the answer explanations. It also has 5 full practice test and tons of other resources. I got this instead of crack dat and it feels like it is a better, more extensive, and thankfully less expensive alternative to Crack DAT.

While this may stir up some people, I also liked barrons. Why? It was something like $20 on amazon. It's cheap, and sure, there are some errors, but that just makes you think extra hard and really makes you work each problem. This was also really good for each section because it outlines different strategies and sort of works like a workbook.

 

[tyjacobs]

i highly suggest you do not take kaplan course it stinks in my opinion

 

[SyracuseOrange92]

Kaplan is very very basic. I never took the course though.

I would definitely buy cliffs for biology, dat destroyer for the sciences, and math destroyer for the QR. They are all essential to DAT studies.

 

[Drenalin]

I took Kaplan and it was a complete waste of time out of all the materials I used it was the least useful. Kaplan is good if your content with a 19

 

[syedj94]

I got DAT Qvault and my exam is next week. If I had known about DAT Genius before I got Qvault, I would have gotten it instead. So I recommend DAT Genius because I just took that free practice exam and I have to say that their solutions and explanations are outstanding especially for PAT. I was struggling with TFE for the past month and I finally got it after looking at their solutions. Usually for PAT solutions they just show you the 3D figure without any explanation, but here they show what each line meant and how to pick the right answer. I also got CDP which is good but I would rather get the DAT Genius 5 exams. Since my studying is over, I recommend that you start Bio with the Kaplan book because it is easier to read and just completing that book alone will put you in the 18-19 range. After that you can do destroyer which will help a lot. For GCHEM and OCHEM don't get anything except Chad's and Destroyer. From my experience I think that I got too many resources when only 4 are needed: Kaplan, Destroyer, Chad's, DAT Genius.

Ap Cliff Bio is good but I found it tough to read personally. I think Bootcamp is also an amazing resource but I haven't tried it. Ferralis notes are very dense and they will definitely help you, but you should probably use these after finishing Kaplan so you know what he is talking about in the notes because sometimes they are tough to understand without background knowledge.

Good luck!

 

[ubwp2018]

Hello, everyone!

I'm planning on taking the DAT in late September. I'm currently enrolled in a DAT KAPLAN preparatory course, but I've heard that it won't be enough to fully prepare me for the exam. I was wondering if anyone had some books they'd recommend, KEEPING IN MIND that I already have the kaplan books.

Thanks, everyone!

Hey I took Kaplan online and supplemented with DAT destroyer, CHADs videos and some Crack DAT. Mostly Kaplan and DAT destroyer though. Kaplan is worth it for the timed practice tests, don't waste them by taking before you're serious about it, the PAT practice and the reading comp. I was awful at GC and only used Kaplan, I got a 24 in GC on my DAT's which I was happy with. Did not do well on QR but math is not my strong suit, may want to supplement with Math Destroyer. DAT Destroyer and Kaplan should be a solid mix. For reference I am no super star but I got 7 interviews and multiple acceptances. GPA 3.7 Science GPA 4.0 TS 21 AA 21 PAT 21 Hope this helps!

 

[ubwp2018]

I got DAT Qvault and my exam is next week. If I had known about DAT Genius before I got Qvault, I would have gotten it instead. So I recommend DAT Genius because I just took that free practice exam and I have to say that their solutions and explanations are outstanding especially for PAT. I was struggling with TFE for the past month and I finally got it after looking at their solutions. Usually for PAT solutions they just show you the 3D figure without any explanation, but here they show what each line meant and how to pick the right answer. I also got CDP which is good but I would rather get the DAT Genius 5 exams. Since my studying is over, I recommend that you start Bio with the Kaplan book because it is easier to read and just completing that book alone will put you in the 18-19 range. After that you can do destroyer which will help a lot. For GCHEM and OCHEM don't get anything except Chad's and Destroyer. From my experience I think that I got too many resources when only 4 are needed: Kaplan, Destroyer, Chad's, DAT Genius.

Ap Cliff Bio is good but I found it tough to read personally. I think Bootcamp is also an amazing resource but I haven't tried it. Ferralis notes are very dense and they will definitely help you, but you should probably use these after finishing Kaplan so you know what he is talking about in the notes because sometimes they are tough to understand without background knowledge.

Good luck!

Qvault is great I forgot about that!

 

[joker937]

OP here, you guys are all confusing me! Ok, so here is the list I have so far.
1. Kaplan - covers everything, already bought this
2. DAT Destroyer, covers every section of the DAT? (am getting from friend)
3. DAT Math Destroyer, covers math section of the DAT only? (am getting from friend)
4. AP Bio Cliffsnotes - covers all the biology you need to know, can purchase on amazon
5. Bootcamp - where can I buy this book? What does it cover?
6. DAT Genius - where can I buy this book? What does it cover?
7. Chad's - this covers both GCHEM and OCHEM? Where can I buy this book?

Are these all the books I need? Thanks!

 

[FeralisExtremum]

The last 3 aren't books, you use them online.

 

[joker937]

Does anyone know what website I can find DAT genius at? By simply googling "DAT Genius" I do not find it!

 

[dfamson]

Does anyone know what website I can find DAT genius at? By simply googling "DAT Genius" I do not find it!

Try DATgenius one word

 

[joker937]

Try DATgenius one word

That worked! Thanks!!