REAL DAT-PAT (rumors dispelled)

[jenk329]

hey everyone, I just recently took the DAT, and before I took it I was pretty nervous about the PAT section because everyone kept saying that it was a lot harder on the real thing and that you should expect your scores to go down four points from your topscore or kaplan practice tests, but it is not true in my opinion. Of course others may have had a different test than me, but it seemed as though everyone got hung up on angle ranking. A tip for that section is to pick the smallest and largest angles and match those answers up to the choices and 11/15 questions I got the answers that way which was a pretty quick method as well. And hole punching was nothing more difficult than the topscore practice (kaplan's might be a bit easier). There were a couple tricky top/front/end views, but that's nothing new. Otherwise, the other two sections were pretty standard. Although I won't post my score as I believe everyone should focus on studying rather than comparing themselves needlessly, I am happy with the results and definitely will not retake it. Good luck to all, and feel free to ask me any specifics about the test I still have a fresh memory about what topics were specifically targeted, I believe in "cooperative learning."

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[dat_student]

Although I won't post my score as I believe....

without knowing your PAT score, how can we know your strategy may help us get the score that we want? for some people 10 is a good score for PAT; for others 30 is a good score....

 

[jenk329]

without knowing your PAT score, how can we know your strategy may help us get the score that we want? for some people 10 is a good score for PAT; for others 30 is a good score....

You're right, if I don't give you the opportunity to compare yourself to me then you maybe skeptical of my strategy...but the only strategy I really gave was identifying the smallest and largest angles first...which you kinda have to do anyways, so I don't see whats so unbelievable about that. anyways, I am confident of my scores and I only wish people well and I can empathize with all that are still studying and trying to find tips, I'm just here to help, if you don't like it, then don't take it.

 

[BigJ77]

You're right, if I don't give you the opportunity to compare yourself to me then you maybe skeptical of my strategy...but the only strategy I really gave was identifying the smallest and largest angles first...which you kinda have to do anyways, so I don't see whats so unbelievable about that. anyways, I am confident of my scores and I only wish people well and I can empathize with all that are still studying and trying to find tips, I'm just here to help, if you don't like it, then don't take it.

Jenk, truly appreciate your post.... though I too often enjoy/get caught up in other peoples scores it is nice that you gave some input! I am sure that you wouldn't post if you had a ten.... As I am ten days out from my DAT, it is honestly good to focus on my personal goals and not compete. I will be happy if I beat the man in the mirror!
j

 

[DMD_DREAMING]

hey everyone, I just recently took the DAT, and before I took it I was pretty nervous about the PAT section because everyone kept saying that it was a lot harder on the real thing and that you should expect your scores to go down four points from your topscore or kaplan practice tests, but it is not true in my opinion. Of course others may have had a different test than me, but it seemed as though everyone got hung up on angle ranking. A tip for that section is to pick the smallest and largest angles and match those answers up to the choices and 11/15 questions I got the answers that way which was a pretty quick method as well. And hole punching was nothing more difficult than the topscore practice (kaplan's might be a bit easier). There were a couple tricky top/front/end views, but that's nothing new. Otherwise, the other two sections were pretty standard. Although I won't post my score as I believe everyone should focus on studying rather than comparing themselves needlessly, I am happy with the results and definitely will not retake it. Good luck to all, and feel free to ask me any specifics about the test I still have a fresh memory about what topics were specifically targeted, I believe in "cooperative learning."

To elaborate, do you feel that the aperature and orthographic projections were similiar to Topscore? I usually average 10-12 on these two sections on Topscore and on Ace the DAT my scores drop by several questions or more. Was it easy to get it down to two views quickly? It seems like on Ace the DAT everyone problem is a hard one. Could you use the visible/invisible lines approach effectively for the orthographic? Also, what about the sciences? Did you see an increase in your scores in those sections? Thanks, I am nervous about the PAT as well before my test. BTW, I usually average a 21/22 on Topscore.

 

[jenk329]

To elaborate, do you feel that the aperature and orthographic projections were similiar to Topscore? I usually average 10-12 on these two sections on Topscore and on Ace the DAT my scores drop by several questions or more. Was it easy to get it down to two views quickly? It seems like on Ace the DAT everyone problem is a hard one. Could you use the visible/invisible lines approach effectively for the orthographic? Also, what about the sciences? Did you see an increase in your scores in those sections? Thanks, I am nervous about the PAT as well before my test. BTW, I usually average a 21/22 on Topscore.

yes, I did feel as though the aperture passing was very similar to topscore, but I think the top/front/end was a bit more trickier, on that part for the practice exams I was getting usually 14 correct. I think there was maybe one or two where I couldn't narrow it down so quickly, it was just a wierd and funky shape.
I also did see an increase in all my sciences...it is easier in my opinion than most practice exams. I mainly used Barron, Kaplan and Topscore. Be aware of the bio as I felt this section was most different, I guess just in the way the questions were worded and the specific topics that were either stressed or unstressed. But try not to feel overwhelmed by this because there is so many things that the bio section can cover compared to the limited amount of ways you can ask about an SN1 reaction...I hope that makes sense some how. Good luck with your test. Dont forget to relax....and deep breaths!

 

[mac60]

To all sincere SDNers:

Topscore (with such a sub-standard questions sampled) is far from ideal in preparing students for the PAT, and I can vividly tell this from experience. No one, with an honest spirit, can further tolerate all unscrupulous remarks posted here.

Can't those people from this thread have some ethics with regards to their comments given here?

 

[DMD_DREAMING]

yes, I did feel as though the aperture passing was very similar to topscore, but I think the top/front/end was a bit more trickier, on that part for the practice exams I was getting usually 14 correct. I think there was maybe one or two where I couldn't narrow it down so quickly, it was just a wierd and funky shape.
I also did see an increase in all my sciences...it is easier in my opinion than most practice exams. I mainly used Barron, Kaplan and Topscore. Be aware of the bio as I felt this section was most different, I guess just in the way the questions were worded and the specific topics that were either stressed or unstressed. But try not to feel overwhelmed by this because there is so many things that the bio section can cover compared to the limited amount of ways you can ask about an SN1 reaction...I hope that makes sense some how. Good luck with your test. Dont forget to relax....and deep breaths!

Thanks for the input. I have also used Barrons and I think it is harder than Topscore and Kaplan in the PAT. What do you think about Barrons in comparison to the real thing? For biology, I learned everything in Kaplan Blue Book and supplemented it with Schaums and my old textbook. So, hopefully, I know enough little details to get a 20 because I know all the broad topics. We shall soon see. Again, thanks for the help!

 

[iminnow]

To all sincere SDNers:

Topscore (with such a sub-standard questions sampled) is far from ideal in preparing students for the PAT, and I can vividly tell this from experience. No one, with an honest spirit, can further tolerate all unscrupulous remarks posted here.

Can't those people from this thread have some ethics with regards to their comments given here?

Oh let's see mac60, your ONLY other post on SDN was "sure glad someone showed me DAT Achiever" and now its bash Topscore. There sure has been an ichy rash of this type of PAT promotion and unnecessary PAT fear mongering lately. Kaplan and Topscore are tried and true going back over 6 years of countless posts, mostly very favorable of these two guides. It's a little suspicious here. If you want sincere SDNers, do your research over the last 6 years of posts.

 

[pcgirl]

Oh let's see mac60, your ONLY other post on SDN was "sure glad someone showed me DAT Achiever" and now its bash Topscore. There sure has been an ichy rash of this type of PAT promotion and unnecessary PAT fear mongering lately. Kaplan and Topscore are tried and true going back over 6 years of countless posts, mostly very favorable of these two guides. It's a little suspicious here. If you want sincere SDNers, do your research over the last 6 years of posts.

If you feel Topscore's PAT has been good enough for the users, then keep promoting it. All sincere SDNers are waiting to see how long those lies and deceptions are going to last. But please, don't use Kaplan to mask yourself, though it's also been known of its inadequacy in the same area.

The bottom line is: where has your business ethic gone to?

 

[Darby_O'Gill]

If you feel Topscore's PAT has been good enough for the users, then keep promoting it. All sincere SDNers are waiting to see how long those lies and deceptions are going to last. But please, don't use Kaplan to mask yourself, though it's also been known of its inadequacy in the same area.

The bottom line is: where has your business ethic gone to?

Hmmm, looks like mac60=pcgirl. Funny, you'd think that if you were trying to fool people with two screen names you would make them totally different. Is you're next name going to be IBMguy?

 

[pcgirl]

Hmmm, looks like mac60=pcgirl. Funny, you'd think that if you were trying to fool people with two screen names you would make them totally different. Is you're next name going to be IBMguy?

If this theorem works, guess the following deduction will hold true even more practically:

Darby_O'Gill = iminnow = jenk329 = .... ?? = "top_blah_blah_blah"

 

[iminnow]

If you feel Topscore's PAT has been good enough for the users, then keep promoting it. All sincere SDNers are waiting to see how long those lies and deceptions are going to last. But please, don't use Kaplan to mask yourself, though it's also been known of its inadequacy in the same area.

The bottom line is: where has your business ethic gone to?

Oh that's interesting, now someone speaks for "all SDNers". Funny thing is you can go back for years of posts and see the history of study guides, some of which are not very good. In fact, you see when "Top Achiever" was the first name of "DAT Achiever" (Jan 2005) and it seemed a pirate of topscorepro.com Shoot, it had nearly the same logos as topscorepro.com It was pretty clear who this student was copying... now there is this "revelation" that Kaplan and topscorepro.com are bogus guides...yea right...and there is this PAT savior that has come to the "rescue"

I don't think you speak for "all sincere SDNers", and certainly shouldn't speak too much about ethics.

 

[Darby_O'Gill]

If this theorem works, guess the following deduction will hold true even more practically:

Darby_O'Gill = iminnow = jenk329 = .... ?? = "top_blah_blah_blah"

That's very interesting since I haven't said anything about topscore. Maybe you should read the posts before you reply. Nice try pcgirl/mac60/IBMguy.

 

[pcgirl]

That's very interesting since I haven't said anything about topscore. Maybe you should read the posts before you reply. Nice try pcgirl/mac60/IBMguy.

Hey Darby, neither did I mention topsscore. Anyway, this stupid equation is started by you. Can't imagine I'll have to stoop down talking to a childish guy like you.

Oh that's interesting, now someone speaks for "all SDNers". Funny thing is you can go back for years of posts and see the history of study guides, some of which are not very good. In fact, you see when "Top Achiever" was the first name of "DAT Achiever" (Jan 2005) and it seemed a pirate of topscorepro.com Shoot, it had nearly the same logos as topscorepro.com It was pretty clear who this student was copying... now there is this "revelation" that Kaplan and topscorepro.com are bogus guides...yea right...and there is this PAT savior that has come to the "rescue"

Hello, iminnow. Don't talk nuts here. DAT Achiever is a copyrighted software. I am using it now and all of its questions are uniquely different from rest of other guides I used. Thought your persistent barbarious acts in SDN are going to divert viewers from your weaknesses in PAT? No way! It's openly been acknowledged that topscore PAT sucks. Almost 8 out of 10 users of this crippled topscore suffered 3-4 points drop on the actual test day. And I believe this is only a conservative figure!

 

[IcemanDDS]

How about everyone just grow up and stop these pithetic arguments over which prep is better for DAT? Also keep your opinions to yourself if ur just gonna bash this and that. What doesnt work for you may work for someone else. I too frequently find myself shaking my head as I read through these threads; they start out informative then quickly turn into a "which one of us is the most insecure" thread. Please people, I'm sure I speak for many others.