Recent DAT takers...are the Sciences getting harder?

[2thDMD]

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I wanted to hear from recent DAT takers to find out their opinions regarding if the DAT Sciences section is getting harder than it used to be.

Let me explain.
I'm sure we've all looked at the Sample DAT that the ADA has on their website.
I was just going over this the other day and thought that the Sciences were in the normal range of what one would expect to be asked. However, I seem to remember also thinking this before I took the DAT (awhile ago) and coming out of the DAT feeling like I'd been mislead by the Sample DAT and like I'd just gone a couple rounds with the DAT equivalent of Mike Tyson.

So, here's the reason behind my question.
When I was ASU I had a really great (but hard) OChem teacher. He told the class, point blank, that he makes his tests so that about 1/3 of the class will do well on the test, 1/3 will do average and 1/3 will do poorly. So, if on the first test everybody does really well, he assumes that what he's teaching it too easy, and he starts teaching / testing harder materials until the gets back to his 33 percentiles.
With each dental school accepting around 100 students, yet receiving thousands of applicants, coupled with the fact that with our current economy a lot of people are switching careers and dental schools want to weed out people who are just seeking to go to dental school as "something to do" (from those of us who actually are passionate about it)...do you think that the DAT Sciences are being made harder and harder over time?

For those who have taken the DAT recently, please review the Sample DAT on the ADA website, and then think about the DAT you just took and give me some feedback as to how you think the THEN vs. NOW Sciences sections compared.

Please don't give verbatim examples of questions you got on your recent DAT. I don't want that kind of information. Just a comparison from people who have recently taken the DAT.

Thanks,

2thDMD

 

[iwillbedds]

Took DAT three times:
2009 DAT was extremely easy--> I just had NOT idea what I was doing
2010 DAT was extremely HARD-->I knew something but still got 1more point in every section
2012 DAT was extremely easy--> obviously I KNEW what I was doing I got from 4-7 points
on every section
So I am not sure if the DAT has gotten harder or was the amount of time/material I put into my studies that made it easy that last time i took DAT!! Plus, there are many versions of DAT out there so who knows?
Good luck

 

[Mr. Thirsty]

I think it honestly depends on what version you get. Mine was rough, I scored a 21 and that was 97th percentile for that test. I've noticed that other 21 scores out there are like 92nd percentile give or take. Preparation is the most important part, although as with most other things in this world there is definitely some luck involved.

 

[Blake1e]

After practicing with achiever the real test seemed much easier. It was still difficult at parts but it was nothing compared to achiever.

If youre worried you should prepare by using difficult study materials so the real test doesnt feel like youre duking it out with Tyson.

I took it twice (6 months apart) the first time I felt really bad when I finished and got a 22TS which I thought wasnt really a bad score. Second time I used more materials including achiever and felt the sciences were much easier and got a 25TS.

I didnt use the sample DAT from ADA b/c I didnt think it would be that useful.

 

[Ari Rezaei]

The best practice are the 2007/2009 exams. Every test has the same exact difficulty, it's standardized. People think the 2007 was easier because its shifted to test easier concepts (it has a lot more concepts on stoichiometry for example). But the grading scale remains. Therefore, if you miss a few questions, you're below a 20.

If you feel the 2013 DAT is harder, it's because it may be stressing topics you didn't go over very much. Even if it was a harder test, then you could get more wrong and still come out with a 20+.

The average of what you get on the 2007/2009 exam is very close to what you're going to score. It's the BEST practice. It's the only two official exams from the ADA. Take it at the end of your study schedule 2 days out from your exam (whatever the reschedule cutoff is). If you like your scores, you're probably set. If not, then reevaluate if you need more time.

 

[MedDevil]

The best practice are the 2007/2009 exams. Every test has the same exact difficulty, it's standardized. People think the 2007 was easier because its shifted to test easier concepts (it has a lot more concepts on stoichiometry for example). But the grading scale remains. Therefore, if you miss a few questions, you're below a 20.

If you feel the 2013 DAT is harder, it's because it may be stressing topics you didn't go over very much. Even if it was a harder test, then you could get more wrong and still come out with a 20+.

The average of what you get on the 2007/2009 exam is very close to what you're going to score. It's the BEST practice. It's the only two official exams from the ADA. Take it at the end of your study schedule 2 days out from your exam (whatever the reschedule cutoff is). If you like your scores, you're probably set. If not, then reevaluate if you need more time.

I agree. From my experience and the many others that I've seen on SDN, the science section on the 2009 practice exam is a very close indicator of how you'll do on the science section of the real DAT.

 

[Dgeorg6]

All tests are equally as hard but sometimes you get questions you know and sometimes you get questions you dont know. The questions all come from a huge random question bank i would assume

 

[2thDMD]

The best practice are the 2007/2009 exams..

I've only seen the 2007 exam.
Can somebody send me a link to the 2009 exam?

Thanks,

2thDMD

 

[2thDMD]

Nevermind my last post...I just went on the ADA website and saw that they are now monetizing their DAT downloads (must be a recent thing).

 

[Dotoday]

I just noticed that Science sections are now including more details in their questions. They are now forsing us to focus more on all details.

Sent from my SPH-710 using Tapatalk

 

[PAsda]

Hi,
I'm studying for DAT and I need help ASAP.
Thanks!