I did take the Kaplan course that ran March thru April, a total mistake but what can you do. The subject tests are NOTHING like the DAT but help you learn the information. My weakest part was always science, so I spent the most time studying science and almost all Bio. Instead of just reading textbooks, I read thru Kaplan, then started taking practice tests. Every answer I got wrong, I looked up the question in the index of Bruice for Ochem, Zumdahl for Gchem, and Campbell for Bio, and read the section and took notes. I think that is the best way for me to learn and retain the info. I ended up reading almost all of Campbell. I studied Taxo and human physiology so much because acheiver and topscore seems to emphasize these, but I only got I taxo (on bacteria) and very little physio. I got lots of evolution/speciation/ecology/population questions. Gen chem, the calculations were very very easy and straightforward, just make sure you understand the theory behind everything. Ochem, most were SN/E questions, but I had a few random hard ones. I dont think I can say specifics without getting in trouble, but study blood disorders, imine formation, claison condensation, and biological experiments (eg Hershey-chase, Millkian for chem, etc). Random, I say.
For PAT I was stoked, and that is my favorite part of my score. I think achiever is great, but my best advice is look for details. On the keyholes, think of the three views and look for the details passing thru each view. On your scratch paper, cross off the letters that it could not be. Usually it is pretty easy to narrow it down to 2, then look at the sizes and proportions and little edges and stuff. On top front end, eliminate the wrong choices by eliminating choices where there are solid lines instead of dashed or dashed instead of solid, or the shape is wrong, or the events dont match up. Dont try to visualize what the object looks like, just find the right answer quickly. Angles I didnt think were so bad. I went back thru them and I dont think I missed any. Most of them, you could find the smallest and the biggest and there was only one answer choice. I folded a corner of my paper in half and used that to compare on some of them. Go with your first instinct, look at the pixels, compare to a 7, etc. Paper folding was in between topscore and achiever difficulty. No 1/2 holes. Just unfold it mentally, draw the square on paper, etc. Cube counting was simple. Dont underestimate any of the "easy" sections (ie the three in the middle). You get the same amount of points for a correct cube counting as a correct keyhole, so make sure you dont make careless errors. I had lots of shape folding and not matching up the color folding, which I think are easier because you can eliminate the shapes which dont match with the pattern. Pretty straightforward. I finished 15 min early and rechecked almost everything.
RC: I used the take notes method. I do 8 minutes speed read and note take, then no more than 10 minutes answering questions. 18 minutes each gives you time for error. I think if you just look for the answers you will miss the tone/general questions.
QR: I suck at probability, that was my downfall. Learn probability well, I had about 5 and 3 were hard. Mostly algebra, conversion (know conversions, and these are easy) word problems. I finished about 10 minutes early. If you think it is going to take too long, estimate ( a great tool) and come back to it if you have time.
I got some of the SAT II prep books (math, bio, gen chem) which were A LOT like the test questions and good for practice and review. They are super cheap to (like 12-15$ each) and I would say these are MOST similar to the test questions in those three sections.
OK, if anyone read this far and actually still has questions about anything, let me know and I will write you another story
