Starting Studying for DAT, suggestions needed:)!

[8Wt2]

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Hey guys, I've been browsing the SDN forums for sometime and have been getting myself in action to getting around to picking up studying material

So far I have
-The KBB
-DAT Destroyer
-Cliffs AP Bio
-Math Destroyer
-12 CDA Carving Soaps left ( I carved the example from the CDA manual for fun yesterday night)

I am planning to take the Canadian DAT next yr, so I know that the Math destroyer and some Ochem parts in the KBB and DAT destroyer may be useless.

I had planned to begin studying for PAT, RC and Manual Dexterity this summer, and finish with Gchem and BIO next year a few weeks before the exam.

Would this be an ideal plan, since PAT, RC and Carving are just "practice makes perfect" sections?

Also I'm planning on buying the CDP Ace edition (with 10 Practice exams) for PAT training, aswell as stuff from the KBB,destroyer.
I found the PAT section from the CDA Manual quite easy so I'm not sure if that's a good indicator :S

and lastly, what would you guys recommend for Reading comprehension practice and carving practice? Specifically for RC, since haha I am not so good at english, but am willing to spend some long durations of practice to kill the RC section.

Thanks guys! I love this forum and its everyone of you that make it possible for us struggling keenors!

 

[8Wt2]

Bump..
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[UndergradGuy7]

Bump..
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Don't know anything about the canadian dat, but if you are studying a year in advance that is good. Remember though that you will most likely forget a lot over the year. So practicing RC, carving may be good. You can read some biology, chemistry and stuff but don't try to memorize everything. You will probably forget most of the small details for it. Focus on memorizing and really studying biology, chemistry a few months before the exam. If you read through it a while ago, then reviewing before the exam will be easier/quicker. I would not do PAT until a few months before the exam either.

RC read some science articles or journals. Don't know of any sites, but I think there has been some posted here before. I always thought its one of those sections you can't really study so I was not planning on doing anything for it.

 

[azar87]

well good start with the destroyer stuff you will need it........as well as all the kaplan resources u can get...........and try to get topscore to help you with timing i know the candian dat is different but u can use the same resources for it so i think u shud be set

 

[dentalWorks]

well if your not taking the DAT till next year then the BEST thing you can do for yourself is to master the biology and math now. These 2 sections (in my opinion) are easiest to master over a long period of time.

Just, set 20-30 minutes every day for doing MATH destroyer problems, and another 20-30 minutes every day reading into cliff's AP biology and Kaplan blue book's biology section. By time your DAT date comes near, the biology and math will be all complete (many many times over since every time you finish one of the books, just go over it again, and again)....So finally when your 2 months away from your actual DAT, all you'll have to study is the general and organic chemistries.

PAT, in my opinion, do those 10 CDP tests at a time period CLOSE to your test date. Say, about 2 months before your DAT, start on those 10 CDP's and by time you complete the 10th test, you should be like a few days away from your actual DAT date.

Reading... I can't suggest thing for this...

 

[8Wt2]

Thanks everyone 🙂
mm is starting to study for biology a good idea now? because I have heard that it is best to leave biology and chemistry 2-3 months before the DAT.
If I do start now, would it be as effective or more effective as if I were to learn it all 2-3 months before the DAT

well if your not taking the DAT till next year then the BEST thing you can do for yourself is to master the biology and math now. These 2 sections (in my opinion) are easiest to master over a long period of time.

Just, set 20-30 minutes every day for doing MATH destroyer problems, and another 20-30 minutes every day reading into cliff's AP biology and Kaplan blue book's biology section. By time your DAT date comes near, the biology and math will be all complete (many many times over since every time you finish one of the books, just go over it again, and again)....So finally when your 2 months away from your actual DAT, all you'll have to study is the general and organic chemistries.

PAT, in my opinion, do those 10 CDP tests at a time period CLOSE to your test date. Say, about 2 months before your DAT, start on those 10 CDP's and by time you complete the 10th test, you should be like a few days away from your actual DAT date.

Reading... I can't suggest thing for this...

 

[dentalWorks]

Thanks everyone 🙂
mm is starting to study for biology a good idea now? because I have heard that it is best to leave biology and chemistry 2-3 months before the DAT.
If I do start now, would it be as effective or more effective as if I were to learn it all 2-3 months before the DAT

I believe that the biology section is more of a repetition-repetition-repetition concept rather than memorizing ridiculous facts 2 months before the test. The more times you read the chapters, the more likely they are going to stick. You don't have to agree with me, but thats what I believe works best for biology. Repetition over a long period of time will help you memorize/understand the biological concepts tested on the DAT MUCH better than cramming the biology concepts over 2 months...... Biology is the BIGGEST section of the DAT, the longer time you spend on it, the more you'll be able to retain the information.

Of course someone can easily make the argument for orgo, and suggest the same thing with repetition, but I always thought orgo reactions weren't really memorization based, if you understood the mechanisms of reactions, your going to be able to recall the product without the need of much memorization.