Taking the DAT before o chem

[hyrulian]

Hello everyone! Due to some timing issues, I will not have taken Organic Chemistry II before taking the DAT. Has anyone else been in the same position and still scored well? I'm trying to adjust my study schedule to make up for this and any tips would be much appreciated! I'm using CourseSaver (Chad's videos) and a few prep books (Kaplan 8th Edition, Ochem textbook, Destroyer - Ochem & Gen Chem, and Cliffs AP Bio 3rd edition) to study from in all the subjects. Thanks!

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[DAT Destroyer]

Hello everyone! Due to some timing issues, I will not have taken Organic Chemistry II before taking the DAT. Has anyone else been in the same position and still scored well? I'm trying to adjust my study schedule to make up for this and any tips would be much appreciated! I'm using CourseSaver (Chad's videos) and a few prep books (Kaplan 8th Edition, Ochem textbook, Destroyer - Ochem & Gen Chem, and Cliffs AP Bio 3rd edition) to study from in all the subjects. Thanks!

If you are a very strong student with a very solid foundation in Orgo 1 it might be possible to self teach. It is not impossible, just not something I would recommend. Maybe you can get a tutor to help too!

Wishing you the best!

Nancy

 

[NonTraDentalStudent]

Hello everyone! Due to some timing issues, I will not have taken Organic Chemistry II before taking the DAT. Has anyone else been in the same position and still scored well? I'm trying to adjust my study schedule to make up for this and any tips would be much appreciated! I'm using CourseSaver (Chad's videos) and a few prep books (Kaplan 8th Edition, Ochem textbook, Destroyer - Ochem & Gen Chem, and Cliffs AP Bio 3rd edition) to study from in all the subjects. Thanks!

Hey @hyrulian! I am in the same boat. Initially I had doubts, but I feel pretty good about the decision now (my test is Jan 14). I was actually talked into taking the DAT prior to Ochem 2 by a Periodontist friend that I shadow. She taught DAT prep courses a few years back & was confident it could be done. She emphasized the importance of getting the application in early over having rock-star scores (like many of the impressive sdn scores ....which would also be nice ). Basically, a 20+ DAT score & solid GPA get you in the door...then you just charm the pants off of them (but please, not literally!) All of the reactions were a little overwhelming initially, but it seems, with a good understanding of the mechanisms covered in Ochem 1, many of the reactions are pretty logical, and the ones that aren't logical are covered well by Chad & Destroyer.

Other resources I'm using:
Kaplan...for my initial review of bio & PAT
Chad's Vids...for everything because they're friggin' incredible
Destroyer...for intense practice to cover all my bases & ensure understanding
Khan Academy for Trig...cause I last saw that stuff like 13 years ago
Random Youtube channels like CrashCourse Bio & Bozeman Science

btw, random, but I had the song "On Top of Spaghetti" stuck in my head yesterday while trying to study Ochem. It was driving me nuts, so finally I changed the words to be helpful. Maybe it helps someone else. Maybe it just makes me look ridiculous, but whatevs, I don't mind it it improves my score!

Sodium dichromate
Potassium permanganate tooooo
Increase those bond numbers
To oxygens newwww

(So far that's all I've got...feel free to add verses!)
Lol you KNOW you want to sing it!

 

[hyrulian]

Hey @hyrulian! I am in the same boat. Initially I had doubts, but I feel pretty good about the decision now (my test is Jan 14). I was actually talked into taking the DAT prior to Ochem 2 by a Periodontist friend that I shadow. She taught DAT prep courses a few years back & was confident it could be done. She emphasized the importance of getting the application in early over having rock-star scores (like many of the impressive sdn scores ....which would also be nice ). Basically, a 20+ DAT score & solid GPA get you in the door...then you just charm the pants off of them (but please, not literally!) All of the reactions were a little overwhelming initially, but it seems, with a good understanding of the mechanisms covered in Ochem 1, many of the reactions are pretty logical, and the ones that aren't logical are covered well by Chad & Destroyer.

Other resources I'm using:
Kaplan...for my initial review of bio & PAT
Chad's Vids...for everything because they're friggin' incredible
Destroyer...for intense practice to cover all my bases & ensure understanding
Khan Academy for Trig...cause I last saw that stuff like 13 years ago
Random Youtube channels like CrashCourse Bio & Bozeman Science

btw, random, but I had the song "On Top of Spaghetti" stuck in my head yesterday while trying to study Ochem. It was driving me nuts, so finally I changed the words to be helpful. Maybe it helps someone else. Maybe it just makes me look ridiculous, but whatevs, I don't mind it it improves my score!

Sodium dichromate
Potassium permanganate tooooo
Increase those bond numbers
To oxygens newwww

(So far that's all I've got...feel free to add verses!)
Lol you KNOW you want to sing it!

Whew! That makes me feel a lot better! Thanks for your response
I did well in Ochem I (and found it easier than Gen Chem actually), so I'm hoping that I'll pick up on the new material without much trouble. My DAT isn't until the very end of March, so that should give me enough time to focus more on any topics and mechanisms that don't make sense the first time I study them.
Yeah, the scores posted on SDN are intimidating!! My GPA is high, so I'm trying to get at least a 20 (although preferably higher obviously ) across the board.
Ha! Love the song. I may have to steal that!

Thanks again! Good luck, I hope you do well!

 

[embrojam]

Whew! That makes me feel a lot better! Thanks for your response
I did well in Ochem I (and found it easier than Gen Chem actually), so I'm hoping that I'll pick up on the new material without much trouble. My DAT isn't until the very end of March, so that should give me enough time to focus more on any topics and mechanisms that don't make sense the first time I study them.
Yeah, the scores posted on SDN are intimidating!! My GPA is high, so I'm trying to get at least a 20 (although preferably higher obviously ) across the board.
Ha! Love the song. I may have to steal that!

Thanks again! Good luck, I hope you do well!

If you're strong in OChem 1, OChem 2 should be doable with self study, as its an extension and you undestand the mindset. I wouldn't be too worried

 

[Dr. Dan]

Maybe it's because I'm not sure how comprehensive the OChem is on the DAT, but as an OChem tutor and researcher I would be cautious before taking your test too early. The second part is very detailed and there are a lot of important (and nuanced) mechanisms that are taught. I know you want to pull off a high OChem score on the DAT, and it might be very tough to do without actually taking the course. Just be careful is all I'm saying

 

[Advocatus]

You will do fine. My experience with the DAT is that it was primarily the Hydrocarbons (Ochem 1) and less aromatics/organometallics (Ochem 2)

 

[NonTraDentalStudent]

@hyrulian I took my DAT today & managed a 19 in Orgo & 20 AA!!! Prep was certainly stressful, but it can be done!!