Test Day - what are the new changes?

[moose786]

Hey, I've seen bits of information on what new options are available to us during the DAT. However, I just want to compile together all the tips/warnings into one neat thread.

Examples:

-Can highlight during RC now. Does my highlighting carry over to the next question or is it pointless to highlight during one question, only to have it disappear when you go to the next question.

-Can cross out options while doing process of elimination. Do we right click on an option to cross it out? Also, I imagine this to be especially useful during the PAT section (especially angles for me). Any (obvious) tips on how to best use utilize this feature - and what sections do you think it's most helpful for?

-Is there a "review" button available to click on for each question? I imagine using this for the PAT section, so that I can quickly skip to the Angles first instead of clicking "Next" 30 times. I know Bootcamp has this feature, and I am pretty sure the DAT does, too, but I just want to be positive.

-Calculator: apparently we can use the Number Pad instead of having to click on each button in the on-screen calculator?

-Also, I'm not sure if this is new or not, but I do remember reading in one of these forums that someone was able to "type in the letter" and it would pick the answer choice just by hitting the letter on the keyboard (instead of clicking on choice "A," for example). This can also help to chop off some valuable seconds, but I am not sure if it just depends on the Prometric facility, or if that person just got lucky? Anyone else tried it?

Thank you all for your time!

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[SDDDAT]

Hey, I've seen bits of information on what new options are available to us during the DAT. However, I just want to compile together all the tips/warnings into one neat thread.

Examples:

-Can highlight during RC now. Does my highlighting carry over to the next question or is it pointless to highlight during one question, only to have it disappear when you go to the next question.

-Can cross out options while doing process of elimination. Do we right click on an option to cross it out? Also, I imagine this to be especially useful during the PAT section (especially angles for me). Any (obvious) tips on how to best use utilize this feature - and what sections do you think it's most helpful for?

-Is there a "review" button available to click on for each question? I imagine using this for the PAT section, so that I can quickly skip to the Angles first instead of clicking "Next" 30 times. I know Bootcamp has this feature, and I am pretty sure the DAT does, too, but I just want to be positive.

-Calculator: apparently we can use the Number Pad instead of having to click on each button in the on-screen calculator?

-Also, I'm not sure if this is new or not, but I do remember reading in one of these forums that someone was able to "type in the letter" and it would pick the answer choice just by hitting the letter on the keyboard (instead of clicking on choice "A," for example). This can also help to chop off some valuable seconds, but I am not sure if it just depends on the Prometric facility, or if that person just got lucky? Anyone else tried it?

Thank you all for your time!

Not sure about the first three since I took the older test, but for #4, it depends on your testing center. I was fortunate and was able to type in the letter to select my answer choice. I spent the $30 for the Prometric test drive and found out about this before my test so I took advantage of it on test day . It certainly made answering questions much faster since I could just leave my cursor on the "next" button

 

[moose786]

Not sure about the first three since I took the older test, but for #4, it depends on your testing center. I was fortunate and was able to type in the letter to select my answer choice. I spent the $30 for the Prometric test drive and found out about this before my test so I took advantage of it on test day . It certainly made answering questions much faster since I could just leave my cursor on the "next" button

Sweet! Thanks a lot for your input. Definitely going to be doing the test drive the day before. I hope they hook it up, haha

 

[Charles_Darwin]

#4 is now available at all testing centers. Here's how it works according to the guy at my test drive:

On the test drive, they give you a sample Prometric (not ADA) test, and the calculator works fine with the keypad because it uses the system calculator. HOWEVER, on the DAT, you're on an ADA test, and the ADA provides their OWN calculator. From all the breakdowns i've been seeing (plus my own experience), the ADA calculator has been working with the keypad for the past few months.

 

[LuckBloodandSweat]

#4 is now available at all testing centers. Here's how it works according to the guy at my test drive:

On the test drive, they give you a sample Prometric (not ADA) test, and the calculator works fine with the keypad because it uses the system calculator. HOWEVER, on the DAT, you're on an ADA test, and the ADA provides their OWN calculator. From all the breakdowns i've been seeing (plus my own experience), the ADA calculator has been working with the keypad for the past few months.

Who needs a calculator ? Lol jk I did use it for about 6 qs xDD

 

[Denizen]

Hey, I've seen bits of information on what new options are available to us during the DAT. However, I just want to compile together all the tips/warnings into one neat thread.

Examples:

-Can highlight during RC now. Does my highlighting carry over to the next question or is it pointless to highlight during one question, only to have it disappear when you go to the next question.

-Can cross out options while doing process of elimination. Do we right click on an option to cross it out? Also, I imagine this to be especially useful during the PAT section (especially angles for me). Any (obvious) tips on how to best use utilize this feature - and what sections do you think it's most helpful for?

-Is there a "review" button available to click on for each question? I imagine using this for the PAT section, so that I can quickly skip to the Angles first instead of clicking "Next" 30 times. I know Bootcamp has this feature, and I am pretty sure the DAT does, too, but I just want to be positive.

-Calculator: apparently we can use the Number Pad instead of having to click on each button in the on-screen calculator?

-Also, I'm not sure if this is new or not, but I do remember reading in one of these forums that someone was able to "type in the letter" and it would pick the answer choice just by hitting the letter on the keyboard (instead of clicking on choice "A," for example). This can also help to chop off some valuable seconds, but I am not sure if it just depends on the Prometric facility, or if that person just got lucky? Anyone else tried it?

Thank you all for your time!

-Not sure; never used the highlighting feature.

-Yes, right click to strikethrough confirmed! I found this most helpful in Bio, Chem, RC and QR. That's not to say I didn't use a crossing out strategy for PAT (absolutely necessary for keyholes, TFE, angles, PF) but during the six weeks I studied I developed a system drawing blanks on my whiteboard. I stuck to this on test day since that's what I was used to (didn't have the strikethrough feature available to me while studying). I used the feature for the other sections though and it was awesome.

-To be honest I don't think there was a review button until you finish the questions. 80% sure on this. Someone else confirm/deny please!

-Again, during my studying I always used the mouse for the calculator since I had heard it was iffy whether or not it would work on test day. Stuck to my guns and moused it with no issues. The calculator was literally exactly the same one from DBC.

-Not sure about the letter feature!

Good luck!