Test taking strategies

[dobbytheelf]

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Hello SDN!

Does anyone have any suggestions for any sort of test taking strategies on DAT day? Specifically, I mean are there patterns in choosing the correct answers that I could be looking for? (ie: if choice B and C look similar is the correct answer usually either B or C?) I know this happens sometimes on exams, but I am not sure if this will hold true for the DAT. Any other strategies and tips are also welcome.

Thanks.

 

[cj7]

PAT: I skipped topfrontend and saved them for last since they took the most time. Definitely fly through the angle rankings and make sure you get the counting cubes correct. If you have any time left over for the PAT, check over your counting cubes.

Math: Skip the long ones and come back later if time permits.

I had no trouble finishing the natural sciences. Had enough time to check over all my answers.

Reading: SEARCH AND DESTROY!!!! Answer/mark and move on.

Timing is always an issue because you really never know what questions you're going to get. So if it takes you longer than usual, mark it and move on. I cannot stress this enough.

 

[aqz]

Best test taking strategy is to not get emotional.

You marked 3 questions in a row cause they too hard? So. what. You can still get the next 27 questions right. Keep that in mind.

PAT: I'd advise against the skipping TFE thing cause you'd be wasting time that you could've used up for an entire question. Perhaps skip at most 5 TFE questions and come back. If you're -that- bad at TFE to have to skip the entire thing, take the time out NOW to practice it cause the best PAT score that you can get with a 0/15 on TFE is a 20.

PAT: Angles...you should be able to use process of elimination on these to a point. If you don't know what I mean, start paying attention to the answer choices that they give you and see if you can narrow down the largest/smallest angle right off the bat.

All I got to add in addition to the dude's post above.

 

[Msmouth]

PAT- I finally got a 22 on CDP

TFE- was hard in the beginning but with process of elimination and visualizing you can get very fast at it.
Pattern folding: I mainly use process of elimination. I put ABCD on my paper and underneath just put an x under each one that is not possible.
Cube counting: with lot's of practice you can get very fast at recognizing cubes and counting them up fast. I now have time to count twice to be sure.
As everyone says, practice practice practice
Angles, still my nemesis but hopefully it's easier on the real deal!

 

[cj7]

Best test taking strategy is to not get emotional.



PAT: I'd advise against the skipping TFE thing cause you'd be wasting time that you could've used up for an entire question. Perhaps skip at most 5 TFE questions and come back. If you're -that- bad at TFE to have to skip the entire thing, take the time out NOW to practice it cause the best PAT score that you can get with a 0/15 on TFE is a 20. .

skipping worked for me. When i 1st started practicing on the PAT, I kept running out of time. It wasn't b/c I was getting TFE incorrect. Using this skipping method, I managed to go through all the questions, averaging consistent 21-23s from a 17 when I first started.
Strategies work differently for everyone. On the real PAT, I got a 24, and it took about 15seconds to skip through all the TFE questions which was well worth it in my case.

 

[foreveros]

Hello SDN!

Does anyone have any suggestions for any sort of test taking strategies on DAT day? Specifically, I mean are there patterns in choosing the correct answers that I could be looking for? (ie: if choice B and C look similar is the correct answer usually either B or C?) I know this happens sometimes on exams, but I am not sure if this will hold true for the DAT. Any other strategies and tips are also welcome.

Thanks.

DO NOT SKIP ANYTHING On the pat. You will be wasting time clickign 15 times its not wroth it. rather use that time to think.

In the sciences if you do not know something just guess and mark then move on. if you skip then you have to rethink the same answer. but it would take you even longer. you will be repeating the same steps in order to come to the same answer.


Some people suggest that you should skip word problems in math portion immediately but i do NOT RECOMMEND it . because some of the word problems are much easier than the rest.