To reschedule or not...?

[lilwebb09]

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Hey All,

So I’ve been studying since mid/late March and scheduled my test for June 18th… however I don’t feel ready. I haven’t taken a full length test yet, but on datbootcamp I’m only scoring 18-19 on everything and 18-19 on CDP… so clearly I’m not ready and should reschedule… but the next dates available aren’t for 3.5 weeks out. Should I reschedule and if so what should I do (or not do) in the next 3.5 weeks since so much of me just wants to get this over with?

Thanks

 

[jmh018]

If you're not ready, I would postpone. Better to be three weeks late than 90 days if you don't do well on the first one.

But it is important to remember that some study material is harder and people get lower scores on it than the actual DAT. I can't speak to the material you used because I didn't use them. Look around the forums for that specific material to see if it is known to be harder. Also, most people don't feel fully prepared to take the test, so keep that in mind.

If you do postpone, I don't know if you used Chad's Videos but I would watch through his chem videos at 2x speed and go on from there. His quizzes are helpful. Sorry I can't be more helpful. Maybe it would be a good idea to take the 2007 DAT test from the ADA to see where you stand.

 

[Ari Rezaei]

I definitely recommend taking a full length test before the real DAT to get used to how exhausting it is.Take the 2007 exam and convert your scores to get a closer look at where you stand. If you like your scores, take the 2009 exam too and see your scores on that. Your scores on the 2009 exam will be pretty close to what you actually get. If you don't like your scores, definitely postpone. It's better than retaking.

 

[lilwebb09]

Here are my scores:

Bio: 32/40 (19)
GC: 26/30 (20)
OC: 23/30 (18)
PAT: 70/90 (20)
RC: 32/50 (18)
QR: 32/50 (19)

I tried converting them using the 2007 raw score conversion... any thoughts? I feel like the scores are far from great, so should I hold off the test and reschedule?

 

[Glimmer1991]

Advice about this varies greatly on the site, but I am not an advocate of taking practice tests. I go into detail about this a lot on threads and particularly in my breakdown, but I think they hurt more than they help. They can kill your confidence and make you go into the test with a bad mindset. I think it is much more beneficial to study entire concepts than it is to view isolated questions about a myriad of random topics. If timing is an issue, you can take timed tests about each subject once or twice to get a "feel" for how long you should be spending on each problem, but that doesn't require taking the whole shebang in one sitting.

A five hour exam is exhausting, sure. But at this point in the game, I am certain that we have all sat through multiple standardized tests (SAT, ACT) and even final exams that were long and strenuous. That shouldn't be a problem anymore.

And, most importantly, how you perform sitting at your laptop with your legs propped up and a bag of chips to your side is NOT how you will perform on your test. Your brain will go into testing mode and you'll have the adrenaline to get you through it. I always do MUCH more poorly on practice exams than I do when I take real tests. In fact, I avoid them altogether, even in my college courses (unless, of course, they're for a teacher who is renowned for recycling questions... in which case I certainly go through them!). I instead spend my time thoroughly reviewing my notes and getting a better grasp on EVERYTHING, not just some random facts. And guess what? It doesn't hurt me one bit. 🙂

I didn't feel ready when I went in for the DAT. I never would have. I don't think you should postpone. Those scores are already good, and you'll do better on the real thing because you'll have your head in the game.

Just my two cents.