took DAT, now wanting to take MCAT

[SL7123]

hi guys, i took my DAT last month on the 18th and did very well on it, i wont be needing to take it again. I am now wanting to take the MCAT, I bought the complete study examkrackers package and was wondering if you guys would advise me to get something else?
the DAT had bio, org chem 1 & 2, gen chem 1 & 2, Reading comp, and Math...the only difference i see is that the MCAT has physics..Any tips would be awesome!!! thanks!!

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[kehlsh]

I smell something funny

 

[tendiw]

Why would a pre-den student want to take the MCAT?
The MCAT is different than the DAT, you guys have math and carving and stuff the MCAT doesnt concern itself with in chem, bio and ochem. The MCAT isnt a content exam, so if you came here feeling that as long as you have your content down you're fine, you'll be suprised.
The MCAT has verbal, nothing from the DAT will prepare you from that...just take one verbal test and you'll see.
Verbal is not reading comprehension, you will get annihilated if you approach verbal like reading comprehension, ANNIHILATED.
Finaly the bio content and chem content require for the MCAT is different, the DAT is a memorization test, the MCAT is the type of test where you can memorize every fact you want and still get messed up, it is more than a content exam.
The DAT doesnt have passages you need to glean information from like the MCAT so you need to adapt to that. Doing good on DAT doesnt mean doing good on MCAT

MCAT=Mostly critical thinking
DAT=Mostly recalling facts
The AAMC bluntly tells you on their site the MCAT is not a test based on fact memorization.

 

[SL7123]

okay i am obviously going to dedicate a good full 2 months for the mcat..and i was wanting advice, not irrelevant smack. I appreciate your time and effort to write this post but it's not even advice.

 

[getright]

You don't need to take the mcat if you're planning on becoming a dentist. lulz.

 

[KindofBlue]

okay i am obviously going to dedicate a good full 2 months for the mcat..and i was wanting advice, not irrelevant smack. I appreciate your time and effort to write this post but it's not even advice.

tendiw does sound like he was overreacting a bit, but I understand where he's coming from.
From a quick glimpse I took on DAT prep books, it did seem like the MCAT and DAT were completely different exams. DAT is more straight forward and primarily tests your memorization skills, and some spatial skills (or whatever its called), I believe? And the way you were saying how the "only" difference is physics does kind of sound like you were trivializing the grueling experience that is the MCAT for many of the test takers out there, if not for all.

Really don't know why you want to take the MCAT, but if you want advice check out the thread below. It will give you an idea of what kind of preparation is needed to get a good score.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=623898

 

[tendiw]

okay i am obviously going to dedicate a good full 2 months for the mcat..and i was wanting advice, not irrelevant smack. I appreciate your time and effort to write this post but it's not even advice.

Advice, study for 3 months or so like the AAMC suggests and most people do. Treat the MCAT like you've never learnt anything about it before.

My criticism was so you dont feel the DAT will help you with the MCAT whatsoever and so that you understand this is a different exam. My criticism was there to remove all thoughts of similarity between the MCAT and DAT.

I come on the forums to help as many people as possible, and realizing these tests are different will be the biggest advice I can give you right now.
If i sugar-coat my responses, I'll be doing you a disservice.

In the same light if someone who wanted to take the DAT after taking the MCAT asked for adivice, I would say good MCAT doesnt necessarily mean DAT

A simple thing to do right now is to take any practice MCAT test and you'll understand why my response was like that.

 

[kimicurtis]

hi guys, i took my DAT last month on the 18th and did very well on it, i wont be needing to take it again. I am now wanting to take the MCAT, I bought the complete study examkrackers package and was wondering if you guys would advise me to get something else?
the DAT had bio, org chem 1 & 2, gen chem 1 & 2, Reading comp, and Math...the only difference i see is that the MCAT has physics..Any tips would be awesome!!! thanks!!

Why do you want to take the MCAT? Are you also applying to med school?

 

[KindofBlue]

Why do you want to take the MCAT? Are you also applying to med school?

Maybe he wants to be like Gaylord Focker?

 

[mightymoose02]

Maybe he wants to be like Gaylord Focker?

HEY! He was a smart guy! 42 on his MCAT!

Good movie to watch. (original one)

 

[mightymoose02]

okay i am obviously going to dedicate a good full 2 months for the mcat..and i was wanting advice, not irrelevant smack. I appreciate your time and effort to write this post but it's not even advice.

This is the internet. Just because SDN is one of the better/well-known student forums out there... doesn't mean it's going to have 100% great advise all the time.

You have to filter thru a lot of crap to REALLY find the best advise and even harder to find the one that works for you.

Also, you gotta wait for at least 5-6 replies before you get to the decent ones.

I don't really know the guy you quoted but LOTS of people on here probably look down on others. Just ignore it and PM people who seem like they know what they are talking about and they are nice enough to share their knowledge. That's what I do.

 

[SL7123]

Thanks guys, i bought my examkrackers yesterday and im going to start studying starting next week..I'm in an early acceptance program for dental school and will be starting next year but i am also wanting to take the MCAT to keep my options open and see if i want to go the medical route or the dental route. thanks again! oh and good scores on the mcat are 27+ right?

 

[ak21]

thanks guys, i bought my examkrackers yesterday and im going to start studying starting next week..i'm in an early acceptance program for dental school and will be starting next year but i am also wanting to take the mcat to keep my options open and see if i want to go the medical route or the dental route. Thanks again! Oh and good scores on the mcat are 27+ right?

30+*

 

[notbobtrustme]

Thanks guys, i bought my examkrackers yesterday and im going to start studying starting next week..I'm in an early acceptance program for dental school and will be starting next year but i am also wanting to take the MCAT to keep my options open and see if i want to go the medical route or the dental route. thanks again! oh and good scores on the mcat are 27+ right?

27+ for DO, 30+ for MD, 34+ for MD/PhD.