TOOK DAT TODAY!!! Thoughts

[subwrx04]

Here is what I got

Biology 20 87.4% (percentile)
General Chemistry 23 94.5%
Organic Chemistry 20 80.9%
Perceptual Ability 27 100% !!!!!
Reading Comprehension 18 39% =(
Quantitative Reasoning 20 87.3%

Academic Average 20 85.1%
Total Science 21 92.4%
Perceptual Ability 27 100%

I thought there were somethings you just could not have prepped for, I had to make an educated guess numerous times.

Bio: A lil of everything. Glad I just finished mammalian physiology. Got a few questions on taxonomy, plants, etc.
Chem: 3 calculations, rest is simple conceptual stuff
Organic: thought I did a lot better, whatever
Perceptual: Much more clean cut than topscore. Angles and hole punching were a tad harder but definitely do-able
Reading: Total blind side. Dont expect the "Q: what is the most ... A: The most .... is ...." Answers more hidden in the passages
Quant: A little tougher than Topscore. More probability and tougher trig and algebra.


Overall I thought I did worse than I actually did. The key is just to forget about the past and do whats in front of you.

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[Mia305]

Great scores, congrats. How did all of the science sections compare to those on top score? Easier? Harder?

 

[subwrx04]

Easier/harder doesn't really explain it. It is just different. The bio, you kind of need a subjective feel for the content, dont just memorize stuff, conceptualize. I feel like they tested if we could extrapolate from what we already know. For the chemistry, if your memorizing formulas, your not gonna do well. Try to learn more than what the book is telling you. If it tells you, A -->B + C, know WHY and HOW.
Organic, same deal. Why and HOW. Know what solvents for what reactions and why, mechanisms, what makes a good Nucleophile and why, etc.

I think if you know what, why, and how, your golden.

 

[thefifthbeatle]

Do they ask for intermediates?? Those are the hardest to memorize

 

[thefifthbeatle]

congrats, btw

 

[subwrx04]

I dont recall getting asked about intermediates. But knowing intermediates is a significant part of understanding how reactions work. I would stop trying to memorize structures, and start learning: the nucleophile attacks at this atom because it has the most partial positive charge, which pushes electrons over here, then back here, etc etc. Its tough and annoying, but necessary. hope this helps

 

[jeezy]

wow. great work.. any tips for angles?

 

[subwrx04]

Always approach it so that one side is the "ground." Also, imagine them as tools or hooks, or something. For really acute ones, I think, which hook would be the best for catching fish, and for obtuse ones, which one would I want to sleep on. Sounds dumb I know, but it works.

O yeah, and when they get pretty close to 90 degrees, always think about the right angle relative to it. I know its obvious, but I would emphasize the approach to that.

 

[denttiger]

If you don't mind me asking.. what were your scores on your practice tests like? I know you said the questions were different style but I was just wondering. Also.. do you know anywhere where I could study conceptual G. chem problems like this?

 

[subwrx04]

If you don't mind me asking.. what were your scores on your practice tests like? I know you said the questions were different style but I was just wondering. Also.. do you know anywhere where I could study conceptual G. chem problems like this?

I used topscore. my ranges were:
Bio 18-22
GC 19-21
OC 18-23
PAT 22-23
RC 21-23
QR 20-23
AA 19-21
TS 19-21

As far as the concept questions go, most textbooks use those really basic questions at the end of sections, use those. Althought textbooks are probably a bad way to study, it does have a few questions that make you think. Everything in gchem goes back to periodic trends and electron activity. keep at it

 

[Greensalad]

How much sleep did you get the night before?

 

[901preDent]

congrats subwrks,those are awesome scores I am just curious how long did you prepare for the test, what school you attend or in which state ( if you dont wanna say), and did you use the DESTROYER at all?... any kaplan classes? was this your first time taking it?? thanks for the info!

 

[OrangeStorm]

Hi, great score, congrats. Did you use DAT Achiever for your practice? My scores on DAT Achiever are not too good, so I am afraid starting Topscore. If you did, would you mind tell us how you did on those. Thanks.

 

[subwrx04]

All I used was topscore and the kaplan blue book. I started studying for this test about a month ago, but nonstop. Just try to keep everything simple, thats the key. I know its not what you hear, but there is seriously no easy way around this test. Just knock it out.

 

[DentalKitty]

Hey, great scores, congrats! Do you remember a lot of "Two of these" / "All of these" / "None of these" or roman numeral type answer choices in the science section? Or was it mostly that the answer was just one choice?

 

[subwrx04]

The easiest thing to do for the folding shapes is to recognize distinct 2D shapes. line them up and it gets pretty obvious.

 

[jeninny44]

Total Science 21 92.4%

Wow. When I took the DAT in 2005 for the 2006-2007 cycle my 21 TS was 97th percentile. Looks like the competition is getting fiercer every year.

 

[Keester]

Here is what I got

Biology 20 87.4% (percentile)
General Chemistry 23 94.5%
Organic Chemistry 20 80.9%
Perceptual Ability 27 100% !!!!!
Reading Comprehension 18 39% =(
Quantitative Reasoning 20 87.3%

Academic Average 20 85.1%
Total Science 21 92.4%
Perceptual Ability 27 100%

I thought there were somethings you just could not have prepped for, I had to make an educated guess numerous times.

Bio: A lil of everything. Glad I just finished mammalian physiology. Got a few questions on taxonomy, plants, etc.
Chem: 3 calculations, rest is simple conceptual stuff
Organic: thought I did a lot better, whatever
Perceptual: Much more clean cut than topscore. Angles and hole punching were a tad harder but definitely do-able
Reading: Total blind side. Dont expect the "Q: what is the most ... A: The most .... is ...." Answers more hidden in the passages
Quant: A little tougher than Topscore. More probability and tougher trig and algebra.


Overall I thought I did worse than I actually did. The key is just to forget about the past and do whats in front of you.

Is it true that now instead of scratch paper they give you a dry erase board?

 

[subwrx04]

it wasnt exactly a dry erase board. it was 3 sheets of yellow paper that were laminated so you could erase easily. I actually thought it was better than pen and paper.

 

[lilietta2000]

All I used was topscore and the kaplan blue book. I started studying for this test about a month ago, but nonstop. Just try to keep everything simple, thats the key. I know its not what you hear, but there is seriously no easy way around this test. Just knock it out.

great scores! congrats!

qs: when you say you started a month ago..would you elaborate more on that ? like how many day and hours?...

 

[997GT3]

it wasnt exactly a dry erase board. it was 3 sheets of yellow paper that were laminated so you could erase easily. I actually thought it was better than pen and paper.

Yes, I must concur. I write really big and do prefer the dry erase board.

 

[Keester]

it wasnt exactly a dry erase board. it was 3 sheets of yellow paper that were laminated so you could erase easily. I actually thought it was better than pen and paper.

So it was 3 sheets front and back...so 6 sheets really you could write on? What did you write with...like a dry erase marker? Was it thin so you didn't take up alot of space?

 

[dev9036]

Here is what I got

Biology 20 87.4% (percentile)
General Chemistry 23 94.5%
Organic Chemistry 20 80.9%
Perceptual Ability 27 100% !!!!!
Reading Comprehension 18 39% =(
Quantitative Reasoning 20 87.3%

Academic Average 20 85.1%
Total Science 21 92.4%
Perceptual Ability 27 100%

I thought there were somethings you just could not have prepped for, I had to make an educated guess numerous times.

Bio: A lil of everything. Glad I just finished mammalian physiology. Got a few questions on taxonomy, plants, etc.
Chem: 3 calculations, rest is simple conceptual stuff
Organic: thought I did a lot better, whatever
Perceptual: Much more clean cut than topscore. Angles and hole punching were a tad harder but definitely do-able
Reading: Total blind side. Dont expect the "Q: what is the most ... A: The most .... is ...." Answers more hidden in the passages
Quant: A little tougher than Topscore. More probability and tougher trig and algebra.


Overall I thought I did worse than I actually did. The key is just to forget about the past and do whats in front of you.

Hey man u did a Great job in PA and Science..... I was curious to know what was you science GPA and What university u graduate from.....

 

[tickleme17]

good job on those great scores.

I took my DAT on May 19th, I was so confident thinking that i was going to ace the thing bc ive been using everything from Kaplan, Topscore, Destroyer, Barrons, to even Achiever to study for the past 4 months.

1/2 way thru the biology section, i started laughing my ass at how ridiculous the questions were. I felt like i was taking the wrong test or something. Barely nothing i studied was on the exam. I studied and memorized every single hormone, cycle, kingdom, gen chem equation, orgo rxn, and math equation possible but nothing like that was on the exam.

I still dont understand how people can say that the real DAT is easier than Kaplan!!!!! Kaplan is a freakin joke compared to the real DAT. The real DAT is ALLLLLLLL conceptual questions!!! Not basic biology concepts, but crazy ridiculous questions that they purposely make impossible!!! Maybe i overdid but needless to say im very angry and bitter to a point that i dont even know if i wanna do this anymore!

btw, my scores range from 14(QR) to -17(OC/RC)

Any advice ( nice or mean) especially from those who took the exam RECENTLY and did well is greatly appreciated!!!