Took DAT today.........

[dentwannabe]

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Firstly, thank you to all those SDNers who gave advice on here and to all those who answered my silly GENERAL CHEM questions.
Ok, thought I would post this as aid to all those studying...
First off, regarding my scores... my PAT sucks.. im really pissed about it.. im thinking i'll have to take the DAT again

BIO: 25
CHEM: 21
O CHEM: 21
READING: 24
QR: 18
PAT: 16 😡
TS: 23
AA: 22

well thats it... looks like september will be my SECOND attempt at this freakin test.

PAT: DEFINITELY expect a lower score than your practice tests.. i was getting 18s on practice. Looked easy. But apparently I got a lot wrong.

QR: Not as bad as Kaplan. Lot of arithmetic.

READING: DO NOT read the passage first.. u will waste time. just look for answers in passage. then in the end, when u have time to spare, go over ur answers.

CHEM: Again, not as bad as Kaplan. Pretty straightforward. Wat the hell is a colloid??? practice tests were 17s and 18s.

O CHEM: BASICALLY, wat ever is in Kaplan. practice tests were 18s.

BIO: for bio I used Schaum's outlines and KAPLAN'S book. some questions im pretty sure were not in Kaplan. But most of it was. Pretty straightforward.
By the way, I was getting 19s in my bio in topscore n kaplan.

if anyone wants any other study advice feel free to ask.

and no i dont remember any particular questions... my mind is dead right now.
But no, there was no sea urchin.

------------------------------

NOW, Let me ask you people.. what do you think I should do about my PAT? By the way, my GPA is a cum: 2.88 and sci: 2.70. I'd hate to retake this test cuz.... that would just suck. But it looks like I have no choice.

 

[DICK]

Firstly, thank you to all those SDNers who gave advice on here and to all those who answered my silly GENERAL CHEM questions.
Ok, thought I would post this as aid to all those studying...
First off, regarding my scores... my PAT sucks.. im really pissed about it.. im thinking i'll have to take the DAT again

BIO: 25
CHEM: 21
O CHEM: 21
READING: 24
QR: 18
PAT: 16 😡
TS: 23
AA: 22

well thats it... looks like september will be my SECOND attempt at this freakin test.

PAT: DEFINITELY expect a lower score than your practice tests.. i was getting 18s on practice. Looked easy. But apparently I got a lot wrong.

QR: Not as bad as Kaplan. Lot of arithmetic.

READING: DO NOT read the passage first.. u will waste time. just look for answers in passage. then in the end, when u have time to spare, go over ur answers.

CHEM: Again, not as bad as Kaplan. Pretty straightforward. Wat the hell is a colloid??? practice tests were 17s and 18s.

O CHEM: BASICALLY, wat ever is in Kaplan. practice tests were 18s.

BIO: for bio I used Schaum's outlines and KAPLAN'S book. some questions im pretty sure were not in Kaplan. But most of it was. Pretty straightforward.
By the way, I was getting 19s in my bio in topscore n kaplan.

if anyone wants any other study advice feel free to ask.

and no i dont remember any particular questions... my mind is dead right now.
But no, there was no sea urchin.

------------------------------

NOW, Let me ask you people.. what do you think I should do about my PAT? By the way, my GPA is a cum: 2.88 and sci: 2.70. I'd hate to retake this test cuz.... that would just suck. But it looks like I have no choice.

hey cuz! remember me? i firstly want to congratulate you. so, congratulations. next, i would like to thank you. so, thank you.

BTW,

any questions on plant biology?
if i did kaplan O Chem from back to front, and then back again, will i get a 21?
how much time did you spend using Schaum's, and how in depth?
RC - what's your secret? you did great!

anything else you would like to share?

i know your probably tired right now, so there is no need to post anything if you don't want to, but if you do, i appreciate your generosity and kindness.

let me thank you again. thank you.

BTW - I am SO, SO, SO, SO jealous of your DAT scores! 🙁 🙁 🙁

 

[dexadental]

Congratulations! I had no idea you were taking the test today...but those scores rock! Don't worry so much about your PAT as schools should overlook that considering your nice AA score. However, do retake it if it makes uncomfortable, and now you know what your main focus needs to be. I can only hope I get an AA that good come test time...2 weeks! Set my date tomorrow....

 

[ddsnp]

you did great...forget takin it again!

 

[Generallee]

Great Scores! I would not take it again just for PAT. I'm sure most schools will accept your PAT Score considering how well you did on all the rest. Congrats.

 

[dentwannabe]

DICK: hah, dick. ok, anyway, thanks. to answer ur questions. Very little plant biology. But u know wat, its about chance. cuz a friend of mine who took it 5 months b4 said that he had like 6 plant questions. so u have to study it.. unfortunately.
Regarding O-CHEm.. if u read kaplans front to back.. you should get WAY ABOVE 21. I didnt focus on Ochem that much. but if i did, i can tell u i would have a 25 or above.
Regarding Reading.. like i said.. just answer the questions.. look for the answers.. as u progress with the questions u get a better idea of the passage. if you follow this tactic, u should have ample time left at the end to go back and check ur answers. AND since u now know the passages much better (since by the last question u have read/analyzed each passage) u can double check ur answers to the 1st questions (the ones u answers when u hadn't read the passage too well). i dunno if u get wat i mean.. But screw road map, screw reading it. just answer questions. oh and being a fast reader REALLY helps.

dexadental: Thanks, man. I needed that. I think I will try calling the schools and asking them what they think. And don't worry, judging by the looks of ur gpa, you will do fine! GOOD LUCK!

 

[DICK]

DICK: hah, dick. ok, anyway, thanks. to answer ur questions. Very little plant biology. But u know wat, its about chance. cuz a friend of mine who took it 5 months b4 said that he had like 6 plant questions. so u have to study it.. unfortunately.
Regarding O-CHEm.. if u read kaplans front to back.. you should get WAY ABOVE 21. I didnt focus on Ochem that much. but if i did, i can tell u i would have a 25 or above.
Regarding Reading.. like i said.. just answer the questions.. look for the answers.. as u progress with the questions u get a better idea of the passage. if you follow this tactic, u should have ample time left at the end to go back and check ur answers. AND since u now know the passages much better (since by the last question u have read/analyzed each passage) u can double check ur answers to the 1st questions (the ones u answers when u hadn't read the passage too well). i dunno if u get wat i mean.. But screw road map, screw reading it. just answer questions. oh and being a fast reader REALLY helps.

dexadental: Thanks, man. I needed that. I think I will try calling the schools and asking them what they think. And don't worry, judging by the looks of ur gpa, you will do fine! GOOD LUCK!

Hey dent, we've had our history here on SDN (If you know what I mean), but I gotta give it to ya - GREAT JOB BUDDY!!! And I really didn't think you would respond to my post, but you did, and I thank you for it 🙂

From this point on, you'll be playing the waiting game, good luck , even though you won't need it with those kind of scores! And as far as the PAT goes, the ad coms will definately look past it with your kind of AA - it's absolutely terrific, killa stuff!

I hope you don't think I'm praisng you too much, but I think you deserve it. My GPA is similar to yours (kind of), and you've given me so much inspiration to GO FOR IT when i take my DAT in about 4-6 weeks.

I guess that is what SDN is all about anyway, right?

I hope you remain an active user here on SDN, because when I take my DAT, I want you to be the first one congratualting me on my 20's! , I'll PM you before I take them 👍

Thanks again for your Post!

 

[Divineimpetus]

What schools are you trying to get into? Eventhough you have a low GPA your DAT scores are unbelievable. I can't believe a 16 on the PAT is going to stop you.

 

[DICK]

What schools are you trying to get into? Eventhough you have a low GPA your DAT scores are unbelievable. I can't believe a 16 on the PAT is going to stop you.

dent is garaunteed a spot at UOP - I hope he/she applied there!!!

 

[puncho]

I hate to say it, but you can't guarantee a spot anywhere. I know UoP looks for 20s (or close to it) across the board so I'm not sure if the 16 will cut it (for UoP that is...) Great scores otherwise!

 

[Gurl21]

Dentwannabe, CONGRATS! Terrific scores! Aren't you glad it's over with? 😛 Okay, my advice is to NOT take it again. All your scores besides PAT are really high... you do not want to risk taking the test again in 3 months and scoring lower on those sections for only like 2 points higher on the perceptual section. I am practically in the same boat as you. I have similar gpa.. 3.02 cum and 2.7 BCP... and i got 24/24/16 on the DAT. I asked around for advice too, and everyone I talked to told me it's not worth retaking the whole test just b/c of the PAT section. After thinking about it, I agreed with them and decided it's just not worth it. Besides, your scores in your other sections are already so good that do you really think you'll do even better than that 3 months from now when you've forgetten some of the material? Probably not.

 

[dentwannabe]

Dentwannabe, CONGRATS! Terrific scores! Aren't you glad it's over with? 😛 Okay, my advice is to NOT take it again. All your scores besides PAT are really high... you do not want to risk taking the test again in 3 months and scoring lower on those sections for only like 2 points higher on the perceptual section. I am practically in the same boat as you. I have similar gpa.. 3.02 cum and 2.7 BCP... and i got 24/24/16 on the DAT. I asked around for advice too, and everyone I talked to told me it's not worth retaking the whole test just b/c of the PAT section. After thinking about it, I agreed with them and decided it's just not worth it. Besides, your scores in your other sections are already so good that do you really think you'll do even better than that 3 months from now when you've forgetten some of the material? Probably not.

hey baby gurl.. good advice. Did you call the schools up? I mean who did you ask when you "asked around"?

Its good to hear from you because as you said, yes we are in similar circumstances (even tho ur DAT is higher).

yea, i have no plans of UOP.

At the moment,
UMDNJ, NYU, BU, TEMPLE, HOUSTON is what im applying to.

 

[dat_student]

BIO: 25
CHEM: 21
O CHEM: 21
READING: 24
QR: 18
PAT: 16 😡
TS: 23
AA: 22

congrats ! good job.

 

[DICK]

Dentwannabe, CONGRATS! Terrific scores! Aren't you glad it's over with? 😛 Okay, my advice is to NOT take it again. All your scores besides PAT are really high... you do not want to risk taking the test again in 3 months and scoring lower on those sections for only like 2 points higher on the perceptual section. I am practically in the same boat as you. I have similar gpa.. 3.02 cum and 2.7 BCP... and i got 24/24/16 on the DAT. I asked around for advice too, and everyone I talked to told me it's not worth retaking the whole test just b/c of the PAT section. After thinking about it, I agreed with them and decided it's just not worth it. Besides, your scores in your other sections are already so good that do you really think you'll do even better than that 3 months from now when you've forgetten some of the material? Probably not.

If you don't mind, i was hoping you and/or dent could shed some light as to why you both didn't do so well on the PAT. Do you both feel you should have studied longer/harder for this section? Were you not prepared? Were you not prepared for any particular section? What really was it? I would love to get your kind of scores on the DAT, but I would also like to do well on the PAT, any advice? Thanks.

 

[Gurl21]

hey baby gurl.. good advice. Did you call the schools up? I mean who did you ask when you "asked around"?

Its good to hear from you because as you said, yes we are in similar circumstances (even tho ur DAT is higher).

yea, i have no plans of UOP.

At the moment,
UMDNJ, NYU, BU, TEMPLE, HOUSTON is what im applying to.

Dentwannabe, I asked the dental admissions officer at my school (UF), the dentist I used to work for whose daughter applied last year with similar stats, and people on sdn. I called up one school and asked them, but they gave me a somewhat vague answer so then I didn't call other schools.

A question though, are you a NJ or Texas resident? Because I think both UMDNJ and Houston take mostly in-state residents.

Anyway, let me know if u have anymore questions and good luck!

 

[dentwannabe]

Dentwannabe, I asked the dental admissions officer at my school (UF), the dentist I used to work for whose daughter applied last year with similar stats, and people on sdn. I called up one school and asked them, but they gave me a somewhat vague answer so then I didn't call other schools.

A question though, are you a NJ or Texas resident? Because I think both UMDNJ and Houston take mostly in-state residents.

Anyway, let me know if u have anymore questions and good luck!

oh, ok. i'm a Jersey resident. Im only applying to houston cuz my family is moving to houston in one year.

Yea, I'm gonna call some schools this week. I will let you know what their answers are.

And to DICK: I dunno about Gurl.. but for me.. its about practice. I mean when I went into this DAT (i took it kinda early in june... seeing as how many are taking it in july).. anyway.. when i went into it.. i knew i wouldnt get a high PAT score cuz i just wasnt getting enough practice. i also knew that with enough practice, i could do better. So to put it shortly, its DEFINITELY do-able. just practice. and take it when you're ready. For example, if your getting 18s on topscore PAT (like me) then expect to get a 16... So shoot for 20 and above on topscore PATs. And oh, yea, angle ranking is much harder.

 

[Sprgrover]

Wow, the scores are looking good this year! Congratulations! Don't worry about that 16 as it is at or above the cutoff for most schools and besides your AA outshines it. 👍