tutorial during DAT

[Clover]

When you take the DAT, you get a tutorial before the test. I've read some place that you should get used to the format prior to test day. That way you can use that time to set up your scarp paper.

Could someone elaborate on this tutorial. Is it timed? Is it part of the test? If I skipped the tutorial, does the SNS section begin immediately? What did you do during your tutorial, if you don't mind sharing?

Also, while your at it, how many pieces of scrap paper did you get and were pencil/pens?? provided or you bring your own? If provided, what did they give you?

Thank you in advance!

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[messenger]

i was just about to ask the same thing. what is this tutorial and how did you guys use and ready your scrap paper?

🙂

 

[jmick101]

The tutorial is 15 minutes long and it goes through 19 different screens that show you what the sections are going to look like. My recommendation is to buy Topscore and DAT achiever and then you wont need to bother with the tutorial. What I did was draw out my Trig Functions, cube counting grid, mnemonics, geometry formulas. You could use that 15 minutes for anything, praying, meditating, twiddling your thumbs, whatever. The point here is that you should NOT need the tutorial before you take the test. Another good thing about Topscore is that they include a study guide with it that gives a sample sheet of scratch paper all set up.

 

[messenger]

i will def. not be using the tutorial then. i have achiever and very familiar with everything.
so how much scrap paper do they give you? do they give you all the paper you will have right at the beginning?
and also, when you say you spend the time setting up your paper with whatever....can you bring in a notebook or something with, lets say, important formulas, etc. that you want to use, and just copy it right onto your paper? 🙂
and does anyone happen to have a copy of that topscore sheet? 😳
thanks for the help!
messenger.

 

[thehipster]

You can't bring in a notecard. Jmick101 meant that you could write down that stuff at the beginning so you can just reference your sheet, instead of trying to remember it or write it down during the test.

 

[CJ122638]

Did you bring your own pencils?

 

[jmick101]

You cant bring in anything with you to the testing center, basically you walk in there in a towel because the proctors strip search you. They even pull out this rubber glove and do... horrible things... I really dont want to talk about it. On the upside they do give you two pencils and I recieved 4 pages of scratch paper, which I thought was pretty generous actually. But you still have a little problem sitting down after.... nevermind...

 

[jmick101]

Some people are wondering what exactly I put on my scratch paper, as far as mnemonics, equations, etc. Here is what I put down by section:

BIO: I made up this mnemonic for the embryonic germ layers, it goes like this

Ectoderm: epi han, epi nam LRan (if you say it it kind of ryhmes)
The interpretation is: EPIdermis, Hair, And Nails, EPIthelial linings of Nose, Anal, Mouth, Lens, Retina And Nervous system.

Endoderm: epird polpthyl blidlle (this rhymes too in a strange way)
EPIthelial linings of Respitory and Digestive tracts, Portions Of Liver, Pancreas, THYroid, and BLaDer Lining

Mesoderm: cmeg con prado, Circulatory, Muskuloskelatal, Excretory, Gonads, Connective tissue, Portions of Respitory And Digestive Organs.

I make no excuses for my mnemonic, it is somewhat confusing, but it worked for me. I suggest making up your own, but whatever you do, you will be tested on embryology.

Gchem and Ochem: nothing

PAT: Cube counting matrix. Number 1-5 down the page on one side draw lines for each number going the width of the page, and spit that matrix into A, B, C, D, E, etc with enough space for your tally marks in each box.

RC: number down the page 1-18 for my notes on each paragraph (this took a page and a half)

QR: Trig functions of 30 45 and 60 degree angles on a right triangle. Also the circle with the All Student Take Calculus thingy. Formula of sphere (didnt need it) and that was about it.

 

[Kane]

thanks muchly for that!

Some people are wondering what exactly I put on my scratch paper, as far as mnemonics, equations, etc. Here is what I put down by section:

BIO: I made up this mnemonic for the embryonic germ layers, it goes like this

Ectoderm: epi han, epi nam LRan (if you say it it kind of ryhmes)
The interpretation is: EPIdermis, Hair, And Nails, EPIthelial linings of Nose, Anal, Mouth, Lens, Retina And Nervous system.

Endoderm: epird polpthyl blidlle (this rhymes too in a strange way)
EPIthelial linings of Respitory and Digestive tracts, Portions Of Liver, Pancreas, THYroid, and BLaDer Lining

Mesoderm: cmeg con prado, Circulatory, Muskuloskelatal, Excretory, Gonads, Connective tissue, Portions of Respitory And Digestive Organs.

I make no excuses for my mnemonic, it is somewhat confusing, but it worked for me. I suggest making up your own, but whatever you do, you will be tested on embryology.

Gchem and Ochem: nothing

PAT: Cube counting matrix. Number 1-5 down the page on one side draw lines for each number going the width of the page, and spit that matrix into A, B, C, D, E, etc with enough space for your tally marks in each box.

RC: number down the page 1-18 for my notes on each paragraph (this took a page and a half)

QR: Trig functions of 30 45 and 60 degree angles on a right triangle. Also the circle with the All Student Take Calculus thingy. Formula of sphere (didnt need it) and that was about it.

 

[Kane]

actually, one thing. about the PAT matrix:

i understand 1-5 (a row for each exposed cube surface)...but "A, B, C, D, etc"?

do you put the question number that corresponds to the letter for the answer in the matix? (i'm starting to think this i'm asking a dumb question.)

thanks for your patience with me on this one.

 

[jmick101]

actually, one thing. about the PAT matrix:

i understand 1-5 (a row for each exposed cube surface)...but "A, B, C, D, etc"?

do you put the question number that corresponds to the letter for the answer in the matix? (i'm starting to think this i'm asking a dumb question.)

thanks for your patience with me on this one.

No, no, I guess I wasnt clear about this. The cube counting matrix is goes like this: 1-5 down one side, each number gets its own row to seperate it from the others. Then you put those rows into columns a, b, c, d, etc for each of the different cube stacks you will get. Like, "how many cubes in stack B have 3 sides showing" Does this make sense?

 

[Kane]

No, no, I guess I wasnt clear about this. The cube counting matrix is goes like this: 1-5 down one side, each number gets its own row to seperate it from the others. Then you put those rows into columns a, b, c, d, etc for each of the different cube stacks you will get. Like, "how many cubes in stack B have 3 sides showing" Does this make sense?

Yes it does. Thanks.

I wonder if this strategy really save time.

For instance, if you are only going to be asked, say, how many cubes have: 3 surfaces exposed, and 4 surfaces exposed in stack "A", isn't it a waste of time to do the extra counting?

 

[jmick101]

Yes it does. Thanks.

I wonder if this strategy really save time.

For instance, if you are only going to be asked, say, how many cubes have: 3 surfaces exposed, and 4 surfaces exposed in stack "A", isn't it a waste of time to do the extra counting?

This is true, but for me it was easier and faster to do it my may. I would count and tally 4 blocks at a time. I would say to myself "four, four, three, four" and then tally them. If you do it the other way, you have to think more about what to count and what not to count as well as look ahead at what numbers you need. Plus you are going to end up counting them all anyways right?

 

[Kane]

I see what you mean. very smart strategy. Which follows considering you are clearly very smart. lol

This is true, but for me it was easier and faster to do it my may. I would count and tally 4 blocks at a time. I would say to myself "four, four, three, four" and then tally them. If you do it the other way, you have to think more about what to count and what not to count as well as look ahead at what numbers you need. Plus you are going to end up counting them all anyways right?