Ummm, PAT is hard!

[NDPitch]

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So yeah. I only just started REALLY working problems through. To this point it was a lot of just looking at sample problems scattered across the internet and saying "ahhh yes, I see how that works! Got it!"

Now, I bought CDP, sat down, said to myself "Okay, let's start out with my best section. Hole punching!"

I clicked start. The timer started. And I got DESTROYED. Wow. I was getting lost in the folds before I could even start considering where the holes could be. So I was like okay, let's try angle ranking, I usually get most of those right! Bam, got like 50% right. Owned.

I have a new found dislike for the PAT. I know I just started practicing, but I definitely got that "demoralizing feeling" that just crushes you, and makes you think "wow, am I going to be able to figure these things out?!"

Suggestions welcomed...

 

[jeffity]

Who's Pat?

Practice makes perfect. Well, maybe not perfect. But maybe a 19.

Hit the DAT forum for lots on tips and tricks. Find a method that works for you and practice daily so your mind stays harp.

 

[DocHolliday1982]

So yeah. I only just started REALLY working problems through. To this point it was a lot of just looking at sample problems scattered across the internet and saying "ahhh yes, I see how that works! Got it!"

Now, I bought CDP, sat down, said to myself "Okay, let's start out with my best section. Hole punching!"

I clicked start. The timer started. And I got DESTROYED. Wow. I was getting lost in the folds before I could even start considering where the holes could be. So I was like okay, let's try angle ranking, I usually get most of those right! Bam, got like 50% right. Owned.

I have a new found dislike for the PAT. I know I just started practicing, but I definitely got that "demoralizing feeling" that just crushes you, and makes you think "wow, am I going to be able to figure these things out?!"

Suggestions welcomed...

My first 4 Crack the DAT PAT attempts were 15-18....... I worked at the achiever PATs without a timer, read Sama's tutorial, came back to Crack PAT and started hitting 21-23, got similar on the Real DAT, if I could get a 21-23 anyone can (I was really pretty hopeless to start off), just keep working at it, go back over things until you can really see it and then work on timing.... good luck

 

[tothepark]

Some people are just "born with it,"..... "it" being spacial perception. I literally completed the PAT problems in the Kaplan blue book (not that many) and took 1 practice test for it and received a 24 on the real thing.

I would say however, that not being flustered and keeping your mind "clean" while doing PAT problems is important (keep your mind organized).

Create a chart for cube counting (tally up all the cubes with 4 painted sides, 3 painted sides, etc.. before answering any questions).

For the other parts, keep focused on "important" landmarks, and don't get confused by losing that focus.

 

[sacapuntas]

It was hard for me, I did the crack dat PAT tests once a week for the 10 weeks leading to my DAT. I got 17s and 18s on the first 5 then started to review my mistakes and why I was getting things wrong. I also started looking for patterns of symmetry on hole punch and I started getting 20-22 on the tests. Biggest mistake I made was not doing a practice the day before my DAT, I felt a little rusty on the real thing but it went alright anyways and I reached my goal, not having to redo the DAT just for the PAT.

 

[goffdent]

there are tricks/suggestions to help you on some sections... like hole punching, cube counting

 

[chill45]

Time management, if you see a problem that you have no idea where to start then mark it and move on. There will be some in each section that you should be able to knock out and then a couple that are ridiculously hard. Make sure you get the easy ones right by not wasting time on hard ones that you may have to guess at anyways.

 

[MOUTHLOVER]

I was doing great on my PAT tests of CDPAT (all in 20s) and then on the real thing I got stumped right in the beginning, I spent 15 minutes on the first 5 questions haha I think it's because I only slept 2 hours the night befre my exam. I had to speed through the rest of the exam... I got a 22 - not as good as I wanted but im happy considering the time I spent at the beginning 😛

 

[road2dmd]

When are you taking the DAT? Also definitely get CRACK THE PAT! I think some of their stuff is too challenging but also great. Got me a 24 on the PAT. I also know some tricks and or methods to make sections easier, like the hole punches that is def a section you can master....

Practice practice practice, don't get discouraged, and skipping around sometimes can be beneficial it was for me

I'll post on my blog in a few days on some really good strategies for the PAT. For now, hang in there!

 

[NDPitch]

When are you taking the DAT? Also definitely get CRACK THE PAT! I think some of their stuff is too challenging but also great. Got me a 24 on the PAT. I also know some tricks and or methods to make sections easier, like the hole punches that is def a section you can master....

Practice practice practice, don't get discouraged, and skipping around sometimes can be beneficial it was for me

I'll post on my blog in a few days on some really good strategies for the PAT. For now, hang in there!

Nice! I'll look for that blog post. I take the DAT "sometime" this summer. Probably July. I still have time to get better. Last night I was getting a little better at CDP's hole punching by using the tic tac toe grid method. I went from like 6 minutes of confusion per problem to 2.5 minutes. Just gotta keep getting better...

 

[sacapuntas]

Nice! I'll look for that blog post. I take the DAT "sometime" this summer. Probably July. I still have time to get better. Last night I was getting a little better at CDP's hole punching by using the tic tac toe grid method. I went from like 6 minutes of confusion per problem to 2.5 minutes. Just gotta keep getting better...

Stick with it! Hole punching more than any other part is a section that will all of a sudden click and you will eventually take 5 minutes for the whole section and get them all right. For me it was the hardest at first, and became by far the easiest once I figured out what to look for.

 

[DoctorCrentist]

I found the PAT section in the Barrons book useful. The rest of the Barrons book was full of errors. There are lots of tricks in it that were not in other books/online test sims. Check it out. What I needed to focus on was not wasting too much time in each section. Keep an eye on the clock, like, "at this time on the clock, I should be at number X of this section", etc. That way, you don't end up not finishing questions because you took too long to count cubes in the previous section, and bomb it.

Also, if you get Acheiver, you will be completely overwhelmed with their PAT section. It is so much harder than the real PAT. The ADA sample test is the closest to the actual DAT, even the PAT section.

I know you didn't ask this, but DAT Destroyer was worth the price.

 

[road2dmd]

Nice! I'll look for that blog post. I take the DAT "sometime" this summer. Probably July. I still have time to get better. Last night I was getting a little better at CDP's hole punching by using the tic tac toe grid method. I went from like 6 minutes of confusion per problem to 2.5 minutes. Just gotta keep getting better...

It's up! Very basic and yes I actually used the grid method too. Do you draw lines of symmetry? Try it if not, sorry if the post is now redundant since you found a method that may be the same one that i use. Also, keep practicing you can get really fast! Though I added a general Tip for the PAT.