Useful Classes to take before DAT

[mx41]

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I am a college freshman and I need help taking some useful classes that will better prep me for the DAT in a couple of years.
I will start to take upper level bio classes in my spring semester of my sophomore year.

My schedule:
Sophomore spring: (Total 12 hours)
Orgo I with lab
Cell biology no lab
Foreign Language .

Junior fall: (total 14 hours)
Molecular Genetics with lab : 6 credit hours
Orgo II with Lab
Homeostasis: Physiology of Plants/Animals

Junior Spring: (total 14)
Vertebrate Embryology:
Gen Ed
Gen Ed
Gen Ed ( I need 5 gen eds in total to graduate and cant find room elsewhere)

So do you guys think Embryology, Genetics, Cell Bio, and Homeostasis are pretty good classes or useless to take for DAT? What are some suggestions?

Thanks a lot

 

[Frederico Albin]

Im on the same boat here.
Next semester I will be taking orgoI, cell bio, human anatomy + 1 elective.

Going back to your question, imo, those classes should definitely help you with your DAT scores.

 

[Rubber Dam Man]

to be best prepared for the DAT as far as undergrad classes are concerned, imo you will need:

general bio I & II
general chem I & II
orgo I & II
genetics (2-4 questions in bio section)
cell biology
animal physiology (or any kind of vertebrate physiology course)
plant biology
developmental biology
...

fellow SDNers, feel free to add to this in case I missed a few impt classes

 

[Hawkeye7685]

I'd take some upper level math classes. Calc I and II are good but they don't really represent what will be on the exam. Something like a class that goes over algebra, geometry and stuff you do in high school would be super helpful. Basically a math class for people who just need to get rid of it so that when you get to the math questions on the DAT you at least have it fresh in your head. I'd also suggest taking a class in endocrinology and most importantly take a biochemistry course like the previous guy mentioned. Biochem is huge on the exam.

 

[DDSguyLA]

I think Physiology really covers most subjects on the Bio test of the DAT (BY FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR)

 

[mx41]

Thanks for your replies

For the science classes in my schedule, are there anyones that I should consider replacing with a different science class? and I cant "add" any more classes to the credit hours
And I can't take Biochemistry until my senior year, since it is only offered in the Spring and requires Orgo II.

 

[HowAboutDAT]

is biochemistry required by most dental schools these days?

 

[doc3232]

I think Physiology really covers most subjects on the Bio test of the DAT (BY FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR)

Agreed, we all know what mitochondria are and we know Mendel's laws. But, we don't know much about things like the brain or immune system. Just 1 or 2 physio classes and you are set. General bio covers the rest., mostly.

 

[doc3232]

is biochemistry required by most dental schools these days?

Yes, quite a few of the ones I will apply to.

 

[Contach]

take some easy courses and boost up your GPA man. no wonder all you americans have garbage GPAs. If I took those courses Id probably have a 3.5 too. sheesh.
take a geography course or two.. maybe a religious studies or anthro course as well - lighten that workload!!!

 

[Orgodox]

I agree make sure you dont hurt yourself with a low GPA because you do well ont hat dat but still need good stats overall. Keep in mind many schools require BioChem

 

[mx41]

take some easy courses and boost up your GPA man. no wonder all you americans have garbage GPAs. If I took those courses Id probably have a 3.5 too. sheesh.
take a geography course or two.. maybe a religious studies or anthro course as well - lighten that workload!!!

I agree make sure you dont hurt yourself with a low GPA because you do well ont hat dat but still need good stats overall. Keep in mind many schools require BioChem

So are you guys suggesting that my scheduled courseload is too much?

 

[RJ1029]

Is it necessary to take Genetics?

 

[gentlerwave]

take some easy courses and boost up your GPA man. no wonder all you americans have garbage GPAs. If I took those courses Id probably have a 3.5 too. sheesh.
take a geography course or two.. maybe a religious studies or anthro course as well - lighten that workload!!!

Let me tell you a little bit about my background. My DAT score is 22/21/21 for AA/PAT/TS. I studied for the DAT literally a week before taking it. Why did I study so little? Because I believed that my courses really prepared me well for it.

The science courses I took before I took the DAT:
Orgo I &II and lab
Gen chem
Gen bio
Homeostasis
Biochemistry
Cell bio
Genetics & lab
Human anatomy and physiology I & II

On top of those, I had a math minor so I didn't study for the math part and got a 24. So bottom line if you take the proper courses you'll do well. And I still maintain a 4.0 so it's definitely doable.

 

[RJ1029]

Do you think it's essential to take Genetics? I'm switching majors and don't want to take any unnecessary classes...

Let me tell you a little bit about my background. My DAT score is 22/21/21 for AA/PAT/TS. I studied for the DAT literally a week before taking it. Why did I study so little? Because I believed that my courses really prepared me well for it.

The science courses I took before I took the DAT:
Orgo I &II and lab
Gen chem
Gen bio
Homeostasis
Biochemistry
Cell bio
Genetics & lab
Human anatomy and physiology I & II

On top of those, I had a math minor so I didn't study for the math part and got a 24. So bottom line if you take the proper courses you'll do well. And I still maintain a 4.0 so it's definitely doable.

 

[Illfavor]

Hm...I got a 25AA having taken only Gen Chem 1/2, OChem 1/2 and Bio 1/2...and not being in a math class for 7 years. I'm pretty sure those classes are the entire scope of the sciences. I'd recommend getting those done ASAP and then taking the DAT right afterwards. I didn't have to "relearn" much of OChem and bio since I had literally just finished the courses.

 

[Contach]

Let me tell you a little bit about my background. My DAT score is 22/21/21 for AA/PAT/TS. I studied for the DAT literally a week before taking it. Why did I study so little? Because I believed that my courses really prepared me well for it.

The science courses I took before I took the DAT:
Orgo I &II and lab
Gen chem
Gen bio
Homeostasis
Biochemistry
Cell bio
Genetics & lab
Human anatomy and physiology I & II

On top of those, I had a math minor so I didn't study for the math part and got a 24. So bottom line if you take the proper courses you'll do well. And I still maintain a 4.0 so it's definitely doable.

There's plenty of time in 3 years of undergrad to take the pre-reqs for dental school, plus plenty of easy courses. You don't need many of those courses for the DAT. The courses that were relevant that I took were: Orgo I and II, Gen Chem, and Biochemistry. I believe I set aside about 6 weeks to study for the DAT, but study intensely for 3-4?

By the way, 4 years ago when I took the DAT I ripped your score: 24 AA and 26 TS, and i think a 21 or 22 PAT on the American DAT.

Much easier to get a stellar GPA with easier courses. Sometimes there are sciencey courses that are known to be easier to get good grades - take these!!!! Then take some things you are interested in. You'll learn enough science in dental school, or medical school or whatever. You only have 1 chance to take religious studies courses.

 

[gentlerwave]

Do you think it's essential to take Genetics? I'm switching majors and don't want to take any unnecessary classes...

I'd say besides homeostasis, the rest of the classes helped me in one way or another the DAT. Having a good background in genetics is always a plus. If you can only take a few bio classes, definitely take cell bio, biochem, genetics, and physio.

By the way, 4 years ago when I took the DAT I ripped your score: 24 AA and 26 TS, and i think a 21 or 22 PAT on the American DAT.

Much easier to get a stellar GPA with easier courses. Sometimes there are sciencey courses that are known to be easier to get good grades - take these!!!! Then take some things you are interested in. You'll learn enough science in dental school, or medical school or whatever. You only have 1 chance to take religious studies courses.

I'm not here to brag or to compare my score with yours. If you read my post carefully you would have seen that I only studied for a week with minimal resources. In fact, I didn't spend a penny on studying materials. My point is that taking the right classes will help you on the DAT as it did for me. And dental schools DO look into what you've taken in your undergrad. They want to see whether you've challenged yourself enough to handle the academic rigor in dental school. I understand that there might be courses that you can only take in undergrad but if you wanna get by with easy science classes just to have a nice GPA, that's really missing the point because you are destined to suffer in your D1 year. Taking those classes in undergrad helped me establish good studying habit and good strategy.

 

[RJ1029]

Thank you for your help, everyone!

 

[Contach]

I'd say besides homeostasis, the rest of the classes helped me in one way or another the DAT. Having a good background in genetics is always a plus. If you can only take a few bio classes, definitely take cell bio, biochem, genetics, and physio.



I'm not here to brag or to compare my score with yours. If you read my post carefully you would have seen that I only studied for a week with minimal resources. In fact, I didn't spend a penny on studying materials. My point is that taking the right classes will help you on the DAT as it did for me. And dental schools DO look into what you've taken in your undergrad. They want to see whether you've challenged yourself enough to handle the academic rigor in dental school. I understand that there might be courses that you can only take in undergrad but if you wanna get by with easy science classes just to have a nice GPA, that's really missing the point because you are destined to suffer in your D1 year. Taking those classes in undergrad helped me establish good studying habit and good strategy.

No one knows if Biochem 201 is harder than Biochem 206. Only you, and students at your school know that. There are so many schools, no one keeps track of what are bird courses. Some geology courses (often thought to be bird courses) can be, in fact, very difficult to get good grades in. I don't think admissions committees are so nit picky to look through the 40 classes you took; and I also don't think they are so naive to be able to know if the courses you took were bird courses or not. I do think they will appreciate your quest to diversify your education if you mix in some non-science courses into your education - as they are accepting students, not GPAs.

The material you learn in undergrad doesn't appreciably help you in dental school. In fact, they've shown that the only thing that has good (R > 0.6) correlation to how you do in dental school is your RC score on the DAT.

The skills you learn in undergrad are far more important. Perseverance, hard work, playing the game, etc. You can build these skills by working hard at hard classes, or you can build these skills by taking on an easier courseload and dedicate your time to doing other productive things: working, volunteering, being an engaged student, etc. Especially important if you feel that there is a chance that you won't get the coveted GPA that you feel will get you into dental school (the point at which most people's career aspirations to be a dentist get crushed).

Once again, there are many non-science majors in dental school who do well in dental school. For example, in my class we had 3 students who were music majors, 2 of whom must have done well in dental school to get into their respective specialty residencies (OMFS/Ortho). And I think this underlines the points I'm trying to make.