Using flashcards a productive way to study for the DAT?

[Ding2daDong]

Hello everyone,

I am starting to study for the DAT and was wondering how productive using flashcards is to study for the DAT?

I use flashcards regularly during undergrad for classes like biology, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, and organic chemistry with great success. While in classes like chemistry and organic chemistry I usually mix it up with flashcards and lots of problem solving. I feel I learn the material very well by making the flashcards and then going over them multiple times vs. reading the book multiple times and still not knowing the material.

I understand that by choosing the flashcard method I will accumulate a coupe thousand flashcards in the process but I feel it will work well in my understanding the material better.

Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your time,

-Matthew

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[yankees27th]

I've never liked flashcards, but if it works for you then go for it. Although I definitely wouldn't study only the flashcards. Supplement it with different books like the Kaplan book and Destroyer and with programs like CDP and Topscore.

 

[Zubnaya Feya]

If using flashcards helped you a lot in college-level science classes, then why changing the strategy? And yes, you are right, do a lot of problems - that combination sounds like a good plan. Although I never used flashcards myself, I think if you use them wisely they help a lot.

 

[Ding2daDong]

I've never liked flashcards, but if it works for you then go for it. Although I definitely wouldn't study only the flashcards. Supplement it with different books like the Kaplan book and Destroyer and with programs like CDP and Topscore.

I agree. I actually make my own flashcards using different study materials. So for now I will start with the Kaplan BB and the information in it I make the flashcards from as I read it. While this may seem time consuming it works very well for me and takes about the same amount of time as reading the book several times over.

Thanks again for the responses.

I wonder how people feel about flashcards in dental school? With the intense course load I may have to improvise later on.

-Matthew

 

[Albuterol]

I used flashcards to study organic chemistry reactions. When I tried to make flashcards for bio, there was just too much writing on it so I just read the notes that I took.

 

[steelrfan8]

If you saw how many flashcards I have you would get scared. For me, by far the best method to study and used it thoughout undergrad for all science.

90% of my learning comes from the actual making of flashcards... when you make them and think about how to word something so you understand it, you learn the material... when you review the flashcards, its just that... review.

If you had success using this method in undergrad, you should defiantly stick with it for the DATs since the organizing is very similar.

 

[IdahoDoc]

Just do what you did in undergrad. When i took the DAT it just felt like i was taking a comprehensive final for each of those subjects in fact i found the O Chem on the DAT to be much easier then the ACS organic final. So if flash cards worked for you in undergrad then keep using them.

 

[rockets1]

Hello everyone,

I am starting to study for the DAT and was wondering how productive using flashcards is to study for the DAT?

I use flashcards regularly during undergrad for classes like biology, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, and organic chemistry with great success. While in classes like chemistry and organic chemistry I usually mix it up with flashcards and lots of problem solving. I feel I learn the material very well by making the flashcards and then going over them multiple times vs. reading the book multiple times and still not knowing the material.

I understand that by choosing the flashcard method I will accumulate a coupe thousand flashcards in the process but I feel it will work well in my understanding the material better.

Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your time,

-Matthew

I think flashcards are a great way to help on things which you may forget the most. I used it extensively for g-chem and o-chem and I must say it really did help. I would review those cards every night for about 30 min. before I went to bed. I never really used this method during undergrad but it did help me remember and understand things that I had a tendency to forget. Do whatever you feel comfortable with because there is no right or wrong way to study for this test.

 

[HowAboutDAT]

i hope you saved those flash cards you made from your undergrad courses, that would help a lot

 

[supraman]

I did good on OC (21) /GC (22) using flash cards, they work wonders using just Kaplan. If you use other stuff you can prob +2 to each of those

 

[burnzee06]

I think flashcards are really helpful. I don't particularly enjoy making them (especially when it's just one word and the definition on the back.. what a waste!) but I found some websites that let you type them and review them online. Ten times easier.