what dat score do you want to get?? and some advice for those taking the dat

[gatszu]

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i've been reading the forum for a couple of months now and noticed a few people posting their score on the real dat and what they get on practice exams and so on. so, my question is, what do people really aim for on the dat anyways? it seems to me that quite a few people think they are prepared for the dat after getting 20 something on kaplan pactice test, topscore or whatever prep material utilized. then they take the real dat and freak out about how average their score is or how they didn't do too well on one section or another. but the truth is, if you're not getting almost perfect on all those practice exams you did, you are not really prepared for the dat. last summer, when i studied for the dat, i didn't bother w/the topscore until a week before i took the real dat, not until after i went through all the kaplan subject tests and missed not more than one of two questions per test. when i got to topscore, i was getting 25+, and when i took the dat, i did get 25+.

all that being said, it's not about me and how i studied. it's about you and how prepared you should prepare yourself. if you're going to put in a few weeks, a few months, and a few hundred bucks to take an exam, why not put in some more work to make sure that you will do well? getting 18-22 on practice exams won't cut it for the real thing. shoot for perfection, and perfection you will achieve.

the dat is not difficult, but it is not easy either. it is a very intensive exam. it will drain you physically and mentally. for those who are not familiar w/taking long exams, a good way to practice endurance is to study at the same time as your test is schedule, and study in stretches of 4 or 5 hours, this way, your body gets conditioned to the strenuousness.

for those who have the kaplan subject test, please read all the answer explanations, yes, even to those questions that you answered correctly. from my experience, the amount of information in the explanation is very valuable. yes, the kaplan subject tests are much harder than the real dat, especially for gchem and ochem. but mastering the kaplan subject tests well allow you to do well on those parts on the dat. i scored a 29ts just studying the kaplan subject tests and reading the kaplan review notes. you can do it too.

that was long. i hope some of you found it helpful.

 

[dat_student]

i've been reading the forum for a couple of months now and noticed a few people posting their score on the real dat and what they get on practice exams and so on. so, my question is, what do people really aim for on the dat anyways? it seems to me that quite a few people think they are prepared for the dat after getting 20 something on kaplan pactice test, topscore or whatever prep material utilized. then they take the real dat and freak out about how average their score is or how they didn't do too well on one section or another. but the truth is, if you're not getting almost perfect on all those practice exams you did, you are not really prepared for the dat. last summer, when i studied for the dat, i didn't bother w/the topscore until a week before i took the real dat, not until after i went through all the kaplan subject tests and missed not more than one of two questions per test. when i got to topscore, i was getting 25+, and when i took the dat, i did get 25+.

all that being said, it's not about me and how i studied. it's about you and how prepared you should prepare yourself. if you're going to put in a few weeks, a few months, and a few hundred bucks to take an exam, why not put in some more work to make sure that you will do well? getting 18-22 on practice exams won't cut it for the real thing. shoot for perfection, and perfection you will achieve.

the dat is not difficult, but it is not easy either. it is a very intensive exam. it will drain you physically and mentally. for those who are not familiar w/taking long exams, a good way to practice endurance is to study at the same time as your test is schedule, and study in stretches of 4 or 5 hours, this way, your body gets conditioned to the strenuousness.

for those who have the kaplan subject test, please read all the answer explanations, yes, even to those questions that you answered correctly. from my experience, the amount of information in the explanation is very valuable. yes, the kaplan subject tests are much harder than the real dat, especially for gchem and ochem. but mastering the kaplan subject tests well allow you to do well on those parts on the dat. i scored a 29ts just studying the kaplan subject tests and reading the kaplan review notes. you can do it too.

that was long. i hope some of you found it helpful.

I'd like to know your opinion:
I got the following scores:
Topscore's 3rd exam:
Bio 22
(missed 3 questions, I don't want to memorize all the classes, orders and families, I think that's a bit too much)

Chem 25
(missed 1 question)

O'Chem 28
(missed 1 question)

PAT 23
(One of the key-holes that I missed definitely has no right answer)

QR 25
(oh well, way below my expectation, but ok because I haven't worked on this section, just a few problems here and there)

Topscores's 1st exam:
Bio 20
Chem 25
O'Chem 23
PAT 26
QR 22
I retook the last 3 O'Chem subject tests and missed 1-2 (I was a bit careless too).
I haven't reviewed anything yet and I haven't read Kaplan's G'Chem and O'Chem sections at all.

I haven't practiced RCT. In your opinion, am I in a good shape for the sciences, QR & PAT?

 

[Tooth Fixer]

When u mean u got perfects on ur tests for the sciences, did u mean u took them over and over till u got them or did u get them in the first try.

 

[dat_student]

When u mean u got perfects on ur tests for the sciences, did u mean u took them over and over till u got them or did u get them in the first try.

*EDIT*
Deleted my response.
Thought Tooth Fixer asked me a question when the question was actually for gatszu 😉
*EDIT*

 

[drengineer]

i've been reading the forum for a couple of months now and noticed a few people posting their score on the real dat and what they get on practice exams and so on. so, my question is, what do people really aim for on the dat anyways? it seems to me that quite a few people think they are prepared for the dat after getting 20 something on kaplan pactice test, topscore or whatever prep material utilized. then they take the real dat and freak out about how average their score is or how they didn't do too well on one section or another. but the truth is, if you're not getting almost perfect on all those practice exams you did, you are not really prepared for the dat. last summer, when i studied for the dat, i didn't bother w/the topscore until a week before i took the real dat, not until after i went through all the kaplan subject tests and missed not more than one of two questions per test. when i got to topscore, i was getting 25+, and when i took the dat, i did get 25+.

all that being said, it's not about me and how i studied. it's about you and how prepared you should prepare yourself. if you're going to put in a few weeks, a few months, and a few hundred bucks to take an exam, why not put in some more work to make sure that you will do well? getting 18-22 on practice exams won't cut it for the real thing. shoot for perfection, and perfection you will achieve.

the dat is not difficult, but it is not easy either. it is a very intensive exam. it will drain you physically and mentally. for those who are not familiar w/taking long exams, a good way to practice endurance is to study at the same time as your test is schedule, and study in stretches of 4 or 5 hours, this way, your body gets conditioned to the strenuousness.

for those who have the kaplan subject test, please read all the answer explanations, yes, even to those questions that you answered correctly. from my experience, the amount of information in the explanation is very valuable. yes, the kaplan subject tests are much harder than the real dat, especially for gchem and ochem. but mastering the kaplan subject tests well allow you to do well on those parts on the dat. i scored a 29ts just studying the kaplan subject tests and reading the kaplan review notes. you can do it too.

that was long. i hope some of you found it helpful.

I like people who are so honest and helpful. You are awesome man! Thanks for your advise. Goodluck in Dental school.

 

[Tooth Fixer]

Gatzu thats sick scores man. So your saying you took the practice tests soo many times till u eventually aced it or what? Thats what i'm not understanding, so u just memorized kaplan front and back and got a 29? Were your sciences strong from beginnig to start with?

Could u elaborate a little more please thanks. I have a year to study so i want to get a better understanding on how i should go about it.

 

[gatszu]

@dat_student: do you think you are in good shape for those areas? it's how prepared you think you are that's important. but if you cant zip through those tests w/o spending too much time trying to figure out any of the questions, then you are prepared. beware on the pat though. it is much harder than any practice you have done. also, the computers at the testing center are old & crappy. the monitors are not calibrated, so you may see one thing, but the real thing is different. depending on how the monitor is skewed or stretched, your answers for certain pat sections may differ, particularly the angle ranking, figure folding and keyhole. pat comes to me naturally. i zipped through pat on topscore & barron, and was getting 27+. got 23 on real dat.

@ tooth_fixer: i took each kaplan subject test 2 or 3 times. what i did was take the test. went through all the answer explanations, read every single word. couple days later, took the same test again. then graded both of them and compared the scores. do not memorize the answer letter to each question though. understand the concepts behind each question is the way to go. i did that for all the kaplan subject tests in a week. i could be doing well though because biochem is my major.