Joooj86,
Like anything in life, you get what you put in. Kaplan is by far the best prep course for the DAT. It is expensive but well worth it. Especially if you think in terms of what an average DAT score will get you versus a great DAT score. A great score will open up a lot of doors and give you options on which school you'd like to attend (assuming you apply early).
Materials: You get a review book that boils down all the major topics into a handy, content-packed book. If you can learn and know the book inside out, you'll do really well. Its like 1000pages long, nice and thick. You get a lesson book that has 2 lessions for each of the 5 major topics (biology, g-chem, o-chem, PAT, Reading comp, and Quant Reason aka math). You get 3 stacks of notecards for the 3 sciences, and access to the online syllubus that includes 5 subject tests with hundreds of questions for each subject with breakdowns of each question to explain the answers, short worksheets, and access to an online review session that matchs up with the lesson book. That'll be much shorter than the actually classroom session but great review.
Financial Loss? There is none as long as you put in the work, attend all the classes and do all the homework. Dont kid yourself, there is a lot of material, then again kaplan wants to be through as the test is 4 hours long and there is a lot of material to test you on.
In addition, they have this thing called Higher Scores Guaranteed. If you do all the homework, come to all the classes and take all the full length tests that they proctor (3 total), then if you dont feel prepared for the test after that, you can take the entire class over with no extra cost to you. If your score doesnt improve as much as you wanted and you fulfilled your part of the deal, you can take the entire course over with no extra charge. And finally if you're score doesnt not improve from the diagnostic or first time you took the test with your final DAT score, you get all your money back...every penny. Therefore there is no financial loss to you...assuming you stick to your end of the bargain, which is to do all the work, come to class, and take the sample tests.
Its a lot of work, but then again so is preping for the test on your own. Personally i would stick the oldest, largest, and best prep course out there, which is Kaplan. If you're serious about doing to dental school and want to do well on the DAT, i'd recommend Kaplan in a heart beat. If you have any question about the program call 1-800-Kap-test
Another way of thinking of it is, assuming you pull out full loans for dental school (b/c most of us dont have a sugar momma or daddy to pay for school) you'll be around 150k-250k indebt. Whats $1100 compared to that? Thats just a drop in the bucket. And for piece of mind? Absolutely worth it, you get 7 full length practice test that simulate the real thing with breakdowns of each question.
Good luck, kaplan it works, and works well, thats why i work for them now. 🙂
