I switched my major from nursing to biology towards the end of the first semester of freshman year. Right now I have bio I and chem 1. I'd like to attempt the DAT after sophomore year, but not sure how to swing that, since I'm a semester behind. Any suggestions?
What sciences should I have before attempting the DAT for the first time?
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In my opinion, you should have as much biology background as possible. They can ask anything and everything relating to biology and you really need to be prepared for that. I took it right after I graduated undergrad with a B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology, and I don't think that I wouldve done that well on the DAT if I had taken it earlier.
However, I did struggle with the O-Chem because it had been 2 years since I took it last. I was able to study hard and pull out a 21 on it my second attempt tho. They tend to focus on a much smaller subject area for O-Chem, so you can pretty much relearn what they want you to know for the DAT, whereas bio you just need to know everything.
I think its better to wait a little longer, but whatever you decide, just make sure you get a lot of study materials and study them like crazy. I really thought the DAT destoryer was helpful. It was quite frustrating at times and made me feel like I knew nothing, but if you really work with it, it will improve your score A LOT.
However, I did struggle with the O-Chem because it had been 2 years since I took it last. I was able to study hard and pull out a 21 on it my second attempt tho. They tend to focus on a much smaller subject area for O-Chem, so you can pretty much relearn what they want you to know for the DAT, whereas bio you just need to know everything.
I think its better to wait a little longer, but whatever you decide, just make sure you get a lot of study materials and study them like crazy. I really thought the DAT destoryer was helpful. It was quite frustrating at times and made me feel like I knew nothing, but if you really work with it, it will improve your score A LOT.
I had the General Biology classes (1 and 2), also had biochem, microbio, Physio, genetics and histo. Those 5 upper level bio classes helped me A LOT. Esp Physio and Biochem. Try to take the most you can before you take the exam.
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Anatomy/physiology, ecology, evolution, cell biology, development, genetics, molecular, gen bio. O-chem (1&2), gen chem (1&2). All of those are CRUCIAL, and anything above those can only help (biochem in particular).
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I bolded the classes that are actually 'crucial', and its debatable if all of those are necessary even. True, if you can fit in a lot of these extra Bio's it will make your studying easier for 1 section of the test, but you in no way need them to do extremely well on the DAT. Just learn everything you can in your GC 1&2, OC 1&2 and Gen Bio 1&2 and then take the DAT. If for some reason you have lots of extra time, which at your age you might, go ahead and take some more bios but be wary of getting rusty in the chemistry courses.
I only took had one bio class when I took the DAT and it was my worst section but I still got a 20. I worked my ass off to get that 20 too. IMO its really difficult to do really well on Bio if you're not a bio major and havent taken upper level bio courses. I instead, focused on other sections and did better in those. In terms of time investment vs results, improving your bio requires the most time.
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That could be true that you need to spend the most time on Bio, however your 20 in bio is a great score and you only took 1 bio class, proof you don't need all the 'extras'.
I took just gen bio 1 and gen bio 2, knew them very well, and got a 23 bio. I didn't know anything beyond the scope of these courses.
To get a satisfactory score in bio you only need to master gen bio 1 & 2; I believe the upper levels only help you master these topics if you didn't the first go around.
Predental advisor said they want you to take physics before the DAT so you can deal with how the teeth look when you work on them. Therefore, it makes sense to take the full year because it MAY relate to the PAT portion of the DAT, which is the only section I can think of that has ANYTHING to do with physics.
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No one needs physics before the DAT. Physics is not tested on the DAT and offers no help for the PAT section. Please be careful of the advice you spread because you haven't even take the real test yet.
The only necessary courses before the DAT are Bio 1/2 GC 1/2 Orgo 1/2. The following courses might help but aren't really necessary: Biochem, Microbio, AP 1/2
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I guess crucial was a mistake on my part. I took all of those before taking the DAT and they were immensely helpful. But I agree that the test itself is mostly gen bio and general info. But I still say that both gen chem and o chem are necessary if you are going to be spending more time on bio info not covered under the survey class.
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👍
It is funny what some people 'hear' from advisers, I feel blessed to have the ones I have.
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That's exactly why I said that advisors/advisers suck! In general they have no clue because they give the same general advice to med, dental, pharma, PA, and OD students. I dont blame them or expect them to know much of anything since they're not paid well and often are clueless anyway. I remember when I transferred colleges, the adviser from the new college told me there was no way I can ever be admitted with my grades. Guess what? I got in next semester! lol.
Its your life... do your own homework.. thats really the lesson of the day. With google and SDN, advisers are as useful as the USPS.
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I wouldn't go as far as you, as there are plenty of good advisers. I have 2 of them. They are both some of the better teaching professors you could have at my undergrad as well. One is an MD with a health problem that prevents him from working as a surgeon anymore. He is intimately involved with the med and dental school that my undergrad is a part of. He has all the right contacts and advice. My other adviser is excellent with advice as well, and does a wonderful job with timely committee letters. I feel lucky to have them.
HOWEVER, in my previous 2 institutions the advisers were barely worth their weight in toilet paper.
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lol. that's his/her own interpretation. They need to start hiring advisors that were at least pre-health and are really doing their research.
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i think your advisor thinks a question like
"predict the overall structure of tooth bu using given eqs"
is on the pat section lol
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this.
You're lucky but most people aren't I'm not leaving my future in the hands of someone who I can't trust.
I
iralex801
I took the DAT with only having AP Biology and used the credits to place out of Bio 1 and 2 in college. I got a 21 on the section. Go figure haha. I used Cliffs Bio to re-learn the material though.
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Would you like to amend your response to include all rather than a lot?
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=791511
Understandably, Bio and Chem are on the DAT and you may not need physics to obtain a decent score. My prehealth advisors--who are phenomenal--include a maxillofacial surgeon who teaches topics in biology in addition to his normal job. He is the one that related taking physics to the PAT. He also said you need physics to understand various pressures and functions in the anatomy of the body, which may potentially have related questions in the bio section.
You dont need Physics...I dont know what planet you adviser is from but I took physics and in no way does it relate too the PAT section...physics is like calculus..all equations and formulas, PAT is visualizing how big an angle is , or how you can fold a cube ect. No connection what so ever.
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ditto please stop spreading false news. PAT has nothing to do with Physics and visa versa.
You really don't need to be rude about it. Physics is necessary for critical thinking, certainly. I have spoken with a few people who said certain aspects of physics were helpful for the DAT PAT section. If you don't agree with that, fine, if you do, great. Just repeating what several others have said to me.
And if posting on here is taken as gospel, then you folks are in trouble...I hope you're not taking this forum as your final guide to dental school everyone. The sections are clear on the DAT: take Chem, take Quan Analysis, take Bio, study English a bit. This isn't rocket science, studying for it though may be.
And if posting on here is taken as gospel, then you folks are in trouble...I hope you're not taking this forum as your final guide to dental school everyone. The sections are clear on the DAT: take Chem, take Quan Analysis, take Bio, study English a bit. This isn't rocket science, studying for it though may be.
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Have you actually seen the PAT section? Take a sample test and tell us anything on it you would use real Physics knowledge on. A middle school kid could take the PAT section and do decent on it. It doesn't test previous knowledge on anything unless you folded paper airplanes or stacked blocks in kindergarten.
I
iralex801
SDN has taught me more about the application process than any prehealth/premed/predent advisor did. The DAT section of this forum is really helpful and tells you the necessary study materials/study plan to do well on it.
I definitely do agree that you shouldn't listen to everything you hear on this forum, such as your advice to study physics for the PAT lol (I know you didn't intentionally mean to spread false info). However, overall, this site is really helpful if you can pick out the useful info. You can generally avoid bad advice by not listening to only one poster's advice and make sure a lot of posters say the same thing before taking action.
I just bought the AP biology cliffsnotes today, and am taking the Kaplan course although I finish my prereqs this Spring. Im honestly not extremely worried about the PAT section as much as the OChem section. I get biology pretty well, so not too worried about that either I just want to be prepared academically basically. Are there any biochem majors here who took quan anal as a course in your curriculum? If so, do u think that course is more relative to the QR section than any math classes you took?
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You dont need biochem for the QR section, the Math Destroyer is good enough.
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Lower division biology ie Bio 1/2/3 or whatever you schools version of it.
gen chem whole year and ochem. You can technically get by with half of ochem but it depends on which half your school breaks it up.
then buy destroyer and math destroyer and get AP biology cliff notes. Study the hell out of them. Just don't look to see your right or wrong, see why you're wrong and depending on the question see why the other choices were wrong and if possible want would have to be different to reach that answer choice.
Crack dat for PAT and math and reading too if you need more practice or want to get exposure to working those sections on a computer with the clock running.
Depending on your ability or how long its been since you've taken a math class you may want to take Trigonometry and/or Pre-Calculus. While QR isn't very important for the most part based on school surveys individually it's still 1/5th of your AA. So every bit helps.
gen chem whole year and ochem. You can technically get by with half of ochem but it depends on which half your school breaks it up.
then buy destroyer and math destroyer and get AP biology cliff notes. Study the hell out of them. Just don't look to see your right or wrong, see why you're wrong and depending on the question see why the other choices were wrong and if possible want would have to be different to reach that answer choice.
Crack dat for PAT and math and reading too if you need more practice or want to get exposure to working those sections on a computer with the clock running.
Depending on your ability or how long its been since you've taken a math class you may want to take Trigonometry and/or Pre-Calculus. While QR isn't very important for the most part based on school surveys individually it's still 1/5th of your AA. So every bit helps.
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