Why you would think DAT is overwhelming?

[illbirz]

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I feel like there is just too much info for bio to learn/recall. That is why i think people should not know too much detail and just know the big pictures.

Is this way of thinking the pathway to doom or glory?

 

[doc3232]

The reason I felt that the DAT was so difficult was because I didn't know what was in it...so depressing studying for a test with no specifications.

I would like to tell you the bio is all big picture but it isn't...

Also, the description "big picture" is very relative...

Don't forget, no matter how much you study, on the real deal Bio WILL make your face like this 😱.

 

[dleodyddlek]

they definitely will ask you random detailed questions on Bio section. I would say just getting the big picture won't be enough

 

[illbirz]

That's wat throws me off, wat can they possibly ask for me to go like this...😱. and is the face due to the verbage of the question or the concept behind it? If it they are gona ask me about calvin cycle using complex words then it cant be that bad, cuz end of the line its about C3 cycle. Unless they ask you stuff about current publications and scientific finding, which then this face 😱 is an understatemtn. Right? whose with me? 😛

 

[doc3232]

That's wat throws me off, wat can they possibly ask for me to go like this...😱. and is the face due to the verbage of the question or the concept behind it? If it they are gona ask me about calvin cycle using complex words then it cant be that bad, cuz end of the line its about C3 cycle. Unless they ask you stuff about current publications and scientific finding, which then this face 😱 is an understatemtn. Right? whose with me? 😛

No, no, no, if it was about Calvin then that's cool.
Seriously, you will see some CRAZY questions. Just play it smooth and put the answer you think they are asking for.

 

[JamesOSU]

If you study kaplan blue book and bio texts and other stuff you will recognize a majority of the questions. Its the 5-10 questions that come out of left field that are tough. You have to use good deductive reasoning, narrowing down answer choices, and go with your first instinct. THe worst thing you can do is stare at it for even a minute though, you need to move on. Make a good educated guess by narrowing wrong answers and using your reasoning.

And there will be a question about the Calvin Cycle, but they'll probably refer to it as the citric acid cycle just to be jackasses.

 

[yuppers]

The reason I felt that the DAT was so difficult was because I didn't know what was in it...so depressing studying for a test with no specifications.

That is exactly how I felt. I would sit at the end of study-filled day and wonder if what I just went over would even be on the DAT.

 

[MatthewLeeDDS]

Yeah there is a lot in the bio section but let me tell you that it can be done. I had only 1 bio class in college and it was 2 and a half years ago and I managed a 21 in bio. One of the things you have to keep in mind when you study bio is that you aren't just cramming facts into your head. You'll start to recognize the way the questions are asked and it will help tremendously. Often times you may not 'know' the answer but you'll learn how to quickly narrow down.

For example, one of the Kaplan practice questions asked which hormones were derived from cholesterol. When I was taking it, I had no clue but i recognized that cholesterol was a steroid and one of the answers ended with -oid and it was right.

Another time I saw a questions that asked about animal phyla characteristics and i noticed they listed 2 phyla plus for one of the phyla they listed 2 animals that fit within it plus another that was not a phyla at all [Like 1)chordata 2)annelida 3)shark 4)bird 5)hydra]. Obviously 1, 3, and 4 are all the same answer in terms of phyla so you can know those out and annelida has to be your answer since hydra not a phylum.

It involves a lot more 'thinking' and less 'knowing' that people expect. You'll gather knowledge every time you read, don't worry.

 

[JamesOSU]

Yeah there is a lot in the bio section but let me tell you that it can be done. I had only 1 bio class in college and it was 2 and a half years ago and I managed a 21 in bio. One of the things you have to keep in mind when you study bio is that you aren't just cramming facts into your head. You'll start to recognize the way the questions are asked and it will help tremendously. Often times you may not 'know' the answer but you'll learn how to quickly narrow down.

For example, one of the Kaplan practice questions asked which hormones were derived from cholesterol. When I was taking it, I had no clue but i recognized that cholesterol was a steroid and one of the answers ended with -oid and it was right.

Another time I saw a questions that asked about animal phyla characteristics and i noticed they listed 2 phyla plus for one of the phyla they listed 2 animals that fit within it plus another that was not a phyla at all [Like 1)chordata 2)annelida 3)shark 4)bird 5)hydra]. Obviously 1, 3, and 4 are all the same answer in terms of phyla so you can know those out and annelida has to be your answer since hydra not a phylum.

It involves a lot more 'thinking' and less 'knowing' that people expect. You'll gather knowledge every time you read, don't worry.

Spot on - the DAT is testing your reasoning skills as much as your science-knowledge. This is especially true in QR, where the math is no harder than 8th grade algebra and little trig and geometry, its setting up the problem that they're testing to see if you can do. Amazing the goofy ways they can ask algebra questions

 

[bramz]

If you study kaplan blue book and bio texts and other stuff you will recognize a majority of the questions. Its the 5-10 questions that come out of left field that are tough. You have to use good deductive reasoning, narrowing down answer choices, and go with your first instinct. THe worst thing you can do is stare at it for even a minute though, you need to move on. Make a good educated guess by narrowing wrong answers and using your reasoning.

And there will be a question about the Calvin Cycle, but they'll probably refer to it as the citric acid cycle just to be jackasses.

What do you mean they will refer to the calvin cycle as the citric acid cycle? They're both 2 completely different cycles.