*updated* - I'm selling some of my study materials on sales section
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=618138
Hey guys, I finally took my DAT today. But before I go into that I just want to thank everyone on this forum. Though I have not posted on this forum much before, I have received much help from this forum with not only DAT but with why to choose dentistry, school selection, application, and personal statement as well. Thank you.
After spending a lot of time in an office and a clinic, I've decided this year to pursue dentistry, and I'm excited to let you all know that I'm in this year's application cycle. Ok, so I guess enough about me and dentistry.
I just wanted to give something back to this forum by sharing my experience with preparing for DAT. Feel free to ask me any questions you might have. I can't guarantee that I'll have the best answer, but I'll try my best to help you guys out as much as I can.
So, to prepare for DAT, I used Kaplan book (The one that comes from the course). I think the book is very similar to the blue book. I didn't take the course, but my friend who took it gave me his copy. I also had a copy of kaplan's short practice sections on different subject. I first went through the Kaplan book while taking a little bit of notes.
Taking NOTES:
For Biology, I eventually made a word document of bio notes and kept on adding things on it as I went through different materials. It helped me to review the ones I missed/had trouble remembering near the test date. It ended up being around 14 pages font size 10.
For OChem and GChem, I had few pages of notes of different concepts, laws, equation...etc. I also had a log of all the questions I've missed. For OChem, I wrote down all the reactions, which ended up being few pages.
Math: I just had a half a sheet of few unit conversion factors and trig equations.
After having gone through the Kaplan book and their exercises, I went through DAT Destroyer. My thought on Destroyer is that, although it's harder than the actual DAT, it helped me to identify and review topics I was weak at. ALWAYS, go through the answer key even if you got it right and think you know it well (there could always be things you didn't know). Again, I added different things onto my notes as I went through Destroyer. I also timed my self while taking 40 bioQ's, 30 gchemQ's, and 30 ochemQ's.
Then I bought Achiever and took it three days straight leading up to test date. I think you should space them out if you can, and have more time to review them. (I decided to buy these last minute, so I had no choice but to do that). Achiever is definitely harder than the real test. Again, I added more onto my notes.
Ok so the real DAT
BIO - definitely easier than Achiever. Not as much detail oriented questions. Nothing really unexpected.
GChem - again easier than Achiever, but not by alot. Not as much calculation. Pretty straight forward.
OChem - easier than Achiever, few IR and NMR.
PAT - LOT easier than Achiever, EXCEPT angle comparison. Angle section was always my easiest section, but on the real DAT it was actually one of the harder ones. Key hole and 3 sides questions on Achiever are A LOT harder than the real DAT.
RC - man...this was the section I worried about the most. I used search and destroy after quickly skimming through the passage in 2-3 minutes. Took notes of key words. Manage to finish on time. Comparable to Achiever I thought.
Math - A little easier than Achiever. No hard probability or Trig stuff. No unit conversion btw km/mile, L/gallon, etc.
Ok so here are my scores from Achiever
Test 1 AA-22, TS-23, BI-20, GC- 28, OC-25, PAT-22, RC-21, QR-24
Test 1 AA-20, TS-19, BI-18, GC- 20, OC-17, PAT-25, RC-20, QR-25
Test 1 AA-22, TS-20, BI-20, GC- 19, OC-23, PAT-23, RC-21, QR-26
And the real DAT!!!
AA-27(100.0)
TS-28(99.9)
BI-27(99.7)
GC-30(100.0)
OC-26(98.1)
PAT-25(99.7)
RC-20(72.4) - I'm actually the most happy about this section. English is my secondary language =)
QR-30(100.0)
So yeah I hope this post was somewhat helpful to you guys, especially the ones that are preparing for DAT. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask me. Also, if you want more details of how I studied, ask me. I'll be glad to help anyone out. OK, I think I'll be keeping up with the forum through the whole application cycle. Again, thank you guys!
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=618138
Hey guys, I finally took my DAT today. But before I go into that I just want to thank everyone on this forum. Though I have not posted on this forum much before, I have received much help from this forum with not only DAT but with why to choose dentistry, school selection, application, and personal statement as well. Thank you.
After spending a lot of time in an office and a clinic, I've decided this year to pursue dentistry, and I'm excited to let you all know that I'm in this year's application cycle. Ok, so I guess enough about me and dentistry.
I just wanted to give something back to this forum by sharing my experience with preparing for DAT. Feel free to ask me any questions you might have. I can't guarantee that I'll have the best answer, but I'll try my best to help you guys out as much as I can.
So, to prepare for DAT, I used Kaplan book (The one that comes from the course). I think the book is very similar to the blue book. I didn't take the course, but my friend who took it gave me his copy. I also had a copy of kaplan's short practice sections on different subject. I first went through the Kaplan book while taking a little bit of notes.
Taking NOTES:
For Biology, I eventually made a word document of bio notes and kept on adding things on it as I went through different materials. It helped me to review the ones I missed/had trouble remembering near the test date. It ended up being around 14 pages font size 10.
For OChem and GChem, I had few pages of notes of different concepts, laws, equation...etc. I also had a log of all the questions I've missed. For OChem, I wrote down all the reactions, which ended up being few pages.
Math: I just had a half a sheet of few unit conversion factors and trig equations.
After having gone through the Kaplan book and their exercises, I went through DAT Destroyer. My thought on Destroyer is that, although it's harder than the actual DAT, it helped me to identify and review topics I was weak at. ALWAYS, go through the answer key even if you got it right and think you know it well (there could always be things you didn't know). Again, I added different things onto my notes as I went through Destroyer. I also timed my self while taking 40 bioQ's, 30 gchemQ's, and 30 ochemQ's.
Then I bought Achiever and took it three days straight leading up to test date. I think you should space them out if you can, and have more time to review them. (I decided to buy these last minute, so I had no choice but to do that). Achiever is definitely harder than the real test. Again, I added more onto my notes.
Ok so the real DAT
BIO - definitely easier than Achiever. Not as much detail oriented questions. Nothing really unexpected.
GChem - again easier than Achiever, but not by alot. Not as much calculation. Pretty straight forward.
OChem - easier than Achiever, few IR and NMR.
PAT - LOT easier than Achiever, EXCEPT angle comparison. Angle section was always my easiest section, but on the real DAT it was actually one of the harder ones. Key hole and 3 sides questions on Achiever are A LOT harder than the real DAT.
RC - man...this was the section I worried about the most. I used search and destroy after quickly skimming through the passage in 2-3 minutes. Took notes of key words. Manage to finish on time. Comparable to Achiever I thought.
Math - A little easier than Achiever. No hard probability or Trig stuff. No unit conversion btw km/mile, L/gallon, etc.
Ok so here are my scores from Achiever
Test 1 AA-22, TS-23, BI-20, GC- 28, OC-25, PAT-22, RC-21, QR-24
Test 1 AA-20, TS-19, BI-18, GC- 20, OC-17, PAT-25, RC-20, QR-25
Test 1 AA-22, TS-20, BI-20, GC- 19, OC-23, PAT-23, RC-21, QR-26
And the real DAT!!!
AA-27(100.0)
TS-28(99.9)
BI-27(99.7)
GC-30(100.0)
OC-26(98.1)
PAT-25(99.7)
RC-20(72.4) - I'm actually the most happy about this section. English is my secondary language =)
QR-30(100.0)
So yeah I hope this post was somewhat helpful to you guys, especially the ones that are preparing for DAT. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask me. Also, if you want more details of how I studied, ask me. I'll be glad to help anyone out. OK, I think I'll be keeping up with the forum through the whole application cycle. Again, thank you guys!
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So I don't have to compete against you. 
