Tips to improve score?

[pedtoothdoc]

Hi!

I'm preparing to take the dat in a little less than 3 weeks. I've used chads videos for orgo and GC and I'm just starting boot camp. I've taken 2 practice exams so far and I scored a 19 in orgo both times (mainly due to mechanism problems). I've been studying orgo reactions so I'm not really sure what I should be doing differently. Any tips to improve?

Thank you all ❤️

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[jg4318]

19 is actually pretty good for your first 2 times. That's around what I scored for all the bootcamp Orgo tests and I got a 25 on the actual. Basically just try to understand all the mechanistic principles and you should be fine

 

[pedtoothdoc]

Ah thanks, that's so reassuring! Ive noticed that for the multi-step reactions I usually know what 1 or 2 reagents do, but trip up on the last one and it throws me off but hopefully with enough practice I'll be more comfortable with them. Did you just use bootcamp for practice?

 

[MickeyMug]

BC and Destroyer are great for practice. I would also recommend going through Chad's videos a second time, everything made so much more sense when I watched his videos for a second time.

 

[pedtoothdoc]

Great idea, @MickeyMug, I'll definitely try that! Did that help you for both orgo and GC? I'm getting around 18-19 in both right now

 

[MickeyMug]

Great idea, @MickeyMug, I'll definitely try that! Did that help you for both orgo and GC? I'm getting around 18-19 in both right now

Yes, it helped me a lot with both. I was averaging 18-19's too before I went through the videos a second time, and now I'm averaging 22-24's. Taking notes and doing all the quizzes at the end of each video helped me retain the information.
Also make sure you pay extra attention to the most important chapters like OC chapters 2-4!

 

[pedtoothdoc]

Wow that's amazing, good for you! Thank you so much for the advice hopefully I'll get similar results! Good luck on your exam! When do you plan on taking it?

 

[jg4318]

Ah thanks, that's so reassuring! Ive noticed that for the multi-step reactions I usually know what 1 or 2 reagents do, but trip up on the last one and it throws me off but hopefully with enough practice I'll be more comfortable with them. Did you just use bootcamp for practice?

I used DAT destroyer too for practice. Yeah just rewatch chads videos again, and do a lot of practice, for all the problems you get wrong or unsure of, write down the reactions and look up what those reagents do and everything. Datgenius also has free notes with most of the reactions that you would have to know

 

[MickeyMug]

Wow that's amazing, good for you! Thank you so much for the advice hopefully I'll get similar results! Good luck on your exam! When do you plan on taking it?

Thank you! My DAT is on June 30th so I have about a week left

 

[pedtoothdoc]

I used DAT destroyer too for practice. Yeah just rewatch chads videos again, and do a lot of practice, for all the problems you get wrong or unsure of, write down the reactions and look up what those reagents do and everything. Datgenius also has free notes with most of the reactions that you would have to know

Thank you so much! I will definitely look into those resources!

 

[pedtoothdoc]

Thank you! My DAT is on June 30th so I have about a week left

Nice! One more week until your summer really begins! Good luck!!