Chloe Vo
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2023
- Messages
- 1
- Reaction score
- 2
Score:
Bio – 25
GC – 30
OC – 30
RC – 19
QR – 19
PAT – 20
TS – 28
AA – 25
Background: Graduated with a 3.97 GPA in Chemistry/ Biochemistry.
Materials used:
DAT Booster!!
I believe Booster is the biggest help. They have all materials you would ever need to achieve a great score! I am sure that I would not be able to get a 25 on the Bio section without Feralis Bio Study Notes. I believe the best way to study Science subjects is continuously practicing, and Booster is a hero with their enormous question banks. Booster is famous for its PAT section which most of us need to prepare. From PAT question generators and practice tests to the strategies to solve those questions, Booster was a one-stop shop. For the reading comprehension section, I was truly impressed with the number of practice passages that Booster provides, which helped a lot, especially for those who adopt English as a second language like me. Thanks to them, I learn great strategies that allow me to overcome my weakness. Don’t forget their full-length tests, I would definitely recommend you try them out.
Destroyer!
Having a second resource not only improves you with more practice but also gives you the general suggestion of high-yield topics that would be likely to pop up on the real test. I usually focus more on topics that overlap between Booster and Destroyer question banks. Dr. Romano gave a very thorough explanation for every question. Destroyer gives more advanced questions, so be prepared before you step on it.
I also used Chad’s videos to review my Chemistry.
Study Timeline
I started studying in January and used about one and a half months reviewing all the materials (Bio, GC, OC, RQ). I worked on the weekend, so I only have 4 days per week to study. Thus, I spent a huge amount of time on those 4 days studying (around 10hrs). I decided to study 2 subjects each day (e.g., 1 day for Bio + RC, 1 day for GC + OC, and so on). The reason is that I want to give each subject a sufficient amount of time to absorb which helped me deeply understand a specific topic. Studying all 4 subjects each day did not work for me; it makes me race with time. When I am under pressure, my studying capacity decreases. I also tried to squeeze in a few PAT and RC practices each day as well, but I allowed myself to skip them sometime if Science materials were too heavy on that day. (Don’t press yourself too hard).
I recommend you have a to-do list for each day and try your best to finish it. DAT Booster has a great study schedule if you don’t know where to start. The purpose of having a to-do list is that you will have a clear plan to go through and a task list to conquer. To me, at the end of the day, when I have every single item crossed out on the checklist, I feel like a little achievement, which gives me encouragement to study for the next day. For the rest of the timeline, I start working on a Destroyer and Booster practice test to train my time management.
Day of Exam (4/10/2023) - First Attempt
Bio (25): It was straightforward; many familiar concepts popped up (old friends: heart and kidney, plants, evolution, Hardy-Weinberg principle, etc.). As mentioned above, I used Feralis Bio notes from DAT Booster to review Bio. I think the details on the notes are sufficient for you to ace the Bio section. After finishing studying specific topics, I used the Booster question bank to check my memory. Remember to use their test banks as well, you may see some familiar questions on your exam!
OC (30): Not many reactions as I expected, and they were very simple. Instead, there was more about the concepts. Be prepared for acid-base ranking, resonance, nomenclature, NMR, etc. To study for OC, in my opinion, flashcards are not really helpful. For those who are in my shoes, please draw! This also means studying the mechanisms. It takes time in the beginning, but when you get used to it, most of OC concepts would become so clear. You will memorize reactions very quickly and easily. Even when something unfamiliar comes up, it will help you to have an educated guess. (My exam has 2 questions about mechanisms ).
GC (30): My exam was mostly conceptual questions (boiling points, gas, hydrogen bonds, structural geometry, etc). Calculations are very few and basic. I used Chad’s videos to review this section and used Booster question banks to practice. There was 1 question in my exam that was the same as Booster practicing tests, so make sure you check on them!
PAT (20): Booster was a little bit harder overall, but it surely prepares you for the exam. You don’t need to follow the order, just do the sections that you feel the most confident about first.
RC (19): This section was indeed not my strength. I wished I did more practice on this section. I mostly used the search & destroyer strategy. Be prepared for the extra reading and diagram analysis besides your original 10-paragraph passage.
QR (19): I feel like I could have done this section better as my practice test suggested (25). The questions are all in a similar format as Booster’s. I think at this point my brain was so fatigued. Thus, besides practicing, I recommend you do some full-length tests to mentally prepare for your exam.
I admit that I had committed to an intense study habit, so I hope you could start early so that you will have time to rest besides studying. I wish you all the best to conquer the exam
