With constant changes being made due to COVID-19 around the world, it may feel challenging to push through tasks such as the DAT. Cheyenne Alleyne-Young is among the many predental students who has had to study for the DAT in the midst of the pandemic.
It’s May 1. You’ve spent the past three months practicing limiting reactant problems and mastering the art of angle ranking to hopefully acquire all of your application materials just in time for the date engrained in every predent’s mind: June 16, the date the AADSAS application opens.
Retaking the DAT can be a rollercoaster of emotions and stress when you’re not sure how to react or prepare after receiving an unexpected score. I remember the moment after my first attempt, crying in my car and not knowing what to do. I applied to dental schools earlier that summer, hoping my DAT score would be strong enough for consideration, but it didn’t make the cut. All my plans, hopes and dreams for the next year felt crushed in a single second, and I felt so much regret, grief and disappointment for some time.
Studying for the DAT may seem like a daunting task at first, but with a study plan tailored to your availability, goals, strengths and weaknesses, you can achieve your target score. A quick Google search will reveal several DAT study guides and could be a good tool to help you construct your own. These are our study plans, which show you that there are different ways to prepare for the exam. It’s important that you customize a schedule that works best for you.
So you did not do as well as you had hoped on the Dental Admissions Test (DAT), but it’s not the end of the world. With proper preparation and a good attitude, you can redeem yourself. If you are planning to retake the DAT, pay attention to these lessons.
Preparing for the DAT can be one of the most exciting, yet challenging times during a predental’s journey to dental school. You may become overwhelmed trying to find the best study materials or choosing a DAT preparation course. What most students do not realize is that success comes from not only how you utilize materials, but your time as well. One effective strategy is to adopt the mindset of an athlete training for a major event, such as a marathon.
One of the major hurdles to dental school is the DAT. This comprehensive exam requires the understanding of seemingly countless concepts and facts from various disciplines. A simple strategy involving visual cues can help predental students retain more information through a helpful approach known as the Roman Room. The name derives from Roman times when it was necessary to recite long poems, speeches, lists and numbers. This memorization technique leverages the association of visual imagery and organization. It is primarily effective for the retention of important information.
