The Gold Standard DAT: A Review

The Gold Standard DAT is an awesome addition to your DAT prep armamentarium!
I was given the opportunity to review the products and there is much to be said about them.
The Gold Standard brand has been around for quite some time and has been a house hold name in the medical field, particularly with MCAT prep.  It is fairly new to the DAT arena with it's launch of DAT test prep materials around early 2013. Since then, it has been a great contender among popular DAT preparation materials.

If I were to describe The Gold Standard DAT package in one word it would be COMPREHENSIVE.

I spent a couple weeks going through the materials because I really wanted to do it justice. Upon opening the package that I received, my initial reaction was one of awe. Before I opened any of the books I was taken aback by 1) the packaging: the books come enclosed in a hard covered box that keep the books nice and secure and 2) the quality of the books/pages: the book covers are of really high quality with a matte finish; and the pages are thick and glossy which makes the illustrations, pictures and diagrams really pop. I have honestly never seen test prep materials of that kind of quality. One of my first thoughts was "wow, someone really paid attention to detail and someone really cared about the quality of products that they produce." As I perused the pages of each book, I realized that those sentiments were not only true for the packaging and pages but also of the information within the pages as well.

The materials are, as stated before comprehensive. The Gold Standard DAT takes on a multimedia approach with their collection including textbooks, MP3s, Videos, flashcards, online resources, etc. It does not skimp on the details but is concise and to the point enough that it is easy to go through. The books are broken down into pretty short chapters which has practice questions at the end of each with solutions provided throughout the book. The illustrations and pictures on each page are also well depicted. Not only do you receive books with good, solid and pertinent information to do well on the DATs but many tools to augment your studying and to continuously test yourself throughout your preparation process.

My Opinion:
It has been several years since I took the DAT exam and I am sure there have been some amount of changes. If I were taking the DAT around this time I would honestly consider The Gold Standard for my DAT prep. While the prices aren't the lowest, there are several packages that you can choose from based on what fits your budget, your need, and/or your study habits. Plus, I am of the belief that you get what you pay for.
If you like going through textbooks then perhaps the four (4) book set will work well for you. It does come with 2 full practice tests. Likewise, if you prefer software and/or other online tools there are options for that as well. I think the different packages cater to each individuals' study style.

I have outlined all the packages below for your convenience, and I must mention that all their items are currently discounted.

The Complete Course Package  COST $499.00 $399.00
  • Complete four (4) book review set (1408 pages)
    • (DAT Bio, DAT Chem, DAT QR&RC, and DAT PAT) 
    • 2 full practice tests
  • Online access code with 3000+ practice questions
    • Compatible with PC and Mac
  • 15 hours of Natural Sciences review with 6 months online access
  • 3 hours MP3 review files for the natural sciences 
  • TopScore Pro software
    • 3 full computerized DAT practice tests and 18 exams
    • 7 months online access
    • Compatible with PC and Mac
  • 52 flashcards
  • Interview DVD
  • Bonus: Medical School Interview + MMI DVD: 100 min (can be used to help with Dental School Interviews)
  • Bonus: Science review flashcards (just ignore physics)




The Complete Package (minus Topscore Pro)  COST $399.00 $299.00
  • Complete four (4) book review set (1408 pages)
    • (DAT Bio, DAT Chem, DAT QR&RC, and DAT PAT) 
    • 2 full practice tests
  • Online access code with 3000+ practice questions
    • Compatible with PC and Mac
  • 15 hours of Natural Sciences review with 6 months online access
  • 3 hours MP3 review files for the natural sciences 
  • 52 flashcards
  • Interview DVD
The Gold Standard DAT 4-book set + Interview DVD + Science flashcards

The Gold Standard DAT 4-book set + Interview DVD + Science flashcards
Flashcards

Flashcards



The Complete Four Book Review Set  COST $199.00 $149.00
  • Complete four (4) book review set (1408 pages)
    • (DAT Bio, DAT Chem, DAT QR&RC, and DAT PAT) 
    • 2 full practice tests
  • Online access code with 3000+ practice questions
    • Compatible with PC and Mac



Individual Books  COST $49.95 $29.95
  • Comprehensive Biology review with over 300 practice questions with solutions
  • 400 pages

  • Comprehensive Chemistry review with 650 practice questions with solutions
  • 414 pages

  • Comprehensive review of Math and English skills with 350 practice questions
  • 314 pages

  • Complete and innovative preparation for the PAT
  • 280 pages



DAT Practice Tests
  • TopScore Pro  COST $65.00
    • 3 computerized practice test
    • 840 comprehensive questions
  • Gold Standard Online Practice Tests   COST $60.00
    • 2 full length practice tests
    • ADA format

DAT Videos
  • The Medical School Interview
  • DAT Natural Sciences Review  COST $199.00 $98.00


*Disclaimer: This is not an ad. I do not work for/with The Gold Standard DAT*



Surviving D1 year: Taking Notes

You made it to dental school and you are now a D1! The fun begins now and the pace will pick up very rapidly. There will be many obstacles to overcome over your tenure in dental school, one of the first ones will be mastering the art of note taking.
Luckily, I went over the different ways you can go about taking notes. The article can be found on The Next DDS website, but you may find an excerpt below.

Click on the link above or the graphic below to go straight to the article



Remember, you all can become members of The NEXT DDS! It is absolutely free to enroll.
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