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

DAT Biology

• Comprehensive Biology review with over 300 practice questions with solutions
• 400 pages

DAT Chemistry

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

DAT QR&RC

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

DAT PAT

• 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*

The Journey Has Begun: Tip To Pre-Dents

My first major exam is today, Biochemistry, and it marks the official start to my journey through Dental School. Now that I've begun dental school  you may have noticed that the frequency of my blog posts waned a bit. However, in the essence of continuity, I do want to share a few tips to potential dental students. Dental School is not a cake walk. It requires discipline, tenacity and tremendous amounts of stamina to get through it. Since day 1 it has been non-stop studying and my days have extended to 20 awake hours and just about 3-4 sleep hours. This may sound tough but one of the beautiful things about the human body is it's ability to adapt and I have quickly adapted to this schedule (albeit how grueling and boot-camp like the first week was).

Curriculum vary from school to school but in most cases two of the first courses you encounter in Dental School are Anatomy and Biochemistry. I would highly recommend that all potential dental students take a course in biochemistry at the end of their  undergraduate careers.  Furthermore, I strongly recommend that you pay strict attention in your undergraduate anatomy classes. While the intensity and volume of work in your undergraduate anatomy class pales in comparison to what you will encounter in dental school, it is worth a million coming into dental school with some general knowledge of  both biochemistry and anatomy.  Moreover, as potential dental students, be prepared to spend the vast majority of your awaken time immersed in your studies. Dental school is not for the faint hearted. If you are not prepared to work hard and spend long hours studying, my best advise to you is to seek another career.

With that said, I'm off to sit this exam. Wish me luck!

What to Expect in Your First year of Medical School

This post is for medical students, who I have sympathy for because their workload is probably twice mine, but who I am also empathetic towards because I know how challenging this journey will be. It will be exciting, at times fun, it will be testing, it will be grueling and it may make you lose a lot of night sleep. Well, what do you expect, it's medical school and not kindergarten.

The first year of medical school is the most grueling of the four years that is required. This is the case because you are entering a professional environment which is completely different to your previous undergraduate experience. The highest drop-out rates occur during this time. The first year consists of mainly lectures and labs in basic and medical sciences (anatomical, physiological & medical treatment). It is where you will encounter workload that may at first be unimaginable or what would have looked impossible to accomplish before you started medical school.

Though medical schools curricula differ slightly, some courses that may be encountered during the first year include:
Gross Anatomy
Biochemistry
Histology
Microbiology
Immunology
Psychiatry
Neuroscience
Nutrition, etc.

Medical school will not be a cakewalk. It is time-consuming, consisting of hours typically between 8am and 4pm each week day which has to be followed up by intensive studying and self-learning thereafter. It is important to know the type of learner that you are. Recognizing that professional school requires a lot of adjustments, understanding how you learn and what works for you will serve as a platform with which you can spring from in your quest for continuity beyond your first year. Remember, pacing is also a very important part of this process. While this can be said for most graduate programs, the intensity, rigor, and volume of work that medical students encounter is second to none. The good thing is that it has been done by students just like you, so I know that you can, and will do it as well.

Best of luck to you all!
From your Dental School friend -Patrice (See you on the other side)