ADAT - What Is It and How To Prepare For It

I recently wrote an article about the Advanced Dental Admission Test, otherwise known as the ADAT. In the article I outlined what the exam entails and how to prepare for it.

See excerpt of the article below and follow the link to read entire article.

You can find this article and many more on The NEXT DDS website, and it is entirely free to enroll!

Pre-Dental and Dental School Materials Update

Having gone through the entire dental school journey/process, I have updated the Pre-Dental Materials tab with helpful DAT study materials and the Dental School Materials tab with those materials I found helpful esp. for the National Board Dental Examination Parts I and II.

Take a moment to browse the materials and get a head start on studying. It's never too early!

Just take a look above, where it says DAT Study Materials, or click here.

and for Dental Students, hit the Dental School Materials tab, or click here.

That Time of Year

It's that time of year again! Yep, application season! and time for the almighty DAT...
This time of year always proves to be a stressful time for most Pre-Dents. From studying for the DATs, making sure to get those LORs, writing that personal statement, requesting those transcripts, filling out the AADSAS application, and OH! *gulp, actually sitting the Dental Admission Test (DAT). It all seems soo much! right?     ------   Actually, it doesn't have to be.
The 2011 application cycle opens on June 3rd 2010. The aim of the game is to get all your required documents in on-time and with that I mean early (emphasis placed here). Don't get bogged down and stressed about the number of things to be done - Just do it, and relax.
Here, let me give you a hand:

• Don't get yourself worked up because you may not have done so well in a particular semester, or year - Remember GPA Isn't Everything and it's not just the grades that matter, but your overall package.
• Speaking of overall package, are you well-rounded? Ensure you gain some form of experience in the field of Dentistry and that you are involved in some way in your community, in extra curricular activities and the like.
• Your personal statement is well, personal. It answers the basic questions: Who are you? Why Dentistry? and where do you see yourself in the future? It doesn't have to be anything spectacular. Just ensure that it flows and holds interest.  Have family members read it over, a friend and of course, your pre-health profession advisor.
• LORs are important! They give the admissions committee a visual of you through someone else's eye - someone who supposedly knows you well. It's their chance to make an impression for you - choose who write them wisely.
• Ah, The DATs...Biggest mistake we make in preparation of this test is, we overestimate it - or underestimate. See, the DATs fall somewhere between the two. For your prep., ensure you are well equipped with the right study materials, and follow these tips on how to go about studying for it. On test day RELAX! Get a good score, and keep it moving...
• Choose schools based on your credentials. It is okay to choose your "dream" school - u may get lucky, but be sure to always choose a "safe" school  as well- a school that you know you're probably guaranteed to get into based on your credentials, and a few others in between.
• Submit your application (early) and wait. Wait for the interviews, wait for the acceptances; and the rest is history...

Aaah! Not so bad eh? See? Relax.

Months before you start

It's February, and I'm already thinking of how I can prepare for the rigorous curriculum of Dental School come August. Despite the many advices to RELAX for my "free" couple of months before DS, I can't help but trying to get a head start. I suppose it's natural to feel that way? hmm...
Most Dental Schools have a similar or identical curriculum. First year usually consists of Biochemistry, Gross Anatomy, Physiology, Radiology, Microbiology, Occlusion, Histology, Embryology (phew!!), to name a few. With all this stuff that I will need to squeeze inside my cerebrum, why not start making space for them now? I might even get some chuckles for this, arched eyebrows or even some eye rolling. For some, trying to get a head start on some of these might prove to be an exercise in futility - which is okay! but for others, it might be beneficial. Starting early will slightly prepare you for the first couple months, okay maybe weeks of school. You will be familiar with some of the terminologies used so that you don't sit in class, looking around clueless.
Yes, the months before starting school can be quite hectic. For some, it might mean a new city, or a new state. If this is the case you will have to do some research on the places you would like to live, keeping in mind proximity to school, cost, the neighborhood, etc. THEN you will need to set aside time to travel to that new place to go apartment hunting. Of course, there is the pressure of coming up with a quadrillion dollars to pay for attending the school. Whichever route you take, scholarships, loans, fellowships, the military, out of pocket (do people actually do that??) it is stressful! and as if that is not enough, the school has it's own requirements that has to be completed by a certain time.
However, no matter how stressful pre-dental school gets, it is still very exciting! It's exciting to start a new chapter in your life, it's exciting knowing you are only a few more steps away from accomplishing your goals. It's exciting to move to a new place, exciting to meet new people - the people who will become family over the next four years. Excited for those sleepless nights; burning the mid night oil to make sure that you make the grade to stay in and see your way through DS. It is all exciting! and I can't wait to start!

How about you? what is your pre-dental school game plan? are you as excited as I am?

GPA isn't Everything!

When applying to Dental School, your grade point average  (GPA) is

undoubtedly important to your application. However, contrary to common belief that in order to be admitted into Dental School you must possess a "high" GPA, this is certainly not the case in most schools. While a "competitive" GPA is essential, when applying to Dental School, or
any professional school, it is your overall package that is looked at,
not solely your GPA. The admissions committee want to see a well
rounded and balanced individual. You must demonstrate that you possess
the skill-set fit to be a dental practitioner. To this end, your
overall package, which includes your DAT scores, GPA, volunteer work
or community service, recommendation letters, dental experience, and
leadership skills, will be looked at and scaled when assessing your application. Each of the aforementioned tenets will in some ways complement each other. Hence, it is important to understand that your application must be competitive, possessing a balanced repertoire of most, if not all of the areas listed above. Understand that I am in no way saying that you can receive acceptance into dental school with a 2.5 GPA, although the chances of this happening are slim to none; in the end, the admissions committee doesn't care how smart you are but if you reflect a personality that befits the definition of someone that can succeed in dental school, vis a vis your personal statement, recommendation letters, dental experience, community service, grade point average and moderate to competitive DAT scores, an interview letter will surely be coming in the mail from a school of your interest.
Again, do not place your eggs in one basket. At minimum, a 3.0 grade point average with a competitive balance in the other areas mentioned, will suffice at least in getting you an interview.

To discuss the information in this post, please visit the forums.

DAT Study Tips

It's an important time for you now. Over the next couple of weeks, or months, strategically planning and organizing your schedule in anticipation of  your upcoming DAT examination is of paramount importance. Whether you decide on enrolling in a test prep course like Kaplan, Dr. Romano's (author of the DAT Destroyer) tutoring courses, or any other tutoring services,or, simply by studying on your own with several sources of test prep materials, it is imperative that you are consistent with your study habits. Of course, everyone's study habits and learning processes are different, so what works for your friend or others may not necessarily work for you.

Tips:
1. Gather test prep/study materials - Do your research and find out which materials help most in properly preparing students for the test. I have compiled a few which have proven time and time again to be very helpful. You can find them here in my post last week.

2. Make a Study Schedule - It is important to keep a schedule as it enforces discipline. It is very easy to become side tracked by your everyday activities, especially if your test is months away. If two hours are dedicated everyday for DAT prep, assuming you're studying on your own, make sure and stay with that schedule, for, not only will it help over time with familiarity of material, but, it will aid you in developing a mastery of different components of the test.

3. Take a Diagnostic Test. Any material you chose to study from should come equipped with practice tests. If you had to do the DAT today, what score would you receive? This test helps to answer that question. It will give you an idea of where you are and hence gives you an idea of what you need to work on to get where you need to be.

4. Take about the first week to re-familiarize yourself with the materials. Read through the different subject sections of your test prep material and get an idea of the information you will need to know and retain for the test.

5. Study by sections - This is only my suggestion. Study each part of the exam one at a time, for example, study the Biology section first, test yourself periodically on this section and then once you're finished, move on to studying General Chemistry, and so on. I find that it is easier to study by sections. This minimizes confusion and helps you to study in a more organized fashion.

6. Continuously test yourself as you go along by taking subject tests - Ensure that you have mastered the areas you've been studying.

7. Pull information from different resources if a certain topic/ area is difficult to grasp. If you come across material in a text with which you are studying that is not quite clear, do not be afraid to use another text or source, or even the web to supplement this material. Maybe you will find a different author providing a simpler explanation to the concept that you were having difficulty with. Get a wide and general understanding of the concepts that you are attempting to master.

8. Ask questions! The Stu-DENT Network Forums is a good place to ask questions of individuals who are also studying or who have already taken the test. Usually, someone will be able to provide you with an answer that in some instances may provide more insight than the given texts that you're reading..

9. Take full practice tests once you feel comfortable with all the material and subject areas.

10. DO NOT take the DAT until you are absolutely sure that you are ready.

Click here for a compilation of different Study materials 

Want FREE DAT study Materials? Click here  

Need clarification on anything? Click here to visit the forums

The Nuts & Bolts: DAT Study Prep. and Materials

There's a lot of study and test preparation materials out there that's designed to help you do well on the Dental Admissions Test (DAT). However, It can get really frustrating trying to find the right materials and resources  that adequately covers all that you need to know in order for you to perform well on the test. This becomes difficult because there's  a plethora of different resources, and they are constantly being updated to best match the actual exam.
Study and test prep materials may not only be books padded with information that may be tedious to go through, but, other mediums such as actual courses, flash cards, computer software with practice exams are available as well, and can be considerably easier to go through.
From the experiences of others I've spoken with,  as well as my own, a simple comparison of the different resources can be made. Depending on your study habits, you can choose either to enroll in a test prep course such as Kaplan's or Dr. Romano's ( In Staten Island, NYC), or study on your own by pooling different resources together. Having pursued a combination of all of the above, coupled with consulting with others that did also, I can shed some light on what I perceive as advantages and disadvantages of each.

Books

Kaplan

There are different books that have been proven time and time again to be very helpful to DAT takers. One such book is the Kaplan DAT. The Kaplan DAT text is one of the more common books of choice by many pre-dent students. This book is complete with review notes, which is a concise compilation of the necessary information needed to know for the test. In addition, it also comes with two full practice tests at the end of the book, coupled with a CD-ROM,  which has two more comprehensive examinations. Kaplan has over the years, been the choice for many test takers not only in dentistry, but, other areas such as law and medicine, to name a few. However, while the Kaplan  DAT text may be one of the more common choice for many pre-dent students, its strength lies in areas such as General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Reading Comprehension. However, for a more rigorous coverage of Biology, Quantitative Reasoning and Perceptual Ability  that mirrors the challenges of the DAT, other resources may be needed.

DAT Destroyer
The DAT Destroyer is a book compiled by Dr. Jim Romano which comprises of multiple questions that basically poses as practice once you have adequately reviewed your notes (whether your own from school or that of other materials). The DAT Destroyer has proven to give many students the edge they needed to score well on the test, as seen in the appreciation letters section of his website.  It comprises of challenging questions which allows the reader to gain a deep rooted knowledge of each subject matter. Generally, it is updated to contain  information that adequately matches the challenge of the actual DAT. Its strength lies in Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Quantitative Reasoning. However, one will have to look to other resources to cover Perceptual Ability and Reading Comprehension.

Advanced Placement (AP) Materials
Amazingly enough, high school AP books have also proven to be very helpful in studying for the DAT, especially in covering the broad, general areas of Biology. Books such as Cliff's AP Biology, Barron's AP Biology and Princeton Reviews AP Biology have been widely used and acts as good reference books. It is advisable to have one close by as part of one's arsenal of study material.

Test Prep. Courses 

Kaplan
Enrolling in a test prep course will help those who are less organized or those who just aren't sure what they need to study for this exam. The courses are beneficial as it has a set plan and schedule and will keep you on point with your studies. Kaplan has different options for those preparing for the DAT. Such options are a classroom course, an online course, and private tutoring. The classroom course has two parts, an in-class section much like that of  an undergraduate course, and a computer based section. The in-class section offers an atmosphere where students and instructor can interact, share ideas and ask questions. It comes with several books: Review Notes, which is a concise book of notes on the different topics covered on the DATs, a Lesson book, which comes equipped with different questions on each topic covered in the Review Notes, and Flash cards, which can be used on the go to "brush up" on concepts studied; On the other hand, the computer based section offers lots and lots of practice exams (subject tests and full tests) which is designed to be used in conjunction with the in-class section to match your performance along the way. At a time and place of your choosing, you can log on and take different examinations in order to measure your improvements. Kaplan's classroom course keeps you on point with your DAT studies because of  a deluge of resources. However, this is more self-help, where you are guided by someone, in most cases, who was extremely successful in the DAT examination. Needless to say, even though it's a classroom course, the onus is on you to do all the studying on your own. Unlike an undergraduate classroom where instructors come in and lecture on fundamental concepts, the classroom component of Kaplan's course acts as forum where you can bounce questions and solicit ideas from your classmates or the instructor. The price for such a course is quite comparable to most professional school test prep. It will run you at least $1,400 USD plus the cost of transportation to and from the Kaplan center.
Kaplan's online course is quite similar to its in-class course. This includes everything stated above minus the in-class component. This option offers you the same materials and resources without having to travel to a Kaplan center to attend classes. It will also cost you $150 less as it runs at $1250 USD. If you are not very organized, need one on one help, would prefer not to be bogged down in a classroom setting, and can afford it, Kaplan also offers private tutoring. This will cost you  $2400 for 15 hrs, $3500 for 25 hrs, $4600 for 35 hrs, etc.

Dr. Romano
Dr. Romano, for those who are not familiar with the name, is the author of the popular test prep book The DAT Destroyer. Not only does he offer a great resource that has brought about many successes, but he also offers classroom courses similar to that of Kaplan's. His organic way of delivering and organizing the material in his study sessions have led to many success stories, despite not having all of the fancy amenities, (such as  computer based tests), as his competitors. The only drawback to some is that he is located in Staten Island, New York. Nevertheless, that did not stop people that I know personally, who've traveled from all over the country to be a part of his classes. His class runs at $75 per session. Each session is 3hrs long.

Computer Software

Crack DAT PAT
The Crack DAT PAT software is specifically designed to help you with the Perceptual Ability section of the DAT. Depending on what package you order, you will get a number of different practice tests for each section of the PAT. This is very helpful in getting you prepared for the PAT section of the test as it closely resembles those of the actual test.

DAT Achiever
The DAT Achiever is a software that comprises of many practice tests which can be used to gauge yourself for the real tests. Though I have not extensively used this software, many people have, and they've had great successes with it. From my review, the questions are challenging and it will help you to gain a deeper understanding of each subject areas.

Topscore
Topscore is another software much like the DAT Achiever. Again, I have no experience with the software but have been told it is more challenging than the DAT Achiever and often times more challenging than the actual test. However, from what I've been told, it is very good practice full of supplementary material. Some individuals that used it felt comfortable enough with the material, which they found very reassuring.

Remember, the key to performing well on any examination is to give yourself adequate time when preparing. Attempting to prepare two weeks before such an important examination can prove to be an exercise in futility. You must be fully cognizant of its format. The more prepared you are, the more comfortable you tend to feel about the examination, which can reflect in you performing well. It is advisable that you do not attempt to cram the material. Some of the concepts are from your undergraduate experience. The main difference may be the structure of the questions which will require some sophistry and critical thinking. Linda Elder and Richard Paul - Critical Thinking Reading and Writing Test is a good supplementary guide that can help to augment your critical thinking, reading and test taking skills.

All in all, whichever method you choose to study, there are some materials that have proven over the years to be great help in preparing students for the DAT. Such materials include, but is not limited to:



To find a list of the above materials go here.
To discuss the materials here go to the DAT Discussion tab of the Stu-DENT Network Forums

Pre-requisite Confusion?

In one's quest to pursue Dentistry, there are a set of requisite courses which you have to secure in order to apply or be matriculated into Dental School.

Why are there prerequisites anyway? Simple, prerequisite courses serve to insure that all accepted students have the fundamental knowledge to successfully complete the advanced courses of the dental curriculum.  Different schools may require different courses but for the most part there are a set that all schools typically require. These courses include:

1. Biology with labs (1 year)
2. Inorganic Chemistry with labs (1 year)
3. Organic Chemistry with labs (1-2 semesters)
4. Physics with labs (1 year)
5. Calculus (1-2 semesters)
6. English and or Writing (1 year)

Strongly suggested coursework usually include Sculpting, Basic Business (any), Biochemistry, Microbiology and Physiology.

The above courses are "suggested" courses and will not affect admissions decisions if not taken. However, they will be pretty helpful once you get in to Dental School.

Visit individual Dental School websites for particulars on requisite courses.