To pursue a career in dentistry you will have to first take the Dental Admissions Test (DAT). To do well on this test you have to devote quite a bit of time to your DAT test prep. One of the reasons students fail in this test is that they don’t commit themselves to prepare thoroughly for this exam. Also, there are students who start preparing one week before the test and most of them end up attaining lower scores that may not help them to qualify for a career in the field of dentistry. That is why effective DAT test prep is essential. Below are the top strategies to help you excel on the DAT:
Time Management
Time is very important when it comes to DAT preparation. You have to create a schedule for yourself otherwise you will get overwhelmed. You need to have a plan of when to start your DAT test prep, the time you are going to take in order to complete your studies, and when you will sit for the DAT exam. After this, you can start to think about enrolling for the DAT. Once you have determined your time frame you can now come up with a study schedule.
Having planned out every day and being aware of what to concentrate on and the time it will take, is crucial to your success. This will enable you to alleviate stress and ensure you remain organized during your study period.
Study Appropriately
Many students tend to think that the study approaches they used to excel in other tests will help them to do well on this test, but this may not be true. For instance, many students who have taken the SAT or ACT used to purchase detailed books comprising of practice exams. Even though some students may be enticed to do the same for the DAT, they should opt to study on a computer, since the DAT is solely offered on a computer. Make use of your computer to take practice tests and familiarize yourself with doing one question at a time even though you have the opportunity to click multiple questions once.
Also, remember to familiarize yourself with an online calculator when there is no usage of shortcut keys–particularly for the quantitative reasoning section. Studying for the test with the help of the equipment which is used during the exam will help you to boost your confidence and feel prepared for the test day.
If you aren’t sure what the best strategies are for you, try consulting a DAT test prep tutor. They’ll be able to help you plan out your study schedule as well as guide you on the most effective ways to prepare for the exam.
Take A Practice Test First
Before beginning your studies, take a test to evaluate which areas you are good in and those which require more attention. These kinds of tests will help you to strengthen your areas of weakness and also perfect your strengths. The practice test will also enable you to familiarize yourself with the actual test format. It will help you to reschedule your study plan so as to allocate more time for the areas you need to improve in.
Take Breaks
When studying for any test you have to take breaks. After a long study period, you need to take some time from class work and go watch a movie with your friends or get some exercise. This will help your mind relax while digesting what you have learned. You can think of any activity which will help your body to relax as this will keep your mind fresh.