Tricks to Studying for the DAT

Becoming a dentist is one of the most sought-after professions. It is a much-needed service to communities, the hours are flexible, and it is easy to run your own dental practice. What is there not to love about that?

However, when a business is lucrative, everyone wants a piece of that pie and this has made getting into dental school extremely competitive. It is estimated that the top dental schools can only absorb about 2-5% of all the applications they receive, and the number of applicants is said to grow faster than those applying to medical or even law school.

Studying for any test can be quite daunting but one with such high odds to beat makes it doubly overwhelming. Luckily for you, we have come up with a few tips to ease the process for you. Let’s get right into it.

1. First and foremost, know your strengths and weaknesses. Are you good at chemistry but struggling with biology? Dedicate the bulk of your time to that which you know little of and study that which is easier for you during those times when you are not feeling particularly inspired because then you won’t labor as hard. Adjust your study schedule based on this method and you won’t burn out as quickly.
2. Find out the best environment for you to study. Do you thrive in a group or do you prefer to study by yourself? Where do you focus best? In a dead silent room or do you prefer some background sound. Studying in a comfortable environment is key because you are going to need to focus all your energy into passing this exam so the less the distractions the easier it will be.
3. Get as much material as you can. There are lots of textbooks and study guides to help you out on this journey, so be on the lookout for them. Find that which suits you best language-wise, and in a style in which the concepts are presented in a way that makes sense to you. Also, do lots of simulation tests. You should even consider getting the help of a DAT tutor to make sure you’re studying efficiently and using the most up to date materials.
4. Although it is important to get your hands on as much material as you can, it is also important to study the right way. Remember when you sat for your SATs and you bought lots of books filled with practice tests? Well, the DAT is an exclusively online exam and it would be very helpful if you practice on the computer. Get used to seeing one question at a time, get used to the online calculator and any other such tools that you might need. This way you will feel better prepared to take the test.
5. Lastly, do not let yourself waste away because you are studying. Exercise, eat healthily, socialize and get enough sleep. Your brain needs to rest if it to retain all that stuff you are going to jam into it. Take a break to have some fun. It is just a test, not the end of the world. Good luck and be confident.