The games on this resource will help you develop your perceptual ability. Probably one of the best free resources out there to help you prepare.
It is not in a Q&A format like
Crack DAT PAT,
but for a free resource, you can't go wrong.
Check it out below!
http://predds.net/dat-practice-games/
The DAT (Dental Admissions Test) with the
Tips and other helpful resources found here.
Free DAT Practice Questions and Material, DAT Breakdowns,
Dental School Statistics, Dental Jokes, and More!
AceDAT.com is your one stop "shop" for all your pre-dental interests!
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
What Factors are Considered in Dental School Admissions?
This is most definitely a question that has been in the mind of a pre-dental student at one point in time.
The following items are all factors that are considered when you submit your application through AADSAS, and things you should work on building and improving if possible:
The following items are all factors that are considered when you submit your application through AADSAS, and things you should work on building and improving if possible:
- GPA - Your Science GPA and Overall GPA are just two of many ways that AADSAS will calculate your GPA. Check out their page on GPA calculations HERE.
- DAT Scores - A standardized criteria used to judge applicants to dental schools. Scoring well on this can validate a strong GPA or invalidate a weak GPA (to a certain extent).
- Extra Curricular Activities - Community Service, Clubs, Sports, Hobbies, Academic Awards, Research, etc. Activities that develop your manual dexterity and hand eye coordination are especially useful since dentistry requires this.
- Shadowing - Try to shadow a general dentist and at least a couple specialists. You want to get your feet wet in the field that you will potentially be in for a large part of your life. It's also great seeing the variety of ways different dentists do to accomplish the
- Letters of Recommendation - Serves as an objective portrayal of who you are. This year, AADSAS limits applicants to 4 individual letters of recommendation or 1 committee letter + 1 individual letter.
- Personal Statement - Explain why want to be a dentist.
- The Interview - Your chance to show dental schools who you are and why you are interested in dentistry and their school.
Getting into dental school is a very competitive process. Make sure to maximize your chances by working on the aforementioned factors! It is never too early to begin preparing!
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Some Good Pre-dental Books to Check Out
Dental School: Preparation, Survival, and Success [Hardcover]
Dr. Dean Brandon (Author), Dr. Nido Qubein (Foreword)Book Description
Have you ever wanted to be a dentist, orthodontist, or oral surgeon? This book explores what it takes to be a dentist, how to get into dental school, and how to survive the dental school experience and excel at your chosen profession. The book covers specialization and postgraduate educational opportunities, the business aspects of dentistry, setting up practice and employment options. There is also a special section on the Internet and Social Media. If you think dentistry might be right for you, or a family member, or have ever wondered what a dentist goes through to get where they are today, this book can provide the answers.
Dental School Interview Guide: Preparation and practice for dental school admissions[Paperback]
Matthew Brutsche (Author), Leslie Michaelis (Editor)Book Description
The Dental School Interview Guide offers proven tips and tricks, techniques and strategies for dental school interview preparation. We will not simply tell you how to dress professionally during dental school interviews, but equip you with the best methods formulated to effectively distinguish yourself from your competitors. Dental interview questions are designed to challenge the interviewee and will cause difficulty for student who is not properly prepared. School interviews require a great deal of time and effort on the part of the dental school, they intend to find the most qualified applicants and take the process seriously. Mock interviews, practice questions, and a unique interview preparation methodology will prepare any student to win the interview through our guided process.
Student Doctor Network Dental School Admissions Guide [Paperback]
Gurpreet S Khurana (Author)Book Description
If you are serious about getting into dental school, this guide is for you. The Student Doctor Network Dental Admissions Guide is a complete manual covering applying, getting in, and getting through dental school. Covers all the key topics, including: The dental application cycle, The Dental Admission Test, Writing the perfect personal statement, Sample personal statements, 110 common questions asked by applicants, Dental terminology you should know, Financing your dental education, Contact information for all dental schools, And much more . . .
The Pre-Dental Guide: a guide for successfully getting into dental school [Paperback]
Joseph S. Kim (Author)Book Description
WANTED: DENTAL SCHOOL APPLICANTS. The Pre-dental Guide is a comprehensive resource for those who wish to enter the field of dentistry. The purpose of this book is to provide pre-dental students with pertinent information about the various factors to consider when choosing and applying to dental school. Also, the major elements of the Dental Admission Test (DAT), and advice on how to take it, are explained in some detail. In addition, this book makes recommendations regarding the pre-dental resources which are currently on the market. The author, Dr. Joseph Kim, is a former DAT instructor who understands the fears and concerns that dental school applicants face. In this book, he provides answers to many of the questions that pre-dental students have. This is the only book that dental school applicants must have.
You Can Nail It: A common sense guide for getting into and competing successfully in a medical, dental or veterinary school [Paperback]
Dr. David R. Gross (Author)Book Description
If you accept and practice the concepts described in this guide you will prepare yourself for success by improving your time management skills and learning efficiency. When you improve learning efficiency, the result is better understanding, better mastery of the material, and better grades. Efficient and effective learning also provides maximum free time for non-academic activities, experiences that are a critical to forming the whole professional.
Guide to Medical and Dental Schools: 12th Edition (Barron's Guides) [Paperback]
Saul Wischnitzer (Author), Edith Wischnitzer (Author)Book Description
Updated with current facts and figures, this directory profiles all AMA, AOA, and ADA accredited medical, osteopathic, and dental schools in the United States and Canada. It is also a valuable guidance manual for students contemplating careers in medicine and dentistry. This book presents up-to-date information on tuitions and fees, admission requirements, application procedures, available financial aid, MCAT and DAT test-taking advice, and sample essays written by medical school applicants. It also includes a model MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) with all questions answered and explained, and selected questions with answers from recent DATs (Dental College Admission Tests). Additional features in this comprehensive directory include a self-assessment admission profile, a sample medical school application form, detailed advice on career opportunities for women and minorities, and much more.
ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools 2011: For Students Entering in Fall 2012 [Paperback]
American Dental Education Association (Corporate Author)Book Description
The 2012 ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools answers virtually every question about dentistry and the dental school admissions process.
What Others Say About the ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools
"The ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools is the premier guide to dental education available today. It is an invaluable resource for anyone planning to apply to dental school or exploring a dental education." Lori Provost, Past President, National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions, and Director, Health Professions Office, Muhlenberg College
"Published annually by the American Dental Education Association for more than 40 years, this handy guide provides authoritative information on every accredited dental school in the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada. Prospective applicants gain general information about each school's entrance requirements (GPA, Dental Admissions Test scores, and predental education), application and selection processes, dental curriculum, special programs and services, costs, and financial aid. Quick look-up tables offer cumulative comparisons of individual dental schools' number of applications, total students interviewed and accepted, summary of admission requirements, and origin of out-of-state students. The first few chapters cover opportunities in dentistry, the application process, financial aid details, and lists of useful dental organizations and references. ... This informative, low-cost guide is an ideal reference book for most libraries. Summing Up: Highly recommended." CHOICE Current Reviews for Academic Libraries, October 2009, Vol. 47 No. 2
More of What's Included
- Residency requirements
- Geographical class breakdowns
- What to include in your dental school application essay
- Helpful advice and tips for getting into dental school
- Ideas for how to pay for dental school
Friday, July 13, 2012
What to do the Day Before and During TEST DAY!
So, you are sitting in your room. It is the day before test day. The day before the test that can make or break what you will be for the rest of your life.
Nervous?
That's ok. It is perfectly normal.
Before I continue on, I wanted to say that like most things in life, if you put in the time and work, you will get results. You reap what you sow ladies and gentleman (in most cases at least, I'm sure many of you have gotten away with procrastination on school work at some point in your lives or another, but I digress).
Some people (the super over the top overly prepared ones I'm guessing ;) ) prefer to spend the day before the test relaxing. Hitting the gym, hanging out with friends/family, playing video games, watching a movie, etc.
Some (like me) try to squeeze and cram as much information into their head as humanly possible the day before.
You should do what best suits YOU! Do whatever it takes (within reason) to make yourself feel better about yourself and build your confidence. Whether it be relaxing and unwinding most of the day before, or studying like a madman. To each his (or her) own.
So the day is over and it's bedtime. If you are like I was, and have an early test time, I would definitely recommend taking a sleep aid or something a few hours before bedtime to help you sleep, because most likely your body will be in the fight or flight response (I know I was and I only got a few hours of sleep before my test 0.o). All that adrenaline will probably be coursing through your veins during test day, so you will probably still be awake if you didn't get much sleep the night before, but having a few extra hours of sleep under your belt will only help.
So it's TEST DAY!
Here are some useful things to know:
-Eat a good, healthy breakfast. Eating healthy will enhance your mood and overall well-being. Don't drink too much water. Your bladder will already be overactive since your sympathetic nervous system will probably be activated.
-Arrive early. Make sure you visit the test center in advance so you know exactly where it will be and how long it will take you so you can schedule accordingly.
-Bring a set of earplugs that you like. You ARE ALLOWED To bring them in with you. If you are as unfortunate as I was to have someone pounding on the keyboard next to you during testing (and are sensitive to noise), these will help. They will muffle the sound, but if you put the headphones provided at Prometric testing centers on top of the earplugs, you get BEAUTIFUL SILENCE.
*The headphones might hurt your ears after a bit, but the silence is worth it in my opinion
-Wear something COMFORTABLE. You will be sitting down for half a day. You don't want tight pants or an itchy piece of clothing, etc. to detract from your full scoring potential. Consider bringing a jacket as the room might be a bit frigid (mine was).
-This is how test day went for me:
When you get to the center, you sign in first on a sheet, get a locker to put all your stuff in, than you wait till the workers process other people taking tests (People will be there for all kinds of tests, GRE, MCAT, LSAT...). They call your name, you go into the office, and they take a scan of your right and left index fingers (3x each). Than they take a picture of you give you your "Scrap Paper" and you are good to go. I don't know if all centers are like this, but instead of a whiteboard, I got laminated graph paper and fine tip sharpies as my "scratch paper". You are now on your way to acing the DAT
Below is a video posted by Prometric on YouTube on what to expect during test day.
Nervous?
That's ok. It is perfectly normal.
Before I continue on, I wanted to say that like most things in life, if you put in the time and work, you will get results. You reap what you sow ladies and gentleman (in most cases at least, I'm sure many of you have gotten away with procrastination on school work at some point in your lives or another, but I digress).
Some people (the super over the top overly prepared ones I'm guessing ;) ) prefer to spend the day before the test relaxing. Hitting the gym, hanging out with friends/family, playing video games, watching a movie, etc.
Some (like me) try to squeeze and cram as much information into their head as humanly possible the day before.
You should do what best suits YOU! Do whatever it takes (within reason) to make yourself feel better about yourself and build your confidence. Whether it be relaxing and unwinding most of the day before, or studying like a madman. To each his (or her) own.
So the day is over and it's bedtime. If you are like I was, and have an early test time, I would definitely recommend taking a sleep aid or something a few hours before bedtime to help you sleep, because most likely your body will be in the fight or flight response (I know I was and I only got a few hours of sleep before my test 0.o). All that adrenaline will probably be coursing through your veins during test day, so you will probably still be awake if you didn't get much sleep the night before, but having a few extra hours of sleep under your belt will only help.
So it's TEST DAY!
Here are some useful things to know:
-Eat a good, healthy breakfast. Eating healthy will enhance your mood and overall well-being. Don't drink too much water. Your bladder will already be overactive since your sympathetic nervous system will probably be activated.
-Arrive early. Make sure you visit the test center in advance so you know exactly where it will be and how long it will take you so you can schedule accordingly.
-Bring a set of earplugs that you like. You ARE ALLOWED To bring them in with you. If you are as unfortunate as I was to have someone pounding on the keyboard next to you during testing (and are sensitive to noise), these will help. They will muffle the sound, but if you put the headphones provided at Prometric testing centers on top of the earplugs, you get BEAUTIFUL SILENCE.
*The headphones might hurt your ears after a bit, but the silence is worth it in my opinion
-Wear something COMFORTABLE. You will be sitting down for half a day. You don't want tight pants or an itchy piece of clothing, etc. to detract from your full scoring potential. Consider bringing a jacket as the room might be a bit frigid (mine was).
-This is how test day went for me:
When you get to the center, you sign in first on a sheet, get a locker to put all your stuff in, than you wait till the workers process other people taking tests (People will be there for all kinds of tests, GRE, MCAT, LSAT...). They call your name, you go into the office, and they take a scan of your right and left index fingers (3x each). Than they take a picture of you give you your "Scrap Paper" and you are good to go. I don't know if all centers are like this, but instead of a whiteboard, I got laminated graph paper and fine tip sharpies as my "scratch paper". You are now on your way to acing the DAT
Below is a video posted by Prometric on YouTube on what to expect during test day.
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