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It is important to note that Chad’s videos often cover topics more extensively than what is expected to answer questions on the OAT. Thus, do not get carried away with the details and overwhelm yourself. Rather than solely relying on the videos as your study tool, utilize the videos as a reference to supplement your learning through practice questions.
Introduction
Chad’s videos are some of the highest quality and reliable physics materials out there. They have helped thousands of students around the world. However, these videos were NOT originally made for the OAT.
You’re probably wondering then, “how should I use Chad’s videos while studying for my OAT?” There are two options I suggest that you consider. Choose the one that applies the most to you:
- Option 1 - you have prior knowledge of physics:
If you have a strong physics foundation or if you’ve recently taken a college-level physics course, then I’d suggest jumping straight into practice questions and only using Chad’s videos as a refresher for topics you may be less comfortable with.
- Option 2 - you have little to no prior knowledge of physics:
If you are like me and had almost zero background in physics when you started studying for the OAT, I would strongly encourage you to watch the videos listed in our Complete Video Lesson Plan for OAT Physics. It is important to note that Chad’s videos often cover topics more extensively than what is expected to answer questions on the OAT. Thus, do not get carried away with the details and overwhelm yourself. Rather than solely relying on the videos as your study tool, utilize the videos as a reference to supplement your learning through practice questions.
If you haven’t already, I also suggest giving How to Tackle Physics on the OAT a read and adapt the tips to your own learning style. Regardless of which option describes you, the most important and valuable resource for you is the practice questions, so definitely prioritize these. This process may sound intimidating but have no fear! We have a team of experts to help you through it, many of which have been in your exact shoes themselves!
Tips and Tricks
General things to be aware of when using Chad’s problem solution examples:
- Exact vs approximate values: Chad will use exact values for most variables when solving problems. For example, he will always use 9.8 m/s2 for gravity while, on practice questions and the actual OAT, you are expected to approximate this value to 10 m/s2 as you do not have access to a calculator during the physics section on test day.
- If you see Chad using complex numbers or calculations that cannot be easily solved without a calculator, DO NOT WORRY as all actual OAT physics questions are either conceptual (i.e. questions that involve very minor or no calculations) or involve very simple calculations that can easily be done with mental math or on paper. Our practice questions are also written to reflect this format.
Specific examples on how to use Chad’s videos:
- Chad digs really deep into the roots of concepts. For example, in kinematics, he will make you think deeply about acceleration and encourage you to think about it conceptually, even in a calculation-based question. Now, if this is the way you like to learn, go for it! However, if you are in a time crunch, knowing the kinematics equations and how to use them should prepare you well for those questions on test day. Remember, the OAT is timed, so your number one goal is to come up with the correct answer in the least amount of time. Being able to quickly identify and apply the appropriate formulas will allow you to do that.
- Another example is in this video. If you skip to time 8:30, Chad goes over a typical OAT style problem on how perceived weight changes when riding in an accelerating elevator. To solve this problem, notice that Chad derives a formula using 5 steps to reach the answer of 390N. However, the way I like to tackle these types of problems is to simply use the formula W=m(g+a). If we simply plug in the values, we will get approximately the same answer:
W = 50kg(10m/s2 + (-2)m/s2) = 400N
Additionally, while working through practice questions, you will also want to commit a few things to memory to help you ace the physics section, including all of the formulas on the OAT Bootcamp Physics Equation Sheet (especially the five kinematics equations, the sine/cosine values, and the optics table).
High Yield Topics
On the OAT, the physics section is composed of 40 questions that cover approximately 12 different topics. However, some (high yield topics) are typically more heavily tested than others. A few high yield topics include kinematics, dynamics, and optics. Thus, you may find more questions covering these topics on test day. Analogously, you may find fewer questions on less heavily tested topics (low yield topics) such as fluid statics.
Something to keep in mind about Chad’s videos is that they are not oriented toward high yield topics. Despite the fact that all physics topics are important and should be studied, it is definitely worth prioritizing the more high yield topics on the OAT physics section.
From my experience, the two most high yield topics on the OAT physics section are optics and kinematics. Together, they can comprise around 25-30% of the physics questions, so definitely make sure you prioritize these two topics. The next three high yield topics that stood out to me were simple harmonic motion, dynamics, and energy and momentum. However, you should not neglect the remaining physics topics as they are still fair game on the OAT.
In conclusion, between the variety of topics to grasp and the list of equations to memorize, preparing for the physics section of the OAT is not an easy feat. However, our practice problems, Chad’s videos, and our team of experts are here to help make this process less daunting. Please don’t hesitate to message us if you have any questions throughout the studying process and we will try our best to help you! Best of luck and happy studying!
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