Study Smarter, Not Harder: Brian’s DAT Prep with Bootcamp

How I studied for DAT Using Bootcamp:

Preparing for the DAT felt like working a full-time job with daily overtime. For three consecutive months, I maintained a rigorous study schedule—arriving at the library or a coffee shop by 10 a.m. and returning home at 10 p.m., Monday through Friday.I structured my study plan into phases. During the first two months, I focused primarily on General Chemistry and Biology, as I found General Chemistry to be easier than Organic Chemistry and Biology due to its numerous information.

To tackle the extensive Biology content, I divided my time strategically: the first month was dedicated to rewriting and deeply understanding high-yield notes from DAT Bootcamp, while the second month was spent applying that knowledge through intensive practice questions and tests. My approach to Biology included rewriting the entire chapter using Bootcamp’s high-yield notes. If I encountered concepts I didn’t fully understand, I read Bootcamp’s PowerPoint slides or supplemented with YouTube videos. After compiling my notes, I focused on connecting concepts across chapters and teaching the material to myself out loud to reinforce understanding. Once I felt confident with a chapter, I would close my notes and attempt to recall everything from memory. I then completed Bootcamp practice problems and added every missed question to my notes for later review. I studied two chapters per day, Monday through Friday, and reserved weekends exclusively for review. On Saturdays and Sundays, I began by recalling everything I learned that week, followed by a full review from Chapter 1 onward. In the final month, I recalled five chapters per day while continuously revisiting practice questions and full-length practice exams.For General Chemistry, I combined resources from both Bootcamp and Booster to create comprehensive notes, which I memorized thoroughly. Once I felt confident in the material, I moved on to practice problems. Like with Biology, I wrote down every incorrect answer and reviewed them repeatedly until I fully understood the reasoning behind each one. This cycle of repetition and active recall was key to reinforcing my learning and improving my performance in my belief!

During the final month of my DAT preparation, I intended to focus on Organic Chemistry but was concerned about forgetting previously studied Biology and General Chemistry material. To maintain retention, I dedicated the first five hours of each day to reviewing Biology and General Chemistry. I then used the remaining study hours to concentrate on Organic Chemistry. Admittedly, Organic Chemistry was never my strongest subject. Instead of a comprehensive review, I opted for a more streamlined approach by memorizing Bootcamp’s reaction cheat sheet and working through practice exams. In total, I spent about two weeks seriously studying Organic Chemistry, which I believe contributed to earning a score of 22 in that section.

Quantitative reasoning was the subject I felt most confident in, so I did not allocate significant study time to it. However, during the week leading up to the exam, I reviewed Bootcamp’s equation cheat sheet daily and completed practice tests—closely analyzing any incorrect responses to reinforce my understanding.

As for the Reading Comprehension section, I chose not to study for it, as I felt sufficiently prepared based on my existing skills.

Bootcamp's features that allowed me for a success:

I cannot emphasize enough how invaluable DAT Bootcamp was to my preparation. The quality and realism of Bootcamp’s practice tests were truly phenomenal—they closely mirrored the actual DAT in both difficulty and format. As I sat for the real exam, I was genuinely surprised by how familiar the questions felt, which greatly reduced my test anxiety and boosted my confidence.

In addition to the practice exams, Bootcamp’s high-yield notes were equally instrumental in my success. These notes were concise, well-organized, and focused exclusively on the content that truly mattered for the exam. They eliminated the need to sift through extraneous information, allowing me to study more efficiently and retain information more effectively.

Overall, Bootcamp provided a comprehensive and strategic framework that helped me approach the DAT with clarity and confidence.

Difference between my actual test and practice test:

I found that nearly every section of DAT Bootcamp closely resembled the actual exam in both content and difficulty. In fact, during the Biology section of my DAT, I finished in just 10 minutes because many of the questions felt strikingly familiar—I had encountered very similar ones during Bootcamp practice sessions. One minor discrepancy I noticed was the emphasis on the reproductive system in Bootcamp’s Biology practice exams, which did not appear on my actual test.

In terms of scores, my Bootcamp practice exams averages were approximately 540 in both Biology and General Chemistry, 400 in Organic Chemistry, and 580 in Math. On the actual DAT, I scored 600 in Biology, 490 in General Chemistry, 470 in Organic Chemistry, and 540 in Math. Overall, Bootcamp's practice exams were a vital part of my DAT preparation, offering realistic, high-yield questions that helped me build both content mastery and test-taking confidence.

The #1 Thing to Do While Studying for DAT

One of the most important pieces of advice I can offer is to first figure out what study method works best for you. This took me some time to learn. I initially experimented with methods like Quizlet and rewriting every single note until I had it memorized, but these weren’t the most effective approaches for me. Once I identified the strategy that suited my learning style—active recall and concept integration—studying became much more manageable and efficient. Equally important is maintaining the right mindset. At first, I dreaded having to relearn so much material, and studying felt more like a chore than a meaningful pursuit. Everything changed when I began telling myself, “I can do this.” I reminded myself that if the DAT became a barrier I couldn’t overcome, it would be difficult to handle the rigor of dental school. That mental shift helped me reframe the experience. Instead of feeling forced to study, I began to approach each day with purpose and even a bit of excitement. Reshaping my mindset and discovering my ideal study method were key turning points in my preparation. They not only helped me survive the process—but allowed me to grow through it.