2 Full-Length Practice Tests
Each full-length practice test -- one in the book and one on the CD-ROM -- includes complete explanations for every answer with special tips and strategies to help you score higher.

A Great Study Guide, July 1, 2002
 

I have been out of school for over five years now, and I've never had a biology class save for one in high school. This book has a great natural science section, covering all the main topics (more or less). Of course, I used college textbooks for more in-depth information of material I didn't know, but the Kaplan product actually covered some important material IN MORE DETAIL than the textbooks! The actual DAT did cover a lot of genetics and specific questions about phyla, which the book was just a little skimpy on. However, every other section was great. I'm VERY happy with my score, and as far as I'm concerned--if you don't take the Kaplan class, you NEED this book. It's worth it's weight in Au!!! --This text refers to the CD-ROM edition.

This is a very good study guide., February 10, 2002
 

All I used to study for the DAT was the Kaplan book and the Top Score Pro software by ScholarWare. I'm an excellent case study as to the effectiveness of this study material because I've recently taken the DAT and I haven't taken a science class in more than 5 years. Needless to say, I had pretty much forgotten everything that I'd ever learned about the natural sciences, and I relied almost exclusively on this book to prepare me for the test. ... For the most part, the tests that are provided with this book have outstanding validity. After taking the DAT, I was especially impressed with the Organic and Inorganic sections of the written exam in the back of the book. The questions provided with the book are very good examples of the type of questions that you're likely to see on the test. Unlike some of the people who are critiquing the sample tests in this book, I care much less about presentation and far more about content. Currently, I am a computer programmer by trade and I can make a test look like the DAT fairly easily, but the trick is in the questions. I knock this book down a star because I believe that they need to update the biology portion of the text. The sample tests provided with this book, as well as with the Top Score Pro software, indicated that biology was an obvious area of strength for me, but that turned out not to be the case at all. The real DAT biology section is very heavy in asking questions about evolution, ecology, and topics in genetics that aren't addressed in this book. Of the 40 questions I received, I'd say that more than 25 of the questions were over these topics. I didn't receive any questions over the topics that I studied very heavily, which included the Kreb's Cycle, the Calvin Cycle, Mitosis and Meiosis and I received only a small handful of questions about the Nervous System, the Digestive System, the Musculoskeletal System...etc. etc. These general topics were simply not addressed very heavily in my DAT, and if my DAT was typical of the sort of thing that you can expect from your DAT, then they should update their biology portion to reflect the changing times. Based on my results to this point, I'd have to say that this book is a very good study tool and that I highly recommend it. --This text refers to the CD-ROM edition.

Awesome, June 5, 2001
 

Absolutely awesome. Great science reviews and good questions from the CD though not perfect, but overall not bad. --This text refers to the CD-ROM edition.

A little disappointed, October 30, 2000
 

The software seemed to crash a lot and I didn't get much help from the company. Once I got it to work (a few times) I could not practice any section I wanted from the one computer test they give.

Also, when I took the real DAT yesterday, the real DAT computer format was much different than Kaplans. The screens, reading comprehension, and the important question review screen, etc. were not the same.

Kaplan only gave me one computer test too. Their book cover seemed to imply 2 full tests! (I guess they are counting the paper one in the book (a little deceiving...so BEWARE of that).

I could not print out questions from the computer and it was difficult to go through their review screens to get to the questions I missed. There are NO TOPICS for the qestions so it was hard reviewing a little bit more about the questions I missed in my college text books.

One important thing was my scores on the real DAT were lower than my Kaplan scores. My overall was 18/19 PAT and my Kaplan was 21/22 PAT. If I were to do it again, I would depend more on my college text books.

The text reviewed some sciences, and general math. Not bad, but not great. I found myself going to my college text books for more explainations.

Overall, I don't think I can recommend it.

Hope to see you in dental school in 2001 :) --This text refers to the CD-ROM edition.