DrStudentDentist

What was the actual day of the exam like?

There’s a lot of talk of studying and preparation but what about the actual day? What went through my mind? What were things I wish someone told me prior to going?

Well, lemme tell you.

The 5 days before my exam, I went to bed, imagining the next morning was the day of the exam. I signed up for the 8:30am exam to get it over with. I think I do better with early morning exams, given I wake up for it. I practiced psyching myself out as a way to get all the jitters out the days before the DAT, instead of the day of the DAT. That’s just something I do. If you have your own little thing you like to do, then do that instead.

Here are the top 10 things I learned that day:

1) Have someone drive you to the testing center unless you know there is parking. It’s always nice to have someone to talk to before the exam. I had my brother drive me. His girlfriend had just broken up with him and he spent the morning talking about it over breakfast. No time to be fretting over the DAT with that.

2) Read the instructions on the confirmation page. I didn’t and took the elevator to the floor I thought it was on. I stepped out to a security guard and a long corridor. Turns out I had gotten off on the criminal court floor. Oops. I hopped back on the elevator, glad to be taking the DAT and not going to criminal court.

3) Bring food. They have lockers for you to put your clothes, bags, and/or food. I only brought a Starbucks Frappaccino. That plus the PAT section on a lousy CRT monitor left me going through the reading and math sections with a killer headache. Bring a light snack, just not Starbucks. I’d suggest good ol’ water for sure.

4) Wear sneakers/boots/closed toe shoes of any kind. August is pretty hot and I went into the testing site with my black Reef sandals. My feet were freezing! The testing site is comprised of several computers in an enclosed room. If there are computers, there’s air conditioning. I didn’t think about that. By the end of the exam, I was tucking my feet under my butt to keep warm.

5) Wear clothes. For the same reasons as #4. If anything, layer up. That way you can unzip your sweater if you feel warm.

6) Bring two forms of ID. They have you verify who you are with the ID. I had my drivers license and my credit card. I was only allowed to bring the 2 IDs, 2 pencils, a booklet of 11×8 paper and the locker key into the room with me. The IDs are also good for *cough cough* the PAT section *cough cough*.

7) All sorts of people are taking all sorts of exams in the room with you. They will finish and get up to leave. They will come in, after you started, to take their exam. They may need assistance and the proctors will walk in. You better get used to all this now. It is inevitable and unavoidable. Now that you know, you can get in the frame of mind that your main focus is your own exam.

8 ) There is a tutorial at the beginning, use the time wisely to set up your paper. I asked the proctor lady about the tutorial time and if I could set up my paper. She didn’t seem to know what I was talking about - told me not to look suspicious and I’d be good. So I did what she said.

9) Take the pee break. Skipping it isn’t going to do you any good. Not taking it could cause your bladder to explode, ending your dental career before it begins.

10) Have someone drive you back. While their driving, you can call up everyone and their mothers and brag about your awesome score.