How Alana Aced the DAT with a 540 AA

By Dr. Andrew Chen — Updated on April 9, 2026

"I would recommend this program to anyone that wants to succeed on the DAT. It is a daunting test but Bootcamp makes it feel far less scary."
Alana Chandler,540 AA

Hi all! My name is Alana, and I am about to graduate with a B.S. in Neuroscience and a minor in Chemistry. I waited to take the DAT until the spring of my Senior year because I did not feel that my experiences were strong enough during my Junior year. With that in mind, I was determined to only take the DAT once. I researched programs with great reviews and ended up settling on DAT Bootcamp. I studied for 2.5 months while taking a full (albeit lighter than previous semesters) course load. Concentrating my classes on Tuesday/Thursday allowed me to spend Monday/Wednesday fully immersed in test preparation and Fridays doing research with a PhD student. I think that preparing amidst an otherwise busy semester is what kept me sane - I never felt like the DAT was the only thing on my mind.

Although I did most of my studying on Monday/Wednesday/Saturday/Sunday, I made sure to also study Tuesday/Thursday, even if it was just 15 minutes of PAT practice or some Bio Bites. As far as my schedule goes, I followed Dr. Ari’s schedule to a T, with the exception of not always taking a rest day. To begin, I took a practice test for each section with absolutely no preparation, just to see where my baseline was. I then began Dr. Ari’s study schedule, supplementing with Anki to keep the topics fresh in my mind. I found myself getting ahead of schedule, so I continued to fill my allotted study time with Anki, Quizlet, and PAT Generators. On average, I studied around 3 hours each day, but that got lighter as my test day approached.

Below are my general strategies and reflections about each section:

Biology (570):

My baseline for Biology was 390 and my score range after studying was 440 to 600. Biology is one of my more comfortable subjects, so I knew that I would be able to really improve from my baseline. To maximize my time and retention, I used the Bootcamp High-Yield Bio Notes and took notes on anything that I wasn’t comfortable with or didn’t know. I followed my reading with Bio Bites for that section. The next day, I reread the passage and reviewed my notes, followed by doing the question bank for the section after working on another subject. I began using a huge Anki deck and wished I had started using Anki earlier.

General Chemistry (600):

My baseline for General Chemistry was 360 and my score range after studying was 440 to 490. Although I took GC over two years ago, I took Analytical Chemistry last semester. This course gave me a refresher on key GC concepts. I was confident with about half of the GC content, needing reminders on topics like nuclear reactions and electrochemistry. I watched Dr. Mike’s videos and then completed the question banks.

Organic Chemistry (480):

My baseline for Organic Chemistry was 320 and my score range after studying was 410 to 600. I was excited to relearn concepts I liked, using videos and the question banks but turned to Anki for solidifying concepts. I created a Quizlet for practice on lab tests.

PAT (510):

My baseline for PAT was 390 and my score range after studying was 430 to 500. I worked through the question banks and used the generator for various exercises. I practiced for at least 15 minutes per day, which I believe strengthened my skills for PAT.

Reading Comprehension (550):

My baseline for Reading Comprehension was 550 and my score range after studying was 450 to 550. This section felt intuitive, and my reading background helped. I completed all the question bank passages and used the highlight function to identify key sentences.

Quantitative Reasoning (510):

My baseline for Quantitative Reasoning was 400 and my score range after studying was 420 to 450. I noticed improvements by refocusing on difficult topics. On the real DAT, I easily finished the section in time.

Overall, I am thrilled that I used Bootcamp and ended up with a 540 AA and a 550 TS. I would recommend this program to anyone that wants to succeed on the DAT. It is a daunting test but Bootcamp makes it feel far less scary.

Score Report