Things just ain't like they used to be...

It is week 6 of my DAT class and, as expected, I am pretty behind in the material. Of course, I am not the only one. Being in a room full of college age kids, they are bound to be behind too with classes wrapping up for the semsester. It is inevitable when you have to plow through 250 pages a week. And, not just 250 pages of reading, but densely packed, boring as fuck organic and general chemistry.

But, my complaints on the amount of studying is not what I want to talk about. What I do want to talk about is how much the whole preparation thing for entrance exams has changed. I was talking to one of the dentists I shadowed this past Saturday. During the course of the conversation, he asked how I am preparing for the DAT. I told him I was taking a class that met a few times a week and had homework. Of course, I had to ask him how he prepared for it. His response was, "I do not really remember, but I think I bought a book, went through that, then took the test. I did not have much time between work and school, but I had to take it."

Admittedly, his comment did not surprise me. I know these classroom prep courses are a relatively new phenomenon. And, in my opinion, a really good one especially for someone who has not taken any sciences courses for over a year. Still, I really do wonder how I would fair if I did not have the option to take a prep course. Would I have a chance of getting in? One thing is for certain, I could not study for the exam and be ready to take it in the same amount of time I am doing this one. I would need an additional month or so to get to where I am now. Even then, though, I wonder if I would feel as confident walking into the center on testing day. I guess I will never know.