If you are a pre-heath student, you will need to understand that dentistry and medicine are completely different career paths available in front of you. Due to the same reason, there are different requirements to get into professional schools. The pre-medical students will need to go through the Dental Admission Test (DAT) and Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) to determine the study area where they are going to continue.
These two tests are quite similar to each other. Services like Kaplan, Datprep, and Princeton help students understand and prepare for the exam. However, you will notice some significant differences in them as well. This is where we thought of letting you know about the gaps that exist in DAT and MCAT in detail.
What are the similarities between DAT and MCAT?
It is important to know that either test is just the beginning of your medical journey. Once you are in dental or medical school, you can take further classes and seek out residencies to specialize, for example becoming an orthodontist or a cosmetic dentist. For more information about the latter, check out the team here. Before we proceed, let’s take a quick look at the similarities that exist between DAT and MCAT. Then you will be able to overcome all the confusion that exists between the two exams.
– Both are expensive
Both DAT and MCAT are expensive exams that pre-health students will have to go through. If you want to take the DAT, you will have to spend $430. Likewise, you will have to pay $305 to go through the MCAT exam. In the meantime, you should also understand that the prices are increasing along with time.
– Both are long exams
Similar to the cost, both DAT and MCAT are considered as lengthy exams that pre-health students will have to go through. You will need to have lots of mental stamina to get through the exams and end up with positive results. The DAT exam ranges for five hours. Likewise, the MCAT exam will go up until 7.5 hours.
– Both are computer-based
Both DAT and MCAT are computer-based exams. Therefore, you will not have to deal with pens or paper while working on it. There is no paper-based examination available. Therefore, you must go ahead with the computer-based exams.
– Content is quite similar
The content you will come across while going through DAT and MCAT exams are quite similar. You will come across the same questions related to general chemistry, biology, and organic chemistry.
– Both exams have a reading comprehension
Both DAT and MCAT exams have reading comprehension. While you are taking that, you need to read and analyze passages, so that you can answer the questions. You will not need to have any previous experience to go through this section, as well.
What are the differences between DAT and MCAT?
Now you have a clear picture of the similarities that exist between DAT and MCAT. While keeping them in mind, you need to take a look at the differences that exist between the two exams.
– MCAT tests the knowledge of physics
If you are going through the MCAT exam, you will need to get ready with your physics knowledge. That’s because you will have to go through a series of physics questions during the exam. However, DAT students will not have to go through such physics questions while facing the exam. However, they will still need to go through physics classes.
– MCAT exam contains passages in every single section
When you take a look at the MCAT exam, you will notice that there are passages within every single part of the exam. However, students who go through DAT will only see passages within the reading comprehension section. This is another notable difference that you must be aware of. Due to the same reason, questions that you will come across in the DAT exam look much easier. That’s because the students did need to go through the passage and understand the content in it before answering the questions.
– DAT has more math
In the DAT exams, you will come across many questions that evaluate the knowledge and understanding that you have on mathematics. You will not be able to experience it while you are going through MCAT exams. In the MCAT exam, students will mainly come across science questions. There aren’t any math topics at all in these questions. Due to the presence of math questions, students who go through the DAT exam are provided with the chance to use a calculator during the exam. This ability is not provided to the students who go through the MCAT exam.
– Availability of exam
DAT exam is available for the students throughout the year. In other words, you will be able to get the exam on any preferred day of the calendar year. However, the MCAT exam is not available like that. You will only be able to see the exam for around 20 to 25 different times a year.
– Time is taken to get the results
After you take the MCAT exam, you will need to wait for around 30 days to get the results. However, DAT students will not have to wait for such a long period of time. They will be provided with an unofficial report of the score as soon as they complete the test. This is one of the most significant differences that you can discover in between DAT and MCAT.
– DAT focuses more on your perceptual abilities
While you are going through the DAT exam, you will notice that it is focusing more on testing the perceptual skills that you have. Due to the same reason, you can even think about calling DAT as one of the most standardized exams that you can find, as well. However, you will not be able to find a lot of questions that test the perceptual abilities that you have while taking the MCAT exam. This is one of the most prominent differences between the two exams, which you must keep in mind.
Conclusion
Now you are aware of the differences that exist between DAT and MCAT exams. While keeping these facts in mind, you can proceed to the next stage of taking the exams.
