Navy HPSP Recipient!

Hey y’all! It’s been awhile since I posted on here, but not much has happened in the past couple months until this past week. My recruiter notified me last Wednesday (2/19/2020) that I received the four year HPSP scholarship with the Navy. This comes as a huge stress reliever because I was rejected by both the Army and Air Force! Receiving this scholarship allows me to attend my dream school, Columbia College of Dental Medicine, this fall. Yes, this Texan is heading to New York City. I am beyond excited for the people I will meet and the adventures of exploring a new city. I want to use this blog to document my experience through my four years at Columbia and the four years after when I will be serving in the Navy. I also plan to document my HPSP experience while in dental school including my stipend, bonus, active duty pay, as well as any other topics y’all may have questions about. I am honored to receive this scholarship and blessed with the opportunity to serve this country. Please feel free to email me at tatehunter@sbcglobal.net if you have any questions regarding the HPSP application process. Peace!

How I Aced my DAT (25 AA)

I took my DAT the summer after sophomore year on August 12th, 2018. I scored a 25 AA, 26 TS, 29 GC, 26 OC, 24 Biology, 22 RC, 22 Math, 24 PAT

First off, I recommend taking the DAT the summer after you complete organic chemistry II, which if you are on schedule should be the summer after your sophomore year. This is earlier than most pre-dental students take the DAT, but at this point you have completed all the coursework that it covers and will have the entire summer to dedicate to studying. I scheduled my DAT on August 12th and began studying on June 2^nd, after studying abroad in Greece (a great break).

The DAT as of 2019 is comprised of four sections: Survey of Natural Sciences, Perceptual Ability (PAT), Quantitative Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension. To prepare I utilized several resources but opted out of any online or in person class because they are extremely expensive and a waste of time if you are reviewing material as a class that you personally understand. After scheduling a date bought a large calendar and planned each day of studying up until the exam - you will fall off track and maybe do more/less each day but this will help give you a guideline of where you are in prep. You can find a lot of sample schedules on Student Doctor Network that you can modify. 

Resources

·       Cliff’s AP Biology Notes - good general overview, don’t read more than once like some kids, complete waste of time

·       Chad’s Videos for general and organic chemistry - I attribute my success on the general chemistry section to these videos. They are short and Chad does a great job of providing quick tricks to help save valuable time

·       DAT Destroyer & Math Destroyer - I worked these problems thru twice, going over each question/answer whether I got it right or wrong. The chemistry problems in this book are extremely difficult compared to what is on the exam, but each problem demonstrates the basic concepts. 

·       DAT Bootcamp - by far the most expensive resource I used, but essential for the perceptual ability section

• Survey of Natural Sciences
• My approach to this section was to do a review of all the material in the first month of my studying, then work practice exams/problems the next month
• Biology - review Cliff’s Notes first month, then begin DAT Destroyer problems (work thru twice) & Bootcamp practice exams
• Chemistry - review Chad’s Videos first month, then move on to Destroyer & Bootcamp practice exams
• Reading Comprehension
• This is the hardest section to improve on simply because it requires natural ability
• I worked through a couple practice exams on DAT Bootcamp to get timing down, but that’s about it
• Perceptual Ability (PAT)
• This was a total mind fuck the first time I looked at it
• The best thing you can do for this is to practice EVERYDAY 
• I developed an approach to each type of problem (cube counting, angle ranking, keyholes, top-front-end) 
• It is key that you find a way to approach each problem and stick to it… it saves time and also keeps you from worrying if you get caught up on a problem
• Bootcamp was my most valuable resource for this
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Chad also has QR videos if you need additional resources
• Math Destroyer was pretty on par with the problems on the actual exam
• The big issue with this section is time - but Chad gives more tips to save time
• The less you can use the calculator the better - its an on screen calculator that you have to use the mouse for so it takes up a lot of time
• Practice Exams
• I worked through all 10 practice exams on Bootcamp, but only did tests 6-10 as full length tests
• After working thru each test I went over the questions/answers to all problems
• My scores on Bootcamp were significantly lower than the real DAT - it is harder so don’t worry if you get a couple 18s/17s

My last piece of advice is for the day before your test. Go have some fun, watch a movie, do anything to take your mind off of it. There is a very slim chance that anything you could learn the day before this test will help you. I personally went fishing and then came home, had a couple glasses of wine, then went to bed at a reasonable hour. All the hard work is done, now just go execute!

Decision Day

Well decision day was a few days ago but I haven't had the chance to post yet...

I am beyond excited to announce that I was accepted to Columbia, UPenn, UCSF, Texas A&M, UT San Antonio, and UT Houston. However, the next step is still not clear yet because I am applying for the HPSP scholarship through the Navy and Air Force. It looks like I will have to place deposits down at two schools and wait to hear if I receive the scholarship or not. I believe the first Air Force board meets today or tomorrow (Dec. 5) and that I will hear back from them by January. The first Navy board is in January and my recruiter says I should hear back by late January or early February. So I am basically on stand by until I know if I received the scholarship. That being said I am shocked that I have been accepted to 6/8 schools I interviewed at.

On another note I am excited to document my journey through the HPSP application process and throughout dental school. Hopefully I can provide y'all with some insight, because I know how daunting the process can seem. Feel free to contact me with any questions you have!

Good luck to everyone as we approach these stressful final few weeks of the semester. Finish strong!

Finding the Work Life Balance

Hey y'all, hope all is going well. In today's blog I want to address an issue that really hits home for me, as well as a lot of pre-health students pursuing an undergraduate degree. This post will be about finding the work life balance.

I took one glance at the clock. It read 4:48 AM. It was finals week of my freshman spring semester. I had been in the same spot in the library since 10 AM the day before, emerging rarely for food or another Red Bull to keep this marathon pumping. I had to get a 96 on this final or my life would be over. My identity as a good student crushed and loved ones, spending hard earned money on my education, let down. The final was at 8 AM. I continued studying until 6:30, went and got breakfast, then walked into the final. I got a 96.5.

We've all been there. When the workload just overwhelms you to the point that all you do is eat, breathe, and study. I can tell you right now, however, this is the only all-nighter I have ever pulled in college. Since sophomore year I have implemented a variety of study strategies and tactics so I don't have to experience this fatigue again. Yes I got the grade I wanted, but at what cost? Well afterwards I was utterly exhausted and unable to study for another exam the next day, which affected my performance. I was also neglecting my body, self, and mind. At the time, I didn't have any sort of workout routine, I was eating bullshit from any window or cafeteria I could find, my blood was about 50% Red Bull, and my mind was exhausted. What would have happened if I would have taken an hour off to go to the gym or to cook a healthy meal at home? What is I just took 5 minutes off of studying every 25 to give my mind a little time to rest?

Since this experience Freshman year, I have changed my ways. I can't say that it happened over night, or even over the course of the next year because of organic chemistry. But today, as I finish up the first semester of my senior year, I have implemented some things to make the day to day stresses of being a student a little bit more manageable.

My first piece of advice is to wake up early. I know we are in college. I know about the late nights spent with friends or studying. But if you do some research, virtually every successful person wakes up early. I personally try to go to bed my 9:30 PM and have an alarm set for everyday at 6:30 AM. Sometimes I wake up before it, sometimes I awake to the sound of it going off, but regardless when I come to in the morning, I get the hell up. Don't be the guy that hits snooze. The guy that hits snooze is already starting the day by delaying responsibilities. If you find yourself hitting snooze, my advice is to just set an alarm for later and get in the habit of waking up and getting up right when your alarm goes off.

I also recommend implementing some sort of physical fitness routine. It can be anything from walking, running, swimming, biking, weight lifting, etc. Just have something to take your mind off of things. I personally am currently training for a marathon, so I run 4 times per week and hit the gym in the afternoon if my schedule permits. I value running because it gives me a chance to listen to music, listen to a podcast, or just unplug and allow me to replace mental challenges with physical ones.

In addition to these two simple strategies, I have also began to use Anki, a notecard spatial repetition software that is used to memorize information and hold it long term. I find that when I put information into Anki and go over my notecards everyday for 20 to 30 minutes, when it comes time for the exam I don't have to put so much time in the days before. It has reduced my overall study time and I still do well on exams. Anki has allowed me to become a more efficient student, allowing for more gym time or time spent with friends.

When it is time for me to sit down and go over Anki cards, I take five minutes off every 25 minutes. In this 5 minutes I can go through my social media, check text messages and emails, go to the bathroom, or just simply sit and relax. The important part is that during the 25 minutes, you are solely focused on the task at hand with no distractions. My phone is on do not disturb, my computer notifications turned off, my ear buds in. Nothing could get me out of this study trance except a true emergency.

So these are just a few pieces of advice for people struggling to find that work life balance. This is a topic that I could fill a novel with, and many people have. It's all about finding what works for you. When you do find it, don't be afraid to try new things you see other students doing. The work life balance is an ever-evolving relationship with ourselves. And lastly, don't overdo it on the caffeine. Thank you for reading and feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Have a great Thanksgiving Break!

Tate Hunter

First Post

Hi, my name is Tate Hunter and I am currently a senior biology major on the pre-dental path at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. I'm creating this blog because I feel like I have a lot of information to offer in terms of my undergraduate experience and I am interested in helping the next generation of pre-dental students find their path to success. Throughout my undergraduate career I have faced many challenges and learned many lessons that only come with experience. I want to share these lessons with y'all, in hopes of making the path to success a bit clearer. I will be posting DAT and course advice, study strategy advice, and advice regarding dental school applications. I'm sure these topics will expand as I want to keep you updated with things I am still trying to achieve in pursuit of my own career. I look forward to the process and helping anyone out there that is need of this advice!