Which are the best DAT prep books? Read on for the top recommendations.
In this Guide
Trying to find the best DAT prep course can be quite a challenge. This is because there are many study guides on the market offering tons of options and preparation levels.
DAT is quite a difficult exam and how you perform will majorly determine your future in dental school. For this reason, we have reviewed the best DAT prep books on the market that are sure to help you prepare well for the exam.
If you are taking ACLS, we’ve previously covered the best ACLS study materials.
Best DAT Prep Course Comparison Table
| PREP BOOK | RANK | PUBLISHED YEAR | PAGES | PRACTICE EXAMS/QUESTIONS | REVIEW | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 2016 | N/A | 10 practice exams 2000+ questions | Read Full Review | ||
| #2 | 2013 | 1408 pages | 2 practice exams 3000+ questions | Read Full Review | ||
| #3 | 2016 | 948 pages | 2 practice exams 600+ questions | Read Full Review | ||
| #4 | 2013 | 348 pages | 50+ questions | Read Full Review | ||
| #5 | 2012 | 896 pages | 2 practice exams | Read Full Review |
Best DAT Prep Books
#1. Crack the DAT Ace Bundle Package – Best Overall DAT Prep Book
The best study guide in our list of the best DAT study materials is the Crack the DAT. This study software easily beats all the prep books we have in this review.
The DAT prep software has tons of practice questions and sample tests that will help you be confident of the types of questions that are asked during the exams. You will find the questions handy in helping you sharpen your DAT skills as you prepare for the exams.
Each question in the Crack the DAT study software is accompanied by text and video walkthrough. The walkthroughs are in-depth and will help you to identify weaknesses in your answers. By going through the walkthroughs, you will expand your skills and know how to correctly approach answering DAT exam questions.
The Crack the DAT study guide can assess your test abilities and performance, and estimate your test score. This capability is excellent as you will be able to pinpoint your weaknesses and work on them to ensure you pass your DAT exams. By concentrating more on your weak areas, you will have higher chances of passing the exam.
Finally, we love the Crack the DAT for its money-back guarantee policy. Unlike other DAT prep guides on the market, with this guide, you have a 100 percent money-back guarantee if you score less than 14% on your actual exam. This goes on to show just how confident the DAT software study guide team is of its product.
Below is an overview of what is included in the DAT software study guide:
- 25+ hours of video explanations
- 2000+ questions with explanations
- 5 Natural Science exams with a total of 500 questions
- 5 Reading Comprehension exams with 250 questions
- 10 Quantitative Reasoning exams with 400 questions
- 10 Perceptual Ability exams with 900 questions
This DAT software prep guide is available online and not as a physical book. If you would like something that you would hold on your hands to read, you should check the other DAT prep book reviews that follow.
The only flaw we find with the Crack the DAT is that it’s not available as a physical book. Other than that, the quality of material available in the study guide is top notch and will ensure you are well prepared for your DAT exam.
Pros
- 100% money-back guarantee if you get below 14 on the actual exam
- The software can assess your test performance and weaknesses, and also estimate your score
- Text and video walkthrough that go in-depth on various subjects to enhance your skills in the areas
- Tons of practice questions and sample tests available
Cons
- It is not available as a physical book. This DAT study course is available as an online program
#2. Gold Standard DAT Comprehensive – Best DAT Prep Course
Coming at the second position in our review of DAT prep courses is the Gold Standard DAT. This is the best value study guide of all the top rated DAT prep books.
The book has 1,408 pages since it goes in-depth on reviewing the subjects covered in the exam. You will get a lot of detail on various topics in the book to make you confident of undertaking the DAT exam.
The Gold Standard DAT Comprehensive book also comes with tons of practice questions. As you are preparing for the test, you will have more than enough questions to go through and gauge your understanding of the various skills tested.
The full-color illustrations in the book make it an excellent study guide. The monotony of reading text alone is broken with the illustrations, which enhance your understanding of the concepts covered.
Below are some highlights of the DAT prep book:
- Has summaries of organic chemistry mechanisms
- 10 hours of video teaching Natural Science
- 2 full-length practice tests with explanations
- More than 3000 practice multiple-choice questions covering all subjects
One thing we noted when going through this DAT prep book is that it has some typos and errors in the question and answer section. However, the errors are understandable given the many questions that are there. Moreover, the typos do not diminish the quality of the questions or your understanding of the topics covered.
The Gold Standard DAT is our second best DAT prep guide thanks to its comprehensive information.
Pros
- In-depth detail with full-color illustrations
- Has a lot of practice questions
Cons
- There are a few typos in the Q&A section
#3. Kaplan DAT 2017-2018 – Best Overall DAT Prep Book
The Kaplan DAT also makes it on our list of the best DAT prep courses. Kaplan is well-known for its wide range of test prep courses and this book lives up to its name.
The book has tons of practice problems that you can go through when preparing for the DAT exam. These questions are structured to be exam-like and are similar to what you would be asked in the exam. By going through the Kaplan test prep questions, you will be familiar with the type of questions asked in DAT exams.
The Kaplan DAT prep book also comes with quick review sheets at the back of the book. The quick overview sheets come handy when studying on the go or when you need to quickly cram some points before the exam day.
Here’s what’s covered in the DAT prep book:
- 12-page, full-color, tear-out study sheets for quick reviews on the go
- 600+ practice questions
- 2 full-length, online practice tests
We love the Kaplan DAT as it provides excellent material that would be helpful for any student preparing for DAT exams. However, we feel the biology review section is a bit lacking. We would have rated it higher if it covered more details on the biology topics you are likely to see on the exam.
Also, we spotted some typos in the math section. These typos can be confusing when you are working out a problem. This is another reason why we feel the Kaplan is not the best DAT prep book on the market.
Pros
- Has exam-like practice questions
- Comes with quick review sheets that are handy for quickly understanding important information
Cons
- The math answer section has some errors
- The biology section does not go into details of some topics
#4. DAT Secrets Study Guide
Another top DAT study course is the DAT Secrets Study Guide. This book is quite short, with only 348 pages. However, the book is short because it provides concepts and explanations straight to the point. You will not find fluff or filler in the book, and will actually save time using it to prepare for your DAT exams.
By going through the DAT prep guide, you will learn how to apply the knowledge you have gained to different sections of the test. Everything that is taught in the book will help to improve your DAT exam score.
We love this book for the dozens of tips it has about DAT exams. You will learn how to avoid common pitfalls that most students are not aware of when taking the exam.
Other features of the book include:
- Systematic breakdown and analysis in plain language of how to approach and solve complex problems
- Has the exact exam study plan that will ensure you get the best results in the least amount of time
- Has simple secret keys that will help you to do well in your DAT exam
The only issue we have with the DAT Secrets Study Guide is that it does not go in-depth into every topic that is covered. Therefore, we only recommend the book if you have a good foundation of the topics covered in DAT and want a quick reference guide for exam revision purposes.
If you would like a comprehensive DAT prep course, we recommend you check the Crack the DAT.
Pros
- Teaches you how to avoid falling into the many “time traps” found in DAT exams
- You will learn how to apply the knowledge you learn in different sections of the test
- Short and concise. Does not have fluff.
Cons
- Does not review concepts in-depth
#5. Princeton Review Cracking the DAT – Best Budget DAT Prep Course
The Cracking the DAT also makes it among our top recommended DAT prep books. This is a budget book published by Princeton Review, which is also known for dozens of test prep courses. The study guide has extensive reviews of all the subjects covered in the exam, including Reading Comprehension, Perceptual Ability, Biology, Organic Chemistry, General Chemistry, and Quantitative.
The book has practice questions and comprehensive answer explanations that explain why certain answers are correct and why others are wrong. The book does not read like a textbook. Therefore, you can go through it quickly and increase your chances of passing the DAT exam.
Here is an overview of what is included in the Princeton Review Cracking the DAT:
- A full-color, 16-page reference guide that has all the important information for each section of the exam
- 2 full-length practice exams
We noticed that while the practice questions in this book are not exam-like. While the questions are comparable to those provided in the DAT prep books we have reviewed above, they are not similar. This is why we consider the Cracking the DAT to be a budget DAT prep course.
Pros
- Is well organized and easy to go through
- Has in-depth answer explanations
- Extensive reviews of all parts of the test
Cons
- The sample questions are not exam-like
Editor’s Verdict: Which is the Best DAT Prep Course?
The above DAT prep books will help you prepare for your exams without breaking your wallet. The Crack the DAT is, without a doubt, the best DAT prep course. This online program has everything you would need to pass the exam.
Our second best recommendation would be the Gold Standard. We recommend this course if you cannot afford the Crack the DAT.
