Winter weather continues, and the new semester has just begun. Your students are still a long way from their spring and summer test dates—or are they? It is tempting at this time of year to think, “Oh, I’ll figure out when to take the DAT sometime this semester; I have plenty of time,” or “The PCAT is so far away; I don’t need to worry about that for a while.” But, pretty soon January will turn to February, February to March, first day of classes to midterms, spring break, and finals. And before students know it, it is time to register for and take the most important tests of their academic careers! If they have waited too long, there is precious little time left to prepare, and they can be left scrambling to get ready or deferring to a less than ideal test date.
But, not if they have planned ahead! By planning the road to test day now, students give themselves significant advantages: first pick of test dates and locations, time to prepare, a wide selection of Kaplan class schedules, flexibility to adjust when the unexpected occurs, and the confidence that comes with knowing that they have solid plans in place. If your students are looking to take the DAT or OAT in April or May, count back three months: January or February are great times to start preparing. If students are looking to take the PCAT in July, they’ve got a little longer, but it’s best to get going in March or April, and they don’t want to risk missing those July test dates.
Recently, I shared with my team the six P’s: Proper Planning and Preparation Prevent Poor Performance. Most of your students probably recognize the need to prepare for the DAT, OAT, or PCAT because these tests have such a significant impact on their dreams of becoming dentists, optometrists, and pharmacists. But, many students neglect the planning that comes before the preparation. Even students who are not quite ready to begin prepping today should be planning the what, when, and how of their preparation now. As always, our Kaplan pre-health teams are here to help you and your students with the planning and preparation that lead to Higher Scores. Please reach out whenever you have questions or feedback for us as we work together to help your students achieve their goals.
