Because the DAT covers such a wide range of dense science content, an unstructured study plan is one of the most common reasons students feel underprepared on test day, regardless of how much total time they spent studying. Here's a realistic, phase-by-phase approach.
Start with a baseline, and plan your application timing early
Before committing to a study schedule, take a full practice test under real timed conditions to see your actual starting point across all three text-based sections. At the same time, remember that ADA recommends applying six to eight weeks before your target test date -- work backward from your desired test date to figure out both when to apply and how much real study time you have before then.
Related: What to Expect on the DAT: Format, Scoring, and How to Prepare
The early phase: content review, weighted by real section proportions
Survey of the Natural Sciences makes up roughly half of the sections this practice bank covers, so it deserves the largest share of your review time -- and within it, Biology carries the single largest individual share. Spend the bulk of your early study time on the science content across all three subjects (Biology, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry) before narrowing focus to specific weak areas.
The middle phase: timed section practice, plus separate PAT prep if needed
Once foundational review is underway, start practicing full, timed individual sections -- pacing on the DAT is tight, especially on Survey of the Natural Sciences, and it's a skill that only improves under real time pressure. If you're also taking the Perceptual Ability Test, this is also when to start dedicated PAT practice, since it's a separate visual-spatial skill that needs its own study time, not something that improves as a byproduct of science review.
The late phase: full-length, mixed-subject practice tests
In the weeks before your test date, shift toward full-length practice tests covering multiple sections in one sitting. Because the three text-based sections are tested back to back with no break between subjects, practicing the mental context-switching between Biology, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Reading, and Quantitative Reasoning in one sitting builds a real stamina skill that isolated single-subject review doesn't.
The final stretch: light review and logistics
In your last week, shift to light, familiar review rather than new content, and confirm your Prometric appointment details, required ID, and testing-center location well in advance. Since the DAT is offered essentially year-round rather than on fixed dates, there's no "next available slot" fallback the way there is with a once-a-month national test -- don't leave test-day logistics to the last minute.