The DAT is a long, science-heavy exam, and most lost points don't come from a genuine knowledge gap -- they come from a handful of recurring, avoidable mistakes. Here are six of the most common ones.
1. Spreading review time evenly instead of matching real section weighting
Survey of the Natural Sciences alone makes up roughly half of the sections this practice bank covers, with Biology carrying the single largest share within it. Students who split their study time evenly across all subjects, rather than weighting toward the real proportions, often end up under-prepared on the section that actually matters most for their overall performance.
Related: What to Expect on the DAT: Format, Scoring, and How to Prepare
2. Under-practicing Reading Comprehension because it "doesn't need studying"
It's tempting to treat Reading Comprehension as a section you either can or can't do well on, without real practice. But the passages are genuinely dense and science-heavy, and the pacing -- about 72 seconds per question, shared with re-reading the passage -- is a skill that improves with timed practice, not something you either have or don't.
3. Losing easy points to careless Quantitative Reasoning errors
With a basic four-function calculator and no scientific or graphing functions, small arithmetic slips -- a sign error, a misread word problem, an unsimplified fraction -- cost real points on Quantitative Reasoning that a more advanced calculator would have caught. Build a habit of a quick sanity check on your answer before moving on, especially on multi-step word problems.
4. Not budgeting separate prep time for the Perceptual Ability Test
If you're taking the real DAT, remember that the Perceptual Ability Test is a completely separate, image-based skill from the three text-based sections -- spatial reasoning and 3D rotation aren't something you improve by studying more Biology or Chemistry. It needs its own dedicated practice using ADA's own PAT materials, budgeted separately from your science review.
5. Applying too close to your target test date
ADA recommends applying six to eight weeks before your desired test date. Waiting until the last minute can mean losing your preferred testing window, especially during popular application seasons -- apply as soon as you have a realistic target date in mind, even if your prep isn't finished yet.
6. Treating a retake as an emergency instead of a normal option
The DAT allows up to four attempts in any 12-month period, with a 60-day minimum wait between attempts. Knowing this ahead of time -- rather than discovering it under stress after a disappointing first attempt -- makes it easier to treat a retake as a normal, planned option if your first score doesn't reflect your real preparation, rather than a crisis.