A
The Story

Most students don't
struggle with effort.
They struggle with direction.

I built AceTheDAT after watching how many capable people study hard and still miss the score they need. It's almost never an effort problem. The system they're following just doesn't work.

Why This Exists
"I figured out how to study in a way that actually translates to results. That's what AceTheDAT is built around."

I built AceTheDAT after seeing how many people spend months studying for the DAT without their score moving at all. It's rarely about ability. They're following systems that pile on volume, skip the precision, and never teach them how the exam is actually built.

I scored a 510 AA — 99th percentile, a 25 on the old scale — but more importantly, I figured out how to study in a way that translates to real results on test day. That meant learning to tell a knowledge gap apart from a conceptual misfire apart from a strategy failure, then fixing each one its own way.

It's more than tutoring. It's a system that keeps students focused on what moves their score, cuts the wasted effort, and gets them to test day with a clear plan.

Most of the students I work with are retakers or nontraditional applicants who feel stuck. My role is to simplify the process, identify what's actually holding them back, and help them move forward with a clear plan.

Adding Farwa to the team was deliberate. Once you have your score, the application is the next gate, and most students underestimate how much it takes. She's an incoming D1 dental student with 14+ years of tutoring experience, and the application is her specialty. We're both starting dental school this fall, so we know this process from the inside. Together we cover the full journey.

Thomas Cordell – Founder, Ace The DAT
Founder · AceTheDAT
Thomas Cordell
Incoming D1 · DAT Lead Coach · University of Illinois Chicago
510
AA Score
New 200–600 Scale
(25 on old scale)
99th Percentile
Incoming D1 dental student · University of Illinois Chicago, 3.9 GPA post-bacc sciences
All DAT sections – Bio, GChem, OChem, SNS, PAT, QR, RC
2 × 75-min sessions per week per student
Specializes in retakers and nontraditional applicants
The Approach

We coach for precision,
not volume.

Most DAT prep just gives you more: more practice tests, more flashcards, more hours logged. AceTheDAT works the other way. We find the specific reason a student isn't performing and go straight at it. Everything else is noise.

So every session starts with your data. We classify each missed question, then build the session around what the numbers say you need rather than whatever you feel like working on.

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99th
Thomas's national percentile · 510 AA on the new 200–600 scale (25 on old scale)
3
Weekly live sessions every student receives – 2 with Thomas, 1 with Sarah
1:1
Every session is private, one-on-one coaching, never a group call or a recording
What We Believe

The principles behind
the program.

01

Data, Not Feelings

You can't fix what you haven't measured. Every session starts with your score data and every error gets sorted by type, so prep decisions follow what the numbers say instead of what happens to feel productive.

02

Strategy Over Volume

Doing more practice tests doesn't help if you don't know why you're getting questions wrong. Understanding the type of error is more valuable than the volume of material covered.

03

Specialists, Not Generalists

I coach every section of the DAT. Sarah adds depth on PAT, QR, and RC. Chapman leads the sciences. Farwa owns the application. Everyone works on what they're best at.

04

The Full Journey

A great DAT score and a weak application still ends in a rejection. AceTheDAT is built to follow students all the way from the first diagnostic to acceptance, not just to test day.

05

Accountability That Works

Weekly study portals and regular score tracking are there to keep prep from stalling. That structure is built into every session from the start, never bolted on after the fact.

06

Honest Fit

Not every student is the right fit for AceTheDAT, and we'll say so on the strategy call. This program is for people who are serious and ready to follow the system through.

Ready to Talk

Start with a
free strategy call.

Thomas looks at where you are now and what your target schools expect, then tells you whether AceTheDAT fits your timeline. No pressure either way.

Book Free Strategy Call