So, you’re into design. You like colours, shapes, spaces, or maybe just doodling in every notebook you own. Now you’re wondering what’s next. Everyone’s talking about some Design Aptitude Test or DAT. Feels scary? Relax. It’s actually kind of fun. And yes, it’s your first step into the design world.
If you’re planning to join a good design college like Parul University, you’ll hear about the Parul University DAT. Let’s break it all down for you. No big words. No confusing advice. Just the real stuff.
It’s not like your board exam. No need to mug up formulas. It’s more like the paper tests how your brain works when it sees a problem or an idea. It checks how creative you are, how you think, and how you make ideas look real.
Imagine someone asking you, “How would you design a backpack for a gamer?” Or says, “Draw a house that floats on water.”
You don’t need to get it “right.” You just need to think in cool, different ways. That’s what the test loves.
This test has two main parts.
In the written round, you’ll face design-based questions. Some will be visual. Some will ask you to draw. Others may ask how you think about spaces, clothes, or products. It’s kind of like a puzzle. But a creative one.
Then comes the interview. Chill, they’re not looking for some Picasso. They want to know your story. They want to see if you’re curious. Suppose you like to explore things if you see the world in a unique way.
Bring your doodles. Bring your school projects. Bring that random sketch you made during math class. They just want to see your journey.
Here’s the fun part. There’s no exact syllabus. But you can practice some basics.
Try this: Pick any object in your room. Now, redesign it. Make it smarter. Make it cooler. That’s your practice.
Parul University has multiple design courses that use the DAT score. Some of them are:
All these courses need creative minds. That’s why DAT exists. It helps find students who think beyond marks.
Parul’s DAT is usually offline, but sometimes, they conduct online interviews if you live far away. Just check their website for the current year’s update.
If it’s online, make sure you have a decent setup. Your internet shouldn’t crash in the middle of your genius design idea. That sucks.
The written test usually lasts around 90 minutes to 2 hours. It’s enough to get a feel of your thinking. Not too long. Not too rushed. The interview after that takes around 15-30 minutes.
Once you clear the DAT and the interview, you will be admitted. Simple as that.
After that, life gets fun. Design college is not like a regular college. At Parul University, students had classes in studios, not just boring classrooms. Students built models and visited art galleries. In the third year, they even designed stuff for real clients.
In one semester, students had to redesign a local café. Students made mood boards, layouts, and branding. Some of their ideas were actually used. That feeling? Chef’s kiss.
Honestly, not always. You can join classes if you want structure. But a lot of us got through by just practicing daily. YouTube has some good tutorials. Pinterest has loads of reference images. And your brain has weird, wonderful ideas. Use all of it.
DAT is not a scary monster. It’s just a doorway. If you’ve got ideas, if you love design, if you see the world differently, then this design aptitude test is your jam.
At Parul University, they don’t just teach design. They let you live it. You’ll be around people who geek out on fonts, fabrics and camera angles. You’ll create stuff. You’ll fail sometimes. But you’ll grow like crazy.
So take the test. Show up. Be you. That’s all you need.