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can anyone explain this to me
what's the difference between Dr Collin's 2011 and 2013 updates?
- Thread starter Binchen222
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Well it includes, Microbio, Organic chem, etc. I just took my PCAT few days ago and scored 96 perecentile using only that. I have mine 2013 edition available, if you interested in buying i can sell it to u for cheap. inbox me [email protected]
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do you know if the 2013 version differs any from the 2012 one? i have the 2012 one and i was thinking about getting the 2013 upgrades
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I took each exam multiple times.
I followed the plan below ...
I focused on taking 2 subject tests an hour so I could build up my test taking speed. (I have always been an incredibly fast test taker, so it wasn't a problem.) Note: I received the packet 2 months before the exam, so I tried to take all of the tests within a week to see where I stood with the material. If I missed a question, I marked it on an answer key. I think that I posted something on the board a few years ago about how many I missed in each section. Some exams are MUCH trickier than others, so be prepared but don't feel too discouraged.
When looking at the exams, I would characterize questions in 3 categories:
1. I know this concept, I'm good with it
2. I THINK that I know the concept, but I should probably review
3. I have no clue what the heck is going on here, I need to look this up
After finishing all of the exams, I went into hardcore content review. I focused primarily on Biology and Verbal since I knew that I would be more than fine with Chemistry and Quantitative. (I have a graduate degree in Chemistry and Quantitative has been my strong suit. I'm an active reader, so I wasn't too worried about Reading.) I reviewed every single aspect of Biology from genetics to physiology and the AP Biology review guide was a godsend.
After reviewing the content, I took the exams again. If I missed a question again, I added that onto a separate list and focused on memorizing that specific question since I learned from the message boards that numerous Dr. Collins questions appear on the actual exam. If I missed a question on the second attempt that I got right on the first attempt, I thought about whether I missed the concept because I was rushing through the material or if I had a knowledge gap that I needed to address.
Side Note: DR. COLLINS QUESTIONS APPEAR REPEATEDLY IN EACH SECTION OF THE EXAM! If you choose not to buy his packet,
... As for his actual packet, I memorized every word on his verbal list and I found it to be incredibly helpful. The sentences were really helpful too. I remember seeing numerous words and unless I received the Dr. Collins version of the PCAT exam (doubtful), they do appear on the exam repeatedly on the various forms. I thought that the Biology section was great for general content review. I also recommended an AP Biology book for extra content review because Kaplan is burdensome and frankly, most of the sections aren't useful. (I don't really remember which book it was, but someone who I helped over the past few years may remember.) Again, as a pharmaceutical research chemist, I didn't need to review the content so I can't attest to its efficacy. The Quantitative section had some really cool tricks that were helpful, but math has been a strong suit so I didn't use it all that much.
I scored a 99 on the PCAT, with 99s in Chemistry & Quantitative, 90s in Biology and Verbal, and in the 80s for Reading so I like to think that my tactics worked rather well. The key thing is to recognize where your weaknesses are and to fix them quickly. Dr. Collins was great because it showed me where I was weak and I worked my butt off to score in the 90s. I think that many people expect to lackadaisically take the tests, put in minimal effort and score well on the exam. You need to treat it like its your job and put in the hard yards, especially if you have a rough GPA.
As for other study aids, I thought that Kaplan was a total joke because the questions aren't at all indicative with what you see on the PCAT. McGraw-Hill's content was sparse and the exams weren't much better. There is a reason why people have spoke highly of Dr. Collins materials for years; While some can score well without it (I surely would have been in the 80s or above), I don't know why someone would want to do that if numerous people have shown its efficacy.
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n/a
Last edited:
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I took each exam multiple times.
I followed the plan below ...
I focused on taking 2 subject tests an hour so I could build up my test taking speed. (I have always been an incredibly fast test taker, so it wasn't a problem.) Note: I received the packet 2 months before the exam, so I tried to take all of the tests within a week to see where I stood with the material. If I missed a question, I marked it on an answer key. I think that I posted something on the board a few years ago about how many I missed in each section. Some exams are MUCH trickier than others, so be prepared but don't feel too discouraged.
When looking at the exams, I would characterize questions in 3 categories:
1. I know this concept, I'm good with it
2. I THINK that I know the concept, but I should probably review
3. I have no clue what the heck is going on here, I need to look this up
After finishing all of the exams, I went into hardcore content review. I focused primarily on Biology and Verbal since I knew that I would be more than fine with Chemistry and Quantitative. (I have a graduate degree in Chemistry and Quantitative has been my strong suit. I'm an active reader, so I wasn't too worried about Reading.) I reviewed every single aspect of Biology from genetics to physiology and the AP Biology review guide was a godsend.
After reviewing the content, I took the exams again. If I missed a question again, I added that onto a separate list and focused on memorizing that specific question since I learned from the message boards that numerous Dr. Collins questions appear on the actual exam. If I missed a question on the second attempt that I got right on the first attempt, I thought about whether I missed the concept because I was rushing through the material or if I had a knowledge gap that I needed to address.
Side Note: DR. COLLINS QUESTIONS APPEAR REPEATEDLY IN EACH SECTION OF THE EXAM! If you choose not to buy his packet,
As for his actual packet, I memorized every word on his verbal list and I found it to be incredibly helpful. The sentences were really helpful too. I remember seeing numerous words and unless I received the Dr. Collins version of the PCAT exam (doubtful), they do appear on the exam repeatedly on the various forms. I thought that the Biology section was great for general content review. I also recommended an AP Biology book for extra content review because Kaplan is burdensome and frankly, most of the sections aren't useful. (I don't really remember which book it was, but someone who I helped over the past few years may remember.) Again, as a pharmaceutical research chemist, I didn't need to review the content so I can't attest to its efficacy. The Quantitative section had some really cool tricks that were helpful, but math has been a strong suit so I didn't use it all that much.
I scored a 99 on the PCAT, with 99s in Chemistry & Quantitative, 90s in Biology and Verbal, and in the 80s for Reading so I like to think that my tactics worked rather well. The key thing is to recognize where your weaknesses are and to fix them quickly. Dr. Collins was great because it showed me where I was weak and I worked my butt off to score in the 90s. I think that many people expect to lackadaisically take the tests, put in minimal effort and score well on the exam. You need to treat it like its your job and put in the hard yards, especially if you have a rough GPA.
As for other study aids, I thought that Kaplan was a total joke because the questions aren't at all indicative with what you see on the PCAT. McGraw-Hill's content was sparse and the exams weren't much better. There is a reason why people have spoke highly of Dr. Collins materials for years; While some can score well without it (I surely would have been in the 80s or above), I don't know why someone would want to do that if numerous people have shown its efficacy.
Hey, when did you take the PCAT and the what update version Dr. Collins did you use? Because I wonder if there is any differences between Dr. Collins version 2012 and 2013. I am having Dr. Collins 2012 version. BTW, you did a great job on the PCAT
I had the 2011 from a friend and I bought the 2013 packet, the only major difference I saw was the addition of a few extra practice exams in each section.And the biology changed a bit, 2013 added in more biochemistry and microbiology parts.
