Advice on PCAT Scheduling..

[nyc76]

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I read through some of the posts that already touch on this subject and I had some follow up questions.

I would like to take the PCAT next summer (2011) so that I can apply shortly after. By then I would have all the following completed in terms of my science pre-reqs:

Bio I and II
GenChem I and II
Pre-calc, Calc I
A&P I
Org I

However, reading through some posts I'm not sure whether or not I should take both Org I and II as well as AP I and II before I take the PCAT or if having completed Org I and AP I is enough.

To put it simply how much Org II or AP II material is covered in the PCAT?

Thanks

 

[HogFan3]

you need to at least take org. 1 before you take the PCAT. When I took it this past Jan. I didn't see a ton of org. 2 but there is a few ?s over A & P. I know for me, the more classes I had under my belt ( like A & P and ecology and other science courses ) it really helped my score on the PCAT. I think you should go ahead and take it once to see how you do, and then if you don't like your score, wait to take again when you have taken more classes. People are so scared to take it for fear of not doing well. I didnt do well at all the first time I took it but then I knew what to expect and did sooo much better the 2nd time around. I really think for me that no practice test would prepare me for the stress and time constraints like taking the real thing did. I did this and now I am accepted to my top choice for pharmacy school!!Hope that helps!!!!

 

[nyc76]

Thanks for the advice!

So based on what youre saying when you send your PCAT score to the universities you're applying to they take the highest one and ignore the others? So it doesn't matter how many times you take it?

Also with A&P...Im deciding between taking a comprehensive A&P class or taking A&P 1 and 2 which is more in depth. Based on the questions on the PCAT do they focus more on just general knowledge of A&P material or is more in depth? That way I would know whether or not it would be to my advantage to take the more in depth classes or just take the comprehensive one.

 

[b1234]

Whether or not A&P will help you really depends on the way your school teaches it and how the intro Bio sequence is at your school. Also what other courses have taken or background knowledge from other sources you have and how much you are willing to teach yourself.

There were a few questions that I remember that were ochem 2 material but if you can do well on the rest of the chem section you'll be ok without it. You could potentially get all of those questions wrong and still get in the 90's on the chem section.