Counting down

[shoppe]

Does anyone notice that there are only 2 weeks left til Jan PCAT? I'm alittle bit apprehensive since i've only covered biology, QA, and organic. I don't know how to study for verbal and reading so I guess I'll take my chances on that. As for the chemistry, I don't know where to start! I thought of cancelling the PCAT since it worked on my nerves so much and I dont think I would be prepare anyway but oh well, Harcourt (sp?) said it's too late to cancel anyway so at least i'm going in for experience.

So what are you guys doing to prepare for this upcoming PCAT?

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[Plowi]

Does anyone notice that there are only 2 weeks left til Jan PCAT? I'm alittle bit apprehensive since i've only covered biology, QA, and organic. I don't know how to study for verbal and reading so I guess I'll take my chances on that. As for the chemistry, I don't know where to start! I thought of cancelling the PCAT since it worked on my nerves so much and I dont think I would be prepare anyway but oh well, Harcourt (sp?) said it's too late to cancel anyway so at least i'm going in for experience.

So what are you guys doing to prepare for this upcoming PCAT?

Not too worried about it. Im making an attempt and Ill take it again if need be because this is my first try.Getting a low score on the PCAT isnt going to be the end of the world for me. Im also assuming the Kaplan is harder than the actual test since some of these questions are kind of impossible w/o a calculator and periodic table.

About 2-3 hours a day, sometimes 0 hours if I am sick of looking at it. Basically memorizing biology and chem, gonna practice for math to get faster at it.

Just be optimistic and keep on truckin. Best of luck, shoppe.

 

[Swenis]

I'm currently studying the chemistry part myself. Are we going to be required to
know every single formula? There are so many!

 

[BulsangHanNamja]

I'm currently studying the chemistry part myself. Are we going to be required to
know every single formula? There are so many!

wow you guys are in better shape than i am. I just got done going through most* of the bio material and now im starting on chem / org. I took org I for my last fall semester.. so that shouldn't be too much prob. .. but i'm giving my self around 3-4 days to cover chem / org and around the same time for QA. I'll try to fit in some vocab here and there ... wow... i just wish i had another month to prepare! so much pressure to get in for next yr... this is my first time by the way. Does anyone know if the pcat on jan. are particularly easier than the rest? hehe Good luck to everyone!

Oh .. and on more quest... i am really debating on how to study this chem, bc i forgot alot of it.. .. should i just study based on doing practice problems? or by actually going to the study material on the kaplan book? I am leaning towards doing the practice problems and learning through that way.... any comments on that? thanks

 

[Swenis]

wow you guys are in better shape than i am. I just got done going through most* of the bio material and now im starting on chem / org. I took org I for my last fall semester.. so that shouldn't be too much prob. .. but i'm giving my self around 3-4 days to cover chem / org and around the same time for QA. I'll try to fit in some vocab here and there ... wow... i just wish i had another month to prepare! so much pressure to get in for next yr... this is my first time by the way. Does anyone know if the pcat on jan. are particularly easier than the rest? hehe Good luck to everyone!

Oh .. and on more quest... i am really debating on how to study this chem, bc i forgot alot of it.. .. should i just study based on doing practice problems? or by actually going to the study material on the kaplan book? I am leaning towards doing the practice problems and learning through that way.... any comments on that? thanks

I'm thinking that practice problems are gonna be the best for chem. I'm not studying only one subject at a time, by the way. I'm sort of flipping back and forth.

 

[ndearwater]

Good luck to everyone who is preparing for the January PCAT! It can be exhausting and overwhelming but it all pays off!

Don't get bogged down in memorizing a bunch of chemistry equations; focus on concepts and the basics of general AND organic chemistry. You won't need a calculator so don't let the Kaplan practice problems psyche you out. Do the problems in the practice sections in order to become more comfortable with the concepts but the chemistry problems on the PCAT were, IMO, reasonable.

As far as the January PCAT being easier, I don't believe the test changes from October to November to January etc. It should be the same level of difficulty.

Try to do a little everyday and don't get burned out! Reading scientific articles or articles from The New York Times, National Geographic etc. are a good way to take a pseudobreak and brush up on vocab and reading comprehension at the same time.

 

[shoppe]

Ok, so there is one week left before PCAT. I hope this time next week, we don't regret the choices we made! Anyone plans to take the Harcourt practice test before u take the real thing? If u already did that, how did u do? I plan to take it on MOnday. I'll tell u how i do once i'm thru.

 

[PharmGirl85]

Hey Shoppe,
how did u study for the verbal ability? I went through the Kaplan "Word Roots" section, but I'm still can't get all the exercises right, and now that there is 6 days left till the test i'm a little worried.
And for the QA, did you memorize all the geometric formulas? My friend took the test in October, and he said that there was hardly any geometry or calculus on his test and he scored in the 96% QA.
I think that chemistry is my weakest section, I'm going to keep working the problems today, and I'm planning on taking the practice test monday also.
Then classes begin tuesday, so there is really no time after that.
Well good luck studying, let me know how you're doing!

 

[Plowi]

Ok, so there is one week left before PCAT. I hope this time next week, we don't regret the choices we made! Anyone plans to take the Harcourt practice test before u take the real thing? If u already did that, how did u do? I plan to take it on MOnday. I'll tell u how i do once i'm thru.

76-99th percentile on all sections except verbal which was 51-76. Composite 76th-99th. Seemed kind of easy IMO.

 

[shoppe]

PharmGirl85

I didn't really study for verbal or reading sections. I went through the barron's and Petersen's books but the reading sections seem so easy while the Kaplan's reading is much harder. The verbals in those 3 books are impossible for me to do but I think the kaplan's is better since I do better with sentence completion. Anyway, I'm just focusing on chemistry right now. Monday, i'll take the practice test and depending on what my weakest score is, I'll study on those. As for math, I just do lots of practice problems.
What are u studying now?

BTW, was that ur pic on ur profile? It's pretty. I'm guessing u're Asian. What ur nationality? No, i'm not a lesbian, just commenting a good pic when I see one. heheh

 

[shoppe]

Plowi

Uh.. U lost me there for a sec. What are those scores? ARe they PCAT score or the practice pcat score?

 

[PharmGirl85]

PharmGirl85

I didn't really study for verbal or reading sections. I went through the barron's and Petersen's books but the reading sections seem so easy while the Kaplan's reading is much harder. The verbals in those 3 books are impossible for me to do but I think the kaplan's is better since I do better with sentence completion. Anyway, I'm just focusing on chemistry right now. Monday, i'll take the practice test and depending on what my weakest score is, I'll study on those. As for math, I just do lots of practice problems.
What are u studying now?

BTW, was that ur pic on ur profile? It's pretty. I'm guessing u're Asian. What ur nationality? No, i'm not a lesbian, just commenting a good pic when I see one. heheh

He he...no thats just some "avatar" that I picked when I signed up...I'm actually Ukranian...I was trying to put an actual picture...but it kept saying that the image was too large. I'll figure out how to upload it once I'm done with the PCAT.
Right now I'm going over the chemistry section in KAPLAN. I'm really worried about this test...I feel unprepared.
When do casses start for you? Will you have time to study next week?
My classes start next week, and I'm taking 21 credits, so my schedule is pretty hectic...I just wish that I went to pharmacy school right after high school...I wouldn't be so stressed out right now.

 

[Plowi]

Plowi

Uh.. U lost me there for a sec. What are those scores? ARe they PCAT score or the practice pcat score?

It doesnt give you an exact percentile, but a range. My score was 79% (i answered 79% of the questions correct). It gave me a 76-99th percentile as what range Id be in. I thought the math was a bit hard but the rest was cake. I got 23/25 of the chem questions right.

 

[Swenis]

What are you guys doing this last week to prepare? I've done the practice tests so now should I do practice problems, read over Kaplan stuff, or what? I have all day tomorrow off so I need to get crackin'. Good luck with everything everybody.

 

[PharmGirl85]

What are you guys doing this last week to prepare? I've done the practice tests so now should I do practice problems, read over Kaplan stuff, or what? I have all day tomorrow off so I need to get crackin'. Good luck with everything everybody.

it would probably be a good idea to take the practice test on the harcourt website...i heard that it is very similar to the actual test (it's like $19).

 

[shoppe]

PharmGirl 85

I"m starting class this tuesday. I also feel unprepared but this is as prepared as I can get cuz i'm really tired!!! I'm only taking 15 credit hours. Isn't 21 credit hours a lot to u? hehehe Do u work? I have a dilemna every year whether to take more classes or to work more.

BTW, ur pix is nice. U don't look bad urself.

Swenis,

I plan to take the harcourt practice test ($19) tomorrow. Then work on my weakest area after that. I"m studying from the kaplan, barron, and petersen, and SAT chemistry.

 

[PharmGirl85]

PharmGirl 85

I"m starting class this tuesday. I also feel unprepared but this is as prepared as I can get cuz i'm really tired!!! I'm only taking 15 credit hours. Isn't 21 credit hours a lot to u? hehehe Do u work? I have a dilemna every year whether to take more classes or to work more.

QUOTE]
Yeah, 21 is a lot. Especially when its all science classes.
I'm taking Genetics, Microbiology, Organic Chem II, University Physics II, Senior Seminar, and Independent Research. But I'm graduating this summer, and its only my 3rd year of college.

 

[ButlerPharm.D.]

You people are mad crazy and study WAY too much for this thing. I would take it easy the night before and get to bed early so you are well rested. I know that Harcourt allows you to have a bottle of water, for replenishment, and a highlighter for the reading comprehension (just a suggestion). DON'T be one of those kids that brings their Kaplan with them to the testing site (That’s kinda nerdy and all!)

And last of all...

BEST OF LUCK!!!

 

[shoppe]

Ok, so i already took the pcat practice. I thought it doesn't worth 19 bucks at all. The questions are more or less similar to the kaplan's and petersen's books. My worst sections are verbal and reading which I don't think I could improve in this short of a period. So, should I focus on my other three strongest areas (QA, bio, chem) and just hope that they will pull my other scores up or should I try to do some reading and study from the miller analogy test book? I found out it doesn't help much unless i know a lot of vocabulary.

So, how do i study efficiently? Study my strongest subjects or my weakest?

 

[calrx]

Ok, so i already took the pcat practice. I thought it doesn't worth 19 bucks at all. The questions are more or less similar to the kaplan's and petersen's books. My worst sections are verbal and reading which I don't think I could improve in this short of a period. So, should I focus on my other three strongest areas (QA, bio, chem) and just hope that they will pull my other scores up or should I try to do some reading and study from the miller analogy test book? I found out it doesn't help much unless i know a lot of vocabulary.

So, how do i study efficiently? Study my strongest subjects or my weakest?

It wouldn't make any sense to spend time studying things you already are comfortable with. Work on your weaknesses....

 

[shoppe]

But I don't really know how to work on the reading and verbal sections!

 

[shoppe]

How would u recommend to prepare for reading and verbal? I'm using the miller analogy test book and probably try to read and reread the reading sections in the kaplan's book.