Dr Collins quantitative vs pcat

[kriska83]

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Hello,
can anyone from recent pcat takers can reflect how does Dr.Collins math exams compared to actual pcat? Im solving his exams and constantly getting like 33 correct outof 52...Im ok with calculus stuff but not that great in pre-calc and statistics. Should I keep solving Dr C exams and try to memorize solutions, or pcat will be completely different?
Thanks

 

[spintius]

I took my PCAT last year September. I can tell you right now that memorizing solutions is a bad strategy. It is best to go back to the questions you did wrong and learn from the answer key. Dr. Collin's guide does pretty good job in explaining, especially Math section (the Chem section is an entirely different story though).

You can learn a whole bunch of pre-calc either online or in his guide. I completely gave up on statistic because it is down right insane in the real test. I did not see the same questions on the real test, but many similar types of questions such as: trig, log, word problem, and algebra. I ended up with a 95 percentile in the Math section.

 

[kriska83]

So if I understand dr C practice exams I should be ok? except statistics :-( I dont feel like spending time there...

 

[spintius]

Well, it is actually a little more than understand my friend. I think the strategy is also very important. First time I took the PCAT in July, I only had 55 in Quantitative because I did not know how to tackle the test. I tried to do every question sequentially. It was a bad idea. Skip the long, wordy problems for later and do all the short and easier first. Dr. Collin's practice exam will prepare you for this technique. The level of difficulty in his practice tests is pretty much the same with the actually test. The guide in his package is also very useful.

 

[kriska83]

Can you please tell me what is the format of pcat math section? Is it like in Pearson practice tests where you can flag questions but than at the end you have to dig put the ones you flag to come back? Or I will be able see which ones I flagged??

 

[spintius]

There are three options you can choose after complete a section. You can either choose the button "incomplete", "review", or "all". If you click on "incomplete, the screen will display only the incomplete questions etc ... I would highly suggest you buy the Kaplan practice tests or register for a free Kaplan practice test online, because they are exactly the same as the real tests.

 

[kriska83]

There are three options you can choose after complete a section. You can either choose the button "incomplete", "review", or "all". If you click on "incomplete, the screen will display only the incomplete questions etc ... I would highly suggest you buy the Kaplan practice tests or register for a free Kaplan practice test online, because they are exactly the same as the real tests.

so should I just leave answers I dont know empty or guess and flag them? What if I choose "review"?

 

[spintius]

I would just leave it. Only use flag when you are not sure about the answer and want to go back if time allows.

 

[spintius]

You can review all questions in order, review just the ones you left unanswered or review the flagged questions.

 

[Athom1994]

What do you mean by Dr. Collins Chem. section is a entirely different story? Was the Chem section in Dr. Collins not similar to the Pcat Chem?

 

[spintius]

What do you mean by Dr. Collins Chem. section is a entirely different story? Was the Chem section in Dr. Collins not similar to the Pcat Chem?

Sorry for being ambiguous in my post. I mean his Chem section is the bread and butter of this guide and probably the best part. What I meant was his explanation for the answer keys. Sometime his explanation for a problem is one word "obvious", without any elaboration. Some people find it hard to follow.