Good idea to take PCAT for practice?

[snvplayer]

In the fall, I will be in Pre-Pharm program, and I was wondering if it would be a good idea to take official PCAT for practice to get a feel for the exam??

I have skimmed through some biology and chemistry. And I have taken a lot of math classes in my undergrad although it's been a couple of years.

I am a little bit wary lest there would be unfavorable ramifications..

ps I know there is a no scoring option, but I'd like to see how I perform in verbal and math...

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[PharmDLite]

The professor for my PCAT prep course mentioned that they had just recently changed the rules - and if you take the test more than once in any 12 month period, and your comp score goes up by 50%, then your new score is VOID. So if you took it just for fun and got a 45, and then studied and got a 99 the next time - your 99 wouldn't count! If this is true, then I would definitely do the "no score" option. It might be worth calling around to find out.

 

[AMO69657]

The professor for my PCAT prep course mentioned that they had just recently changed the rules - and if you take the test more than once in any 12 month period, and your comp score goes up by 50%, then your new score is VOID. So if you took it just for fun and got a 45, and then studied and got a 99 the next time - your 99 wouldn't count! If this is true, then I would definitely do the "no score" option. It might be worth calling around to find out.

Huh? Are you sure? I plan on taking the August AND October one this year. Why would they do that? I know a lot of people who take it more than once within a year.

 

[omnione]

The professor for my PCAT prep course mentioned that they had just recently changed the rules - and if you take the test more than once in any 12 month period, and your comp score goes up by 50%, then your new score is VOID. So if you took it just for fun and got a 45, and then studied and got a 99 the next time - your 99 wouldn't count! If this is true, then I would definitely do the "no score" option. It might be worth calling around to find out.

Yup....this is true. Here's the exact rule from the CIB:

If the Composite scaled score and percentile rank on the most recent test are 50 or more points greater than the previous test Composite scores, an invalidation of the most recent test scores, including the Writing scores, automatically occurs due to the large score gain.

However,

If the examinee feels that the score gain of 50 or more Composite scaled score and percentile rank points was achieved through legitimate effort, the examinee must contact PSE Customer Relations immediately upon receiving the invalidation notification to appeal the invalidation. Within 60 days of the last PCAT test date, the examinee must then submit (via mail or fax) documentation as evidence to support the legitimacy of the score gain. The documentation will be reviewed, and the examinee will be notified regarding the outcome of the appeal within 30 days of the time the appeal is received by Harcourt Assessment. If the appeal is accepted, Harcourt Assessment will release the Score Gain Test scores. If the appeal is denied, the examinee may be allowed to retake the PCAT after paying the appropriate fees.

So, one is not doomed if something like this happens. However, I would find it skeptical too if someone to gain 50 points over a 13-month period unless said person decided to take the first exam without preparation and prereqs and the 50-point gain came after taking most of the prereqs. 50 percentiles is a LOT though. I would wonder about such a gain myself.

 

[AMO69657]

Oh ok - I read it wrong. I didn't read the part about the 50% higher lol, that is a very large increase, let me know if that has actually happened to anyone.

 

[snvplayer]

If I take with no scoring option, do I still get the scores, but they are just unofficial? Meaning, would I know how well I did, but wouldn't be able to use that score officialy.?

 

[omnione]

If I take with no scoring option, do I still get the scores, but they are just unofficial? Meaning, would I know how well I did, but wouldn't be able to use that score officialy.?

You won't know how you did because nothing is ever scored.

 

[think]

are u kidding me ...thats so dumb..i just saw this ....i took the pcat in jan. to go and see how its going to be and i got a very low score ....and now i am studying my a** off for august and i know i can make 50% increase or even more and now they are going to void my score ...that just sucks really badly..and what kind of materal can be submited to say i studied? my books?

 

[RNtoPharmD]

You won't know how you did because nothing is ever scored.

I think VOID or no score option are not considered in this case I think?

coz they didn't score it in the first place. So this maybe the way we can do practice test by choosing NO score. I will try call them tommorrow.. like "think", I also concern about this too... but I think NO score option is not even included in the percentile. So this rule shouldn't apply.. I think

 

[omnione]

I think VOID or no score option are not considered in this case I think?

coz they didn't score it in the first place. So this maybe the way we can do practice test by choosing NO score. I will try call them tommorrow.. like "think", I also concern about this too... but I think NO score option is not even included in the percentile. So this rule shouldn't apply.. I think

If you bomb a PCAT (based on perception), then that will not count toward that 50 percentile rule since there is no frame of reference to say that you improved 50 percentiles on the next exam when the no score PCAT is never scored. Does that answer your concern?

 

[snvplayer]

Because PCAT problems are probably extrated from a bank of problems, I think the institution wants to prevent people from taking mutilple PCATs in a short period time and memorize the articles and problems and gain unfair advantage over other people. If you took PCAT every month w/i 5~6 months' time, this would be possible.

Some people said that they took the test twice and had the same reading articles.

So my guess would be it wouldn't be too hard to convince them even verbally.