higher score different pcat date theory?

[tprice108]

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I was just thinking to myself (might sound stupid to you but) taking the pcat at a different date can raise my score and I will explain why. If the pcat is based on how other people that take the same test score in comparison to yours then it would be ideal to take the test when more "stupid" people take the test (no offense, I'm in the catagory of 'stupid'). If I were to be smart wouldn't it be best to take the January pcat because these students are trying to get into pharmacy school the next semester and they were obviously not pleased with their 1st score so they took a last ditch effort to make better in january. They will most likely not get a huge gain in scores and thus their scores will be lower than mine which is what I am looking for.

Is this a stupid theory?

 

[fenixtnlfan]

Bad theory since the test is not graded based on scores from the same test. I forgot the exact dates but they use something around 7 years of tests to calculate your score.

 

[tprice108]

Bad theory since the test is not graded based on scores from the same test. I forgot the exact dates but they use something around 7 years of tests to calculate your score.

well dang, I had no idea about that. That puts a wrench in the theory, thanks for clearing it up for me.

 

[wannabapharm]

http://pearsonassess.com/hai/Images/dotCom/pcatweb.info/PCAT_Scoring_FAQs.pdf

Here's the current "norm" they use to compare your scores to.

 

[futurpharmacis]

I was just thinking to myself (might sound stupid to you but) taking the pcat at a different date can raise my score and I will explain why. If the pcat is based on how other people that take the same test score in comparison to yours then it would be ideal to take the test when more "stupid" people take the test (no offense, I'm in the catagory of 'stupid'). If I were to be smart wouldn't it be best to take the January pcat because these students are trying to get into pharmacy school the next semester and they were obviously not pleased with their 1st score so they took a last ditch effort to make better in january. They will most likely not get a huge gain in scores and thus their scores will be lower than mine which is what I am looking for.

Is this a stupid theory?

No, I don't think this is a good theory. People who had to retake the test probably didn't study hard enough for the test so they got the lower percentile scores--not b/c they are stupid, although there are exceptions. If you have been reading other posts, some people do significantly better on their second test! Even some people scored 80 or better--which means they may be getting the higher percentile scores in their norm group the second time around.

 

[Markovnikov]

If I had to guess I would say August date (or whatever the end of summer date is) would be the best time to take it. I took it in June with a friend and I scored well but he scored a 64. He retook it at the end of summer and scored a 92. My theory is that the competitive applicants take it in June because competitive schools like UCSF have deadlines of Nov. 1st. The less competitive (aka later test takers) take it at the end of summer.

I would call the PCAT test company (I already forget the name lol) and ask them. I do remember reading something about the LSAT being easier during the later part of the admission cycle than the earlier part.

 

[futurpharmacis]

Does anyone know whether October would be a good date for a not so "competitive" applicant to take the PCAT?

 

[tprice108]

Does anyone know whether October would be a good date for a not so "competitive" applicant to take the PCAT?

well if you read the above posts, it doesn't matter when you take the pcat because the percentile scores are derived from multiple years. Maybe I misinterpreted your question though.

 

[confettiflyer]

I believe this was a good MCAT strategy back before it went computerized (when it was offered twice a year) since you were judged by your direct peers, but it doesn't port well over to the PCAT since the methodology for calculating your score i based off a set group many years ago.

Did PCAT methodology change recently? I heard there were some score adjustments even after students received scores. Hrm.

 

[Transformer]

In 2008, the norm group to which PCAT test takers are compared to has changed.

The new norm group—all first-time examinees
who took the test between October 2004 and May 2007.


We won't ever know how many questions were answered correctly nor will we know the details on how our scores are compared to the new or old norm groups.

 

[JURGIS]

I think that the date you take the test does matter. I understand the "norm group" argument and completely agree with it. I think the test date matters in terms of how you, as an individual, do.

For me, I took my first PCAT in June. I had a good part of the summer to study for it without the distractions of classes so I could focus my mental energies exclusively to preparing for the PCAT.

I just took the January PCAT. Classes started two weeks prior to the PCAT test date so I spend much of my energy and attention on start of semester stuff. This took away time from PCAT studying. I'm in Missouri, where January is peak cold and flu season. Being crammed in a room surrounded by people who are coughing and sneezing and blowing their noses was REALLY distracting.

These may seem like trivial issues but, for many of us on the borderline, a couple points difference MAY be the difference between acceptance and rejection.

 

[confettiflyer]

I think that the date you take the test does matter. I understand the "norm group" argument and completely agree with it. I think the test date matters in terms of how you, as an individual, do.

For me, I took my first PCAT in June. I had a good part of the summer to study for it without the distractions of classes so I could focus my mental energies exclusively to preparing for the PCAT.

I just took the January PCAT. Classes started two weeks prior to the PCAT test date so I spend much of my energy and attention on start of semester stuff. This took away time from PCAT studying. I'm in Missouri, where January is peak cold and flu season. Being crammed in a room surrounded by people who are coughing and sneezing and blowing their noses was REALLY distracting.

These may seem like trivial issues but, for many of us on the borderline, a couple points difference MAY be the difference between acceptance and rejection.

This is highly subjective and regional...arguably a student who is out of school or with all of january off who lives in a warm weather climate won't experience anything you just mentioned. A student whose spring quarter ends mid-June loses the benefits of time off before the June test.

 

[JURGIS]

Confettiflyer,

I completely agree with you. The point that I was trying to make (and apparently did not make very well) is that test takers may want to invest some thought into what time of year may be best for test taking based on their situation rather than trying to guess what seating may be best vs. the norm group or their peers.

 

[confettiflyer]

Confettiflyer,

I completely agree with you. The point that I was trying to make (and apparently did not make very well) is that test takers may want to invest some thought into what time of year may be best for test taking based on their situation rather than trying to guess what seating may be best vs. the norm group or their peers.

okay that makes more sense 👍

 

[AngelaCL]

I think that the date you take the test does matter. I understand the "norm group" argument and completely agree with it. I think the test date matters in terms of how you, as an individual, do.

For me, I took my first PCAT in June. I had a good part of the summer to study for it without the distractions of classes so I could focus my mental energies exclusively to preparing for the PCAT.

I just took the January PCAT. Classes started two weeks prior to the PCAT test date so I spend much of my energy and attention on start of semester stuff. This took away time from PCAT studying. I'm in Missouri, where January is peak cold and flu season. Being crammed in a room surrounded by people who are coughing and sneezing and blowing their noses was REALLY distracting.

These may seem like trivial issues but, for many of us on the borderline, a couple points difference MAY be the difference between acceptance and rejection.

I took the test in August, and had the distraction of construction going on outside the window. I took it again in October, and was smack dab in the middle of a semester. If I would have taken it in January, then it would have been people coughing, and in June it would have been construction again! So I think there's always going to be outside factors, regardless of when you take the test. The only thing I suggest is taking the test after you've taken most of your prereqs and had a lot of time to prepare (so summer is good, if you don't take summer school, but a terrible idea if you're taking a science lab and working). Also, give yourself time to retake if necessary. I guess ideally you should take June of the year you're applying, then you have your results and can retake in August and/or October if necessary.