How do you know that you are fully prepare to take the PCAT

[futurpharmacis]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hey,

When you are almost done studying and practicing for for the PCAT, how do you know that you are ready to take the PCAT?

My aim is to score a 90 because of my borderline GPA. I took the PCAT four times already and might take it the fifth time (I'm on the waitlist BTW) in September, but I'm not sure whether I will go with this date or postpone the test till January. In the past I rushed through, giving myself only 1 to 1.5 months to prepare each test. I realized that that wasn't a good idea. It is better to take if if you feel confident. I don't know how to gauge my readiness. Does anyone know?

 

[pharmdrug]

Hey futurpharmacis,

I'm on the same boat as you, as I am on the waitlist as well and I've taken the PCAT 3 times already. I did register for the Sept PCAT (4th time), and I do aim to score higher. I agree with you as well, where I rushed through the material in 1 to 1.5 months. The past 3 times, I used Kaplan, and this time I'm planning to use Dr. Collins and hope things will be better. I suffered the most in verbal and reading comprehension.

I haven't started studying yet because I still need to finish up a summer course, and I totally understand how you feel about writing the PCAT again. Same thing for me, I don't want to write it again sigh.

Let me know how you are going prepare! 🙂

Hey,

When you are almost done studying and practicing for for the PCAT, how do you know that you are ready to take the PCAT?

My aim is to score a 90 because of my borderline GPA. I took the PCAT four times already and might take it the fifth time (I'm on the waitlist BTW) in September, but I'm not sure whether I will go with this date or postpone the test till January. In the past I rushed through, giving myself only 1 to 1.5 months to prepare each test. I realized that that wasn't a good idea. It is better to take if if you feel confident. I don't know how to gauge my readiness. Does anyone know?

 

[frankdahtank]

Hey,

When you are almost done studying and practicing for for the PCAT, how do you know that you are ready to take the PCAT?

When you feel like you could take the test tomorrow and dominate it, only then are you truly ready.

 

[futurpharmacis]

Let me know how you are going prepare! 🙂[/QUOTE]


I think I will go over all my PCAT materials again and test and retest myself until the test date.

I always feel ready, but my test results didn't come out the way I wanted it. I honestly was trying to aim high. I studied full time each day for 1 to 1.5 months per test I took. It's heartbreaking to see my results for my third and forth PCAT since I like practice with the real thing more than once.

Also, what is a good indicator that you should do a no score on the PCAT? The first score was terrible and I shouldn't have my first PCAT marked. Unfortunately, it seems that the RC is only getting harder since recent test takers scored low on that section.

 

[xtsukiyox]

I used the Pearson practice tests to gauge my readiness. I actually did better than the tests predicted, and there were one or two questions I recognized straight from the practice tests. (I don't know if that's supposed to happen haha). Also, it helped me pinpoint where to spend my last two weeks studying to fix gaps in my knowledge.

 

[futurpharmacis]

I used the Pearson practice tests to gauge my readiness. I actually did better than the tests predicted, and there were one or two questions I recognized straight from the practice tests. (I don't know if that's supposed to happen haha). Also, it helped me pinpoint where to spend my last two weeks studying to fix gaps in my knowledge.

That's good. Unfortunately for me, the opposite happened when I used Peason's test (2008 versions). 🙁

 

[thesituation559]

That's good. Unfortunately for me, the opposite happened when I used Peason's test (2008 versions). 🙁

Did you take all three practice exams?

 

[harmonidrum]

When you can take any Dr. Collins test blindfolded.

 

[mitchlucker]

When you are confident enough to take it at any day.

If someone could walk up to you and say "take the PCAT tomorrow" and you'd be happy to do so, then you're ready.

Seriously, taking the PCAT 4-5 times?!? Why didn't you realize you had to switch things up after the 1st test? or the 2nd? or the 3rd!! Not bashing you guys, you just need to review a little more critically it seems.

Preparation is key. If you're worried about study habits then study all summer and take it in September. If you need more time than this for an entrance level exam you may be in the wrong field.

Don't retest yourself. Understand your weaknesses and learn.


If you need hardcore content review, get MCAT books. Study MCAT verbal. Then go back and PCAT will be much less stressful.

I took 1 PCAT practice test untimed, unscored and ended up with a 94 composite on the real thing. How?

Knowledge is key. Only take the test when you know the content. If you know content, timing won't be an issue. Be confident.

I don't think you should ever void a test. You know you had the test, you signed up for it. You were supposed to prepare for it. If you didn't then void, but it just shows a remarkable lack of planning or that life got in the way (ie- family death, tragedy, etc). Unless something horrible happened to you, then you should have been studying.

 

[futurpharmacis]

Did you take all three practice exams?

Only two practice exams....test 1 and 2.

 

[futurpharmacis]

When you are confident enough to take it at any day.

If someone could walk up to you and say "take the PCAT tomorrow" and you'd be happy to do so, then you're ready.

Seriously, taking the PCAT 4-5 times?!? Why didn't you realize you had to switch things up after the 1st test? or the 2nd? or the 3rd!! Not bashing you guys, you just need to review a little more critically it seems.

Preparation is key. If you're worried about study habits then study all summer and take it in September. If you need more time than this for an entrance level exam you may be in the wrong field.

Don't retest yourself. Understand your weaknesses and learn.


If you need hardcore content review, get MCAT books. Study MCAT verbal. Then go back and PCAT will be much less stressful.

I took 1 PCAT practice test untimed, unscored and ended up with a 94 composite on the real thing. How?

Knowledge is key. Only take the test when you know the content. If you know content, timing won't be an issue. Be confident.

I don't think you should ever void a test. You know you had the test, you signed up for it. You were supposed to prepare for it. If you didn't then void, but it just shows a remarkable lack of planning or that life got in the way (ie- family death, tragedy, etc). Unless something horrible happened to you, then you should have been studying.

I had a family crisis several years ago and I had my own medical issue...it might have affected me to this day. It was complicated.

The PCAT is the first standardized test I have ever taken where I am from. I did not have lot of experience since I have not even taken the SAT.

I should have been reading more SDN posts to make up for my lack of experience...it is partly my fault i guess.

 

[futurpharmacis]

When you can take any Dr. Collins test blindfolded.

I have been getting close to perfect on all the subtests of collins except for RC. I would get 10 questions wrong for each RC of collins...it does feel like i will get to the score i want as long as I improve RC and chem. I probably panicked on the chem in the real thing and score lowere than expected or dr collins test prep material for chem was too easy.

 

[xtsukiyox]

I don't think you should ever void a test. You know you had the test, you signed up for it. You were supposed to prepare for it. If you didn't then void, but it just shows a remarkable lack of planning or that life got in the way (ie- family death, tragedy, etc). Unless something horrible happened to you, then you should have been studying.

If I've paid for the test & can't get a refund, I would certainly go take it anyway & void the score. If money is not an object and you've got the time (i.e., not applying this cycle), why not have a go at it as a dry run? </end devil's advocate>

Did you take all three practice exams?

I did all 3, in the span of about 2 weeks. I wish I had found them earlier, in which case I would have done one after some preliminary brush-up studying, one in the middle, and one near the end (~1 week to go). While all of them were similar in content & question style, I do feel the 2010 was marginally closer to the actual test. That may just be my perception, though, because I took it closest to the test.

 

[futurpharmacis]

If I've paid for the test & can't get a refund, I would certainly go take it anyway & void the score. If money is not an object and you've got the time (i.e., not applying this cycle), why not have a go at it as a dry run? </end devil's advocate>



I did all 3, in the span of about 2 weeks. I wish I had found them earlier, in which case I would have done one after some preliminary brush-up studying, one in the middle, and one near the end (~1 week to go). While all of them were similar in content & question style, I do feel the 2010 was marginally closer to the actual test. That may just be my perception, though, because I took it closest to the test.

That's interesting. The 2008 pearson/hartcourt practice test was much easier than the 2008, 2009, 2010 real PCATs. Why is this so?

 

[futurpharmacis]

I used the Pearson practice tests to gauge my readiness. I actually did better than the tests predicted, and there were one or two questions I recognized straight from the practice tests. (I don't know if that's supposed to happen haha). Also, it helped me pinpoint where to spend my last two weeks studying to fix gaps in my knowledge.

What are your scores from the Pearson practice tests (including your subtest scores) and your scores from your actual PCAT

 

[harmonidrum]

I have been getting close to perfect on all the subtests of collins except for RC. I would get 10 questions wrong for each RC of collins...it does feel like i will get to the score i want as long as I improve RC and chem. I probably panicked on the chem in the real thing and score lowere than expected or dr collins test prep material for chem was too easy.

Collins RC is not good preparation for RC. The real PCAT is much harder. Collins chem is very good preparation for the real PCAT, there wasn't much that wasn't covered in his packet on my PCAT.

 

[xtsukiyox]

What are your scores from the Pearson practice tests (including your subtest scores) and your scores from your actual PCAT

Pretty sure you saw the other thread, but if not - I posted this info here:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=849322