Hello fellow PCAT takers in July, how many hours a day and how long have you been stuyding? We are bout 2 weeks away and I feel like I'm going to have to slave my day away studying 12-14 hours. This is so stressfulllll!!!!!
How Many Hours a day have you been studying? What do you plan to do now?
- Thread starter jaykumarv
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I hear ya on the stress part...While taking my normal course load (Kinematic Physics, Biochem, Undergrad Research, Analytical Chem) with a wife and new born son to say im a bit stressed just doesnt seem to clarify my situation enough lol. Ive had a few weeks of a break from school before continuing back on the 14th this july. Im signed on the Kaplan PCAT on demand online and have been utilizing its sources since early april. Back then i tried to dedicate a few hours a day between school...since this break ive been recaping and reviewing anywhere between 6 - 10 hours a day. Since april to now, Id say ive put in around 350+ hours give or take. By far my weakest is the verbal ability portion ( dedicated so much on the math and sciences that ive only reviewed the reading comp. a few times and havent sincerely tried to memorize new words commonly compared and used on the test). If the test is anything like the practice ones ive done I feel im perhaps were i should be...but being a first time PCAT taker im definitely left with nerves and excitement...the fact that its finally coming after a while of preparation really pushes my reviewing a step further lol...so yes, stressful and exciting.
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kaplan+dr collins 6-8 hours a day for the past 40 days. Now I'm just reviewing each subject and and spending most of my time of the things I did not fully understand from earlier. Also doing as many practice problems as possible(dr. collins,anything online, kaplan, and pearson.)
If you guys know of any websites aside from kaplan and pearson where I can pay for practice tests online, please let me know!
If you guys know of any websites aside from kaplan and pearson where I can pay for practice tests online, please let me know!
I only put ~4 hours a day. The world cup eats most of my time up haha. Planning to start taking practice tests under timed constraints starting tomorrow and continue till test day (July 17 8 am).
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Well the way I studied, it was really easy, e.g. If I were on the Nervous System section on Dr. Collins, I'd go to that specific Chapter in Kaplan. There are a few things that Kaplan explains that Collins doesn't. But I've taken two Pearson Practice tests and I'd say Dr. Collins covers 85% of the concepts in biology, 90+% for chemistry. Verbal just really depends on how good your vocabulary is in general, and math on collins is weak.
I've been studying since the beginning of March about 6-7 hours a week. For the past two months, I have put in 2-4 hours a day with a couple days of rest throughout. I reviewed Kaplan's biology and did all of the chemistry and math questions in the PCAT destroyer. Right now, I have finished all of the Dr. Collins practice subtests so I am taking all the full length practice exams I have every few days and reviewing what I missed in between. I have finished two Kaplan exams and one of the Pearson exams. I'll probably practice some essay prompts and look over the verbal ability list in Collins and if I have time, go through some PCAT destroyer biology questions.
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Is the pcat destroyer any good?
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Where did you get all your practice tests from?
I found it to be helpful for the math and chemistry sections. Math especially. It's more detailed than the practice exams and Dr. Collins but it helps with improving time and being able to remember different shortcuts and rules and things like that. I haven't looked at the biology section yet, but I heard it's very detailed, which is why I didn't look at it yet. I didn't want to get hung up on it.
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do u think cliff tests was any good?
I didnt see a lot of favourable reviews on amazon
Hey everyone! I'm taking the PCAT on July 17th.
I just retook the first Pearson exam since they wiped them all out. I originally took this early in May, so I didn't remember a lot of it and I don't think my scores were skewed by recognition since it's similar to what I scored on Kaplan's.
Here are my scores for the core items:
Verbal - 29/40 (55-75%ile)
Biology - 39/40 (80-99%ile)
Chemistry - 38/40 (80-99%ile)
RC - 39/40 (80-99%ile)
Quant - 35/40 (80-99%ile)
Anyway, I was wondering how you guys are doing on verbal since it is by far my worst section and I'm worried that it'll bring down my composite. I'm just going through the list given in Dr. Collins but I don't know if it's enough. For people that have taken the exam before, did you find that some analogies on the PCAT were taken from Collins and were they more difficult or easier than Pearson?
I just retook the first Pearson exam since they wiped them all out. I originally took this early in May, so I didn't remember a lot of it and I don't think my scores were skewed by recognition since it's similar to what I scored on Kaplan's.
Here are my scores for the core items:
Verbal - 29/40 (55-75%ile)
Biology - 39/40 (80-99%ile)
Chemistry - 38/40 (80-99%ile)
RC - 39/40 (80-99%ile)
Quant - 35/40 (80-99%ile)
Anyway, I was wondering how you guys are doing on verbal since it is by far my worst section and I'm worried that it'll bring down my composite. I'm just going through the list given in Dr. Collins but I don't know if it's enough. For people that have taken the exam before, did you find that some analogies on the PCAT were taken from Collins and were they more difficult or easier than Pearson?
Does anyone have any good methods to do well on the reading comprehension section? I have heard to read the questions first. Others say to just read fast and answer the questions. I am not sure how to actually study for this section along with the verbal section. Both sections are almost unpredictable.
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Use a pen/pencil when reading a passage and use it as a tool so you don't have to worry about trying to find the lines. This will help you concentrate more on what you are reading because we use much of our concentration trying to find it AND understand what we are reading. Got this from dr. Collins, I thought it was fantastic
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Also, the ExamKrackers does have some excellent tips such as sitting straight up, feet on the ground and closer to the screen to enhance concentration. Take 5s break after each passage & look away from the screen so you're less likely to space out. My RC score is not high but is improving. I personally glance (not read) through the questions first to find any "what is the definition of this word in passage X" & write the word down so I know to look for it without going back later.
Hope this helps
I'm so nervous, too.Similar threads
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