Keeping time during the PCAT test

[9panther]

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Are we allow to have a wrist watch or something like that to keep time?

 

[mug3n]

Yeah, as long as it doesn't have any extraneous functions (like one of them calculator watches lollll) then you should be fine. I seriously don't see the exam proctors ordering you to put a watch away.

 

[eric4321]

Knowing the time limits & having a watch with you are 2 of the most important things you can do on the day of the test.

No calculator watches or cell phones allowed but any cheap digital watch with a stopwatch function is going to be fine.

All the sections except Writing have 48 questions, so you should be done with 12 of them by 1/4 time, 24 done by 1/2 time & so on. I only had 19 chemistry answers by 1/2-time so I sped up the 2nd half & barely finished.

Don't expect to finish Math. Make sure you mark every answer - 4 guesses are bound to give you 1 right answer. Math is last & the proctors will come & grab your test book up immediately after time is called. Nice thing is you can answer 50% right answers & make a 76% Math score because i did it.

 

[omnione]

You'll want to disable the alarm so the proctor doesn't come after you. I used an analog watch, set the watch to 12:00 p.m., and activated the watch at the beginning of each section. No alarms to worry about and

 

[pkp]

does anyone know if they allow you to wear ear plugs during the PCAT? Just the regular squishy foam ones.

 

[samfromVA]

But I thought they give you time, in certain intervals. Right!

By the way, I thought PCAT was computer based and one can see time change somewhere around the browser. Tell me if I am wrong.

Thanxxx

 

[medicalCPA]

Nope. The PCAT is still paper-based.

 

[confusedgradu8]

Do they give you a heads up when you have 10 min or 5 min left?

 

[medicalCPA]

Do they give you a heads up when you have 10 min or 5 min left?

They did at my test center. However, I would strongly recommend that you bring a watch so that you can keep track of your time. In the Chemistry section, I was on question 29 when they told us "5 minutes to go."

 

[tellsarah]

does anyone know if they allow you to wear ear plugs during the PCAT? Just the regular squishy foam ones.

That is a good idea. If we are allowed to wear them.

 

[homeslice]

Speaking of things we can bring, are we allowed to have a bottle of water or something like that during the test? Also, is there a place to put backpacks if we bring them?

 

[lepamplemousse]

Yes, you are allowed to bring water bottles and bookbags... except you'll probably have to leave your bottle on the floor and not on the desk. At the place I tested at, the proctor had us put all of our bookbags in the corner of the room.

 

[Markovnikov]

Someone asked before the exam if the proctors could give 10 and 5 minute warnings and the proctor replied that the 5 minute warning is regular, standard but he would not give a 10 minute warning. The 5 minute warning felt more like a 2 minute warning though lol.

I went through the exam marking my answers in the test booklet then when the 5 minute warning was given I went to the answer sheet and started the mundane task of filling in the corresponding bubbles. By the time I was done bubbling, the time was up. I now have a paranoid worry that perhaps I messed up doing this and put the correct answers in the wrong spots.

 

[triumphbr]

I can tell you another thing to watch that almost bit me... TWICE!

On the first few sections there is an example problem directly under the instructions ... I don't know why really. I honestly think it was to make sure you are paying attention.

Anyway I developed a habit during practice tests to double check my bubble placement against the number I was working when I answered things to avoid mistakes like this. So I never even read the #1 question and was looking for the #2 question. I didn't realize until I was done and had a few minutes to go back and look over. I went back and was like WTF? I don't remember this question for #1 and got myself lined out. Luckily I had put the example answer for #1 and then completely skipped the actual #1 and went to #2.

BUT...

If you managed to do this and not skip #1.. well obviously you can see how that would be a problem. Example answer for #1, #1 answer in the #2 spot and so forth.

They had those example problems on the first 3 sections if I remember correctly.

I did the same thing on the 2nd section but caught it much quicker.

I don't know why they have those examples they know we have all taken 10 bazillion tests using this format. I think it was on purpose to try and catch people not paying attention personally... Just like the stupid bubble on the back page that you have to fill in when you sign your name. You did fill in the bubble .... didn't you??? 😉

Oh yeah, I wore a watch.. no problems. Just be sure you don't have any alarms set or whatnot. The proctor for ours acted like it would cause a no score if it went off. I don't know how serious he was but I know it caused me to double check that all of mine were OFF.

Whoever mentioned being able to know where you should be according to how much time has gone by is right on the ball in my opinion. I checked my time after every 12th problem to be sure I was on target to atleast finish in time even if I wouldn't have extra time. (except the math because I was skipping so many I knew I would have plenty of time to do the ones I was sure of HAHAH)