Need help to improve PCAT score

[gingerbell]

Hello dear all,

I am new in this BBS, and I feel very lucky to find this website before my last(next Jan.) PCAT test. I took OCT. 2004 and NOV. 2004 both PCAT exams this year. The composition percental is really bad, below 50%, oct. one just above 40%, and Nov. even 39%. I know what is my problem. English is my second language and I came here 4 years ago without any English special training, so that the verbal and reading comprehesion parts are big barriers for me in the test, acturally, as well as biology section.
Now, I am current a student at a women college in the USA and concentrate in biology major. Since I am good at English, my biology classes are all C grades, which really dispoited me, but I am really good at Math and Chemistry. Almost all my math and chemistry courses at College are A grade.
And I think I did pretty good on both section in the PCAT. On OCT., my math was 88% and chemistry was 72%. I know what is problem, so I improve at this two sections and I did improved on NOV., my math was 95%, and chemistry was 82%. And now you can image how bad I did in the rest sections. I am very dispointed and really don't know how to improve those sections.
Need some help and advise from you guys.

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[dgroulx]

If I were you, I'd wait until your english improves. Maybe you can take some english courses. If you are making C's in biology it is probably due to the language barrier. Once you are in pharmacy school there are a lot of reading assignments and power point presentations to do. A big part of pharmacy is communication.

For example, I worked a couple of weeks with a pharmacist from Nigeria. He was in this country for 3 years but he had problems understanding doctor's calls, understanding patients speech and the patients couldn't understand him, either. His reading and writing skills were excellent, though. When I was on duty with him, I was able to handle all the patient counseling. I generally dealt with the irate evening patients the next day when they phoned the pharmacy manager to complain. One evening when I was off duty, he even received a death threat from a patient. This man was an excellent pharmacist. He knew his drugs inside out, but he could not communicate.

 

[CuRy]

Your Math and Chemistry scores are excellent (95 and 82). You are new immigrant, so the school will accept your low scores on Verbal and Reading but still expects your high score on Biology. This January, try to make above 50 on Biology, then your Math, Chemistry, and Biology will bring your composite to 50. You just need to meet the mininum requirements of the pharmacy schools.
You are majoring in Biology, but do well on Chemistry. So why don't you choose BioChemistry major! It looks good and will bring up your GPA. Another- you are just in America for 4 years, then stretch our your semesters. The number of years in school is not important. It is your GPA and quality of your courses. You should take humanities and social studies later. Work part time like pharm tech or lab.
In fact, I was in your situation. I came to the American 12 years ago. I was a chemical engineer last five years, now want to get in a pharmacy school.
Here are my PCAT scores:
Oct 2004- Composite: 47 with Quant: 97, Chem: 85, Biology: 32, Verbal: 9, and Reading: 5;
Nov 2004- Composite: 63 with Quant: 98, Chem: 92, Biology: 25, Verbal: 9, Reading: 24;
Now, I try to beat Biology (at least 50!) on January 2005.