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PCAT Prep
- Thread starter Londidondi
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Most people are proven to remember about 1/3 of what they learn in courses. I found the PCAT to MAYBE skirt about 1/2 of the primary and general topics you've covered. If your pre-req's are fresh, you'd likely do well (75th percentile or higher) with NO additional prep. Any prep beyond that (usually gen chem or something at least a year old) you'll want to review to improve beyond that. Things like figuring osmolarity verses osmolality, henderson-hasselbach, percentage dilutions added together to what new percentage, proportionality, boyle's gas laws, PV=nRT, stuff like that. Stoichemistry as well BE ABLE TO BALANCE A REACTION. Also look some of the major O-chem stuff like what happens to an alkyne when treated with one of the major reagents etc... Know the general things about R groups, like aldehydes, carboxylic acids, ketones, the differences between each (at least how they look). Look again at the periodic chart of elements and refamiliarize yourself with the trends, what are transitional metals, gases, halogens. The test is really very basic compared to the course itself if your fundamentals are solid.
Word of caution, though the news is probably out now about the calculus, but buy a NEW pcat study guide. I got a 1998 used copy, the quantitative was all linear algebra setups from word problems that I didn't even bother studying, then when I took the test, BAMMMM question #1 was find the limit as n goes to infiniti of blah blah blah... I was pissed, a couple hours looking over limits and a couple other concepts I would have done very well but I wasted 10 minutes of the test just recalling. IF i could do it all over again, DEFINITELY skip around in that section of the test for the ones you know you can do, you will almost certainly run out of time on that section alone. Next big tip, familiarize yourself with the VARIETY of possible outcomes for logs and roots as you will not be able to use a calculator on the test. the ONLY way to get those questions right is to be ble to rule out the 3 absurd answers, and that is the way it is intended to be. Christmas treeing the rest of your test will make you throw up during the break if they give you one. After all, it's only your WHOLE life.
Fortunately, droves of people apparently take the pcat way too early to be successful... I think most people would agree their scores were higher than they feared. I know I did the "I'm gonna be a frickin pharmacist!" dance when I got mine in the mail.
Word of caution, though the news is probably out now about the calculus, but buy a NEW pcat study guide. I got a 1998 used copy, the quantitative was all linear algebra setups from word problems that I didn't even bother studying, then when I took the test, BAMMMM question #1 was find the limit as n goes to infiniti of blah blah blah... I was pissed, a couple hours looking over limits and a couple other concepts I would have done very well but I wasted 10 minutes of the test just recalling. IF i could do it all over again, DEFINITELY skip around in that section of the test for the ones you know you can do, you will almost certainly run out of time on that section alone. Next big tip, familiarize yourself with the VARIETY of possible outcomes for logs and roots as you will not be able to use a calculator on the test. the ONLY way to get those questions right is to be ble to rule out the 3 absurd answers, and that is the way it is intended to be. Christmas treeing the rest of your test will make you throw up during the break if they give you one. After all, it's only your WHOLE life.
Fortunately, droves of people apparently take the pcat way too early to be successful... I think most people would agree their scores were higher than they feared. I know I did the "I'm gonna be a frickin pharmacist!" dance when I got mine in the mail.
