PCAT scores relative to other tests

[Brock1385]

I am not positive that it is the test everyone has to take, but we had to take the ACT.

I made really good grades in high school but they could have been better. I took the ACT five times and made a 23 finally. I never prepared for the test though. Even though 23 is not very high on the ACT, I quit worrying when I figured out that it didnt really matter since I was going to a community college for pre-pharmacy.

But that does kinda bother me when I realize that the PCAT will be a standardized test that could keep me out of pharmacy school If I don't preform well.

I have worked harder in school this year than ever and it has payed off so far. Now, I feel as though I am not only making good grades, but retaining information from the classes that I am taking.

I bought the Kaplan Book(it's huge, like a big textbook) for the PCAT, and plan to study hard prior to the test.

My question is to some of the people that scored in the 90's or close to it. What were your ACT scores? Or is the form of the PCAT and the ACT so different that they are not even relative to each other.

Im just wondering if my problems with the ACT will be much like the problems I will have with the PCAT.

Thanks,
Brock

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[TDR]

I am not positive that it is the test everyone has to take, but we had to take the ACT.

I made really good grades in high school but they could have been better. I took the ACT five times and made a 23 finally. I never prepared for the test though. Even though 23 is not very high on the ACT, I quit worrying when I figured out that it didnt really matter since I was going to a community college for pre-pharmacy.

But that does kinda bother me when I realize that the PCAT will be a standardized test that could keep me out of pharmacy school If I don't preform well.

I have worked harder in school this year than ever and it has payed off so far. Now, I feel as though I am not only making good grades, but retaining information from the classes that I am taking.

I bought the Kaplan Book(it's huge, like a big textbook) for the PCAT, and plan to study hard prior to the test.

My question is to some of the people that scored in the 90's or close to it. What were your ACT scores? Or is the form of the PCAT and the ACT so different that they are not even relative to each other.

Im just wondering if my problems with the ACT will be much like the problems I will have with the PCAT.

Thanks,
Brock

I took the stupid ACT twice and both times I got a 21. It is definately not comparable to the PCAT. You have the right study guide, but Kaplan is way more difficult in some areas than the real PCAT. I would recommend using a different guide to start out, (like Barron's which is easier that the real PCAT) and then moving to Kaplan. Don't worry you'll be fine. I scored an 89 on the PCAT. I would have done better if I had known how much Calculus and Pre-Calculus was going to be on there.
TDR

 

[nikkai]

I took the stupid ACT twice and both times I got a 21. It is definately not comparable to the PCAT. You have the right study guide, but Kaplan is way more difficult in some areas than the real PCAT. I would recommend using a different guide to start out, (like Barron's which is easier that the real PCAT) and then moving to Kaplan. Don't worry you'll be fine. I scored an 89 on the PCAT. I would have done better if I had known how much Calculus and Pre-Calculus was going to be on there.
TDR

I would actually disagree with TDR in some aspects. I firmly believe that it's way better to be over prepared for a test than under prepared. And with this thought, I highly recommend the KAPLAN test prep book. I studied off that for two months and scored a 98%. Did I feel like it covered way more than neccessary when leaving the test? Yes. Did I feel jipped? No. Why? Because I rolled that test up and smoked it up!

And that last thing that TDR said, you do NOT want to go into a test not knowing every single detail there is about it. Don't waste time reading directions for each section, know the directions so well that those 10 seconds you save can be applied to a more difficult problem later on. It's all about points points points.

And yes, I work for Kaplan, but I got the job AFTER I took the test because I was so pleased with their book. =D

PS: TDR, 89 is awesome for not doing too well for math. Great job

 

[Betty'sBeast]

I am not positive that it is the test everyone has to take, but we had to take the ACT.

I made really good grades in high school but they could have been better. I took the ACT five times and made a 23 finally. I never prepared for the test though. Even though 23 is not very high on the ACT, I quit worrying when I figured out that it didnt really matter since I was going to a community college for pre-pharmacy.

But that does kinda bother me when I realize that the PCAT will be a standardized test that could keep me out of pharmacy school If I don't preform well.

I have worked harder in school this year than ever and it has payed off so far. Now, I feel as though I am not only making good grades, but retaining information from the classes that I am taking.

I bought the Kaplan Book(it's huge, like a big textbook) for the PCAT, and plan to study hard prior to the test.

My question is to some of the people that scored in the 90's or close to it. What were your ACT scores? Or is the form of the PCAT and the ACT so different that they are not even relative to each other.

Im just wondering if my problems with the ACT will be much like the problems I will have with the PCAT.

Thanks,
Brock

I don't know if there is a correlation between how well you do on the ACT and how well you do on the PCAT, but I would guess that there is. The quantitative, reading, and vocabulary sections are similar and I would guess most people would score about the same percentage on the ACT and PCAT on those sections. The biology and chemistry are very different from the science reasoning on the ACT. If you have a really learned and retained a lot from your biology and chemistry courses in college, then you can do really well on these two sections on the PCAT. These can bring up your average score if you don’t do so great on some other sections. I took the PCAT in Oct. 2004 and got a 98%, I took the ACT 8 or 9 years ago and scored a 31, but I don’t remember what percentile that was. If I were you, I would concentrate on the biology and chemistry sections because it’s really difficult to improve your reading or vocabulary in a relatively short period of time. Good luck.

 

[trishias]

I scored a 23 on the ACT in 1997 and scored in the 91st percentile on the PCAT. I did not study as hard for the ACT as I could have and studied my ass off for the PCAT. I do not think there is a correlation between the two tests, just how much you prepare for the exam. Also, the Kaplan book is a better preparer for the test than the Barron's book (I have both and know from PCAT experience). Just invest your time and effort into preparing mainly from Kaplan and supplementing from other books (ie, the questions) and u should do fine. Good Luck!!!

 

[aubieRx]

i totally blew off the SAT's and got a very average score (1260). I studied for the PCATS and scored in the 99 percentile. I think the PCATs are very very different from the SAT's/ACTs. The verbal sections were extremely easy (for me at leasT).

 

[Crazy_Norwegian]

I don't know if there is a correlation between how well you do on the ACT and how well you do on the PCAT, but I would guess that there is. The quantitative, reading, and vocabulary sections are similar and I would guess most people would score about the same percentage on the ACT and PCAT on those sections. The biology and chemistry are very different from the science reasoning on the ACT. If you have a really learned and retained a lot from your biology and chemistry courses in college, then you can do really well on these two sections on the PCAT. These can bring up your average score if you don’t do so great on some other sections. I took the PCAT in Oct. 2004 and got a 98%, I took the ACT 8 or 9 years ago and scored a 31, but I don’t remember what percentile that was. If I were you, I would concentrate on the biology and chemistry sections because it’s really difficult to improve your reading or vocabulary in a relatively short period of time. Good luck.

My experience was very similar to this, but I didn't study for the ACT or for the PCAT (at least, not much). I got a 31 about 10 years ago on the ACT and a 99 on the PCAT. I definitely think that the verbal and reading comprehension (and the quantitative, in part) are related.

 

[Kawen]

33 ACT
94th percentile PCAT

 

[WVURxGal]

i totally blew off the SAT's and got a very average score (1260). I studied for the PCATS and scored in the 99 percentile. I think the PCATs are very very different from the SAT's/ACTs. The verbal sections were extremely easy (for me at leasT).

I second this... I really don't think most people put the same effort into the SAT/ACT as they do on the PCAT. For my SAT, I wound up with a 1320... probably could have done better, except I was up until 4am the previous night doing unspeakable things. I had a 96 on the PCAT, and I also found the verbal sections extremly easy... lol, maybe there's a correlation between PCAT verbal/reading comp and SAT/ACT verbal? I could see that being true. Quite possibly the same for quantitative (the math section.) However, as far as the biology and chemistry go, there really wouldn't be much reflection since the SAT mostly avoids those topics, or at least did when I took them (back in 2002... I feel old.)

 

[kellia]

I second this... I really don't think most people put the same effort into the SAT/ACT as they do on the PCAT. For my SAT, I wound up with a 1320... probably could have done better, except I was up until 4am the previous night doing unspeakable things. I had a 96 on the PCAT, and I also found the verbal sections extremly easy... lol, maybe there's a correlation between PCAT verbal/reading comp and SAT/ACT verbal? I could see that being true. Quite possibly the same for quantitative (the math section.) However, as far as the biology and chemistry go, there really wouldn't be much reflection since the SAT mostly avoids those topics, or at least did when I took them (back in 2002... I feel old.)

hahaha! if you're old, i'm really scared! i took them in 1993!

 

[WVURxGal]

hahaha! if you're old, i'm really scared! i took them in 1993!

LOL, no, I'm not old, I'm actually too darn young. I'm going to be the class baby, I'm sure of it. My birthday is Sept 27th and I'm 19 now and entering school in the fall. I'd lie about my age to everyone, but then that becomes an issue when hanging out with friends (Morgantown is a bar culture.)

Still, it feels like high school was months ago, not years!

 

[Laferno]

SAT - 1310
PCAT - 99th

Study well for the test and get a good undergrad education. You will do fine.

 

[nims]

I scored a 23 on the ACT in 1997 and scored in the 91st percentile on the PCAT. I did not study as hard for the ACT as I could have and studied my ass off for the PCAT. I do not think there is a correlation between the two tests, just how much you prepare for the exam. Also, the Kaplan book is a better preparer for the test than the Barron's book (I have both and know from PCAT experience). Just invest your time and effort into preparing mainly from Kaplan and supplementing from other books (ie, the questions) and u should do fine. Good Luck!!!

How many months before the pcat did you study, and about how many hours per day?

If anyone else can answer this question please do, especially for those who had to study.

 

[BTB]

How many months before the pcat did you study, and about how many hours per day?

If anyone else can answer this question please do, especially for those who had to study.

Studied on the subway on the way to the test the morning of: 99th %ile, Oct 2004

Studied a couple of nights during the week before the test, studied a little the night before: 99th %ile, Nov 2004

It has been over 4 years since I'd had Chem II, more then 6 years since I'd had Bio II, a few months since Org Chem I & II, & a few months since Calc II. My results are not typical. I do read a lot and I always have, which helps in the vocabulary, reading comprehension, and essay portions of the test. As for the other subject areas, I just test well.

 

[Roid Rage]

Studied on the subway on the way to the test the morning of: 99th %ile, Oct 2004

Studied a couple of nights during the week before the test, studied a little the night before: 99th %ile, Nov 2004

It has been over 4 years since I'd had Chem II, more then 6 years since I'd had Bio II, a few months since Org Chem I & II, & a few months since Calc II. My results are not typical. I do read a lot and I always have, which helps in the vocabulary, reading comprehension, and essay portions of the test. As for the other subject areas, I just test well.

About the same here. Didn't study for PCAT: 96th %ile, Oct 04. About 8 yrs since gen chem and gen bio. But I am a Chemist. Based on friends my age who scored higher than me and did study, they studied about 1/2 - 1 hour each day on each section in Kaplan for bio and chem about 2 months before the test. They didn't really bother with vocab, reading, or math. Maybe about 1 hour for each topic to refresh.

 

[nims]

Wow, that must be convenient.

I am thinking about taking the pcat this dec/jan. Anyone else out there with their study schedule and how they did?

 

[jemc2000]

hahaha! if you're old, i'm really scared! i took them in 1993!

SAT in 1980. Before most of you were born.

 

[DrugBust]

I thought the PCAT was easier than the ACT. I didn't study and still got a 75.

 

[limlim]

.

 

[PCATBOMBER]

Bio and chem are weighted heavy. 2Nd comes math. Reading dont seem to be pulling the percentage as bad. But a good undergrad course will save you. Go with kaplan. If you have a good undergrad you should find that everything in kaplan is very basic reviews of everything you learned. If you forgot everything you learned it will help. Also study some health stuff. Some questions revolves in vitamens and dieases that not cover much in science courses.

 

[PharmDoReMe]

I don't think ACT really compares to the PCAT... I took the ACT maybe six years ago and got a 30 without any studying. I took it just in case I bombed my SATs. I got somewhere in the 1500s for the SAT. Didn't do that well on the PCAT though because I definitely underestimated the amount of gen chem which I had forgotten by the time I took the PCAT. Kaplan is huge, but Dr. Collins really helps as well. If you have the money and wanna spend it, get that, or get it from someone selling on here or a friend you might know that had it. Totally worth it.