Registered for June PCAT!

[adma826]

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I would have preferred more prep time and taking it in August, but we will be in the middle of a move so June it is. Gives me time to retake in October if needed.

What are you all doing to prep for the June test date? I shall be cramming with my Kaplan test prep book. Not the best option but things kind of snuck up on me. It has been a long time since I took Calculus. I just completed AP1&2 and am taking Organic Chem 1 through UNE right now and should be almost finished by the June date. I need to work hard on the math and general chem. Verbal and writing should be OK.

For those of you who have taken PCAT already, when you get your admission ticket, does it give specific information on the address of the testing session? Right now all I know is I am taking it at UNM. I am an alum so I am fairly familiar with campus (and familiar enough to know parking should be interesting) but as of right now have no clue if they are administering it at the COP or somewhere else on campus.

Has anyone bought and taken the online practice PCAT? I am thinking about doing it as a diagnostic tool and for familiarization.

 

[BelleMD2B]

I just started getting cozy with my Dr. Collins material. I also have Kaplan Test prep book. I plan to use those as my two major sources - with going through my books as needed.

I bought both the online test last week, and took one - as a basis - get a sense of where I stand, and I was in the 60s/70s on most subjects - with 53 in Math...I have a lot of brushing up to do...but I figure it can only go up from here - given that I have not done one iota of review yet for the PCAT. I'm pushing it, I know. But, it is what it is.

I'm treating it like this: June is a freebie, can retake in October if I really need to (will be on maternity leave from work and can possibly study when the new baby naps!).

 

[pinksparkly]

I have Dr. Collins, and will purchase/borrow from the library the Kaplan book. I also have been watching Chad's videos on CourseSaver and some lectures from MIT's Open CourseWare. It has been ~ten years since gen chem/o chem, so that is my biggest issue. I also have yet to take A & P II. I take my A & P I finals this week, after that, it will be six weeks of 6-8 hours of studying a day (hopefully).

Belle - is this your first baby? I would have been way too sleep-deprived after my first to have dealt with the PCAT anywhere before that kid's first birthday! Second kid, much different story. Hopefully you will get lucky and have a good sleeper.🙂

 

[adma826]

I bought both the online test last week, and took one - as a basis - get a sense of where I stand, and I was in the 60s/70s on most subjects - with 53 in Math...I have a lot of brushing up to do...but I figure it can only go up from here - given that I have not done one iota of review yet for the PCAT. I'm pushing it, I know. But, it is what it is.

I decided to buy the practice tests too.

I did one last night as a diagnostic tool and it confirmed what I thought were my weak areas: gen chem and calculus. Its been a while....

I did pretty well in the other areas: almost perfect on verbal and reading comp, so I am going to skip studying those and just focus on learning how to format the essay, Bio I got 90% of the questions, Chem 70% (gen chem was weak), and Quant 73% (with only 33% of the calculus ones correct). Yikes on the math! I have basically forgotten everything I learned in Calculus, and it was obvious by which questions I drew a blank on in Chem what I need to bone up on.

The Gen Chem weakness makes me worry a little about the Chem in Pharmacy school.... I'd much rather re-learn it now than struggle to re-learn important concepts during P1, so if I do get accepted I will have to dig deeper to find out what I should review before P1.

 

[Maryam I]

I'm taking it in June and using the Dr.Collins and Kaplan book as my study tools. I already know my worst score will be math. I got the Kaplan book before Dr.Collins and I was excited when I saw there were only 4 sections of math, but I just received my Dr.Collins packets and theres a lot more math in it than Kaplan's book which kinda bums me out.
Quick question, when you guys say you will be retaking it in October if need be are you applying for the 2011 school year? I'm applying this summer and if I do feel I need to retake it I'm trying to figure out if its important to have your score submitted to schools before/around the same time as you apply.

 

[adma826]

I will be applying for entry for Aug 2011. I probably won't get my app in until around October - if my June PCAT is bad then I may hold off so my app arrives around the same time as the October scores but I really have to double check deadlines and see if I can find more about their process. I am applying to USN (only) and PCAT is required but I have heard it is not weighed as heavily as GPA and the interview. Of course I do want a high enough PCAT that it helps.