Taking PCAT W/O Having Some Classes

[xnc123]

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Has anyone taken the test without having had certian classes and how did you do? I'm planning on taking the PCAT in June, but I won't have A/P til summer and O Chem I until fall. I don't even know how much these subjects are on the exam, but I'm a worrier 🙁 . Are PCAT Study guides/Cliff Notes enough to help me get through or should I wait and put all my eggs in Oct's basket?
What do you think?

 

[crossjb]

Has anyone taken the test without having had certian classes and how did you do? I'm planning on taking the PCAT in June, but I won't have A/P til summer and O Chem I until fall. I don't even know how much these subjects are on the exam, but I'm a worrier 🙁 . Are PCAT Study guides/Cliff Notes enough to help me get through or should I wait and put all my eggs in Oct's basket?
What do you think?

June is a great time to take the PCAT. It's the summer, generally you're not taking a heavy course load, and you get your results right when PharmCAS and non-PharmCAS applications just open up. I asked the same exact question as you a year ago, and someone on here told me not to wait. I'm glad I didn't. Take it in June. Prep yourself intensely in May/early-June after Winter term, and you'll do well. Don't worry, but study Kaplan/Cliff's and you'll hit a good PCAT score. Those guides are definitely more than enough to do well if you study hard.

 

[kkelloww]

There is a lot of basic Orgo in the Chem section. I took it when I was 1 month into Organic I. Also, quite a bit of calculus. When I took the PCAT, I had not taken A&P at all and I got a 97 composite. But Biology was my lowest at a 77.

 

[blueclassring]

i fell into >90 percentile in all areas even though i believed i was weak in biology and organic chemistry. study kaplan's for the next 6 months and you should do fine. this test is a speed exam if nothing else. good luck

 

[rxlynn]

Has anyone taken the test without having had certian classes and how did you do? I'm planning on taking the PCAT in June, but I won't have A/P til summer and O Chem I until fall. I don't even know how much these subjects are on the exam, but I'm a worrier 🙁 . Are PCAT Study guides/Cliff Notes enough to help me get through or should I wait and put all my eggs in Oct's basket?
What do you think?

I've posted some about this on another thread, but do not depend just on kaplan's for the organic chemistry part. You need to get something more thorough with lots of practice questions. I was a chemistry major, and I was still pretty surprised about how much organic was on the actual test. On the other hand, I felt like I overstudied A&P.

 

[xnc123]

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to start studying the organic now a little at a time. I'm taking Calculus next semester, so I'll be sure to pay attention. Math is not my forte.

Thanks again!

 

[cdpiano27]

If you are currently taking Organic I in the semester that you are taking the test (October), would it be good to get some DAT materials and review the Organic section in the Kaplan book for the DAT? I am thinking that the DAT and PCAT are similar with the exception of the PAT and that O-Chem and Gen chem on the DAT are two separate sections.

Also, is the biology section very much like AP Biology multiple choice / SAT II Biology which I took 9 years ago and scored 4 on the AP and 680 on SAT II Biology?

Is any thing from genetics on the test (took this)? Microbiology that is NOT taught in general bio (I have not taken this)?

For general chem, is it good reviewing SAT II Chemistry books and AP Chem books with the exceptions of the lab questions for General Chem? Again I have not had organic yet but took both semesters of general chem without the lab for the second one even though that was 4 years ago! But I have very good solutions manuals for my textbook that I used then with many practice exercises with answers.

Are the verbal sections easier or harder than GRE? I did well on verbal gre 670 score/ 94 percentile and 6/6 on writing.

Does a 99 quantitative bring your composite up significantly since very few people can achieve this? My major is mathematically related so this section is going to be the easiest for me.

 

[DHG]

I had not had A&P yet (I was in the middle of taking Anatomy, but had not had Physiology at all yet) and I did 99 on the Biology. I reviewed for it seperately and did fine.

I already had organic, though,... I think there was a good bit of OrganicI on there, but nothing you couldn't review with a tutor or something... Just basically nomenclature and functional groups... really basic stuff.

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