Passing 10% and 20% cutoffs isn't an accomplishment.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
University of Toronto, class of 2016
- Thread starter futurpharmacis
- Start date
Passing 10% and 20% cutoffs isn't an accomplishment.
collins is a must get. I was really hesitant to get it. But I believe it's the one study guide that really helped. Especially for English and chemistry. A lot of the vocabulary words that showed up on my PCAT day were from collins.
Also buy the pearson's online tests things. Very good example of how it will be on the day of. I believe it's the most accurate in terms of question time. Kaplans has a lot of non-sense in there and overcomplicates a lot of stuff. But okay for bio.
And you don't want to just meet the cutoffs. You need to excel.
Also buy the pearson's online tests things. Very good example of how it will be on the day of. I believe it's the most accurate in terms of question time. Kaplans has a lot of non-sense in there and overcomplicates a lot of stuff. But okay for bio.
And you don't want to just meet the cutoffs. You need to excel.
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2011
- Messages
- 92
- Reaction score
- 0
and you said it yourself, your 98 composite was meaningless.
and you said it yourself, your 98 composite was meaningless.
Yeah, which is why I studied smarter the second time around, re-wrote the test, and got a great composite along with a high writing score.
Don't sit here telling people not to use study guides when you barely passed the PCAT. Maybe you should be more reflective and realize that better study methods would have improved your score.
And you don't want to just meet the cutoffs. You need to excel.
Exactly.
and you said it yourself, your 98 composite was meaningless.
Your two 20s are even more meaningless than the word meaningless...
collins is a must get. I was really hesitant to get it. But I believe it's the one study guide that really helped. Especially for English and chemistry. A lot of the vocabulary words that showed up on my PCAT day were from collins.
Also buy the pearson's online tests things. Very good example of how it will be on the day of. I believe it's the most accurate in terms of question time. Kaplans has a lot of non-sense in there and overcomplicates a lot of stuff. But okay for bio.
And you don't want to just meet the cutoffs. You need to excel.
my thoughts exactly. and might i mention, if one's a little rough around the edges on o-chem, then i found examkrackers 1001 questions for o-chem to be of great help. the questions in there are very indicative of what you find on the pcat, minus the lab technique stuff. if you have the examkrackers o-chem theory book to supplement it, then even better. it took me about 3 days to finish the 1001 questions book, so not too shabby if you're pressed for time.
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2011
- Messages
- 30
- Reaction score
- 0
I think the practise tests on the PCAT website are the most helpful to study. I found the kaplan book to be a little too detailed.
When I think about June 22nd my stomach burns. Ahhh!
Agreed. I think kaplan lessons/books are too all-encompassing Not to deter anybody from getting them, that is. There's a reason why they're so expensive. There's so much extra stuff than the single pcat guide you can get off amazon...cue cards, vocab list (very helpful), etc. It's not the way to go if you want the painless guide to fast pcat success though. Buying the online practice tests is a great investment.
Agreed. I think kaplan lessons/books are too all-encompassing Not to deter anybody from getting them, that is. There's a reason why they're so expensive. There's so much extra stuff than the single pcat guide you can get off amazon...cue cards, vocab list (very helpful), etc. It's not the way to go if you want the painless guide to fast pcat success though. Buying the online practice tests is a great investment.
I don't know. I didn't even study for it on the theory that it was knowledge I should already have gained before I enter a pharmacy program. I survived with what I knew from my courses before. XD
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2012
- Messages
- 30
- Reaction score
- 0
I don't know. I didn't even study for it on the theory that it was knowledge I should already have gained before I enter a pharmacy program. I survived with what I knew from my courses before. XD
PCAT was definitely based on everything we've learned up to second year. A few things popped up from microbiology which was a third year course, but other than that it was very basic things. But it's still very impressive that you remembered everything! I know I wouldn't have been able to do well without some sort of supplemental learning XD
I definitely recommend dr collins for studying, especially if you're pressed for time. It gives you exactly what you need to know, no more. I didn't do so bad the first time I did the PCAT without using dr collins -- around ~70 percentile for most subjects? But when I retook my PCAT because I was unsatisfactory with it, I studied with dr collins and all of my categories are in 90s percentile except verbal and reading. Verbal was 80s, which boosted from a 60 before. So overall I boosted my percentile by ~20, though I've heard other people have boosted it up dramatically more than that using dr collins. Just my input 🙂
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2011
- Messages
- 30
- Reaction score
- 0
I don't know. I didn't even study for it on the theory that it was knowledge I should already have gained before I enter a pharmacy program. I survived with what I knew from my courses before. XD
I hope people who are thinking about taking the pcat and reading this thread aren't misled into thinking that you won't have to put much effort in if you were taught the material in class. A high composite can be achieved by practicing diligently prior to the test and familiarizing yourself with time management and the way in which questions are asked. Bottom line, studying the material/practicing can only enhance your success on the pcat. Personally I don't think it matters what study guide you use as long as you put the effort in.
Oh the effort is valuable, no doubt. You'd need lots of practice and whatnot to get a better shot of getting a better score. But buying online quizzes and course packs and whatnot is in my opinion a waste of money. There are free quizzes online that are probably decent enough to help in practicing the material. I just personally never used any of them.
Some people can just do it, some people need to put in more effort. End result is hopefully a really good composite on the PCAT though.
Verbal: 73
Biology: 94
Reading Comp: 69
Quantitative: 93
Chemistry: 96
Composite: 94
Both writing parts 3/3
So you can definitely do a decent job without the study guide. It might facilitate things, yes, but is in no way needed to do so.
Some people can just do it, some people need to put in more effort. End result is hopefully a really good composite on the PCAT though.
Verbal: 73
Biology: 94
Reading Comp: 69
Quantitative: 93
Chemistry: 96
Composite: 94
Both writing parts 3/3
So you can definitely do a decent job without the study guide. It might facilitate things, yes, but is in no way needed to do so.
Oh the effort is valuable, no doubt. You'd need lots of practice and whatnot to get a better shot of getting a better score. But buying online quizzes and course packs and whatnot is in my opinion a waste of money. There are free quizzes online that are probably decent enough to help in practicing the material. I just personally never used any of them.
Some people can just do it, some people need to put in more effort. End result is hopefully a really good composite on the PCAT though.
Verbal: 73
Biology: 94
Reading Comp: 69
Quantitative: 93
Chemistry: 96
Composite: 94
Both writing parts 3/3
So you can definitely do a decent job without the study guide. It might facilitate things, yes, but is in no way needed to do so.
Hey Ryan where would you like to go if you got into u of t too? 😉
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2012
- Messages
- 45
- Reaction score
- 0
I bought the kaplan book, it was under 50$ and just used that to study. I think even though it was detailed, it was possible to get through it all and some parts were just review. I wrote the pcat just to get a feel for it as a hasty decision, but it was a waste of 300$ lol, rather recommend you do the online tests than just wasting that money. I went from a 76th percentile (not studying) to a 94th percentile and getting 3.5/3.5 each time.
I also think the PCAT covers a lot taught till 2nd year, but the book really refreshes you. So I would recommend the book and don't really think you need a lot of stuff to study from aside from maybe the practice tests if they tell you how you do
I also think the PCAT covers a lot taught till 2nd year, but the book really refreshes you. So I would recommend the book and don't really think you need a lot of stuff to study from aside from maybe the practice tests if they tell you how you do
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2011
- Messages
- 92
- Reaction score
- 0
meeting minimums on the other test were easy on some parts, but i think most people did not make the cut off becasue of the writing part. my buddy got 2.5/2.5 and i got 3/3. she has an amazing average but did not make the interview cuz of that pcat.
soo yah... meeting minimums is really important =)
soo yah... meeting minimums is really important =)
Oh the effort is valuable, no doubt. You'd need lots of practice and whatnot to get a better shot of getting a better score. But buying online quizzes and course packs and whatnot is in my opinion a waste of money. There are free quizzes online that are probably decent enough to help in practicing the material. I just personally never used any of them.
Some people can just do it, some people need to put in more effort. End result is hopefully a really good composite on the PCAT though.
Verbal: 73
Biology: 94
Reading Comp: 69
Quantitative: 93
Chemistry: 96
Composite: 94
Both writing parts 3/3
So you can definitely do a decent job without the study guide. It might facilitate things, yes, but is in no way needed to do so.
i think whether or not someone needs the study guide is based on two factors: 1) how long it has been since you've completed the course material up until 2nd year, and 2) how well you did in those courses. if it's been a while since you've learned the material or if your grades weren't that high in gen chem, gen bio, physiology, etc., then i think purchasing a study guide is the best way to go. if you had just finished taking those courses no more than 1-2 years ago and did exceptional, then you're better off spending your money on other things.
as far as free study tools go, i'm a fairly visual person and i prefer to listen to lectures rather than reading a dry old textbook. if someone wants a quick refresher on math and genchem, then brightstorm.com has really condensed videos that get to the point (3-4 mins. each on average). also, patrickjmt has a math channel on youtube and he is phenomenal!
Hey Ryan where would you like to go if you got into u of t too? 😉
That is a question I will have to answer when the time comes. =P
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2011
- Messages
- 92
- Reaction score
- 0
zzzzzzzzzzzz..................35..............
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2011
- Messages
- 92
- Reaction score
- 0
5 weeks.
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2009
- Messages
- 3
- Reaction score
- 0
also, where can i get a copy of dr collins pcat study guide? it's not on amazon.ca or chapters.indigo.ca
you can't buy them from amazon or chapters. You have to buy directly from dr collins. It's quite expensive imo especially if you want them to ship to canada.
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2011
- Messages
- 92
- Reaction score
- 0
what i dont understand is why people are torn between pharmacy and being a medical doctor. the responsibilities/duties, education, and salaries are quite obvious. doctors have more freedom in the scope of practice they want to do to help people and give medical advice and make medical decisions that other health care providers have to take. pharmacists just dispense and educate about drugs, but doctors can do that too with more power. doctors, in general, have higher salary than pharmacist, i think family doctor starting salary in canada is around 130-140k/year, whereas pharmacist is around 90-100k. pharmacist education is usually 1 year less if u do everything on time, but the tuition is basically the same as med school so one does not save any money going to pharmacy school vs med school. its generally harder to get into med school cuz of GPA, its hard to get a good GPA if someone got any B's or C's. and generally 85%+ in every course.
Thats PharmacyBoy's take on it. Job shadow people is the best thing to do and ask questions.
Have a good day.
Thats PharmacyBoy's take on it. Job shadow people is the best thing to do and ask questions.
Have a good day.
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2011
- Messages
- 92
- Reaction score
- 0
actually im wrong,
pharmacy: 2 year undergrad + 4 year pharm school
medicine: 3 year undergrad + 4 year med school + 2-5 years residency.
so a little longer, but in residency, they pay u, so its better than nothing.
pharmacy: 2 year undergrad + 4 year pharm school
medicine: 3 year undergrad + 4 year med school + 2-5 years residency.
so a little longer, but in residency, they pay u, so its better than nothing.
Those numbers are the "minimum years" it would take to get either degree.
In reality, most people who get into Medicine have AT LEAST a Bachelor's degree, and in many cases have a graduate degree. Pharmacy is trending that way as well, with most people having a Bachelor's degree when entering the program.
In reality, most people who get into Medicine have AT LEAST a Bachelor's degree, and in many cases have a graduate degree. Pharmacy is trending that way as well, with most people having a Bachelor's degree when entering the program.
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2011
- Messages
- 92
- Reaction score
- 0
yah i know, sucks so much.
what i dont understand is why people are torn between pharmacy and being a medical doctor. the responsibilities/duties, education, and salaries are quite obvious. doctors have more freedom in the scope of practice they want to do to help people and give medical advice and make medical decisions that other health care providers have to take. pharmacists just dispense and educate about drugs, but doctors can do that too with more power. doctors, in general, have higher salary than pharmacist, i think family doctor starting salary in canada is around 130-140k/year, whereas pharmacist is around 90-100k. pharmacist education is usually 1 year less if u do everything on time, but the tuition is basically the same as med school so one does not save any money going to pharmacy school vs med school. its generally harder to get into med school cuz of GPA, its hard to get a good GPA if someone got any B's or C's. and generally 85%+ in every course.
Thats PharmacyBoy's take on it. Job shadow people is the best thing to do and ask questions.
Have a good day.
Pharmacists aren't making nowhere near as high as 90k starting these days.
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2011
- Messages
- 92
- Reaction score
- 0
how much they start then?
how much they start then?
More like 50-70K depending where you work/what area of ontario you work in.
how much would you make if you're working in toronto?
You would be at the lower end of that scale.
It seems to me like this year there are a lot more OOP applicants than last year.
On the interview itself I talked to about 6 people, two of whom were OOP, one from UBC and another from Nova Scotia. Of course it might just have been a coincidental occurrence, but that is one third. Meaning there must be lots more OOP students out there.
In a way it's better for Ontario applicants because we will have somewhat less of a competition.
But it is a disadvantage to the OOP students because they are all fighting for a limited number of seats under the OOP quota.
Well, good luck to everyone on this forum lol!
On the interview itself I talked to about 6 people, two of whom were OOP, one from UBC and another from Nova Scotia. Of course it might just have been a coincidental occurrence, but that is one third. Meaning there must be lots more OOP students out there.
In a way it's better for Ontario applicants because we will have somewhat less of a competition.
But it is a disadvantage to the OOP students because they are all fighting for a limited number of seats under the OOP quota.
Well, good luck to everyone on this forum lol!
how much information do you think that pharmacists have to memorize? do you think that pharmacists spend every night reviewing their university study notes? just wondering...because i have a really bad memory...
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2011
- Messages
- 92
- Reaction score
- 0
50k. hope u enjoy making less than a nurse that just grad. proof, my sis is a nurse.
50k. hope u enjoy making less than a nurse that just grad. proof, my sis is a nurse.
Well that is where you would start, your salary will go up after a few years but not more than 90K I would guess. And many nurses work their asses off and have to deal with a lot of stuff in their job they deserve that salary and then some.
50k. hope u enjoy making less than a nurse that just grad. proof, my sis is a nurse.
Could you ease up on the negativity? Its very annoying, especially for those of us that truly want to be pharmacists more than anything else.
Could you ease up on the negativity? Its very annoying, especially for those of us that truly want to be pharmacists more than anything else.
Normally I would agree but at the same time its important for people to be well informed. With tuition being where it is, it will take a graduate a great deal of time paying back student loans at the current starting salary.
I agree, but there is a difference between being realistic and being negative. And while I sympathize with PharmacyBoy for feeling doubt over his future career, comments such as this (ie. 'might as well be a nurse') are [to me, at least] unnecessary.Normally I would agree but at the same time its important for people to be well informed. With tuition being where it is, it will take a graduate a great deal of time paying back student loans at the current starting salary.
I just don't understand why someone would apply to this program without actually wanting pharmacy as a profession. It is a difficult and expensive program, and you're not going to be making ridiculous amounts of money after you graduate either. I feel like there's a misconception that pharmacy is an easy profession where you make more money than you deserve, and if someone with that misconception gets into this program, then they're going to have a rude awakening when they have to work their butts off to get through 4 years of school.
Similar threads
- Replies
- 1
- Views
- 2K
