What do I do for my current situation? Did miserable on PCAT.

[Aki Shimoyo]

I took the PCAT today and I did absolutely terrible. I got way below the 50% percentile. I am freaking out right now. I feel incredibly discouraged. Should I just consider applying to schools that do not require the PCAT? Right now is September. Will taking it a second time in November allow me to have enough time to finish my applications? I really want to start attending school during the fall of 2017. I've already wasted a few years of my life after graduating with a bachelor's. I am doing hospital volunteer right now, and my cumulative GPA is only about 3.0.

I was very confident up until I started taking the exam. I've started studying since August and I studied using the 2015-2016 Kaplan review book and I took their practice online tests. The mock exam looked fairly reasonable but the level of difficulty seem to vastly differ compared to the real exam. Does anyone have any recommendations on which books or materials to use? I am feeling really depressed and discouraged right now. I've never been someone who is good at taking standardized exams.

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[PromisedNeverland]

lol I scored 68 percentile... pretty disappointed as well 🙁

 

[clgp23]

I took the PCAT today and I did absolutely terrible. I got way below the 50% percentile. I am freaking out right now. I feel incredibly discouraged. Should I just consider applying to schools that do not require the PCAT? Right now is September. Will taking it a second time in November allow me to have enough time to finish my applications? I really want to start attending school during the fall of 2017. I've already wasted a few years of my life after graduating with a bachelor's. I am doing hospital volunteer right now, and my cumulative GPA is only about 3.0.

I was very confident up until I started taking the exam. I've started studying since August and I studied using the 2015-2016 Kaplan review book and I took their practice online tests. The mock exam looked fairly reasonable but the level of difficulty seem to vastly differ compared to the real exam. Does anyone have any recommendations on which books or materials to use? I am feeling really depressed and discouraged right now. I've never been someone who is good at taking standardized exams.

I took the PCAT today and I did absolutely terrible. I got way below the 50% percentile. I am freaking out right now. I feel incredibly discouraged. Should I just consider applying to schools that do not require the PCAT? Right now is September. Will taking it a second time in November allow me to have enough time to finish my applications? I really want to start attending school during the fall of 2017. I've already wasted a few years of my life after graduating with a bachelor's. I am doing hospital volunteer right now, and my cumulative GPA is only about 3.0.

I was very confident up until I started taking the exam. I've started studying since August and I studied using the 2015-2016 Kaplan review book and I took their practice online tests. The mock exam looked fairly reasonable but the level of difficulty seem to vastly differ compared to the real exam. Does anyone have any recommendations on which books or materials to use? I am feeling really depressed and discouraged right now. I've never been someone who is good at taking standardized exams.

It doesn't hurt to try again. What in particular did u find troubling? Passages?

 

[deleted798281]

I took mine today and I have to say it was harder than last year since they changed the format. I am taking again on November. I am using Dr. Collins and Pearson Practice Test. I heard Kaplan is pretty good for Chemistry content so I will try to use it.

If you guys have any tip or recommended material for Chemistry please let me know because it's my weakness

 

[clgp23]

I took mine today and I have to say it was harder than last year since they changed the format. I am taking again on November. I am using Dr. Collins and Pearson Practice Test. I heard Kaplan is pretty good for Chemistry content so I will try to use it.

If you guys have any tip or recommended material for Chemistry please let me know because it's my weakness

I was also wonder this. How is it fair now its harder imo (I did the practice exam for 2015 and its a joke actually compared to now), so how is it fair since our scores our being compared to theirs?

 

[deleted798281]

I was also wonder this. How is it fair now its harder imo (I did the practice exam for 2015 and its a joke actually compared to now), so how is it fair since our scores our being compared to theirs?

I would rather wait for like 2-3 weeks to get the result that actually being compared with those who take PCAT this year. I think it would be fair than they compare us to the norm group back in 2001-2005 because the difficulty level each year is different

 

[clgp23]

I would rather wait for like 2-3 weeks to get the result that actually being compared with those who take PCAT this year. I think it would be fair than they compare us to the norm group back in 2001-2005 because the difficulty level each year is different

but our percentiles are based on the 2015 norm?

 

[Aki Shimoyo]

I am still traumatized after taking the PCAT this week. I've reflected from yesterday and I think I just need to do more practice problems. My main issue seems to be me not being able to complete all the questions on time. I will probably need to do more practice problems rather than just going over each subject in detail. I haven't been in school for two years now. Maybe I could've done better when I was still in college.

I am going to take the PCAT again this November. Hopefully I will have enough time to finish my application. I purchased the newest edition by Kaplan and I am planning to buy the practice exams offered by Pearson. Are they helpful? I guess casual studying from an old Kaplan PCAT book just doesn't cut it.

If you have any suggestions for me on how to improve, please tell. I am really desperate right now. 🙁

Edit: How much will the official scores change compared to the preliminary ones? I doubt it will be much but I am still curious to know.

 

[Arindred]

They also offer another test before November, I think near the end of October? You can always complete your app and just wait for your PCAT before you submit it.

 

[RxTech15]

I agree with this. I just took the PCAT on September 8th as well and received a 66. I also took it this past January and found the test to be a lot easier. Actually, the only reason I am retaking it now was to improve my score enough to cancel out the poor reading and verbal I received in january. However, with the added passages and difficulty, my bio score decreased and that is my best subject along with chemistry which only decreased a tiny bit.

I was studying dr Collins but I've pretty much exhausted those materials except for a light review before I retake the exam again- if I do. I did take one Pearson practice test last Wednesday and found it to be just as crazy as the test. So I think I'll be purchasing the other two practice tests as well. I'm also going to be purchasing the Pearson review book and the dr Collins updates (which I'm hoping are helpful).

My biggest issue with retaking it is that I am waiting for more feedback on how everyone is doing on this new exam and format. I am not sure I have the correct materials that encompass the new format/material/updates and that scares me.

Don't be discouraged. I was discouraged as well. Especially because my application is depending upon this and I wanted a 75.

 

[RxTech15]

Oh and my score only jumped 5 points from January to now. I would have been better off just doing better in reading and verbal last time than taking it again with this new format

 

[howtobecool]

I agree with this. I just took the PCAT on September 8th as well and received a 66. I also took it this past January and found the test to be a lot easier. Actually, the only reason I am retaking it now was to improve my score enough to cancel out the poor reading and verbal I received in january. However, with the added passages and difficulty, my bio score decreased and that is my best subject along with chemistry which only decreased a tiny bit.

I was studying dr Collins but I've pretty much exhausted those materials except for a light review before I retake the exam again- if I do. I did take one Pearson practice test last Wednesday and found it to be just as crazy as the test. So I think I'll be purchasing the other two practice tests as well. I'm also going to be purchasing the Pearson review book and the dr Collins updates (which I'm hoping are helpful).

My biggest issue with retaking it is that I am waiting for more feedback on how everyone is doing on this new exam and format. I am not sure I have the correct materials that encompass the new format/material/updates and that scares me.

Don't be discouraged. I was discouraged as well. Especially because my application is depending upon this and I wanted a 75.

Do not purchase the Pearson study book, it contains only practice questions from Pearson practice exam 5 and some extra questions and explainations.

 

[RxTech15]

So not enough extra questions for the price? Exam 5 was very odd and hard I felt like. I haven't looked at 6 and 7 yet.

 

[howtobecool]

So not enough extra questions for the price? Exam 5 was very odd and hard I felt like. I haven't looked at 6 and 7 yet.

true, thats why the pearson study guide is so cheap

 

[gogoldylocks]

hey guys! i took the september 2016 pcat and i wanted to give everyone the low down because unlike my competitive school of UCLA where every other person is a selfish pre med i really want all of you guys to do well so we can all be kicking but in the pharmacy field
anyways i got a 92 percentile on my PCAT. i studied for 2 months (started july 8 and my test was sept 8) and i made sure to do like 8 hours a day. i had some breaks (like lollapalooza) and i also worked part time. but i strived for 8 hours a day. and when i tell you this test became my life i mean seriously i would go over stuff every single night and made sure of it. but you can all do the same. i believe in you.
for bio and chem i STRONGLY recommend dr. collins. i had about 10 questions verbatim from the dr collins study guide. i also supplemented my chem with chads videos...you pay 50 dollars a month and this guy, chad, re teaches every lesson in o chem and gen chem. he focuses alot on the DAT and MCAT but i found it VERY MUCH pertained to the scope of the PCAT. as for chem in general, KNOW YOUR GEN CHEM. there are some important o chem reactions but MOSTLY GEN CHEM. i found le chatteliers equilibrium to be very dominant on this test..
as for bio i also supplemented with a kaplan book. it was funny because the day before my kaplan course had started they decided to cancel it but they still send me all the books and i got a complete refund. so that was kinda chill. also for bio,...KNOW YOUR MICROORGANISMS AND ENDOCRINE SYSTEM LIKE THE BACK OF YOUR HAND. go through note cards. every night. on the toilet. at a bar. in your bed.
as for math-definitely brush up on calc and pre calc. i found that to be a very frustrating section and i ran out of time. know your graphs and know your derivatives and integrals REALLY WELL. there are also many long word problems that i think i blacked out from...alli know is that there were alot of words and number and it scared me (lol).
reading---my lowest individual score. this section was actually terrible. i am a native english speaker and this section was just so so os bad for me lol BUT DONT LOSE HOPE maybe read some medical literature?? idk i wish i could help you.
writing section is a breeze-in my opinion they just want to know if you can organize your writing. make sure to know how to write a thesis and organize things in intro, body paragraphs, conclusions, and transitions.

bottom line is DONT LOSE HOPE. you are on this path for a reason and it is because you guys are all really smart. WOOOOOO go pre pharm nerds !!!

 

[kabtq9s]

Thanks gogoldylocks that was really inspiring 🙂

 

[benyyyy]

I took mine today and I have to say it was harder than last year since they changed the format. I am taking again on November. I am using Dr. Collins and Pearson Practice Test. I heard Kaplan is pretty good for Chemistry content so I will try to use it.

If you guys have any tip or recommended material for Chemistry please let me know because it's my weakness

I got 96% on chemistry without taking biochem
All I did was
- 1st : start collins study guide and make notes from it ( 2weeks)
- 2nd: do 1 practice test a day and review it the same day. ( I used google, youtube videos on the questions that I got wrong.)
-3rd : finish rest of the test (collins) and start over with test 1 till I got everything perfect on the practice test

I studied 2 months before the test!
june - 1-2hrs/day ( bio &chem)
july- 3-4 hrs/day (bio &chem &math)