What is are the best ways to prepare for the PCAT?

[MichaelJames]

This is an important question for any student planning to take the PCAT! Since there are many board members who have already taken the PCAT, I was wondering if they might be willing to give some advice on how to prepare for the test. Also, what is the best date to take the test on? It will be offered 4 times this year: June 23, August 25, October 20, and January 19. When would be the best date to take this test on and should I take the test twice?

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[Charles01]

I found the barrons study guide the most reflective of the pcat. the kaplans math section gives lots of good tricks.

I used these 2 sources only (the night before the test mind you) and got a 78 the first time i took the pcat in october 2006.

 

[Bonbon2007]

If you haven't been studying for the PCAT then you should probably wait to the next exam after June 23.

I'm also using Barons and Kaplan to review, but I have also picked up EK and Arco to see what else is out there. Set aside a few hours a day to work problems out. The chemistry section is by no means a walk in the park so you have to know the material cold. Work out every problem and don't give up.

 

[StringTheorist]

i used barrons as a guide, but everything from my classes was easily recalled. just doing well in class is prep enough, really.

 

[manutdmax]

I found the barrons study guide the most reflective of the pcat. the kaplans math section gives lots of good tricks.

I used these 2 sources only (the night before the test mind you) and got a 78 the first time i took the pcat in october 2006.

dude am taking the exam in october too..am studying from kaplan book..how was the exam and how did u manage to overcome the time problem in the exam?

 

[binghamkid]

Since everyone seems to keep asking this question in PM and on posts, i'm just going to copy paste this from elsewhere that I wrote this so I don't have to do it again.

I actually broke down the PCAT into different areas of focus and tackled the test that way.

The first thing to do is to understand what the PCAT is all about. It's not a test to test your knowledge, they have your GPA for that. Rather, the PCAT is a test to see how well you can think critically in a time-constrained environment. If you consider the test from that aspect, then it follows that whoever's writing the test will have to make it doable (55 questions in 35 minutes). So if you reason it out, that means there is a trick to most if not all of the questions (a way you can quickly eliminate answers or find the correct answer without actually doing all the work). This is more so for the math, chemistry, and the analogy section of the verbal. Reading comprehension you're gonna have to read, no getting around that. But if you can approach the test with that mentality, eliminating answers will make the rest of the test a whole lot less stressful.

So now we've established the test as a critical thinking test. As I mentioned in my post, it's all about timing. With that in mind, it's important to realize that your ability to stay focused will be key. So when you start reviewing for the PCAT, you should be approaching it with the mentality that you need to work fast, work accurately, and be confident in your answer. So that's where we'll start off. I"ll assume that you know how to study on your own and understand the material (If you've done well in your pre-req classes and actually learned some of it w/o cramming, you know enough to get by on the exam.)

The key then, is not to spend all your time trying to memorize every bit of knowledge. Most of the time, they'll be testing you on very general concepts (i.e., "What is DNA made of? fatty acids, nucleic acids, or strong acids" If you sit there memorizing everything about fungi, cyclo-hydrocarbon rings, and everything about the kidney pathway, you'll never finish memorizing. Instead, just do a comprehensive daily review. Skim over a vast amount of material so it remains fresh in your head. Just through sheer repetition (i'd say about 10 or 20 times of reading the same material over and over), you'll recognize the important points. They'l never ask you to name the polar amino acids or some stupid thing like that. So don't waste your time memorizing stuff that won't come up 90% of the time. I would recommend being able to read through all the material roughly every three days or so. If you have the examkraker books, those will be pretty easy reads.

Now, if you notice you're bad at a particular section (like you've forgotten all your calculus), go ahead and go back and review it. No need for overkill though. Just find out what you need to know, and do a few problems to get comfortable with it, and then move on. Doing 500 problems of calculus isn't going to make you any more confident than doing 10 problems correctly are. Address your study weakness, and then move on.

Now let's continue. We've talked about very basic study habits. With the exam coming up in a month or so, you'll really need to start getting comfortable with the timing and stress level. I would recommend digging up any practice exam you can get your hands on (I go to the library and just photocopy exams if i have to). No matter how BAD the test is, it's still a good thing to practice with. (I know some of the kaplan tests have wrong answers...and I would rant and rave to no avail). But the point here is to get yourself comfortable with the testing style. It's totally ok to do each test more than once; I actually had a bank of about 7 tests; i did two a day, every day, for a week. That's how I studied. I wasn't trying to memorize the knowledge; I was trying to get a feel for the test. I trained myself to finish each section with ten minutes to spare; this helps you do several things 1) You learn to put together a focused mentality that stays throughout a pressured exam. 2) You give yourself time to focus on problems that you aren't sure of 3) You learn to build confidence in your answers; since you don't have time to be wavering, you just go with your answers. After you're done with each test, see what you got wrong. If it's just a question that you missed because you didn't remember a point in biology or something, don't fret. Just learn it and move on. No need to rush back to the chapter and read it all over again. If you see that you missed 5 questions on the same topic though, you might want to give it a more thorough look.

You already possess all the knowledge you need; you just need to review and practice to bring it all out. Remember back to your elementary and middle school days, because that's where we were taught the skills you need most here: elimination, simplification, and rearranging the problem. Most of the time, you don't have to actually do all the work. If you find you are just mindlessly plugging and chugging, or actually analyzing every diagram to figure out the answer, take a step back. See if you can find the trick to the question (because I can guarantee there will be one.) There's no reason to multiply 1000000 by 0.00004, or to figure out which of the organic compounds can react with a base given the equation above. If you remember how to move decimals, or remember the fact that bases react with acids, then you're set =).

A good way to practice for the PCAT outside of study time is just to read passages. I read the LA times, CNN, different science magazines while I was preparing. While reading these articles, focus on the following: 1) reading it only once through 2) finding the main topic 3) finding the target audience 4) determining what type of article it is (expository, editorial, sarcastic, etc. etc. This will help with the reading comprehension passages. The RC passages aren't hard, they just require that you be on the lookout for these items in a timely manner. Focus on the first and last sentence of each paragraph; that's where you'll get the most help. Also, if you don't know a word, go look it up in the dictionary. I would also do word recognition games. Find a list of Latin and greek roots. Take each root and try coming up with a list of words that are based of those roots. You'll find yourself knowing more about the word when it comes up on the PCAT even if you've never seen it before.

Anyway, hope this helps. The PCAT is a test to test your ability to think=) So think like a champ and you'll score like a champ.

As my friend once told me, the difference between a chump and a champ, is U =)

 

[omnione]

This is an important question for any student planning to take the PCAT! Since there are many board members who have already taken the PCAT, I was wondering if they might be willing to give some advice on how to prepare for the test. Also, what is the best date to take the test on? It will be offered 4 times this year: June 23, August 25, October 20, and January 19. When would be the best date to take this test on and should I take the test twice?

Here's how I break down when people should take the test:

June 23: If you have just completed your prerequisites this past spring so that the information is still fresh in your mind. Most colleges get out in early May, so two months is plenty of time to review stuff. This date is ideal for those applying to ED and/or rolling admission schools. People who have finished their second year and want to get in during third year should take the test on this date.

August 25: This is the second-most ideal date for those people who haven't had the prereqs in a while, like people who have finished their third, fourth, or even graduate years. Though June 23 will work for these people, some people may need an extra two months to review. In addition, people who have just finished their first year probably should take this test by using the entire summer to study the content from prereqs that won't be taken until their second year.

October 20: Realistically, this is the last date many pharmacy schools will accept if you want to get into pharmacy the next school year after this test. Ideally, this date should be for people who didn't do so well on the previous PCATs. This is not a good date for rolling admissions, though it isn't impossible if one gets his/her application materials in prudently. Also, this is the designated procrastinator's date for taking the exam.

January 19: This is really ideal for people who want to apply to ED and rolling admission schools who plan not to be in pharmacy school the following school year. That is, you take this test, do another year of undergrad/graduate/something during the next school year while applying during the summer, and get in the year after that. I suppose that people applying to schools with a March 1st deadline may have a chance, but this is a really bad date in terms of timing. Don't take this exam if you want to be in pharmacy school the following school year. Regardless, there isn't much time for studying with Christmas and New Year's, but this allows your application to be processed and finished the soonest.

To sum up:

January: Ideal time for ED/rolling applicants who want their application processed as early as possible

June: People just finishing their prereqs + ED/rolling admissions

August: People who haven't taken their prereqs in a while and need a review + people who haven't taken all their prereqs yet + people applying primarily to regular admission schools

October: People who didn't do to well on their first PCAT + procrastinators

Of course, these are ideal dates and we all know that people rarely follow the ideal dates.

 

[manutdmax]

Here's how I break down when people should take the test:

June 23: If you have just completed your prerequisites this past spring so that the information is still fresh in your mind. Most colleges get out in early May, so two months is plenty of time to review stuff. This date is ideal for those applying to ED and/or rolling admission schools. People who have finished their second year and want to get in during third year should take the test on this date.

August 25: This is the second-most ideal date for those people who haven't had the prereqs in a while, like people who have finished their third, fourth, or even graduate years. Though June 23 will work for these people, some people may need an extra two months to review. In addition, people who have just finished their first year probably should take this test by using the entire summer to study the content from prereqs that won't be taken until their second year.

October 20: Realistically, this is the last date many pharmacy schools will accept if you want to get into pharmacy the next school year after this test. Ideally, this date should be for people who didn't do so well on the previous PCATs. This is not a good date for rolling admissions, though it isn't impossible if one gets his/her application materials in prudently. Also, this is the designated procrastinator's date for taking the exam.

January 19: This is really ideal for people who want to apply to ED and rolling admission schools who plan not to be in pharmacy school the following school year. That is, you take this test, do another year of undergrad/graduate/something during the next school year while applying during the summer, and get in the year after that. I suppose that people applying to schools with a March 1st deadline may have a chance, but this is a really bad date in terms of timing. Don't take this exam if you want to be in pharmacy school the following school year. Regardless, there isn't much time for studying with Christmas and New Year's, but this allows your application to be processed and finished the soonest.

To sum up:

January: Ideal time for ED/rolling applicants who want their application processed as early as possible

June: People just finishing their prereqs + ED/rolling admissions

August: People who haven't taken their prereqs in a while and need a review + people who haven't taken all their prereqs yet + people applying primarily to regular admission schools

October: People who didn't do to well on their first PCAT + procrastinators

Of course, these are ideal dates and we all know that people rarely follow the ideal dates.

am taking the exam in october ..how can this affect my admission i still dont understand...if the scores are good for two years where is the problem then?

 

[binghamkid]

am taking the exam in october ..how can this affect my admission i still dont understand...if the scores are good for two years where is the problem then?

It depends when you are applying for admission. Most students apply for admission the same year they take the exam. If you're not applying this year, then it doesn't apply to you.

 

[Asrai]

am taking the exam in october ..how can this affect my admission i still dont understand...if the scores are good for two years where is the problem then?

Many schools will not take the January PCAT if you are applying for the following fall semester. They will only take it if you have already taken an earlier one, and are planning to retake it then. October is the last date many schools will take, so its kind of you're last chance. Trust me, my friend learned this the hard way, and its not fun having to pay for 2 tests when you only needed the one. So by taking the test earlier (in June or whatever) you have a better chance of letting the schools you are applying to know where you stand with your test score. Essentially, you make an early impression, and that can work in your favor.

And to reply to the original post: I took the October PCAT. I only used the Kaplan study guide, went through it once, did all the practice stuff in a matter of about 2 weeks before the test, and got an 86. Then again, I'm a procrastinator, I study for finals the night before, and write 10 page papers the day they're due.

 

[sakigt]

Personally, Im studying for the PCAT like Im studying for a final I need to get an A in. Going over the Kaplan material once, highlighting the stuff I will forget and then cramming that information in again the week before.

Trying to be Superman and memorize the Kaplan book will drive you crazy and lower your self confidence.

As crazy at it sounds to someone preparing, I honestly belive a good 25% of how I do on an exam depends on how I ate, slept and woke up the day of the exam. Ill be drinking a Red Bull on the way to the exam center.

 

[omnione]

am taking the exam in october ..how can this affect my admission i still dont understand...if the scores are good for two years where is the problem then?

Like binghamkid alluded to in his post, this is the last date you probably have to take the PCAT if you want to be in pharmacy school for the 2008-2009 school year. If you plan to apply for 2009 and beyond, then it isn't a problem really. But if you wanted to apply for Fall 2009, you could wait until June 2008 to take the test so you don't have to juggle school and PCAT studying.

For rolling admission schools, they won't consider you until they get your scores six weeks later sometime in late November or early December. As a result, they will have accepted a bunch of people by then meaning that you are competing with a lot of people for fewer spots. Though lots of people get in the school year immediately after the October PCAT, like me, that isn't the most ideal way to maximize your chances for admissions for any school the first time around.

 

[manutdmax]

Like binghamkid alluded to in his post, this is the last date you probably have to take the PCAT if you want to be in pharmacy school for the 2008-2009 school year. If you plan to apply for 2009 and beyond, then it isn't a problem really. But if you wanted to apply for Fall 2009, you could wait until June 2008 to take the test so you don't have to juggle school and PCAT studying.

For rolling admission schools, they won't consider you until they get your scores six weeks later sometime in late November or early December. As a result, they will have accepted a bunch of people by then meaning that you are competing with a lot of people for fewer spots. Though lots of people get in the school year immediately after the October PCAT, like me, that isn't the most ideal way to maximize your chances for admissions for any school the first time around.

thanks you guys..i will finish my masters in the fall of 2008..so i guess am rushing into taking the exam early this october but i want to know how well i do..do u think with my masters it can be a boost for my application..? thanks

 

[binghamkid]

thanks you guys..i will finish my masters in the fall of 2008..so i guess am rushing into taking the exam early this october but i want to know how well i do..do u think with my masters it can be a boost for my application..? thanks

Yes a masters degree can be a strongpoint in your application. It goes without saying that your grades have to be good.

 

[youko]

To those who took the PCAT,
Do we need to remember pretty much everything on the periodic table, including location of the atoms, atomic #, weight, etc.? Cuz I studied from Kaplan's review book and practiced the review section (not actual exam), man, I got pretty much most of them wrong.

 

[Asrai]

To those who took the PCAT,
Do we need to remember pretty much everything on the periodic table, including location of the atoms, atomic #, weight, etc.? Cuz I studied from Kaplan's review book and practiced the review section (not actual exam), man, I got pretty much most of them wrong.

I don't remember things like that being on there (then again, my whole memory of it is now a blur). But I'm pretty sure that the questions were generally pretty straight forward, and gave you the information you needed. I mean, if you know those things, it can only work in your favor. And you're going to need to memorize them sooner or later (basically just how to read the periodic table), so the more you know now the better off you are.

Plus, those study guides should just act as a starting place, to see how much you do or don't know/remember. If you're getting them wrong, look at why, and then figure out how you can remember it.

 

[Louisiana Girl]

My friend told me that the Kaplan book chemistry section covers too much information. Do you agree. I thought that it would be better if it covered too much instead of not enough. Is there a book better than Kaplan and closer to the pcat?

 

[omnione]

My friend told me that the Kaplan book chemistry section covers too much information. Do you agree. I thought that it would be better if it covered too much instead of not enough. Is there a book better than Kaplan and closer to the pcat?

It may seem like that simply because the PCAT can't test everything in a short period of time. I think the Examkrackers Chemistry study guide is better, but the Kaplan isn't that bad.