What the hell am I gonna do?

[azwethinkweizm]

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I'm applying this fall for pharmacy school and I just got back my PCAT results and I'm shocked:


I have no idea what went wrong. I made A's in both semesters of my English classes, made an A in all of my chemistry classes minus Orgo I, and I made an A in Calc I and II. How the hell did I score so low?

I bought the Kaplan book and I plan on retaking the PCAT in August hoping that this was just a fluke. Is there anything else I can do in this month to raise my score?

 

[dahopeful]

I'm applying this fall for pharmacy school and I just got back my PCAT results and I'm shocked:
Verbal - 418 - 76
Biology - 398 - 44
Reading - 402 - 48
Math - 413 - 64
Chemistry - 399 - 43
Composite - 406 - 56

I have no idea what went wrong. I made A's in both semesters of my English classes, made an A in all of my chemistry classes minus Orgo I, and I made an A in Calc I and II. How the hell did I score so low?

I bought the Kaplan book and I plan on retaking the PCAT in August hoping that this was just a fluke. Is there anything else I can do in this month to raise my score?

Perhaps you didn't take the pcat seriously because you got A's in all the classes you mentioned besides Orgo. You may have felt you didn't need a refresher. If my assumption is correct, that was probably why you scored low.

You are heading in the right direction by purchasing the kaplan book. If you have the money, I would also suggest purchasing both of pearson's test for a one time fee of $60. These test are as close to the real thing as you will get. Take the first test and make notes on what areas you need to improve. Once you figured that out, go back and review those areas in Kaplan, and your text books (preferably your class notes). You may also find useful information on youtube. Basically, you want to use all the tools you have available to prepare you for the test.

Next take the first test again, but timed. Make sure you are able to pace yourself. Then do the last test timed a week before the test.

Since you are taking it in Aug, you don't have much time. Get started as soon as possible.

Good luck

 

[kidkay]

Study your arse off till the day of the test and use other sources to study for the PCAT. Also, try to get your hands on practice tests(ie. cliff, pearson)...

 

[PharmTech8241]

Buy Collins prep packet...www.pcatprepclass.com and use it in conjuction with the Kaplan Book

 

[azwethinkweizm]

Perhaps you didn't take the pcat seriously because you got A's in all the classes you mentioned besides Orgo. You may have felt you didn't need a refresher. If my assumption is correct, that was probably why you scored low.

You are heading in the right direction by purchasing the kaplan book. If you have the money, I would also suggest purchasing both of pearson's test for a one time fee of $60. These test are as close to the real thing as you will get. Take the first test and make notes on what areas you need to improve. Once you figured that out, go back and review those areas in Kaplan, and your text books (preferably your class notes). You may also find useful information on youtube. Basically, you want to use all the tools you have available to prepare you for the test.

Next take the first test again, but timed. Make sure you are able to pace yourself. Then do the last test timed a week before the test.

Since you are taking it in Aug, you don't have much time. Get started as soon as possible.

Good luck

Would doing all of that in a month be enough to raise my score above a 60?

 

[dahopeful]

Would doing all of that in a month be enough to raise my score above a 60?

It probably won't help you much on reading, because reading comprehension is an ability you strengthen overtime, not in 1 month. The method should work for bio, chem, and math because you are seeing where your weakness is, and you will be able to strengthen those areas. In addition, you are also learning to pace yourself, which is vital for the pcat.

The kaplan book also has strategies that will help you rack up points. I told you to use your class notes because the text book can be too wordy, and difficult to understand at times; however, if you had a great professor he or she may have explained the same topic clearer than the text book. In addition, math teachers are great with teaching you short cuts of solving problems. I also told you to refer to youtube. Lets face it, some people are visual learners, and you may be one of them. If you can find it on youtube, and it explains a topic better than kaplan and your class notes, take advantage of it.

This method helped me score higher than a 60.

Best of luck

 

[diastole]

Did you run out of time on math? If you did, you can improve your score just by skipping the harder problems and getting to as many of the easier questions as you can. That alone should raise your score even if you don't learn anything new.

For the other sections, I would concentrate on biology and chemistry. Verbal and reading are too hard to improve quickly. On chemistry, make sure you really understand the concepts and trends. Did you run out of time on that too? If you did, go back to the answers of the calcualations on the practice exam and try to see the tricks on the answer. Most of the time, there is some sort of easy math way to do it. Like on the gas equation, they will give you all kinds of numbers but you usually end up doubling the pressure or something easy like that. For biology, you just have to put in the work. Focus on your weak areas first so you can pick up easy points.

I agree that you should pay for the practice exams and study, study, study until you retake.

 

[Spock87]

I thought the Pearson's practice tests were helpful. It wasn't the cheapest thing, but it was well worth it.

 

[udiep]

i know how you feel.. I thought I did okay on my june pcat, but I did bad =( It's really disheartening especially, this is the only thing I want to do, no alternatives, no nothing!

I really need tips on math and verbal. I was wondering does anyone know how long it takes to finish the Dr. Collins thing? I have about 4-5 weeks left till August pcat and I want to study from it