So,
when i started studying for the PCAT, I went through a lot of posts/threads on how to do well on the PCAT, how to prepare for it, and how long. Luckily I was able to get a 99 composite on the PCAT, and i would like to share my study advice/tips.
If you wanted to know more specifically about my scores, I took it Sept. 28th 2012.
Verbal Ability: 82
Biology: 99
Reading Comp: 75
Quantitative: 99
Chemistry: 99
Composite: 99
Writing: 4.0
So,
1. plan a schedule with how much you want to accomplish each week.
If you're going to through a review book (like Kaplan, or the online tests), make sure you do the practice problems, review the explanations, even the one's you got right so that you get another perspective, mark the one's you got wrong because you'll revisit it.
I went through studying it for about 5 months. Each week I planned to read 30-40 pages from my review book and work on my ochem/chemistry/biology or reading.
The most important thing is, however, is to understand WHAT you MISSED and WHY you missed. If you missed it, and skip it, you might as well not study, because you're just wasting time.
the PCAT is a lot about doing a lot problems in a small-limited time frame, and you need to practice. so make sure you simulate practice-test conditions when you feel you are confident with the problems. When you start off, you won't know all the material, so you can't time yourself; however, when you feel you have gone over it enough, and are ready to take practice tests, TIME YOURSELF.
2. don't use just one resource.
use kaplan, the princeton review, the kaplan class, REA, barron's; try to get exposure many types of problems, of course with the understanding that some materials aren't as good as others, but if you come into the the test, with the belief that everything you studied will be exactly for the test, you will be shocked, unnerved, and waste precious time trying to get your focus back.
3. FOCUS ONLY on your weak areas
don't waste time going stuff you already know. if you're good at math, and scored well on that section durign a practice exam, learn and focus on your weak areas.
For me, I was weak at reading and writing, as you can see from my scores so I focused on that a lot. However, I knew while I did well in school for biology and chem, there was no way I remembered everything. I didn't need to worry about math, so I spent little time on that. I knew that in order to get a high score I needed to focus a lot of time on biology/chemistry and even more time on reading/writing.
4. If you're hoping for a 20% increase, don't expect it.
Many people take practice exams, get 70% composites, and believe that their score will jump 20% on the day of the practice exam. Don't fool yourself. The practice exam (3 of them provided by pearson vue are real problems from real past tests with real grading scales). If you scoring around the 70% range, your score may be +/- 10% on the day of the real exam.
--------
The materials I used for studying and my personal thoughts
Kaplan - (moderate-difficult practice problems)
Kaplan Class - good review, good practice problems (but it better be, because I paid a lot money for this class)
The Princeton Review - more difficult than needed, but if you do well on this, you do very well on the test
REA - excellent. highly recommend due to the numerous practice problems
Barron's - too easy
I started studying in May and didn't take the test until September. I thought I would be ready for it July, but even I had trouble keeping up to my schedule and needed my time. So learn from my mistakes!!! =P
I think I covered the most important topics, but feel free to ask me any questions you have about the PCAT, or pharmacy
--------------
Accepted - MWU - glendale class of 2016.
Scheduled interview - UofA
Declined Interview to - Washington State, Campbell University, MWU Chicago.
when i started studying for the PCAT, I went through a lot of posts/threads on how to do well on the PCAT, how to prepare for it, and how long. Luckily I was able to get a 99 composite on the PCAT, and i would like to share my study advice/tips.
If you wanted to know more specifically about my scores, I took it Sept. 28th 2012.
Verbal Ability: 82
Biology: 99
Reading Comp: 75
Quantitative: 99
Chemistry: 99
Composite: 99
Writing: 4.0
So,
1. plan a schedule with how much you want to accomplish each week.
If you're going to through a review book (like Kaplan, or the online tests), make sure you do the practice problems, review the explanations, even the one's you got right so that you get another perspective, mark the one's you got wrong because you'll revisit it.
I went through studying it for about 5 months. Each week I planned to read 30-40 pages from my review book and work on my ochem/chemistry/biology or reading.
The most important thing is, however, is to understand WHAT you MISSED and WHY you missed. If you missed it, and skip it, you might as well not study, because you're just wasting time.
the PCAT is a lot about doing a lot problems in a small-limited time frame, and you need to practice. so make sure you simulate practice-test conditions when you feel you are confident with the problems. When you start off, you won't know all the material, so you can't time yourself; however, when you feel you have gone over it enough, and are ready to take practice tests, TIME YOURSELF.
2. don't use just one resource.
use kaplan, the princeton review, the kaplan class, REA, barron's; try to get exposure many types of problems, of course with the understanding that some materials aren't as good as others, but if you come into the the test, with the belief that everything you studied will be exactly for the test, you will be shocked, unnerved, and waste precious time trying to get your focus back.
3. FOCUS ONLY on your weak areas
don't waste time going stuff you already know. if you're good at math, and scored well on that section durign a practice exam, learn and focus on your weak areas.
For me, I was weak at reading and writing, as you can see from my scores so I focused on that a lot. However, I knew while I did well in school for biology and chem, there was no way I remembered everything. I didn't need to worry about math, so I spent little time on that. I knew that in order to get a high score I needed to focus a lot of time on biology/chemistry and even more time on reading/writing.
4. If you're hoping for a 20% increase, don't expect it.
Many people take practice exams, get 70% composites, and believe that their score will jump 20% on the day of the practice exam. Don't fool yourself. The practice exam (3 of them provided by pearson vue are real problems from real past tests with real grading scales). If you scoring around the 70% range, your score may be +/- 10% on the day of the real exam.
--------
The materials I used for studying and my personal thoughts
Kaplan - (moderate-difficult practice problems)
Kaplan Class - good review, good practice problems (but it better be, because I paid a lot money for this class)
The Princeton Review - more difficult than needed, but if you do well on this, you do very well on the test
REA - excellent. highly recommend due to the numerous practice problems
Barron's - too easy
I started studying in May and didn't take the test until September. I thought I would be ready for it July, but even I had trouble keeping up to my schedule and needed my time. So learn from my mistakes!!! =P
I think I covered the most important topics, but feel free to ask me any questions you have about the PCAT, or pharmacy
--------------
Accepted - MWU - glendale class of 2016.
Scheduled interview - UofA
Declined Interview to - Washington State, Campbell University, MWU Chicago.
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so I borrowed my girlfriend's calc notes and just studied those. The practice tests that Collins gives are AWESOME! probably the best kind you can get. The actual PCAT had pretty much the same stuff as collins math and the pearson practice test except WAY more complex! I know people always say this but, for math on the actual test,if you don't know it click one and keep going. You don't have any time to spare on the real test!
