PCAT essay strategies

[DagS132]

The july pcat date is coming near and i am getting more and more nervous because of this essay section. I read the two example essays in dr collins review and it seems like you need to know specific details to answer the questions asked.
How am I supposed to handle this? Usually when i write essays/reports, I have to first research the topic before giving my statement with supporting citations. I can't just think off the top of my head, "about 1 in 20 blah blah blah..." or, "it has been known that...."
I have been doing a lot of reading on issues relating to government, healthcare, and education in our country but i feel like this is not preparing me well enough.
So what is everyone else doing to prepare for this or what has everyone done to prepare for this section?

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[NextStepTutor_4]

Hi @DagS132! When working on the essay section, it is best to provide specific examples if possible. You don't necessarily need to know the exact numbers of a certain statistic. For example, let's say that the essay prompt is to give a solution to the problem of malaria in Africa and that you thought that one possible solution would be to raise money for charity and awareness. Instead of saying something like "1 in 2 people who suffer malaria in Africa will benefit from fundraising", you could say "past fundraising efforts have shown that providing pamphlets and education for the citizens of Africa promotes its awareness and may prevent its spread". The reason you can make this sort of statement is because you can imagine at some point throughout our history, there probably has been fundraising efforts in regards to malaria in Africa and it most likely would have shown a benefit among African natives. Also, this is a more generalized statement so graders can't really dock points for making an incorrect statement.

In terms of writing an essay in general, I would recommend an introduction followed by 3 body paragraphs and a conclusion. Make sure that the solutions you present are concise and easy to read but also detailed enough to provide the reader insight on your opinion. Also, keep in mind that a paragraph consists a minimum of 3 sentences.

I hope this gives you a good introduction on how to write an effective PCAT essay!

 

[DagS132]

Okay, I see. Thanks for the advice.
What would be a strategy if you know nothing about whats being asked? Thats my biggest fear.

 

[Saisri_PharmStdnt]

Okay, I see. Thanks for the advice.
What would be a strategy if you know nothing about whats being asked? Thats my biggest fear.

I would definitely pick up one of the test prep books. Kaplan is great, I'm going through it now. I also have Barron's. Each has their own strengths. But aside from strategies, they also give a lot of insight on what to expect. Having taken it before, I can tell you that what the preps tell you is accurate.

 

[DagS132]

I would definitely pick up one of the test prep books. Kaplan is great, I'm going through it now. I also have Barron's. Each has their own strengths. But aside from strategies, they also give a lot of insight on what to expect. Having taken it before, I can tell you that what the preps tell you is accurate.

Well..... unfortunately it might be a bit too late for me. The only thing I have to prepare me for the essay is the Dr. collins take on it.

 

[Saisri_PharmStdnt]

Well..... unfortunately it might be a bit too late for me. The only thing I have to prepare me for the essay is the Dr. collins take on it.

I'm taking the PCAT again here on July 11. I'm going through both books now.. Getting some of it back in my head, brushing up on other things..

Both of them are available w/ Prime on Amazon, and if you still have a B&N near you or another big book store, you should be able to peruse them..

 

[DagS132]

I'm taking the PCAT again here on July 11. I'm going through both books now.. Getting some of it back in my head, brushing up on other things..

Both of them are available w/ Prime on Amazon, and if you still have a B&N near you or another big book store, you should be able to peruse them..

Would the following 2 weeks be sufficient enough time though to go through the book just for the essay section? Right now i'm just doing practice problems for qr, chem, bio, and rc section. I guess i may as well just at least quickly read through it.

 

[Saisri_PharmStdnt]

I can't answer "sufficient" for you since I don't know how you are with essays, but I think they over some solid advice on how to approach the essay, organize your thoughts, and make a solid stance on a given topic. The books are broken into sections, so you wouldn't need to read multiple sections unless you chose to.

 

[DagS132]

I can't answer "sufficient" for you since I don't know how you are with essays, but I think they over some solid advice on how to approach the essay, organize your thoughts, and make a solid stance on a given topic. The books are broken into sections, so you wouldn't need to read multiple sections unless you chose to.

I see, I see.
Thanks for your input on all of this