PCAT in a month

[MaryLK]

Anyone who studied for the pcat in a month

How did you do it? like what was your plan

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[PromisedNeverland]

My advice, you need more than a month, unless you remember major concepts from all your pharmacy pre-req courses (anat/physio,cell &molecular bio, o chem, g chem, ...etc)

 

[atnguy13]

Anyone who studied for the pcat in a month

How did you do it? like what was your plan

I studied here and there for a month and didn't heavily study until two weeks before the PCAT. I only focused on sciences since the school I want to attend heavily looks at those sub scores. I did average in my science courses but scored well on the PCAT and I strongly believe Dr. Collins played a role in that especially the chemistry section.

 

[laDemoiselle]

Dr. Collins and tons of practice tests...

 

[Calid90]

I took the PCAT in October and got an 86 Composite after I studied for about 2 months. However, I work full time, have a 3 year old daughter, and could really only commit to studying 1-2 hours a day on average. So, I really had to work hard to cram in the most valuable information. I don't have a lot of money, so I bought a used Dr. Collins (outdated from 2013), and the Cracking the PCAT guide, as well as the Pearson Vue Practice Tests (these are essential). Additionally, I listened the Audio Learn PCAT over and over every day in the car, the shower, before bed, etc.

I already took the PCAT in 2013 and got a 76 but decided to delay applying to Pharmacy school, so I started with a leg up in the situation. Likewise, I have a Bachelor's in Biology so I have taken advanced Biology courses. Additionally, I read constantly and am a writer so I did not study Reading Comp and still received a 98 in that area.

Okay, with that said, my plan was as follows:
1) Used Cracking the PCAT for Biology (I used Kaplan previously, found them about the same). I went through this pretty thoroughly but make sure you understand concepts and don't get bogged down in specifics. Remember, they are asking very limited questions on each section of the test and now with the reading passages inserted into each section, they are asking even less specific questions. Things they ask about a lot are amino acids. Know them. Know about them. Be comfortable with them.
2) I used Dr. Collins for Chemistry and Math review. I am a very strong student in Chemistry (92 in this section) so I didn't have to go too in depth. I watched Youtube videos as well (I strongly urge you to watch the series on YouTube called, "Crash Course Chemistry" by Crash Course. This user also offers crash courses in other things as well but I only did Chemistry. EXTREMELY helpful in quickly reviewing concepts like Rate Law, Periodic Trends, etc. MAKE SURE you understand Periodic Trends. This is everywhere on the PCAT. Know about acids and bases (really understand the different definitions). Be able to quickly look at organic compounds, identify functional groups, and understand how those functional groups are going to affect reactivity.
3)I basically suck at math (have taken through Calculus and barely gotten by), so I just had the strategy to review quickly (about 3 days), and then on the test, I answered the questions I knew were easy, skipped the questions that seemed hard, and went back and guessed on those questions afterward. TIME MANAGEMENT is SO IMPORTANT. Ended up with a 55 in Math. Make sure you know how logs work and how to do them quickly.
4) Then I used the Dr. Collins practice tests for Biology, Chemistry, and Math. I did one test in Biology, then Chem, then Math. I reviewed the problems I got wrong and wrote out notecards for those. Then I repeated with the next series. I did this about 10 times. Even though I used an outdated Dr. Collins, the questions are still highly relevant and helpful.
5) After I felt comfortable with the Dr. Collins tests, I bought the Pearson Practice tests. I took these one section at a time, timing myself. This was my first introduction to the embedded reading passages with questions present in Bio and Chem now. At first, it was difficult. Then, I realized that YOU DON'T NEED TO READ THESE. Simply skip right to the questions. For each embedded reading, there are 4-6 questions, and about half are things you would know without reading the passage. The other half are easy because if it's Chem, it might ask, "In Molecule 1 in Reaction 2, what functional group would you expect to react first?" So, you quickly look at that molecule and answer. There is absolutely NOT ENOUGH TIME to read every passage from beginning to end. Period. Don't even try. I am a very fast test taker and it's just not possible.
6) I made note cards for all the questions I missed on Pearson. Then I studied the concepts I was missing right before the actual test.
7) The day before the exam, I took a break. No studying. I listened to the PCAT audio learn to keep things fresh, but I gave myself a rest.
8) On test day, I ate a good breakfast, took my time getting to my test site, and drank a protein shake beforehand. I kept a Vitamin Water in my locker and on my break I used the bathroom and chugged the Vitamin Water. Math is the last section of the test, so whatever you do, don't lose steam trying too hard on the Reading Comp section. Just take your time, don't stress if it's hard. Save your last burst of energy for the math section.

GOOD LUCK!!

 

[youngsoo1269]

I studied here and there for a month and didn't heavily study until two weeks before the PCAT. I only focused on sciences since the school I want to attend heavily looks at those sub scores. I did average in my science courses but scored well on the PCAT and I strongly believe Dr. Collins played a role in that especially the chemistry section.

didnt you get a 50% composite

 

[youngsoo1269]

I took the PCAT in October and got an 86 Composite after I studied for about 2 months. However, I work full time, have a 3 year old daughter, and could really only commit to studying 1-2 hours a day on average. So, I really had to work hard to cram in the most valuable information. I don't have a lot of money, so I bought a used Dr. Collins (outdated from 2013), and the Cracking the PCAT guide, as well as the Pearson Vue Practice Tests (these are essential). Additionally, I listened the Audio Learn PCAT over and over every day in the car, the shower, before bed, etc.

I already took the PCAT in 2013 and got a 76 but decided to delay applying to Pharmacy school, so I started with a leg up in the situation. Likewise, I have a Bachelor's in Biology so I have taken advanced Biology courses. Additionally, I read constantly and am a writer so I did not study Reading Comp and still received a 98 in that area.

Okay, with that said, my plan was as follows:
1) Used Cracking the PCAT for Biology (I used Kaplan previously, found them about the same). I went through this pretty thoroughly but make sure you understand concepts and don't get bogged down in specifics. Remember, they are asking very limited questions on each section of the test and now with the reading passages inserted into each section, they are asking even less specific questions. Things they ask about a lot are amino acids. Know them. Know about them. Be comfortable with them.
2) I used Dr. Collins for Chemistry and Math review. I am a very strong student in Chemistry (92 in this section) so I didn't have to go too in depth. I watched Youtube videos as well (I strongly urge you to watch the series on YouTube called, "Crash Course Chemistry" by Crash Course. This user also offers crash courses in other things as well but I only did Chemistry. EXTREMELY helpful in quickly reviewing concepts like Rate Law, Periodic Trends, etc. MAKE SURE you understand Periodic Trends. This is everywhere on the PCAT. Know about acids and bases (really understand the different definitions). Be able to quickly look at organic compounds, identify functional groups, and understand how those functional groups are going to affect reactivity.
3)I basically suck at math (have taken through Calculus and barely gotten by), so I just had the strategy to review quickly (about 3 days), and then on the test, I answered the questions I knew were easy, skipped the questions that seemed hard, and went back and guessed on those questions afterward. TIME MANAGEMENT is SO IMPORTANT. Ended up with a 55 in Math. Make sure you know how logs work and how to do them quickly.
4) Then I used the Dr. Collins practice tests for Biology, Chemistry, and Math. I did one test in Biology, then Chem, then Math. I reviewed the problems I got wrong and wrote out notecards for those. Then I repeated with the next series. I did this about 10 times. Even though I used an outdated Dr. Collins, the questions are still highly relevant and helpful.
5) After I felt comfortable with the Dr. Collins tests, I bought the Pearson Practice tests. I took these one section at a time, timing myself. This was my first introduction to the embedded reading passages with questions present in Bio and Chem now. At first, it was difficult. Then, I realized that YOU DON'T NEED TO READ THESE. Simply skip right to the questions. For each embedded reading, there are 4-6 questions, and about half are things you would know without reading the passage. The other half are easy because if it's Chem, it might ask, "In Molecule 1 in Reaction 2, what functional group would you expect to react first?" So, you quickly look at that molecule and answer. There is absolutely NOT ENOUGH TIME to read every passage from beginning to end. Period. Don't even try. I am a very fast test taker and it's just not possible.
6) I made note cards for all the questions I missed on Pearson. Then I studied the concepts I was missing right before the actual test.
7) The day before the exam, I took a break. No studying. I listened to the PCAT audio learn to keep things fresh, but I gave myself a rest.
8) On test day, I ate a good breakfast, took my time getting to my test site, and drank a protein shake beforehand. I kept a Vitamin Water in my locker and on my break I used the bathroom and chugged the Vitamin Water. Math is the last section of the test, so whatever you do, don't lose steam trying too hard on the Reading Comp section. Just take your time, don't stress if it's hard. Save your last burst of energy for the math section.

GOOD LUCK!!

How specific would you say the Biology is? I'm taking the PCAT in January and I forgot all the anatomy and physio after taking the classes and I'm kinda scared.

 

[PCATBOMBER]

Study your weakness first. chemistry section in actual test can be organic intensive. be prepare.

 

[Rxed 1996]

I studied for a month straight for the PCAT in July and got a 90 composite. Accepted into UNC pharm. It can be done, but you have to be diligent. The PCAT math and reading were the hardest for me, and it pulled my average down cause I didn't study much for it. BUT, it's a lot more important for you to do well in the bio and chem sections.
Also, I highly recommend you invest in the Pearson's practice exams. They are the most reflective of the actual exam. GOOD LUCK. YOU GOT THIS!

 

[Rxed 1996]

How specific would you say the Biology is? I'm taking the PCAT in January and I forgot all the anatomy and physio after taking the classes and I'm kinda scared.

Definitely focus on physiology more. A&P was not a very huge part on the test for me. It was more genetics. The PCAT is not like it used to be and is passage based. It will give you a lot more info than you need to waste your time.

 

[Calid90]

How specific would you say the Biology is? I'm taking the PCAT in January and I forgot all the anatomy and physio after taking the classes and I'm kinda scared.

I would say the specific elements are relatively random. In that case, it's just a matter of chance on whether you know it or not. In one month, it is impossible to "know everything" which is the only way to guarantee you will get a great score. However, the things I did, combined with some chance, got me a pretty good score. Just try to optimize your time. Do your best to review things you've forgotten but you could spend over 6 months studying all the specifics you would need to know in order to get those one or two questions. Personally, I would rather having to guess on a couple of questions. If you are curious about the type of questions on the test, I highly recommend you buy the preason tests immediately and review those. They are the closest. By the third practice test, the score they estimated I would get was correct, and correct in each sub score as well. It will really tell you where you are at in your studying. Best of luck! Don't stress too much.

 

[luxsoma]

Anyone who studied for the pcat in a month

How did you do it? like what was your plan

Not exactly a month (6/9 - 7/21 [test day]). It is definitely possible. I used kaplan and cracking the pcat. I read every section in all books except the unneeded ones ( flowers, vocab)
I used Collins but only about 36 hrs to the test ( ordered late).
It was the summer and I didn't have a job, so I was able to dedicated about 9 - 12+ hrs a day. Once I read a section, I would review the section almost everyday. I made it a priority to keep things fresh in my head.
Also, take breaks. I thought I was wasting time at first but found that I assimilated information better when I had a break, even if for just 10 min after 1 or 2 hr of studying. Also took 1 day a week off, but I guess don't if you think you don't have time. I read each book about 2-3 times. Reviewed very very often! I didn't really study for the essay so i got a 3...
---pcat score :: 93

 

[atnguy13]

didnt you get a 50% composite

Yes, I said I only focused on sciences. I bombed reading and math = low composite cause I didn't study for it at all but I got a 86 in chemistry and 75 in biology. The school I'm applying to mainly looks at science subscores over composite and they said my science PCAT was competitive.

 

[pharm_94]

Omg your response was amazing.

I seem to do bad with the time.. I have no clue why. But do you think that Audio Learn is worth it?

Also where can I purchase it if it is?

is it "http://www.audiolearn.net/pharmacry-college-admission-test.html"

How did you strengthen your biology? The passage questions always throw me off

&

Thank you so much !

I took the PCAT in October and got an 86 Composite after I studied for about 2 months. However, I work full time, have a 3 year old daughter, and could really only commit to studying 1-2 hours a day on average. So, I really had to work hard to cram in the most valuable information. I don't have a lot of money, so I bought a used Dr. Collins (outdated from 2013), and the Cracking the PCAT guide, as well as the Pearson Vue Practice Tests (these are essential). Additionally, I listened the Audio Learn PCAT over and over every day in the car, the shower, before bed, etc.

I already took the PCAT in 2013 and got a 76 but decided to delay applying to Pharmacy school, so I started with a leg up in the situation. Likewise, I have a Bachelor's in Biology so I have taken advanced Biology courses. Additionally, I read constantly and am a writer so I did not study Reading Comp and still received a 98 in that area.

Okay, with that said, my plan was as follows:
1) Used Cracking the PCAT for Biology (I used Kaplan previously, found them about the same). I went through this pretty thoroughly but make sure you understand concepts and don't get bogged down in specifics. Remember, they are asking very limited questions on each section of the test and now with the reading passages inserted into each section, they are asking even less specific questions. Things they ask about a lot are amino acids. Know them. Know about them. Be comfortable with them.
2) I used Dr. Collins for Chemistry and Math review. I am a very strong student in Chemistry (92 in this section) so I didn't have to go too in depth. I watched Youtube videos as well (I strongly urge you to watch the series on YouTube called, "Crash Course Chemistry" by Crash Course. This user also offers crash courses in other things as well but I only did Chemistry. EXTREMELY helpful in quickly reviewing concepts like Rate Law, Periodic Trends, etc. MAKE SURE you understand Periodic Trends. This is everywhere on the PCAT. Know about acids and bases (really understand the different definitions). Be able to quickly look at organic compounds, identify functional groups, and understand how those functional groups are going to affect reactivity.
3)I basically suck at math (have taken through Calculus and barely gotten by), so I just had the strategy to review quickly (about 3 days), and then on the test, I answered the questions I knew were easy, skipped the questions that seemed hard, and went back and guessed on those questions afterward. TIME MANAGEMENT is SO IMPORTANT. Ended up with a 55 in Math. Make sure you know how logs work and how to do them quickly.
4) Then I used the Dr. Collins practice tests for Biology, Chemistry, and Math. I did one test in Biology, then Chem, then Math. I reviewed the problems I got wrong and wrote out notecards for those. Then I repeated with the next series. I did this about 10 times. Even though I used an outdated Dr. Collins, the questions are still highly relevant and helpful.
5) After I felt comfortable with the Dr. Collins tests, I bought the Pearson Practice tests. I took these one section at a time, timing myself. This was my first introduction to the embedded reading passages with questions present in Bio and Chem now. At first, it was difficult. Then, I realized that YOU DON'T NEED TO READ THESE. Simply skip right to the questions. For each embedded reading, there are 4-6 questions, and about half are things you would know without reading the passage. The other half are easy because if it's Chem, it might ask, "In Molecule 1 in Reaction 2, what functional group would you expect to react first?" So, you quickly look at that molecule and answer. There is absolutely NOT ENOUGH TIME to read every passage from beginning to end. Period. Don't even try. I am a very fast test taker and it's just not possible.
6) I made note cards for all the questions I missed on Pearson. Then I studied the concepts I was missing right before the actual test.
7) The day before the exam, I took a break. No studying. I listened to the PCAT audio learn to keep things fresh, but I gave myself a rest.
8) On test day, I ate a good breakfast, took my time getting to my test site, and drank a protein shake beforehand. I kept a Vitamin Water in my locker and on my break I used the bathroom and chugged the Vitamin Water. Math is the last section of the test, so whatever you do, don't lose steam trying too hard on the Reading Comp section. Just take your time, don't stress if it's hard. Save your last burst of energy for the math section.

GOOD LUCK!!

 

[Calid90]

I'm glad my response was helpful. I definitely think you should purchase Audio Learn. What I did was go through Audible, started a trial account for 15 days, they give you a free audio book just for trying it, so I downloaded the PCAT AudioLearn for free. I can't recommend this enough to use while driving or before bed or in the shower. Basically anything you'd normally be day dreaming just listen over and over. It's not that comprehensive, but it is a great way to see a path of what you need to study more in-depth.

For Biology, I really focused on taking practice tests and reviewing subjects I was getting wrong. I also make extensive notecards for every subject. However, with the test coming up soon, just do the practice tests over and over. Make note cards for the problems you get wrong.

You'll kick yourself if you get to test day and see a question you should know but forgot to review!

Best of luck! Don't stress too much.

 

[specialsauce1]

Hi if you are looking to buy PCAT materials I have the most recent dr collins and some additional kaplan stuff. I'm willing to sell all of my materials for cheap. If you are interested message me.