Studying for PCAT... MCAT style.

[i.<3.pharmacy]

I have decided to study for the PCAT out of MCAT prep books since the exam is notoriously harder... I figure this will prepare me much better. I'd rather be overprepared than underprepared. I'm just going to cut out the physics portion and add on a quantitative study section.

A couple questions:

Has anyone used this method to study for the PCAT and how effective was it?

What should I do about studying for the math section?

As always, any feedback is greatly appreciated!

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[evilolive]

I have decided to study for the PCAT out of MCAT prep books since the exam is notoriously harder... I figure this will prepare me much better. I'd rather be overprepared than underprepared. I'm just going to cut out the physics portion and add on a quantitative study section.

A couple questions:

Has anyone used this method to study for the PCAT and how effective was it?

What should I do about studying for the math section?

As always, any feedback is greatly appreciated!

This isn't a good idea - the PCAT is not the MCAT. It's not anywhere close. The PCAT stresses sheer memorization and quick mental tricks whereas the MCAT stresses indepth knowledge of the topic and application. For the math it's SAT math with a bit of calculus.

 

[KKLPharmD]

I didn't intentionally use this study method, however I was on the path to med school before I discovered pharmacy. I prepped for the MCAT using Kaplan books and did well enough. When I decided to take the PCAT a couple of years later I used my MCAT books to prep for the bio, chem and verbal sections. I ended up buying the PCAT book anyway for the quant. section. I found the quantitative section the most difficult on test day (it was also my lowest %ile subscore), but the rest of the exam was a breeze. If you can do well on the MCAT passage style questions you will ace the PCAT. Just a note, the organic prep for the MCAT is way more than you will need for the PCAT. The bio and gen chem seemed just right.

 

[chicafarmacista]

My boss took this same approach (unintentionally, too). She was disenchanted by the doctor life, so she decided to take the PCAT after already taking the MCAt, and hadn't studied for it, and aced it. She said the MCAT is extremely rough, and the PCAT was easier after taking that.

 

[Hopin']

I have decided to study for the PCAT out of MCAT prep books since the exam is notoriously harder... I figure this will prepare me much better. I'd rather be overprepared than underprepared. I'm just going to cut out the physics portion and add on a quantitative study section.

A couple questions:

Has anyone used this method to study for the PCAT and how effective was it?

What should I do about studying for the math section?

As always, any feedback is greatly appreciated!

would somebody explain me what PCAT consist of? I mean.... what's on PCAT?

 

[Ijeoma]

would somebody explain me what PCAT consist of? I mean.... what's on PCAT?

How about you go to the harcourt website that has all the detailed information about the PCAT? I am not trying to be a smart-ass but really thats what you should do.

Well, it does consist of English, Maths, Chemistry, Biology , Comprehension and the ever-so-wonderful Essay.

 

[Trenty]

would somebody explain me what PCAT consist of? I mean.... what's on PCAT?

check out
www.pcatweb.info

 

[koldun]

If you need help with your sciences, then your plan is very sound. I studied the ExamKrackers MCAT books (+ the questions from pcat professor) and I scored 93 and 95 on Bio and Chem, respectively.

 

[omnione]

I have decided to study for the PCAT out of MCAT prep books since the exam is notoriously harder... I figure this will prepare me much better. I'd rather be overprepared than underprepared. I'm just going to cut out the physics portion and add on a quantitative study section.

A couple questions:

Has anyone used this method to study for the PCAT and how effective was it?

What should I do about studying for the math section?

As always, any feedback is greatly appreciated!

I took the MCAT twice before taking the PCAT, so I used the books I bought for the MCAT to study for the PCAT. I got a 94 composite score.

The MCAT just tests more about the subjects that the PCAT tests instead of testing more subjects. It's not like the MCAT tests a bunch of stuff about senior-level biochemistry, advanced genetics, etc. So, I found that studying for the MCAT really helped for the PCAT. Most of the science questions asked on the PCAT were referenced in my MCAT books.

Of course, the MCAT books won't prepare you for verbal and math. In addition, the biology section on the PCAT tends to ask more "trivia" questions where you have to know a random fact about something. I was asked which organism is human transmitted on the biology section of the PCAT. The MCAT would never ask that type of question. Also, the PCAT's biology section is slanted towards general biology and underclassmen biology courses whereas the MCAT has more in-depth genetics, physiology, and microbiology.

Basically, the MCAT is more difficult because of the depth and the passage-style questions. That is, the MCAT questions are mostly in the context of a PCAT reading comprehension-like passage where your answer depends on your ability to identify the concept being asked and apply it to the question and passage at hand. The PCAT doesn't "beat around the bush" where its questions tests your knowledge directly like "what is the equivalence point of this titration" and such.

So, studying for the PCAT with MCAT books won't hurt. In fact, I prefer MCAT books over the PCAT books because you'll review some background material that will help you remember the main concepts. You just have to get MCAT books that aren't overkill where you'll read about stuff that won't be on the PCAT. I recommend buying the Examkrackers books as I felt that the information on there wasn't too much overkill. Kaplan's MCAT book has too much information. Examkrackers' verbal reasoning book will really prepare you for the PCAT reading comprehension section. In addition, their "1001 questions" line of books provide practice on questions that are ironically more PCAT-like than MCAT-like. You then just have to find other guides for math and verbal.

 

[Chokita]

omnione,
Thanks for giving us such profound and comprehensive information. Your experience is very useful.
I have one question about organic section. Would you guys recommend using MCAT guide over the Kaplan to study for organic? It’s hard to believe that 8 pages in Kaplan are really enough to know for the PCAT.

 

[omnione]

omnione,
Thanks for giving us such profound and comprehensive information. Your experience is very useful.
I have one question about organic section. Would you guys recommend using MCAT guide over the Kaplan to study for organic? It’s hard to believe that 8 pages in Kaplan are really enough to know for the PCAT.

Is that all? Wow........

I don't know how many pages that the Kaplan MCAT book devotes to organic since I took Kaplan's MCAT course that provided a more in-depth lesson book. The PCAT's organic questions are more slanted towards first semester organic chemistry like basic SN1, SN2, E1, E2 reactions, some NMR stuff, a few nomenclature questions and such. The MCAT's organic questions are more balanced between the two semesters. So, MCAT prep guides will talk about more 2nd semester reactions that you probably won't need to know on the PCAT. However, I would study the basics and the distinguishing content from 2nd semester as reinforces the content you learned in first semester. But, I don't remember any reactions like aromatic substitutions, decarboxylations, and keto-enol stuff. I do remember some oxidation/reduction stuff though, but it's been a while.

If you have the cash, I would take Harcourt's two practice exams as I thought that those questions gave me a good idea about the depth of an average PCAT organic question. That way, you'll get an idea about which stuff in MCAT books are overkill.

 

[YooperPharm]

So is there anyone else who is taking the PCAT that is also taking an MCAT. I'm currently focused on going to pharmacy school. However the required classes are similar, altho i would need to finish up my B.S. degree before i would enter med school obviously. However i am not discounting the thought of going to med school. Is there anyone else out there that has had these same thoughts? or are also currently still making the decision?

 

[Aenyse]

Yeah, I am actually done taking the PCAT this Jan after practising for the MCAT last year and it was a breeze, my science sections were really high..I am a biology major so for the biology section I did not do much and still ended up with a 93%. So taking the MCAT route for the PCAT is great but it is too much work. Take some practice tests online at the harcourt website and you will see that the PCAT is random memorization and sheer luck sometimes. My math section had very little calc. and more algebra, so depending on what u like u might be in luck or screwed. By the way, I am taking the MCAT this summer and I will see what I really want to do with my life...

 

[Chokita]

omnione,
Actually it was just 6 pages! Other two were examples and solving problems. Can you believe this? I don’t want to disparage Kaplan’s guide for PCAT but it really makes me nervous. Thanks for you explanation. I really appreciate your help.

<The PCAT's organic questions are more slanted towards first semester organic chemistry like basic SN1, SN2, E1, E2 reactions, some NMR stuff, a few nomenclature questions and such. The MCAT's organic questions are more balanced between the two semesters. So, MCAT prep guides will talk about more 2nd semester reactions that you probably won't need to know on the PCAT. > sorry, don't know how to quote.

You see my situation is kind of convoluted. I graduated 4 years ago with MS in Chemical Engineering. So, I am trying to find good source that is neither superficial nor way too much material. I will definitely Harcourt's practice exams.

 

[omnione]

omnione,
sorry, don't know how to quote.

You just click on the button that says "Quote" in the lower right-hand corner of the post that you want to quote.

Anyway, I still recommend Examkrackers Organic Chemistry review book. It's has a lot of info, but it's easy to read too. CLICK HERE for a description of the book, but I would buy it somewhere else where its cheaper. Even if the book is an older version, the content is the same.

 

[later2pharm]

so whats the situation, prep wise? i take PCAT june of 2010. i need to ace it. thx for halp.

 

[diastole]

I don't know about the MCAT materials but I can definitely say that the Kaplan's organic section of the PCAT is not enough. You will need to find supplement materials to do well. The quant section isn't good enough either.