The "Should I retake? What do my scores mean? Are my scores any good?" Thread

[omnione]

Well, it's that time of the year again when PCAT examinees rush to their mailboxes every day hoping to receive those elusive PCAT score reports.

To assist future PCAT test takers, it would be best if there was one thread where people can view or request other opinions on their own PCAT scores rather than having to search multiple threads with obscure titles. So, here goes (this is a work in progress)! Please, please, please keep the score reports and "Yay! I got my scores!" to this thread.

Note: If you really know how the scoring works and just want an opinion on your scores, then just go to Section V in the second post in this thread.

Thread Outline
I. Your Score Report
II. Your Scores
III. The popular "Are my scores good?" question.
IV. The popular "Do I need to retake the PCAT?" question
V. The Final Verdict
VI. Your Score Versus Your School's Average

I. Your Score Report

You should receive a regular, letter-sized envelope with about a sheet or two of paper. One that them should be a plain sheet with your scores. Basically, this sheet lists each scaled score with the accompanying percentile score for each section followed by your composite score which is a percentile based on the averaged scale score from the five sections. You will see your writing score separate from the other sections. Rather self-explanatory to me......

II. Your Scores

You mostly want to focus on your percentile rank, most particularly the composite score. That is the number that adcoms focus on during the primary review that determines if you get an interview. Some schools may go in-depth into your scores, but that composite score is the first tell.

Just as a reminder, your percentile score distinguishes your performance from examinees from a 1998-2003 standard testing group. However, adcoms compare your score to everyone in their applicant pool. Simply put, a 70th percentile means that you performed better than about 70% of the examinees during the aforementioned 1998-2003 period. The higher the score, the better off you will be.

Addendum: There have been many questions on SDN inquiring about the nature of the three-digit scaled scores one finds on the score report and how that score is used to get one's percentile score. To be honest, nobody outside of relations with Harcourt understands the system or even the true number of questions needed to earn a 90th percentile or any other score. Perhaps this is best explained in a hypothetical situation. After each exam, Harcourt examines the pool of test takers and derives a scale that corresponds to a scaled score. One earns a certain scaled score based on the number of correct questions answered. This scale is different between examinations and between sections to account for the slight differences in difficulty across test dates and perhaps even test forms within the same testing date. Te scaled score one gets corresponds to the aforementioned 1998-2003 pool. Based on past research on this forum, it seems that a 400 in any section will result in a 50th percentile and a 430 is "worth" the same for every testing date for example. Therefore, one is being compared to that standard testing group but any changes in the exam now versus back then is accounted for through the derivation of a new scale that accounts for that. It's just that the number of correct questions needed to earn a certain scaled score fluctuates and is determined for each PCAT administration separately. So, nobody really knows how many questions need to be answered correctly in order to be in a certain percentile.

III. The popular "Are my scores good?" question.

The most prevalent question that examinees have after receiving their scores is whether the scores are good enough for admission into pharmacy school. That leads to the corollary question to whether the examinee should retake the PCAT. Before we continue, it's best to establish some guidelines. The criteria I am about to present is not a strict rule. It is based on generalizations of PCAT worthiness at schools. This is just advice.

First of all, averages are just that = averages. Just because you don't make your school's PCAT average doesn't mean your application is doomed. People get in with low PCAT scores due to a number of reasons, like:

• Having a high GPA with great pharmacy experience and LORs
• Having a great interview
• ..and...having great "contacts" in the adcom, like a dad or someone

If one looked at the PCAT score distribution at each school, it would probably resemble something like a grade distribution we often see after taking an exam. That is, a few students get As, many get around Bs to Ds with the peak at Cs or the average and/or median score, and a few fantastically bomb the exam. So for competitive PCAT scores, you do have to meet the average score for competitiveness, you want to literally be in the middle of the pack. Sure, you want your scores to stand out, but the answer to the question "Are my PCAT scores good enough" simply asks whether your scores are a liability on your application making a retake of the PCAT prudent and advisable.

So, I think a better gauge for "competitiveness" is through the competitive range. Simply put, this range represents the majority of the school's incoming class. Ideally, you want a score that is at least in the range occupied by the middle 50% of students that takes out the top 25% PCAT students that get in and the bottom 25% who get in due to the other factors I mentioned earlier. Since each school has different distributions, I roughly set a range of five percentiles plus or minus the school's PCAT average. So for a school with an average of 80, the competitive range is about 75-85. Your score is competitive in that range, but it doesn't stand out from other applications nor is it a blemish on your application. Remember, I am speaking in general.

IV. The popular "Do I need to retake the PCAT?" question

You need to consider your whole package as it affects the answer to this question:

• Your stats (GPA, pharmacy hours worked) and LORs
• Your interpersonal ability needed for an effective interview
• Your writing skills (PCAT writing score, school-specific essays, PS)
• Your "contacts"

If you have greatness in the above, than having a lower than competitive PCAT won't hurt as much versus the average applicant. If you lack some of the above, then you probably need a higher PCAT to compensate. For the purposes of this thread, we'll just consider how the scores look without any influence from other factors.

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[focus_like_a_laser]

Hello! I've taken 2 practice tests and have 2 more scheduled before my july 10th date!

attempt 1: composite:81/W:--/V:99/B:69/C:74/Q:54/R:64
1 month later...
attempt 2: composite:87/W:--/V:94/B:93/C:94/Q:64/R:74
I'm planning to go hard with math and practice reading lots of packages to try to go higher

I've already moved from "ok" to "highly competitive" in a month, I cant wait to see what I do in another month!

GPA 3.6
paid undergrad research
irregular volunteering
lots of MD shadowing, but just talking with PharmDs - uh-oh!

 

[YOWAT]

PCAT
RC7
VA 40
Chem 99
Bio 99
Math 90
composite 98

Beautiful scores!!! i see math sciences r most important. im weakest at math can u share how u study for math? and did u use collins for bio and chem , wat were your ways of studying. im planning to retake mine and using your scores as a pedastol for my own triumph.

 

[YOWAT]

Hello! I've taken 2 practice tests and have 2 more scheduled before my july 10th date!

attempt 1: composite:81/W:--/V:99/B:69/C:74/Q:54/R:64
1 month later...
attempt 2: composite:87/W:--/V:94/B:93/C:94/Q:64/R:74
I'm planning to go hard with math and practice reading lots of packages to try to go higher

I've already moved from "ok" to "highly competitive" in a month, I cant wait to see what I do in another month!

GPA 3.6
paid undergrad research
irregular volunteering
lots of MD shadowing, but just talking with PharmDs - uh-oh!
on the other hand i'm a minority as a white male pre-pharm d:

you're brave Muscle. i like that. highly like u got 87 but can do better, yll prooly get 97. im hesitant retake it, got 87, so scare of hard work again... haha

 

[PharmD.93]

Why are you retaking if you got an 87? That's pretty good.
For Math what I did was if you dont know how to do a question right away, choose something flag it and move on so at least you finish. Most people do poorly in math because they dont finish

 

[focus_like_a_laser]

Thanks very much for your advice! Oh, and I meant to say that those were just 2 full-length practice exams

 

[YOWAT]

Why are you retaking if you got an 87? That's pretty good.
For Math what I did was if you dont know how to do a question right away, choose something flag it and move on so at least you finish. Most people do poorly in math because they dont finish

got rejected from most schools apply. 4/8 cause of 2.38 sgpa, 2.62 gpa. gonna get 99 98 and bump up gpa upper lvl sci crses go 2 UF. sick of this. got a 2.52 sci gpa this spring so lets get it up ! thanks advice. it seems dr collin math is too easy but u did really well. i had 39 math. used collin math?

i have pearsons practice tests if yall need it

 

[YOWAT]

lipscomb more like 41,000.

 

[Wayfaring_Stranger]

I'm looking to apply to pharmacy school this upcoming cycle and could use some advice. I have a 3.15 cgpa but i predict it will drop to 3.0 once Pharmcas does all its calculations (i did repeat one class). My composite pcat score is only 78. I'm from California and completed my undergrad studies at a UC school if that weighs in to anything. Do you think I have a chance at a California school? How about an out of state school? If so, which schools do you recommend I apply to? Lastly how competitive is my pcat score??? Thanks!!

 

[focus_like_a_laser]

I'm looking to apply to pharmacy school this upcoming cycle and could use some advice. I have a 3.15 cgpa but i predict it will drop to 3.0 once Pharmcas does all its calculations (i did repeat one class). My composite pcat score is only 78. I'm from California and completed my undergrad studies at a UC school if that weighs in to anything. Do you think I have a chance at a California school? How about an out of state school? If so, which schools do you recommend I apply to? Lastly how competitive is my pcat score??? Thanks!!

Hi Wayfaring_Stranger,

Well do some research, in my research ANYONE can get into pharm school SOMEWHERE, but if your application isn't strong enough, you'll have to make up for it by paying a much higher tuition.

for example, in NC, an 87 and 3.5 is competative for UNC, 9k/semester
but lipscomb in nashville a 53 and 2.5 is competative, but you pay like 30k/semester..
with pharmd school a good academic record really rewards you most by having low student debt afterward, but you can always get in somewhere. do some research on schools with low standards. And go out of state is my 2 cents

The difference with cali is they will always be very expensive. I know some UCs dont require the PCAT. But I would reconsider going to school in cali, since youre going to pay around 30% of your income before paying off loans, which will be high in cali anyway. Texas has no income tax

 

[Wayfaring_Stranger]

Hi Wayfaring_Stranger,

Well do some research, in my research ANYONE can get into pharm school SOMEWHERE, but if your application isn't strong enough, you'll have to make up for it by paying a much higher tuition.

for example, in NC, an 87 and 3.5 is competative for UNC, 9k/semester
but lipscomb in nashville a 53 and 2.5 is competative, but you pay like 30k/semester..
with pharmd school a good academic record really rewards you most by having low student debt afterward, but you can always get in somewhere. do some research on schools with low standards. And go out of state is my 2 cents

The difference with cali is they will always be very expensive. I know some UCs dont require the PCAT. But I would reconsider going to school in cali, since youre going to pay around 30% of your income before paying off loans, which will be high in cali anyway. Texas has no income tax

Thank you so much for your input. I agree that maybe out of state would be a good option at this point. Loans are definitely a concern for me to some extent, since I wouldn't want to spend a huge portion of my life struggling to pay them off. Thanks again for the insight! Can I ask you for your opinion on the ranking of pharmacy schools? How important do you find it to be? Does the reputation of a school matter to employers?

 

[focus_like_a_laser]

Hey,

I had to leave for work earlier so I was in kind of a rush, sorry about that. I saw this on the front page of this site.. an admissions counsellor talking about PCAT scores and I thought you might like to read it too:

"What I have seen recently is the de-emphasis of the PCAT amongst admissions committees at schools that do require the PCAT. Few schools publish the minimum composite scores necessary for consideration, with those schools stating that a minimum composite score at the 70th percentile is necessary to be a competitive applicant. I must say that do find these claims hard to believe. Following each admissions cycle, PharmCAS sends a matched admissions report to participating schools each November, which allows schools to see the names of all of the other pharmacy programs each of your applicants applied to, but also if they were accepted anywhere as well as where they enrolled for the fall. I have seen applicants with incredibly low composite PCAT scores–scores we would not touch–be admitted to other programs, including programs that are talked up on SDN as being “better” schools. Truth be told: applicants who earn a composite PCAT score of 50th percentile or better have a good chance of being accepted at most programs. So to all of you pre-pharmacy students posting in the “What are my chances?” megathread: don’t get too worked up about your 55th percentile composite score if the rest of your application is good. There’s a school out there that will take you with that score. In fact, there are plenty."

Thank you so much for your input. I agree that maybe out of state would be a good option at this point. Loans are definitely a concern for me to some extent, since I wouldn't want to spend a huge portion of my life struggling to pay them off. Thanks again for the insight! Can I ask you for your opinion on the ranking of pharmacy schools? How important do you find it to be? Does the reputation of a school matter to employers?

You are welcome Well I am by no means an expert, but as for rankings, some professions depend heavily on reputation: Law for example! If you want to work for like the district attorney or be a judicial clerk for an important higher court, the really interesting stuff, ranking is super important.. Ivy league undergrad, law school harvard/yale/(etc: various others..) Healthcare is completely different. If you have a PharmD or MD, that degree is all that matters, I mean noone is going to care where you went, and jobs are really based on merit. I think a higher ranked PharmD school is just going to have more assets..labs, special work, stuff to prove yourself. But again Im not an expert on that

 

[fall2015pharmacy]

Beautiful scores!!! i see math sciences r most important. im weakest at math can u share how u study for math? and did u use collins for bio and chem , wat were your ways of studying. im planning to retake mine and using your scores as a pedastol for my own triumph.

I used barron PCAT book. Focus on maths ,if it is your weekness, and review it, do lots of exercise questions while timing yourself. You will see improvement. I am poor in English. English is always my headache. Good luck bro

 

[Wayfaring_Stranger]

Hey,

I had to leave for work earlier so I was in kind of a rush, sorry about that. I saw this on the front page of this site.. an admissions counsellor talking about PCAT scores and I thought you might like to read it too:





You are welcome Well I am by no means an expert, but as for rankings, some professions depend heavily on reputation: Law for example! If you want to work for like the district attorney or be a judicial clerk for an important higher court, the really interesting stuff, ranking is super important.. Ivy league undergrad, law school harvard/yale/(etc: various others..) Healthcare is completely different. If you have a PharmD or MD, that degree is all that matters, I mean noone is going to care where you went, and jobs are really based on merit. I think a higher ranked PharmD school is just going to have more assets..labs, special work, stuff to prove yourself. But again Im not an expert on that

Thank you so much for sharing the article; it definitely helped me stay positive!

 

[sportsfan23]

Well, unfortunately I didn't do as well as I had hoped. I knew I was terrible at standardized tests and I guess I was unprepared. I'm just trying to figure out how competitive I would be for early admission with my score, gpa and resume'.

Verbal-69%
Bio-20%
Chem-34%
Reading-60%
Quantitative-33%
Cumulative- 33%

Cumulative GPA-3.4
Major GPA-3.6

Important class grades
Orgo-B
Orgo II-A
Physics-A
Calculus-A
(just trying to buffer it up)
I haven't gotten lower than a B in any required course for pharm school.

I have letters of rec from a prominent organic 2 teacher where I received an A in his class.
My other letter will come from my pharmacist I worked for.

I was in multiple clubs including chem, bio and social fraternities
1 year internship at CVS
400 community service hours
Getting my degree in Biomedical Science and a minor in Chem this fall

I will be applying to early admission at UMKC (Missouri) or Belmont (Tennessee) after I visit them.
GPA averages are around 3.3
PCAT averages are around 55

I understand most schools want 60% range PCAT and I am pretty bummed I did so ****ty. Just looking for a silver lining or some insight on what I should do. Of course I plan to retake it, but early admission is in a couple months and that will be my score. I was just going to see if I would be considered. I know if I get the interview I will kill it, but getting it may be the problem. Just be honest, I take criticism with a grain of salt.

Thanks a bunch guys, really appreciate it.

 

[sajimar25]

Hi there, just finished the PCAT, here are my scores:
Verbal: 82
Bio: 74
RC: 69
Quant: 51
Chem: 41
Composite: 68

I have been a Retail Pharmacy Tech for 4+ years, my cGPA is 3.5, my science GPA is 3.5.
I am planning to apply to all Texas pharm. schools.

I've been sick and super busy with school & work, my scores are not nearly as high as I wanted them to be.

Should I retake the PCAT?!?! Thanks in advance for any advice!!

 

[ab5678]

VA: 63
Bio: 49
Reading: 90
QA: 72
Chem: 34
Composite: 66

I know my chem and bio scores are atrocious but I'm a rising sophomore and haven't taken organic or A&P yet so I was expecting low scores. The average composite score for the school I want to go to is 68. Should I retake in September? I feel like I honestly will not improve because I will only be a few weeks into my first organic and A&P classes so that won't really help me.

 

[The Clyde]

I took the test and pulled a
94 Verbal
86 RC
84 Bio
95 Chem
33 QA
90 Composite

That QA score is absolutely dismal (and not reflective of any of my practice tests and preparation).
Any thoughts on if that alone can sink my desirability/chances? For reference, I actually have math classes up and beyond Differential Equations, with a 3.7 Math GPA (don't ask how I did so bad on the basic ass PCAT math).

I'm going for the early admission at U. Maryland. I assume early acceptance requires a pretty strong application (and I have one), but have to wonder if a terrible subsection can push me down the list.

 

[ConfusedPenguin]

Hello I am a new to the forums.
I recently took the PCAT on July 10th and my results were:
Verbal 43
Biology 95
RC 11
QA 61
Chemistry 93
Composite 70

I was thrown off by the reading comprehension part of the test and I usually scored at least a 40 in the practice tests. After freaking out during the reading comprehension part, my QA was thrown off. I was usually in the 80-90 percentile in the practice tests I took. I was overall extremely impressed with my Bio and Chem scores. I am pleased with my results, but hate that my RC is below 25. Should I retake the PCAT or not? I have a 3.10 GPA currently, BS in Bio-chemistry, 1-2 yrs of research, and working as a pharmacy Tech since Jan 2015. My GPA will probably go up a little because I am taking a few additional classes this year. My degree did not involve a few of the biology classes required by local pharmacy schools. Will have letters of recommendation written by my Research Professor and Pharmacist manager. What are your guys opinion?
Looking into Ferris in Big Rapids and will possibly be doing early admission.

 

[medhopeful_]

Just took my PCAT this morning and my prelims are:

Verbal: 82
Biology: 69
RC: 64 (I was scoring 99 across all my practice tests I don't know what happened!)
Quant: 93
Chemistry: 95
Composite: 90

I'm really upset about my biology score. I majored in biology and made a 3.9 GPA in all my biology classes. Does anyone know if a good biology average in my undergraduate classes will offset that low subtest score??

 

[PharmHealth_KI]

Hi there, just finished the PCAT, here are my scores:
Verbal: 82
Bio: 74
RC: 69
Quant: 51
Chem: 41
Composite: 68

I have been a Retail Pharmacy Tech for 4+ years, my cGPA is 3.5, my science GPA is 3.5.
I am planning to apply to all Texas pharm. schools.

I've been sick and super busy with school & work, my scores are not nearly as high as I wanted them to be.

Should I retake the PCAT?!?! Thanks in advance for any advice!!

You have good pharmacy experience considering most applicants will probably only have worked 0-2 years in a pharmacy. Also, your GPA is decent but not superb. Most schools state that a competitive PCAT score is 70+, but it really depends on which schools you are applying to. You can do some research and look at the admission data and requirements for certain schools to get a better sense of what type of students typically get admitted. That being said, you may want to retake the PCAT to be a more competitive applicant although you may be admitted into certain schools without retaking it.

VA: 63
Bio: 49
Reading: 90
QA: 72
Chem: 34
Composite: 66

I know my chem and bio scores are atrocious but I'm a rising sophomore and haven't taken organic or A&P yet so I was expecting low scores. The average composite score for the school I want to go to is 68. Should I retake in September? I feel like I honestly will not improve because I will only be a few weeks into my first organic and A&P classes so that won't really help me.

It all depends on which schools you're applying to and how the rest of your stats/PharmCAS application is. If your science GPA is low it may hurt you quite a bit, as your scores on the Chem and Bio section of the PCAT were also low. You can retake it in January, as most schools will accept the January PCAT score even after you have submitted your application. It's up to you as to whether or not you should retake it or if you are comfortable applying with what you have now.

I took the test and pulled a
94 Verbal
86 RC
84 Bio
95 Chem
33 QA
90 Composite

That QA score is absolutely dismal (and not reflective of any of my practice tests and preparation).
Any thoughts on if that alone can sink my desirability/chances? For reference, I actually have math classes up and beyond Differential Equations, with a 3.7 Math GPA (don't ask how I did so bad on the basic ass PCAT math).

I'm going for the early admission at U. Maryland. I assume early acceptance requires a pretty strong application (and I have one), but have to wonder if a terrible subsection can push me down the list.

That section alone should not really harm you considering your math GPA and overall composite score are above-average. I would just explain it in a separate statement if the school allows one through a supplemental application. If not, and you feel comfortable with the rest of your PharmCAS application (GPA, LORs, Extracurriculars, etc.), one section on the PCAT will not kill you.

Hello I am a new to the forums.
I recently took the PCAT on July 10th and my results were:
Verbal 43
Biology 95
RC 11
QA 61
Chemistry 93
Composite 70

I was thrown off by the reading comprehension part of the test and I usually scored at least a 40 in the practice tests. After freaking out during the reading comprehension part, my QA was thrown off. I was usually in the 80-90 percentile in the practice tests I took. I was overall extremely impressed with my Bio and Chem scores. I am pleased with my results, but hate that my RC is below 25. Should I retake the PCAT or not? I have a 3.10 GPA currently, BS in Bio-chemistry, 1-2 yrs of research, and working as a pharmacy Tech since Jan 2015. My GPA will probably go up a little because I am taking a few additional classes this year. My degree did not involve a few of the biology classes required by local pharmacy schools. Will have letters of recommendation written by my Research Professor and Pharmacist manager. What are your guys opinion?
Looking into Ferris in Big Rapids and will possibly be doing early admission.

I would retake the PCAT and focus on the sections that you feel need the most improvement, as most pharmacy schools will take the highest PCAT scores available. If you perform better on those sections, your composite should go up as well, balancing out your GPA.

Just took my PCAT this morning and my prelims are:

Verbal: 82
Biology: 69
RC: 64 (I was scoring 99 across all my practice tests I don't know what happened!)
Quant: 93
Chemistry: 95
Composite: 90

I'm really upset about my biology score. I majored in biology and made a 3.9 GPA in all my biology classes. Does anyone know if a good biology average in my undergraduate classes will offset that low subtest score??

With a 3.9 Bio GPA and a 90 composite score on the PCAT, the 69/64 sections should not harm you tremendously. You should be OK, especially if your cumulative GPA and rest of your PharmCAS app is good.

 

[prepharmpanda]

VA: 74
Bio: 40
Reading: 69
QA: 88
Chem: 51
Composite: 70
Writing: 3.5

Have worked/interned in research labs (chem, pathology, biochem) for four years, was active in my major and pre-health student orgs, volunteered in areas ranging clinical (2 years) to hospital (2 years) to home-bouned (1 year) and at a homeless shelter (4 years). Shadowed a pharmacist for a day and am in the process to get more shadowing opportunities (August-December at a hospital) and was just given a job as a pharm tech. Given all that with a cGPA of 3.26 and sGPA 3.02, should I retake in November/January? I know my greatest weakness besides my PCAT score here is my lack of exposure in pharmacy settings...

 

[cheerleader77]

Recently took my PCAT & finally received my official scores:

Verbal: 74
Biology: 89
Reading: 25
Quantitative Ability: 96
Chemistry: 95
Composite: 89
Writing: 4.0

I was really hoping to get a flat 90 composite, but I guess my reading affected that. A bit worried about reading, writing and verbal.
My current GPA is 3.83 & I'm going into second year this coming september; hoping to apply during the end of my upcoming Fall term.
I have retail pharmacy experience; worked at a big corporate franchise company since grade 11. I am on my university's cheerleading team and 3 other clubs; including the pre-pharm club.

Worried because there are only 2 pharmacy schools in my province & the amount of candidates seem to increase every single year!

 

[PharmHealth_KI]

Recently took my PCAT & finally received my official scores:

Verbal: 74
Biology: 89
Reading: 25
Quantitative Ability: 96
Chemistry: 95
Composite: 89
Writing: 4.0

I was really hoping to get a flat 90 composite, but I guess my reading affected that. A bit worried about reading, writing and verbal.
My current GPA is 3.83 & I'm going into second year this coming september; hoping to apply during the end of my upcoming Fall term.
I have retail pharmacy experience; worked at a big corporate franchise company since grade 11. I am on my university's cheerleading team and 3 other clubs; including the pre-pharm club.

Worried because there are only 2 pharmacy schools in my province & the amount of candidates seem to increase every single year!

Overall you are a good applicant. One section on the PCAT will not kill you, considering your GPA and composite score. However, you may feel more secure if you retake the PCAT and improve on those sections that you did not do so well in, as pharmacy schools will typically accept the highest PCAT scores available.

I am not sure what schools you are applying to and how competitive they are, but you can definitely get accepted into certain schools with your stats if the rest of your PharmCAS app is ok (LORs, personal statement, etc.)

 

[minh nguyen]

I received my score today. I didn't do good for the writing and reading comprehension and English is not my native language. Should I retake the pcat before applying.
PCAT
RC 5
VA 43
Chem 98
Bio 99
Math 97
composite 90

writing: 2.5 (mean 3.35)

My GPA is 3.4

I am feeling down right now. Is there any way for me to improve my writing.

 

[Son_Goku]

I received my score today. I didn't do good for the writing and reading comprehension and English is not my native language. Should I retake the pcat before applying.
PCAT
RC 5
VA 43
Chem 98
Bio 99
Math 97
composite 90

writing: 2.5 (mean 3.35)

My GPA is 3.4

I am feeling down right now. Is there any way for me to improve my writing.

Try using the correct punctuation is a great way to start.

 

[MSUPrePharm2]

Hello I am a new to the forums.
I recently took the PCAT on July 10th and my results were:
Verbal 43
Biology 95
RC 11
QA 61
Chemistry 93
Composite 70

I was thrown off by the reading comprehension part of the test and I usually scored at least a 40 in the practice tests. After freaking out during the reading comprehension part, my QA was thrown off. I was usually in the 80-90 percentile in the practice tests I took. I was overall extremely impressed with my Bio and Chem scores. I am pleased with my results, but hate that my RC is below 25. Should I retake the PCAT or not? I have a 3.10 GPA currently, BS in Bio-chemistry, 1-2 yrs of research, and working as a pharmacy Tech since Jan 2015. My GPA will probably go up a little because I am taking a few additional classes this year. My degree did not involve a few of the biology classes required by local pharmacy schools. Will have letters of recommendation written by my Research Professor and Pharmacist manager. What are your guys opinion?
Looking into Ferris in Big Rapids and will possibly be doing early admission.

Hi there, I too am applying to Ferris State! I would think about retaking your PCAT because for Ferris, you do not hit the 25th percentile minimum for RC. Kaplan has wonderful books for it and those helped me a lot! Hope this helps!

 

[shyguy510]

Took the PCAT for my first time today and have no idea how my test scores hold up for applying to pharm schools

I have a bachelors in Biology with 3.42 cumulative GPA and 2 years of pharmacy experience (6 months retail, 18 months hospital)

Verbal- 98
Biology- 69
Reading Comp-93
Quant-55
Chem-56
Composite-87

Should I retake it because I am disappointed with my chem and math scores?

 

[Son_Goku]

You did bad in all of the important sections... your composite should have been penalized way more imo. I'd probably keep the 87 though...

 

[lyisu]

Can I get some advice on my scores?
VA: 25
Bio: 74
RC: 47
QA: 82
Chem: 97
Composite: 76

 

[northtexan]

How likely is it that one gets into pharmacy school with zero pharmacy experience?

I recently took the PCAT and scores:
Verbal- 54
biology- 92
reading- 29
math- 95
chemistry- 97
composite- 89

I will be graduating in the spring with a BS in Biology and will have a 3.1 GPA


I am trying to get some time in a pharmacy setting at a local compounding pharmacy as well as some time volunteering at a pharmacy at UTSW hospital in Dallas. I just need to get my Pharmacy Tech certification which I am trying to get by mid october so I will have at least a couple of weeks of experience before the application deadline that is december 1. I am also looking at a school that the deadline is Feb 1 so I imagine that the I have a higher chance of getting in to that one since I will be able to put down more experience on my application. Is it still likely that I would be able to get into a school that the deadline is Dec 1 with limited experience?

 

[Jsara226]

I'm scheduled to take the PCAT in 3 weeks and I seem to be a bit nervous about it. I'm solid when it comes to Biology and General Chemistry...I need work with Organic (haven't taken either courses yet) and Calculus. At the moment I have a 3.75 GPA and my LORs came from the head of the biology department at my school, a pharmacist who I work with and is a scepter for the pharmacy school I am applying to, and another pharmacist who has done numerous lectures and demonstrations for the pharmacy school I'm applying to and other schools in my state. I have worked for CVS for 2 1/2 years and I'm also an Elite Pirate for ECU, which is a huge honor (leadership organization for the university). I was wondering if an average PCAT score would be sufficient to get accepted into a top 10 pharmacy school? What percentile do you think would be the lowest possible and still apply?

 

[8turkeys]

...

 

[iamwhatichoosetobecome]

BIO: 66
CHEM: 98
READING: 58
QUANT: 41
COMP: 77

Did you feel you did worse or better than that?

 

[8turkeys]

worse for composite haha, but thought i did better on math. Did not manage time well in that section, ran out of time.

Did you feel you did worse or better than that?

 

[greentea093]

Hi Guys,
I just took the PCAT today and here is my score:

Bio 75
Chem 99
Critical reading 82
quant 53
Composite 91

I know i did terrible on the quant sec because the truth is i didn't study for it for even an hour!!
I got 4.0 in all my college calculus classes and i even took differential equation and linear algebra so I thought that section is a joke and i only studied for my bio and chem.
now i know that i made a terrible mistake. But do you guys think i should retake?
However, my dream school (UW) states the following on their website:
"applicants who have Chemistry PCAT scores greater than or equal to 60th percentile and scores greater than or equal to 25th percentile in the other areas of the PCAT may be given consideration for offer of interview. However, these minimum thresholds are subject to change. The PharmD Admissions Committee reserves the right of final decision with regard to establishing minimum standards for PCAT score thresholds for consideration of interview"
So according to this my score will guarantee my interview. But i am just worried. I want to apply for early admission and do you guys know if it is more or less competitive compare to regular admission? should i go ahead and schedule another PCAT before Dec so that if i didn't get in the early admission i still have a chance for the regular?
Thanks so much for your help. I really want to go to UW cuz i hate moving!!!! i know pcat is not the only factor but please advise me only on my pcat score. Thanks!!

 

[clutchtho]

Just took the PCAT today:

94 Bio
99 Chem
92 Quant
71 Reading

Obviously not gonna retake, that reading score sort of pisses me off, but then again the reading section was ridiculously long and pretty hard so I'm happy with that

 

[HunterrV]

Should I retake/What are my chances?

Bio: 58
Chem: 94
CR: 53
Quant: 92
Composite: 81

GPA is a 3.52, which is higher than the average at the school that I want to apply to. The average PCAT is 83. I have some community service and have worked in a pharmacy this summer for ~50 hours.

Thanks to whoever replies!

 

[DavidGnar]

I took the PCAT today. Here are my scores.

These two were great.
Biological Processes - (99%)
Chemical Processes - (99%)

These two were not so great.
Critical Reading - (52%)
Quantitative Reasoning - (47%)

Composite: (97%)

Thank the lord I did good on the first two sections to boost my composite. I've seen multiple posts with people who received much higher critical reading and quantitative reasoning percentiles, however, I've also seen many posts that say many schools only care about the composite (which is why I'm not planning on taking the PCAT again). How will these lower scoring sections affect my competitiveness when it comes to applying to Pharmacy schools this application cycle?

Here's what I have going on other than the PCAT:
Will be graduating this year with a bachelors in Chemistry, and am currently in the process of becoming a pharmacy technician. GPA is 3.4.

Thanks for your responses in advance.

 

[larrylarry]

Bio 416-66%
Chem 472-99%
Read 439-98%
Math 453-99%
Composite 445-99%

My GPA is pretty meh at 3.3 so I was hoping for a super strong PCAT to stifle any questions about that but the 66 in Bio sorta raises questions that I dont want to have to explain away. I'm fairly certain it was sorta flukey since i generally score high on bio and am pretty sure i can get 90+ if i retake, just not sure if its worth it. And before I get any sarcastic answers yes i know its a good score, I just want to know how much a 66 hurts me and how much better/how relevant it would be if it was 90 esp since they probably care about bio more than something like reading. Do they look at the SS/raw scores or just the percentiles? And is the composite the most important part or do each of the individual sections matter as well?

Asian male from CA applying to mostly UCs if that matters.

 

[Apoptoxin]

Biology: 90
Chemistry: 99
CR: 52
Math: 62
Composite: 91

GPA: 3.79

Didn't have enough time to finish math . Will my bio and chem scores compensate the other 2? Planning to early decision Univ of Houston.

 

[Best pharmacist!]

Hi,
I am new and maybe my questions are repetitious because I have not enough time to read all posts so I apologize in advance,
I heard that if I take PCAT and get bad score( lower than 50%) and then retake it by really high score, then the first low score will hurt my chance to get in school, is that true? I mean my bad background on PCAT will affect on the new situation.

thank you for replying

 

[kdbaker17]

Hi,
I am new and maybe my questions are repetitious because I have not enough time to read all posts so I apologize in advance,
I heard that if I take PCAT and get bad score( lower than 50%) and then retake it by really high score, then the first low score will hurt my chance to get in school, is that true? I mean my bad background on PCAT will affect on the new situation.

thank you for replying

I haven't heard anything like that. Things can come up, and most test-takers haven't had an exam similar to the PCAT which tends to mess with their confidence (and make them nervous) during the exam. If the score is improved, then they wouldn't have a problem with the lower score. I met with UK pharmacy admissions and they said they love seeing students retake the exam and score better, because it shows dedication and willingness to improve. That's coming from a top 6 pharmacy school.

 

[Myzes85]

VI. Your Score Versus Your School's Average

Check out the attached .pdf to check out the average PCAT school at your school of interest. It's a rough compilation as I couldn't find the numbers for some schools. I will try to get that information in the coming weeks but if you can fill in a blank entry, then let me know If a school is not listed in the document, it means that school does not accept PCAT scores for consideration or the school has just begun to use PCAT scores in its consideration.

Also, my comments are a reflection of past SDNer experience with PCAT scores. If you disagree with what I've said, please let me know. If this thread is successful, it'll be a one-stop shop for PCAT score advice. Of course, that means that the info has to be as complete as possible. I am only one man.

8-9-2007: Version 2 is now up with new and modified entries.

pcat today and here is my scorers.
Chem 98
Bio 90
Quant 54
CR 13
Comp 75

I have a bachelors in business administration and over 5 years in management experience and 1 year Volunter with a non profit.

Overall GPA 2.99 science 3.5 am currently wrapping up my preriquisites.
Please advice what are my chances?

 

[Sean Snow]

Biology 69
Chemistry 78
Critical Reading 98
Quantative Reasoning 29
Comp 78

Currently 3.55 gpa (not sure what it will change with pharmcas.. I did retake some classes) Also a current pharm tech for 2 years. Should I retake to increase the terrible math score?

 

[PromisedNeverland]

Biology 69
Chemistry 78
Critical Reading 98
Quantative Reasoning 29
Comp 78

Currently 3.55 gpa (not sure what it will change with pharmcas.. I did retake some classes) Also a current pharm tech for 2 years. Should I retake to increase the terrible math score?

how'd you do so well on CR !? my chem section was 98 though

 

[knight2014]

Hello everyone I just recently take the PCATs, my question: what is the importance of the preliminary score.

 

[8turkeys]

Hello everyone I just recently take the PCATs, my question: what is the importance of the preliminary score.

Should be exactly the same as the official

 

[Sawah]

I took the PCAT earlier today and these are my prelim scores

Bio 98
Chem 96
CR 46
Quant 85
Composite 94

Will the CR be a problem?

 

[youngsoo1269]

I took the PCAT earlier today and these are my prelim scores

Bio 98
Chem 96
CR 46
Quant 85
Composite 94

Will the CR be a problem?

yes you're f'ed

 

[8turkeys]

I took the PCAT earlier today and these are my prelim scores

Bio 98
Chem 96
CR 46
Quant 85
Composite 94

Will the CR be a problem?

No