I know the September PCAT is coming up, and I would like to offer some insight to those fixing to take it (also applies to further PCAT test takers). I was in this boat all summer, constantly seeking advice for the PCAT, and I know how stressful this test can be. Feel free to alleviate any pressure/stress by asking me some questions!
For starters, just to add credibility to this post, I completed the PCAT on July 18th with the 97th percentile.
How I did this: I began studying exactly two months in advance. I started off slow, just an hour or two a day with a couple of days off during the week. When I started (I used Collins mainly), I honestly was going through the practice tests and getting maybe 20-30% of the questions correct. I gradually built my study time up. I think that jumping head first into studying will result in tons of stress. Start slow, and then gradually advance more and more. I think about 2-3 weeks before the test, I studied anywhere from 4-8 hours a day (with breaks of course, and not all at once).
The materials I used: Dr. Collins. This is a must have for any PCAT test taker. The information is very concise and to the point. The practice tests (except for math section and the science passages) were completely on par with the actual test. I also used Kaplan, mostly for biology. Kaplan is 100x more "in depth" than Collins, and there is tons of more detail. This is actually a good thing though, because it "overprepares" you. To be honest, the Dr. Collins chemistry section is the absolute best section to prepare for the chemistry on the pcat. I would 100% vouch for this section. It's definitely worth the money to buy the whole thing, or buy it discounted/borrow it.
The math section: the blueprint highlights that this section is a bit different than the past. It says there will be more word problems, which was true on all of the practice tests. Again, the math was mostly algebra material, with a small amount of calculus trig etc (I think 14% calculus material). I would focus on going through the easy questions first, like simple logs, conversions, easy algebra questions, and then come back to the word problems. Remember, math is a problem solving subject and the PCAT is timed, so you must do the simple questions first.
As for the science passages: these were harder than Collins. The passages on Collins were extremely easy compared to the PCAT. So you may ask, how do I prepare for the science passages on the PCAT? Buy the Pearson practice tests. These are so good and so worth the money. They are definitely the closest thing you can get to the real thing. This begs the question - what about the Kaplan tests? Eh, I'm indifferent. The first Kaplan test, I got the 16th percentile (skipped the math section, didn't study it yet). The next one, I got the 58th percentile. Kaplan tests seemed to be much harder than the PCAT, which again COULD be a good thing, but could also be discouraging. I was definitely discouraged, until I took the Pearson tests. Remember, take these tests in a test like environment, with the same amount of time allotted for the actual pcat. For Chem and Bio, I did all of the standalones first, and came back to the passages once I completed those.
Reading Section: Honestly, this was my worst score. It's hard to 'study' for because you're either a good critical reader or you aren't. Just focus on the practice tests, and see how you do. Read the questions first and see if there is an easy answer in the passage.
How intense was the real thing? Well, I can't give away too much info due to the NDA. I will say, the environment is pretty intense. You will be nervous going in, and in between subsections. Just remember to breath and carefully examine each question. The science passages had a couple of questions that didn't even require you to read the passages, so read the questions first. Remember, the writing section is first. I think this is good because it gets the brain going (I took mine at 8am, so I definitely needed a kickstart for some brain power). The writing section also does not contribute to your composite score, but it is still important to do your best as your schools will see this score.
Experimental questions: you don't know which ones they are. Therefore, answer each question with confidence. If could be an entire passage, or it could be a few standalone questions. Nothing on the test really 'stood out' as overly difficult, and I had no idea which questions could have been experimental
Please understand that the PCAT isn't a make or break. Yes it plays a role into your acceptance, but so does your GPA, recommendation letters, experience, research, interviews, etc. if you don't do so well, you can always retake it! Just aim to do well on the first try to save time and money.
Many people ask the difficulty scale of it. I did well in undergrad, and due to the amounts of studying I did, I would say it's about a 5-6/10. It wasn't as bad as you think, just study hard and you'll be fine! The timing for me wasn't difficult, since I timed each test I took. The timing only played a role in the math section, so be sure to do well on that.
This is just some of my advice. I am open for discussion and willing to answer any questions!
For starters, just to add credibility to this post, I completed the PCAT on July 18th with the 97th percentile.
How I did this: I began studying exactly two months in advance. I started off slow, just an hour or two a day with a couple of days off during the week. When I started (I used Collins mainly), I honestly was going through the practice tests and getting maybe 20-30% of the questions correct. I gradually built my study time up. I think that jumping head first into studying will result in tons of stress. Start slow, and then gradually advance more and more. I think about 2-3 weeks before the test, I studied anywhere from 4-8 hours a day (with breaks of course, and not all at once).
The materials I used: Dr. Collins. This is a must have for any PCAT test taker. The information is very concise and to the point. The practice tests (except for math section and the science passages) were completely on par with the actual test. I also used Kaplan, mostly for biology. Kaplan is 100x more "in depth" than Collins, and there is tons of more detail. This is actually a good thing though, because it "overprepares" you. To be honest, the Dr. Collins chemistry section is the absolute best section to prepare for the chemistry on the pcat. I would 100% vouch for this section. It's definitely worth the money to buy the whole thing, or buy it discounted/borrow it.
The math section: the blueprint highlights that this section is a bit different than the past. It says there will be more word problems, which was true on all of the practice tests. Again, the math was mostly algebra material, with a small amount of calculus trig etc (I think 14% calculus material). I would focus on going through the easy questions first, like simple logs, conversions, easy algebra questions, and then come back to the word problems. Remember, math is a problem solving subject and the PCAT is timed, so you must do the simple questions first.
As for the science passages: these were harder than Collins. The passages on Collins were extremely easy compared to the PCAT. So you may ask, how do I prepare for the science passages on the PCAT? Buy the Pearson practice tests. These are so good and so worth the money. They are definitely the closest thing you can get to the real thing. This begs the question - what about the Kaplan tests? Eh, I'm indifferent. The first Kaplan test, I got the 16th percentile (skipped the math section, didn't study it yet). The next one, I got the 58th percentile. Kaplan tests seemed to be much harder than the PCAT, which again COULD be a good thing, but could also be discouraging. I was definitely discouraged, until I took the Pearson tests. Remember, take these tests in a test like environment, with the same amount of time allotted for the actual pcat. For Chem and Bio, I did all of the standalones first, and came back to the passages once I completed those.
Reading Section: Honestly, this was my worst score. It's hard to 'study' for because you're either a good critical reader or you aren't. Just focus on the practice tests, and see how you do. Read the questions first and see if there is an easy answer in the passage.
How intense was the real thing? Well, I can't give away too much info due to the NDA. I will say, the environment is pretty intense. You will be nervous going in, and in between subsections. Just remember to breath and carefully examine each question. The science passages had a couple of questions that didn't even require you to read the passages, so read the questions first. Remember, the writing section is first. I think this is good because it gets the brain going (I took mine at 8am, so I definitely needed a kickstart for some brain power). The writing section also does not contribute to your composite score, but it is still important to do your best as your schools will see this score.
Experimental questions: you don't know which ones they are. Therefore, answer each question with confidence. If could be an entire passage, or it could be a few standalone questions. Nothing on the test really 'stood out' as overly difficult, and I had no idea which questions could have been experimental
Please understand that the PCAT isn't a make or break. Yes it plays a role into your acceptance, but so does your GPA, recommendation letters, experience, research, interviews, etc. if you don't do so well, you can always retake it! Just aim to do well on the first try to save time and money.
Many people ask the difficulty scale of it. I did well in undergrad, and due to the amounts of studying I did, I would say it's about a 5-6/10. It wasn't as bad as you think, just study hard and you'll be fine! The timing for me wasn't difficult, since I timed each test I took. The timing only played a role in the math section, so be sure to do well on that.
This is just some of my advice. I am open for discussion and willing to answer any questions!
