PCAT for Pre-PharmsPharmacy College Admission Test

Crack the PCAT www.crackPCAT.com

What is the PCAT?

“ The PCAT is a specialized test that helps identify qualified applicants to pharmacy colleges. It measures general academic ability and scientific knowledge necessary for the commencement of pharmaceutical education. The PCAT is constructed specifically for colleges of pharmacy.”!

The test is administered by Pearson and is required upon admission to Pharmacy School.

http://www.pcatweb.info

Can I take the PCAT multiple times?

Yes, most pharmacy schools accept the best score (similar to the SAT).

How do I register for the PCAT?

Register for and schedule your test at the Pearson website:! https://tpc-etesting.com/pcat/login.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

How much does it cost?$199 to register!

! -covers 3 schools and automatically sends scores to PharmCas

-additional schools cost $20 each!

!

Be careful about late registration fees!

Important PCAT Test Dates

!* Register with PCAT and schedule with Pearson VUE, as seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.!** Last day for registering with PCAT and scheduling with Pearson VUE (late fees apply). We strongly!suggest candidates register and schedule by the “Register and Schedule By” date to receive their preferred testing date, time, and location.

Testing Dates *Register and Schedule By:

**Late Registration and Schedule By: Cancel By:

July 2013!17-18

May 17, 2013!After this date, late fees apply

July 10, 2013!Late fees apply

July 12, 2013

September 2013!3-4!

16-18July 5, 2013!

After this date, late fees applyAugust 27, 2013!

Late fees applyAugust 29, 2013

October/November 2013!Oct - Nov 1!

Nov 4-8!October 21, 2013!After this date, late fees apply

October 23, 2013!Late fees apply

October 25, 2013

January 2014!7-8

November 7, 2013!After this date, late fees apply

January 2, 2014!Late fees apply

January 4, 2014

What to expect on PCAT Test Day?

1. Arrive at Test Center 30 minutes early!2. Bring 2 forms of ID with your full name (one photo with signature)!!Computer based test!- skip questions, mark them, come back!- very similar look and feel of Crack the PCAT Test at: (www.crackPCAT.com)!!Don't leave anything blank!!! No points off for guessing.!

What is on the PCAT?Writing (2 Prompts)!!Verbal Ability - analogies!- sentence completion!!Biology - general biology!- microbiology!- human anatomy and physiology!!Chemistry - general chemistry!- organic chemical!- basic biochemical processes (DNA, RNA, lipids, proteins) !!

http://www.pcatweb.info/downloads/about/PCATTestBlueprintandSampleItems.pdf

Reading Comprehension -Comprehension, Analysis, Evaluation!!Quantitative Ability - basic math!- algebra!- probability and statistics!- pre-calc and calculus!!

PCAT Subtest Number of Operational Items Number of Experimental ItemsTime Allowed (in minutes)!

Part 1: Writing (1 prompt) !*either operational or experimental)! 30

Part 2: Verbal Ability 40 8 30

Part 3: Biology 40 8 30

Part 4: Chemistry 40 8 30

BREAK BREAK BREAK

Part 5: Writing (1 prompt) !*either operational or experimental! 40 (5 passages) 8 (1 passage) 30

Part 6: Reading Comprehension 40 8 50

Part 7: Quantitative Ability 40 8 40

Total Test 200 multiple-choice items and 1 writing prompt

40 multiple-choice items and !1 writing prompt

240 (4 hrs. and a Rest Break)

WritingA. Health Issues (issues related to public health, medicine, nutrition, fitness,

prevention, treatments, therapies, medications, drugs, attitudes) !B. Science Issues (issues related to research, theories, findings, applications,

controversies, education, attitudes)!C. Social, Cultural, or Political Issues (issues related to beliefs, attitudes,

behaviors, trends, laws, policies)!!Helps to read the news to incorporate and support your response!!You should have a general approach to writing the essay and have practiced. To

prepare, Crack the PCAT provides a lot of writing prompts to be ready on test day.!

!!

Verbal Ability

Analogy and Sentence Completions!

Try to fill in the missing term before you read the answer choices!

Eliminate answer choices to improve chances of getting question correct!

Use Crack the PCAT to simulate the Verbal Ability section

ChemistryMatter !Atomic Structure!Periodic Properties!Nomenclature and writing formulas!Acid and bases !Solutions!Bonding!Gas Laws!Stoichiometry!Thermodynamics!Kinetics!Equilibrium!Electrochemistry !Nuclear Chemistry

Reading Comprehension

48 questions, 50 minutes!

6 short passages on scientific and medical topics!

Strategy: skim, go to questions, go back

Quantitative Ability

Short for time!Rounding helps!Look at answers before to see if order of magnitude is way off!exponent rules/log rules (high school math)!!statistics (mean, median, mode)!basic probability rules (flipping a coin, rolling 2 dice)!

What PCAT Prep Resources to use?

Crack the PCAT (www.crackPCAT.com)-10 Full Length PCAT Practice Tests and Questions!- Same look and feel of the PCAT!-Improves your scores by identifying your weaknesses!-Learn from Video Explanations for each question!-Trusted and Used by Pre-Pharms

More PCAT Practice Tests (http://tpc-etesting.com/pcatopt)

Dr. Collins PCAT Prep Class (pcatprepclass.com)