PCAT•What is it?•Why should you take it?•Where and when to sign up•Anatomy of the PCAT•Scoring (What’s a good score?)•How to prepare/our personal experiences•Practice Problems (Prizes?)•Day of Test•Any questions?

PCAT?

•Known as the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT)

•Standardized test used by most pharmacy colleges to help identify qualified applicants

•Basically is a combination of the SAT and ACT that will measure your general scientific knowledge

•Is now a computer-based test and multiple-choice!!!

Reasons For Taking the PCAT• Though not required for all California

schools, over 2/3 of pharmacy schools require it!

http://www.aacp.org/resources/student/pharmacyforyou/admissions/Pages/PCAT.aspx

• Provides an additional measurement of your academic ability. A high PCAT score can help cushion a lower GPA!

• You’re going to need to learn the science stuff anyway!

• It will make any other related classes easier!

Schools That Do Not Require The PCAT

• Northstate• Loma Linda• Touro (CA, NY)• UCSD• UCSF• UOP• USC• Western• Florida A&M• Idaho State• Manchester• Purdue• Sullivan

• Massachusetts (Boston, Worchester)

• Northeastern• Rutgers• St. Johns• Ohio Northern• Findlay• Toledo• Oregon State• Pacific- Oregon• Rhode Island• Lebanese American

According to the schools recognized by the AACP (American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy) (2013-2014), 26 schools vs. 99 schools (3 unreported)

How to Sign Up?• Make an account at the Pearson PCAT websitehttps://tpc-etesting.com/pcat/login.aspx

Click registration tab, follow the steps!

- First registration step involves selecting preferred test date and facility- General Pearson website will direct you to PearsonVue test center site to confirm your choices and pay*Note: These choices don’t become finalized until you fill out the second registration form and pay the fee!!!

Registration Fee: $199.00

Dates/Locations for PCAT signup • 2013-2014 Testing Dates

General Registration Opens (3/1/2013)- July 17, 18; Sept. 3, 4, 16, 17, 18; Jan. 7, 8

Second Registration Opens (9/7/2013)*Note: Limited Seating- Oct. 28, 29, 30, 31; Nov. 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Closest locations (Irvine): Anaheim (next to Angels Stadium), Lake Forest (both are 15 mins away)

Anatomy of the PCAT• Consists of 6 content area

- Verbal Ability (analogies, word choice, sentences)

- Biology (general, microbiology, physiology, anatomy)

- Reading Comprehension (exactly like SATs)

- Quantitative Ability (algebra, geometry, stats/probability, trigonometry, calculus)

- Chemistry (Inorganic, organic, biochemistry)

- Essay (Two essay prompts (1 abstract, 1 pharmacy-related))

Testing Breakdown• Essay (30 mins)

• Verbal Ability (48 questions, 30 mins)

• Biology (48 questions, 30 mins)

• Chemistry (48 questions, 30 mins)

• (Rest break)

• Essay (30 mins)

• Reading Comprehension (48 questions, 50 mins)

• Quantitative (48 questions, 40 mins)

- Computer-based with module of questions per section

- Timer will be enforced electronically.

How is the PCAT scored?• Every section except essay is out of a raw score of

600

• Generally, scores of 400 will result in 50th percentile, but everything is normalized according to the testing range of a particular year (2011 norms)

• A composite score (average of raw scores) is your overall final score

• Raw scores don’t mean anything, based upon how well you do among others

Ex. A score of 420 may mean 75th percentile in one year, but 56th percentile in another

• Essays are scored from 1-6, scores of each essay prompt will be averaged (essay scores not as important)

According to Kaplan,

PCAT Scores and Equivalent Percentiles

Percentile

Verbal Ability

Biology Reading Comp.

Quant. Ability

Chemistry

Composite Score

< 49 < 394 < 392 < 394 < 392 < 393 < 394

50-64 395-409 393-409 395-409 393-409 394-409 395-409

65-79 410-412 410-412 410-412 410-412 410-412 410-412

80-94 413-443 413-444 413-441 413-443 413-442 413-443

> 95 > 444 > 445 > 442 > 444 > 443 > 444

What do colleges want?

•Depends upon the college; obviously higher score improves your chances

•Traditionally, schools do not report the range that they are looking for

•To be competitive, most schools are looking at 70-75th percentile and above or raw scores of 400 and above

UCI classes That Will Correlate to the Specifics of the Science Tests

•Biology (Bio 93/97/98, E109/Pharm Sci 120, D103, M121)

•Chemistry (Chem 1A-C, Chem 51A,B + labs)

•Quantitative (Up to Math 2B)

No plant biology or taxonomy anymore!!!! (Photosynthesis, ecology, plant biochemistry)

Biology• 93: DNA structure, replication, evolution,

transcription/translation, mitosis/meiosis, action potentials

• 97: Hardy-Weinberg, punnett-squares, sex-linked, pedigree charts

• 98: Kreb’s cycle, amino acids, glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, fermentation

• E109, Pharmsci 120: Respiratory system, renal system, homeostasis, heart system, hormones, sex/fertilization, menstruation cycle, anatomy

• D103: Signaling (ligands, 2nd messengers), pathways (G-coupled proteins), embryology/development stages

• M121: bacterial life cycle, nitrogen-fixation, characteristics of bacteria, classification of microbes, sterilization practices

Chemistry• Chem 1A: periodic table, element properties,

bonds, protons/electrons, electron binding clouds, redox equations, nuclear decay

• Chem 1B: stoichiometry, calculations/percent yields , electrochemistry, solubility rules

• Chem 1C: pH (equivlance pts), titrations, ICE charts!

• Chem 51A/B/labs: SN1,2 & E1,2 reactions, aprotic/protic solvents, arrow pushing mechanisms, synthesis, spectroscopy, NMRs

Math• Algebra (percent discount, money interest,

averages, sequences)

• Geometry (Pythagorean theorem)

• Trignometry (law of cosines/sines, trig laws)

• Calculus (differentiation (impartial), integration (by parts) , limits*Note: good to know L'Hôpital's rule

• Statistics (standard deviation, mean, graph interpretations)

• Probability (permutations, percentages)

Practice Questions• Biology

The chromosome number of offspring produced via parthenogenesis is

A. diploidB. haploidC. 2ND. Both A and C

Which of the following developmental stages has the greatest nuclear-to-cytoplasmic material ratio?

A. 4-celled zygoteB. 8-celled zygoteC. MorulaD. Blastula

Practice Questions• Biology

The chromosome number of offspring produced via parthenogenesis is

A. diploidB. haploidC. 2ND. Both A and C

Which of the following developmental stages has the greatest nuclear-to-cytoplasmic material ratio?

A. 4-celled zygoteB. 8-celled zygoteC. MorulaD. Blastula

Practice Questions• Biology

The chromosome number of offspring produced via parthenogenesis is

A. diploidB. haploidC. 2ND. Both A and C

Which of the following developmental stages has the greatest nuclear-to-cytoplasmic material ratio?

A. 4-celled zygoteB. 8-celled zygoteC. MorulaD. Blastula

Practice Questions• Chemistryπ bonds are formed by which of the following orbitals?

A. Two s orbitalsB. Two p orbitalsC. One s and one p orbitalD. All of the above

The reaction of 1 mole of diethyl ether with hydrobromic acid results in the production of:

A. 2 moles of ethyl bromideB. 2 moles of ethanolC. 1 mole of ethylbromide and 1 mole of ethanolD. 1 mole of methylbromide and 1 mole of propanol

Practice Questions• Chemistryπ bonds are formed by which of the following orbitals?

A. Two s orbitalsB. Two p orbitalsC. One s and one p orbitalD. All of the above

The reaction of 1 mole of diethyl ether with hydrobromic acid results in the production of:

A. 2 moles of ethyl bromideB. 2 moles of ethanolC. 1 mole of ethylbromide and 1 mole of ethanolD. 1 mole of methylbromide and 1 mole of propanol

Practice Questions• Chemistryπ bonds are formed by which of the following orbitals?

A. Two s orbitalsB. Two p orbitalsC. One s and one p orbitalD. All of the above

The reaction of 1 mole of diethyl ether with hydrobromic acid results in the production of:

A. 2 moles of ethyl bromideB. 2 moles of ethanolC. 1 mole of ethylbromide and 1 mole of ethanolD. 1 mole of methylbromide and 1 mole of propanol

Preparation/Our Experiences• Study (go back to old notes from classes)

• Buy PCAT study books (KAPLAN)

• KAPLAN course (choice of online modules or live in-class) (check booths for discounts!)

• PCAT Study Guide by Pearson ($25.00)

• Online practice-tests (sciences) directly from Pearson- Single test: $45.00- Two: $65.00- All three: $85.00

• Spend all summer studying?

Testing Day: Tips and Conditions

• Arrive 30 minutes early

• You need 2 forms of ID (one with photo, one with name: license, credit card)

• Need your registration confirmation form

• Fingerprints taken

• Lockers, pencils, and earplugs provided

• Possible patdown?

• Escorts to and from your station (bathroom)

• A camera will observe everything you do!!!!!

• No calculators!

• Computer may or may not lag

After the Test,

•Before submission of your test, you have the option to cancel your scores

•After submission, a print-out of your raw scores/percentile rankings is given (you get to know your scores right away!)

•6 weeks later, official score report (writing scores) is released through your account (scores may or may not change)