What are the Different Types of PCAT® Prep?

The Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT®)is an exam that is taken by aspiring pharmacists in order for them to be eligible for admittance to most graduate pharmacy programs. The exam includes five different sections: two writing sections, biology, chemistry, and verbal ability. PCAT® prep is what those who are preparing to take the test use in order to score well and therefore become more desirable candidates to the admissions boards of schools in which they wish to enroll. Some of the most common types of PCAT® prep are online resources, books, and training courses.

Online PCAT® prep may take a number of different forms. Many who are preparing to take the test find that it is best to begin by utilizing online practice tests. These are often made up of questions from past tests or questions that are similar in nature to those that an individual can expect to find on the exam. These online prep options are often free, though there also maybe services that require payment of a fee.

Some aspiring pharmacy students prefer to read about the exam online instead of or in addition to taking practice tests. This kind of PCAT® prep can be valuable for learning about the different scores that students get on the test so that those preparing for it can go into the process understanding how well they are expected to do. Others may find it helpful to learn about what test scorers are looking for in answers, especially when it comes to the writing sections.

PCAT® prep books are another common preparatory material. These books may contain practice tests with answer keys in the back that allow users to score themselves. Some books may contain explanations for how certain answers are determined. Bonus features, such as interactive CD-ROMs, can be helpful for students who perform best with a tactile kind of learning.

Training courses can be a great way for students to prepare for the PCAT®. While this tends to be the most expensive method of PCAT® prep, it can also be the most effective. Many students believe that the best courses are those taught by individuals who have scored well on the exam and understand the material and how best to convey it to aspiring pharmacy students.

Over half of the PCAT® is multiple choice. For those who may suffer from test anxiety or who may have trouble with multiple choice formats, a good training course might include instruction on testing methods that can be applied to multiple choice questions. In these courses, instructors might go over steps for deductive reasoning and educated guessing, methods which can significantly improve scores on this kind of test.