It evaluates your academic skills and as well as the scientific aptitude to start pharmaceutical education. Contemporarily, the PCAT includes different sections with different time allocation for each subset.

Moreover, the PCAT exam comprises quantitative, verbal, critical thinking, comprehension, and writing skills. Students will get four hours, which also includes a single short break of fifteen minutes. Similarly, you will have to attempt the PCAT on a dedicated computer. Applicants can take PCAT throughout the year. Furthermore, potential test-takers should be aware of the fact that the PCAT seating arrangement is on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The PCAT exam is of utmost vitality when it comes to the pharmacy students. Students should optimistically view the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) as just another standardized test to reduce the anxiety and pressure before and during the exam. Luckily, like other standardized tests, you can ace PCAT through rigorous preparation and the correct mindset.

What is the Purpose of PCAT?

The objective of the PCAT is to identify a standard method of evaluation for applicants’ skill that helps pharmacy schools finalize their admission decisions. Students need critical skills to enter and thrive in the first-year of pharmacy colleges. Each subject matter is a crucial aspect of the pharmacy school curriculum. Though the PCAT might come across similar to other standardized tests, it is relatively more extensive, difficult, and complicated than others.

History of Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT)

During 1973, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) carried out a study of pharmacy admissions processes. Consequently, the study found that many pharmacy schools created their separate admissions criteria, selecting the Applicants who meet the requirements.

Concurrently, only 82% of the pharmacy colleges showed interest in introducing and implement admissions test-related specifically to pharmaceutical education. Eventually, the AACP decided to launch a national-level test that would be in the interest of the students and pharmacy colleges.

In 1973, the first PCAT standards were set. In a single year, PCAT admissions raised to 1,600 applicants during 1974. Since then, the same test has been through periodic revisions to perfect the content structure. One of the most noticeable changes was implemented amidst 1999 when the PCAT Advisory Committee offered a move that the basis of numerous prerequisites of pharmacy colleges.

The inclusion of the essay component was inevitable because most of the schools had their essay evacuation. Ultimately, the PCAT underwent revisions for many more years. For instance, the essay component became a permanent operational section in 2005.

Design of the Test

The PCAT or the Pharmacy College Admissions Test evaluates the applicants’ capabilities required to succeed in pharmacy schools. As of now, most of the AACP institutions have established the standard of the PCAT to get admission into pharmacy degree programs.

Interestingly, the test focuses on compatibility. It means as you work through every section, you might find it more viable first to answer the easier questions. Subsequently, you can skip certain questions that deserve attention at the end of the test.

Remember, the entirety of the PCAT exam comprises unique subtests of operational elements that are utilized to find out test-takers’ overall strengths and weaknesses (scores).

When You Should Take the Test

So long as you have prepared for the PCAT exam, winter is considered an ideal time of the year to take the test. And even if you apply in the summer, you can attempt it in the winter. It means you will have the opportunity to retake the test in late spring or summer.

However, if you feel like you haven’t yet reached your desired goals. Maintain a regular practice session for each section of the PCAT exam. You don’t have to dive into all sections at once. Instead, the best course of action for applicants would be to focus on one or two sections and then move on to another section. Similarly, you can time the section as per your strengths and weaknesses and create a realistic timeline to attempt the PCAT exam.

Whether you intend retake or take the test for the first time, your underlying goal is to memorize and remember what you gradually learn. The trick is to review your progress consistently and practice harder.

Current Eligibility Requirement

Anyone who wants to apply to a pharmacy college or school can attempt the PCAT exam. The performance of the applicants on the PCAT is utilized as an accepted standard for reputable schools. It practically represents an applicant’s entire workplace readiness.

If you intend to register to a pharmacy college, PCAT is as good as it gets. The better you perform on your PCAT, the more chances of acceptance you will have into prominent schools and colleges. In hindsight, PCAT represents the overall aptitude of the applicants.

Special Accommodations

Applicants can have individual special accommodations. However, the PCAT Customer Relations should pre-approve you by before scheduling with your test center. As long as you get approval, you can plan your exam date, time, and geographical location. When you schedule your PCAT, do not forget to relay it to the respective accommodations coordinator that you want special accommodation.

General Overview of PCAT Score

Your score report will comprise six different scores. In addition, that means one for every section of the PCAT and a composite score. You will get five multiple-choice sections, such as Biology, Chemistry, Critical Thinking, Comprehension, and Quantitative Reasoning. Naturally, high scores represent the total number of correct answers.

Primarily, the checker will measure your raw or initial score in terms of scale score, which ranges from 200 to 600. Measurement of the composite score is according to the average scaled score on every multiple-choice section. Remember, pharmacy colleges will collectively conduct a comparative analysis of your section and composite score.

In addition, two graders will review your scores on average and separately score your writing sample. Ultimately, you will get a score on a scale of 1-6. Apart from your scaled scores, you will get your percentile ranking for composite score and every other section. For instance, if you managed to achieve a percentile score of 60, it means you scored more than 60% than other applicants.

What is the Passing PCAT Score?

The scale of scoring for the PCAT ranges from 200 to 600, with the median scale range of 400. If you, for instance, achieve the 90th percentile, it means a score of 430. The fact remains, most of the pharmacy schools need applicants to score higher than average on their PCAT exam to seriously review admission application. Your task should be to research the preferable pharmacy school’s requirements before you decide to apply.

Once you’ve completed your test, you will get the choice to get rid of your scores. If you believe the current scores will not properly reflect your skills, you can select the “no score option.” However, if you think you did great and feel comfortable with the attempt, you can stay with your scores. After you decide to stick with your current scores, you will get an unofficial score report.

There’s no need to have immediate panic once you complete your test. And that’s because your official PCAT scores take about five weeks to release from the day of the exam. Subsequently, you can review your official PCAT scores online for the entire year. Your official scores will have validation of five years.

How to Verify and Send Scores?

If you believe that your official PCAT scores are faulty or incorrect, you can decide to re-score your multiple-choice sections and the writing section immediately. This decision is applicable when your official scores are released. Therefore, you can only request for re-scoring before m 60 days after the test.

For most students, the 60 days isn’t a short window, but if you genuinely believe that your scores are miscalculated, don’t wait for more than you should and file in the request. Besides, the PCAT facilitates applicants to send scores to three different schools or colleges without any charge. Therefore, the colleges or schools you wish to get your scores must be listed before registration.

Students often fail to consider that once they register, you practically cannot update or discard colleges or schools from the list. You can, on the other hand, send your scores to other colleges or schools for an added fee.

What You Should Know Before the Exam

• Master the Basics of the PCAT

Practice five sections of the PCAT as much as you can. The more you practice, the more you’ll be aware of your strengths and weaknesses.

• Attitude Adjustment and Experimentation

Sure, applicants have the freedom to take the PCAT exam several times. However, it shouldn’t impair your judgment to perform well during the first attempt. Therefore, don’t prepare in a manner to inevitably retake the test.

Instead, prepare as if you were going to attempt the test once and for all. Focus on your strengths and adopt a method that should help you practice more often.

• Finish Your Syllabus

Please don’t make the mistakes like most applicants who get ahead of themselves preparing for the PCAT. It means don’t jump around and finish each subject area. For instance, complete your study requirements and practice on Biology I and II, and only then move on to the General Chemistry I and II or Calculus.

• Don’t Postpone Coursework 

Students should get ahead of the curve and attempt the PCAT at the early stages. It’ll allow you to retake the exam when you expect unsatisfactory performance.

• Evaluate Different Study Guides

The internet is practically swarming with different types of PCAT exam study guides. It would be best if you got the study guide with practice questions that provide you an insight into different kinds of question formats of the exam.

• Find Out Your Weak Areas

So long as you are studying as a pharmacist, there’s a good chance your syllabus includes more science than liberal arts. Thus, prepare for the subject areas you haven’t had the opportunity to practice for a long time.

• What are Your Study Habits?

No matter how good your IQ is, attempting the PCAT without preparation is a bad idea. In fact, even the minimal preparation often comes across as overwhelming for first-time applicants.

To study extensively, find out the ways that accelerate your level of concentration. Therefore, find out if you prefer to study alone or in a group.

If you, for instance, are getting distracted after every 15-20 minutes, Plan a day where you can study in 15-20 minute intervals.

• Create a Balance

Successful applicants who scored perfectly on their PCAT exam are known to study 90 minutes daily for an entire month before the test. Now, it might sound too demanding, but you’ll get the scores of your dreams. Besides, a 20-25 minute daily study schedule isn’t going to cut it. 

Naturally, you don’t want 24-hour exhausting sessions just before the time of the exam. Also, it is better to eat healthily and get a full night’s sleep to reduce anxiety and stress before the PCAT exam.

PCAT Structure

• Writing: Single prompt
• Biological Process: 48 Questions.
  • General Biology: 50%
  • Microbiology: 20%
  • Human Anatomy and Physiology: 30%
• Chemical Processes: 48 Questions.
  • General Chemistry: 50%
  • Organic Chemistry: 20%
  • Basic Biochemistry: 30%

• Critical Reading: 48 Questions.
  • Comprehension: 30%
  • Analysis: 40%
  • Evaluation: 30%

• Quantitative Reasoning: 48 Questions.
  • Pre-Calculus: 14 – 18%
  • Algebra: 25%
  • Statistics and Probability: 18%
  • Basic Mathematics: 25%