PCAT Test Practice 2023
Pharmacy College Admission Test

What is PCAT Exam?

The Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) is a standardized exam designed to assess the skills, talents, and aptitudes that pharmacy colleges consider necessary for success in their programs. In order to ensure the PCAT’s ongoing relevance and worth in measuring the prerequisite knowledge and skills of applicants for admission to pharmacy schools, the exam content is reviewed and revised on a regular basis to ensure that it accurately reflects current pharmacy program prerequisite requirements in the sciences, math, and language arts.

PCAT Registration and Schedule

The Pharmacy Admission Test is a specialist exam that assists in identifying suitable applicants to pharmacy schools. The test assesses overall academic skills as well as scientific knowledge required for the start of pharmaceutical school.

  • Go to PCATweb.info
  • Create your user account
  • Schedule your exam date, time & location

Take the PCAT Preparation Test Online!

PCAT Cost

Registration

$210.00

Late Registration

$49.00 (non-refundable)

Additional Score Report

$20.00

Additional Official Transcript

$20.00 (each)

Verification

$40.00 (for four multiple-choice subtests)

Rescore

$50.00 (non-refundable, for writing subtest)

Note: All PCAT fee payments are processed immediately upon receipt. All PCAT fees are subject to change without notice.

 

PCAT Exam Structure and Format

Section
Number of questions
Time
Content
Writing1 Prompt30 MinutesPresents a prompt, or topic, stating a problem that you will be asked to address
by proposing a solution in an original essay
Biological Processes48 Questions40 MinutesGeneral Biology, Microbiology, Human Anatomy and Physiology
Chemical Processes48 Questions40 MinutesGeneral Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Basic Biochemistry Processes
Critical Reading48 Questions50 MinutesComprehension, Analysis, Evaluation
Quantitative Reasoning48 Questions45 MinutesBasic Math, Algebra, Probability & Statistics, Precalculus, Calculus

PCAT Scoring System

The PCAT is graded on a scale of 200 to 600. Your raw PCAT score is determined by the number of multiple-choice questions you correctly answer for each part of the test. There is no penalty for wrong answers, and all multiple-choice questions are worth the same amount—one raw point. That is, whether you have time to completely invest in a topic or not, you should always provide an answer. Never let time run out on any section without answering every question.

The Writing part is graded on a scale of 0 to 6, with 6 being the highest score and 4 being the approximate median. Your essay is graded by two essay graders, who each award a total Writing score based on your proper use of grammar and style, as well as your ability to construct and support a problem solution. The Writing score you earn is an average of the two graders’ scores. It should be noted that if the graders’ ratings differ by more than one point, the essay is scored by a third grader to confirm that the grading follows the standardized rubric.

 

PCAT Study Guide

Take practice tests

Many excellent programs or PCAT practice books include practice tests in the back of the PCAT book or online PCAT prep class. Take as many PCAT practice questions as you possibly can. You may also divide down the tests into sections, so if you’re presently studying the math portion, you can only take the Math section of the practice exam to track your progress.

Every day, study for a few minutes

The main issue with the PCAT is that it contains everything you learned in your first two years of college or all you read for pharmacy school requirements. There is just too much material to try to compress into a few weeks or even a month of study. Plan on studying for the PCAT for three to five months.

Don’t overwhelm yourself

Some students attempt to learn everything possible before the actual PCAT exam date, but trust me when I say that it is just not feasible. You can try as hard as you want, but you will fail. The greatest advice I can give you regarding studying for the PCAT is to focus your efforts on the subjects that are the most difficult for you or take the longest to complete. That was math and chemistry for me, so I spent a lot of time studying problems and watching videos to help me understand the topic.

 

PCAT Practice Test PDF

PCAT is a mandatory part of the pharmacy school application process. Understanding the building elements of life and how they function in the human body is essential for understanding drugs and their effects. The Pharmacy College Admission Test’s Biology section tests students’ knowledge and understanding of biological processes and systems. If you want to learn more about PCAT biology, look for the PCAT sample test PDF and PCAT study guide PDF. We provide a free PCAT test to help you prepare for the exam.

 

PCAT Questions and Answers

It takes around four and a half hours to finish the PCAT, including a break.

The PCAT assesses your fundamental scientific knowledge, math skills, verbal, reading comprehension, and writing abilities, as well as your general critical thinking abilities.

The exam’s multiple-choice sections will be given a raw score depending on how many questions you answered correctly. After that, the raw score will be transformed into a scaled scoring range. The PCAT is graded on a range of 200 to 600 points, with 400 being the median score. A 430 is normally the 90th percentile.

PCAT results are kept on file for 5 years from the date of testing.

PCAT is just as difficult as you let it. You’ll learn techniques for passing the PCAT as you get more familiar with its content and structure.

The test is divided into five sections, each with 192 multiple-choice questions and one writing prompt.

The PCAT registration fee is $210, and it may be paid online or by mail.

Each day, you should answer 8 to 10 questions from each topic and study them. Time yourself while answering questions.

Plan out your study schedule at least a few months ahead of time. Throughout your studies, use practice tests to discover your areas of weakness and assess your test-taking preparation. Concentrate more on chemistry and biology, as these subjects are important in pharmacy school. Make sure you set out time to go over the things you studied before. To prepare for the PCAT, use PCAT study guides and materials supplied by study programs.

While the prerequisites for each pharmacy program vary, taking the PCAT before or during the application season for pharmacy graduate programs is a general rule of thumb.

Yes. For the Chemical Processes subtest, a periodic table will be given.

On the PCAT exam, you are not allowed to use a calculator.

The PCAT covers a lot of material and pushes you to recall several years of college study, including calculus, as well as putting your stamina to the test with a long exam.

Using School Code 104, arrange for Pearson to transmit your scores to PharmCAS. On the Standardized Tests page of the application, enter your test details. Make sure to include your PCAT CID number. In order for your official scores to be linked to your application, uploaded to your account, and forwarded to your programs, this must be included. You may check scores associated with your application in the Standardized Tests part of the Check Status tab once it has been processed.

The average scaled scores for each PCAT section are approximately 400, which corresponds to the 50th percentile.

PCAT scores range from 200 to 600, with 200 being the lowest and 600 being the highest. This score excludes the writing part, in which a respondent’s essay is reviewed by two people, who each assess it on a scale of 1-6, and the average.

Before you begin studying, take a lot of practice tests. For seven days, try to study for one hour each day. Examine your prior class notes to refresh your knowledge on PCAT subjects. You should continue to study the areas in which you excel, but you should concentrate more on the ones in which you need to improve. Before the exam day, have a good night’s sleep.

PCAT is required by some pharmacy schools and universities in the United States.

A year of preparation would be overkill for most students. Experts recommend studying for two to six months.

You can take the PCAT up to five times. Additional attempts require authorization in advance.

PCAT registration is done online at PCATweb.info. Fill in your essential details to create a user account. Select the schools to whom you want to send your score reports next. Take note of your CID number, which can be found under the “My profile” page once you’ve completed your registration. Go to Pearson VUE’s website. Using your CID number from the previous site, you must register a new account on this site. You will be able to choose a day and time for your exam once you have created an account.

Yes. The Kaplan PCAT Prep Course is an excellent resource with a lot of knowledge, sample examinations, and questions.

You’ll need a score over the 50th percentile to be considered competitive.

You must bring TWO kinds of original identification, one primary and one secondary. Actual identification must be present and valid; photocopies or expired identification will not be accepted.

No. PCAT scores are not required, and if they are sent, Pacific will not consider them.

Log into the PCAT site with your user ID if you need to get your CID.

Within 5 weeks of taking the exam, you will get your PCAT result.

To prepare for the PCAT, you must first understand the test in order to focus on your strengths and weaknesses. Make the most of your practice examinations. Make a daily study schedule. The subjects that cause you the greatest difficulty or take the longest to complete must be studied the most. Get plenty of sleep the night before and don’t stay up late studying.

It’s a good idea to practice with a variety of prompts. Also, work on your typing speed. Carefully read the questions and instructions. Make sure your solutions are not only brief and easy to understand, but also detailed enough to give the reader a sense of your point of view. Make a convincing argument. Stick to the outline while you write to prevent getting off track.

To cover as much material as possible, you must adjust your study strategy properly. Take, for example, PCAT study books and flashcards, which are widely available. Make an effort to recall whatever you may have forgotten. You should think about your academic background and learning style.

The PCAT test does not include a physics subject.

Yes. With the exception of two free-form essays, all PCAT questions are multiple-choice.

The PCAT is not required, however it might help you enhance your application if you take it.

This standardized test assesses a test taker’s overall academic skills as well as scientific knowledge required for a career in pharmacy.

Some pharmacy schools don’t require PCAT are California Health Sciences University , California Northstate University , Idaho State University , Keck Graduate Institute , Lebanese American University, Loma Linda University , Manchester University , Marshall B. Ketchum University , Northeastern University , Ohio Northern University , Oregon State University , Pacific University, Purdue University , South Dakota State University , South Georgia State College , St. John’s University , Touro University, University of California San Diego , University of California San Francisco , University of Findlay , University of Massachusetts , University of Rhode Island , University of Southern California , University of the Pacific , Washington State University , West Coast University and Western University of Health Sciences.

The PCAT will be offered on one or more occasions in July, September, October, January, February, March, and April.

In the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Qatar, Pearson exam centers offer the PCAT.

For acing the test, there are tons of books and study tools. Kaplan’s PCAT Prep, Test Prep Books PCAT Prep Book, Mometrix PCAT Prep Book, Mometrix PCAT Exam Flashcard Study System, and Barron’s Pharmacy College Admissions Test Prep are some of the best PCAT prep books.