Prep - Kaplan PCAT 2016-2017 Strategies, Practice and Review with 2 Practice Tests

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Log in to Kaplans PCAT online companion to access two full-length practice tests. You will be asked for a password derived from the text to access the online companion, so have your book available.

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The material in this book is up-to-date at the time of publication. However, the test makers may release more information on test changes after this book is published. All test changes are posted at kaplanpcat.com/testchange. Be sure to read carefully the materials you receive when you register for the test. If there are any important late-breaking developmentsor any changes or corrections to the Kaplan test preparation materials in this bookwe will post that information online at kaptest.com/publishing.

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If you are an international student hoping to attend a pharmacy school in the United States, Kaplan can help you explore your options. Here are some things to think about:

• If English is not your first language, most pharmacy schools will require you to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or provide some other evidence that you are proficient in English.
• Plan to take the PCAT. The majority of U.S. pharmacy schools require it.
• Begin the process of applying to pharmacy schools at least 12 months before the fall of the year you plan to start your studies. Most programs only have September start dates.
• You will need to obtain an I-20 Certificate of Eligibility from the school you plan to attend if you intend to apply for an F-1 Student Visa to study in the United States.
• If youve already completed a pharmacy degree outside the United States, get information from U.S. schoolssome may have special programs for international graduates of pharmacy.

For more information, visit kaptestglobal.com.

• Sign up for your PCAT Online Companion at kaptest.com/PCAT1617, which will give you access to your PCAT practice tests and their answers and explanations.
• Familiarize yourself with Kaplans Introduction to the PCAT and Studying Effectively recommendations.
• Create a plan to study the Writing, Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Critical Reading, and Quantitative Reasoning sections, using the end-of-chapter practice questions to assess your progress.
• When you are ready, take your first 4-hour, online PCAT Practice Test (available at kaplanpcat.com after you register for your PCAT Online Companion) to simulate the computer-based test-taking experience. Review your performance thoroughly. Use the recommendations from Kaplans Smart Reports to help prioritize what you will need to do to improve your score.
• Take the second 4-hour, online PCAT Practice Test (also available at kaplanpcat.com after you register for your PCAT Online Companion). Compare your results on this test with your performance on the previous test. Continue to use Kaplans Smart Reports to determine what you need to do to improve.

Section I

Chapter One

The Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) is a component of a complete application for admission to most pharmacy schools in the United States and Canada. The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) endorses the PCAT as the official preferred admissions test for entrance to pharmacy school. Scores earned by examinees are an important part of the pharmacy school admissions process because they provide a common factor for schools to use in comparing applications for admission. Your Kaplan program is designed to launch you along the path to your career in pharmacy by helping you achieve the best score possible on the PCAT.

The PCAT is likely different from any other test you encountered in your academic career. It is unlike the knowledge-based exams common in high schools and colleges that emphasize memorizing information; pharmacy schools can assess your academic prowess by looking at your transcript instead. The PCAT is not even like other standardized tests that focus on proving your general skills. Pharmacy schools use PCAT scores to assess whether you possess the foundation upon which to build a successful pharmacy career. Though you certainly need to know the content to do well, the focus is on thought processes. The PCAT emphasizes reasoning, critical thinking, reading comprehension, data analysis, and problem-solving skills.

The PCATs power comes from its use as an indicator of your abilities: Good scores can open up many opportunities for you. Your power comes from preparation and mindset. The key to PCAT success is knowing what you are up against. Thats where this book helps. Youll learn the philosophy behind the test, review the sections one by one, attempt sample questions, master Kaplans proven methods, and understand what the test makers really want. Youll get a handle on the process, find a confident new perspective, and achieve your highest possible scores.

The PCAT should be viewed as an opportunity to show pharmacy schools who you are and what you can do, just like any other part of your application. Take control of your PCAT experience.

The PCAT is developed by Pearson Education, Inc. and is administered at Pearson VUE testing centers. The official PCAT website, where you can learn more about the PCAT and register to take the test, is at http://pcatweb.info. While there, download and read the PCAT Candidate Information Booklet, which contains detailed information about registration and the Test Day experience.

As of July 2011, the PCAT is administered exclusively on the computer and on test dates primarily in January, July, and September. In recent years, test dates with limited seating also have been added in October and November. To check in for your testing session, you will need your admission ticket (emailed to you as confirmation of your registration) and two forms of valid, nonexpired identification with signature, one of which must be government-issued and contain a photograph of you, such as a drivers license, passport, state ID, or military ID. The first and last names on your admission ticket must match your personal IDs exactly; however, IDs with only middle initial or with no middle name included will be accepted. At the testing center, a new photo, signature, and palm scan will be recorded as part of routine security procedures.

Although the PCAT is a computer-based test, most of the functionality is similar to a pencil-and-paper test. No strike-through or highlighting capabilities are provided. Essays are typed with minimal editing functionality; copy, cut, and paste are available, but spell-check and grammar-check are not. The PCAT is not an adaptive test in which subsequent questions or sections are harder or easier depending on whether the examinee answers them correctly or not; instead, everyone taking the PCAT on the same day sees roughly the same test.

During the test, time is kept via a countdown timer in the corner of the screen. You will not be allowed to wear a watch and may not have access to a clock. One 15-minute rest break is scheduled for the middle of the test. You may take additional breaks with the permission of the proctor, but the test timer will continue running, and you will lose that time. Even if you are not at the computer, the test will continue to run itself, and successive sections will start automatically if time for the previous section has elapsed.