How do I Choose the Best PCAT® Study Guides?

The Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT®)is an exam taken by aspiring pharmacy college students in the United States. The test is made up of five different sections and is designed to test the proficiency of pharmacy college applicants in a number of skills relevant to pharmacology, such as chemistry, biology, and reading comprehension. PCAT® study guides are used by those preparing to take the test who would like to earn higher scores. To choose the best PCAT® study guides, it can be helpful to determine in which areas you need the most help, which study guide features are most effective for your test preparation, and the prices of study guides.

Some students might prefer PCAT® study guides that provide an overview of the exam. In this kind of guide, you can expect to find at least one chapter dedicated to each of the test sections. Explanations as to which skills each of the parts is testing and how best to go about determining the answers may also be included in these kinds of guides.

Others who need to concentrate on one or two section in particular may find that PCAT® study guides that focus on particular sections are more helpful. For example, if you need to refresh your memory regarding important principles and formulas that are used in chemistry, you could find a guide that prepares you solely for PCAT® chemistry. The best PCAT® study guides may be texts that are not meant for test takes in particular, but which are meant for individuals who are interested in learning more about a particular subject. Remember that it is important, however, to know which kinds of questions are on the test.

Different PCAT® study guides can offer a variety of features. One of the most common and useful features to many students is the practice test. This is a test that is often times comprised of questions pulled from past exams and questions that are very similar to the ones you can expect to see on the PCAT® that you take. Taking several practice exams can improve your score and can also give you direction in determining which areas or skills you need to improve.

Choosing the best PCAT® study guides may also depend on price. A number of factors determine the cost of a study guide. The retailer of the guide, the publisher, and the size of the book and amount of content inside may affect the price. Some guides that come with CD-ROMs that include software for a computer may be higher priced than other guides without software.