This is part 5 of a series breaking down the Pharmacy College Admission Test.
So be sure to stay tuned in to the blog to get a full breakdown of the PCAT!
Today’s topic is the Writing section, which is the very first stop come PCAT day.
You will have 30 minutes to respond to one writing prompt on a
contemporary issue; your score is based on your
conventions of language and problem solving capacities.
Below are the three different types of issues you may face. Keep in mind you will not require additional research or too much previous knowledge on the specific subject of the prompts; rather they are testing you on your writing and problem solving abilities.
You will be using a basic word processing interphase with tools like Copy, Cut, and Paste but no things such as Spell Check or Grammar Check. Proper use of grammar is essential; don’t let silly writing errors be your downfall here.
The Writing section can seem like a difficult section to prepare for but with the right tools you can really hone your skills. With PCAT Cracker you get access to challenging prompts with a 30-minute timer right on the screen just like the real PCAT. Then at the end you will have the rubric used in grading the writing sections to self-evaluate and better your writing scores!
With this specialized training setting you not only are practicing with something that looks and feels like the real thing but with the rubric you’ll also be able to identify any holes in your argument and strategize your improvements.
Come PCAT day you will be presented with an issue and are asked how to solve the problem so you’ll need to try and give clear and concise solution ideas. Practice is key. Remember to keep your response organized and free grammatical errors that can tank your score!
Check out this sample prompt to give you an idea of the kind of health issues that can be presented:
