PCAT

Pharmacy College Admission Test

The Pharmacy College Admission Test, which is administered by Harcourt Assessment, Inc, is the standardized test used by pharmacy schools. The PCAT is a four hour test which contains 240 multiple choice questions and two essays. Around 70 percent of Pharm.D. programs in the United States require applicants to take the PCAT.

There are 7 different subject exams:
Verbal Ability
Biology
Reading Comprehension
Quantitative Ability
Chemistry
Problem Solving (Writing)
Conventions of Language (Writing)

Here is a PCAT Sample Test.

Test Taking Strategies

*Learn how to manage your time in each section. Some sections will require practice going through efficiently such as the Quantitative section.
* Be prepared! Start studying early and relate topics discussed in your pre-requisite classes with your studying for the PCAT.
* Be ready physically and mentally. Dress comfortably (in a way where you can adjust for any testing climate – a thin sweater works well as you can take it off if it gets hot and leave it on if it’s cold), get enough sleep the night before, and eat breakfast.
* Arrive at your test center early.
* Don't make grammar or spelling mistakes on the writing section. Use concise, structured paragraphs to write your essay.
* Answer all of the questions because there is no penalty is given for guesses. Eliminate as many choices as possible before answering questions.
* Do not spend too much time on one question as all questions are weighted the same (unlike some standardized tests). For the multiple choice sections, answer the questions that you are most comfortable with first and reserve time for more difficult questions after you have answered all the questions that you were confident with.

Top PCAT Products

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The following table lists the schools that do not require the PCAT.

The TOEFL or TSE requirement only applies to students who do not speak English as their first language.

These scores are usually sent directly to PharmCAS. If your school does not use PharmCAS, you would need to send scores directly to them.
Pharmacy Schools that do not require the PCAT exam will weigh other aspects of your application, such as GPA, interview performance, and extracurricular activities, more heavily.

INSTITUTION NAME	PCAT	TOEFL - TSE
Albany College of Pharmacy – Albany, NY	Yes	Yes
Albany College of Pharmacy – Colchester, VT	Yes	No
Appalachia, University of	Yes	Yes
Auburn University	Yes	No
Belmont University	Yes	No
Buffalo, University of	Yes	Yes
Butler University	Yes	Yes
California Northstate	No	No
California - San Diego	No	No
California - San Francisco	No	No
Campbell University	Yes	Yes
Charleston, University of	Yes	Yes
Chicago State University	Yes	No
Cincinnati, University of	Yes	Yes
Colorado, University of	Yes	Yes
Creighton University	Yes	Yes
Drake University	Yes	No
East Tennessee State University	Yes	No
Florida, University of	Yes	Yes
Harding, University of	Yes	No
Hawaii-Hilo, University of	Yes	No
Howard University	Yes	No
Illinois, University at Chicago	Yes	Yes
Incarnate Word, University of the	Yes	Yes
Iowa, University of	Yes	No
Kentucky, University of	Yes	Yes
LECOM Bradenton School of Pharmacy	Yes	Yes
LECOM Erie School of Pharmacy	Yes	Yes
Lipscomb University	Yes	Yes
Long Island University	Yes	Yes
Louisiana at Monroe, University of	Yes	No
Maryland, University of	Yes	Yes
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences - Boston MA	No	Yes
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences - Manchester NH	No	Yes
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences - Worcester MA	No	Yes
Mercer University	Yes	No
Michigan, University of	Yes	Yes
Midwestern University - Downers Grove	Yes	No
Midwestern University - Glendale	Yes	No
Minnesota, University of	Yes	Yes
Northeastern Ohio Universities - College of Pharmacy NEOUCOP	Yes	No
New England, University of	Yes	Yes
New Mexico, University of	Yes	No
North Carolina at Chapel Hill	Yes	Yes
Notre Dame of Maryland, College of	Yes	No
Nova Southeastern University	Yes	Yes
Ohio State University	Yes	Yes
Oklahoma, University of	Yes	Yes
Oregon State University	No	No
Pacific, University of the	No	Yes
Palm Beach Atlantic University	Yes	Yes
Pittsburgh, University of	Yes	No
Purdue University	No	No
Samford University	Yes	Yes
Regis University	Yes	Yes
Shenandoah University	Yes	Yes
South University	Yes	No
Southern California, University of	No	No
St. John Fisher College	Yes	Yes
St. Louis College of Pharmacy	Yes	Yes
Temple University	Yes	No
Tennessee, University of	Yes	No
Thomas Jefferson University	Yes	No
Touro College - New York	Yes	Yes
Touro University - California	No	No
Union University	Yes	No
Utah, University of	Yes	Yes
Virginia Commonwealth University	Yes	Yes
Washington, University of	Yes	No
Washington State University	No	No
Wayne State University	Yes	Yes
West Virginia University	Yes	No
Western University	No	Yes
Wingate University	Yes	No
Wyoming, University of	Yes	Yes