PCAT^® Prep, Self-Paced

After this session you will be able to describe the sections of the PCAT and their scoring systems; formulate a personal study calendar that includes all the necessary actions from now until Test Day; recall and implement the steps of Kaplan's question, answer choice, and computer-based test strategies; describe the format and timing of the Critical Reading section; and recall and implement the steps for reading strategically and classifying Critical Reading question types.

After this session you will be able to describe the format and timing of the Biological Processes section; describe the parts of a cell, including their origins and functions; explain the steps of mitosis and meiosis; describe the stages of embryonic development; explain the steps of cellular respiration and photosynthesis; defend the theory of evolution based on scientific principles; calculate individual and population genetics; and describe and contrast bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.

After this session you will be able to describe the format and timing of the Chemical Processes section; interpret the periodic table and describe the properties of different types of elements; determine the products and rates of radioactive decay; utilize quantum numbers to determine electron configurations; identify molecular dipoles and intermolecular attractions; balance equations and calculate stoichiometric quantities and oxidation numbers; and calculate the energies related to phase changes and thermochemistry.

After this session you will be able to assign and interpret IUPAC names of organic compounds; classify intramolecular bond types and apply them to molecular structures; determine the presence or absence of hybridization and aromaticity in a molecule; identify organic oxidation and reduction reagents and reactions; and determine the reactants, products and mechanisms for the reactions of alcohols and ethers, aldehydes and ketones, and carboxylic acids and their derivatives.

After this session you will be able to describe the format and timing of the Quantitative Reasoning section; identify opportunities to apply Traditional Math, Picking Numbers, Backsolving, Educated Guessing, and Estimation to math problems; calculate basic math problems involving fractions, percentages, decimals, unit conversions, and logarithms; calculate algebra problems using expressions, equations, inequalities, and functions; and analyze the properties of common graphs and figures.

After this session you will be able to recall the structures and functions of the digestive, circulatory, respiratory, and musculoskeletal systems and apply your knowledge of those systems to scenarios involving nutrition, diseases, and drugs.

After this session you will be able to calculate the properties of systems related to reaction and solution equilibriums; calculate measurements and colligative properties of solutions; contrast acid-base theories and calculate the strengths of acids and bases; calculate pH, pOH, pKa, and pKb values; describe titrations and calculate related values, including those of buffer systems; and calculate the properties of ideal and non-ideal gases.

After this session you will be able to determine the properties of the different types of isomers; identify isomers of given molecules; determine the characteristics of substitution, elimination, and addition reactions; and evaluate reactions to determine their types and products.

After this session you will be able to calculate probabilities and statistics, including averages and variances; manipulate vectors using complex and imaginary numbers; calculate limits and use them to determine continuity; solve problems involving algebraic, exponential, and trigonometric functions; and calculate derivatives and integrals.

After this session you will be able to recall the structures and functions of the endocrine, nervous, immune, and excretory systems; apply your knowledge of the above systems to scenarios involving nutrition, diseases, and drugs; and identify tissue types based on microscopic and macroscopic images.

After this session you will be able to predict and evaluate the results of infrared and NMR spectroscopy; identify the properties of lipids; assess the strengths and properties of organic acids and bases; recognize the characteristics of amino acids and proteins; recall the steps of replication, transcription, and translation; and differentiate among the types of genetic mutations.

After this session you will be able to apply Kaplan's strategies for reading passages and answering questions to a wide variety of passage sets; identify wrong answer types for Critical Reading questions; apply alternate strategies when running out of time; recall and implement the steps of Kaplan’s Writing section strategy; implement the strategies you have already learned to any question on the PCAT; and plan your study calendar appropriately so you know what to do from now until Test Day.