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What is the PCAT®?

Everything you need to know about the test, scores, and sections.

About the PCAT

The Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) is designed to examine the skills and abilities needed to excel and succeed in pharmacy school. Currently, the overwhelming majority of AACP institutions require the PCAT for admission to pharmacy degree programs.

Your PCAT Score

Your score report will includes scores for each section of the test including: Verbal Ability, Biology, Chemistry, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Ability. Your initial "raw score" is converted to a scaled score ranging from 200-600. Your composite score is calculated by taking the average of your scaled score on each multiple choice section.

Your writing sample is scored separately by two graders, whose scores are averaged on a scale from 1-6. In addition, you will receive your percentile rank for each section and for your composite score. The composite percentile rank is the number students use when discussing their PCAT scores.

What's a Good PCAT Score?

The PCAT is scored on a scale from 200-600 with the median being a 400. The 90th percentile is typically a 430. Many pharmacy schools require that you score above a particular level on your exam in order to be considered as a candidate for admissions.

Read more about good PSAT scores, score ranges, and more.

What's Tested on the PCAT?

Writing

Discuss a solution to a given world problem

30 mins

Biological Process

48 questions:
General Biology, Microbiology, Anatomy & Physiology

45 mins

Chemical Processes

48 questions:
General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Biochemistry

45 mins

Break

Rest and recharge!

15 mins

Critical Reading

48 questions:
6 passages, 8 questions per passage

50 mins

Quantitative Reasoning

48 questions:
Basic Math, Algebra, Probability & Statistics, Precalculus, Calculus

50 mins

[ GOOD TO KNOW: PCAT Question Strategies ]

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