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Retirement of the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT)

  • 1.  Retirement of the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT)

    Posted 12-06-2022 12:40 PM
    RE: Retirement of the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT)

    On behalf of AACP and Pearson, we regret to announce that the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) and PCAT Practice Tests will be retired in 2024 due to current market conditions and the decline in the use of the PCAT. The final PCAT testing cycle will be offered during the 2023–2024 (next) admissions cycle on the following dates: 

    • July 6, 2023
    • October 16–27, 2023
    • January 3–9, 2024 
    Applicants in the 2022–2023 (current) admissions cycle will be unaffected. Applicants who take the PCAT during the 2023–2024 (next) cycle will have fewer testing date options; however, the testing and reporting process through Pearson will remain the same. No PCAT testing dates will be offered during the 2024–2025 admissions cycle or beyond. All test-takers may continue to request Official Transcripts and Personal Score Reports through the Pearson website until February 2026. Related announcements for students will be posted in a few days on the Pearson, PharmCAS, and AACP websites.

    Both organizations are grateful for the long-standing and successful partnership. AACP first established the PCAT Advisory Committee to work with The Psychological Corporation (now Pearson) to develop a norm-referenced standardized test in 1973. The PCAT was first administered for admissions purposes in 1974. Important changes to the test content and structure were implemented over time to better meet the evolving needs of the Academy and included the addition of an essay, changes to the test blueprint, and transition to computer-based testing. Current and past members of the PCAT Advisory Committee were instrumental in advocating for these changes. We greatly appreciate their outstanding leadership, dedication, and insights over the years.

    If you have additional questions, please contact PCAT Customer Relations at Scoring.Services@Pearson.com or AACP staff at cas@aacp.org. 

    Lee Vermeulen                                            
    Executive Vice President and CEO
    American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
    703-739-2330
    lvermeulen@aacp.org

    Clay Richey
    Vice President, Global Portfolio Management and Delivery
    Pearson Clinical Assessment
    210-339-5353
    clay.richey@pearson.com