The PCAT has been retired: what pharmacy applicants need to know
Last checked October 15, 2026 · Sources: AACP PCAT resources, AACP and Pearson retirement announcement, AACP final-window reminder and PharmCAS
The PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test) was retired on January 10, 2024, and you can no longer take it. Its final test window ran January 3 to 9, 2024, and no test dates have been offered since. If you’re applying to pharmacy school now, check each school’s required tests on PharmCAS instead of preparing for this exam.
Can I still take the PCAT?
No. The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), which sponsored the test, says no testing dates will be offered in the 2024-2025 admissions cycle or beyond. AACP and Pearson, which ran the exam, retired the official practice tests at the same time. Any site still advertising upcoming dates or registration is out of date.
Retirement timeline
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1974 | First given for pharmacy admissions, after AACP set up an advisory committee with The Psychological Corporation (now Pearson) in 1973 |
| July 6, 2023 | Test date in the final 2023-2024 cycle |
| October 16-27, 2023 | Test window in the final cycle |
| January 3-9, 2024 | Final test window |
| January 10, 2024 | Test retired |
| December 2024 | Deadline AACP and PharmCAS now give for requesting official transcripts and score reports from Pearson |
| February 2026 | Deadline given in AACP and Pearson’s original announcement |
Sources: AACP and Pearson announcements on AACP Connect; AACP resources page. Checked October 15, 2026.
Why was it retired?
In their joint announcement, AACP and Pearson said they retired the test because of current market conditions and declining use. Pharmacy schools had been moving toward holistic and test-optional admissions, and AACP’s resources page includes a Pearson report on test bias and fairness written in that context. Applicants already in the 2022-2023 cycle were unaffected, and the final 2023-2024 cycle simply had fewer test dates.
Do pharmacy schools still require it?
Not in the sense of needing a new score, since no one can sit the exam. AACP’s page says the test is currently accepted by some U.S. colleges and schools of pharmacy, which matters if you already have scores. Requirements differ by school, so the reliable check is the PharmCAS school directory: AACP points applicants to its Required Tests tab and individual school pages to see what each program asks for.
Can I still get my old scores?
Possibly not. AACP and PharmCAS now say test takers could request official transcripts and personal score reports through Pearson until December 2024. The original retirement announcement gave February 2026 instead. Both dates have passed as of October 2026. If a school accepts your scores and you need them, contact Pearson’s Customer Relations team for the exam (Scoring.Services@Pearson.com, the contact AACP lists) to ask what is still possible.
If you do send scores to a PharmCAS school, AACP says to have Pearson release them to PharmCAS code 104 and to report your candidate ID (CID) on your PharmCAS application.
What to focus on instead
Use the PharmCAS school directory's Required Tests tab and each program's page to see what the schools on your list ask for.
Without an admissions test score to weigh, your coursework, prerequisites and grades carry the academic side of your application.
Most U.S. pharmacy programs take applications through PharmCAS, so learn its deadlines and requirements early.
Once you're through pharmacy school, licensure depends on the NAPLEX and, in most states, a law exam such as the MPJE.
Be cautious about buying prep for this exam. Some older books and courses may still be for sale, but there is no test left to prepare for.
Related guides
The licensing exam after pharmacy school.
→The pharmacy law exam most states require.
→California's pharmacy law exam.
→If a program asks for a graduate admissions test.
→If you're also weighing medical school.
→What the test was
The Pharmacy College Admission Test was a standardized admissions exam built specifically for colleges of pharmacy. AACP describes it as divided into separately timed subtests, plus experimental items that didn’t count toward scores. Pearson developed it as a service for AACP, and it was used for pharmacy admissions for 50 years, from 1974 until its retirement in January 2024.
Common questions about the PCAT
Can I still take the PCAT?
No. AACP says no testing dates have been offered since the final window, January 3 to 9, 2024, and none will be offered in the 2024-2025 cycle or later.
When was the PCAT discontinued?
On January 10, 2024, according to AACP.
Why was the PCAT retired?
AACP and Pearson cited current market conditions and declining use of the test.
Do pharmacy schools still accept PCAT scores?
AACP says some U.S. pharmacy schools currently accept scores. Check each school’s required tests in the PharmCAS school directory.
How do I get my old scores?
AACP and PharmCAS gave December 2024 as the deadline, and an earlier announcement said February 2026. Both have passed, so contact Pearson’s Customer Relations team to ask what’s possible.
We first checked these sources on October 12, 2026 and rechecked them on October 15, 2026. MockTestPrep is independent and is not affiliated with AACP, PharmCAS or Pearson.