TOLC-F preparation, online and with chemistry at the centre.
The TOLC-F is the Italian admission test for Pharmacy and CTF (Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology) degrees, and it is often underestimated because "it is not medicine". In reality biology and chemistry together weigh 60% of the score, and chemistry, organic included, is where I see the most points lost. Maths and physics weigh little and come with plenty of time: that is where you can recover quickly.
You will find the complete guide, with a week-by-week study plan, in how to prepare for the TOLC-F, or take the free TOLC-F practice test right now, with the real structure and scoring.
Chemistry is where most points are lost.
The students I work with
- Future Pharmacy or CTF students who come from a liceo scientifico (science-focused high school) and only need to consolidate stoichiometry and organic chemistry.
- Students from a classics or languages high school who are strong at biology but weak at chemistry: the riskiest combination for the score.
- Students who have already made a first attempt in May or June and want to recover points in chemistry and physics before the September test.
How it works
- First hour: a short diagnostic test to understand not only what you get wrong, but why.
- Weekly plan: two chemistry + biology lessons, and one a week alternating maths and physics.
- You train logic with a few exercises a day in the last month: there is no theory to study.
- In the last 3-4 weeks, full practice tests reviewed together, question by question.
- Practice tests done directly on the CISIA platform, so the interface is already familiar on test day.
The 5 sections of the TOLC-F, with the real weights.
50 questions in 72 minutes (English excluded), split into five sections with different timings. Biology and chemistry have 15 questions each: they are the real contest. Maths, physics and logic weigh less.
- Biology
- The chemistry of the cell: macromolecules, the cell membrane
- Mendelian genetics and the best-known genetic diseases
- Mitosis and meiosis, nondisjunction
- DNA, RNA and protein synthesis
- Human body systems (cardiorespiratory, digestive, nervous)
- Chemistry
- Atom, electron configuration, periodic table
- Chemical bonding and inorganic nomenclature
- Stoichiometry: moles, limiting reagent, yield
- Acids, bases, pH and chemical equilibria
- Basic organic chemistry: functional groups, isomerism
- Maths
- Algebra: equations and inequalities
- Elementary functions: lines, parabolas, exponential, logarithm
- Basic trigonometry and analytic geometry
- Probability and elementary descriptive statistics
- Physics
- Kinematics and dynamics
- Energy, work and conservation
- Basic thermodynamics
- Basic electricity, waves and geometric optics
- Logic
- Sequences and deductions from premises
- Problems of the "knowing that A, B, C..." type
- No syllabus to study: just training on the format
Structure, number of questions and syllabus can change from one year to the next: always check the official CISIA syllabus for the current year and your university's call for applications.
TOLC-F: frequently asked questions.
Is biology enough, or do I need to get back to chemistry?
No: biology is 30% of the questions, but chemistry is the same 30% and it is where most students lose points. If you are already strong at biology, the extra hour is better invested in chemistry and physics.
How much does organic chemistry matter for the TOLC-F?
You are not asked for complex reaction mechanisms, but you must recognise the main functional groups at a glance (alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, amines, esters). It is the section to invest the most hours in if you come from a classics or languages high school.
How many practice tests do I need before the test?
At least 5-6 full timed practice tests in the month before the test. The TOLC-F is as much a test of time management as of knowledge: knowing the topics is not enough if you do not know when to skip a question and come back to it later.
Do I need to study anything for the logic section?
No: there are 6 questions of pure reasoning (sequences, deductions), with no syllabus to prepare. 30-40 exercises in the month before the test are enough to train for the format.
Can I retake the TOLC-F, or is it better to risk everything in September?
You can retake it at most once a month and the best score among the valid attempts counts. It is worth booking early and making a first attempt in May or June to settle in, then aiming at the second or third once you have seen where you lose points.
Ready to prepare?
We start with a diagnostic practice test. We find out where you really lose points and build the lesson plan around chemistry and biology, the two sections that decide the score.