looking for advice

[sunshao]

Hi so I took the PCAT today and my preliminary report is as follows:
verbal: 38
Bio: 84
Readng:75
Quant: 96
Chem: 91
Composite: 88

my current gpa is around 2.8-2.9 and I feel that I can get 3.0 if I try hard next semester and get good grades. My question is should I retake cause of the really bad verbal? Problem is idk if I will be able to pull the good scores I got on the other sections. I want to apply to pharm schools in Florida

thanks in advance

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[mbpuffer]

Great job on math and chemistry! How did you study for the PCAT this time? What would you have done differently for verbal if you were to retake the PCAT? I know most schools focus on bio and chem out of the 5 subsections.

 

[AlPacino]

An 88 on the PCAT is an excellent score. Get your GPA in the 3.0+, have some solid LORs, and a strong personal statement and your likely to get some interviews. I recommend you to apply early! You have a better chance of getting accepted when there are 200 seats as opposed to 20.

 

[NejixRockS]

what pharmacy schools in Florida? For UF, things might be a lil bit tight cause of your GPA, but I think you got a shot with every other school. In my case I want to go to NOVA Getting things ready to send my PharmCAS application soon!

 

[AlPacino]

A 2.8-2.9 sGPA and a PCAT of 88, is an automatic interview for Nova as long as you apply early in the application cycle. My PCAT was nowhere near that high and I got in their first round of interviews.

 

[sunshao]

I would like to stay local so NOVA would be it, but I am getting my bachelor's from USF so it would be nice to stay there too.

I studied the PCAT using Dr collins and the only thing I would change would be to find a way to improve my ability to do analogies and maybe study some more lol

 

[NejixRockS]

I will be applying to both NOVA and USF too! we might end up being classmates

 

[Darius]

Hi,
I took PCAT yesterday and my preliminary score report is as follows:
Verbal: 43
Biology: 99
Chemistry: 99
Reading: 12
Quant A: 88
Composite:96
Do you guys think I can be accepted in UT Austin? Do You think I need to retake it because of low RC score?By the way, I have already got PhD in Biochemistry and done a postdoctoral fellowship in molecular pharmacology at NYU medical center.

 

[sunshao]

verbal I can understand the low score cause the analogies are hit and miss, but idk how ppl can get really low reading scores. Why was it so hard? I was taken aback cause they didn't look like the collins practice exams, but I still did good. Also u should check if they take low reading scores cause ur sciences are very strong! Not surprised though with a PhD in biochem it must have been a cake walk for u

 

[oldstock]

Hi,
I took PCAT yesterday and my preliminary score report is as follows:
Verbal: 43
Biology: 99
Chemistry: 99
Reading: 12
Quant A: 88
Composite:96
Do you guys think I can be accepted in UT Austin? Do You think I need to retake it because of low RC score?By the way, I have already got PhD in Biochemistry and done a postdoctoral fellowship in molecular pharmacology at NYU medical center.

your composite of 96 is nothing but excellent imho. I think you will be accepted with all those great stats.

But I would be careful about that reading @ 12 percentile (and even that verbal score @ 43) as that would be red flag to adcom as they would examine your composite/sub scores in perspective. If you put yourself in adcom's shoes you would understand that is unusual scores (read superlow) for a person with a PhD, let alone a PhD in Biochem with a post doc fellowship in Mol Bio. If you agreed with me this far, then I guess you would know what to do

 

[owlbright]

Really? Years ago I had a Chinese roommate who got PhD in molecular pharmacology at NYU medical center.
He applied to pharmacy schools as well but ended up in medical school. I think you should follow his path. MD/PhD is awesome!

Hi,
I took PCAT yesterday and my preliminary score report is as follows:
Verbal: 43
Biology: 99
Chemistry: 99
Reading: 12
Quant A: 88
Composite:96
Do you guys think I can be accepted in UT Austin? Do You think I need to retake it because of low RC score?By the way, I have already got PhD in Biochemistry and done a postdoctoral fellowship in molecular pharmacology at NYU medical center.

 

[lewinski123]

I have a lower reading percentile. My reading part came after my chemistry part. I did great on chemistry and put a lot of energy towards that section. I was exhausted after the chemistry part and I didn't take a break. I kinda felt uncomfortable at the testing center, so I wanted to get it done. I wish I took a break tho. I took the whole test without a break. I don't believe my reading percentile reflected my aptitude because I have received AP credit in the past for Language and Literature exams, and I have written scientific manuscripts for Genetics.

 

[sunshao]

I had to take the break cause I too was exhausted. I used the washroom had a quick snack and washed my eyes so I could go to the reading section refreshed. That break is like a god send cause idk how I would have done without it

 

[raeon21]

Hi,
I took PCAT yesterday and my preliminary score report is as follows:
Verbal: 43
Biology: 99
Chemistry: 99
Reading: 12
Quant A: 88
Composite:96
Do you guys think I can be accepted in UT Austin? Do You think I need to retake it because of low RC score?By the way, I have already got PhD in Biochemistry and done a postdoctoral fellowship in molecular pharmacology at NYU medical center.

I had a friend of mine who had a little bit lower score on Verbal than you but 70ish on RC and 98ish on Math. Everything else nearly close to your score. He didn't even get interview offer from UT. He said that UT looks at your RC and Verbal too. If I were you, I would retake it on September!

 

[Darius]

I had a friend of mine who had a little bit lower score on Verbal than you but 70ish on RC and 98ish on Math. Everything else nearly close to your scote. He didn't even get interview offer from UT. He said that UT looks at your RC and Verbal too. If I were you, I would retake it on September!

Hi thanks for your help, I wonder what was her/his composite please?

 

[Thestrugglez]

I am in a similar situation as OP. I took my PCAT in July and got my prelim scores
Verbal: 82
Biology: 69
Chemistry: 95
QA: 97
Reading: 97
Comp: 96

I am hoping that my low biology score can be justified by the fact that the only biology classes I have are General Bio 1&2, as well as Biochem at the time that I took the test.


However, my overall gpa is low (~2.9-3.0 cumulative, but 2.6 science due to upper level chemistry courses. A lot higher though if the university does grade replacement or only looks at pharm pre-reqs. ~3.1-3.2), although my undergrad was a top 20 school (so maybe that gives me some leeway? Not sure).

If my I have strong recs, strong research background, decent ECs, but lacking in pharmacy experience other than some shadowing, (but planning to take my PTCE in 2 weeks), how competitive would I be for some of the top or mid-tier Texas schools such as UT, Texas Tech, UH, or A&M?

And do these schools look strongly at your science gpa in upper level classes?

 

[raeon21]

Hi thanks for your help, I wonder what was her/his composite please?

I think he had 90+ composite.

 

[DENDEN#88]

How were the questions? Were they similar to the ones in the kaplan textbook? Which areas would you advise to focus on?

 

[DENDEN#88]

By the way congrats on ur scores

 

[DENDEN#88]

And all the best applying to school

 

[Darius]

I think he had 90+ composite.

There must be something wrong with that. Coz if his composite score was that high and his science scores were that much strong, he should have been interviewed!!!!

 

[lewinski123]

UT C/O 2019!

 

[Mur7ay]

Hi so I took the PCAT today and my preliminary report is as follows:
verbal: 38
Bio: 84
Readng:75
Quant: 96
Chem: 91
Composite: 88

my current gpa is around 2.8-2.9 and I feel that I can get 3.0 if I try hard next semester and get good grades. My question is should I retake cause of the really bad verbal? Problem is idk if I will be able to pull the good scores I got on the other sections. I want to apply to pharm schools in Florida

thanks in advance

If I was you, I wouldn't take it again.. I didn't have 4.0 gpa and didn't do that great on the pcat but I heard and received an interview with every school I applied to except one. Several people I talked to in pharmacy school applied several times while I got in the first time around so I think all the extra curricular activities had helped me.

 

[Mur7ay]

Hi so I took the PCAT today and my preliminary report is as follows:
verbal: 38
Bio: 84
Readng:75
Quant: 96
Chem: 91
Composite: 88

my current gpa is around 2.8-2.9 and I feel that I can get 3.0 if I try hard next semester and get good grades. My question is should I retake cause of the really bad verbal? Problem is idk if I will be able to pull the good scores I got on the other sections. I want to apply to pharm schools in Florida

thanks in advance

So try to raise your gpa to at least a 3.0 and get some leadership roles.

 

[Darius]

So try to raise your gpa to at least a 3.0 and get some leadership roles.

Thanks man, I am a permanent resident of US and completed my PhD in Biochemistry in UK and postdoctoral fellowship in molecular pharmacology at NUY medical center. By the way, I have worked as assistant professor of clinical biochemistry in Iran for two years. Do you think this would be enough ( Considering that PCAT scores and having many scientific papers published in the prestigous journals) to get in UT?
Cheers man

 

[sunshao]

So try to raise your gpa to at least a 3.0 and get some leadership roles.

ok I will try. Can't do the leadership thing since I am a senior and just recently decided to pursue pharmacy(used to be premed), but I have been an active member in preprofessional clubs such as prepharmacy and ppms