Applying for Fall 2012, when to submit PCAT? Help

[Dnic]

Hey everyone,
I plan on applying for the next years cycle, for the entering class of 2012.
I am taking the PCAT on January 22, and I was wondering if I should select schools to go ahead and send my scores to, or should I wait and send them closer to my application cycle? If I had them sent now, I still wouldn't be getting around to my application until the begging which is September I believe.
Any help is appreciated,
Thanks, David.

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[erin0522]

Hey everyone,
I plan on applying for the next years cycle, for the entering class of 2012.
I am taking the PCAT on January 22, and I was wondering if I should select schools to go ahead and send my scores to, or should I wait and send them closer to my application cycle? If I had them sent now, I still wouldn't be getting around to my application until the begging which is September I believe.
Any help is appreciated,
Thanks, David.

Send it to PharmCAS (it's one of the options) . But check the schools you want to apply to; some of them don't use PharmCAS but most of them do. If some of your schools don't go through PharmCAS then you need to select those schools directly in addition to PharmCAS.

 

[Dnic]

Thanks,
When you say PharmCAS are you referring to the option that reads PharmCAS - Watertown, Watertown, MA?

And then only send the additional scores to schools that do not use PharmCAS? Thanks so much

 

[Project2015]

Does PharmCAS accept scores for Fall '12 before apps open June '11?

 

[Iqra]

I think it might be a bit early because the school I am applying to is still taking applications for the Fall 2011 cycle; you should wait for a bit.

 

[seashoreharmony]

I was advised by a prepharm advisor to take PCAT in June and October. After you take PCAT in June, you know your score in early July or so, then you have roughly more than 3 months to prepare and target your weak spots and retake in Oct.
January might be too early, but it's up to you if you want to get PCAT out of the way!

 

[netmag]

Been looking for some clarification on this as well. If someone takes the Jan 22 PCAT with the intent of using the score for the Fall 2012 PharmCAS cycle, what happens to the score? If you don't have an account with PharmCAS and can't open one until the 2012 cycle starts would PharmCAS just ignore or toss it if you had designated them to receive it when you signed up for the Jan 22 PCAT? Would you then have to have Pearson resend it to PharmCAS again in June after you start your PharmCAS account? Thanks in advance for any clarification.

 

[carmel2r]

I believe they still send it to pharmcas even if you dont have a current application open.

It is never to early to take pcat unless you have not taken all the needed prerequistes. If you feel you can do your best on January 22nd date ( and i mean your absolute best ) then take it then. Otherwise if you feel you can do better with more time to study then i would wait.

Also to warn everyone check out pearson site, they have drastically 😡changed testing dates. After Jan 22nd they are only use computer testing I believe and will only offer testing three months in the year.
From the site:
http://www.pearsonassessments.com/h...nity/PostSecondary/Products/pcat/pcathome.htm
2011-2012 CBT Testing Dates

2011
July 20, 27 | September 14, 19, 21, 26, 28​

2012
January 10, 11
​

 

[Electrode]

PharmCAS strictly operates in application cycles. What that means is that they open up their application system for a certain application cycle for a certain period of time, and close it up after that cycle. For example, for this current cycle (Fall 2011), PharmCAS opened up their application system in July or so last year, and will close it up in March/April this year. Then July this year (or thereabout), they will open up their application system again for people applying for the Fall 2012 cycle; and will close it again in March/April of next year. And it goes on & on like that.

However, PharmCAS does not save your application information beyond any current application cycle. In other words, if you fill out your PharmCAS application now for the Fall 2012 cycle, you will be wasting your time & effort. It will all reset to blank spaces when they open up next year's application cycle. Which means filling out your PharmCAS application now will only make sense if it is for this current cycle, which is Fall 2011.

So, if you used PharmCAS to apply for the Fall 2011 cycle & didn't get accepted into any pharmacy school, you will have to re-enter everything you entered before into your PharmCAS, if you intend to re-apply next year.

In the case of PCAT, you're free to take your PCAT anytime you want to, regardless of your (PhramCAS) application cycle. But your PCAT date must not be 4 years older than your intended application cycle. That is simply the average PCAT age range for schools that require PCAT.

I hope that helped🙂

 

[Project2015]

However, PharmCAS does not save your application information beyond any current application cycle.

...


So, if you used PharmCAS to apply for the Fall 2011 cycle & didn't get accepted into any pharmacy school, you will have to re-enter everything you entered before into your PharmCAS, if you intend to re-apply next year.

Not quite true. They do save some information for reapplicants.

 

[Electrode]

Not quite true. They do save some information for reapplicants.

Hmm...I wonder what was so wrong with mine that made it not worth saving.

Accidental discharge maybe?

 

[erin0522]

Thanks,
When you say PharmCAS are you referring to the option that reads PharmCAS - Watertown, Watertown, MA?

And then only send the additional scores to schools that do not use PharmCAS? Thanks so much

Yes this is correct.

And it doesn't matter if your cycle is open yet, you still need to send it there (it will cost extra to send it later). You will have a PCAT CID which you add into your PharmCAS once it is open and it will be sent there.

 

[netmag]

Hmm...I wonder what was so wrong with mine that made it not worth saving.

Accidental discharge maybe?

I asked a friend about that and they said they thought they kept some (all?) of your info as long as you were reapplying for the very next cycle. If you skip an application cycle they discard it. Not sure if that's 100% true but that's what they said they thought PharmCAS did.

 

[Project2015]

They keep some things (e.g., academic coursework but not LORs) if the previous application was e-submitted. There is a special place for reapplicants to create an account for the new cycle.

 

[netmag]

This info helps with clarifying things. I figured it wouldn't be a problem but just wanted to clarify since most people ask about whether it's too late for a PCAT score but not many ask whether it's too early.

Based on this thread it also sounds like you wouldn't have to pay to resend it to PharmCAS in June when you open your 2012 cycle app, correct? My friend says that she thinks Pearson just sends the scores to every place you designate (which would include PharmCAS) whenever the scoring is complete. If so then that would mean that PharmCAS would have to hold onto the scores even though you don't have an account with them yet and then the scores would get added to your account when you sign up for the 2012 cycle application and enter your PCAT CID? Is that how it happens?

 

[xtsukiyox]

Based on this thread it also sounds like you wouldn't have to pay to resend it to PharmCAS in June when you open your 2012 cycle app, correct? (...) then the scores would get added to your account when you sign up for the 2012 cycle application and enter your PCAT CID? Is that how it happens?

I have this exact same question! Thanks for posting netmag!

To put it a slightly different way - If you take the PCAT in January and designate PharmCAS to receive your score, they will send your score to PharmCAS once the score is available. What does PharmCAS do with that score, if you have no active application with them (since 2012 hasn't opened yet)?

I'm still waffling on whether I should pay the late fee and take the PCAT in January (to get it out of the way, as well as to have more time to submit an early, complete app) or June, and if I have to resend, that will definitely tip me to not waste my money with January.

 

[erin0522]

I have this exact same question! Thanks for posting netmag!

To put it a slightly different way - If you take the PCAT in January and designate PharmCAS to receive your score, they will send your score to PharmCAS once the score is available. What does PharmCAS do with that score, if you have no active application with them (since 2012 hasn't opened yet)?

I'm still waffling on whether I should pay the late fee and take the PCAT in January (to get it out of the way, as well as to have more time to submit an early, complete app) or June, and if I have to resend, that will definitely tip me to not waste my money with January.

Correct. PharmCAS just holds it until there is a PCAT CID put into your application (whether it be next cycle or in 2 cycles, etc.).

Also, if you take multiple PCATS, if you only designate PharmCAS for ONE of them, ALL of them will be sent. That happened to me. I took one just for fun and didn't designate it anywhere, but took one again and designated it to PharmCAS and they were both sent. You can't hide tests you've taken; they'll see all of them.

 

[xtsukiyox]

Correct. PharmCAS just holds it until there is a PCAT CID put into your application (whether it be next cycle or in 2 cycles, etc.).

👍 Thanks! 😀