Can I still apply with a certain amount of Prereq classes left to take

[Prepharm0425]

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Okay, I have a bachelors degree and I fulfill all Gen Ed requirements that all pharmacy schools ask for, but I still have anywhere from 2-6 prereq classes to finish. I plan to finish everything before admission. I apply in July and I start to take the rest of classes from fall 2012 to summer 2013. The only science prereqs left are Gen Bio 1 and 2 and microbiology, and the rest are Speech, psychology, and microeconomics (although I took macro). Can I apply with so many prereqs left, any input would be great as I am planning to apply to 30-40 schools and I don't want to waste all that money if they won't accept me due to the amount of classes I have left. I am not rich, I just want to get in somewhere, so I have lots of money saved up for this. Also, please note, I have lots of math and science classes under my belt, more than whats expected, and I am hoping they would use that when considering if I have math and science skills, instead of paying attention to what science classes I have not yet completed . Any input would be great, please, I am really stressed out about this now, because I planned on applying this summer for the past year. I already wasted enough time as is, and I don't want to push back pharmacy school for another year.

 

[xtsukiyox]

First, yes, you can apply as long as you will have all the prereqs done before matriculation. Why not do 3 classes a semester, Fall & Spring? Where I live, you can do Micro as long as you've done Gen Bio 1. Have you already done Anatomy & Physiology?

Second, woah - 30-40 classes? Why don't you go make a post in the What Are My Chances thread (stickied at the top of the forum)? Unless your stats are very poor, I would not spend that much money up front. Also, you may want to apply on a "rolling basis" - apply to the first deadlines, wait to see if you get in / get an answer, then apply to later application deadline schools, etc. Supplemental fees & travel could easily multiply the cost.

Third, yes, adcoms seem to like seeing upper division math & science courses completed successfully. This shows you are a successful student.

 

[Prepharm0425]

First, yes, you can apply as long as you will have all the prereqs done before matriculation. Why not do 3 classes a semester, Fall & Spring? Where I live, you can do Micro as long as you've done Gen Bio 1. Have you already done Anatomy & Physiology?

Second, woah - 30-40 classes? Why don't you go make a post in the What Are My Chances thread (stickied at the top of the forum)? Unless your stats are very poor, I would not spend that much money up front. Also, you may want to apply on a "rolling basis" - apply to the first deadlines, wait to see if you get in / get an answer, then apply to later application deadline schools, etc. Supplemental fees & travel could easily multiply the cost.

Third, yes, adcoms seem to like seeing upper division math & science courses completed successfully. This shows you are a successful student.

I have a 3.3 GPA. I really want to get in to pharm school for next year, I have delayed it long enough. I plan on taking the PCAT this July and plan to do very well in it, so technically I can't apply on July an they won't look at my application until September when they receive my PCAT scores.

 

[pharmerbird]

30-40 schools seems excessive to me, especially with a 3.3 GPA and your Bachelor's. Why so many schools?!?!

 

[xtsukiyox]

I think 10+ schools is excessive, myself. Check the stats for the incoming classes - you will be pleasantly surprised, I think. 3.3 is about average (or slightly above) for many schools.

 

[Skawty]

Completeing the application process for 30-40 colleges of pharmacy is unthinkable. Applicants need to be knowledgeable about the schools they apply to in respect to their pre-reqs, program, application and supplemental application deadlines, and why they want to study there. 'Because I really want to' is not going to go over well at interviews when asked. If you're still taking classes and studying for the PCAT, I think it would be very difficult for anyone to accomplish such a task.

Anyways, I'd plan on having all pre-req course work completed by the end of spring '13. Many schools won't accept credits earned during the summer of matriculation.

With some additional research and soul-searching I think you'll be able to narrow your number of schools down, save some of that money of yours, and be just fine.🙂

 

[Prepharm0425]

Completeing the application process for 30-40 colleges of pharmacy is unthinkable. Applicants need to be knowledgeable about the schools they apply to in respect to their pre-reqs, program, application and supplemental application deadlines, and why they want to study there. 'Because I really want to' is not going to go over well at interviews when asked. If you're still taking classes and studying for the PCAT, I think it would be very difficult for anyone to accomplish such a task.

Anyways, I'd plan on having all pre-req course work completed by the end of spring '13. Many schools won't accept credits earned during the summer of matriculation.

With some additional research and soul-searching I think you'll be able to narrow your number of schools down, save some of that money of yours, and be just fine.🙂

I appreciate your help and all, but I don't think you can change my decision. I will start applying in July and spend the next three months slowly applying to schools and keeping up with my progress. How is that impossible? The only extracurricular activity I have is like a hundred hours pharmacy volunteer experience, that's it. I have always had a job (with the exception of the 3 years I spent to get a degree as an undergrad at UCLA) because I need to help support my family. I never had time for extracurricular activity. And btw, there are still a lot of schools that accept summer courses before matriculation.

 

[Skawty]

I appreciate your help and all, but I don't think you can change my decision. I will start applying in July and spend the next three months slowly applying to schools and keeping up with my progress. How is that impossible? The only extracurricular activity I have is like a hundred hours pharmacy volunteer experience, that's it. I have always had a job (with the exception of the 3 years I spent to get a degree as an undergrad at UCLA) because I need to help support my family. I never had time for extracurricular activity. And btw, there are still a lot of schools that accept summer courses before matriculation.

I didn't say it was impossible, but unthinkable because I think aplying to that many schools is uneccessary. It seems like you have some good things going for you to put on your apps. 100 volunteer is good. Do you work in the field? With good grades in your remaining courses and a solid PCAT score you should have no problem receiving interview invites! If you truely are going to apply to 30-40 colleges of pharmacy, don't you foresee any interview scheduling issues?

 

[Prepharm0425]

I didn't say it was impossible, but unthinkable because I think aplying to that many schools is uneccessary. It seems like you have some good things going for you to put on your apps. 100 volunteer is good. Do you work in the field? With good grades in your remaining courses and a solid PCAT score you should have no problem receiving interview invites! If you truely are going to apply to 30-40 colleges of pharmacy, don't you foresee any interview scheduling issues?

Is 100 volunteer hours of pharmacy work good? I didn't think it would be enough. As far as the 40 schools thing, I have a true story to tell. I have a friend who had a 3.97 GPA from Berkley with a Biochemistry degree, a 35 on his MCAT, and 2 years shadowing a doctor, applied to 38 medical schools, and got an interview to 2 schools and got accepted to only one school with stats that impressive. I Know someone else, my cousins boyfriend, who has a 3.87 GPA and a biology degree from UCLA and got rejected by 30 out of 32 dental schools. He was also the valedictorian of his science department, years of tutoring experience, no dental experience but he faked it by having a dentist friend sign a letter of recommendation saying he worked so and so hours and how amazing he was, lol. That's insane that these two got rejected by all those schools, but I noticed that 4.0 students are cursed when it comes to getting into professional schools for some reason. Idk

 

[seaswim]

Is 100 volunteer hours of pharmacy work good? I didn't think it would be enough. As far as the 40 schools thing, I have a true story to tell. I have a friend who had a 3.97 GPA from Berkley with a Biochemistry degree, a 35 on his MCAT, and 2 years shadowing a doctor, applied to 38 medical schools, and got an interview to 2 schools and got accepted to only one school with stats that impressive. I Know someone else, my cousins boyfriend, who has a 3.87 GPA and a biology degree from UCLA and got rejected by 30 out of 32 dental schools. He was also the valedictorian of his science department, years of tutoring experience, no dental experience but he faked it by having a dentist friend sign a letter of recommendation saying he worked so and so hours and how amazing he was, lol. That's insane that these two got rejected by all those schools, but I noticed that 4.0 students are cursed when it comes to getting into professional schools for some reason. Idk

I thought you were applying to pharmacy schools, not medical or dental schools. Yes, their stats are impressive, and pharmacy is definitely competitive, but I think it would be a bit excessive to apply to that many schools. At one of my interviews I talked to a student who said she applied to 40 schools, because she was the first one in her family to go to college and wanted to make sure that she would get in somewhere. She found that she got interviews from nearly all the schools she applied to, and ended up turning a lot of them down because its expensive to go to all those places, plus missing classes when you're at interviews puts you at a disadvantage.

Your volunteer experience is decent, of course you will run into people with years of experience but I'm sure that you will have more than some of the other applicants.

Personally I think schools (at least some are) less focused on GPA and more on the person as a whole.

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