Changed pre-reqs., now starting from scratch in confusion. Suggestions??

[ThePlaidMan]

Don't know if TAMUK pre-reqs were recently changed, or if I somehow missed seeing it, but I was planning on studying and taking the PCAT this summer, as well as volunteer as pharm. tech for experience and apply this year for early admission into TAMUK.
Apparently, my art & english pre-reqs. are more than 5 yrs. old which they won't count unless I have a Bachelors degree. So now I feel like I'm at square one.
What do I do? Any advice?
Take another 2 yrs. to complete a Bio. degree, but then when am I going to start studying for the PCAT and take it? Along with that, when am I going to be able to find the time between full-time school to complete a bachelors degree, while studying for the PCAT and getting certified as a pharm. tech?? I'm already a non-traditional student to begin with (30 yrs. old) with a family who has to put up with me not working right now (hence, we've been living on school loans this semester) thinking I was going to apply this year. Now I'm expected to take more years of school and don't even know if I could do all previously mentioned (study for PCAT & Pharm. Tech, while full-time school to graduate) while working.
I mean, hell can a grown man with a family do this..and if so what's a realistic time frame?
My grades are great in pre-reqs. All A's in Chemistrys. But it's the PCAT & tech preparation while completing my bachelors and still wondering if I should work while doing it all as soon as possible.....I mean I could only do so much.
So ANYONE got suggestions? I'll take anything to give me some realistic perspective on getting my goals moving and having my family suffer as little as possible on the way . Thanks.

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[OldPharm]

Is there any other school you can apply besides TAMUK? You do understand that you can apply while taking the pre-reqs, right? I see two options.

1. Study and take the PCAT this summer and retake art & English courses during the fall or spring semesters.

2. Apply elsewhere.

You still have a full year to complete the pre-reqs. If you are committed to go to that school, just take the courses.

 

[rxlea]

You can still apply this year. Just make sure you finish your pre-reqs by Spring before you matriculate. English and art shouldn't be that difficult. You don't have to have all the pre-reqs done by the time you apply, just before you matriculate (some require by spring before you matriculate). That means you can start studying for the PCAT now, take it in June or August and then get started on the remaining pre-reqs come Fall.

 

[pharm B]

The PTCB examination is easy. Study a book and you'll pass.

I recommend taking the PCAT in August so that you get the scores back in time to still sign up for the October test if you bomb your first attempt.

Regarding TAMU, I thought that the 5 year limit had been on the "Prospective Students" page since I first started as a pre-pharm about two years ago. I could be wrong.

What pre-reqs do you have left? The College of Pharmacy will allow you until the en d of the summer before matriculation to complete your pre-reqs, so that gives you two full semesters and two summers to cram everything in.

If you can do your pre-reqs in that time, then you can sign up for the PCAT taking place this August and submit your application when the cycle opens for the COP in September this year.

Hope that helps.

 

[elevenphoenix]

Have you emailed the school specifically to see if they won't accept your pre-req courses? Schools can always make exceptions.

 

[OldPharm]

Have you emailed the school specifically to see if they won't accept your pre-req courses? Schools can always make exceptions.

I agree. That is what I did with USC about my pre-reqs, and they were willing to work with me to my favor. School I went to didn't offer one full year, sequenced biology courses. But, I already had a biology minor, so they waved the "one full year, sequenced bio courses" pre-req.

Schools aren't all like this, however. Especially public schools are less flexible.

 

[ThePlaidMan]

The PTCB examination is easy. Study a book and you'll pass.

I recommend taking the PCAT in August so that you get the scores back in time to still sign up for the October test if you bomb your first attempt.

Regarding TAMU, I thought that the 5 year limit had been on the "Prospective Students" page since I first started as a pre-pharm about two years ago. I could be wrong.

What pre-reqs do you have left? The College of Pharmacy will allow you until the en d of the summer before matriculation to complete your pre-reqs, so that gives you two full semesters and two summers to cram everything in.

If you can do your pre-reqs in that time, then you can sign up for the PCAT taking place this August and submit your application when the cycle opens for the COP in September this year.

Hope that helps.

Realistically, is it feasible to earn a competitive score on the PCAT this fall while working part-time and devoting part-time to studying for it as well as putting in time to studying for the pharmacy technician examination?
I'm wondering if I'm in over my head here...needing to gain experience (through volunteering or working) AND take the PCAT all before I apply by the end of the year.
What do you think?

 

[b1234]

First - lose the bold print...

As far as the PCAT goes - you need to give more information. If you have studied (and learned and retained) all or most of the material that is covered on the PCAT - then it is possible to do fine on the PCAT with minimal additional preparation.

Most schools that have some sort of time limit on how long ago your pre-reqs were taken will consider courses taken farther in the past on a case by case basis. I had no trouble getting several pre-reqs taken over fifteen years ago accepted. I just had to explain how I had since taken courses that use those skills on a regular basis (or require those courses as pre-reqs).
With many schools also - if you have a course taken a long time ago, but then take another course that requires that course as a pre-req - that older course is automatically counted as if you took it more recently (with respect to how long ago you took it and whether or not it meets the proper timeframe for pre-requisite coursework).

Just check with the individual school(s).

 

[ThePlaidMan]

First - lose the bold print...

As far as the PCAT goes - you need to give more information. If you have studied (and learned and retained) all or most of the material that is covered on the PCAT - then it is possible to do fine on the PCAT with minimal additional preparation.

Most schools that have some sort of time limit on how long ago your pre-reqs were taken will consider courses taken farther in the past on a case by case basis. I had no trouble getting several pre-reqs taken over fifteen years ago accepted. I just had to explain how I had since taken courses that use those skills on a regular basis (or require those courses as pre-reqs).
With many schools also - if you have a course taken a long time ago, but then take another course that requires that course as a pre-req - that older course is automatically counted as if you took it more recently (with respect to how long ago you took it and whether or not it meets the proper timeframe for pre-requisite coursework).

Just check with the individual school(s).

I last took Org. Chem last fall. I earned A's in all my chemistry classes, but as far as retaining the information, not so sure yet.
I think I'm rusty in my biology though. I need to take a practice test to see about that.
Is there calculus in the PCAT? I just got done with my cal. final and think I barely scraped by with a B.
I emailed the school asking about retaking courses if needed before I matriculate into the pharmacy school (granted I get in). Just waiting for a reply.

 

[hopeful4]

I last took Org. Chem last fall. I earned A's in all my chemistry classes, but as far as retaining the information, not so sure yet.
I think I'm rusty in my biology though. I need to take a practice test to see about that.
Is there calculus in the PCAT? I just got done with my cal. final and think I barely scraped by with a B.
I emailed the school asking about retaking courses if needed before I matriculate into the pharmacy school (granted I get in). Just waiting for a reply.

I would recommend getting a Kaplan study book. I found one at Half Price Books (a second hand bookstore where I live) and I felt that it helped me tremendously to refresh my memory for the PCAT. There is a little bit of calculus on the exam but I didn't feel that it was overwhelming and I finished my calculus series about 2 years before I took the PCAT. And I definitely recommend asking the school(s) you want to attend about the time frame for pre-reqs. I took my English 101 over 10 years ago and my school was ok with that. They seem to really want the science and math to be in the last 5 years. If you have good grades in chemistry that will help you greatly. I am a non-traditional student too so I feel for you. I hope it all works out. Good luck!!!

 

[b1234]

I last took Org. Chem last fall. I earned A's in all my chemistry classes, but as far as retaining the information, not so sure yet.
I think I'm rusty in my biology though. I need to take a practice test to see about that.
Is there calculus in the PCAT? I just got done with my cal. final and think I barely scraped by with a B.
I emailed the school asking about retaking courses if needed before I matriculate into the pharmacy school (granted I get in). Just waiting for a reply.

Very little calculus. If you got everything else right you could score quite high on the quant section even if you get all the calculus q's wrong. Most of the calculus is pretty simple too - basic concepts or simple single variable differentiation or integration of polynomial and trig fn's - nothing complex.

You have to decide for yourself how you feel about chem and bio... I'd probably suggest old class notes and textbooks if you feel like you really need to relearn much. If you just need a brief review then something like the Kaplan prep book is fine.