Gap Year between undergrad and grad school

[APharmacist2B]

To begin:
I admit I sort of went into a slump during my 2nd year undergrad mainly because I wasn't entirely sure about my future and wasn't sure if I wanted to go to grad school. This sadly rendered my GPA to a 2.8 I will of course be retaking 2 "D" classes to raise my GPA. One was Org. Chemistry and the other was a history GE class.

Seeing as most schools require a 3.0+ and to considered competitive I need 3.5+ I have a horrible chance right now to get accepted so I have changed my plan and am thinking about taking a gap year and building up my application details.

Here it is:
*Become a pharmacy technician with a license and get a job
*Volunteer and Intern in both clinical and retail pharmacies
*Visit India to help the poor kids in learning, etc. (Would this be something to consider.. i read that traveling on your parent's money isn't considered, but would they look at this. While I am there I might even intern or work at an Indian pharmacy to see their perspective of things, but I haven't considered too much of that part yet, but I do want to help others there for sure)
*PCAT in July 2014. I don't do so good in standardized tests so I plan to be studying for a very long time.
*Hopefully try to do some research with professors

Here is my question:
When i take a gap year, does that mean taking a year off between applying for grad school or going to grad school. Of course most of the above will be completed after I am done with undergrad (I have 8 courses (9 if we count that History GE course) left to take after Fall quarter, and I have Winter and Spring Quarter left, so I should be able to graduate as Class of 2014, but does this mean that I begin and submit my application in 2014 to enroll in 2015-2016 or does this mean that I wait till 2015 to apply to enroll in 2016-2017 (which is effectively "two years" off)

Also is there anything else I can do to "boost" my application. I plan to keep my current job, in the hospitality industry, since the pay is good enough, though I'm not sure how pharmacy school will look at that..

I'm a bit confused in that matter. Thanks!

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[bmclinn]

Here are some timelines that I was given:

Take the PCAT around a year before you apply for schools.
Most schools stop accepting applications in March for the subsequent school year.

If you were trying to enter school in August 2015, apply before March 2015 and take the PCAT in early 2014.


Hope this helps, I don't really feel like I can answer your other questions though.

 

[RxRunner]

I wrote a YouTube video "Pre-Pharmacy, the Perfect PCAT and getting into Pharmacy School". I had a 3.0 when I got into pharmacy school, but got a 99 on the PCAT, my methods were a little unconventional and I highlight them in the video.

I shadowed at a college pharmacy for 4 hours a week and worked at a pizza place, then waited tables in pharmacy school. You need to crush the PCAT, it's that simple, and I would make myself a tshirt to wear under my shirt when you go take it that says "I am a good test taker" because saying "I'm not good at standardized tests" will get you nowhere.

You need to ask yourself "How can I become a great test taker?"

The PCAT is a test that can be beat.