Good Plan?

[Maverick8828]

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Hi guys/gals I am currently in college working towards getting my pre-reqs done in an effort to apply to pharm school in 2 years. I would like to here some input/advice and my plan.

FALL 2008
pre-calc
trig.
chem. 1
bio 1


Winter 2008
Microbiology
Econ 1

Spring 2009
Calc 1
chem. 2
Bio.2
general physics


Summer 2009
Organic chem. 1
Physics 1 with calc

FALL 2009
Org. chem 2
physics 2 with calc.
Calc. 2
TAKE PCAT

Apply at end of fall semester or take a couple more classes in winter and apply then.

Would this plan be viable? I have also taken 6 other courses humanities and social sciences. I got out of high school a year early.

 

[SexyPlexi]

Are you just a full time student? That schedule looks tough but do-able if you really have time to put into all of it. But also if you are young and in college you might want to space it all out one more year and get involved in some fun ECs. It makes college a better experience and it's good for your application. You only get to be young and in college once!

 

[naseuy]

I don't think that Trig and Physics I/II with calculus are required courses.

 

[fenixtnlfan]

I think Spring '09 is going to make you go crazy. Three labs and a math class is a bit ambitious, though people can handle that so you have to decide for yourself if that is a good schedule for you. You know you don't have to finish all the pre-reqs by the time you apply right? You could spread some of those out into Spring '10 to make your life a little easier. I know you have some credits you didn't list but make sure you have all the pre-reqs required because that schedule is really the bare basics for most schools.

 

[Phrm Girl 24]

I think your plan looks good, but I think taking organic chem with physics during the summer maybe too much.

 

[Maverick8828]

I don't think that Trig and Physics I/II with calculus are required courses.

I need trig to take calculus.

two semesters of physics is required I figured it being calculus went without saying, if not it might be better than regualr physics.

 

[Maverick8828]

I think Spring '09 is going to make you go crazy. Three labs and a math class is a bit ambitious, though people can handle that so you have to decide for yourself if that is a good schedule for you. You know you don't have to finish all the pre-reqs by the time you apply right? You could spread some of those out into Spring '10 to make your life a little easier. I know you have some credits you didn't list but make sure you have all the pre-reqs required because that schedule is really the bare basics for most schools.

Si I could apply in the fall take classes in winter and spring and transfer them over if I am accepted?

 

[Farcus]

thats a tough schedule there, Personally I always take go with the safe route than the sorry route when your GPA is totally screwed up by the work load and it worked out pretty well so far.

 

[fenixtnlfan]

Si I could apply in the fall take classes in winter and spring and transfer them over if I am accepted?

Yep that is correct. Some pharm schools will even let you take courses up through the summer before you start. You just have to send a transcript to the pharm school when you finish the pre-reqs. Typically there is a restriction like you are required to get a C or above.

For the Physics with Calc most schools don't require that just the algebra-based version, but if you want to take it by all means do. Though get a serious opinion from other students at your school. I love Calc but there is no way I would take Physics with Calc at my school because they have a horrible department.

 

[Maverick8828]

Would pharm schools look at an applicant differently because he/she is taking classes in the spring and summer after they have have applied?

 

[mrblah]

Would pharm schools look at an applicant differently because he/she is taking classes in the spring and summer after they have have applied?

yea, because they won't see it, and in most cases, they will base your acceptance on what you sent in, unless you are borderline, they will waitlist you and wait for those grades (which is going to be stressful for you).

I got a question, why trig and precalc? I found that pre-calc is pretty much trig.

 

[deleted205891]

Umm, isn't bio2 usually a prereq for microbio?

And don't forget that many schools require humanities classes (but I guess you can take those spring 2010). Look at your pharmacy school's requirements and then decide.

 

[omnione]

I don't think that Trig and Physics I/II with calculus are required courses.

Trig in pre-calc form precedes calculus most of the time, and calculus is a common requirement. Physics is generally not a requirement but a few schools want it for some reason.

Would pharm schools look at an applicant differently because he/she is taking classes in the spring and summer after they have have applied?

That's a common practice as its not like most students quit after the fall/winter sessions during an admissions cycle.😉 PharmCAS has the Academic Update feature that accounts for these classes. You just need to have completed most of the prereqs prior to the summer preceding desired matriculation. Schools get turned off if you have too many pre-reqs to realistically complete in one or two semesters.

 

[eric4321]

I drew up a 6-semester plan a lot like you did, talked it over with my wife [who thought - then - that all those classes, gpa above 3.5 was impossible] and then emailed it to an advisor at UF.

The advisor said it was a good plan, spreading out the toughest classes and going lite in the summertime. She also said that i could take physics last as it is not on the pcat - good advice - and if i was getting financial aid, to make sure i don't meet the AA degree requirements too early as they tend to cut you off after getting a degree.

I'd look at a couple things - 1st is it looks like you're on a quarter system. My 1st year of college - Ohio State - was all quarter system and each succeeding univ converted my credits from 5 quarter-hours to 3.33 semester hours. Make sure wherever you're applying to, you will get the required number of hours, usually 3hr science lectures, 1hr science labs, and 3 or 4hr math lectures.

I didn't need microbio - it's the 2nd semester of 1PD at UF - and didn't need Calc 2. If you think they will help with admissions then go ahead & do them both, otherwise skip them or save them for the last "conditional" semesters where as they say, you may only need a grade of "C".

+1 on the summer of Physics1 with Organic1 - whoa!! Take a look also at how labs are scheduled in the summer. For me it was 2 days lecture 1 day lab per subject each week in the fall/spring, but 2 days of LONG labs in the summer semester. So i decided to take 3 sciences in spring of 2007 and only 1 science along with speech & ethics that summer.

Get on ratemyprofessors.com and try not to gamble with "this teacher makes you do 3x more work but i might score higher on the pcat" - i've seen several VERY good students try that & end up with B for a lecture grade. A-lec, B-lab = 3.75; B-lec, A-lab = 3.25... huge difference.

Last thing, try to schedule free time - NOT labs - just before each science lecture. This gives you cram time that you will not have otherwise. Even if that means staying at school longer each day. Good luck.

 

[mrblah]

I drew up a 6-semester plan a lot like you did, talked it over with my wife [who thought - then - that all those classes, gpa above 3.5 was impossible] and then emailed it to an advisor at UF.

The advisor said it was a good plan, spreading out the toughest classes and going lite in the summertime. She also said that i could take physics last as it is not on the pcat - good advice - and if i was getting financial aid, to make sure i don't meet the AA degree requirements too early as they tend to cut you off after getting a degree.

I'd look at a couple things - 1st is it looks like you're on a quarter system. My 1st year of college - Ohio State - was all quarter system and each succeeding univ converted my credits from 5 quarter-hours to 3.33 semester hours. Make sure wherever you're applying to, you will get the required number of hours, usually 3hr science lectures, 1hr science labs, and 3 or 4hr math lectures.

I didn't need microbio - it's the 2nd semester of 1PD at UF - and didn't need Calc 2. If you think they will help with admissions then go ahead & do them both, otherwise skip them or save them for the last "conditional" semesters where as they say, you may only need a grade of "C".

+1 on the summer of Physics1 with Organic1 - whoa!! Take a look also at how labs are scheduled in the summer. For me it was 2 days lecture 1 day lab per subject each week in the fall/spring, but 2 days of LONG labs in the summer semester. So i decided to take 3 sciences in spring of 2007 and only 1 science along with speech & ethics that summer.

Get on ratemyprofessors.com and try not to gamble with "this teacher makes you do 3x more work but i might score higher on the pcat" - i've seen several VERY good students try that & end up with B for a lecture grade. A-lec, B-lab = 3.75; B-lec, A-lab = 3.25... huge difference.

Last thing, try to schedule free time - NOT labs - just before each science lecture. This gives you cram time that you will not have otherwise. Even if that means staying at school longer each day. Good luck.

i did that too. I also recommend that people stick to the schedule they make. Some people I knew made a schedule and went off into la-la land for god knows what reason, probably because of friends and girls.

 

[virtue1]

One lesson i have learned from applying to pharmacy schools, do not take less than 15 credit every semester, it lessens your chance of getting in as it shows that you are not prepared to take mandatory heavy course loads. I recommend 16 or 15 with at least one summer course just to show that you are dedicated to becoming a pharmacist. I mean this is your life, sacrifice and build upon it now!

 

[tootoo30]

Umm, isn't bio2 usually a prereq for microbio?

And don't forget that many schools require humanities classes (but I guess you can take those spring 2010). Look at your pharmacy school's requirements and then decide.

At my school, only Biology I w/ lab is needed to take Microbiology. Also it's not set in stone that you have to take 15 or more credit hours every semester. Just do what you think will help you to keep a good GPA. Always try to take at least one science class a semester though and if at all possible two, but if your not doing so well stick to one.

HTH

 

[mrblah]

One lesson i have learned from applying to pharmacy schools, do not take less than 15 credit every semester, it lessens your chance of getting in as it shows that you are not prepared to take mandatory heavy course loads. I recommend 16 or 15 with at least one summer course just to show that you are dedicated to becoming a pharmacist. I mean this is your life, sacrifice and build upon it now!

fulltime is fulltime. I rather get good grades and not pull a heavy load. In the end, your gpa is way more important than trying to pull a heavy load.

 

[tootoo30]

fulltime is fulltime. I rather get good grades and not pull a heavy load. In the end, your gpa is way more important than trying to pull a heavy load.

I second that notion LOL