How many credits of pre-reqs do I need before I can apply?

[Elisaveth]

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I found myself with a fairly ambitious schedule and pharma industry internship (20 hrs/wk), and I'm thinking of dropping a lab class because I'm worried I'm not going to do as well as I want to.

I'm taking Chem, Physics, and Microbio this semester at a local CC. I'm also taking Public Speaking.

The classes themselves aren't extremely hard, but they require a ton of work each, long labs and discussion sections. It's been about 7 years since I graduated from college and I realize that I have to refresh my knowledge on a good amount of stuff.

I want to and have to do really well. Part of me thought that it wouldn't be so bad, but I have physics in a few hours and I'm exhausted from all my evening labs and work combined from earlier this week. I'm a little frustrated I'm not able to spend more time on my physics coursework because I'd planned on working ahead in all my classes.

FWIW, I have a bachelor's degree already and all the non-science coursework has been finished (and my first choice school, UMD-Baltimore, said they would take all the nonscience coursework -- I just have to redo the sciences and take Public Speaking).

Next August, could I still apply for Fall 2012 if I have about 16 credits of pre-reqs undone (but will be finished before matriculation)? Is that unheard of?

 

[pharm B]

That's typically how most people apply, in my opinion. A lot of people typically apply at the beginning of their last year as an undergrad, and the schools extend a conditional acceptance to the applicant, the condition being that their pre-pharmacy curriculum be completed prior to matriculation.

Call the schools you're interested in and ask them for specifics, though. Some schools require all pre-reqs to be completed by the end of the Spring semester, while others will let you take courses over the summer up to matriculation.

 

[Elisaveth]

That's typically how most people apply, in my opinion. A lot of people typically apply at the beginning of their last year as an undergrad, and the schools extend a conditional acceptance to the applicant, the condition being that their pre-pharmacy curriculum be completed prior to matriculation.

Call the schools you're interested in and ask them for specifics, though. Some schools require all pre-reqs to be completed by the end of the Spring semester, while others will let you take courses over the summer up to matriculation.

Thanks for the advice. I just called and she said I would have to have them done before the summer semester of the fall I'd like to enter. I wanted to ask her if it would make me a less competitive candidate to not have finished O-Chem and Physics when applying, but she seemed annoyed that she had to be on the phone with me, so I just thanked her and hung up. I'm going to try to call again some other day and get someone different on the phone.

 

[nditebeck]

Thanks for the advice. I just called and she said I would have to have them done before the summer semester of the fall I'd like to enter. I wanted to ask her if it would make me a less competitive candidate to not have finished O-Chem and Physics when applying, but she seemed annoyed that she had to be on the phone with me, so I just thanked her and hung up. I'm going to try to call again some other day and get someone different on the phone.

You will not be a less competitive candidate. The courses you have taken can tell what you are as a student. Along as you don't have many credits left, your past credits can be used to assess your strength and weaknesses
Good luck

 

[wandernkind]

You will not be a less competitive candidate. The courses you have taken can tell what you are as a student. Along as you don't have many credits left, your past credits can be used to assess your strength and weaknesses
Good luck

I am only applying to one school so that is really all I can speak for. While most students do apply for the first time with some classes to finish, this is what the website for Pacific University in Oregon says about it. ". Applicants do not need to have all prerequisites done at the time of application but having most courses, if not all of them, done before applying can make an application more competitive. "