Need Help--Pls Advice! When Should I submit my application

[PharmLuck168]

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Hey everyone! I'm in such a dilemma right now. I really would like to be accepted and my first choice is UOP, but I will be applying to Touro, USC, CNU this summer.

I have earned a BA , have a decent GPA, tons of EC, started a company successful company(so my leadership is great), volunteered at several places (not specific at pharmacy). However, I will be completing all my pre-req's this year into spring of 2010. I'm taking Chem, Bio, Cal this summer and pretty heavy next fall.

Now- should I wait until I get my grades for the summer? or should I submit my application? (for the first tier).

Any feedback how I can strengthen my application would be very much appreciated!!! Especially those who have gone thru this process.

Keep in mind, I'm one of those applicants who is probably very different from the rest of the group, given that my background is not geared towards the sciences. I'm aware of that, but is there anything you guys can advice me to better my chances.

 

[PharmLuck168]

anyone? please advice

 

[Joe9100]

I would recommend completing your PharmCAS and e-submitting as soon as possible. DO NOT hold off from submitting your PharmCAS until you summer grades if you already have the rest of your application completed. Finishing you application and submitting it early to you college early is critical for schools who are on rolling admission. This is because the earliest that you apply, the more seats that are available and the less of a competition you will have for the alotted number of seats. If you have not already done so, I would suggest you obtain you letter of recommendation as soon as possible. You really have to be active and inform your professor of health professional who you are obtaining the LOR from that it is very important to you and that you need it to be done in a sufficient amount of time. I struggled last year to obtain my LOR in a timely fashion which held up my application from being submitted as early as I would like. One you submit your app. its time to brush up on your interview skills. Search through the forums and familiarize yourself with the current issues that is present in the field of pharmacy today. Be prepare to begin searching for basic interviews questions such as why you want to be a pharmacist, your leadership skills, what field of pharmacy you want to diverge yourself into, and etc. One advice during the interview is to take charge and show confidence w/o being to cocky. You can look up past application's experience with their interview at a specific school in the interview feedback section. This will prove to be very information. Any more question, you can pm me and I will be glad to help you. Good luck

 

[fenixtnlfan]

My advice is to contact the schools you are applying to and see what they would like. It looks like you haven't taken any of the science pre-reqs, which are really the core of the pre-reqs. The schools might want to see how you do in some of those science courses before they consider you, or they may not care.

I suggest not trying to rush the pre-reqs too much as it's better to do well and take a little extra time than to do them fast and receive poor grades. Some people can handle all of those classes at once, but some people can't. Just something to think about as you are taking the pre-reqs.

 

[pharm093]

Hey everyone! I'm in such a dilemma right now. I really would like to be accepted and my first choice is UOP, but I will be applying to Touro, USC, CNU this summer.

I have earned a BA , have a decent GPA, tons of EC, started a company successful company(so my leadership is great), volunteered at several places (not specific at pharmacy). However, I will be completing all my pre-req's this year into spring of 2010. I'm taking Chem, Bio, Cal this summer and pretty heavy next fall.

Now- should I wait until I get my grades for the summer? or should I submit my application? (for the first tier).

Any feedback how I can strengthen my application would be very much appreciated!!! Especially those who have gone thru this process.

Keep in mind, I'm one of those applicants who is probably very different from the rest of the group, given that my background is not geared towards the sciences. I'm aware of that, but is there anything you guys can advice me to better my chances.

tell us the classes you are planning to take in the up coming year and what pre-reqs you have completed.
If you have not taken essential classes like Organic Chem sequence, you should wait until those grades are in. Schools will not even look at you if you have not taken OChem, I am sure of it. Overall, you need to have the majority of the pre-reqs completed before applying because that is what schools will look for.

Just give me the pre-reqs classes that you have taken.

 

[atticus27]

Schools will not even look at you if you have not taken OChem, I am sure of it.

Can't generalize like that buddy. Adcoms can evaluate excellent candidates by others means. Many classes like A&P or Physics can prove to be great indicators of success for potential candidates if they are still in the process of knocking out the Orgo sequence. Sure, Orgo is an important class, but it won't be a deal breaker if you have other things in your arsenal to back it up.

 

[PharmLuck168]

So here's what I'm taking so far: Early Summer: CALC (so far I think it's an A maybe B) then for summer, ECON, one BIO and CHEM1

then FALL, O CHEM1 and CHEM2, MICROBIO
Spring, OCHEM 2 and PHYSICS

you see, If I wait till all the series are completed I won't be able to get into the 2010. I would end up wasting an entire year just for that.

So what's your take on this?

One more thing, for some schools they do ask you what is your plan to complete your pre-req's (UOP and USC with rolling admission).- just wanted to throw that out there, so you guys can help advice me better 🙂

 

[RXsocal]

So here's what I'm taking so far: Early Summer: CALC (so far I think it's an A maybe B) then for summer, ECON, one BIO and CHEM1

then FALL, O CHEM1 and CHEM2, MICROBIO
Spring, OCHEM 2 and PHYSICS

you see, If I wait till all the series are completed I won't be able to get into the 2010. I would end up wasting an entire year just for that.

So what's your take on this?

One more thing, for some schools they do ask you what is your plan to complete your pre-req's (UOP and USC with rolling admission).- just wanted to throw that out there, so you guys can help advice me better 🙂

OH NO, i have bad news for you. You can not take Orgo1 until you finish general chem 1 AND 2. i was in the SAME position last year so I took another year finishing all my pre-reqs.

 

[themulya]

OH NO, i have bad news for you. You can not take Orgo1 until you finish general chem 1 AND 2. i was in the SAME position last year so I took another year finishing all my pre-reqs.

thats what i thought. but lets say you can for some reason.

Heres UOP's school page on pharmcas
http://www.pharmcas.org/collegesschools/schoolUOPpage.htm

thats a lot of prereqs to be taking in basically a year and a half. biology is two semesters not one and you are going to need labs for chem bio and orgo.

Heres USC's
http://www.pharmcas.org/collegesschools/schoolUSCpage.htm
which has even more prereqs. you'd need a micro lab, mammalian physiology, stats, molecbio, and micro econ on top of what you already need to do.

add to the fact that you'll only have a handful of them done when you start applying, i would wait an extra year. spread out your classes, add some pharmacy experience to your resume and apply in 2011.

 

[PharmLuck168]

Thanks guys for the helpful feedback.

As for the O CHEM series, I'm going to take that from 2 separate college ( which I have taken a placement exam and they're allowing me to take the O Chem). I'm just re-taking the chemistry part since my transcript is a bit older.

As for the other pre-req's from USC I've taken those already...

 

[pharm093]

Can't generalize like that buddy. Adcoms can evaluate excellent candidates by others means. Many classes like A&P or Physics can prove to be great indicators of success for potential candidates if they are still in the process of knocking out the Orgo sequence. Sure, Orgo is an important class, but it won't be a deal breaker if you have other things in your arsenal to back it up.

You are not helping the OP by saying this. Applying without the Ochem sequence and most pre-reqs still uncompleted is almost crazy. I don't know where you apply but here in CA, schools like USC and UOP received around 1600 applicants. Having partially completed the Ochem or not having any OChem is a big risk for the school. Since the failure rate for these classes are much higher.

 

[pharm093]

So here's what I'm taking so far: Early Summer: CALC (so far I think it's an A maybe B) then for summer, ECON, one BIO and CHEM1

then FALL, O CHEM1 and CHEM2, MICROBIO
Spring, OCHEM 2 and PHYSICS

you see, If I wait till all the series are completed I won't be able to get into the 2010. I would end up wasting an entire year just for that.

So what's your take on this?

One more thing, for some schools they do ask you what is your plan to complete your pre-req's (UOP and USC with rolling admission).- just wanted to throw that out there, so you guys can help advice me better 🙂

Definitely wait a year and spread out the pre-reqs. Don't go all out and finish them all together. It is more important that you get good grades rather then finishing them up quickly. When you are taking harder classes make sure the course load is a bit easier.

 

[themulya]

Thanks guys for the helpful feedback.

As for the O CHEM series, I'm going to take that from 2 separate college ( which I have taken a placement exam and they're allowing me to take the O Chem). I'm just re-taking the chemistry part since my transcript is a bit older.

As for the other pre-req's from USC I've taken those already...

You've taken upper division biology courses without credit in intro bio?

 

[PharmLuck168]

I did get credit for that...

 

[themulya]

maybe I just misunderstood the thread. Have you already taken biology already? my interpretation was that you were planning on taking intro bio this summer right? i was just wondering how you already have some of the prereqs for USC such as molecular biology and mammalian physiology which require you to have already taken intro bio (maybe you didnt need intro bio to take those clases, but i'm just going on what my college requires).

 

[JJVmom]

I'm in a similar situation. I want to attend Creighton's distance program. This fall I'm planning on taking Ochem1 and Bio1, then in the spring I'll take Ochem2 and Bio2. If I don't take the PCAT this Oct and apply for fall 2010, then I'll have an entire year wasted between finishing my prereqs and starting pharmacy college. (I have a B.S., pharmacy experience...) I'm 36 so I'd prefer not to wait.

My concern is taking the pcat w/out an entire semester of Ochem and my whole bio sequence. By Oct, I will have completed Bio 101, Anatomy, and half of the Bio 1 class (my school calls the sequence bio 202 and 204). I'm also going to study the bio info from the Kaplan PCAT prep book.

So, should I start applying this summer, or just accept the fact that I have to waste a year. If I don't get in, I will finish out my classes, then focus on raising my pcat score.

Is it better to apply, possibly not get in, then reapply. Or apply one time w/my prereqs completed and my best pcat score? In other words, will it hurt me in anyway by trying for the fall 2010 cycle?

Thanks for your opinions.

 

[Farmercyst]

If you can complete all the prereqs you are missing before Aug 2010 then I'd say go ahead and apply, at least to USC. If you've already got a decent GPA with a 4 year degree, then a minor slip in one of the courses (B,B-) won't hurt the GPA too much. I'd go ahead and apply during the summer. USC requires you to submit transcripts to them as soon as the semester is over anyway, so they'll be getting more frequent updates than PharmCAS anyway. (If it makes a difference, average GPA at USC this year was ~3.6, so if you're already competitive with that GPA, you should have little to worry about.)

 

[elleNY]

I have been wondering about the same issue as well. It seems that I will have an entire "gap" year in between acceptance and actual matriculation.. What I'm going to look for is an accelerated, health related MS program, which I could do in the gap year..although I'm not sure if this type of program exists.

Mother says maybe I should to travel to Europe that year LOL..Dont know who's footing that bill!!!! Plus, I might not come back.

Here is my prereq schedule, and if anyone thinks I can apply earlier let me know:

This Summer: Microecon, Precalc
Fall 2009: Chem I, Bio I, Calc
Spring 2010: Chem II, Bio II
Summer: Physics I, Physics II

I WOULD LIKE TO APPLY HERE

Fall 2010: Orgo I, Anat & Phys I
Spring 2011: Orgo II, Anat & Phys II

BUT THINK I WILL HAVE TO WAIT TO APPLY UNTIL HERE

Summer 2011: Microbiology, Biochemistry
Which means acceptance for 2012, and a whole year in between :-(

Any advice for those in this situation? Too risky to take PCAT and apply without any Orgo or more advanced sciences?

Elle

 

[fenixtnlfan]

I would take the PCAT in June or August of 2010 and see how you do. Most schools just take the higher PCAT score. Do some research and see if this is the case for schools you are thinking of applying to. It's probably worth applying then as well whether or not you do well on the PCAT because you might get in even with a low score depending on the rest of your app.

 

[victorious1]

Hey everyone! I'm in such a dilemma right now. I really would like to be accepted and my first choice is UOP, but I will be applying to Touro, USC, CNU this summer.

I have earned a BA , have a decent GPA, tons of EC, started a company successful company(so my leadership is great), volunteered at several places (not specific at pharmacy). However, I will be completing all my pre-req's this year into spring of 2010. I'm taking Chem, Bio, Cal this summer and pretty heavy next fall.

Now- should I wait until I get my grades for the summer? or should I submit my application? (for the first tier).

Any feedback how I can strengthen my application would be very much appreciated!!! Especially those who have gone thru this process.

Keep in mind, I'm one of those applicants who is probably very different from the rest of the group, given that my background is not geared towards the sciences. I'm aware of that, but is there anything you guys can advice me to better my chances.

If you are applying for entering class of Fall 2010, and you're completing all the prereqs by end of Spring, I'd suggest that you wait until you get them completed. The reason is because most schools start to accept apps around summer and give more points to applicants who'd completed all the prereqs when determining who to interview. Hope this helps.🙂