***Official 2010-2011 PharmCAS Questions Thread***

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rxlea said:
My apologies but please disregard the information I gave you regarding level of courses...

I decided to dig up the actual pharmcas PDF on this matter because I wanted to be sure. When I submitted mine, I did not do the following but it seems it didn't matter :eek:

Sorry guys.

Here:

Select the academic level of the particular college course, regardless of your student (academic) registration status at the time.​
•​
Assign Lower-division (Fr/So) status to Advanced Placement, Exempt, IB, or CLEP credit awarded when you first entered college.​

•​
Assign Lower-division (Fr/So) status to courses completed at a junior or community college (e.g., associate degree course work).​

•​
Assign Lower-division (Fr/So) or Upper-division (Jr/Sr) to any undergraduate level course work, including undergraduate courses taken after the receipt of your initial BA/BS degree or while you were enrolled in a graduate program, if course work was not applied to a graduate​

degree.

http://www.pharmcas.org/docs/Instructions201011.pdf
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You're always so helpful, anyway! So thanks!
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Assign Lower-division (Fr/So) or Upper-division (Jr/Sr) to any undergraduate level course work, including undergraduate courses taken after the receipt of your initial BA/BS degree or while you were enrolled in a graduate program, if course work was not applied to a graduate
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so back to square one! lol...

rxlea what do you think then about the earlier post i made? 100/200 at Fr/So and 300/400 at Jr/Sr...or go with the other post u made about each class designated to what academic standing u were? (Ex: BIO 302 at freshman year --> Fr/So)
 
hwaiting said:
so back to square one! lol...

rxlea what do you think then about the earlier post i made? 100/200 at Fr/So and 300/400 at Jr/Sr...or go with the other post u made about each class designated to what academic standing u were? (Ex: BIO 302 at freshman year --> Fr/So)
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No!! The part you quoted implies that the course level is independent of your academic status. They already know what your academic status was at the time based on the session you input the course under.

So based on your system, BIO 302 would be Upper Division (thus Jr/Sr).

Just note that not all schools use the same system. I believe some designate lower division (LD) as 100s and upper division (UD) as 200s. Others designate LD as 000s and UD as 100s.

For everyone, disregard the Fr/So and Jr/Sr thing PharmCAS uses and just ask yourself is it lower or upper division? Surely all US colleges must do it that way?
 
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thank you! finally i can finish coursework section!
 
Pharmcas Transcript Request form question:

Has anyone encountered this issue? My college only processes transcript request forms through their online system, and we pay the transcript fee w/a credit card online. Any thoughts on how to get a transcript sent w/the pharmcas form? How bad is it if Pharmcas gets the transcript without their form?
 
JJVmom said:
Pharmcas Transcript Request form question:

Has anyone encountered this issue? My college only processes transcript request forms through their online system, and we pay the transcript fee w/a credit card online. Any thoughts on how to get a transcript sent w/the pharmcas form? How bad is it if Pharmcas gets the transcript without their form?
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Ask your school if you can submit the PharmCAS form with a check via mail instead. My school gave me this exception.
 
JJVmom said:
Pharmcas Transcript Request form question:

Has anyone encountered this issue? My college only processes transcript request forms through their online system, and we pay the transcript fee w/a credit card online. Any thoughts on how to get a transcript sent w/the pharmcas form? How bad is it if Pharmcas gets the transcript without their form?
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Even if they normally process requests online, they may allow exceptions to be taken care of in person at the registrar's office.

As far as submitting it without the form, people in this forum indicated that it was not really a problem; it would only cause a delay for them to match it up to your application.
 
I have a few questions about the honors & publications sections.

I started researching in my lab the spring of my sophomore year. I presented a poster on my research that summer (the abstract was published in the poster session book). My professor also listed me as an author on a poster he presented at a conference that fall.

This summer I was accepted to our SPUR program, which means I am now funded through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. I will be writing a paper & presenting another poster at the same session as part of my program.

Additionally, my project is getting close to the point where I will be trying to publish my work as first author (I only have a few more experiments to run if everything goes according to plan :xf:).


So:
1. How do I cite these posters under publications?
2. Am I allowed to list the poster I will be presenting this summer (end of July)?
3. Is being an HHMI fellow considered an honor, or is it redundant information? I will be listing my research under the Work Experience section, and admission to the program is competitive.
4. How can I communicate that I will be publishing a paper soon? It's pretty novel stuff and (according to my PI) should make it into a decent journal, but obviously that means nothing until it's actually submitted & accepted, and that takes months.


I would like to submit my application by July since several of my schools have rolling admissions, unless waiting until fall would make a drastic difference in how well my application will be received.

Thanks so much!!!
 
Best answer: What you accomplish... :D
 
Theres a 175 character limit for work experience and ec, so you'll have to be very concise in your descriptions.
 
It all depends on the individual - the additional information section is just that - a place to put additional information that is not covered anywhere else. For many people there may be no need to put anything there.
Personally I would suggest to most people at least trying to incorporate anything you think might belong in the additional information section into your PS and leaving the additional information section blank.

If I remember correctly, in mine I wrote about three sentences explaining why even though some of my pre req classes were over a decade ago, I was still competent in those subjects (taking other classes that require knowledge of them and using those subjects on a regular basis).
 
20YearsOfSnow said:
I have a few questions about the honors & publications sections.

I started researching in my lab the spring of my sophomore year. I presented a poster on my research that summer (the abstract was published in the poster session book). My professor also listed me as an author on a poster he presented at a conference that fall.

This summer I was accepted to our SPUR program, which means I am now funded through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. I will be writing a paper & presenting another poster at the same session as part of my program.

Additionally, my project is getting close to the point where I will be trying to publish my work as first author (I only have a few more experiments to run if everything goes according to plan :xf:).


So:
1. How do I cite these posters under publications?
2. Am I allowed to list the poster I will be presenting this summer (end of July)?
3. Is being an HHMI fellow considered an honor, or is it redundant information? I will be listing my research under the Work Experience section, and admission to the program is competitive.
4. How can I communicate that I will be publishing a paper soon? It's pretty novel stuff and (according to my PI) should make it into a decent journal, but obviously that means nothing until it's actually submitted & accepted, and that takes months.


I would like to submit my application by July since several of my schools have rolling admissions, unless waiting until fall would make a drastic difference in how well my application will be received.

Thanks so much!!!
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If it hasn't been published yet, then it isn't published.

Research posters are not publications, they are presentations. Talk about them somewhere else - depending on the exact nature of the project it may be appropriate to mention it in PS, EC, additional information, or even work section.

If something is listed somewhere else, I would say it's generally a bad idea to list it a second time (For example Dean's list).
 
20YearsOfSnow said:
I have a few questions about the honors & publications sections.

I started researching in my lab the spring of my sophomore year. I presented a poster on my research that summer (the abstract was published in the poster session book). My professor also listed me as an author on a poster he presented at a conference that fall.

This summer I was accepted to our SPUR program, which means I am now funded through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. I will be writing a paper & presenting another poster at the same session as part of my program.

Additionally, my project is getting close to the point where I will be trying to publish my work as first author (I only have a few more experiments to run if everything goes according to plan :xf:).


So:
1. How do I cite these posters under publications?
2. Am I allowed to list the poster I will be presenting this summer (end of July)?
3. Is being an HHMI fellow considered an honor, or is it redundant information? I will be listing my research under the Work Experience section, and admission to the program is competitive.
4. How can I communicate that I will be publishing a paper soon? It's pretty novel stuff and (according to my PI) should make it into a decent journal, but obviously that means nothing until it's actually submitted & accepted, and that takes months.


I would like to submit my application by July since several of my schools have rolling admissions, unless waiting until fall would make a drastic difference in how well my application will be received.

Thanks so much!!!
Click to expand...

I was in the same boat with you regarding publications. We had just submitted a paper into a journal, but this was in October, and there was no way it'd get accepted by the time I submitted in November. In this case, I just said in my personal statement, "I've been working at ____ on research involving ____. I have submitted a paper for publication recently." Something along those lines.

I'd say just submit your application now. If and when you get an interview, by that time, it will officially be published, so you can talk about it further in your interview.
 
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Research posters are not publications, they are presentations. Talk about them somewhere else - depending on the exact nature of the project it may be appropriate to mention it in PS, EC, additional information, or even work section.
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So the poster abstract doesn't mean anything either? I feel like there's no appropriate section to put this information. I've already filled the character limit on my Research Assistant entry under Work Information. Back to square one on that I suppose. :shrug: I didn't have any plans this weekend anyways lol.

I just want to make sure that the adcoms know this is a scientifically significant & independent project, and not a "research experience" that's limited to washing dishes, making media, or helping out with a grad student's project. (Not that I didn't do my fair share of cleaning the lab & preparing materials, but that was before we had a lab tech - or grad students! - and I was still involved with my project at the time.)



I was in the same boat with you regarding publications. We had just submitted a paper into a journal, but this was in October, and there was no way it'd get accepted by the time I submitted in November. In this case, I just said in my personal statement, "I've been working at ____ on research involving ____. I have submitted a paper for publication recently." Something along those lines.

I'd say just submit your application now. If and when you get an interview, by that time, it will officially be published, so you can talk about it further in your interview.
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Glad to know I'm not the only one in the same position. And it clearly worked out for you - congrats on UCSF!!! :thumbup: I'm still considering whether or not to apply, the cost of living in CA kind of worries me...



Thanks so much for the advice b1234 and busyizzy! :)
 
I was curious if there is a form required or something along those lines in regards to pharmacy experience for use during Pharmcas applications. I worked for 3 months in a retail pharmacy and now I was offered a position in a closed pharmacy for the summer. I want to use both experiences for my pharmcas application, I am just not sure how I can verify I have this experience on the application. Are evaluations required as well?
 
20YearsOfSnow said:
So the poster abstract doesn't mean anything either? I feel like there's no appropriate section to put this information. I've already filled the character limit on my Research Assistant entry under Work Information. Back to square one on that I suppose. :shrug: I didn't have any plans this weekend anyways lol.

I just want to make sure that the adcoms know this is a scientifically significant & independent project, and not a "research experience" that's limited to washing dishes, making media, or helping out with a grad student's project. (Not that I didn't do my fair share of cleaning the lab & preparing materials, but that was before we had a lab tech - or grad students! - and I was still involved with my project at the time.)



Glad to know I'm not the only one in the same position. And it clearly worked out for you - congrats on UCSF!!! :thumbup: I'm still considering whether or not to apply, the cost of living in CA kind of worries me...



Thanks so much for the advice b1234 and busyizzy! :)
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The abstract for your poster was "published" in what was basically a guide for all the presentations being made at your school's research day. Technically, yes it was published, but I still wouldn't list it as a publication. If I were reading your app, and first saw that you were published - and then saw that it was just an abstract in a guide for your school's research day... it would seem like a letdown...

Somewhere in your application I would put something about doing research and giving a presentation about your research - how in depth you feel you need to go to get the point across is up to you and dependent on multiple factors. I would suggest in your PS and/or supplemental application materials at individual schools.

You may consider mentioning it in the additional info section, but I personally would not recommend this (see my previous post on the additional info section topic).
 
pharmCAS doesn't verify experience. It's up to the schools you apply to to verify the experiences if they have suspicion otherwise. Yes, this means some people can potentially lie their way into pharmacy school, but manually verifying each and every listed experience of a potential candidate would probably add an entire year to the application process.
 
So i asked a pharmacist i worked with to write me a LoR and they can yes... on the pharmcas entry you have to write dr, mr, mrs, and etc...

is a PharmD a Dr.? would it be Mrs. Doe, or Dr. Doe? I didnt' want to disrespect her just by writing mrs. when shes a dr. and vice versa.
 
hwaiting said:
So i asked a pharmacist i worked with to write me a LoR and they can yes... on the pharmcas entry you have to write dr, mr, mrs, and etc...

is a PharmD a Dr.? would it be Mrs. Doe, or Dr. Doe? I didnt' want to disrespect her just by writing mrs. when shes a dr. and vice versa.
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Put Dr.
 
I have a few questions about the LOR through PharmCAS.

1. Since some schools only allow 3 and others will take 4, is there a way to choose which letters go to which schools?

2. Also, is there a way to remove a LOR if you've changed you mind or want to ask someone else instead after they have submitted their letter?

Thanks
 
DGgirl said:
I have a few questions about the LOR through PharmCAS.

1. Since some schools only allow 3 and others will take 4, is there a way to choose which letters go to which schools?

2. Also, is there a way to remove a LOR if you've changed you mind or want to ask someone else instead after they have submitted their letter?

Thanks
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1. Usually no. However, certain schools ask you in their supplementals to specify which LORs you want them to read.

2. Once the LOR is sent, it's stored.
 
what if schools require a pharmacist LoR? is it just pointless to get 3 professor LoR and 1 pharm? should i just get 1 pharm and 2 prof?
 
Ok so I just found out today that I got hired as a pharm. tech at one of the local hospitals here. I don't start until 06/21/10. I was wondering if I should even bother consider adding this to PharmCAS? I shadowed there a year ago. Maybe I should just list my prn position only at the indy pharmacy I work at.
 
I know most schools don't require a letter of recommendation from a pharmacist, but how would it affect your application if you only had recs from science professors? Despite volunteering at a pharmacy, I think that my professors would be able to write a stronger rec because I've gotten much closer with them than to the pharmacists at the hospital that I would see once a week.
 
rxrina said:
I know most schools don't require a letter of recommendation from a pharmacist, but how would it affect your application if you only had recs from science professors? Despite volunteering at a pharmacy, I think that my professors would be able to write a stronger rec because I've gotten much closer with them than to the pharmacists at the hospital that I would see once a week.
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Depends. Do the science teachers all see you in the same light/environment? If they do, then I think it's a waste of a recommendation letter. You don't need three recommendation letters saying "xx is a great student. she studies hard in class, asks insightful questions, and comes to office hours." Try to aim for getting letters that reflect different parts of your life. If one science teacher taught you, another one is your adviser, and the last one you do research for, then I highly encourage getting one from all three. If they all just taught you different classes of science, I would try to get one that says something differently about you - like your pharmacist. This is a chance for you to add more to your application - would you waste space on your personal statement repeating a sentence three times?

Ok so I just found out today that I got hired as a pharm. tech at one of the local hospitals here. I don't start until 06/21/10. I was wondering if I should even bother consider adding this to PharmCAS? I shadowed there a year ago. Maybe I should just list my prn position only at the indy pharmacy I work at.
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Really, up to you. I can't see it being a huge plus or a negative. I suppose I would add it. It shows that you were interested enough in the field of pharm to get a job and get some experience. If you don't add it now though, be sure to mention it at your interviews. By that time, you'd have plenty of experience to talk about.

what if schools require a pharmacist LoR? is it just pointless to get 3 professor LoR and 1 pharm? should i just get 1 pharm and 2 prof?
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It depends on what the school requires. I know UCSF highly recommends 4 letters of recommendations. As long as they are all positive recommendations, I would submit all 4. If one of them is mediocre or bad, then I would exclude that one.
 
Can someone please explain why after indenting my PS, whenever I go to print my application it does not show the indentations? Is this how the schools will receive it?



***Nevermind, I went ahead and did it in a block format.***
 
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busyizzy said:
Really, up to you. I can't see it being a huge plus or a negative. I suppose I would add it. It shows that you were interested enough in the field of pharm to get a job and get some experience. If you don't add it now though, be sure to mention it at your interviews. By that time, you'd have plenty of experience to talk about.
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I decided to add it since PharmCAS only goes by the month and year and not the exact date.:thumbup:
 
I have a question about degree section in colleges attended...I went to a CC and finished all the requirement for AA degree but never applied for it in person at admission office, assuming it wud appear on my transcript by itself...I transfered to a four-year uni and got my bachelors in Biochem...after PharmCAS app opened I realized my CC transcript doesn't have AA degree mentioned there so I went to CC and now applied for it and it won't appear on my transcript until fall 2010...So under CC degree shud I mention abt AA degree or write no degree..my transcript has already been mailed by CC to PharmCAS and it won't have AA degree there...What shud I do?

Thanks in advance for any feedback
 
PharmAim said:
I have a question about degree section in colleges attended...I went to a CC and finished all the requirement for AA degree but never applied for it in person at admission office, assuming it wud appear on my transcript by itself...I transfered to a four-year uni and got my bachelors in Biochem...after PharmCAS app opened I realized my CC transcript doesn't have AA degree mentioned there so I went to CC and now applied for it and it won't appear on my transcript until fall 2010...So under CC degree shud I mention abt AA degree or write no degree..my transcript has already been mailed by CC to PharmCAS and it won't have AA degree there...What shud I do?

Thanks in advance for any feedback
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Since you already have a Bachelors degree, I really don't think the AA is going to make a difference...Just put no degree since you transferred directly into the 4 year Uni anyway.
 
delano2000 said:
Can someone please explain why after indenting my PS, whenever I go to print my application it does not show the indentations? Is this how the schools will receive it?



***Nevermind, I went ahead and did it in a block format.***
Click to expand...

I'm having trouble with it too. What do you mean doing it in a block format?
 
dnguyen401 said:
I'm having trouble with it too. What do you mean doing it in a block format?
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If you copy/paste directly from Word document, it won't look right. He put a space between each paragraph instead of using the normal indentation. It's also advised to copy/paste from Word to notepad first, then copy it over onto PharmCAS.
 
I cant find university of sullivan kentucky and unveristy of toledo ohio in the pharmacy destinations..does any1 kno why that is?
 
Those two schools are not associated with PharmCAS. You would need to go visit the schools website and find out how you can submit your application to the schools.
 
ncecc said:
I cant find university of sullivan kentucky and unveristy of toledo ohio in the pharmacy destinations..does any1 kno why that is?
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Check "Sullivan University" instead. If they're not on the list, then they don't participate on PharmCAS.
 
ncecc said:
I cant find university of sullivan kentucky and unveristy of toledo ohio in the pharmacy destinations..does any1 kno why that is?
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Both of those schools do not participate in PharmCAS. You have to apply to them separately (i.e. send in transcripts, letters of rec, essays to each school directly). Visit each of the schools website for exact instructions on how to apply.
 
I was wondering if I include a pre-calculus course I took at a CC during high school in order get into Calculus I. I wasn't sure if it was all CC courses or just the CC courses taken during my undergraduate studies.
 
XJASONX said:
I was wondering if I include a pre-calculus course I took at a CC during high school in order get into Calculus I. I wasn't sure if it was all CC courses or just the CC courses taken during my undergraduate studies.
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If it is on your CC transcript, include it.
 
Maybe some of you might know about this....If I got a D in class last fall and then repeated the class this spring with an A grade.

Do I choose 'REPEATED' for both, fall and spring sessions of the 'Special Classification' section of the pharmcas application???
 
XJASONX said:
I was wondering if I include a pre-calculus course I took at a CC during high school in order get into Calculus I. I wasn't sure if it was all CC courses or just the CC courses taken during my undergraduate studies.
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I also think it gives you an option under "Special Classification" to choose 'College in High school' which I think is what your situation classifies as.
 
tinker77 said:
Maybe some of you might know about this....If I got a D in class last fall and then repeated the class this spring with an A grade.

Do I choose 'REPEATED' for both, fall and spring sessions of the 'Special Classification' section of the pharmcas application???
Click to expand...


I guess you would only do that for the Spring semester.

I wonder if you would have to put 'Repeated' if you withdrew from the original course and took it again later
 
tinker77 said:
Maybe some of you might know about this....If I got a D in class last fall and then repeated the class this spring with an A grade.

Do I choose 'REPEATED' for both, fall and spring sessions of the 'Special Classification' section of the pharmcas application???
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I had a repeated class. For my application last year, the first time I took the class, I put no special classificatin. For the second time, I put repeated.
 
Hi all,

I'm using the letter service from my school. Recently I'm trying to get both my PharmCAS evaluation form and the regular letter first, and then apply next year. I know the letter service can save the regular letter, but can they save the PharmCas form too?

I want to get it done this year so I can just pull it out and use it next year. The evaluators probably will not remember me..

Any help will be appreciated!:)
 
I plan to take PCAT this june and august, and turn my application around september. At that time, i won't receive my B.S degree in Biochemistry yet. I need to finish 1 class, so i will have my B.S in december. Can I still update my info in application in december if i submit in september? I don't want to turn my application lately because i hear that people who turn there application soon get more chance to get in.
 
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