*~*Official 2011-2012 PharmCAS Thread!*~*

[Falokis]

PharmCAS does have a mail out date for the year cycle that it won't mail before. Is that what you are asking?

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[deleted289008]

Although you may have finished everything on PharmCAS and submitted, they will wait until they've gathered enough to send out in different batches.

So if you finished in July, they'll wait til the first send out date to send out the first batch. Don't worry, there's a way for schools to know when you actually submitted.

I have read the requirements and everything on pharmcas.org, but I can't find anything that tells me when the application is sent. The thing is, I am taking the July 27th pcat and I might take it again in september. I don't plan on sending my application until around september. So my question is, if I make a pharmcas profile and it receives my pcat scores, does it send my application regardless of if it's finished or not? I don't want to create an account and then have my fate sealed by a misunderstanding. This pharmcas process is just confusing to me and if anyone can help I would be very happy. Thanks!

 

[HarshalS]

I noticed that supplemental apps were already posted on each college's website. Wish I had known earlier but did anyone manage to start/finish all of theirs? Some of these supplementals are just asking for money...these institutions are idiotic.

 

[Project2015]

To answer your particular question, PharmCAS will not send anything until you explicitly submit ("e-submit") the application, which includes a payment step. Nothing happens until you pay.

You cannot update the application once you submit until late December. Even then, I think you can only update grades and courses, nothing else.

It's probably a good idea to have a profile before taking the PCAT so that the scores can be matched easily when they receive the scores.

 

[pharm313]

So we should only e-submit once we have all of our LORs and PCAT score entered into our PharmCAS?

 

[LJ265PHARMD]

Only put "repeat" for the second attempt! Hope that helps

 

[Project2015]

So we should only e-submit once we have all of our LORs and PCAT score entered into our PharmCAS?

You could submit before or after all the LORs and scores are received by PharmCAS.

 

[alveoli89]

Hey guys, I am taking the pcat on sept. 27 but I already took it once in Oct. 2010. What I want to do is submit my 2010 score to pharmcas and e-submit my application as soon as possible. My question is will I be able to update my application once my september scores come in, will I have to update my score during Academic update, or will this issue take care of itself?

Any help is appreciated.

 

[Passion4Sci]

I submitted PharmCAS before my LoRs and transcripts were all in. No big deal.

 

[JenAthay]

Hey guys, I am taking the pcat on sept. 27 but I already took it once in Oct. 2010. What I want to do is submit my 2010 score to pharmcas and e-submit my application as soon as possible. My question is will I be able to update my application once my september scores come in, will I have to update my score during Academic update, or will this issue take care of itself?

Any help is appreciated.

When you take the PCAT in Sept request the scores be sent to PharmCAS using code 104. All of your attempts at PCAT will be reported by PCAT. Only coursework is updated during Academic Update, tests have a different process and are updated as the scores come in.

 

[JenAthay]

Hi guys,

I'm starting to freak out with the snail mail process. My professor sent out my LOR via snail mail on 7/6 and it was delivered 7/8. I sent my professor a pre-paid postage with signature confirmation since I thought it would be more secured that way. When I go on the USPS track & confirm, it says a notice was left because no authorized recipient was available. Do you think a PharmCAS agent will retrieve the letter? if worst comes to worst, I'll just have my reference do it electronically?

Do the notices actually get retrieved by the agent??

Relax and give it some time. The USPS track and confirm system can take weeks to update, just watch your application portal to see when it has been received. If it's not there by early next week, call customer service or just ask you reference writer to submit it electronically.

 

[smithek]

I'm sure this has been answered, but I ran a search and couldn't find exactly what I was looking for.

Do I need to send AP scores to pharmcas from the college board if my undergrad accepted the scores for credit and that is reflected on my transcript?

 

[Project2015]

I'm sure this has been answered, but I ran a search and couldn't find exactly what I was looking for.

Do I need to send AP scores to pharmcas from the college board if my undergrad accepted the scores for credit and that is reflected on my transcript?

No, PharmCAS doesn't want them. The schools you apply to may want it directly at some point of the cycle.

 

[PhutureRPh]

Hi all! I need some advice. I'm a non-traditional student applying this admissions cycle (I'm 29 but will be 30 next month). I currently work full time and go to school full time at night after work and online which does not leave much time for anything else, e.g. clubs, volunteering, activities. I'm afraid that that section of my application will look ridiculously sparse compared to traditional students. I'm wondering whether or not to include the volunteer, leadership, and extracurricular activities I did in high school. My concern is that I graduated high school in 1999 and that was a long time ago. Thoughts? Thanks to anybody for suggestions.

 

[404075]

Question: If the deadline for my app is November 1st, can i e-submit before the date even though one of my references hasn't completed it yet? Will it still be considered "on-time?"

Thanks

 

[Project2015]

Question: If the deadline for my app is November 1st, can i e-submit before the date even though one of my references hasn't completed it yet? Will it still be considered "on-time?"

Thanks

Yes, you can submit it before the deadline. Yes, it will be on time if the LOR (and all other required submissions) are received by the deadline.

 

[Lid04pp1]

I submitted my application like couple days ago. I know it said it will take up to 5 weeks to calculate the GPA, but I just wonder if they really take PharmCAS 5 weeks to calculate the GPA? Thanks.

 

[Project2015]

I submitted my application like couple days ago. I know it said it will take up to 5 weeks to calculate the GPA, but I just wonder if they really take PharmCAS 5 weeks to calculate the GPA? Thanks.

It is entirely possible. However, since you submitted it at this point (very early, low volume), it'll probably take a week or so, most likely by August as PharmCAS begins gearing up their operations.

 

[letsskate]

I'm wondering can the schools you apply to see what other schools you are applying to?

 

[Project2015]

I'm wondering can the schools you apply to see what other schools you are applying to?

No for the most part.

Straight from the applicant instructions on PharmCAS in regards to sharing of information:

SHARING OF ADMISSION DECISIONS

Beginning on June 1, 2012, PharmCAS institutions will receive reports regarding the number of offers of admission made and number of offers of admission accepted for those applicants the college or school shares with another PharmCAS institution. Your designated PharmCAS institutions will know how many offers of admission you have received and how many offers of admission you have accepted at other PharmCAS institutions. PharmCAS institutions will not know how many applications you have submitted. They will also not know whether you were denied admission to another pharmacy school or be informed of any other admission actions made by other PharmCAS institutions, except offers of admission made or accepted.

 

[sivapharm]

When I signed up for the PCAT, under the section for where my score was to be sent, instead of choosing PharmCAS I chose the five schools I am applying to, but after reading this forum I'm not sure if that was correct. Was I just supposed to choose PharmCAS and then they will send it to the schools or was I supposed to choose PharmCAS and my five schools??? soo confused..

Also, for the LORs will PharmCAS contact my references as soon as I put their info into the system, or will that not happen until after I submit?

 

[Project2015]

When I signed up for the PCAT, under the section for where my score was to be sent, instead of choosing PharmCAS I chose the five schools I am applying to, but after reading this forum I'm not sure if that was correct. Was I just supposed to choose PharmCAS and then they will send it to the schools or was I supposed to choose PharmCAS and my five schools??? soo confused..

Also, for the LORs will PharmCAS contact my references as soon as I put their info into the system, or will that not happen until after I submit?

PCAT to PharmCAS only if PharmCAS participating school.

Reference requests emailed immediately after entering information.

 

[netmag]

Only put "repeat" for the second attempt! Hope that helps

According to the correspondence below, you're supposed to mark each graded attempt as a Repeat. See JenAthay's response to the same question from Page 3 of this thread...

For a course we repeated do we put "Repeated" on BOTH the first AND second attempt or JUST the second attempt?

You should mark all graded attempts as repeated. If you Withdrew and then took the course for a grade, the graded attempt is also a repeat.

I didn't withdraw from the course and therefore received a grade both the first and second time I took the course. So I should put mark both the first attempt and second attempt as repeated?

Yes.

 

[pharmerboi]

On the PharmCAS, it asks for credit hours for the courses. Are credit hours the same thing as unit?!? I am in a quarter system and I read soneone posted here that 1 unit = 3 credit hours...is this true? I'm so confused...help!

 

[Project2015]

On the PharmCAS, it asks for credit hours for the courses. Are credit hours the same thing as unit?!? I am in a quarter system and I read soneone posted here that 1 unit = 3 credit hours...is this true? I'm so confused...help!

Then you should've read the answer as well.

Usually units and credit hours are interchangable (1 unit = 1 hour). So how many units is your typical non-lab class? 4 units? Do you have a total of 4 hours of lecture and section/discussion per week for that class? Then it's 4 credit hours.

The only time when conversion is necessary is when the school truly uses the unit system where 1 class is 1 unit (so some classes like a lab are only 0.25 unit). In that case, I believe it's multipled by 4.

Ultimately, credit hours refers to the number of hours of instruction time per week for that course provided that it's not a lab.

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It looks like you're at UCD, so 1 unit = 1 hour.

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Here's an explanation for the 1:3 ratio you mentioned. It is generally recommended that you allocate 3 hours per week (2 hr studying, 1 hr in class) for every 1 unit you're taking.

 

[kickingofthedee]

Hey guys

I'm going through pharmcas right now and it seems like I need 4 good letters of reference. I'm friendly with several pharmacists at the pharmacy I volunteered at and can most likely get them to write me the letters, but I haven't really talked to any of my professors. Would it be alright to have all of references from pharmacists or do I need at least 2 from professors?

Also would professors be willing to write a LOR if I got a B in their class?

 

[Project2015]

Hey guys

I'm going through pharmcas right now and it seems like I need 4 good letters of reference. I'm friendly with several pharmacists at the pharmacy I volunteered at and can most likely get them to write me the letters, but I haven't really talked to any of my professors. Would it be alright to have all of references from pharmacists or do I need at least 2 from professors?

Also would professors be willing to write a LOR if I got a B in their class?

Why 4 LOR?

The required LORs are school specific. LOR from a professor are ideal and sometimes required.

It depends on the professor.

 

[moose pharm]

The LOR deal is really confusing me. I had asked my professor to write me a LOR back in May. At that time I didn't know anything about PharmCAS and how they do this online submission. My question is what exactly does the LOR writer get in this email. Does he have an option to attach file the LOR he wrote himself to the esubmit while also having to fill out the reference?

Thanks in advanced guys!

 

[Project2015]

The LOR deal is really confusing me. I had asked my professor to write me a LOR back in May. At that time I didn't know anything about PharmCAS and how they do this online submission. My question is what exactly does the LOR writer get in this email. Does he have an option to attach file the LOR he wrote himself to the esubmit while also having to fill out the reference?

Thanks in advanced guys!

The writer receives an email with instructions on how to submit the reference on PharmCAS. There's a list of questions the writer needs to answer along with a place to attach the actual letter.

 

[thesituation559]

Hi
I'm ordering my transcripts right now from the universities i attended. Now I know pharmcas wants us to have it sent directly from the schools with the special form in it. But how do we go upon this? when i order my transcripts from my school it says it can be sent to recipient or i can pick it up at the office. Should i just select the office option? and the day i pick it up should i just take my form with me and tell them to send it to pharmcas? I'm really confused about this. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[lxm]

I am taking my PCAT in Sept., but I want to submit my application this month. Will PharCAS still verify my GPA and everything else and forward it to the schools before getting my PCAT score? Or will my application be held back by my PCAT score?

I am applying to CA schools, so if they don't require PCAT, they will start reviewing my application as soon as PharmCAS forward my application right?

For schools that require PCAT, will they just put my application aside until PharmCAS gets the score from PCAT testing agency?

Thanks!

 

[Project2015]

Hi
I'm ordering my transcripts right now from the universities i attended. Now I know pharmcas wants us to have it sent directly from the schools with the special form in it. But how do we go upon this? when i order my transcripts from my school it says it can be sent to recipient or i can pick it up at the office. Should i just select the office option? and the day i pick it up should i just take my form with me and tell them to send it to pharmcas? I'm really confused about this. Any help would be appreciated.

Go to the registrar to request the transcript and provide them the form at that time along with the transcript request form and payment.

 

[VegasPartier]

So I have a couple questions regarding transcripts.

So I have transcripts from 2 schools.

Is it okay if I combine both transcripts and mail them in a single envelope?

In addition, correct me if I'm wrong...but we would have to send in the transcripts like twice right? We send in one now for all the coursework that we have completed up until like TODAY....and then we send in another transcript after we like graduate in June 2012?

 

[Project2015]

So I have a couple questions regarding transcripts.

So I have transcripts from 2 schools.

Is it okay if I combine both transcripts and mail them in a single envelope?

In addition, correct me if I'm wrong...but we would have to send in the transcripts like twice right? We send in one now for all the coursework that we have completed up until like TODAY....and then we send in another transcript after we like graduate in June 2012?

Nope. Those transcripts are as good as trash. They need to be sent directly to PharmCAS by the school.

PharmCAS only wants current transcripts and another one after fall semester if you choose to complete the academic update. The school that you will attend will probably want a final copy with everything including degree conferral.

 

[Swishers]

I am taking my PCAT in Sept., but I want to submit my application this month. Will PharCAS still verify my GPA and everything else and forward it to the schools before getting my PCAT score? Or will my application be held back by my PCAT score?

I am applying to CA schools, so if they don't require PCAT, they will start reviewing my application as soon as PharmCAS forward my application right?

For schools that require PCAT, will they just put my application aside until PharmCAS gets the score from PCAT testing agency?

Thanks!

Your application will not be held back. Yes to your other questions.

 

[VegasPartier]

so i go to a uc school. i'm in the process of entering my coursework..but had a few questions...

for academic status..it states select your "student registration status". does this mean like if it was my 1st year of college i put freshmen, 2nd year of college i put sophomore..and so on?

or do we go by credits?
like i due to my ap tests credits during high school...during my 1st year at uci, i was considered a sophomore..so what should i put?

in addition....i'm looking at my UNOFFICIAL transcripts and notice that at the begining are the credits that i got from my AP courses..should i enter in the results from all my AP TESTS i took in high school....(including the ones i got a 2 on)??? or just the tests i got credit for?

 

[Project2015]

so i go to a uc school. i'm in the process of entering my coursework..but had a few questions...

for academic status..it states select your "student registration status". does this mean like if it was my 1st year of college i put freshmen, 2nd year of college i put sophomore..and so on?

or do we go by credits?
like i due to my ap tests credits during high school...during my 1st year at uci, i was considered a sophomore..so what should i put?

in addition....i'm looking at my UNOFFICIAL transcripts and notice that at the begining are the credits that i got from my AP courses..should i enter in the results from all my AP TESTS i took in high school....(including the ones i got a 2 on)??? or just the tests i got credit for?

Based on units. 0-44.9 Freshmen, 45-89.9 Sophomore. 90-134.9 Junior 135-180+ Senior.

Will all of the AP scores show up on the official transcript? Or is it just internal for UCI usage? If it's on the transcript, you probably need to include it (for sure the ones where it was credited by UCI).

 

[VegasPartier]

THanks for the quick reply Project2015.

is it also correct that we DON'T input the # of units under the course hours...but we have to convert it?

if so, i have to figure out what 1 unit = _ course hours at uci.

 

[Project2015]

THanks for the quick reply Project2015.

is it also correct that we DON'T input the # of units under the course hours...but we have to convert it?

if so, i have to figure out what 1 unit = _ course hours at uci.

No conversion necessary. 1 unit = 1 credit hour. So most courses should be 4 credit hours.

 

[angeleyesoasis]

I have a couple questions regarding the Transcript Request Form.

I go to UCLA.

What do i put under campus attended? just UCLA? isn't there only like one UCLA campus?

What does itmean if transcript is an UPDATED/ CORRECTED Copy? THis is the first time i am sending my transcrip in...so do i just put NO for both options? since it isn't really like updated...it is FIRST TIME.

 

[Project2015]

I have a couple questions regarding the Transcript Request Form.

I go to UCLA.

What do i put under campus attended? just UCLA? isn't there only like one UCLA campus?

What does itmean if transcript is an UPDATED/ CORRECTED Copy? THis is the first time i am sending my transcrip in...so do i just put NO for both options? since it isn't really like updated...it is FIRST TIME.

Yeah...

 

[Ayuka001]

is it okay to abbreviate words in the personal statement?
B/c of the character count I can't fit my personal statement in w/out abbreviating some words unless I completely change my ideas and rewrite parts of my essay (which even my advisor said she wouldn't know how b/c everything already sounds good as is).

Words I abbreviated are:
UC Irvine instead of University of California Irvine
USA instead of United States of America
and SRHC instead of Student Run Health Clinic.

Thanks guys

 

[Project2015]

is it okay to abbreviate words in the personal statement?
B/c of the character count I can't fit my personal statement in w/out abbreviating some words unless I completely change my ideas and rewrite parts of my essay (which even my advisor said she wouldn't know how b/c everything already sounds good as is).

Words I abbreviated are:
UC Irvine instead of University of California Irvine
USA instead of United States of America
and SRHC instead of Student Run Health Clinic.

Thanks guys

I would say yes if they're common. If not, you should at least define it the first time you use it, like for Student Run Health Clinic (SRHC).

 

[angeleyesoasis]

how would i enter in ap test scores/credit into my coursework page? On my transcript, all it says is the subject of the ap test and the date i took my ap tests. There is no course prefix/number....should i put the same thing that i put as the course title?

here is what my transcript just says:

"AP Spanish Lang 05-07"

 

[Project2015]

how would i enter in ap test scores/credit into my coursework page? On my transcript, all it says is the subject of the ap test and the date i took my ap tests. There is no course prefix/number....should i put the same thing that i put as the course title?

here is what my transcript just says:

"AP Spanish Lang 05-07"

Course Title: AP Spanish Lang 05-07
Course Prefix: AP
Level: Lower-division
Subject: General Non-Science
Grade: CR
Credits: 4 (or whatever)
Test Score: (whatever it is)
Classification: Advanced Placement


Make sure that AP credits are actually on the official transcript because some schools exclude them or don't list individual exams. In those cases, you should not list them or list them exactly as shown, respectively.

 

[sinoirilax]

HELP!!!

I still haven't sent any transcripts or LOR to Pharmcas yet.

However, I am done with everything else on Pharmcas.

Can I e-submit my Pharmcas app tonight and send transcripts/LOR later?
Will my professors be able to e-submit their LOR once I send in my pharmcas?

Thanks a bunch and good luck to everyone!!!

 

[Project2015]

HELP!!!

I still haven't sent any transcripts or LOR to Pharmcas yet.

However, I am done with everything else on Pharmcas.

Can I e-submit my Pharmcas app tonight and send transcripts/LOR later?
Will my professors be able to e-submit their LOR once I send in my pharmcas?

Thanks a bunch and good luck to everyone!!!

Yes. Yes. What's the rush to submit it tonight when all the other pieces aren't ready?

 

[sinoirilax]

Yes. Yes. What's the rush to submit it tonight when all the other pieces aren't ready?

Thanks for the reply!

So I'm guessing I can click on that SUBMIT button all day and it won't do jack because my application is not complete yet and Pharmcas won't send it to the schools?

 

[Project2015]

Thanks for the reply!

So I'm guessing I can click on that SUBMIT button all day and it won't do jack because my application is not complete yet and Pharmcas won't send it to the schools?

Well they'll take your money. Only until they get your transcript(s) do they begin verifying your coursework and then send out the application to the schools (starting Aug 1). However, I think they will send out your application if you're missing LORs. Then again, the schools will likely not review your app until they get those LORs.

 

[lmrich05]

Hello,

If I took a course and withdrew and then later took another course that is substitutable as a pre-requisite but not directly equivalent, should I mark them both as repeated. For example, I withdrew from Art Appreciation but later took Fine Arts and Daily Living, both of which satisfy the fine art requirement.

Thanks