Pharmacy School

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rectangles

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I started off as a pre-med student and am switching over but am still a bit confused on the pharm application process/ options for applying. I graduated college a few years ago with a pretty low gpa and despite not taking all of the pre-requisite classes opted to take the MCAT anyway. Obviously, I didn't do so great. Over the last few years I have been completing an SMP and have done exceptionally well but while here, have decided that I am interested in pharm. I suppose I'm a bit of a non-traditional applicant. UGPA: 3.06 SGPA: 2.8 GGPA:3.97

I have loads of research hours at top facilities, however, no publications, plenty of volunteering and shadowing, great letters that I can use, good extracurriculars and about to finish my masters.

What are typically the application dates for applying to pharm school. I was talking to one pharmacist and she said that people typically submit their applications around december but have been looking around online and saw one person say June while another user bosts applying March of last year and having an acceptance by the end of the following month?? Lol if that is truly the case I will submit an app to whatever schools you guys recommend by the end of this week.

Id rather not take the PCAT to be accepted if I dont have to and with all of my other questions, and any other helpful insight that can be offered into the process, was wondering what schools I should be looking into and how to go about applying?

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Applications open mid-June. Application deadlines are based on the school you want to attend. Not every school requires a PCAT/requires a PCAT but will waive it if you have a certain GPA. I'm not sure how many schools have extended their deadlines past March but you can check on PharmCas.
 
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I started off as a pre-med student and am switching over but am still a bit confused on the pharm application process/ options for applying. I graduated college a few years ago with a pretty low gpa and despite not taking all of the pre-requisite classes opted to take the MCAT anyway. Obviously, I didn't do so great. Over the last few years I have been completing an SMP and have done exceptionally well but while here, have decided that I am interested in pharm. I suppose I'm a bit of a non-traditional applicant. UGPA: 3.06 SGPA: 2.8 GGPA:3.97

I have loads of research hours at top facilities, however, no publications, plenty of volunteering and shadowing, great letters that I can use, good extracurriculars and about to finish my masters.

What are typically the application dates for applying to pharm school. I was talking to one pharmacist and she said that people typically submit their applications around december but have been looking around online and saw one person say June while another user bosts applying March of last year and having an acceptance by the end of the following month?? Lol if that is truly the case I will submit an app to whatever schools you guys recommend by the end of this week.

Id rather not take the PCAT to be accepted if I dont have to and with all of my other questions, and any other helpful insight that can be offered into the process, was wondering what schools I should be looking into and how to go about applying?
Don't apply early... unless u are a great student... I think Having ur interview in Jan. will increase ur acceptance into pharmacy schools. I applied early, submitted in oct. did my interview in Nov, put on waitlist. While my friend applied to the same school in Nov/Dec, interviewed in Dec. Got in ( she had lower PCAT and no research experience, few extracurriculars)... I was at wisconsin in Jan. They specifically told us that, " we did the math, for now about 2.2 people we accept, only1 will show up to our school.
 
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I started off as a pre-med student and am switching over but am still a bit confused on the pharm application process/ options for applying. I graduated college a few years ago with a pretty low gpa and despite not taking all of the pre-requisite classes opted to take the MCAT anyway. Obviously, I didn't do so great. Over the last few years I have been completing an SMP and have done exceptionally well but while here, have decided that I am interested in pharm. I suppose I'm a bit of a non-traditional applicant. UGPA: 3.06 SGPA: 2.8 GGPA:3.97

I have loads of research hours at top facilities, however, no publications, plenty of volunteering and shadowing, great letters that I can use, good extracurriculars and about to finish my masters.

What are typically the application dates for applying to pharm school. I was talking to one pharmacist and she said that people typically submit their applications around december but have been looking around online and saw one person say June while another user bosts applying March of last year and having an acceptance by the end of the following month?? Lol if that is truly the case I will submit an app to whatever schools you guys recommend by the end of this week.

Id rather not take the PCAT to be accepted if I dont have to and with all of my other questions, and any other helpful insight that can be offered into the process, was wondering what schools I should be looking into and how to go about applying?
Also, I won't hear back until sometime in March, while I applied early.... This kinda pisses me off...
 
Hey @rectangles - congrats on almost finishing your Master's and on choosing pharmacy. :)

You've probably completed most of the pre-pharm pre-reqs, which usually include: 2 semesters general biology (with lab), 2 semesters general chemistry (with lab), 2 semesters organic chemistry (with lab), 1-2 semesters biochemistry, 1 semester anatomy and physiology (recommended), 1 semester microbiology, 1-2 semesters calculus, 1-2 semesters statistics, and 2 semesters English.

There are 5 application deadlines for pharmacy programs: Nov 1, Dec 1, Jan 1, Feb 1, or Mar 1, meaning that some schools have a Nov 1 deadline, some have a Dec 1 deadline, etc. - this is the deadline for submitting your application through PharmCAS (analogous to AMCAS), and you can find these deadlines on the PharmCAS website. If you can get your application in by Nov 1, then you'll be eligible to apply to most schools, whereas if you wait later you may only be eligible at schools with later deadlines. Plus, the earlier you apply, the better your chances at programs with rolling admissions. If you want to apply to one school via Early Decision (to improve your chances there further), that deadline occurs in early September.

About 85% of pharmacy schools require the PCAT - those that don't are mostly concentrated on the West coast and tend to be more competitive because (1) California is an attractive place to go to school, and (2) many applicants want to apply to schools that don't require the PCAT. So it doesn't hurt to take the PCAT to broaden the scope of schools you're eligible to apply to.

The most time-sensitive parts of your application are (a) requesting all your official transcripts be sent directly to PharmCAS; (b) asking for letters of recommendation in advance; and (c) taking the PCAT. PCAT testing dates occur within 5 windows: July, September, Oct/Nov, January, and February. So if you want to apply in Fall 2018 to enroll in Fall 2019, you might want to look at the summer and fall dates and be aware of their registration deadlines. (Another reason to take in July: you'll see your scores immediately after you test, so you can retake in the fall if needed.)

One last thing - your research experience is fantastic! Another thing pharmacy admissions committees looks for is clinical/pharmacy experience. A common way to gain that kind of experience is to work as a pharmacy tech, if you have the ability. The requirements for pharmacy tech registration or certification differ state by state, so if that's something you're considering, you may want to look up the requirements in your state, or alternatively look for volunteer opportunities. This is also a great way to give you a realistic idea of what the practice of pharmacy is like and (hopefully) affirm your passion for pharmacy!

Hope this helps! :luck:
 
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Don't apply early... unless u are a great student... I think Having ur interview in Jan. will increase ur acceptance into pharmacy schools. I applied early, submitted in oct. did my interview in Nov, put on waitlist. While my friend applied to the same school in Nov/Dec, interviewed in Dec. Got in ( she had lower PCAT and no research experience, few extracurriculars)... I was at wisconsin in Jan. They specifically told us that, " we did the math, for now about 2.2 people we accept, only1 will show up to our school.

Thank you so much that was extremely informative. Im definitely new to this but trying to quickly soak up as much information as I can. Im missing a few of the prerequisites but plan on taking them while applying and completing them before matriculating. The instant score in July sounds awesome, definitely an incentive. Is this not the case with September and the other deadlines? Also what is considered submitting early? I know with medical school the application opened in June and it was a rush to submit it asap. Does the pharm application open in June to or do people typically submit in the fall?
 
Hey @rectangles - congrats on almost finishing your Master's and on choosing pharmacy. :)

You've probably completed most of the pre-pharm pre-reqs, which usually include: 2 semesters general biology (with lab), 2 semesters general chemistry (with lab), 2 semesters organic chemistry (with lab), 1-2 semesters biochemistry, 1 semester anatomy and physiology (recommended), 1 semester microbiology, 1-2 semesters calculus, 1-2 semesters statistics, and 2 semesters English.

There are 5 application deadlines for pharmacy programs: Nov 1, Dec 1, Jan 1, Feb 1, or Mar 1, meaning that some schools have a Nov 1 deadline, some have a Dec 1 deadline, etc. - this is the deadline for submitting your application through PharmCAS (analogous to AMCAS), and you can find these deadlines on the PharmCAS website. If you can get your application in by Nov 1, then you'll be eligible to apply to most schools, whereas if you wait later you may only be eligible at schools with later deadlines. Plus, the earlier you apply, the better your chances at programs with rolling admissions. If you want to apply to one school via Early Decision (to improve your chances there further), that deadline occurs in early September.

About 85% of pharmacy schools require the PCAT - those that don't are mostly concentrated on the West coast and tend to be more competitive because (1) California is an attractive place to go to school, and (2) many applicants want to apply to schools that don't require the PCAT. So it doesn't hurt to take the PCAT to broaden the scope of schools you're eligible to apply to.

The most time-sensitive parts of your application are (a) requesting all your official transcripts be sent directly to PharmCAS; (b) asking for letters of recommendation in advance; and (c) taking the PCAT. PCAT testing dates occur within 5 windows: July, September, Oct/Nov, January, and February. So if you want to apply in Fall 2018 to enroll in Fall 2019, you might want to look at the summer and fall dates and be aware of their registration deadlines. (Another reason to take in July: you'll see your scores immediately after you test, so you can retake in the fall if needed.)

One last thing - your research experience is fantastic! Another thing pharmacy admissions committees looks for is clinical/pharmacy experience. A common way to gain that kind of experience is to work as a pharmacy tech, if you have the ability. The requirements for pharmacy tech registration or certification differ state by state, so if that's something you're considering, you may want to look up the requirements in your state, or alternatively look for volunteer opportunities. This is also a great way to give you a realistic idea of what the practice of pharmacy is like and (hopefully) affirm your passion for pharmacy!

Hope this helps! :luck:

Thank you so much that was extremely informative. Im definitely new to this but trying to quickly soak up as much information as I can. Im missing a few of the prerequisites but plan on taking them while applying and completing them before matriculating. The instant score in July sounds awesome, definitely an incentive. Is this not the case with September and the other deadlines? Also what is considered submitting early? I know with medical school the application opened in June and it was a rush to submit it asap. Does the pharm application open in June to or do people typically submit in the fall?
 
Thank you so much that was extremely informative. Im definitely new to this but trying to quickly soak up as much information as I can. Im missing a few of the prerequisites but plan on taking them while applying and completing them before matriculating. The instant score in July sounds awesome, definitely an incentive. Is this not the case with September and the other deadlines? Also what is considered submitting early? I know with medical school the application opened in June and it was a rush to submit it asap. Does the pharm application open in June to or do people typically submit in the fall?
Medical school is different from pharmacy school. I took both the july and September PCAT. Still managed to get the first candidates's day for some of the schools. I think most schools deadline is Dec. 1st or later. PharmCas also opens in the summer. A lot of people submit their application in late Nov. I submitted mine on Oct. 14th... Pushed few interviews back to Jan... Those that i pushed back, all accepted me. While the ones I interviewed earlier all put me on a waitlist ... So idk, This is just my suggestion. Look into other peoples words lol....
 
For pharmacy, it does not matter when you submit your application as long as it is before the deadline. If you want to do "early decision" then that deadline is usually in September. As mentioned above, most schools use early decision to pick out top candidates first, and will push candidates that are not as competitive to the waitlist so that they leave spots open for normal admission applicants. I would not say that early decision makes you less likely to get in, as you still have as much of a chance as the regular admission candidates.

For schools that do rolling admissions, they compare all the candidates waitlisted from early decision with each of the following interview pools. As more interviews occur throughout jan, feb, march, the school allows more spots from the total class number to be awarded and will compare interview candidates with waitlist candidates each time.
 
Look at schools that are cheap with a good reputation. After that, it is pretty easy to find their admissions statistics online and determine your chances of getting in. Your GPA is pretty low so I would try to do well on the PCAT to compensate this in order to get into a reputable school.
 
For pharmacy, it does not matter when you submit your application as long as it is before the deadline. If you want to do "early decision" then that deadline is usually in September. As mentioned above, most schools use early decision to pick out top candidates first, and will push candidates that are not as competitive to the waitlist so that they leave spots open for normal admission applicants. I would not say that early decision makes you less likely to get in, as you still have as much of a chance as the regular admission candidates.

For schools that do rolling admissions, they compare all the candidates waitlisted from early decision with each of the following interview pools. As more interviews occur throughout jan, feb, march, the school allows more spots from the total class number to be awarded and will compare interview candidates with waitlist candidates each time.
I understand what u are saying. The schools I applied to they do rolling admission, but did not have early admission. I applied so early because the pharmacy school said they encourage the applicants to apply early. But then I was placed on hold/a waitlist after my interview in NOV( one of the pharmacy's first candidate's day). Then in Jan/ Feb, I saw few of my friends got in the school while they all had lower stats, So what is the point of the applying early and being waitlisted, if you can get in when ur interview was in Jan/Feb and with lower stats. And I am not gonna get to hear back until the end of March... I am sorry if I am salty, but for the past months I was just worried.
 
Thank you so much that was extremely informative. Im definitely new to this but trying to quickly soak up as much information as I can. Im missing a few of the prerequisites but plan on taking them while applying and completing them before matriculating. The instant score in July sounds awesome, definitely an incentive. Is this not the case with September and the other deadlines? Also what is considered submitting early? I know with medical school the application opened in June and it was a rush to submit it asap. Does the pharm application open in June to or do people typically submit in the fall?

You'll see your unofficial results immediately, no matter when you take the PCAT. @BlackDiamond277 made a good point that doing well here can help compensate for a lower GPA.

@MQQ is also right about "submitting early" not being as critical for pharmacy admissions as it is for medical admissions - though it does have some advantages, most importantly giving you the option to retake and also allowing you to apply to programs with Nov 1 deadlines. It does help with rolling admissions as well because there will be more seats available in the fall than later on. However, if you can't take the PCAT until later for whatever reason, you usually can't go wrong (unless you wait all the way until February)! It depends on what your goals are, where you want to apply, and what works best for you. PharmCAS opens in mid-July. :)
 
You'll see your unofficial results immediately, no matter when you take the PCAT. @BlackDiamond277 made a good point that doing well here can help compensate for a lower GPA.

@MQQ is also right about "submitting early" not being as critical for pharmacy admissions as it is for medical admissions - though it does have some advantages, most importantly giving you the option to retake and also allowing you to apply to programs with Nov 1 deadlines. It does help with rolling admissions as well because there will be more seats available in the fall than later on. However, if you can't take the PCAT until later for whatever reason, you usually can't go wrong (unless you wait all the way until February)! It depends on what your goals are, where you want to apply, and what works best for you. PharmCAS opens in mid-July. :)
They tend to save seats for later applicants....
 
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