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***Official 2010-2011 PharmCAS Questions Thread***
Started by rxrina
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So I am starting to get my references to submit the Letters of Recommendation to PharmCAS, and a few wanted to know what aspects they are looking for in the letter. Basically, what would the ideal letter consist of? What main questions should they answer in the letter? Anything will help!
Thanks!
Thanks!
I'm a little confused as to how to add AP credit under the Coursework section. The instructions/FAQ don't help much.
Under "Course Title" do I just put "AP ENG" etc?
And for "Course Level" is it Lower Division?
And under "Grade as appears on transcript" I put "CR" right?
And what do I put under "Credit Hours"?
Sorry for all the questions but the instructions do not make it clear at all.
Under "Course Title" do I just put "AP ENG" etc?
And for "Course Level" is it Lower Division?
And under "Grade as appears on transcript" I put "CR" right?
And what do I put under "Credit Hours"?
Sorry for all the questions but the instructions do not make it clear at all.
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AP courses are to be listed the way they are on your transcript.
Coure title - the equivalent college course.
Lower division.
Whatever the grade says on your transcript. Probably credit.
Credit hours - the # of units of the equivalent course.
Also mark that it's Advanced Placement in Special Classifications and put in the score.
Coure title - the equivalent college course.
Lower division.
Whatever the grade says on your transcript. Probably credit.
Credit hours - the # of units of the equivalent course.
Also mark that it's Advanced Placement in Special Classifications and put in the score.
Alright. So I'm curious to see the email and website recommenders receives. I know people here on SDN have mailed it to themselves in a "practice" PharmCAS application a year before their actual application. However, can I do that myself safely on my REAL application? Fill out my own info and all that, look at the site, but NOT submit anything, and then delete that "recommender" entry so that it looks like nothing ever happened?
If you want to see what questions recommenders are asked, PharmCAS provides that information on their website. It should be somewhere- it is called the recommender form. As far as the e-mail received, it will say PharmCAS blahblah in the subject line like the ones we get
Yeah, I've seen that list of questions. I'm just a bit concerned by all the PharmCAS flaws that could lead to confusion and also I just want to make sure I provide sufficient but not redundant information to make it easier for the recommender.
In some other threads, people were saying how the letter itself is optional or they think their recommender made a mistake, etc.
So it seems like you don't recommend adding myself first?
I would abbreviate some of the words eg. American- Amer.; Progressives- Progress./Prog.
If there are restrictions or conditions then it will be stated explicitly with the N, R, CR etc. What is the deadline for the school in question? Does it use rolling admissions? Answers to those questions are needed first before we can advise and/or answer your question.
Depends on whether the school uses rolling admissions or a tier system. The good thing about e-submitting now (assuming that your GPA is calculated before the end of the month), would be that your application will be sent out with the first batch (end of July/early August). If you submit a month from now, I believe you will have to wait until the next batch is due to be sent out after that date.
The email from PharmCAS should be detailed enough to where they can write a good LOR for you. The LOR is supposed to highlight your best qualities, improvements, overall relationships with coworkers (if a tech) and should state the pharmacist's thoughts and feelings about what you can bring to the profession and if they consider you a suitable candidate for pharmacy school. Good luck!
Yes, if your schools are from PharmCAS, you'd have to send them through PharmCAS. There are two options: paper and e-letter. The latter is the best way to go because it's the quickest and safest, so PharmCAS says. You just need to send PharmCAS your reference's email and it'll do the rest.
If your schools aren't with PharmCAS, I think you have to send every piece of paper by mail to their admission offices.
If your schools aren't with PharmCAS, I think you have to send every piece of paper by mail to their admission offices.
I'm currently studying for the PCAT (August 21st test date), and I am considering taking the October test date, too. I think by the time I receive my results, it may be exactly at the deadline/past the deadline for the October date. Would you go ahead and put the October date down on PHARMCAS, or can I edit this later?
You can add the date but you can't make any edits. If you decide not to take the test then that's fine. Just don't put the CID#. The only major problem you may encounter is in terms of a refund from Pearson.
When are you taking the PCAT? I know they say 4-5 weeks, and the absolute last day for the October test is October 1st. Do you think I'll have my scores back in time to make a definite decision? If I don't put the CID, that means they won't receive the October score if I decide to take it?
I am taking it in October. At the rate they are sending out the results nowadays you may not get it in time to make a definite decision. You can do 1 of 2 things for them not to receive the scores: 1) Don't put the CID# on PharmCAS 2) Don't list PharmCAS as a recipient
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On the last Pearson practice test, I scored between a 75-95% composite score, with my lowest being Chemistry at 50%. I wanted to aim for one try, not knowing I have a second chance. Everything else is pretty decent except my Chemistry score, would you just stick to one test date?
Nope, August will be my first time. But I've taken Pearson and Kaplan practice tests.
That's gonna be a tough one. After taking the August test, if you feel confident then maybe you won't need to register for the October test, but if you don't feel so confident then you might want to think about at least signing up for it (at least by the last day to register). The thing is that once you register, if you really don't need to retake it then you may not be able to get a refund.
Hey guys,
I'm ready to submit my pharmcas but I'm wondering if I should wait for my summer grades to be released. I know it is key to apply as early as possible but my class ends on Thursday and I know I will get an A. This would bring my gpa from a 3.492 to a 3.5. Is it worth it to hold my application? It would probably be an extra few weeks to wait for grades to come out + time to send transcript.
I'm ready to submit my pharmcas but I'm wondering if I should wait for my summer grades to be released. I know it is key to apply as early as possible but my class ends on Thursday and I know I will get an A. This would bring my gpa from a 3.492 to a 3.5. Is it worth it to hold my application? It would probably be an extra few weeks to wait for grades to come out + time to send transcript.
Hey all! I've been working at CVS for 2 years as an ancillary (paid, albeit peanuts). Would it be more accurate to put this down under extracurricular since it's health care experience, or under work experience since it's paid? I know the obvious answer is work exper. but would pharm schools even acknowledge this as pharmacy experience since it was technically a job? (on the pharmcas apps, there seems to be a higher emphasis on health care experience under the extracurricular section. And ultimately, I want emphasize that I have pharmacy experience, NOT that I had to work throughout college!). Thanks!
I put it under Work Experience. I think the admins are smart enough to know it's healthcare related, and if they ask you about your experience in an interview, you should be able to explain it.
Hi! I am going to be a sophomore majoring in biology this fall but I've started leaning towards becoming a pharmacist. The school I want to apply to(University of Iowa) has a December deadline for people applying for the next year. I have about half or more of the prereqs done and a 3.71 GPA. Do I have to get all of the prereqs done before I even consider applying(even if I will be in the process of taking them when the application deadline rolls around)? 😕
yes. according to PharmCAS instructions, if you change your decision at any time before the evaluation is submitted, they will update the recommender. thus, if done via paper, you would need to print out another copy with it updated.
You can still apply if you think you can complete all the prereqs by the school's deadline for completion. For most schools, you should finish them by matriculation. There are some schools that want their applicants to finish the prereqs by Spring. So double check with your schools of interest.
Hi everyone, I'm not sure if someone posted this topic before.
My problem is that I filled out my professor contact information in PharmCAS reference and I even received a request confirmation email from PharmCAS that my request for a reference letter has been sent out. However, it has been over a month and I just request another email to be sent to my professors, but they still didn't receive it. Did I fill them out incorrectly in PharmCAS?
Thank You.
My problem is that I filled out my professor contact information in PharmCAS reference and I even received a request confirmation email from PharmCAS that my request for a reference letter has been sent out. However, it has been over a month and I just request another email to be sent to my professors, but they still didn't receive it. Did I fill them out incorrectly in PharmCAS?
Thank You.
i'd resend it, and double check your information, aka email addresses... and ask ur professors to check the spam folder
So the reference request was in your professor's spam folder?
I resend it them just yesterday and still he hasn't received it. I just email him again and ask him to check his spam folder one more time. Hopefully, it won't annoy him....😛
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Like someone said, ask your recommenders to check their spam folder to see if it's there. If not, ask them for an alternate email address and request for PharmCAS to resend it. Did you already e-submit?
I still have not e-submit mine yet because I want to make sure that I receive all the letter of refs first. I hope it is in his spam folder, if not, then I have to go through the paper route 🙁, which is longer I think.
It's really up to you. Plus, the paper route was not so bad. One of my LORs were done this way and PharmCAS received it within 3-5 days after it was mailed (certified).
That's great. I may have to do the same. 😉 3-5 days is pretty quick. I guess it will take mine longer because they will soon be overwhelmed with applications.
Well it won't take them very long to receive it but it may take them a little longer to reproduce it in their system.
I think I'm in the same situation. I pretty much have everything done except my fourth LOR is not mailed yet 
My TA wrote the letter and sent it to the professor to cosign but he didn't respond yet.
I'm too scared to e submit unless I know all my (paper) letters are sent. I wanted everything to be completed before august 1 but I guess it's not meant to be.
My TA wrote the letter and sent it to the professor to cosign but he didn't respond yet. I'm too scared to e submit unless I know all my (paper) letters are sent. I wanted everything to be completed before august 1 but I guess it's not meant to be.
I think I'm in the same situation. I pretty much have everything done except my fourth LOR is not mailed yet
I'm too scared to e submit unless I know all my (paper) letters are sent. I wanted everything to be completed before august 1 but I guess it's not meant to be.
I would go ahead an submit. You already have 3/4 LORs completed so you should be fine. You don't want to start stalling right now.
I have a question on GPA calculations. It states that they won't start calculating GPAs until all transcripts are in. Well my question is that I am currently taking a class through UCLA extension over this summer. It is the only course I have taken through UCLA and this course does not end until past the first week of September so I won't have any grades on my transcript by the time I submit my PharmCAS. However, I have listed it on my list of courses on my PharmCAS, so would it start calculating my GPA despite the fact that I do not have UCLA's transcript in? Or do I need to send one in just stating that I'm currently taking the course despite the fact that it will not have a grade on it yet?
I just don't want to end up in the situation in which I submit my PharmCAS but it's never marked complete due to transcript problems.
I just don't want to end up in the situation in which I submit my PharmCAS but it's never marked complete due to transcript problems.
Since the courses are IN PROGRESS, a transcript won't be necessary to calculate the GPA as it is not relevant.
I have a question pertaining to this. I asked 2 professors to write me a LOR. One confirmed that she would (but hasn't started the PharmCAS thing) and the other one never responded when I wrote him an email asking if he would write me one (I believe he's out of the country). Would it be possible to add him onto pharmcas AFTER I e-submit? I don't want to be presumptuous and send in his info when he hasn't confirmed that he'd write me one. Also, he's a biology professor; the other LOR is from an English teacher, which is why I wanted to stall. Should I be totally rude and obnoxious and send in his info anyway, even if that means possibly burning bridges? If so, can I erase him from pharmcas after I e-submit if he says no?
FYI I also have 2 already written from pharmacists and I want to e-submit by today cause I want avoid the pharmcas bottleneck that's probably already building up! Thanks everyone!
P.S. thanks musicman for replying to my earlier post!
Okay good, that's what I thought but was just worried since they require transcripts from all the institutions that you list. Thanks
Hello Friends, Here's my question:
On the "Coursework" section, do I just list all of my classes in order from beginning (freshman) to now/planned (senior)? I do not see a way to change the "session."
So far all of my classes are listed in one big list and NOT separated like Fall 07, Spring 08, Fall 08, etc...
Must I separate them into semesters, Please help!😕
Thank You.
On the "Coursework" section, do I just list all of my classes in order from beginning (freshman) to now/planned (senior)? I do not see a way to change the "session."
So far all of my classes are listed in one big list and NOT separated like Fall 07, Spring 08, Fall 08, etc...
Must I separate them into semesters, Please help!😕
Thank You.
yeah there's a small blue button directly underneath the heading "Application> Coursework"
if i have take a course in community college during summer while i was in highschool, do i have to input those grades?
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Yes, there's a special label for it, I believe it's called college during highschool, or something like that.
If I haven't submitted my PharmCAS application, but I accidentally submitted my supplemental application while filling out. Will they still process it? Or will they wait until they receive my PharmCAS application and then process at the same time?
**I'm doomed**
**I'm doomed**
most schools say they only process complete applications (after all thousands of people apply to a school via the primary pharmcas form but only the serious applicants fill out the supplemental). I'd try calling the admissions folks at the school to double check.
I am undergraduate applying for pharmacy school
As of now, I am preparing for my pcat. I am using Barron, Kaplan and cliff notes. Right now, I have a 3.09 cum and 2.7 science gpa. I have volunteer in the hospital and at family practices. I also have done research in neuroscience. I have present my work at the Society of Neuroscience at the national level. I have also presented at several local meetings. My gpa isn't high enough because I had to work to put myself through school. Will I get into pharmacy school?
As of now, I am preparing for my pcat. I am using Barron, Kaplan and cliff notes. Right now, I have a 3.09 cum and 2.7 science gpa. I have volunteer in the hospital and at family practices. I also have done research in neuroscience. I have present my work at the Society of Neuroscience at the national level. I have also presented at several local meetings. My gpa isn't high enough because I had to work to put myself through school. Will I get into pharmacy school?
D
deleted289008
So it's the end of the month and my applications still haven't been sent out by PharmCAS yet... Has anyone's app been sent out?
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