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

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CBPharmD15 said:
Hey Erin0522, I was in the same situation with the PCAT scores. Pearson reports all recent scores to pharmcas. Pharmcas recieved both my Jan 2010 and my June 2010 scores at the same time...even without me asking them to. As long as you list pharmcas as a recipient, they'll get both.
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Thanks CBPharm and Delano for your replies! They helped a bunch. I guess I can just finish this pesky personal statement and send PharmCAS on its way!

One more question (maybe haha): Do schools wait for your supplemental application to be sent too before they look at your whole application?
 
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erin0522 said:
Thanks CBPharm and Delano for your replies! They helped a bunch. I guess I can just finish this pesky personal statement and send PharmCAS on its way!

One more question (maybe haha): Do schools wait for your supplemental application to be sent too before they look at your whole application?
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Both the apps have to be completed before they'll look at it.
 
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BrendanR said:
How do I send my transcripts to pharmcas? Do I have to e-submit first?
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Please always refer to the PharmCAS instructions. In response to your question, you have to print out a transcript request form on PharmCAS for each school. You must include this with the transcript you will send from your college(s).
 
shimme said:
for the fee waiver, do they email you or mail you?
thanks!
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If u mean the fee waiver in pharmcas, you can go to FAQs on the left side and click on it. Within the directions, you can find the fee waiver request form (pdf file), make sure you attach a tax income return with it....mail it as soon as you can, because the deadline is Sept. 1 😉
 
delano2000 said:
Both the apps have to be completed before they'll look at it.
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Actually some schools will look at portions of your PharmCAS app - and then invite you to submit a supplemental app, but yeah, in general your app is not under review until both are in.
 
delano2000 said:
Yea I forgot that there were some schools that are the exceptions. One of the schools that I was considering was set up this way.
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I only know because I got emails several times from one school that said something along the lines of:

"We have reviewed your application and determined that you meet our minimum requirements and would like to invite you to submit a supplemental application... or else ..., but we have still not received your supplemental application and would like to remind you that our supplemental application deadline is..."
 
I was wondering if schools had access to your application even if you didn't apply to their school. Or do they only gain access once you have applied to their school? Just wondering because I've received some snail mail from schools that I have not yet applied to and I'm wondering if they're just telling me to apply even if I don't really have a chance... or if they've actually seen parts of my app and would actually consider me. 😕
 
Since this is one that tends to get asked a lot....

AP classes are NOT college courses. They are high school courses that often (not always) will earn you some college credit. Some schools may accept AP courses as meeting certain pre reqs, but many will not. If you are planning to apply to a school that normally does not accept AP courses for pre reqs, but you have taken a more advanced college course in the same subject (example you took AP chem in hs and then took second semester gen chem but not first semester in college), then it is probably in your better interest to contact the school as they may make in exception in a case like that.
 
I'm applying to six schools, but my primary schools I'm hoping to gain acceptance for Fall 2011 are LECOM (Erie, PA), Midwestern (Glendale, AZ) and U. of Southern Nevada. All are three year accelerated programs.

I have completed English 1 and 2, Microbiology w/lab, Gen Chem 1 and 2 w/labs, Anatomy, Human Physiology. Still have to do Calc 1 (Fall 2010), Physics w/lab (Fall 2010), O Chem 1 w/lab (Fall 2010), Gen Bio 1 w/lab (Fall 2010)...and Org Chem 2 w/lab (Spring 2011) and Gen Bio 2 w/lab (Spring 2011).

I'm scheduled for the PCAT on Oct. 16, 2010. My gpa is 3.98. I have studied plenty of O Chem on my own, and had no problems with the O Chem questions on the PCAT practice tests.

What I do not know, however, is when I should submit my PharmCas application, since I still have plenty of courses in progress/scheduled. My credentials will look much better after this Fall Semester, when I'll only have O Chem 2 and Gen Bio 2 left to complete in Spring 2011.

Thanks in advance.
 
cjb56 said:
I'm applying to six schools, but my primary schools I'm hoping to gain acceptance for Fall 2011 are LECOM (Erie, PA), Midwestern (Glendale, AZ) and U. of Southern Nevada. All are three year accelerated programs.

I have completed English 1 and 2, Microbiology w/lab, Gen Chem 1 and 2 w/labs, Anatomy, Human Physiology. Still have to do Calc 1 (Fall 2010), Physics w/lab (Fall 2010), O Chem 1 w/lab (Fall 2010), Gen Bio 1 w/lab (Fall 2010)...and Org Chem 2 w/lab (Spring 2011) and Gen Bio 2 w/lab (Spring 2011).

I'm scheduled for the PCAT on Oct. 16, 2010. My gpa is 3.98. I have studied plenty of O Chem on my own, and had no problems with the O Chem questions on the PCAT practice tests.

What I do not know, however, is when I should submit my PharmCas application, since I still have plenty of courses in progress/scheduled. My credentials will look much better after this Fall Semester, when I'll only have O Chem 2 and Gen Bio 2 left to complete in Spring 2011.

Thanks in advance.
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I would submit asap. Having a lot of classes scheduled/in progress is not that big of a deal. What is more important is that you get them completed prior to matriculation.
 
delano2000 said:
I would submit asap. Having a lot of classes scheduled/in progress is not that big of a deal. What is more important is that you get them completed prior to matriculation.
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Thanks. One of my six is Pacific in Oregon, so I may see you somewhere down the road. Seems like a good school, but their rolling admissions might not time up right for me.
 
SlowPepper said:
If u mean the fee waiver in pharmcas, you can go to FAQs on the left side and click on it. Within the directions, you can find the fee waiver request form (pdf file), make sure you attach a tax income return with it....mail it as soon as you can, because the deadline is Sept. 1 😉
Click to expand...

sorry, i meant, do they email or mail you their decision on whether your fee waiver was granted or not
thanks!
 
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shimme said:
sorry, i meant, do they email or mail you their decision on whether your fee waiver was granted or not
thanks!
Click to expand...


Oh, in that case, I'm not sure because I am waiting for their notification too. I submitted mine last week.

Sorry.😳
 
When you guys e-submit your pharmcas application, does pharmcas double the number of transcripts you'd submitted?

What happen to me is that pharmcas showed that it received my 3 transcripts on different dates 7/16, 7/20, and 8/23. However, once I have e-submitted my application, my transcript status jumped to a total of 6, with the extra 3 recieve on the same date 8/24? 😕
 
SlowPepper said:
When you guys e-submit your pharmcas application, does pharmcas double the number of transcripts you'd submitted?

What happen to me is that pharmcas showed that it received my 3 transcripts on different dates 7/16, 7/20, and 8/23. However, once I have e-submitted my application, my transcript status jumped to a total of 6, with the extra 3 recieve on the same date 8/24? 😕
Click to expand...

Yep, mine did that too... & I submitted it on the 17th. Still says that in fact & my GPA isn't calculated yet either 🙁 Blah for being slow lol
 
SparkLy09 said:
Yep, mine did that too... & I submitted it on the 17th. Still says that in fact & my GPA isn't calculated yet either 🙁 Blah for being slow lol
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Oh wow, and I just barely submit. I will have to wait even longer. 😀 Meanwhile, you can start working on your supplemental apps. 😉
 
I was on probation for financial aid for one semester because I withdrew from 2 classes the previous semester. Would I need to list this on my pharmcas app? Is this the same as being on academic probation? I don't think it shows on my transcript.
 
JohnnyRomanes said:
Quick question. When would be the best time to start creating a PharmCAS application?
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To just start creating a PharmCAS application, anytime.. but only if you are going to apply THIS cycle. If you are applying this cycle, it's best to start early, esp. if some of your schools are rolling admissions.
 
delano2000 said:
You will probably get yours before the end of the week. Yes, they will email you once it's calculated.
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Yep! Just got mine right now and I submitted it on the 17th. Took exactly 9 days.

Just on a side note, I did not have my transcript in from UCLA because I have no grades on that transcript yet and it did not prevent me from having my GPA calculated. So I guess they don't need to verify if you are currently enrolled/planning to take classes.
 
I know pharmcas will average repeated courses on your transcript, but what if you took a class in a university and then repeated that class in a community college? Will that count as a repeat so your grade will end up being an average of the two ? Or will it not even be considered at all and you end up taking that class for nothing ?
 
SparkLy09 said:
Yep! Just got mine right now and I submitted it on the 17th. Took exactly 9 days.

Just on a side note, I did not have my transcript in from UCLA because I have no grades on that transcript yet and it did not prevent me from having my GPA calculated. So I guess they don't need to verify if you are currently enrolled/planning to take classes.
Click to expand...


You my friend are correct. If there are no grades on that transcript then there is no real reason for it to be a hold up.
 
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ferinx said:
I know pharmcas will average repeated courses on your transcript, but what if you took a class in a university and then repeated that class in a community college? Will that count as a repeat so your grade will end up being an average of the two ? Or will it not even be considered at all and you end up taking that class for nothing ?
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That grade will be counted somewhere. More than likely they will average the two. As long as you took a course at an accredited post-secondary institution, then expect to see the grade counted somewhere. There are minor exceptions though.
 
I e-submitted my application on Aug 24 and applied early decision. My GPA is still not calculated and when I check the status bar it still says "not mailed." If my GPA is not calculated will they not send my application to the school? Does my GPA have to be calculated by the early decision Sept 3 deadline in order to not be deferred to regular application status? Or am I okay as long as I e-submitted by Sept 3?
 
Pharmcas said:
The Early Decision application deadline is September 3, 2010. In addition to completing the PharmCAS application, you must arrange for PharmCAS to receive all of your official transcripts and fee by September 3. If your application, transcripts, or fee arrive after the deadline, PharmCAS will automatically change your file from early decision status to regular status.
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http://www.pharmcas.org/applicants/edp.htm

So as long as your transcripts and the fee are there by Sept 3rd, you're in the clear, at that point the delay in GPA is their problem.
 
So...I was checking over my pharmcas, and I saw that I put "Pharmacy Technician License" instead I should had put "Pharmacy Technician Certification"....since I didn't go through the process to become licensed. I already submitted my pharmcas, will that be a problem when the schools process my application? 🙁
 
so if my status under the school says "not mailed" that means the school still has no information on me until it says mailed? does the GPA have to be calculated for it to get mailed? how long does it usually take between e-submitting and it being mailed?
 
So my PharmCAS gpa was calculated to day. Math and cumm were 3.5 and nonscience was 3.7. I looked at my science gpa and was shocked. I knew it was going to be a 3.0something because I got an F in physics. The F wasn't for failing but rather for an incomplete policy that turns to an F. It was totally not fair due to extreme life difficulties I was experiencing, and I have a letter of reference from the professor saying he also didnt agree with the committees decision and believes that I should have recieved a W and that I did great in his other class. However I just found out that an astronomy class I took as a freshman and got a C in counts as science so my gpa is now 2.77. I still have a year of prerecs left but am I SOL for this year? The school I am applying to has a cut off of 2.7 but is on rolling admissions and my GPA was JUST calculated. Am I totally screwed. Thanks for any insight. Oh, I also have steller LOR, EC, and a BS
 
Try to get your physics grade appealed....Go to your counselor and ask how to do that...They take away the class and grade completely due to some circumstances. If that doesn't work, make sure you state it in your personal statement about the situation. I'm sure that schools will understand. Hope that helps.
 
wandernkind said:
So my PharmCAS gpa was calculated to day. Math and cumm were 3.5 and nonscience was 3.7. I looked at my science gpa and was shocked. I knew it was going to be a 3.0something because I got an F in physics. The F wasn't for failing but rather for an incomplete policy that turns to an F. It was totally not fair due to extreme life difficulties I was experiencing, and I have a letter of reference from the professor saying he also didnt agree with the committees decision and believes that I should have recieved a W and that I did great in his other class. However I just found out that an astronomy class I took as a freshman and got a C in counts as science so my gpa is now 2.77. I still have a year of prerecs left but am I SOL for this year? The school I am applying to has a cut off of 2.7 but is on rolling admissions and my GPA was JUST calculated. Am I totally screwed. Thanks for any insight. Oh, I also have steller LOR, EC, and a BS
Click to expand...

I thought the instructor has sole authority in what grade is handed out? I'm not understanding why a committee had to be involved. If your instructor was aware of your circumstances, why couldn't he/she just give you a "W"?
 
PharmCase said:
so if my status under the school says "not mailed" that means the school still has no information on me until it says mailed? does the GPA have to be calculated for it to get mailed? how long does it usually take between e-submitting and it being mailed?
Click to expand...


It doesn't seem that the school does not has full information although this has been disputed. I believe schools are informed to a certain extent before the full application has been mailed out. Literally an hour after I e-submitted, I got an email from one of the adcoms about my pre-reqs. It was pretty detailed information regarding what courses I was missing/Lors required etc so they do have some information on you.

Yes your GPA must be calculated before it is mailed out. It's taken as short as 1 day (lucky mr. delano! haha) in June/early July... or as long as a few weeks if you keep waiting. Mine took 9 days in mid August, but I would presume that it is longer now.

On a side note, Has anyone had their applications mailed out recently? I know they mail them out on Mondays and so I was hoping mine would be sent out today since it's been verified for a few days now.. but still says not mailed 🙁
 
nexus14 said:
I thought the instructor has sole authority in what grade is handed out? I'm not understanding why a committee had to be involved. If your instructor was aware of your circumstances, why couldn't he/she just give you a "W"?
Click to expand...

Actually the instructor does not have sole authority. Once your receive an incomplete, you must complete the class within the year guideline or petition the academic standards committee to have the grade changed to a W. The professor can not do it. I petitioned (3 times even for this class) the have an entire term of incompletes changed to a W. The committee believed that it was fair to change some, but not all. This whole process took 9 months, in which by that time it was not possible to finish the one class in which they decided to not change. I have a letter of reference from the professor who helped me petition that states he firmly disagrees with the committees decision. I plan to discuss this completely in my essay for the school in which I am applying. I just hope I am not screwed!
 
SO... I'm taking the PCAT in October...
I have a 3.9 cummulative, 3.8 science gpa from a cc. I'll have my associates in science degree in May...
I work at a hospital as a pharmacy tech and I've been here for a year, this month. Volunteered for 8 months prior to that.
President of the pharmacy club at my school for a 1.5 years.
I have a scholarship for being Native American that will pay for my pre-req schooling as well as pharmacy school when I get in.
I'm doing an internship with a cancer research center in spring hopefully in the pharmaceutical divison.
I've done some volunteer work besides at my hospital (which is a well-known hospital)...
I have references in mind for lor's...
But tomorrow it's September and I have only now til october 16th to study for this "ridiculously hard" PCAT...
I'll be done with my pre-req's in May.

The pattern is everything else will look good AFTER MAY. Should I just wait and apply then? I haven't started my Pharmcas, yet... I work 40 hours a week and am extremely comfortable with completing medication reconcilliations (it's a new thing for any hospital in az that tech's get this done and verified, it's super cool!). I feel comfortable in the iv room and I know most of the odds and ends around the pharmacy here. I love this field!

But I feel like maybe I should wait til everything is all set and know that I get a good score on my pcat, (for sure, for sure)...

Or should I just go get it? Last time I declined a scholarship knowing it probably wasn't the time to accept it and later pressed my luck and reapplied.. and was awarded again for the same scholarship... I don't even have to work at ALL... but I will step down to a type 5 (keep my seniority and only have to work 2 days a month)... so I can do this... but

Wouldn't it be easier to wait and apply as soon as the window open for midwestern... (u of a window opens within the next couple weeks)... to get a better chance of getting in? on this "first come, first serve" process? They'll have all my grades and I'll just start at ASU next fall and work toward my bachelor's degree in microbiology while waiting to get in?...

Please help... it's really making me sick to my stomach. 🙁
 
Help please:
I can't find where i am suppose to enter my PCAT number on my pharncas form online. Is this judt me or it's thesame for everybody. I know i have to enter that number somewhere so they could match my PCAT score to my pharmcas whene they get these scores. Any help will be greatly apprecaited.
Thanks
 
SummerKiwi said:
SO... I'm taking the PCAT in October...
I have a 3.9 cummulative, 3.8 science gpa from a cc. I'll have my associates in science degree in May...
I work at a hospital as a pharmacy tech and I've been here for a year, this month. Volunteered for 8 months prior to that.
President of the pharmacy club at my school for a 1.5 years.
I have a scholarship for being Native American that will pay for my pre-req schooling as well as pharmacy school when I get in.
I'm doing an internship with a cancer research center in spring hopefully in the pharmaceutical divison.
I've done some volunteer work besides at my hospital (which is a well-known hospital)...
I have references in mind for lor's...
But tomorrow it's September and I have only now til october 16th to study for this "ridiculously hard" PCAT...
I'll be done with my pre-req's in May.

The pattern is everything else will look good AFTER MAY. Should I just wait and apply then? I haven't started my Pharmcas, yet... I work 40 hours a week and am extremely comfortable with completing medication reconcilliations (it's a new thing for any hospital in az that tech's get this done and verified, it's super cool!). I feel comfortable in the iv room and I know most of the odds and ends around the pharmacy here. I love this field!

But I feel like maybe I should wait til everything is all set and know that I get a good score on my pcat, (for sure, for sure)...

Or should I just go get it? Last time I declined a scholarship knowing it probably wasn't the time to accept it and later pressed my luck and reapplied.. and was awarded again for the same scholarship... I don't even have to work at ALL... but I will step down to a type 5 (keep my seniority and only have to work 2 days a month)... so I can do this... but

Wouldn't it be easier to wait and apply as soon as the window open for midwestern... (u of a window opens within the next couple weeks)... to get a better chance of getting in? on this "first come, first serve" process? They'll have all my grades and I'll just start at ASU next fall and work toward my bachelor's degree in microbiology while waiting to get in?...

Please help... it's really making me sick to my stomach. 🙁
Click to expand...

You cannot apply to pharmacy college in May. PharmCAS opens each year in June. Most school deadlines are Nov, with some stretching through the March.

If you want to start pharmacy college in the fall 2011, then you need to try Oct's PCAT. If you wait until after your prereqs are complete, then the soonest you can start is fall 2012.

What is you goal? - to start pharmacy college or to get your B.S. first?

If I were you, I'd try for this cycle. You seem to be a strong applicant. If you don't get accepted, continue on for a B.S. and get a high PCAT score, which will make you an even stronger applicant in next year's application cycle.

Good luck!
 
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Pharmcas sent me an email last week stating that they have sent my application to my schools. I applied to 8 schools but I have only gotten replies from only 4 schools saying that they have received my application. Should I be worried or is this normal?
 
RoSieCheEks18 said:
Pharmcas sent me an email last week stating that they have sent my application to my schools. I applied to 8 schools but I have only gotten replies from only 4 schools saying that they have received my application. Should I be worried or is this normal?
Click to expand...

Well I'm not sure if anything is actually sent by paper mail, but the electronic submission seems like it's instantaneous. If the other schools haven't sent you anything, that probably just means it's under review. You can always call the school to confirm receipt, however.
 
RoSieCheEks18 said:
Pharmcas sent me an email last week stating that they have sent my application to my schools. I applied to 8 schools but I have only gotten replies from only 4 schools saying that they have received my application. Should I be worried or is this normal?
Click to expand...


I wouldn't worry too much about it. Are they rolling admissions schools? You could try contacting the schools to see if they received it. They may just be slow in mailing out a correspondence to you.
 
nditebeck said:
Help please:
I can't find where i am suppose to enter my PCAT number on my pharncas form online. Is this judt me or it's thesame for everybody. I know i have to enter that number somewhere so they could match my PCAT score to my pharmcas whene they get these scores. Any help will be greatly apprecaited.
Thanks
Click to expand...

My Tools > My Profile > Account Information
 
RoSieCheEks18 said:
Pharmcas sent me an email last week stating that they have sent my application to my schools. I applied to 8 schools but I have only gotten replies from only 4 schools saying that they have received my application. Should I be worried or is this normal?
Click to expand...

It depends on the individual school's policy regarding notification. Some do and some don't. Others wait until they also receive the supplemental before confirming.
 
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