PostBac

[skyrit17]

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Any one have any advice how to go about taking classes for PostBac. Want to apply for Pharm school......already took all the req classes. Would it be better to take easy science classes to boost up my GPA or re-take some of the classes i got C's in (O-chem & Biochem)

 

[mrblah]

retake your pre-req classes.

 

[Ethyl Methyl]

1. Decide which schools you want to apply to.
2. Pick you top 3 schools and look up their pre-pharmacy requirements
3. Systematically knock down the pre-reqs. Retake classes that carry the most weight or the ones you got the lowest grades on.*
4. Take the pcat.
5. Volunteer.
6. Get recommendation letters.
7. Apply.

*If you are doing post-bac after a long absence from school, then retake all your math and science pre-reqs coz schools might not take them if they're more than 5 yrs old. You could also benefit from the "refresher" courses for the pcat. I would ask the college advisor about core courses like political science, history and english before retaking them because those generally don't have "expiration dates."

I think it's better to retake those classes you got a C in and ace it than take "easy science classes" to boost your GPA. Adcoms know that it's one of the oldest trick in the book.

good luck

 

[skyrit17]

Thx guys really helpful!

What is your opinion about trying to get a masters at the same time? Obviously this would mean I wouldn't be applying for 2010....I'd probably 2011. I know I can start a Masters program in Jan if I had wanted.....N the only classes that i'd repeat from the pre-reqs would be O-chem and maybe 1 G chem class. Would it up my chances if i get a masters and get a decently high GPA there? Would the schools only look at my Pre-reqs even if i got a masters?

 

[Pauligirl]

Thx guys really helpful!

What is your opinion about trying to get a masters at the same time? Obviously this would mean I wouldn't be applying for 2010....I'd probably 2011. I know I can start a Masters program in Jan if I had wanted.....N the only classes that i'd repeat from the pre-reqs would be O-chem and maybe 1 G chem class. Would it up my chances if i get a masters and get a decently high GPA there? Would the schools only look at my Pre-reqs even if i got a masters?

I had thought about that very same thing...getting a master's. But it seems kinda useless since some schools (maybe all?) calculate the undergrad and grad GPA separately. A strong undergrad science GPA seems to be one of the things they're looking for. For sure re-take the O-chem and add more science classes. If they're not already required for where you want to apply consider taking physics, biochem, molecular bio. I've noticed that many health science schools in the southwest suggest a few semesters of spanish.

Here's a recent thread that discusses this

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=7134420

 

[sab818]

The only school that I've found that will even LOOK at a year's of Masters coursework is Ut of Memphis