Really need help…Do you think i can get in?

[ashbash151]

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Hello everyone,

So i just want your opinion if you think I'm competitive enough for pharmacy school. I submitted my PharmCAS earlier this week (kinda late…oops). Here are my stats:

BS in Biochemistry this May
3.55 GPA (no grades below a B-)
3 letter of recommendations (i believe 2 are really good)
okay personal statement
not a lot of pharmacy experience (~20 hrs inpatient pharmacy and hopefully getting another opportunity to volunteer during winter break at another hospital)
a lot of undergraduate research (2 years)
bad PCAT scores -comp 57%
verbal 10%
quant 64%
chem 81%
bio 74%
reading 54%
writing 2.5

schools i really want to get into (in order) :
1. University of Buffalo
2. Thomas Jefferson University
3. Temple
4. Albany College of Pharmacy

Other's I'm applying to:
University of New England
MCPHS-Worshsetor
St Johns Fisher
LECOM

Also i haven't finished all my prerequisites for some schools. I will need to take A&P and Stats over the summer. Does look bad on an application? I just can't fit them into my schedule next semester.

Im worried im not completive enough especially because i applied to late into the cycle. what do you guys think. do you think i have a shot at the schools I've listed (top 4 above or others???)? Please be honest.

Thanks you in advance for any input. 🙂

 

[Sammieger]

I think you have a strong stat. I am not sure about the pharmacy schools that you are applying to, but some schools have minimal requirement for PCAT score. You might want to look it all. Also, I believe many schools want their applicants to finish all pre-req by the end of Spring semester. Have you looked at the requirements for your schools?

 

[ashbash151]

yes, I've only applied to schools that require you to finish all prereq courses before you enter their pharmacy program (summer term). so i think ill just finish them then.

 

[MLH]

Well one of the school on your list that you applied to I got accepted to and they said I had to complete by spring 2014 no later. So relook into your schools for requirements. Good luck

 

[ashbash151]

Ahhhh...Didn't notice that you had to finish all prerequisites by Spring 2014 for LECOM. Do you think they will let me take an online course?

 

[Amicable Angora]

Are you an international student? If not, come on man... step up your PCAT score. Your PCAT score is dragging you down because of some verbal and reading comprehension...

 

[ashbash151]

Are you an international student? If not, come on man... step up your PCAT score. Your PCAT score is dragging you down because of some verbal and reading comprehension...

Hey, I'm not an international student I really don't know what happened during the exam. I cannot afford paying for another exam. I'm also applying to a couple of graduate schools just incase I don't get into any pharmacy schools. I'm already getting another loan just to pay for everything.

Do you think i still have a chance with the schools I listed above without retaking the pcats again.

 

[trangtn]

Actually, you should really retake the PCAT. That's the only thing holding your application back. It's really a huge waste of money taking graduate school. Instead, you can save a lot of that money by just retaking the PCAT :/

 

[Amicable Angora]

Hey, I'm not an international student I really don't know what happened during the exam. I cannot afford paying for another exam. I'm also applying to a couple of graduate schools just incase I don't get into any pharmacy schools. I'm already getting another loan just to pay for everything.

Do you think i still have a chance with the schools I listed above without retaking the pcats again.

You will always have a chance, but you could have a significantly better chance by fixing your PCAT. Especially true because your score is bad because of easily fixable areas. Some people just aren't that smart or have some whack struggle to get high science scores which is seriously difficult to improve on for the PCAT. However, fortunately, that is not you. You're killing yourself for no reason. Go do yourself a favor and retake it and ace the reading and verbal sections.

Actually, you should really retake the PCAT. That's the only thing holding your application back. It's really a huge waste of money taking graduate school. Instead, you can save a lot of that money by just retaking the PCAT :/

I agree with taking the money for graduate school applications and funneling it back to pharmacy. Don't try to do too many things half assed because you often end with nothing.

 

[ashbash151]

If I take it in January, I'll have only a week to study for it. I don't know if I'll do any better...

Plus isn't it better to have a backup. I feel like i can definitely get into a decent grad program.

 

[Verduchi]

I think you are good for Fisher, and maybe even Buffalo.

 

[trangtn]

If I take it in January, I'll have only a week to study for it. I don't know if I'll do any better...

Plus isn't it better to have a backup. I feel like i can definitely get into a decent grad program.

It's good to have a backup, but seriously, your stats are already solid and you have a pretty good chance of getting in already. It's just a huge waste to spend that extra year doing a grad program (which will cost you tons of money). You would need grad school if your stats aren't well off, but since they are already, why bother wasting both time and money towards grad school?
If you're so pressed on having that extra year to brush up on your PCAT, then I suggest getting a pharm tech license and job instead of wasting money on graduate school that really won't increase your chance significantly.

 

[chemguy79]

If I take it in January, I'll have only a week to study for it. I don't know if I'll do any better...

Plus isn't it better to have a backup. I feel like i can definitely get into a decent grad program.

Have you taken the GRE? Do you have research experience? As a former graduate student in the sciences, my former classmates who came into the program as a back up for not getting into a pre-professional program were among those who failed to complete the program.

In addition, while the GRE is a much different beast than the PCAT, I'm curious about your scores for that exam. In my opinion, if you struggled on the verbal for the PCAT, you could struggle on the verbal section of the GRE. The format is similar, the vocabulary is more demanding, and the quantitative section has more geometry and algebra than the PCAT. Given that you have struggled on one standardized exam (the PCAT), what makes you think that you will be successful on the GRE?

You should really focus on the PCAT; While having a backup plan is nice, I don't know if you are adequately prepared to pursue that backup plan and be successful in said venture. If you were to fail out of the graduate program, then you are effectively shafted for pharmacy school since they will likely question your ability to handle a professional program.

 

[blueheron]

Verbal on the pcat was much easier than the GRE.