Should I take the PCAT?

[PA_dud3]

Hey all, I tried to put off posting this as long as I could. I am currently president of my schools Pre-Pharm club, involved in research, in the running for RA, volunteer at a free-pharmacy, and will have 3 years of Pharmacy Tech experience by the time I apply. And worst case scenario I will have only a B in Gen Chem 1 this semester, with As in everything else. I will not be pursuing a bachelors degree, so I wont have taken OChem by the time I take the PCAT.

We are offered "assured admission" of sorts if we have a 3.0 GPA by the end of my freshman year. Guaranteed an interview and no PCAT. I am just wondering if I should take the PCAT anyway to apply to other schools or beef up my CV anymore. I really like my current school and it wouldn't be very expensive, pharmacy schoo wise. I am also getting to know a lot of the faculty/students here. Do you guys think it would be worth it?

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Dd3.

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[princeafrica]

Wow ok since you have assured admission. Don't take the PCAT. You are pretty much going to walk into that school.

But if you have money for the PCAT.......take the MCAT. You sound pretty smart if you have only had 1 B. If you get a 510+ hmmm look at the many doors you just opened. If you do not get into the pharmacy school in your state and you took the MCAT.....don't worry University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy accepts the MCAT

 

[Tommy1234]

Wow ok since you have assured admission. Don't take the PCAT. You are pretty much going to walk into that school.

But if you have money for the PCAT.......take the MCAT. You sound pretty smart if you have only had 1 B. If you get a 510+ hmmm look at the many doors you just opened. If you do not get into the pharmacy school in your state and you took the MCAT.....don't worry University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy accepts the MCAT

Is bachelor degree require to get into med school?

 

[PA_dud3]

Wow ok since you have assured admission. Don't take the PCAT. You are pretty much going to walk into that school.

But if you have money for the PCAT.......take the MCAT. You sound pretty smart if you have only had 1 B. If you get a 510+ hmmm look at the many doors you just opened. If you do not get into the pharmacy school in your state and you took the MCAT.....don't worry University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy accepts the MCAT

It's not really assured admission, just a guaranteed interview and no PCAT required for 3.0 or higher. I just sort of said that because I couldn't think of anything else to say, lol.

I'm kind of hesitant to get my bachelors and go to med school.

 

[BC_89]

Don’t take PCAT until you’ve taken at least 1 semester of Ochem. During your one semester of ochem study anything else on the PCAT. That way if you still need to take it, ochem is fresh on your mind with everything else under review.

I understand you want to quickly get in and out of pharmacy, but if you obtain a bachelors you have multiple doors open later in life should something happen. Nonetheless, prep and take PCAT right after first semester of organic (if you don’t need it and get accepted then it’s that much easier).

 

[BC_89]

Is bachelor degree require to get into med school?

Yes

 

[Pharmsophiat]

Wow ok since you have assured admission. Don't take the PCAT. You are pretty much going to walk into that school.

But if you have money for the PCAT.......take the MCAT. You sound pretty smart if you have only had 1 B. If you get a 510+ hmmm look at the many doors you just opened. If you do not get into the pharmacy school in your state and you took the MCAT.....don't worry University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy accepts the MCAT

Poster is a freshman

 

[Tommy1234]

Yes

In this case, he doesn't want to get a bachelor degree so no point to take MCAT. Just PCAT then or apply to non-PCAT schools

 

[Pharmsophiat]

Don’t take PCAT until you’ve taken at least 1 semester of Ochem. During your one semester of ochem study anything else on the PCAT. That way if you still need to take it, ochem is fresh on your mind with everything else under review.
I didnt take ochem before taken pcat and i did preety gd. I studied my butt of though

I understand you want to quickly get in and out of pharmacy, but if you obtain a bachelors you have multiple doors open later in life should something happen. Nonetheless, prep and take PCAT right after first semester of organic (if you don’t need it and get accepted then it’s that much easier).

 

[princeafrica]

In this case, he doesn't want to get a bachelor degree so no point to take MCAT. Just PCAT then or apply to non-PCAT schools

He should take the MCAT if he wants options. Not getting a bachelor and going to pharmacy is a recipe for disaster.

By all means do pharmacy if that is what you love but I'd recommend you get a bachelor that can get you a SKILLED job just to keep your options open.

 

[BC_89]

In this case, he doesn't want to get a bachelor degree so no point to take MCAT. Just PCAT then or apply to non-PCAT schools

I said nothing about MCAT. However, not getting a bachelors in the pharmD pipeline reduces career option outlets 5-7+ years down the line.

Always have a contingency plan long term.

 

[BC_89]

@Pharmsophiat You’ll save hours of studying if you let the institution you attend prepare you for the PCAT ie take first semester of Ochem while studying the rest. That’s the rule not the exception