Submit app with current PCAT scores or wait until I retake?

[mandydp6]

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I took the PCAT in January, didn't do well so retaking in August. I know I can submit now and indicate that I am retaking, but what I am afraid of is that they will see my old scores and disregard my app. The main reason I want to submit now is so I can get started on the supplemental and have everything in already for when my updated scores come.
Anyone with past experience/advice on this?

 

[rxlea]

I took the PCAT in January, didn't do well so retaking in August. I know I can submit now and indicate that I am retaking, but what I am afraid of is that they will see my old scores and disregard my app. The main reason I want to submit now is so I can get started on the supplemental and have everything in already for when my updated scores come.
Anyone with past experience/advice on this?

What were your scores?

 

[mandydp6]

What were your scores?

They were unacceptable, and too embarrassing to report! Although there is no minimum required (for some schools), they would definitely not get me an interview 🙁

 

[chicongle]

I took the PCAT in January, didn't do well so retaking in August. I know I can submit now and indicate that I am retaking, but what I am afraid of is that they will see my old scores and disregard my app. The main reason I want to submit now is so I can get started on the supplemental and have everything in already for when my updated scores come.
Anyone with past experience/advice on this?

Hey,
We are in a same situation.
But what I do is to send my Pharmcas application to the schools. However, I don't request for the PCAT transcript to be sent. I just wait until my pcat -aug. available, then I'll send that score, together with the Jan. score.
I believe that once the schools have your pharmcas, even though without the PCAT score, you still can fill out their supplemental and send it. The schools only review your application once everything has been turned in.

 

[deleted329060]

I would wait for the second score. However, please note that when you send your PCAT in, they are able to see ALL your scores. Additionally, if your score increased by more than 50 composite, PCAT may cancel your score and you would need to provide evidence of how/why you improved before it is reinstated. For this last statement, I am not sure of its validity.

hmm it is true. http://www.pearsonassessments.com/hai/Images/dotCom/pcatweb.info/PCAT_CIB.pdf (pages 20-21)

 

[mandydp6]

I would wait for the second score. However, please note that when you send your PCAT in, they are able to see ALL your scores. Additionally, if your score increased by more than 50 composite, PCAT may cancel your score and you would need to provide evidence of how/why you improved before it is reinstated. For this last statement, I am not sure of its validity.

hmm it is true. http://www.pearsonassessments.com/hai/Images/dotCom/pcatweb.info/PCAT_CIB.pdf (pages 20-21)

That sounds ridiculous...although I read it, and it is true. I mean, obviously my score should increase substantially after taking 4 more courses that were related to the PCAT. I had no organic chemistry, no anatomy/physiology, and no microbiology - all of which I will have for the next exam. I highly doubt it would be an increase of more than 50 but I guess potentially it could, I mean I did pretty poorly!
Thanks for that info!

I may do what "chicongle" did...I believe he/she is correct that I should still be able to start on the supplemental. I think all I need to start that is to have met their minimum GPA requirement.

 

[mandydp6]

Hey,
We are in a same situation.
But what I do is to send my Pharmcas application to the schools. However, I don't request for the PCAT transcript to be sent. I just wait until my pcat -aug. available, then I'll send that score, together with the Jan. score.
I believe that once the schools have your pharmcas, even though without the PCAT score, you still can fill out their supplemental and send it. The schools only review your application once everything has been turned in.

Do you check any boxes in pharmas that you have taken or plan to retake, or do you just leave that field completely blank and not even report your PCAT CID?

 

[phathead]

They were unacceptable, and too embarrassing to report! Although there is no minimum required (for some schools), they would definitely not get me an interview 🙁

No need to be bashful around here. I've had people state that they had 'unacceptable scores' and it was merely in the 50s-60s.

Hell the OT thread was started by some guy who got in with scores in the 20s-30s if I remember.

Depending on precisely where they are at and what your other stats are is where we can make the best recommendations.

 

[mandydp6]

No need to be bashful around here. I've had people state that they had 'unacceptable scores' and it was merely in the 50s-60s.

Hell the OT thread was started by some guy who got in with scores in the 20s-30s if I remember.

Depending on precisely where they are at and what your other stats are is where we can make the best recommendations.

What is OT? Still a little new 🙂

My composite was 43. The only decent score was in the math section, around a 70 I believe. 👎

 

[mandydp6]

I just verified with the school if I would still have access to their supplemental without PCAT scores, and they told me "no". So, back to square one.
Should I just wait to add them to my list of designated schools until August PCAT scores come in, or add them now with the low scores?

By "adding them to my list of designated schools", I was referring to PharmCAS. I have already e-submitted my PharmCAS, but did not list them as a designation yet.

 

[rxlea]

I just verified with the school if I would still have access to their supplemental without PCAT scores, and they told me "no". So, back to square one.
Should I just wait to add them to my list of designated schools until August PCAT scores come in, or add them now with the low scores?

By "adding them to my list of designated schools", I was referring to PharmCAS. I have already e-submitted my PharmCAS, but did not list them as a designation yet.

Howdy neighbor 🙂 It depends on where you are applying but since Midwestern is rolling admissions, you might have to bite the bullet. What are your other stats like?

EDIT: NVM....I looked you up in the WAMC thread. Your stats are great. Submit your app. UA doesn't open their app until september anyway and you will have received your new score by then.

If you're at a hospital in Scottsdale or Paradise Valley, then I know some peeps you work with 😉

 

[b1234]

That sounds ridiculous...although I read it, and it is true. I mean, obviously my score should increase substantially after taking 4 more courses that were related to the PCAT. I had no organic chemistry, no anatomy/physiology, and no microbiology - all of which I will have for the next exam. I highly doubt it would be an increase of more than 50 but I guess potentially it could, I mean I did pretty poorly!
Thanks for that info!

I may do what "chicongle" did...I believe he/she is correct that I should still be able to start on the supplemental. I think all I need to start that is to have met their minimum GPA requirement.

What is OT? Still a little new 🙂

My composite was 43. The only decent score was in the math section, around a 70 I believe. 👎

Without having taken any organic, anat/phys, or micro it's not really that surprising that you didn't score high on the PCAT. I'm going to guess you're barely going to finish your pre-reqs in time to start next cycle if you get accepted? One of the probable reasons why there is an increasing trend in the number of pharmacy school applicants that have bachelor's degrees is that it is very hard to do well on the PCAT without having already taken most of the pre-req classes. Finishing most of these classes a year before planning on entering pharmacy school puts most people in a position to finish a degree before entering pharmacy school also.

 

[mandydp6]

Howdy neighbor 🙂 It depends on where you are applying but since Midwestern is rolling admissions, you might have to bite the bullet. What are your other stats like?

EDIT: NVM....I looked you up in the WAMC thread. Your stats are great. Submit your app. UA doesn't open their app until september anyway and you will have received your new score by then.

If you're at a hospital in Scottsdale or Paradise Valley, then I know some peeps you work with 😉

Most of my stats are good, the one thing setting me behind my peers will be that I will still be in Junior standing at ASU if I get accepted this time around, and I know the vast majority of accepted students have finished their degree.

I work at the VA hospital in Phoenix, but I do know a guy named Jeff that works at PV, and also a girl that used to work there named Aaron. She left there to work for the VA and has since started pharmacy school at Temple University!