The dreaded wait! (to hear back from schools!)

[Vandykitten]

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Firstly, hi everybody! I'm so glad a fellow pre-pharm online friend directed me here. It's such a rich resource! I attend Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN...unfortunately, we don't really have a pre-pharmacy program or a pharmacy school for that matter, but the quality of education is relatively high. (if they only would add Microbiology to the undergraduate courses!) I will be graduating this May 2005 with a BS in Neuroscience and a minor in art history! 😀

I am applying to about 11 schools and I'm almost done with all my supplementals. (already submitted PharmCAS and recommendations) I didn't apply to any early decision programs. (though I wish I had!) I'm a little worried...it seems like many of you already have had interviews. Am I incredibly late?! Deadlines are usually in December - March, but of course, I am not waiting that long to get my apps out! My question to y'all is: After we submit all are materials, do the schools usually contact you to confirm they have received your complete application? How long does it take to hear back from them? (whether it be a rejection or an invitation to interview)

Thanks! 🙂 You guys are great!

 

[Setor]

My suggestion would be that you personally contact all the schools to make sure they recieved your documents. They have so many applications to go through. Also, I dont know what schools you applied to, but some have rolling admissions so they interview basically year round, and others only have specific times during the year that they conduct interviews. Its a good thing you are applying early. Good luck with everything, I'm sure you'll hear something soo, but stay on top of things to make sure the schools have all your documents.

 

[ultracet]

don't worry you're not late.
i had one of my interviews in jan. and my other was in march. the only disadvantage is that the schools i applied to were both on rolling admissions meaning they accepted people starting in the fall.

i agree with calling to make sure your application is complete and they have everything they need from you.


honestly i don't remember how long it was until i recieved notice about my interviews. but from then it was about 2 weeks from the letter that says accepted/waitlist/rejected.

good luck

 

[groo1515]

Usually interviews do not start until January. I would not worry about it to much. It seems like you are well organized. It is tough to apply to that many schools. Just sit back and wait for the invites to roll in!

 

[Leah27]

Hey Vandy... I applied late last year with a BS in Neuroscience, and a minor in History with a 97 PCAT to 3 schools and didn't get accepted. I am applying this year to 10 schools also, and I am already done applying to all but 1 school. Try to get as much pharmacy experience as you can, and finish applying as early as you can. The BS in Neuroscience may impress people at bars... but it dosn't always impress ad coms.

 

[pharmd-08]

Good luck and be patient...you can also check whether or not and when PharmCas has forwarded your apps to the schools. Last year I submitted everything on December 1st, and I started to get interview invitations within 3 weeks. Which schools are you applying by the way?

 

[Vandykitten]

Good luck and be patient...you can also check whether or not and when PharmCas has forwarded your apps to the schools. Last year I submitted everything on December 1st, and I started to get interview invitations within 3 weeks. Which schools are you applying by the way?

Thanks! 🙂 I applied to UC-San Fran, Campbell, Howard, LECOM, Mercer, Midwestern, Palm Beach Atlantic (One of my top choices ^_^), Samford and Loma Linda!!! Are you a student? If so where are you attending school?

 

[Vandykitten]

Hey Vandy... I applied late last year with a BS in Neuroscience, and a minor in History with a 97 PCAT to 3 schools and didn't get accepted. I am applying this year to 10 schools also, and I am already done applying to all but 1 school. Try to get as much pharmacy experience as you can, and finish applying as early as you can. The BS in Neuroscience may impress people at bars... but it dosn't always impress ad coms.

Hey Leah...how late is late though? Your stats seem very impressive!!! O_O

I have some pharmacy experience (about 6 months) and my PCAT is TBD this Saturday!!! 😱

 

[Cdiddy]

Thanks! 🙂 I applied to UC-San Fran, Campbell, Howard, LECOM, Mercer, Midwestern, Palm Beach Atlantic (One of my top choices ^_^), Samford and Loma Linda!!! Are you a student? If so where are you attending school?

Hey,

Just curious, why not UGA. I have noticed with a lot of people here on the boards that are in the southeast they don't apply to UGA. Don't get me wrong the less people that apply the better chance for me..lol. I am just curious.

CDiddy

 

[Leah27]

I didn't take my PCATS untill january..... therefore my apps were not totally "complete" untill march.

 

[Vandykitten]

Hey,

Just curious, why not UGA. I have noticed with a lot of people here on the boards that are in the southeast they don't apply to UGA. Don't get me wrong the less people that apply the better chance for me..lol. I am just curious.

CDiddy

I'm not sure how out-of-state friendly UGA is considering that it is a state school (I thinK?) It was either that or they had a requirement I couldn't meet since Vanderbilt doesn't offer Microbiology. (which TOTALLY makes me mad! We have Cell, Molecular, Developmental, everything BUT microbiology! ) 😡 Usually the private schools are a little more out-of-state friendly!

 

[Leah27]

I had a similar problem in applying.. some schools I couldn't apply to because I hadn't taken biochem (i took neurochem) some required a and not b, or b and not a..... I think that pharmacy schools need to standardize their pre-reqs similar to the way med schools do it. I got in an email "argument" about this with someone from UCSF admissions... he thought "they had the right pre-reqs" but seemed flippant, or like he ignored me, when I tried to tell him pre-reqs for other top schools are very different. Not everyone is born knowing they want to go to pharmacy school and can't plan thier academic life accordingly. The pharmacy schools need to set reasonable and somewhat standardized pre-reqs; it would save us applicants a ton of stress and allow them a perhaps larger, but at least more even-fielded applicant pool (ie.. not a bunch of smarties who happened to take the pre-reqs wiht a bunch of idiots who happened to take their pre-reqs). just my thought of the day!!

 

[Vandykitten]

I had a similar problem in applying.. some schools I couldn't apply to because I hadn't taken biochem (i took neurochem) some required a and not b, or b and not a..... I think that pharmacy schools need to standardize their pre-reqs similar to the way med schools do it. I got in an email "argument" about this with someone from UCSF admissions... he thought "they had the right pre-reqs" but seemed flippant, or like he ignored me, when I tried to tell him pre-reqs for other top schools are very different. Not everyone is born knowing they want to go to pharmacy school and can't plan thier academic life accordingly. The pharmacy schools need to set reasonable and somewhat standardized pre-reqs; it would save us applicants a ton of stress and allow them a perhaps larger, but at least more even-fielded applicant pool (ie.. not a bunch of smarties who happened to take the pre-reqs wiht a bunch of idiots who happened to take their pre-reqs). just my thought of the day!!

I definitely agree that some kind of standardization is necessary...I have a feeling that many people apply to more than just one school and the sole reason why I didn't apply to some schools was because I didn't want to take one specific class JUST for that one school. (For example, UT Memphis is probably the only school that requires immunology and one of the few that require genetics)

 

[Glycerin]

I definitely agree that some kind of standardization is necessary...I have a feeling that many people apply to more than just one school and the sole reason why I didn't apply to some schools was because I didn't want to take one specific class JUST for that one school. (For example, UT Memphis is probably the only school that requires immunology and one of the few that require genetics)

UT - Memphis just changed their requirements for the entering class in 2005 and beyond. They now require ~3 years of prereqs (or ~90 semester hours). USC in CA already does this, and Auburn changed their prereqs to those similar to UT - Memphis'. This is just another example of how schools are requiring more and more prereqs and leading up to completion of a BA/BS prior to entrance. You can bet that this trend will continue.

 

[Vandykitten]

UT - Memphis just changed their requirements for the entering class in 2005 and beyond. They now require ~ 3-years of prereqs (or ~90 semester hours). USC (CA) already does this, and Auburn changed their prereqs to those similar to UT - Memphis'. This is just another example of how schools are requiring more and more prereqs and leading up to completion of a BA/BS prior to entrance. You can bet that this trend will continue.

I'm sure as pharmacy school beocmes increasingly competative, they will have to require more and more prereqs and experience. However, I still believe that there should be some sort of standardization of prereq courses as in other health profession fields. Students only have a limited amount of classes to take each semester and many who are also striving for a BS or BA need to take course-specific requirements on top of the prereqs.