Thinking about Pharm School, need some advice

[golfmontpoker]

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Im sure you guys are sick of these types of posts, but i had to. Im graduating in May with be bachelors in biology and minors in chemistry. My GPA will be about a 3.5-3.6... Recently I have came to a conclusion that I would really like to be a Pharmacist based on many factors. Im guessing that its probably to late to apply for this cycle, considering I havent took the PCAT yet and would need at least a month or 2 to review my chems. Really the only dillemma im in is that I havent took Physics or Cal yet, and unfortunately dont have the time to take it this year if I wanna graduate on time. So im guessing that I could possibly take them next year while my app goes through. I really dont care about the prestige of the school or anything, but would I have a good chance of getting in to a school with that GPA and like a 70% percentile on the PCAT? One more question as well, When would be the best time to take the PCAT and send in my apps? Any advice or anything would be greatly appreciated!

 

[sdn1977]

Well....you asked for anything...so.....

Your avatar says you really hate chemistry. Your paragraph has verb tenses which are not uniform, so I'm not sure your personal statement would stand out & you "don't care about......or anything....".

So....why pharmacy?

Why do that to yourself & to us who like it?? But...if you want to go for it - take the PCAT anytime & just apply - you don't seem to care one way or another, so what difference does it make? Just do it whenever you feel like it. Sorry to be so blunt....

 

[ilovepharm]

Im sure you guys are sick of these types of posts, but i had to. Im graduating in May with be bachelors in biology and minors in chemistry. My GPA will be about a 3.5-3.6... Recently I have came to a conclusion that I would really like to be a Pharmacist based on many factors. Im guessing that its probably to late to apply for this cycle, considering I havent took the PCAT yet and would need at least a month or 2 to review my chems. Really the only dillemma im in is that I havent took Physics or Cal yet, and unfortunately dont have the time to take it this year if I wanna graduate on time. So im guessing that I could possibly take them next year while my app goes through. I really dont care about the prestige of the school or anything, but would I have a good chance of getting in to a school with that GPA and like a 70% percentile on the PCAT? One more question as well, When would be the best time to take the PCAT and send in my apps? Any advice or anything would be greatly appreciated!

Well, technically it's not too late to apply for the current admissions cycle, because the earliest deadlines I know of are Nov 1. (Excluding early decision applicants) There are a bunch of schools whose deadlines are Dec 1 or later. However, if you really don't think that you can finish Physics and Calc by the spring semester then you probably should wait until next year because most schools dont allow you to take any prereqs the summer immediately preceding the start of P1.

Just as a side note though, you dont HAVE to take the PCAT-- most schools require it but there's about 15-ish schools that do not require it. (Mostly in California!)

Also, as mentioned in the previous post, what are your motivations for going into pharmacy? Make sure it's really what you wanna do before you have to invest bunches of time and money. If you decide to apply next year, make sure you shadow, volunteer, or work at a pharmacy if you haven't already. Check Pharmcas or schools' websites for informaion regarding deadlines, admissions, req's, etc.

 

[golfmontpoker]

My main motivation for pharmacy is the aspect of consulting and helping customers out with different medications. I dont want to be a doctor for the simple fact that I dont want to put up with the BS... I think pharmacy has some nice advantages; pay is pretty good, nice job security, and above all else, the ability to help people out. I guess ill give it a go next cycle. Ill be taking calculus this summer and I suppose I could take Physics this summer or maybe fall semester. Do you all think that a month is ample time to study for the PCAT? Also, is there a link by chance that has the schools that do not require the PCAT ? Thanks a bunch

 

[Moxxie]

The FAQ stickied at the top of this forum has some good info - I'd recommend taking a look at it. I'd also suggest getting some experience IN a pharmacy before you decide to take this plunge. If you don't want to "put up with the BS" that doctors deal with, you might be sorely disappointed with pharmacy - it's a great field, but there can be a lot of headaches.