For those who wrote the pcat yesterday, how did you guys find it?
By the way guys, lets not forget this forum is a pre-pharmacy forum...
If any of the current pharmacy students want to talk (or vent) about their program, why don't you guys use the pharmacy student forums?
I personally don't think we should discuss any other pharmacy related issues (regarding current students), and I can assure you that this will NOT, in any way, steer my focus away from my pharmacy application.
From now on, lets just focus on pharmacy application process, pcat cut offs, interviews, etc.
Cheers and good luck everyone 👍
I agree.
It's a little disheartening though, to see that some potential and some current students are so immature. I would've thought that coming from 1-2 years of undergrad and going into a prestigious university for a professional program, people would be a little bit more mature.
I'm sorry if this offends anyone, but there are better ways to deal with faculty related issues than to discuss them on this discussion board.
To be honest, seeing this thread does actually make me reconsider uoft. If I end up being fortunate enough to get accepted at both uoft and waterloo, I might actually consider waterloo over uoft, despite uoft being so much more convenient for me...
Please don't make such immature comment, you don't know the bud until
you get into the bed.
Do your mature research before you make the final choice.
Personally I like the show of current pharmacy students to scare away some one like you therefore the others would have better chance to get in.
Sorry if I've offended you, I did not mean to make judgements about the current students and my comments could have been better worded.
I don't know if you're a current student or not, but you yourself are not demonstrating much maturity either...so please don't make comments directed like that at me or anyone else because that is downright unnecessary and uncalled for...
I do believe that this "pharmaniac" poster is a current student, and I don't know about anyone else, but that long post of videos certainly spells out immaturity to me..
I agree.
It's a little disheartening though, to see that some potential and some current students are so immature. I would've thought that coming from 1-2 years of undergrad and going into a prestigious university for a professional program, people would be a little bit more mature.
I'm sorry if this offends anyone, but there are better ways to deal with faculty related issues than to discuss them on this discussion board.
To be honest, seeing this thread does actually make me reconsider uoft. If I end up being fortunate enough to get accepted at both uoft and waterloo, I might actually consider waterloo over uoft, despite uoft being so much more convenient for me...
lol @ people caring so much about what people say in this thread... immature or mature.. who cares. its a online forum.
With that being said, my question about being hired in the future.. was cause that will dictate what path I take next year... I'm not going into life sciences if pharmacy is no longer a goal...
So aside from the fact that the GTA/toronto is saturated with pharmacists, how likely will it be to get hired in like... 2017? Given baby boomers retiring and more n more people over 80 years old... which = more pharmacies etc etc
I will finally make a post that is on topic:
Anyone know if we get any type of confirmation that are transcripts/PCAT scores have been received at U of T or do you have to call and ask? Also do they get annoyed if you call?
She also mentioned that if they were ever missing anything, they would contact you ASAP, so you don't need to worry!
I don't know that anyone can give you an absolute answer, but from the way I see it by your logic of baby boomers retiring and that creating a greater need for health care and drugs, the job prospects could really go either way.
On the one hand, with an increase in need for drugs you could have pharmacists playing an even greater role than they do right now and serving as front line health care professionals and taking on responsibilities such as prescribing drugs. I know there has been talk about this in some of the provinces. I was talking to a pharmacist at the pharmacy I worked at and she seemed to think that prospects were good, and that this is where things were heading. For example, she graduated quite a few years ago from pharmacy school and was now having to take courses on diabetes management to further her understanding of how to manage patients with diabetes and their drugs.
On the other hand, the need for more drugs may just push towards a more computerized approach, where things are handled with presumably less error. One example off the top of my head would be the recent push towards drive through pharmacies. This really limits some of the patient-pharmacist interaction, and may push towards less requirements for an actual pharmacist. With the budget cuts that have recently been implemented, this scenario isn't too far fetched.
Again, I don't think anyone can give you a concrete answer and it really is all just speculation. Also, with the budget cuts - that was only Ontario so that's not to say that other provinces won't have good jobs available. So if you are willing to be flexible upon graduation and perhaps explore opportunities outside of Ontario or even outside of Canada that probably increases the prospects.
One more thing to consider is that life sciences is a very broad field and it can open doors to many many many things. So don't limit your decision to go into life sci based on pharmacy job prospects, unless you are really passionate about some other field. With life sci you can obviously go into the professional programs (pharm, med, optometry, dentistry) but you can also go into research, which is something you may find interests you once you are in university. I've had friends graduate from life sci and go into business (i.e. pursue their MBAs), so you would by no means be limiting yourself.
Really, I know of someone last year who did not get an interview because her PCAT scores were not received. I think she ended up calling the faculty and getting things straightened out but no one bothered to contact her.
I guess we would be slowing things down if EVERYONE decided to follow up with U of T.. but when I asked them about high school transcripts a month back they said "no news is good news" .. but that doesn't make sense to me because "no news" could mean they didn't receive anything!
As for the PCAT.. I hate standardized tests, they feel so rushed and I feel all scatter brained at the end of it all. All I can say is that it is one intense test!
Essays - both were easy topics..so its hard to say which one they will grade.. although I would find it unfair they grade the 2nd one since you are pretty fatigued at that point
Verbal - easy
Reading - easy
Bio - average ..there was A LOT of microbio IMO ..random diseases
Chem - not too bad!
Math - (O_O) .. I was skipping a bunch of really random ones.. have no idea how I did
I guess we would be slowing things down if EVERYONE decided to follow up with U of T.. but when I asked them about high school transcripts a month back they said "no news is good news" .. but that doesn't make sense to me because "no news" could mean they didn't receive anything!
As for the PCAT.. I hate standardized tests, they feel so rushed and I feel all scatter brained at the end of it all. All I can say is that it is one intense test!
Essays - both were easy topics..so its hard to say which one they will grade.. although I would find it unfair they grade the 2nd one since you are pretty fatigued at that point
Verbal - easy
Reading - easy
Bio - average ..there was A LOT of microbio IMO ..random diseases
Chem - not too bad!
Math - (O_O) .. I was skipping a bunch of really random ones.. have no idea how I did
Haha, no news is indeed good news 😛
anyways, just a side note about PCAT, the Math portion is usually the hardest part for most people and hence it has a lower average than most other sections... for this reason, your percentile ususally ends up being higher than what you think it should be... so don't worry too much about math 😉
BTW, I was thinking that, should we all just agree to be honest this year and share stats? Or do you guys wanna be "competitors" ?
I took the exam back in June, when there were only ~15 examinees in the session😱. Was the winter exam packed?
I'll share my results as soon as I can find them (it's been a few months so I'll have to dig around 😛). Hope everyone did well! Try not to stress too much as I know waiting for your results can be pretty taxing. I think mine took about 7.5 weeks to arrive.
If I have 1st year university physics and NOT grade 12, then im 100% fine right?
Why the need for a high school transcript anyway? If you dont have gr 12 english... you wouldnt be in university anyway lol.
lol...so....that's a very good question! I never thought about that. 🙄
lol...so....
It is perhaps a bad idea to post about current events in the faculty, but I fail to see how this is totally irrelevant to prospective students in light of the need of them/you to at least catch a glimpse of the culture/environment you may possibly be entering upon admission.
My message may sound cryptic but it may become clear over time.
HMMM. I have a question 😀
I did take a full course load last year. But if i don't do so this year would that put me at a disadvantage? Would students with a full course load throughout their years of study be more favored?
gpa?i did 3 years of undergrad before pharmacy. First year i had 4 courses, second year i had 5 courses, and third year i only had 3 courses. I still got in. They only require at least one year with a full course load
Any word on the average acceptance GPA the last couple years? And the low/high accepted GPA?
I guess I'll break the ice..since I'd like to get to know you guys! Some of us will be classmates.
Here are my stats:
Current CGPA: 79% average ~ 3.3
Will be graduating with a Bsc. Neuroscience (I feel so OLD) 🙂
PCAT: I did the October one..without much prep so that was a disaster. I redid the January..and will post stats soon.
I go to U of T
I would also like some (unbiased) updates from current pharmacy students.. If it does relate to this cycle
Seems to make sense,I'd heard high 70s from somewhere but I thought it didnt sound quite right.I've heard some stats from last year's class (1T4)... The average acceptance GPA tends to be in the low 80's (they don't tell specific stats.)
The upper end of acceptance average tends to be high 90's (there's always a few people with super high GPA's) and at the low end it's somewhere in the mid 70's... so you have a very diverse range of GPA's but I have a feeling that most people will be somewhere in the high 70's, low 80's.
Don't quote me on any of these numbers though, it's just based on what I've heard.
Seems to make sense,I'd heard high 70s from somewhere but I thought it didnt sound quite right.
Which is given more importance, PCAT or GPA? Is there a clear cut answer or no?
It's the multi mini interviews right?From last years patterns, it seems like PCAT is mainly used to assess applicants to grant interviews (i.e. used for pre-interview purposes)... and then they use your interview score along with your average (and maybe your pcat) for acceptance decisions. And from what I've heard, interview seems to be a very important factor.
It's the multi mini interviews right?
Wow, I love your attitude 😀
Ok, I guess I'll break the ice even more! Hope rest of you guys do the same thing.
So I go to Western and I'm in second year of medical sciences. I already applied last year to UofT but didn't get an interview because of my (super unlucky) 19th percentile in reading comprehension of PCAT.
So far, my GPA is somewhere in the low 80's (I'm still in process of completing prerequisites... so I don't have a final GPA yet)
Last time I took the PCAT was in August with a composite score of 88.
I personally don't believe that sharing my stats would decrease/increase my acceptance chances... so if you guys believe in the same philosophy, be honest and share as much as you like 🙂
GPA: 3.2, finishing up 4th year in a BSc Biology program at McMaster and extremely excited to graduate!!
PCAT: 82% composite, also took it in August
I've applied to UofT, Waterloo and UBC and I'd pretty much be willing to go to any three!
I kinda didn't know what I wanted to do until the end of my 3rd year so my decision to apply for pharmacy was a bit spontaneous when I decided to write the PCAT last summer.
Definitely not enjoying meeting all these chemistry requirements of phys chem/organic chem!
I posted my stats a while ago but I guess I can do it again 🙂
cGPA is 3.8, I graduated in june with biochemistry degree.
pcat was 83, 3/3 on writing section
I applied to toronto last year but didn't do well on interview so I'm re-applying again and this time I'm actually going to prepare for it lol.
I am also applying to university of waterloo and I applied to university of london as a back-up and I got acceptance there so I'm going into pharmacy next year for sure somewhere 😀😀
GPA: 3.2, finishing up 4th year in a BSc Biology program at McMaster and extremely excited to graduate!!
PCAT: 82% composite, also took it in August
I've applied to UofT, Waterloo and UBC and I'd pretty much be willing to go to any three!
I kinda didn't know what I wanted to do until the end of my 3rd year so my decision to apply for pharmacy was a bit spontaneous when I decided to write the PCAT last summer.
Definitely not enjoying meeting all these chemistry requirements of phys chem/organic chem!
Since you go to Mac, I thought I ask you this: do you know if there are any MMI practice sessions at Mac since they also use MMI for their med school?
I've heard that they had something like that in previous years, and I'm very interested in participating in one, if there's going to be a session this year.
oh tell me about it... I don't think I've came across any other professional program that has this many prerequisite courses 🙄
btw, does UBC have the same prerequisites as UofT? How would you compare UBC and UofT (just out of curiosity)?
Wow, I love your attitude 😀
Ok, I guess I'll break the ice even more! Hope rest of you guys do the same thing.
So I go to Western and I'm in second year of medical sciences. I already applied last year to UofT but didn't get an interview because of my (super unlucky) 19th percentile in reading comprehension of PCAT.
So far, my GPA is somewhere in the low 80's (I'm still in process of completing prerequisites... so I don't have a final GPA yet)
Last time I took the PCAT was in August with a composite score of 88.
I personally don't believe that sharing my stats would decrease/increase my acceptance chances... so if you guys believe in the same philosophy, be honest and share as much as you like 🙂
Yup, they do have a practice session. It's hosted by the McMaster Medicine and Health Society. Personally, I haven't been to it but I have seen advertising for it in previous years. Typically it's held around early March. I will keep an eye out and post here if I happen to hear anything.
Also you can follow the website and see if it pops up in the events section.
http://www.mmhsweb.ca/
To be honest I don't know too much about UBC, so I couldn't provide a fair comparison. In terms of pre-reqs:
First-year university Biology with a lab*
First-year university Chemistry with a lab
First-year university English (for which UBC gives transfer credit)
First-year university Calculus, and
First-year university Physics with a lab. Or, also acceptable, is a one-semester Physics course that has a prerequisite requirement of PHYS 12, and that includes a lab.
I actually don't have the english requirement but I talked to them today and they said they are willing to waive that if you have your degree conferred by the time final transcripts are sent it. This is why I actually just applied there today. Applications, luckily, aren't due until the 28th of Feb.
Also they've got a bit of an awkward way of assessing GPA. So (from what I understand), they assess your GPA based on the above 1st year courses, and then if you've taken some of the upper level courses (Microbio, Organic I, II) then they also include those into the GPA calculation.