When to apply to Pharmacy School?

[courtneyMS49]

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Hey guys,

OK so I'm not sure exactly when I should apply for Pharmacy School. I hope to go to Temple University because I live near Philly and would love to live in the city (plus in-state tuition...). Anyway, I just finished my freshman year of college at James Madison University. I was a business major and didn't realize I wanted to do Pharmacy until I did a lot of research and realized I HATED my business classes. So, now I'm transferring to West Chester University (outside of Philly, my current home town, because it's cheap and Pharm school is expensive/I'm paying for all my school) blah blah blah. ANYWAY, I am going to do the two years of Pre-Pharm at WCU and then hopefully move to Philly and go to Temple for my PharmD.

My question is .. when should I apply to Temple? Should I apply at the beginning of my junior year (the second year of Pre-Pharm coursework) or just wait until I have completed both years? I'm not sure if I should apply during my second year because that year I will be taking Organic Chem and things like that. So PLEASE help me, I have no idea

Thanks so much in advance for any help 👍

 

[tahi193]

If you will be able to finish your prerequisites by the spring of your Junior year or the summer right after (your 2nd pre-pharm year), then go ahead and apply in the summer before your Junior year starts. Depending on your grades and your PCAT, you might have to reapply the following year. But, if you're doing well in classes and have a solid PCAT it doesn't hurt to go ahead and apply before your prerequisites are completely finished.

 

[Passion4Sci]

I always recommend not taking the PCAT until after you've had at least one semester/quarter of O Chem, and I don't know about applying without an O Chem grade on your transcript. If you're really confident about the rest of your grades, and you are sure you'll Ace O Chem, I suppose it couldn't hurt to do as Tahi suggested, and apply during your 2nd pre-pharm year.

 

[tahi193]

The above poster makes a good point. When I took the PCAT it had quite a lot of organic on it and I wasn't prepared for that because the Kaplan book focuses mainly on general chem. You will benefit greatly from waiting until you've had some organic before taking the PCAT. I've also heard that organic is one of the more important grades on your transcript. You will be competing against people who have completed all of the prerequisites and then some.

So, I guess in my original post I should have said you can apply as early as the summer of your junior year if you're confident but the longer you wait, the more competitive you will likely become. 🙂 cheers!

 

[courtneyMS49]

Thanks for the replies and advice, guys. I'm not sure exactly what semester I'll be taking Organic Chem, I'll have to look at my schedule..but it might be fall semester of junior year. The thing is, I've already done a year of college and have some GenEds and such under my belt that Temple requires, so I may be able to finish my pre-reqs early. I just don't plan on getting an undergraduate degree from West Chester, and I fear if I wait a year to apply I'll become lazy from not being in school 😱 I guess I shall see! Thanks again.

 

[Passion4Sci]

Thanks for the replies and advice, guys. I'm not sure exactly what semester I'll be taking Organic Chem, I'll have to look at my schedule..but it might be fall semester of junior year. The thing is, I've already done a year of college and have some GenEds and such under my belt that Temple requires, so I may be able to finish my pre-reqs early. I just don't plan on getting an undergraduate degree from West Chester, and I fear if I wait a year to apply I'll become lazy from not being in school 😱 I guess I shall see! Thanks again.

Take that year and volunteer and work in the industry!

 

[charfdorn]

Thanks for the replies and advice, guys. I'm not sure exactly what semester I'll be taking Organic Chem, I'll have to look at my schedule..but it might be fall semester of junior year. The thing is, I've already done a year of college and have some GenEds and such under my belt that Temple requires, so I may be able to finish my pre-reqs early. I just don't plan on getting an undergraduate degree from West Chester, and I fear if I wait a year to apply I'll become lazy from not being in school 😱 I guess I shall see! Thanks again.

If you apply in your junior year and don't get in, stay in school and finish a (any) degree. Then apply again. If you still don't get in, work in pharmacy for a year and apply again. After that, probably time to cry.