why no PCAT?

[2farmornot]

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So I decided I wanted to apply to CA schools and USN for a couple reasons. One was because I wanted to stay fairly close to my family, particularly my mom and my grandma (in san diego) since they've raised me alone since I was 2. I consider fairly close as I could come home within a quick hr-2hr flight or even drive home. Secondly, I just generally don't do well on standardized test because I am just not a good multiple choice test taker.

When the adcoms interview, will they ask me why I didn't apply out of state or take the PCAT? If they do, should I answer as above? I'm not sure if that comes off as "not putting forth a full effort" particularly if they're supposed to believe I'm willing to get into pharmacy school at all costs. Are my points valid enough? Please advise.

 

[Prepharm1214]

So I decided I wanted to apply to CA schools and USN for a couple reasons. One was because I wanted to stay fairly close to my family, particularly my mom and my grandma (in san diego) since they've raised me alone since I was 2. I consider fairly close as I could come home within a quick hr-2hr flight or even drive home. Secondly, I just generally don't do well on standardized test because I am just not a good multiple choice test taker.

When the adcoms interview, will they ask me why I didn't apply out of state or take the PCAT? If they do, should I answer as above? I'm not sure if that comes off as "not putting forth a full effort" particularly if they're supposed to believe I'm willing to get into pharmacy school at all costs. Are my points valid enough? Please advise.

Well none of the Cali schools require the pcat, or for that matter even look at it - except USC slightly. So I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't bring it up at all.

 

[^=^]

well None Of The Cali Schools Require The Pcat, Or For That Matter Even Look At It - Except Usc Slightly. So I Wouldn't Be Surprised If They Didn't Bring It Up At All.

+1

 

[2farmornot]

yah. i just thought about it cause one of my LOR profs asked me why I didnt bother applying out of state and I was sorta caught on the spot so I told him the above reasons, but then secondguessed myself with whether that was a valid enough reason if it were to come up during an interview.

 

[cinnamoroll12]

I can say that there is a great chance that they won't ask that question during the interview. They'll be interested in the reason why you want to attend their school. However, I noticed that on one of my supplemental apps that I had filled out which asked me to name other schools that I am planning to apply or consider.

 

[^=^]

I can say that there is a great chance that they won't ask that question during the interview. They'll be interested in the reason why you want to attend their school. However, I noticed that on one of my supplemental apps that I had filled out which asked me to name other schools that I am planning to apply or consider.

was it uop?

 

[Sparda29]

Just make something up, like you couldn't afford it. Or since the tests were on Saturdays, they conflicted with your schedule or something.

 

[cinnamoroll12]

was it uop?

Actually, it wasn't UOP. Wait, I can't remember because I submitted mine last month. I'm sure Mercer was one of them.

 

[FreshOffTheBoat]

Well none of the Cali schools require the pcat, or for that matter even look at it - except USC slightly. So I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't bring it up at all.

hmm. why is that? they focus more on school work the test course?

 

[^=^]

^^ Because there's already enough competition the way it is...For example, every other person in my Chem class already has a Bio degree from Cal or Stanford and is "finishing up" on pre-pharm requirements to go pharmacy school..

 

[Snake Doctor]

^^ Because there's already enough competition the way it is...For example, every other person in my Chem class already has a Bio degree from Cal or Stanford and is "finishing up" on pre-pharm requirements to go pharmacy school..

Cal's overrated and my lab partner transfered from Stanford to UCLA... but then again, that was for athletic reasons....
J/K about the overrated part. Does anyone know if the TAP program @ USC influence admissions or is there no influence whatsoever? For UOP, the first 100 seats are for their pre-pharm advantage students while the other half is for those who did their undergrad elsewhere.

Going back to the OP's question, is it worth taking the PCAT just for 1-2 schools???

 

[mrblah]

schools who don't require pcat usually will not ask you unless you bring it up. Schools will ask you which schools you are applying to and rank them in order of preference, so prepare to explain the pro's and con's of each school, to make sure you didn't make a impulsive decision.

 

[Farmercyst]

The question wasn't on USC's suggested interview question sheet the last 2 years running. I doubt it'll make it there any time soon.

I only appied to non-PCAT schools because I didn't want anything to get in my way if I somehow managed to goof up a single test.

 

[seminolefish]

which schools other than Cali schools don't require the PCAT? and are they decent schools?

 

[Ross434]

^^ Because there's already enough competition the way it is...For example, every other person in my Chem class already has a Bio degree from Cal or Stanford and is "finishing up" on pre-pharm requirements to go pharmacy school..

this doesnt make sense. If you were a school trying to decide between 1000 applicants, you would want as many criteria as possible in order to eliminate some. A couple of schools are adding the pcat (colorado and USN to name a few), i had assumed because they wanted a way to thin out their applicant pool a bit more.

My original idea behind why a school might not want the pcat is because it is such a basic test that people probably didnt feel that it accurately measured pre-pharmacy knowledge.