Would you take the PCAT if you were me?

[rdanford21]

Hi everyone,

I am new to this site and have a few concerns about the PCAT. I am currently a senior business student with a 3.5 GPA and plan on graduating in December 09.

I have decided to pursue pharmacy school, as I used to be a Biology major and I miss the sciences. I am scheduled to take Anatomy and Chemistry II this summer and Organic I, Bio I (grade replacement), and Physics I in the fall along with my final two business courses. My remaining prerequisites will be taken in the spring of 2010 (Organic II, Physics II, and Microbiology). After hours of reworking my courses, this is the best schedule I could come up with.

My concern is that I have not taken a biology or chemistry class in about 4 years and will have to take the PCAT this fall before I complete Organic I or Microbiology. I want to do my best and receive a high PCAT score, but waiting until January is not an option for the schools I plan to apply to. I am getting married this summer and really do not want to have to push back pharmacy school until 2011!

Any advice is appreciated

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[diastole]

You don't really need micro but you will need organic. If you take in October, you will need to study ahead on your own. You could take it in October, apply to your schools and see what happens. If you don't get in that cycle, retake it in June if you aren't happy with your scores.

 

[Tiff1632]

You can always apply to school that don't require PCATs.... Just a thought...

 

[rdanford21]

If I were to take the PCAT for the first time in October, would that be too late? I have been reading that PCAT scores take a month or two to receive. The schools I would like to apply to have a registration deadline of November 1.

Does that generally mean that all my application materials AND my PCAT scores have to be submitted by then, or can I fill out my entire application and then report my PCAT scores when they come (after November 1.)?

 

[charfdorn]

If I were to take the PCAT for the first time in October, would that be too late? I have been reading that PCAT scores take a month or two to receive. The schools I would like to apply to have a registration deadline of November 1.

Does that generally mean that all my application materials AND my PCAT scores have to be submitted by then, or can I fill out my entire application and then report my PCAT scores when they come (after November 1.)?

Well, *you* don't report your PCAT scores. PsyCorp does, directly to PharmCAS. Check the PharmCAS website. I think they will send an app before the PCAT scores are in. BUT this will affect your application pretty badly. I would aim for the August PCAT. But you'll need to read way ahead in your Organic text. Get the Kaplan PCAT book (NOW), take the pre-test, and see what you need to work on. You have enough that you can fill in the gaps out of your textbooks, but it won't be easy.

 

[Transformer]

Hi everyone,

I am new to this site and have a few concerns about the PCAT. I am currently a senior business student with a 3.5 GPA and plan on graduating in December 09.

I have decided to pursue pharmacy school, as I used to be a Biology major and I miss the sciences. I am scheduled to take Anatomy and Chemistry II this summer and Organic I, Bio I (grade replacement), and Physics I in the fall along with my final two business courses. My remaining prerequisites will be taken in the spring of 2010 (Organic II, Physics II, and Microbiology). After hours of reworking my courses, this is the best schedule I could come up with.

My concern is that I have not taken a biology or chemistry class in about 4 years and will have to take the PCAT this fall before I complete Organic I or Microbiology. I want to do my best and receive a high PCAT score, but waiting until January is not an option for the schools I plan to apply to. I am getting married this summer and really do not want to have to push back pharmacy school until 2011!

Any advice is appreciated

IMO, I think you're taking on too much in a short amount of time. If I learned anything from college it's to take my time and ace all science/pharmacy pre-req classes than to rush through it all and get average grades.

Then again, you might be a genius and school comes easy to you. For everyone else who is human, I advice them to put themselves in the best position to ace all your science classes. (3 science classes + 2 business classes can be a lot). It's almost always better to space out those science classes and ace them than to risk retaking those classes later on.

personally, If I were you, I would take the PCAT only after you've retaken Organic I and microbiology classes. After 4 years, You'll need the review. good luck!!