Should I confront a pharmacist who I found wrote out wrote a negative letter of recommendation ?

Question:

I am really upset and not sure how to handle this. When interviewing I was asked several questions that were very specific to what one of my reviewers wrote. I answered them the best I could, but didn't really understand the line of questioning. One of the last questions asked at the interview was why I thought this recommendation writer would have reservations about me being admitted to pharmacy school. I was totally stunned that the pharmacist wrote that and I wonder if I should confront him about it. I am really worried that this could keep me out of pharmacy school.

Help please.  

Answer:

First of all, I am sorry you encountered this.  Personally, I think it's unprofessional for the interviewer to put your co-worker / reviewer in such a bad situation when that information really should be confidential.  

My experience is that an LOR offering negative commentary can be very damning in the eyes of the committee, particularly since it came from a pharmacist that you worked with in some capacity. It is unfortunate that this occurred and I hope that you are given the benefit of the doubt by a committee after your interview.

If you are not admitted, I would encourage you to contact the school(s) directly and ask how to improve your application. Obviously, you know that your LORs were a concern, but see if they give you any other advice. Applicants often think they know why they were not admitted, but they are mistaken. For example, a student may have a marginal PCAT score and assume they didn't get in for that reason. They work and prepare to do better on the PCAT, when in fact the committee didn't feel he/she was admittable because of a bad LOR, for example. Or vice versa. 

Asking the pharmacist who wrote the letter if there is something you can do to improve your skills would be one way to tactfully get to the point.  Stating that you know he wrote a less than flattering LOR won't improve your chances and might cause friction at work.  If you feel that a different pharmacist might be able to write a more positive review, asking him/her to do so and submitting an addendum to your application might be helpful.

Good luck.

When should I start studying for the 2014 PCAT?

Question:
I plan on taking the PCAT next July, but I am having trouble understanding when I should begin studying for the exam. I have been told by relatives who are pharmacists that Christmas break would be a great time to hit the books (it usually lasts 6 weeks), but I plan on using that time to work as a tech and get a pesky physics class out of the way. My advisor suggested that I begin studying around the spring time, but I know my course-load will be pretty hectic by then. I'm the type of person who needs plenty of time to do well on exams, but I don't want to begin studying too early( if that's even possible). Also, I'm not sure how to study. Should I study on my own or would getting into a prep class like Kaplan be more beneficial? I want to do well on my first try so that I can make the early decision deadline. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. 

Answer: 
All students have different study techniques that work for them so I can't offer much in terms of how much time you will need, but I personally wouldn't overdo it. If you are in school now, much of the Bio and Chem subset should be familiar information. You should complete the online practice exams to see how the Reading and Verbal areas are tested.

I usually don't recommend classes like Kaplan due to the cost although I think there is probably some benefit to them for non-traditional students who have not been in a school setting recently

Good luck.