Sunday, May 4, 2014

What classes should I retake this summer for applying to pharmacy school in 2015?

Question: I will be applying for fall 2015 and i won't be taking the PCAT until august. I need to retake a Calc class that I chose to receive an F in (peers told me to take the bad grade versus getting the W, b/c our CC replaces with the better grade) and I was planning on taking it this Fall. Right now my overall GPA is 2.7 and that's with an F in Calc I and a D in Physics I, I plan on retaking them both in the fall. I am taking organic Chemistry I followed by Orgo II all this summer. Would you advise I take orgo II in the fall and Calc during the summer? I think I need Orgo I for the PCAT that's why I think I should keep that but switch up the Calc and Orgo II? I'm not sure what to do !


Answer: I cannot speak to how your CC transcript looks, but be aware that all of your grades will be reported to PharmCas. I would encourage you to retake Calculus in the summer if you can - this will help prepare you for the PCAT also. I agree that an F on your transcript for a prerequisite (and a course the committee will assuredly look at) would paint a very unfavorable first impression and one that you might not be able to overcome.  As I've stated in multiple blog entries which you can find here, I always recommend withdrawing from a course rather than taking a D or F on a transcript.

So, I would take Orgo I and Calculus this summer. Prepare well for the PCAT - if your grades are marginal, you may need a strong PCAT score to get you in.

Best of luck.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I would definitely focus on your chemistry classes. These are really important for aspiring pharmacists. Before you submit your grades I would absolutely retake any courses with a C or less. http://www.regencyrx.com/en/

Unknown said...

Your blogs seems very good information about pharmacy industry. It was very informative and helpful for me. Thanks for sharing this kind of information. Keep further posting.pharmacist salary

Unknown said...

All I can say is that it seems like pharmacists are the nicest people. I have never gone to a pharmacy and thought the doctor was sincerely interested in me getting better. You do that, make sure your staff does as well, and you'll be good.
Feruccio
http://www.apexpharmacies.com/