PILLS 10 th General Meeting

1. PILLS 10th General Meeting Pharmacy School Application Workshop Tuesday, May 5th, 2009

2. PharmCASPharmacy College Application Service

3. PharmCAS • Pharmacy College Application Service • Centralized Application Service • 2009-2010 cycle opens: June 1st, 2009 • Each school has a deadline • Early November: UCSF/UCSD/UOP/USC/Western • Early February: CNCP/MCPHS/Western • Fee: ($150 for the 1st designation, additional designations $40/per). • Once you have e-submitted, PharmCAS still has to process your application (could take 4-5 weeks for it to arrive at the school)

4. PharmCAS

5. PharmCAS: Background Info • Basic Background Information • Name/Birthday/Address • State Residency

6. PharmCAS: Academic History • High School Information • Tests: PCAT/TOEFL/TSE get sent to PharmCAS • IMPORTANT! PharmCAS will match your PCAT scores to your application based on your social security number (SSN). Enter your SSN on your PharmCAS application and PCAT registration form • Colleges Attended • Transcript request form • Coursework

7. PharmCAS: Entering Coursework • Have transcripts in hand (You need to enter course descriptions/codes to resemble your transcript) • Enter your courses chronologically • You are required to enter ALL of the courses you completed and attempted at every institution you attended. You MUST include all repeated, failed, and withdrawn courses. If you do not enter every course listed on your official transcripts, your application will be returned to you for corrections and you may miss important school deadlines.

8. PharmCAS: Additional Info • Extracurricular • Name/Position (175 Characters) /Pharmacy Related/Setting • Total # of hours spent/Average Weekly hours • Activity Date • Work Experience • Licenses/Certifications • Honors/Scholarships

9. PharmCAS: Essay • Personal Essay should address why you selected pharmacy as a career and how the Doctor of Pharmacy degree relates to your immediate and long-term professional goals. • Describe how your personal, educational, and professional background will help you achieve your goals. • 4500 Characters (~1 page max)

10. PharmCAS: Transcripts • Transcripts should be accompanied by the transcript request form • PharmCAS must receive transcripts before school deadline • Coursework should be entered to resemble transcripts to avoid problems • Can check transcript arrive on the status bar

11. PharmCAS: References • PharmCAS allows for 4 Letters of Recommendation • References are submitted directly to PharmCAS • Please check to school to see what kind of references you need • There are paper/electronic reference types • What you need: • Name • E-mail • Phone Number • Can check status of references in the status bar

12. PharmCAS: Academic Update • After you submit your application, you will have a chance to enter your Summer/Fall grades and change Planned Courses • Updated Transcripts have to be sent to PharmCAS again • PharmCAS will send you an email to do your Academic Update

13. Letters of Recommendation • General Information • Purpose: to enable admissions committees to get another perspective of you • Letter writers will be asked to evaluate you as an applicant and as a person based on certain criteria • Number allowed on PharmCAS: 4 • Number you need depends on the school

14. Letters of Recommendation • Letter Service through the Career Center • http://career.berkeley.edu/Letter/Letter.stm • Method to store letters of recommendation for future use • Will need to pay a fee • How it works: • When asking for letters, tell letter writer to submit the letter to the Career Center, where they will hold your letter for up to 5 years and send it out to various institutions by your request

15. Letters of Recommendation • PharmCAS electronic Letter of Recommendation (eLOR) • PharmCAS recommended • How it works • Enter contact information for the letter writer online through PharmCAS under the references section • PharmCAS will then contact your reference for you and give them instructions on • Progress will be monitored online through PharmCAS

16. Letters of Recommendation • The Who, When, and Hows of LoRs • WHEN: • Ask at least two months in advance in possible • WHO: • Ask someone that knows you well, and can speak about your strengths and passion for pharmacy • DON’T just ask someone with a prestigious title • Different pharmacy schools will have different requirements for who they want to see a letter from • http://www.pharmcas.org/docs/ReqTypebySchool.pdf • Some schools don’t take GSI letters, some require pharmacist letters, etc.

17. Letters of Recommendation

18. Letters of Recommendation • Approaching a letter writer • HOW: • Prepare packets for your letter writers that include • Resume • Personal Statement • Cover Letter • (Transcripts) • Ask them in person if possible, and ask if they can write you a STRONG letter of recommendation • Thank you cards and updates on your journey to pharmacy school after

19. Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) • To register visit: www.pcatweb.info

22. Register early! Seating is on a first-come first-serve basis. • Check to see when PCAT scores will no longer be accepted • Fees: • $150 Application Fee • Can send your PCAT score to 14 schools • The first three are included in the application fee • All other schools are $20 each • Applicants usually just send their PCAT score to PharmCAS

23. About the PCAT • The PCAT tests basic scientific knowledge, math skills, and verbal knowledge • 240 multiple choice questions in five different sections + 2 writing sections • The exam is about 4 hours with one break in the middle • PCAT Breakdown • Writing section – 30 minutes, 2 writing topics • Verbal Ability – 30 minutes, 48 questions on analogies and sentence completions • Biology – 30 minutes, 48 questions on general biology, microbiology, anatomy and physiology • Chemistry – 30 minutes, 48 questions on general chemistry, organic chemistry • Reading Comprehension – 50 minutes, 48 questions that require you to read quickly, comprehend information, and recollect the information • Quantitative Ability – 40 minutes, 48 questions on basic math, algebra, probability, statistics, precalculus, calculus

24. How to Study for the PCAT • Pearson offers: • PCAT practice tests (2) - $40 each or both for $60 • Have access until the end of the test cycle (January) • Contains each of the 5 multiple-choice portions with answers and explanations • Contains sample essays for the Writing subtest with a scoring rubric • Kaplan also offers: • PCAT Classroom Course - $1399 • PCAT Private Tutoring • PCAT Online Course - $1249

25. PCAT: Test-Taking Strategies • Familiarize yourself with the test by knowing the test content and taking Practice Tests under test conditions • Practice Tests are available in study guide booklets and on the PCAT website • Sleep well the night before and eat a good meal before the test • Answer as many multiple-choice items as possible. Points will not be deducted for incorrect answers. • Do not get caught up on certain questions because each question is worth the same amount of points • Work quickly but read each question carefully and mark your answers correctly • For the Writing sections plan your essay first

26. PCAT: Test Day • You must have your Admission Ticket (will receive through email) to gain admittance to testing • People who come late will not be allowed to take the PCAT • Morning test times: • Must arrive no later than 8:30 am • Test ends at approximately 1:30 pm • Afternoon test times: • Must arrive no later than 2:00 pm • Test ends at approximately 7:00 pm • What to bring: • Admission ticket • Two forms of valid ID with your photo and signature • What not to bring: • Food, drinks, calculators, books, papers, highlighters, rulers, notes, cell phones, cameras, and you cannot wear a hat with a bill.

27. PCAT Results • Answer booklets are scanned, writing subtests are scored by trained scorers • Will receive your Score Report in the mail within 6 weeks of the date of testing • Scores are reported as scaled scores and percentiles for each of the multiple choice subtests and as a composite score for the whole multiple choice test • What is considered to be a good PCAT score? • Some schools require a minimum composite score of the 70th – 80th percentile • Scores are reported on a scale of 200-600 • Some schools look for good percentile scores in the biology and chemistry sections • A competitive writing score is considered to be ≥ 4 (out of 5) • A composite score above the 80th percentile is considered competitive, but may vary for each school

28. Supplemental Applications • Many schools require a supplemental app • Every school has a different supplemental application – obtain directly from their website • Make sure you do the entire application (check for multiple parts) • All applications require fees (about $20 to $100)

29. Supplementals • Some schools ask only for your basic info • Some schools are essay driven • Make sure you send the application to the right address – check the deadline • Do NOT send the application to PharmCAS • If you need help, call or email the specific school of pharmacy

30. Supplementals • Start early – soon after you complete PharmCAS if possible • Gather your thoughts; reflect upon your experiences in college, and to a lesser extent, high school • Create/update a resume – some schools require you to submit one • Set aside time specifically for one supplemental and work on them individually

31. Supplementals: Sample Essay Prompts • UCSF: How have your personal experiences informed your understanding of the human condition? • USC: What unique, personal qualities and/or life experiences will you bring to your pharmacy career? • UOP: Why do you wish do come to UOP? • UCSD: Describe how you have explored Pharmacy and the Pharmaceutical Sciences to determine that this career path is for you.

32. The Interview Process • The interview is the final hurdle before your acceptance into a pharmacy school. • Getting an interview dramatically increases your chances of acceptance from about 1/10 to about 1/3 (depends on the school). • Important things to consider: • What to wear • How to prepare for the interview • What to expect on your interview day

33. Interviews: What to Wear? • Dress BUSINESS FORMAL • Men: Dress Shirt, Tie, Slacks, Jacket, Dress Shoes • Women: Dressy Top, Slacks/Skirt, Jacket, Dress Shoes • It is usually safe to go with a dark colored suit.

34. Preparing for the Interview • Relax! Most schools try to make interviews as relaxing as possible, so it’s like a conversation. • Confirming that you are genuinely interested in pharmacy and will fit in with their school. • Know why pharmacy (more than just “I want to help people”). • Know about that school’s program and why you want to go there. • Know what you wrote in your own application (extracurriculars, work experience, personal statement, etc.).

35. Interviews: What to Expect • Introduction by the Dean or Admissions Director • Interviews (oral communication) • Typically given by current professors and students • Individual vs. Group • Open vs. Closed File • Writing sample (written communication) • Tour of the school • Pharmacy student panel/chat room • Financial aid info session

36. Costs/Fees • PharmCAS fees start at $150 for the first school, each additional school is $40 • Supplemental applications are another fee and is submitted to each school individually (from $20 to $100) • Traveling costs depend on where you interview – book early to get good rates for airfare and hotels (ask for special rates affiliated with the institution)

37. Costs/Fees • Miscellaneous costs include transcripts and sending any paper apps by certified mail • Fee waivers are generally granted only in extraordinary financial circumstances – PharmCAS only waives the fee for the first school (check instructions to see what needs to be submitted)

38. Questions?