Quoted: Am I Doomed?

[MSmentor020]

I am wondering if all of my hard work and dedication has been for nothing after my horrible PCAT showing! I am a returning college student who is 28 years old, I work 50+ hours a week as a manager in charge of 20+ people at a time. My overall GPA is a 3.0 due to a poor college attempt in my earlier years- but my pre-pharm GPA is 3.88, and my science/math GPA is a 3.95. I have excellent LOR, and I feel a very solid application all around minus the PCAT, but is a poor showing on the PCAT (49th percentile composite) the end of the road for me? I have been so bored throughout the summer I've already read books on pharmacokinetics and dynamics and love every minute of it! I also donate my time through many charities, and also volunteer at the local pharmacy giving a hand and shadowing Pharmacists. But all in all, am I doomed due to a poor PCAT score?... I know there are others out there wondering the same!

I'm not a pharm student, however, I think this applies to all situations and to all ADCOMs and to all schools.

All entrance exams, whether it be the PCAT, MCAT, DAT, OAT, etc... is just a test. It's a way for schools to standardize their applicants and although it's an important part of your application, it is not by any means the end-all be-all. You have a solid GPA from your "after-college" work which should show any ADCOM your desire to succeed. Yes, I admit that a low PCAT showing will not benefit you in any way and your early college years GPA is quite low. I'm sure this is something you will need to address during interviews, secondaries, essays, etc...

The truth of the matter is an applicant is more than just his/her statistics. There's more to succeeding in the health field than having good numbers. Your desire/passion to do what you truly love will get you far. With that said, if you do choose to pursue this road, you may want to think about retaking the PCAT and if you're concerned about your GPA, then I'd recommend thinking about taking some extra courses or maybe a master's or post-bacc.

To answer your question, no, you're not doomed. The reality is that this is not a yes or no answer. We can't say for any certainty that your application is strong enough and vice-versa. The application process is a very complicated and complexing process that noone can predict what may or may not happen. Your only choice is to try. And furthermore, to do anything you possibly can to achieve your goal. So Best of Luck to you!

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