This is my first post though I've been periodically monitoring its activity over the past few months. I got accepted and my stats are as follows:
GPA ~84%
PCAT 99 percentile
Interview: aced 2 stations, average 6 stations, bombed 2 stations
As for the process itself, I believe GPA and the interview are the two most important aspects of admission. Improving GPA is pretty self-explanatory; pick courses you are genuinely interested in and/or courses that have favourable reviews from peers and professor ratings. The interview's MMI format may be daunting for those who usually prepare ahead of time for generic questions. Personally, I did not prepare for the interview but I do have a good understanding of myself, my experiences in the past, and my sense of morality. While practice is always good, I recommend taking a moment to reflect on your experiences since high school to get a better understanding of yourself, your strengths and weakness, how you handled situations in the past and how you can improve. There is a good chance personal experience will be relevant to a few stations and even if they are not, this introspection is valuable in all facets of life. As for the PCAT, you should be aware that there is a minimum threshold, above which the usefulness of the score is used to determine tie-breakers between comparable applicants. It is used as an initial screen and not a hard determining criteria. As you take the required courses for pharmacy, you are indirectly studying for the PCAT as much of the content is merely recycled. Once again, a good understanding of your studying habits will allow you to study most efficiently. This is personal opinion but I believe the Biology, Chemistry and Math components can show visible improvement while the other sections are harder to improve in a short duration. For example, I used a vocabulary builder app (smartphone) for a month whenever I am on the bus or waiting but unfortunately none of the words appeared on the actual PCAT.
Concerning the debate between UofT and Waterloo, I chose UofT for the following reasons. While Waterloo is "harder" to get into and their Co-op program is highly sought after, I hear that the positions can range drastically from urban to rural areas. To get the better positions, one has to be quite competitive as they are limited in number. Toronto does not offer co-op but it does have more opportunities locally. I have volunteered/worked at this one pharmacy for three summers and built a good rapport with the head pharmacist. He told me that he is willing to provide me with internship opportunities whenever I find the time. I also find the city more lively though it does come at a steeper cost.
Hope this helps!