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[FlynnWhite]

THOUGHTS PLEASE, SORRY FOR THE TITLE. DIDN'T REALIZE WHAT HAPPENED UNTIL AFTER I CLICKED SUBMIT.


Hey guys, I've been looking at this forum from time to time trying to get some advice on what I should do. I am currently a pre-pharmacy student, actually this was a recent change from dentistry but anyways! I am currently in a predicament. I don't have the best gpa and I'm talking not even in the 3.0 range! I am not going to go into detail about why that is but I'm sure there are a few others out there just like me wondering what now? It's my last year at school and I am now trying to decide if applying to a post-bacc program after I graduate would be the right choice for me. I know it would help me boost my gpa but that's another year and a half of schooling and it's also double the amount per unit. I've been juggling between the post-bacc program and just trying to find a job after I graduate. Ideally, I'd love to get into pharmacy school after graduating and getting my degree but realistically, that's not much of an option right now. What do you guys think? Would it be better to find a job after I graduate and just back to school in a year or two after I've saved enough money or should I just go straight into the post-bacc program? Thoughts please! Thanks, I appreciate it.

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[Sugoi Travis]

Hey I'm a 4th year and I'll be graduating at the end of spring quarter. My GPA isn't in the 3.0 range either but I'm still applying.

You have to have things on your application that can work significantly in your favor, such as having an extreme PCAT score (composite 85+ IMO) and extensive ECs that you've been doing for months/years at a time. A personal statement that knocks the socks off of the adcoms as well as kick ass LORs from people who know you really well can also offset a less-than-competitive GPA. Adcoms would be foolish to only look at your GPA and think "not good enough." There's more to an individual than the GPA despite it being a large factor.

I don't plan on doing a post-bacc even though my dad really tried to get me to do it. For me, I would have to have 180 post-bacc units of A's, not even an A-, to raise my sub 3.0 GPA to a 3.4~3.5, which would be competitive for most pharmacy schools; that's almost 4 years of doing a post-bacc that goes by the quarter system! Not worth the money and time in my books.

Although I just glossed over it, for people like you and me, it is imperative that you have things in your application that will help lessen the damage of a low GPA. It will be an uphill battle, guaranteed. Good luck.

 

[FlynnWhite]

Thanks so much for the input Sugoi Travis! You're right in that gpa is not EVERYTHING. I didn't even think about how many units in post bacc would actually increase my gpa to a competitive range. That's good to know. In terms of extra curricular and letters of rec I will definitely keep that in mind. Goodluck to you as well. Thanks again for the input!!

 

[RN2RPh]

Some pharmacy schools consider "last 45 semester credit GPA". So if you have GPA of 3.0 for your current last 23 semester credit, you can try to get straight A for ~ 25 credits in post-bacc courses. That will bring your last 45 credit GPA to the 3.5 range. Of course a score of 90+ on PCAT will also help (if the schools consider it)

You definitely has to find a job in pharmacy field (very likely a pharm tech job) to boost your chance