Early Decision and Chances of Getting in

[Doskai]

Hello, I am currently in the process of applying to Pharmacy Schools and I am super stressed and anxious about applying.
My cumulative GPA is 3.14 with three retakes. My sciences GPA is 3.02 with the retakes. My averaged cumulative GPA should be around 3.07 and averaged science GPA would be around 2.93.
I have 130 hours of volunteering experience at a hospital and will not be stopping until around 280 hours.
I have held a few officer positions for clubs.
I have completed 114 hours with a research lab.
I just got pharmacy technician licensed and am looking for a job and hope to be working soon.
I have been able to shadow two pharmacists.
I have two pharmacist letter of recs, one science professor, and one from a writing professor. (One from a pastor as well for Loma Linda)
I am in California and so is my family so I really want to stay in California and they want me to as well. The plan is to apply this cycle to California schools and a few out of states that do not require the PCAT because I haven't had time to take it/study for it. If I don't get in then I will take a gap year, take the PCAT, and apply again more broadly.
My number one choice is Western University and number two choice is Loma Linda.
I am also applying to University of the Pacific, Touro, Northstate, UCSD, KGI, CHSU.
Out of state I am applying to Manchester in Indiana, South university in Georgia, Pacific University in Oregon, NEOMED in Ohio, University of Findlay in Ohio, and University of Hawaii at Hilo.

So my questions are
1. Do I have a good chance of getting into any of the schools I am applying to? I really would like to not go to KGI or CHSU because they aren't accredited yet and I doubt they'll have very good connections.
2. Should I do early admission to Western? Will it better my chances? I am hesitant since I won't be able to apply to any other schools until October.
3. Do you recommend me not applying to any of the schools I have listed?
Thank you so much for any feedback, I really appreciate it. It's 4 AM and I am still so stressed about this.

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[sspharmy]

http://schoolpages.pharmcas.org/publishedsurvey/501
http://schoolpages.pharmcas.org/publishedsurvey/426
http://schoolpages.pharmcas.org/publishedsurvey/511
http://schoolpages.pharmcas.org/publishedsurvey/438
http://schoolpages.pharmcas.org/publishedsurvey/435
http://schoolpages.pharmcas.org/publishedsurvey/1744
http://schoolpages.pharmcas.org/publishedsurvey/457
http://schoolpages.pharmcas.org/publishedsurvey/450
http://schoolpages.pharmcas.org/publishedsurvey/468
http://schoolpages.pharmcas.org/publishedsurvey/465
http://schoolpages.pharmcas.org/publishedsurvey/410


1.) Your top choice has an average accepted GPA of 3.43. Your second choice isn't too far behind either. Those are probably reach schools. I submitted my ED application to my state school with an average GPA of 3.5 and my pharmcas GPA is just slightly above that. I have a 94% composite PCAT score, I am a certified pharmacy technician and have 900ish working hours and increasing, tutoring experience, clinic (since 2012) and hospital volunteer experience. I have a letter from a pharmacist I've worked closely with that graduated from my top choice, a 5000 level biology course professor, and my clinic supervisor. I'm not quite sure I'll even receive an interview invite from that school. I'm not sure how competitive the programs you listed are, but you should reach out to them to get some idea of where you stand.

I've heard that California schools have a lot of competitive applicants. Not sure if it's true, but thought I'd throw it out there.

2.) Because it is a reach school, I think you should apply regular decision to multiple programs. Your ECs are good, but GPA & PCAT are the two most important aspects of your application. Your GPA is lacking and you don't have a PCAT score. Typically, a lower GPA can be overlooked to some extent if you have a competitive PCAT score. You could be putting yourself in a bad situation by applying ED, getting rejected, and then submitting your regular decision apps late in the game.

3.) Can't say. I don't know much about any of the programs you listed. Personally, I would have serious reservations in enrolling in a program that is not accredited or in a private program.

 

[cody8oh8]

Not sure if it will make you feel better but I just submitted my application to Hilo a week or so ago and it calculated to be a 2.96 overall with a 3.14 science, but I do have an upward trend and finished this past semester with a 3.8. As far as EC's I do have my pharm tech license with over 1500+ hours in a retail setting, 2 semesters of lab assistant work, and will be completing a year long internship at a research lab. I also have a LOR from my inorganic Chem prof, organic prof, genetics prof, and a pharmacy manager. I'm definitely stressing out hoping I get an interview as I would love to go to Hilo. Applying to pharmacy really makes me regret how bad I messed up my first year of undergrad.

 

[raydawg82]

Do you have a degree? Your extra curricular looks good but the GPA is the issue. If you have a degree then it actually helps you but without a degree you are reaching for the first choice schools. Basically, the person who wrote your letter of recommendation from Loma Linda has to carry a lot of weight if you are granted an interview. The retakes can be explained and realistically you should get interviews from Touro, Northstate, KGI, and CHSU. Depending on how your interview goes will determine whether or not they send an acceptance. Keep in mind PCAT is not required at CHSU, I did not take a PCAT because I did not have time to study for it and wanted to stay in California.
1) Western and Loma Linda have GPA requirements that you don't meet. No interview save your money and no early admission.
2) CHSU is the only school in the central valley. Not accredited yet but all the connections in the central valley go through this school. There isn't anyone that is competing with the rotation sites in Fresno/Clovis. UOP is the closest in Stockton over 2 miles away. There are a lot of hospitals and rotation sites that want the students by the way. UOP and Northstate basically compete with bay area and KGI competes with all the pharmacy schools in Southern California.
3) FYI If you do early admission at CHSU they give $40,000 over 4 years.

Hello, I am currently in the process of applying to Pharmacy Schools and I am super stressed and anxious about applying.
My cumulative GPA is 3.14 with three retakes. My sciences GPA is 3.02 with the retakes. My averaged cumulative GPA should be around 3.07 and averaged science GPA would be around 2.93.
I have 130 hours of volunteering experience at a hospital and will not be stopping until around 280 hours.
I have held a few officer positions for clubs.
I have completed 114 hours with a research lab.
I just got pharmacy technician licensed and am looking for a job and hope to be working soon.
I have been able to shadow two pharmacists.
I have two pharmacist letter of recs, one science professor, and one from a writing professor. (One from a pastor as well for Loma Linda)
I am in California and so is my family so I really want to stay in California and they want me to as well. The plan is to apply this cycle to California schools and a few out of states that do not require the PCAT because I haven't had time to take it/study for it. If I don't get in then I will take a gap year, take the PCAT, and apply again more broadly.
My number one choice is Western University and number two choice is Loma Linda.
I am also applying to University of the Pacific, Touro, Northstate, UCSD, KGI, CHSU.
Out of state I am applying to Manchester in Indiana, South university in Georgia, Pacific University in Oregon, NEOMED in Ohio, University of Findlay in Ohio, and University of Hawaii at Hilo.

So my questions are
1. Do I have a good chance of getting into any of the schools I am applying to? I really would like to not go to KGI or CHSU because they aren't accredited yet and I doubt they'll have very good connections.
2. Should I do early admission to Western? Will it better my chances? I am hesitant since I won't be able to apply to any other schools until October.
3. Do you recommend me not applying to any of the schools I have listed?
Thank you so much for any feedback, I really appreciate it. It's 4 AM and I am still so stressed about this.

 

[Doskai]

Do you have a degree? Your extra curricular looks good but the GPA is the issue. If you have a degree then it actually helps you but without a degree you are reaching for the first choice schools. Basically, the person who wrote your letter of recommendation from Loma Linda has to carry a lot of weight if you are granted an interview. The retakes can be explained and realistically you should get interviews from Touro, Northstate, KGI, and CHSU. Depending on how your interview goes will determine whether or not they send an acceptance. Keep in mind PCAT is not required at CHSU, I did not take a PCAT because I did not have time to study for it and wanted to stay in California.
1) Western and Loma Linda have GPA requirements that you don't meet. No interview save your money and no early admission.
2) CHSU is the only school in the central valley. Not accredited yet but all the connections in the central valley go through this school. There isn't anyone that is competing with the rotation sites in Fresno/Clovis. UOP is the closest in Stockton over 2 miles away. There are a lot of hospitals and rotation sites that want the students by the way. UOP and Northstate basically compete with bay area and KGI competes with all the pharmacy schools in Southern California.
3) FYI If you do early admission at CHSU they give $40,000 over 4 years.

LOL i appreciate the feedback, but so far I have gotten interviews with all the schools except loma linda, UoP and UCSD. UoP hasnt sent me an interview yet because I am missing a prerequisite, but if I get into touro or western I won't be going there and I hear from them this week. Loma Linda has been emailing me asking me to submit my supplemental quite a bit which is due tomorrow. So I am fairly certain I will get an interview with them as well. UCSD is the only iffy one as of right now.