THE WAMC thread (what are my chances?)

[flowerpetals]

a. Schools you are applying to: Western University of Health Sciences, UOP, UCSF, UCSD, USC, Pacific University, Purdue University
b. Overall GPA: 3.57
c. Math/Science GPA: I dont know
d. GPA in last one or two school years: I dont know but I've been getting better grades this last year-mostly A's
e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite): not taking
f. Pharmacy experience obtained: volunteer at a hospital pharmacy for almost one year and have accumulated around 150 hours, interned with a nuclear pharmacist for about 3 months
g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary): hopefully in August
h. Number of LORs and source of LORs: 3 for sure-1 from research professor (which is being written by the grad student but signed by the prof because the prof just had a baby), pharmacist I interned with, volunteer coordinator at the hospital where I volunteer in the pharmacy, I'm debating whether I should add a fourth one from the other hospital I volunteer at, which is not pharmacy related
i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience-Research with health psychology for over a year; volunteer at a hospital in pediatrics department for about a year with 150 hours
j. Self-perception of interview skills: In general I think I will do pretty well but I am just scared I will come across a question I don't know how to answer
k. Overall impression of personal statement quality: I think it will be pretty strong because I am going to have some people read it and help me on it

I also just passed the pharm tech exam so I will be certified soon

Any input/feedback will be greatly appreciated!

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[fastpitch]

Schools you are applying to
Midwestern University Glendale
Pacific University
University of Wyoming
LECOM Bradenton & Erie
Lipscomb
Mercer
KU

b. Overall GPA
3.64 with 11 hrs to be completed this summer & going to finish with around 88 spring 11

c. Math/Science GPA
havent calculated yet but 9hrs of b's & 11hrs of a's
d. GPA in last one or two school years
3.64
e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite)
taking in August
f. Pharmacy experience obtained
1 & 1/2 yrs retail pharmacy work: clerk, delivery, tech, stocking, ordering etc certified pharmacy technician as of last july
g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary)
mid August
Additionally, the following will help us gauge your chances but are more optional:
h. Number of LORs and source of LORs
3 so far my two bosses both pharmacists, a biology teacher who i also did work study for and getting a retired pharmacist also who i worked with

i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience
donated to food drives, did work study, played softball while working while doing work study and 16 hrs of school for my college

j. Self-perception of interview skills
am very passionate about becoming a pharmacist so I am sure I will be fine and I know alot about the retail pharmacy side as we all worked together and close with pharmacists and asked lots of questions about different things from insurance to effects and etc

k. Overall impression of personal statement quality
my personal statement is going to explain a story that has inspired me to know for sure that the field of pharmacy is what I want to do.

Is anybody answering these?

 

[Ji the Captain]

Ok I know everyone on SDN is pretty busy so I'll skip the excuses and cut straight to the chase.
(NOTE: sorry this post is kind of long winded)

a. Schools you are applying to:
Campbell University
Appalachian school of pharmacy (a fairly new institution)
Mercer
West Virginia University
University of Charleston
University of Toledo
Ohio State University
University of Maryland

b. Overall GPA: 2.696 ( i can explain, not that the Adcoms will care)
c. Math/Science GPA: 2.53
d. GPA in last one or two school years: 2.9
e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite): taking my first PCAT on August 21
f. Pharmacy experience obtained: hospital volunteer for one summer and shadowing a pharmacist
g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary): probably around november

Additionally, the following will help us gauge your chances but are more optional:
h. Number of LORs and source of LORs:
having a hard time finding LORs, i did very well in upper level classes (got an A in A&P) however i was so busy focusing on the school work that I didn't really build any good relations with the professors. hopefully i can get one from my A&P prof, my Ochem prof, and maybe one of my biology professors
i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience: Sbarro, Chemistry tutor, environmental club, president of chemistry club, pre-pharmacy club, Virginia tech research assistant.
j. Self-perception of interview skills: not to boast but I am very confident about my interviewing skills.
k. Overall impression of personal statement quality: working on it.

Ok so most of you are probably like. OMG this kid's GPA sucks telephones.

Straight forward and simple.
I was a ******* my freshmen year and goofed off at VCU (which BTW has a mighty fine Pharmacy school, that I won't be getting into) my GPA after two semesters there was a 2.05.

i retook gen chem 2 at Virginia Tech over the summer and got a B!!, i know its not high, but this is from a kid who FAILED EVERY single chemistry class in high school and made Ds in chemistry at VCU. I HATED chemistry. Making a b suddenly made me realize my potential and now I am a chem major

hres where things get ugly though:
I transferred to radford university in the fall of my sophmore year. I was soo motivated.

I am going to be a senior this fall, thorough my time at radford, I made Bs in both semesters of ochem made Bs is both semester of Biochemistry, got an A in A&P b in general bio, made an A in calc 2.
THE PROBLEM?!?!?!?!??! I WAS TOO MOTIVATED and took more than i could handled. Fall of 2009 was were i Fell, That semester I took too many credit hours. I took genetics(4), Physical chemistry (4), inorganic chemistry(3), public speaking (3).and something else I couldn't remember. I made a D in pchem, a D in inorganic, and Failed geneticsm and i was so stressed out i made a C!!! in pub speaking!!

Then the following semester i failed genetics again.
CONCLUSION!!: I did all my math and found out that i can pull my Overall GPA up to a 3.2 if I made a 4.0 this semester and retake genetics and another class. but a 4.0 this fall isnt exactly gonna be a walk in the park my classes

MICROBIO
GENETICS retake
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
MICROECON
Another science retake (either PCHEM or cell bio) I cant retake inorganic because that class is only offered in the spring!!).

HERES THE ISSUE GUYS
radford will count my GPA as a 3.2 but pharmcas will totally MURDER MY GPA!!! because it takes into account the TWO Fs i got in genetics (which dont count at my university0 and it also averages in my 2.05 GPA from VCU. so my gpa will basically be BELOW the min requirements.
and ill have to submit my Pharmcas before they recalculate my NEW GPA anyways.
I trying Two different things!!! find schools that DON'T use pharmcas (having no luck, any suggestions??)

also I'm studying my ass off for the PCATs i need to nail the PCATs


I AM OPEN TO CRITICISM!!! PLEASE!! anything would help!! WAMC??
i think i might as well take a sword and commit Hara-Kiri

 

[Ji the Captain]

Ok I know everyone on SDN is pretty busy so I'll skip the excuses and cut straight to the chase.
(NOTE: sorry this post is kind of long winded)

a. Schools you are applying to:
Campbell University
Appalachian school of pharmacy (a fairly new institution)
Mercer
West Virginia University
University of Charleston
University of Toledo
Ohio State University
University of Maryland

b. Overall GPA: 2.696 ( i can explain, not that the Adcoms will care)
c. Math/Science GPA: 2.53
d. GPA in last one or two school years: 2.9
e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite): taking my first PCAT on August 21
f. Pharmacy experience obtained: hospital volunteer for one summer and shadowing a pharmacist
g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary): probably around november

Additionally, the following will help us gauge your chances but are more optional:
h. Number of LORs and source of LORs:
having a hard time finding LORs, i did very well in upper level classes (got an A in A&P) however i was so busy focusing on the school work that I didn't really build any good relations with the professors. hopefully i can get one from my A&P prof, my Ochem prof, and maybe one of my biology professors
i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience: Sbarro, Chemistry tutor, environmental club, president of chemistry club, pre-pharmacy club, Virginia tech research assistant.
j. Self-perception of interview skills: not to boast but I am very confident about my interviewing skills.
k. Overall impression of personal statement quality: working on it.

Ok so most of you are probably like. OMG this kid's GPA sucks telephones.

Straight forward and simple.
I was a ******* my freshmen year and goofed off at VCU (which BTW has a mighty fine Pharmacy school, that I won't be getting into) my GPA after two semesters there was a 2.05.

i retook gen chem 2 at Virginia Tech over the summer and got a B!!, i know its not high, but this is from a kid who FAILED EVERY single chemistry class in high school and made Ds in chemistry at VCU. I HATED chemistry. Making a b suddenly made me realize my potential and now I am a chem major

hres where things get ugly though:
I transferred to radford university in the fall of my sophmore year. I was soo motivated.

I am going to be a senior this fall, thorough my time at radford, I made Bs in both semesters of ochem made Bs is both semester of Biochemistry, got an A in A&P b in general bio, made an A in calc 2.
THE PROBLEM?!?!?!?!??! I WAS TOO MOTIVATED and took more than i could handled. Fall of 2009 was were i Fell, That semester I took too many credit hours. I took genetics(4), Physical chemistry (4), inorganic chemistry(3), public speaking (3).and something else I couldn't remember. I made a D in pchem, a D in inorganic, and Failed geneticsm and i was so stressed out i made a C!!! in pub speaking!!

Then the following semester i failed genetics again.
CONCLUSION!!: I did all my math and found out that i can pull my Overall GPA up to a 3.2 if I made a 4.0 this semester and retake genetics and another class. but a 4.0 this fall isnt exactly gonna be a walk in the park my classes

MICROBIO
GENETICS retake
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
MICROECON
Another science retake (either PCHEM or cell bio) I cant retake inorganic because that class is only offered in the spring!!).

HERES THE ISSUE GUYS
radford will count my GPA as a 3.2 but pharmcas will totally MURDER MY GPA!!! because it takes into account the TWO Fs i got in genetics (which dont count at my university0 and it also averages in my 2.05 GPA from VCU. so my gpa will basically be BELOW the min requirements.
and ill have to submit my Pharmcas before they recalculate my NEW GPA anyways.
I trying Two different things!!! find schools that DON'T use pharmcas (having no luck, any suggestions??)

also I'm studying my ass off for the PCATs i need to nail the PCATs


I AM OPEN TO CRITICISM!!! PLEASE!! anything would help!! WAMC??
i think i might as well take a sword and commit Hara-Kiri

 

[Humper]

BURGER KING AWAITS YOU

 

[Ji the Captain]

BURGER KING AWAITS YOU

hahahahah let's just hope I dont get accepted into the burger flippin class of 2015

 

[BelleMD2B]

Could you do some sort of academic forgiveness program?

 

[Ji the Captain]

Could you do some sort of academic forgiveness program?

um can you clarify. i think what makes Pharmcas so intimidating is it has NO forgiveness policy when it comes to GPA calculations. the problem is, when it comes down to pharmcas, the GPA that your college calculated for you does not count.

 

[ChemistWiz]

you better nail the PCAT.how are the ECs?

 

[Ji the Captain]

you better nail the PCAT.how are the ECs?

if you mean how my ECs are in terms of involvment...I say pretty good. Although i dont think a lot of non pharmacy related ECs really help

 

[illusiondestiny]

I'm actually a high school student and planning to apply to the direct entry programs in some pharmacy schools, where there is no separate application between Pre-pharm and PharmD, you just automatically advance, considering you meet the minimum prerequisites. I've heard that's they're really tough to get into, so some advice and input would be HIGHLY appreciated!

Schools you are applying to: MCPHS (Boston), Albany College of Pharmacy, Rutgers (New Brunswick), University of Pacific, University of Sciences in Philedelphia, Northeastern University, University of Rhode Island, St. John's University, Findlay U, etc.
b. Overall GPA: 3.72 UW, 4.2 W
c. Math/Science GPA: Don't know. but I think it's lower than the average GPA.
d: Extracurriculars: School orchestra, treasurer of a school club, after school job as a tutor, library volunteer
e: SAT scores: highest composites
CR: 670
Math: 800
Writing: 660
f: SATII's
Math: 800
Chem: 750
Biology: 800
g: AP scores: Biology= 5

PLEASE HELP ME? Anything would help! Thank you!!!

 

[Trankuil]

Some schools have a section on their own application that allow for academic forgiveness, you would need to check each school you are applying to though.

 

[Ji the Captain]

Some schools have a section on their own application that allow for academic forgiveness, you would need to check each school you are applying to though.

thanks for the tip!! ill definitely look into that! I just wish schools looked more at trend (wishful thinking) im so mad at myself. Im an on and off. some semesters i do well and others i bomb. so my GPA makes me look like a slacker. (which I kinda am)

 

[Ji the Captain]

Hi there,sorry guys my quick question is not relevant to your topic.I was wondering if payments like PCAT fee,Pharmcas fee,school adm fees can be claimed on income Tax filing(as education expenses ,maybe). I am Canadian living in Toronto,and this is the first year I am sending applications,

LOL

 

[Ji the Captain]

hey everyone, this is concerning my old post. I need some guidance/advice. I'm currently retaking all my grade C classes at a local CC and am going to take the PCAT late summer or early autumn. Assuming that I get A's in all my CC classes and lets say at least an 80% composite on my PCAT exam, what do you think are my chances of getting into some of the less competitive pharmacy schools like New Mexico (2.2 min. gpa requirement)? If my plans unfold the way I hope, do you think I'll be able to get into any schools at all? Or should I just start considering another route?

yo fastpitch. not to be degrading or anything, but im in a similar jam as u are. Do you know of any schools that have relatively low GPA min requirements?? any help would be appreciated

 

[MysteriousFailu]

a. School Applied to: I haven't decided yet. Ideally it would be a school which emphasizes PCAT scores, and looks at GPA secondarily. I do not mind going to the 'worst' pharmacy school.

b. Overall GPA: I have a 3.0 out of 4.0, but possibly even lower with the PCAS grade ranking system. I got C's in General Chemistry. This means I did around as well as the average person in my class. At my school grades were often assigned on a curve so 70% of the class got C's or lower. Also, there were Pharmacy students in my classes and some of them had worse grades than me.

c. Math/Science GPA: 3.0 out of 4.0?

d. GPA in last one or two school years: 3.0 out of 4.0? ( I just graduated with a BS in Biology if that counts for anything )

e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite): When I got back my PCAT score it was a 97th percentile. This is why I begun to wonder if I actually had a chance of getting into pharmacy school. I got a 99 in Chemistry, Biology, and Verbal. This perhaps indicates that at the time of the test I knew General Chemistry because the test covered the same material as the class.

f. Pharmacy experience obtained: I have been a drug store cashier for the past 6 months.

g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary) : I am thinking of applying for the year after next.

j. interviewing skills: Possibly average

k. personal statement: I am going to try to perfect my personal statement. For the purposes of this thread I guess it could be ranked as possibly average.

 

[cm05qk]

Emphasize in your application essay that your academics don't reflect the type of pharmacist you will be. Show them that you are passionate about doing this and getting in, but be sure not to make excuses.

I had a terrible 2nd year of uni (got a 55 in organic chem, which i think makes me ineligible to apply to a lot of US pharm schools because of the "minimum C" pre-req requirements listed on many of the sites....which confuses me, since the min GPA cut offs for a lot of schools are very low and probably don't add up to the min GPA if you got all C's in the prereqs...anyone want to clarify this? haha)...and I wrote in a section allotted saying that I was hesitant to write why I did crap, but I explained anyway and emphasized that I worked to modify my study habits etc.

Im currently on the waitlist for U of Toronto for pharmacy school in Canada (im Canadian), so having **** grades is possible, though my GPA is about a 3.4. I did very poorly on my PCAT, which is what I think did me in. SO ROCK THAT TEST!

 

[bear9288]

BURGER KING AWAITS YOU

LOL

 

[EnvyV07]

Pharmacy schools always like to see the spike in improvements... so don't NOT apply this year or whenever you are trying to because of that. If you don't get in, the world won't end. And also consider graduating and then applying with a degree in hand, this will likely increase your chances.

My 2 pennies. Best of luck with you and all those trying including me. (Was in your boat once with an even LOWER GPA after 2 freshmen semesters)

 

[kohistan]

a. Schools you are applying to:
Campbell University
Appalachian school of pharmacy (a fairly new institution)
Mercer
West Virginia University
University of Charleston
University of Toledo
Ohio State University
University of Maryland

You won't know until you apply. Your chances of getting into a STATE school are very very slim. I would suggest you don't waste your money on STATE schools and apply only to private schools. You have about a 40% chance of getting into a school that just opened or is process of accreditation. Either way I think you should apply to a school .... you never know you might just get in.

good luck

 

[rxlea]

I advise not applying this year. You don't have an upward trend in grades. Any competitive state school is probably out. Even newer schools are going to dismiss your application since you don't have much in the way of experience. Not sure how long you were involved with your clubs, but if they weren't for the duration of your time in undergrad (read: one thing here and there) it appears to be more of a laundry list of activities. Adcoms can spot this a mile away. Your lack of strong LORs is also going to be a problem. To be honest, I don't have much faith that you will maintain a 4.0 from here on out- I challenge you to prove me wrong. But, even if you did get the 4.0, you stil lack pharmacy experience. My suggestion is to try to get a job in a pharmacy. This may require you to take the certification test depending on your state's regulations. You should take the next year to strengthen your application through academic success (your 4.0, hopefully) and gaining additional experience in the field. I don't want to tell you to consider other careers because many of us in this forum struggled in our early college years and managed to retake classes, get more experience, and get into some good schools. It will take motivation and commitment. If you're ready for that, then prove it. I never understood the need for people to rush into a graduate or professional program. Lots of students think that going into a graduate program in your late 20s or early 30s is the end of the world. Perhaps it is because our culture has become almost obsessed with looking/being younger. With age comes life experience, wisdom, and maturity. From my experience (and the experiences shared by others) schools value these qualities in an applicant. The point: don't be afraid to take some time (a couple years even) to really work on strengthening your application. It will be worth it.

 

[rxlea]

Hi! I wanted to post this again since I didn't receive any feedback on my stats :\
Thanks for your help!

a. Schools you are applying to:
1. Western University
2. UOP
3. UCSD
4. UCSF
5. Pacific University
6. Oregon State University
7. USC

b. Overall GPA: 3.287

c. Math/Science GPA: 3.153 (ergh, my GPA is weak... that is what I am most afraid of)

d. GPA in last one or two school years: For this last year, my GPA was a 3.94

Your grade trend is good. Adcoms DO take this into consideration, especially adcoms from schools that tend to value "the whole person" and are not just stats ******. Keep it up! Your GPA may not be super competitive, but it is also not abysmal.

e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite): no PCAT

f. Pharmacy experience obtained: I have three different types of pharmacy experience:
1. Nuclear Pharmacy - worked as an intern in a lab that produced a drug that was used for the localization of cancerous tissue in a PET scan for 3-4 months. I learned a lot of QC techniques and got to see a lot of drug compounding
2. Inpatient Pharmacy - currently volunteering in the Pharmacy at Western Medical Center, I have accumulated at least 150 hours (I've been there for about 11 months). I'm also a trainer in the pharmacy and I work with the pharmacy coordinator to train new volunteers.
3. Outpatient Pharmacy (Retail) - currently working at Rite Aid as a clerk/technician. I do everything a technician does and everything a clerk does. I have been there since February.

g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary): I want to make it into the early admission category so I'll be submitting before August. This is my first time applying.

With extensive and diverse experience like this (relative to other applicants), I believe you will get an interview at many of your schools if you maintain your GPA.

You mention early admission. Are you referring to "Early Decision" or simply that you want to apply early because of rolling admission? I am not too familiar with the schools you mention so I don't know if they do rolling admission or not. I can only assume that they have early application/interview dates.

h. Number of LORs and source of LORs:
Four LORs
1. One strong LOR from a graduate student at UCI that I used to research under while I was at that school.
2. One from the nuclear pharmacist I interned under. This should be a strong LOR since he knows me well and we're close.
3. One LOR from the director of volunteer services at Western Medical Center
4. One LOR from my manager at California Stem Cell

Strong LORs...good.

i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience:
I don't have anything very noteworthy here, unfortunately. I was a part of a club at UCI for one year that organized medical missions to Vietnam but I didn't play a major role in that club, nor did I go on the mission. I also was an intern for CalPIRG (one quarter) and helped to organize events such as food and clothing drives for homeless people. I also did some various health fairs...

I also volunteer as an intern at California Stem Cell, a company in Irvine, CA that produces pure stem cell cultures for research and development. At CA Stem Cell, I check cell cultures to make sure that they are not contaminated, count cells, and do a lot of QA and materials management.

Your minimal non-pharmacy experience won't hurt your application any, especially since your experience at California Stem Cell is unique

j. Self-perception of interview skills
So-so. Sometimes I do well, sometimes I don't do well, but overall I do alright in interviews. I get kind of nervous which may lead me to say something wrong, but all in all I don't come off as a weirdo or anything~~

You should probably do some mock interviews with people you don't know well or go to a mock interview day at your school (if they have them)

k. Overall impression of personal statement quality.
From those who have read my personal statement, I've heard that it is honest, I have good examples of my experiences in the field of pharmacy, and that I demonstrate what I can bring to the field of pharmacy well. I myself think that I'm a good writer so I'm not too worried about the quality of my personal statement. (sorry, that last statement sounded sooo arrogant ~___~)

Other information: I've already graduated with a BS in Biological Sciences at UC Irvine and I took a year to finish up my prereqs at CCs (I was a transfer student to UC Irvine so I was able to bypass a lot of GEs I would've been forced to take at UCI with AP credits.... thus I was missing a lot of my prereqs). I also have my technician license (if that helps at all~)

Any help would be appreciated! Thank you!

You have a SOLID application. You should have no trouble getting an interview to the schools on your list. Keep your GPA up and you're golden, IMO.

 

[rxlea]

Schools you are applying to
Midwestern University Glendale
Pacific University
University of Wyoming
LECOM Bradenton & Erie
Lipscomb
Mercer
KU

b. Overall GPA
3.64 with 11 hrs to be completed this summer & going to finish with around 88 spring 11

c. Math/Science GPA
havent calculated yet but 9hrs of b's & 11hrs of a's
d. GPA in last one or two school years
3.64
e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite)
taking in August
f. Pharmacy experience obtained
1 & 1/2 yrs retail pharmacy work: clerk, delivery, tech, stocking, ordering etc certified pharmacy technician as of last july
g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary)
mid August
Additionally, the following will help us gauge your chances but are more optional:
h. Number of LORs and source of LORs
3 so far my two bosses both pharmacists, a biology teacher who i also did work study for and getting a retired pharmacist also who i worked with

i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience
donated to food drives, did work study, played softball while working while doing work study and 16 hrs of school for my college

j. Self-perception of interview skills
am very passionate about becoming a pharmacist so I am sure I will be fine and I know alot about the retail pharmacy side as we all worked together and close with pharmacists and asked lots of questions about different things from insurance to effects and etc

k. Overall impression of personal statement quality
my personal statement is going to explain a story that has inspired me to know for sure that the field of pharmacy is what I want to do.

You have a solid application. The only thing that makes you less competitive is your lack of a degree. Many of the incoming pharmacy students have a degree before they matriculate. Adcoms tend to prefer applicants with a degree. It doesn't matter what the degree is in, though. However, IMO, your GPA, experience, and LORs are going to make up for that. I believe you should not worry. Get your PS proofread by a few different people. With a good PS, you probably have a foot in the door and then it will be up to your performance at the interview.

 

[rxlea]

Hey everyone..just looking for some expertise in regards to my chances at PCOM, Midwestern, and D'Youville.

cGPA 3.22 (strong upward trend)
Pre-req GPA 3.00
PCAT: 90

Other things to be included:
B.S Biology
CPhT certification
2 academic LOR's
some undergrad research
Personal statement

That's about it. Thanks for good OR bad news lol

Can you please elaborate on your research and LORs. Any pharmacy or volunteer experience? Interview skills? Have you had your PS proofread? I need more information.

 

[rxlea]

just incase i was missed:

a. Schools you are applying to: UConn, MCPHS worscter, ACPHS, and d'youville college
b. Overall GPA: 3.2
c. Math/Science GPA: dunno
d. GPA in last one or two school years: 3.5
e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite): 53 composite
f. Pharmacy experience obtained: volunteering at hospital and shadowing a pharmacist
g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary): i wanna submit my app early so around october or november of 2010.

Additionally, the following will help us gauge your chances but are more optional:
h. Number of LORs and source of LORs: hopefully 4. A&P professor, volunteer organizer at hospital, orgo professor, soup kitchen coordinator.
i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience: volunteer at soup kitchen, work at target and worked at mcdonalds.
j. Self-perception of interview skills: fair
k. Overall impression of personal statement quality: ok. i gotta keep working on it

I don't know that much about 0-6 schools. But from your other post, it seems your volunteering experience will suffice for pharmacy experience. Not sure how much emphasis 0-6 schools place on the PCAT. If they don't put much weight on it, I wouldn't worry. If they do, I would retake it. You need to work on your interviewing skills as well. Do some mock interviews with people you do not know. Do they have mock interview days at your school? Remember to have your PS proofread as well.

 

[rxlea]

a. Schools you are applying to: Western University of Health Sciences, UOP, UCSF, UCSD, USC, Pacific University, Purdue University
b. Overall GPA: 3.57
c. Math/Science GPA: I dont know
d. GPA in last one or two school years: I dont know but I've been getting better grades this last year-mostly A's
e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite): not taking
f. Pharmacy experience obtained: volunteer at a hospital pharmacy for almost one year and have accumulated around 150 hours, interned with a nuclear pharmacist for about 3 months
g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary): hopefully in August
h. Number of LORs and source of LORs: 3 for sure-1 from research professor (which is being written by the grad student but signed by the prof because the prof just had a baby), pharmacist I interned with, volunteer coordinator at the hospital where I volunteer in the pharmacy, I'm debating whether I should add a fourth one from the other hospital I volunteer at, which is not pharmacy related
i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience-Research with health psychology for over a year; volunteer at a hospital in pediatrics department for about a year with 150 hours
j. Self-perception of interview skills: In general I think I will do pretty well but I am just scared I will come across a question I don't know how to answer
k. Overall impression of personal statement quality: I think it will be pretty strong because I am going to have some people read it and help me on it

I also just passed the pharm tech exam so I will be certified soon

Any input/feedback will be greatly appreciated!

Do you have a degree? What is it in? Your volunteer experiences are really good. You GPA is pretty decent. As long as you have a degree, you stand a chance at Cali schools assuming your LORs and PS are strong. It will depend on the applicant pool this year, too. We really need to know your science/math GPA too. what did you get in your chemistry classes?

 

[pharm2015]

I just finished my 1st year of College at Rutgers Newark and am currently taking summer classes and my stats and info is as follows:

1. Schools that i'm applying to:
Rutgers, Howard, U of Pitt, LECOM (Erie), cambell, Mercer, St. John's Fisher

2. Overall GPA: 3.85

3. Math and Sci. GPA: 4.00

4. PCAT: planning to take on AUG. 21

5. LOR (3)
1 from advisor who knows me from summer of last year; 1 from chem prof.; and 1 from public speaking prof.

6. Pharmacy experience: none (LOoking for a place to voulnteer or shadow)

7. EC
vounteered at the local library
tutored for couple of months at my college

8: Interview skills
If i prepare i will do good

9. Personal statement
I am working on it but i think it will be acceptable

I know that my GPA is good but will it be downplayed because it's only 1 year worth of GPA. But both semester i took 19 and 19.5 credits respectily, so will that help. In theory if i do good on the PCAT, say 75+, will not having any pharmacy experince really hurt me bad.

Thanks in advance to all those who comment

 

[metallideth]

I don't know that much about 0-6 schools. But from your other post, it seems your volunteering experience will suffice for pharmacy experience. Not sure how much emphasis 0-6 schools place on the PCAT. If they don't put much weight on it, I wouldn't worry. If they do, I would retake it. You need to work on your interviewing skills as well. Do some mock interviews with people you do not know. Do they have mock interview days at your school? Remember to have your PS proofread as well.

thanks a lot for your input. i plan on doing a lot of mock interview once the semester begins, i also plan on retaking the pcat in october, finally i plan on preparing for my interview ASAP.

 

[papaya87]

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

a. Schools you are applying to: UH Hilo, Pacific University, OSU, Washington State University, & possibly adding more to the list

b. Overall GPA: 3.24

c. Math/Science GPA: 3.2

d. GPA in last one or two school years: not too sure but its probably around the same range as other GPAs

e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite): will take in August

f. Pharmacy experience obtained: clerk/tech at CVS pharmacy for 2 years, certified technician

g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary): aiming for late August

Additionally, the following will help us gauge your chances but are more optional:
h. Number of LORs and source of LORs: so far I only have 2 LORs, one from my pharmacy manager and one from orgo professor. I'm also thinking about getting one more from another pharmacist that I work with.

i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience: volunteer at my daughter's preschool, special olympics volunteer

j. Self-perception of interview skills: Needs work but I am planning on doing some mock interviews with the career services center at my university

k. Overall impression of personal statement quality: still working on it

Also, I just completed my BS in Bio-Human/Health Sciences this past May.

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[SmallPharma]

Schools you are applying to
MCPHS - worcester 3 year program, i already have a b.s. in pharm sci
St. joseph college 3 year program in hartford ct

Overall GPA
2.62 - low due to my parents passing away and my grandfather being diagnosed with cancer during my 4th year at mcphs.

GPA in last one or two school years
2.75

Complete PCAT scores (or just composite)
Just took the pcat in june ont he 19th so i am still waiting for my results.

Pharmacy experience obtained
i am currently a pharmacy technician level II and i have been workign full time at a hospital for the past 8 months.

Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary)
I am currently putting together my PHARMcas application as well as the supplemental applications with the intent of submitting my application before september 1st


Number of LORs and source of LORs
2 LORs
One from the director of pharmacy at the hospital that i work at.
The other from a pharmacist that had done their residency at the hospital that i work at and is very active in their career

I feel as though i am somewhat confident, so i do not believe that i would have any problems with a interview setting. Furthermore i believe that i have a certain ineptness to express my thoughts and feelings through my writing, therefore i do not think that i would have any problem with my essays or my statement.

 

[bruin0289]

I'm trying to decide which schools to apply to. My first choices are UCSF and USC, but I want to apply to out of CA schools too. I really don't know what my chances are for the schools. I want to apply to some safety schools, but I'm not sure which ones I should apply to. Any input is much appreciated!

I have a B.S. in Biochemistry from UCLA

a. Schools you are applying to
UCSF, USC, UCSD, UoP, Western, Touro-CA, U of Texas-Austin, U of Michigan-Ann Arbor, U of Wash, U of Illinois-Chicago, U of Maryland-Baltimore, Rutgers, Touro-NY, U of Hawaii, USN
b. Overall GPA
3.5
c. Math/Science GPA
3.5
d. GPA in last one or two school years
3.5
e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite)
Taking it for the first time Aug. 21
f. Pharmacy experience obtained
Volunteering in the pharmacy of a clinic since June.
g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary)
Hopefully both by the end of August
h. Number of LORs and source of LORs
1 biochem professor
1 supervisor at my tutoring job(see below)
1 pharmacist who supervises me at the clinic
i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience
-Worked as a peer tutor for 2 years
-Clinical intern in a hospital for 6 months
-Research assistant for 3 months in genetics and psychology labs
-Held officer position for a community service organization
j. Self-perception of interview skills
I think my interview skills are pretty good. As long as I'm well prepared(and I will be!), I should do fine.
k. Overall impression of personal statement quality
I'm working on it right now. I'm going to have a lot of people read and edit. It's not going to be a literary masterpiece, but I think it will accurately reflect my personality and the experiences that have led me to pharmacy.

I also have my pharm tech license.

 

[flowerpetals]

Do you have a degree? What is it in? Your volunteer experiences are really good. You GPA is pretty decent. As long as you have a degree, you stand a chance at Cali schools assuming your LORs and PS are strong. It will depend on the applicant pool this year, too. We really need to know your science/math GPA too. what did you get in your chemistry classes?

thank you so much for your feedback!!! I will have a degree in June as I will graduate with a B.S. in Public Health Sciences. I got mostly A's in general chem and o-chem and more B's in bio classes. I don't know how to calculate these gpas that's why I don't have them. Also, it will be a while still to get my pharm tech license since I'm just applying for it now. Is it worth waiting an extra few weeks to have that on my application? I am also doing an internship at a day care center starting september. Would i be able to put that on my app now?

thanks!

 

[rxlea]

thank you so much for your feedback!!! I will have a degree in June as I will graduate with a B.S. in Public Health Sciences. I got mostly A's in general chem and o-chem and more B's in bio classes. I don't know how to calculate these gpas that's why I don't have them. Also, it will be a while still to get my pharm tech license since I'm just applying for it now. Is it worth waiting an extra few weeks to have that on my application? I am also doing an internship at a day care center starting september. Would i be able to put that on my app now?

thanks!

If you have passed the certification test and meet the qualifications for your state (which is usually a diploma LOL), then I would say you can go ahead and put the pharm tech license on your app. I don't think you would have to wait since it is already in process. Pretty much everyone gets their license approved unless they have a criminal background. Maybe you could put next month as the "start date" for your license.

I am not sure about the internship...if you can put a future date, that might be acceptable. Many of the schools won't review your application until that time anyway, unless they are rolling admission schools. Meh, I would put it- just make sure you put the correct "start date"

 

[mandydp6]

a. Schools you are applying to
Midwestern CPG, University of AZ, Pacific University (OR), University of the Pacific (CA)...maybe others depending on what happens with these

b. Overall GPA
3.76

c. Math/Science GPA
3.82

d. GPA in last one or two school years
3.91

e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite)
Too low - retaking in August

f. Pharmacy experience obtained
1 1/2 years as hospital pharmacy tech

g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary)
PharmCAS: 06/25
University of the Pacific: 06/29
Pacific University: 07/11
Others: not open yet

h. Number of LORs and source of LORs
3 - One from PharmD at hospital I work at, one from Gen Chem professor, one from past supervisor in Navy

i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience
US Navy, GED tutor

j. Self-perception of interview skills
Low...Need LOTS of practice

k. Overall impression of personal statement quality
Solid

Additional Info:
I will not have completed a Bachelor's degree if I get accepted anywhere this time around. I believe this to be my weakest area...

 

[rajkhan32]

Registered Nurse to Pharm D!!!
Well after I joined nursing school I realized that I liked learning about drugs and teaching patients why they take them. Then I started researching into pharmacy as a career and loved the idea of it. I love that it is more straightforward career. I’m not saying its easy by any means..but day to day routine is typically repetitive. (as in retail pharmacy). This fits my personality a lot more than seeing new cases every day and not knowing what you’ll be responsible for doing tomorrow. Not only this, but I cannot imagine running around and having such immense physical and mental stress. In nursing clinical, I have noticed how tired and physically exhausted I have been going from room to room and assisting different patients. I considered Nurse Practiioner which I feel is solving puzzles (as in diagnosing patients) which I’m not too comfortable with. I’m not 100% sure because I really need to speak with more NP’s although I feel Pharmacy is my best fit.
Here are my grades:
C- Chem 1
B- CHem 2
B- Phys 1
C Ochem 1
C O Chem 2
A: Bio 1
C: Bio 2
A: English 2
A: Music
C: Econ
B: Pols
A&P 1: A
A&P: B
Micro: A

Nursing GPA: 3.3
Nursing Prerequisite GPA: 4.0 (included history, college algebra, biology, A&P 1 and 2, Psych, Micro, humanities elective)
Undergrad GPA: 3.18

I am still missing some prereqs..and will take them 2011-2012 school year. Do you suggest me retake O chems and physics and econ? I had some rough times when I was coming into college. My mother was very sick and I was in a different town trying to focus on school. Not only this but I had to finance my education my self and a loan did not come in on time and so I didn’t even have any of my books for the 1st exam.

 

[supfoo]

Hey everyone, I'm currently a entering my 4th year as an undergrad and am probably going to take a 5th year, so I haven't applied to schools yet, but I thought I would ask for your guys' opinions to get a gauge on where I stand when I apply.

I just wanted to know if I have a shot of getting into some particular schools in California. I'm a psychology major with a minor in neuroscience and am taking the prereq courses and possibly some additional ones such as microbio.

a. Schools I want to apply to: UCSF, UCSD, UOP, USC?

b. Overall GPA: currently 3.61

c. Math/Science GPA: currently 3.40

d. GPA in last one or two school years: I want to get 3.8 averages for my last two, remaining years

e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite): have not taken, but I believe Cali schools don't require them. Should I still take them if I'm only applying to cali schools?

f. Pharmacy experience obtained:Summer internship at a pharmaceutical company that manufactures oncology meds. I work in the lab in quality control. I also want to get my pharm tech license.

g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary: N/A

h. Number of LORs and source of LORs: 1 from a neuroscicence prof whom I do research for, 1 English prof, and 1 from my supervisor at my internship

i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience: 50+ hours of volunteering at soup kitchen and reception room at radiologist's office, Resident Advisor for housing services at my university, "Senior Caller" at my fundraising job for my university, certified Princeton Review SAT tutor, studied abroad, research for 3+ years in a psychology/neurosci lab, honors student, honors frat, various awards, etc...

j. Self-perception of interview skills - very good. i've got hired at almost every job ive ever went for.

k. Overall impression of personal statement quality: N/A

Thanks a lot guys! I know it's a lot to ask for seeing as I'm not applying yet, but again, I just wanted to get an idea on where I stand. =)

 

[Weakerthan]

A. Schools Applying To: University of Oklahoma
B. Overall GPA: 3.84
C. Math/Science GPA: 3.80
D. GPA in Last Year: 4.0
E. PCAT Composite: 67
F. Pharmacy Experience: None
G Date of Application Submission: November 2010 for Fall 2015 class
H. Number of Letters of Recommendations:
1. LOR from my Chemistry Professor
2. LOR from Organic Chemistry Professor
3. LOR from Physiology Professor
4. LOR from Owner of the place where I've worked for 2 1/2 years
I. Volunteer Experience:
Big Brothers
J. Self-Perception of Interview Skills: I think I'll do just fine, I'm not the strongest interviewer but I can definitely impress the interviewee.

What are my chances? How can I improve them? I do not have a degree and will be applying with about 85-90 hours.

 

[b1234]

I just finished my 1st year of College at Rutgers Newark and am currently taking summer classes and my stats and info is as follows:

1. Schools that i'm applying to:
Rutgers, Howard, U of Pitt, LECOM (Erie), cambell, Mercer, St. John's Fisher

2. Overall GPA: 3.85

3. Math and Sci. GPA: 4.00

4. PCAT: planning to take on AUG. 21

5. LOR (3)
1 from advisor who knows me from summer of last year; 1 from chem prof.; and 1 from public speaking prof.

6. Pharmacy experience: none (LOoking for a place to voulnteer or shadow)

7. EC
vounteered at the local library
tutored for couple of months at my college

8: Interview skills
If i prepare i will do good

9. Personal statement
I am working on it but i think it will be acceptable

I know that my GPA is good but will it be downplayed because it's only 1 year worth of GPA. But both semester i took 19 and 19.5 credits respectily, so will that help. In theory if i do good on the PCAT, say 75+, will not having any pharmacy experince really hurt me bad.

Thanks in advance to all those who comment

The combination of hardly any post secondary school and no experience will make your chances very slim. Without knowing more, it will probably also make it more difficult for you to answer the "why pharmacy?" question. Do you have any medical experience at all? Also much of the material on the PCAT you probably have not covered in courses you've had. My advice would be to wait at least another year - both before taking the PCAT and before applying.

 

[b1234]

a. Schools you are applying to
Midwestern CPG, University of AZ, Pacific University (OR), University of the Pacific (CA)...maybe others depending on what happens with these

b. Overall GPA
3.76

c. Math/Science GPA
3.82

d. GPA in last one or two school years
3.91

e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite)
Too low - retaking in August

f. Pharmacy experience obtained
1 1/2 years as hospital pharmacy tech

g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary)
PharmCAS: 06/25
University of the Pacific: 06/29
Pacific University: 07/11
Others: not open yet

h. Number of LORs and source of LORs
3 - One from PharmD at hospital I work at, one from Gen Chem professor, one from past supervisor in Navy

i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience
US Navy, GED tutor

j. Self-perception of interview skills
Low...Need LOTS of practice

k. Overall impression of personal statement quality
Solid

Additional Info:
I will not have completed a Bachelor's degree if I get accepted anywhere this time around. I believe this to be my weakest area...

I've heard that for many of the CA schools a degree is actually required. At most other schools while it is still possible to get in without a degree, it is quite a bit harder than getting accepted when you do have a degree. Military experience goes a long way and you have pharmacy experience and a good GPA so with a decent PCAT, and assuming the rest of your application is of similar quality you should still have a decent chance at getting in to most schools - even without the degree.

 

[b1234]

Registered Nurse to Pharm D!!!
Well after I joined nursing school I realized that I liked learning about drugs and teaching patients why they take them. Then I started researching into pharmacy as a career and loved the idea of it. I love that it is more straightforward career. I’m not saying its easy by any means..but day to day routine is typically repetitive. (as in retail pharmacy). This fits my personality a lot more than seeing new cases every day and not knowing what you’ll be responsible for doing tomorrow. Not only this, but I cannot imagine running around and having such immense physical and mental stress. In nursing clinical, I have noticed how tired and physically exhausted I have been going from room to room and assisting different patients. I considered Nurse Practiioner which I feel is solving puzzles (as in diagnosing patients) which I’m not too comfortable with. I’m not 100% sure because I really need to speak with more NP’s although I feel Pharmacy is my best fit.
Here are my grades:
C- Chem 1
B- CHem 2
B- Phys 1
C Ochem 1
C O Chem 2
A: Bio 1
C: Bio 2
A: English 2
A: Music
C: Econ
B: Pols
A&P 1: A
A&P: B
Micro: A

Nursing GPA: 3.3
Nursing Prerequisite GPA: 4.0 (included history, college algebra, biology, A&P 1 and 2, Psych, Micro, humanities elective)
Undergrad GPA: 3.18

I am still missing some prereqs..and will take them 2011-2012 school year. Do you suggest me retake O chems and physics and econ? I had some rough times when I was coming into college. My mother was very sick and I was in a different town trying to focus on school. Not only this but I had to finance my education my self and a loan did not come in on time and so I didn’t even have any of my books for the 1st exam.

This really should have been posted in a different thread, but -

I personally don't recommend re-taking any course that you "passed" so long as your GPA is at least above the minimum and you do not have some other compelling reason to re-take the course (forgot the material, need to re-take it because a particular school doesn't accept where you took the course originally, etc.).

 

[garrettmb]

a.Mercer
PCOM GA
Drake University
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy-Worchester
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy-Manchester
Albany College of Pharmacy
Albany College of Pharmacy-VT
D'Youville College
Lipscomb University
Shenandoah University
University of Washington

b. 3.14
c. 3.40
d. GPA in last one or two school years
e. 67
f. worked in hospital pharm for 2 summers
g. not yet sumbitted

h. 2 LORS
-Biochem professor and I do research with professor
-Organic Chem and Medicinal Chem professor
i. volunteered in red cross and worked in a gov contracting comp for 2 years
j. I have good interviewing skills
k.solid personal statement

 

[pharm2015]

The combination of hardly any post secondary school and no experience will make your chances very slim. Without knowing more, it will probably also make it more difficult for you to answer the "why pharmacy?" question. Do you have any medical experience at all? Also much of the material on the PCAT you probably have not covered in courses you've had. My advice would be to wait at least another year - both before taking the PCAT and before applying.

I agree with you that not having any pharmacy experience will definetly make it hard for me to answer the "why pharmacy question but i will try to get some kind of experince even if it's just shadowing before i apply. Would it look bad if i got some experince only a month before i applied unlike other people who have been doing it for months or even years?

Thanks for your feedback.

 

[b1234]

I agree with you that not having any pharmacy experience will definetly make it hard for me to answer the "why pharmacy question but i will try to get some kind of experince even if it's just shadowing before i apply. Would it look bad if i got some experince only a month before i applied unlike other people who have been doing it for months or even years?

Thanks for your feedback.

In that case it's not a matter of looking bad, it's a matter of not looking "as good" or not standing out enough, or maybe just not having enough experience to base your decisions on yet. The less school you have (anyone without a degree) and the more things on your application that are not at least close to average (of accepted students not applicants) the more other things you need that are above average or exceptional for one reason or another.

One of the reasons pharmacy experience is given a lot of weight is because many pre pharmacy students actually have a fair amount of misconceptions or misunderstandings about the field of pharmacy. Many also lack the knowledge and/or experience to make informed decisions about choosing a career in pharmacy. This is part of why the "why pharmacy?" question is so important.

 

[bruin0289]

Hi! Reposting cause I didn't get a reply last time :/
I'm trying to decide which schools to apply to. My first choices are UCSF and USC, but I want to apply to out of CA schools too. I really don't know what my chances are for the schools. I want to apply to some safety schools, but I'm not sure which ones I should apply to. Any input is much appreciated!

I have a B.S. in Biochemistry from UCLA

a. Schools you are applying to
UCSF, USC, UCSD, UoP, Western, Touro-CA, U of Texas-Austin, U of Michigan-Ann Arbor, U of Wash, U of Illinois-Chicago, U of Maryland-Baltimore, Rutgers, Touro-NY, U of Hawaii, USN

b. Overall GPA
3.5

c. Math/Science GPA

d. GPA in last one or two school years
3.5

e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite)
Taking it for the first time Aug. 21

f. Pharmacy experience obtained
Volunteering in the pharmacy of a clinic since June.

g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary)
Hopefully both by the end of August

h. Number of LORs and source of LORs
1 biochem professor
1 supervisor at my tutoring job(see below)
1 pharmacist who supervises me at the clinic

i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience
-Worked as a peer tutor for 2 years
-Clinical intern in a hospital for 6 months
-Research assistant for 3 months in genetics and psychology labs
-Held officer position for a community service organization

j. Self-perception of interview skills
I think my interview skills are pretty good. As long as I'm well prepared(and I will be!), I should do fine.

k. Overall impression of personal statement quality
I'm working on it right now. I'm going to have a lot of people read and edit. It's not going to be a literary masterpiece, but I think it will accurately reflect my personality and the experiences that have led me to pharmacy.

I also have my pharm tech license.

I'm just worried that I don't have enough pharmacy experience and that my GPA isn't that high

 

[shimme]

a. Schools you are applying to
UCSF, USC, Ohio State, UWash, Mercer, UGA, Purdue, Umaryland, Umich, uillinois -chicago, pacific

b. Overall GPA - 3.53. graduating BS may 2011
c. Math/Science GPA - ~3.33
* gotten mostly B's in all my chem and bio classes. I dont have any C's though.
d. GPA in last one or two school years - all semesters above 3.5
e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite) - august 21st
f. Pharmacy experience obtained - none.....
g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary) - by august 31st

Additionally, the following will help us gauge your chances but are more optional:
h. Number of LORs and source of LORs - 1 advisor, 1 advisor + professor, 1 professor, and maybe 1 employer that i had significant volunteer experience with (hmm..still thinking about this one) or should i ask a research employer that I only worked for a couple months....
i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience -
lots of volunteer experience..such as tutoring, camp, ymca, hospital, doctor's office
undergrad lab assistant - 5 months
research internship - 3 months
TA for bio 1 semester
j. Self-perception of interview skills - i think i'm okay
k. Overall impression of personal statement quality - i'm getting my career center people to edit and read it ...it's not mind blowing..but i think it's decent...

===
any advice about schools i should look more into?? thanks!!!

 

[LOWGPA213]

Hey guys, I am entering my junior year of under grad and I wanted to know if I still had a chance of pursuing Pharmacy as a career. I really screwed up my first 2 years. I got a "C" in Chem 1, "C+" in Chem 2, "C" in Bio ,a "D" in Genetics and a "F" in pre-calc. I got these grades because I wasnt motivated to do anything. I plan on retaking pre calc this next semester. I still have most of my prereqs left to take (Orgo 1&2, Physics 1&2, Biochem, Economics, Public speaking etc.) I do plan on busting my ass in these courses, I just want to know if I still have a chance since I have 2 years of undergrad left. I am also taking the PharmTech certification exam soon. I got a job as a pharm tech at my local walmart and I started volunteering at the local hospital. My over gpa is around a 2.8, but I plan on changing that. Thanks

 

[mcalabr3]

If you step it up for the rest of the classes and retake the classes you got D and F in and do well on the pcat, extra curriculars and everything else on your application/resume you'll have a chance. Your poor academic performance during your freshman year would be something that you'll probably have to mention in your personal statement as well.

 

[aznxrice]

a. Schools you are applying to
UH, UTexas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, OU
b. Overall GPA - 3.53. Graduated with a BS in Biology/Business
c. Math/Science GPA - 3.33 (Mainly Bs in most bio/chem. One retake Gen Chem 2 C+ -> A+)
d. GPA in last one or two school years - Last 2 years 3.548
e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite) - 56 (RC destroyed me got a 5! ) (70+ on bio, chem, and math)
f. Pharmacy experience obtained - none. Looking for a job or volunteer.
g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary) - I want to be done 2 weeks after each school has their cycles open.

Additionally, the following will help us gauge your chances but are more optional:
h. Number of LORs and source of LORs - 2 professors, 1 advisior, 1 pharmcist
i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience -
lots of volunteer experience, hospital, volunteer with AED, volunteer with the prepharmacy org on campus.
j. Self-perception of interview skills - not bad
k. Overall impression of personal statement quality - it's getting there.

 

[metallideth]

a. Schools you are applying to: south university and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Pharmacy
b. Overall GPA: 3.2
c. Math/Science GPA: 3.3
d. GPA in last one or two school years: 3.5
e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite): 53 composite
f. Pharmacy experience obtained: volunteering at hospital and shadowing a pharmacist
g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary): i wanna submit my app early so around november or december of 2010.

Additionally, the following will help us gauge your chances but are more optional:
h. Number of LORs and source of LORs: hopefully 4. A&P professor, volunteer organizer at hospital, orgo professor, soup kitchen coordinator.
i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience: volunteer at soup kitchen, work at target and worked at mcdonalds.
j. Self-perception of interview skills: fair
k. Overall impression of personal statement quality: ok. i gotta keep working on it

 

[RDuran]

Schools you are applying to: UCSF, UCSD, UOP, Touro University, Cal. Northstate
b. Overall GPA: 3.70
c. Math/Science GPA: 3.5
d. GPA in last one or two school years: 3.8
f. Degree: BA in Psychology, Minor in Biology
e. Pharmacy experience obtained: Certified Pharm Tech. Worked 2 years in a retail pharmacy
g. Date of application submission : 6/22/10

Additionally, the following will help us gauge your chances but are more optional:
h. Number of LORs and source of LORs: 3
1 from a pharmacist, 1 from an O Chem professor, and 1 from a Psychology professor

i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience: Planning on volunteering in a hospital in the next couple of weeks.
j. Self-perception of interview skills: Good
k. Overall impression of personal statement quality: Good