THE WAMC thread (what are my chances?)

[rxlea]

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

You have nothing to worry about, my friend. Just interview well!

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[qualquun]

I'm just wondering - do you think it hurts your chances if you don't work as a pharmacy tech, but instead volunteer in a hospital pharmacy? Because it's still pharmacy experience.

 

[Trankuil]

I'm just wondering - do you think it hurts your chances if you don't work as a pharmacy tech, but instead volunteer in a hospital pharmacy? Because it's still pharmacy experience.

As long as you show some experience it helps, whether thats shadowing or as a tech. The longer you shadow the better it looks also. (IE i shadowed for 6 months vs someone who shadowed 1 or 2 days.)

 

[Griffisu]

This is more of a general question, it would be pretty hard to tell since I'm just going into pre-pharm this fall.

I graduated last year with my BBA. My gpa is less than stellar, sitting at 2.4 currently. This is largely due to a very poor performance (being irresponsible and lazy basically) in my 2nd and 3rd years. So obviously my transcript has a few scattered Ds, Fs, and Ws. I have been on an upward trend though, my final year I ended up with a gpa of 3.7.

I've been working with a bank for a year and have realized this career path is not for me, which is why I have opted for Pharmacy, something I have always had an interest in. I have a part time Pharm Tech job lined up as I go back to school, I plan on putting an extreme amount of effort and sensibility into my studies, more like in my final year. With an upward trend showing in my final BBA year and (at least) 2 years of sciences showing, and an aspiration of a strong PCAT score as well, can I hope for some decent chances? I'm a Canadian student and plan on applying all over Canada and a few schools in the US (such as Husson, University of New England, and some others).

Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

[edenstarlite]

 

[Zeto]

This was originally in the "how am I doing" thread -- but some one suggested to just post here. I'm still in my pre-applying stages and just trying to get a feel for how things are looking, so to speak, and also suggestions on some things I could do to maybe increase my chances?


1. I have all core pre-requisites required for an associate degree (transferred from a Community College to University so I don't actually have the degree) But as far as pre-req's specifically:

Gen.Chem1: C
Bio111: A
Intro.Art: A
Eng.101: A
PE: A
Gen.Chem2: (had some family issues in the spring, made an F, retaking it now during the summer and I have an A)
human A&P: B
Calculus: C
Eng.102: B
Religion: B
MicroBio: C
German1: A
German2: A
WesternCiv: B
BioElective: B
Economics: A
-------
Still need Organic 1&2 and Physics

(This is going off the pre-pharmacy prerequisites from campbell U's website).

2. Cumulative GPA: 3.14 math/science GPA: 2.4(if I make an A in chem[which i will its over next week] it raises my science gpa to a 2.6)
--the sucky part is this: i had an A in Biology, chemistry, calculus, and microbiology but i was informed, from campbell admissions, that my grades wouldn't transfer so i didnt take the finals and got C's in the classes

3. On the upside, I am a Certified Pharm. Tech, worked about 4 years in retail pharmacy before I decided to go to school and try to become a pharmacist.

4. last year I was president of the rotaract (rotary for college) club at my comm.college, and we did work with march of dimes, toys for tots, and several other local volunteer organizations. But nothing this year, the transition from community college to university is brutal.

5. 3 of the pharmacists I worked with said they would give me LOR's, 2 Biology teachers said they would give me LOR's, and 2 Chemistry teachers said they would also give me LOR's. So I kind of have a choice there.

6. Other info: Next semester I am taking Organic1, Physics(w/calc)1, and calc2. I will also be taking the October PCAT. My current major is Biochemistry.

So......

How am I doing?

thanks in advance,
-Zeto

 

[pharmacy advice]

Hello! I'm applying for this coming term and I'm super nervous so any help would be appreciated! Thanks so much!

a. Schools you are applying to:
1. Western University
2. UOP
3. UCSD
4. UCSF
5. Purdue
6. Washington State University
7. Pacific University
8. Oregon State University
9. Touro (California)
10. USC

b. Overall GPA: This is kind of tricky because my classes are split up between two schools (one community college and one UC), but my UC cumulative GPA is 3.111.
As for my CC GPA, I'm not sure. It ended as about a 3.12 before I transferred, however, I went back to school recently to finish up some of my prereqs and got straight A's (anatomy, stats, econ, some pharmacy technician classes (3), speech) so I'm not sure how much that will increase my GPA. Does anyone know how they weigh semester system grades with quarter system grades? :\

c. Math/Science GPA: not sure :\ I'll calculate it and then edit my post.

d. GPA in last one or two school years: For this last year, my GPA was a 3.90, and the year before it was about a 3.40

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.
2. Inpatient Pharmacy - currently volunteering in the Pharmacy at Western Medical Center, I'll have accumulated at least 150 hours by the time I apply (I've been there for about 10 months now).
3. Outpatient Pharmacy (Retail) - currently working at Rite Aid as a clerk/technician. I've been there for about half a year.

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.

h. Number of LORs and source of LORs:
I'll have three or four. I'm trying to decide who would be the best people to ask.
1. One perspective LOR from a professor 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 OR from the head pharmacist at Western Med.
4. I'm considering asking the Pharmacy Manager at Rite Aid since he knows me well too and I think he could write me a strong LOR but I'm not sure yet.

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...

Oh, and I volunteer as an intern at a stem cell lab near UCI. I don't do very much there though :\ mostly QA and some cell counting and evaluating cells to see if they're contaminated or anything. I'll have been there for about 8 months this June.

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 hahaha

k. Overall impression of personal statement quality.
I've only just started writing my personal statement, but I'm confident in my skills as a writer so I'm going to say that it will be above average (sorry for the arrogance, ahahhaha~)

Dude, looks like you're just applying mainly schools in Cali & not taking the pcats.....I think it may help to take it..
your stats look slightly lower but pretty similar to mine...
finished UCSD w/ 3.35...
had decent ECs (army reserves w/ deployment, 2 publications, christian mission trip, founded a scientist/engineer club on campus, got in some volunteering, worked at 2 labs throughout college-not concurrently)
I was initially not going to take the pcat but got a hint from USC admission (this was in 2006)....they at least glance at the score even if they don't require it.....so studied 6wks(hardcore) got 96 percentile (just gotta do well on the math/science portion; bombed the reading comp)...
I applied to UCSF, UNC-Chapel Hill, & more out of state (I thought Cali schools were a bit too expensive but I just love SF)...bombed UCSF interview (+ freakin wrote about Mickey Dees on the essay segment-complete brainfreeze)...& went to UNC (just graduated)...anyway...looks like you got a decent app....just consider taking the pcat....I had the score sent to SF too...& if you don't score well....just don't send it in...but I think a good score can help get the interview...either way good luck man...and that last 3.9 looks awesome...

 

[bottlecap1990]

I know it is still too early to decide but what do you think? (I'm applying for the 2012 cycle)

34 credits so far (Chem I & II, Bio I, Trig, Microecon, World Civ, College Alg, English Comp I & II)
Will take Precalc, Orgo I, Psychology, Bio II in fall 2010. Orgo II, Calc, Micro, A&P I in spring 2011. Physics I, A&P II, Calc II, World Civ II in fall 2011. Biochem Phys II, sociology, Philosophy in Spring 12
Non Sci and Sci GPA : 4.0 (Brookdale Community College, )
Experience: my CVS pharmacy manager is still trying to find a spot for me to train. I have taken the drug test and signed all the paper work. Hopefully by this thursday or next week.
Member of Phi Theta Kappa
I work at a drycleaners for 2 years.
NJ resident
Im also getting an associate in Chem possibly

Expected PCAT score 40-50 percentile maybe lower., will take in June 2011.


Applying to:
Rutgers
Albany NY and Vt
Long Island
St. John Fisher
Buffalo, maybe not
Lecom Eerie and Fl
Jefferson
Shenandoah
Uni of Washington
Uni of Charleston, maybe
Pacific, Oregon
Midwestern, Az
Appalachian, VA
Western, CA

Also, if you think there are schools listed up there that I have little to no chances of getting admitted please let me know.


Thank you.

 

[pharm B]

Bottlecap, you need to do better than that on the PCAT. A 40-50 is below the automatic cutoff for some schools, so they won't even look at your app. You still have plenty of time to get ready for it. Do the studying, keep up your GPA, and try to get some EC's under your belt. PTK is a good place to start. Does your school have any other groups you can get involved with? They have to!

 

[bottlecap1990]

Bottlecap, you need to do better than that on the PCAT. A 40-50 is below the automatic cutoff for some schools, so they won't even look at your app. You still have plenty of time to get ready for it. Do the studying, keep up your GPA, and try to get some EC's under your belt. PTK is a good place to start. Does your school have any other groups you can get involved with? They have to!

Yeah, they got tons of clubs(a lot of weird ones LOL). I don't feel like joining them since I will probably start working at CVS by then (I begin training this thursday). I never even go to the PTK meeting even though it is NOT required.

Pharm B, I always get nervous at taking standardized tests. I can never manage the time. I got a low score on the SAT (1010, m+cr). I am just not good at it. Plus I read really slow since english is a 2nd language to me.

 

[fastpitch]

I recently got an interview for LECOM Brandenton , but did very poorly on the PCAT, granted I had just finished calculus and had not even covered any organic, human a & p, or physics. What are my chances if I did less than 50th percentile on the PCAT (I plan on taking it again in January even though 4 of the schools im applying to dont accept past october). I have a current 3.57 GPA have a super hard organic teacher, i understand the stuff she is just a terrible teacher, I am literally teaching myself because she does no lecturing, but im catching up, hopefully I get a B but I may have a C in the class. Can anybody tell me if I am wasting my time with such a low PCAT score? I will have approximately 88 credit hours under my belt by next May and had worked in a pharmacy for nearly two years, I am a certified technician. Can somebody please let me know If I still have a chance? I dont want to be wasting money on a flight to Florida and other places if I have like no chance. I should do way better on the PCAT in January, I am confident in my newly acquired Organic knowledge, and the pages stuck on my PCAT Quantitave Abilitly part so I got to 10 min left reviewing my answers and realized I have to speed through a whole two pages of problems in 10 min. Oops.

a. Schools you are applying to:
1. Pacific (Oregon)
2. University of Wyoming
3. University of Iowa
4. Wingate (NC)
5. LECOM Erie
6. LECOM Brandenton
7.University of Kansas
8. Mercer (GA)
9.Midwestern (Arizona)

b. Overall GPA: 3.57

c. Math/Science GPA: 3.4

d. GPA in last one or two school years: For this last year, my GPA was a 3.57

e. Complete PCAT scores (or just composite):
Bad, less than 50th percentile

f. Pharmacy experience obtained: I have three different types of pharmacy experience:
2 years pharmacy technician/ clerking.

g. Date of application submission (PharmCAS/primary and secondary):
For PharmCAS August like 25th and secondary all around Sept 10th.

h. Number of LORs and source of LORs:
I have three submitted. Two from pharmacists, both of who I worked with, and my biology teacher. I have access to get another but my application is in and completed.

i. Non-pharmacy work and/or volunteer experience:
Biology Work-Study

j. Self-perception of interview skills
I get nervous and shaky, but overall, I feel like I am a very good interviewee, I am a very hard worker and am a very good people person. I am very confident in my knowledge of the profession and what it takes to be a pharmacist and get through school

k. Overall impression of personal statement quality.
Good

 

[delano2000]

Why was this thread bumped? There is a sticky completely dedicated to WAMC 2010-2011.