University of Waterloo Pharmacy c/o 2020

[pharm040193]

got my email! see you all in January

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[bee224444]

Congrats to all that got accepted!!!
Unfortunately I was not accepted so I am patiently waiting on UoT

For those that got accepted, could you perhaps leave some stats perhaps about your GPA, how your interview/FSA went? It would be nice to know

 

[pharm040193]

I had a 80% average cumulative throughout my 4 years at Western University. I have almost 2 years pharmacy experience; first as a volunteer and now as a paid pharmacy assistant. I also had a very strong reference from a pharmacist. I felt that the interview went well and the panel was very friendly and interactive as I presented on my community involvement. The Skills Assessment was more difficult then i had anticipated, but I completed it during the time given nonetheless. I hope that's sufficient info for you

 

[sifta_]

I just finished my second year, with a cumulative average of 79% (it actually dropped down to 76% after my interview). BUT I was involved with many extracurriculars, academic and non-academic (club exec, being a TA, etc.). I only had like a month experience as a pharmacy assistant, but the pharmacist did give me a strong reference. I thought the interview went very well, almost like a conversation! Like pharm040193 said, they were very friendly and interactive And the FSA was ok, but very rushed for me. I honestly freaked out a bit because I didn't write my name on every page and I thought that would jeopardize my chances of getting in lol

 

[pharmlyfe777]

Someone should make an unofficial facebook group!!

Also, my stats:

I finished my second year at UW with a 91% average. I have been working as a pharmacy assistant since grade 11, and have a decent amount of extracurriculars. The FSA went pretty smoothly, finished with 10 minutes to spare. The interview was great too! The panel was so chill and interactive, we actually joked a few times during the questioning part haha. See you all in January!!

 

[Bananarama331]

I finished 5 years at UofT undergrad with ~ 80% average. I was a pharmacy assistant with a lovely team for 8 months in downtown Toronto - the pharmacist was super funny and always joked around with us and, so although I didn't get to read his reference, I am assuming he was kind to give me a good one.

FSA:
1. The paper was the hardest, and I had 2 questions that I was a bit iffy about, but otherwise it wasn't too bad as long as you planned your time right (spent majority of time here)
2. Essay was good as well, b/c I was used to writing essays after practicing ~20 of them for PCAT, and coming up with "on the spot essays" for MMI at UofT
3. Math: I'm not naturally good @ math but b/c PCAT forced you to not used calculators I relearned in December how to do arithemetics fast so that really helped me (also more difficult than I thought)

Interview: I came out of it feeling really sad actually. I interpreted one Q wrong and I thought my answers might have been a little bit short for the other ones b/c I had 3 hours of sleep. Also the panel was NOT interactive or SMILING at ALL for me. I made a couple of jokes during my presentation (which I am actually very proud of - worked really hard on that), but they were poker-faced the whole time! I guess for future students, if they're not similing, they're probably smiling on the inside - they want to see if you break down under pressure or keep going.

Other than that I have a variety of EC's like: VP of clubs, research projects , volunteered for underserved communities and hospital, medical assistant, lots of sports teams as well as music performances

 

[p1610]

Here! I Made a facebook group. Join in guys! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1429967117028987/

 

[p1610]

I finished 4 years of undergrad at McMaster University with a little above 90%. I volunteered at a pharmacy for 4 years. I was a community advisor (CA, RA or don depending on what school), a TA and was a Vp of a club. The FSA was quite time constraining and I almost didn't finish on time. The interview went okay, I messed up on one question, but the rest was fine. The panel was really welcoming and nice!

 

[PhutureRx]

INN!

I'm graduating this year from biochemistry with a ~81% average. Worked for a year at a retail pharmacy, had a year of research experience. I wanted to kick myself after the interview cause I thought i did terrible but I guess they saw something in me. The FSA was pretty easy though. I also got stellar grades in my final semester so maybe that helped.

Can't wait to see y'all!!

EDIT: I also had 3C's and a D in my transcript, and like 3 semesters of part time study. This is for anyone feeling discouraged about doing poorly in a few courses. It's not the end of the world.

 

[PharmApp16]

I got in after doing three years of undergrad, one at Laurier and two at UW with ~84% overall average. I've worked at a community pharmacy for over two years and was pretty involved in my community, extracurriculars at school as well as have done volunteer work internationally. My interview I thought went great, I finished in about 25 minutes and they were very interactive and smiling the whole time. I thought that the test went well also, I had more time to look things over than I would have thought. See you all in January!!!

 

[cidersky]

Just wanted to say, after some mulling, that I was waitlisted. Not the worst place to be, but certainly not the best, haha.

 

[Courty]

Hey everyone! This was my second time applying and I got admitted for those that didn't get in this year, trust me when I say that a year can make a huge difference in your personal and professional growth, so don't give up if you really want this!

I've completed an undergrad and have been working as a pharmacy assistant for almost two years now. In university I had hospital volunteer experience and was involved in several student groups and sport teams. But since I graduated university I've been primarily focusing on work and pharmacy experience. I thought the interview was great! My panel was super friendly and were noding their heads and smiling while I was answering the questions. Last year I got rejected after the interview process, so I guess I knew what to expect but this year felt different (in a good way).

To those who got rejected- I've been there - but if you re apply next year and can show the admissions committee you have actively tried to better yourself and improve from the year before, it can make a world of a difference!

 

[limlim]

Hi everyone! I was wondering if someone could help me answer a few questions. I am graduating from University of Toronto this year with a pretty low cGPA (3.13). I had a terrible first year and second year, with Calculus and second year Bio being my primary causes of the low cGPA. The previous year I had a GPA of 3.25 and I finished this year with a GPA of 3.75. I took the PCAT last year and got a compositescore of 85. I applied for UofT's pharmacy for the fall session and I was able to go to the interview but unfortunately I was not able to make it. My primary concern is that even if I do apply again this year, if I do not show that I have improved academically in the last few years, I will not be able to get in again. As an additional note, in the last 3 years, I have taken a course load of 4.0 credits (out of 5.0) beacuse I had to work part time to help my family's finances. As someone graduating this June, what can I do to help increase my chances and not let this year go to waste? Should I try taking Calc and Bio again as a non-degree student? Should I increase my volunteer work?

Thanks in advance,

Pat

 

[pms_testosterone]

Hi @limlim

Is your average in percentage (for ALL university courses taken) above 75%? If so, you should concentrate on getting a job in a pharmacy and doing volunteer activities. Retaking courses not necessary.

If your average is below 75%, you cannot get into U of Waterloo. If you're close, you could consider taking a few courses you'll do well in. If you're not close, you should just concentrate on work/volunteering and reapply to U of T. You should do better in the interview this time b/c you know what it's like.

Also be sure to contact the admissions offices with any questions you have - they reply quickly.

 

[limlim]

Hi @limlim

Is your average in percentage (for ALL university courses taken) above 75%? If so, you should concentrate on getting a job in a pharmacy and doing volunteer activities. Retaking courses not necessary.

If your average is below 75%, you cannot get into U of Waterloo. If you're close, you could consider taking a few courses you'll do well in. If you're not close, you should just concentrate on work/volunteering and reapply to U of T. You should do better in the interview this time b/c you know what it's like.

Also be sure to contact the admissions offices with any questions you have - they reply quickly.

Thanks a lot for the response. I'm not 100% sure if I am over 75% average but I should be (probably close to 75 though). My biggest regret is that my calc mark dropped from 85 to 62 after the final exam because it was my first set of exams at the university and calc at the time was a full year course. I didn't know how to pace myself and went into the exam sleep deprived (had 5 exams over the course of 4 days) and completely blanked out. UofT since then has changed the calc course to be 2 half year courses. I feel like I should be able to ace it this time around but it has been a few years so my math is a bit rusty

In terms of volunteer work and getting a job at a pharmacy, did you guys happen to look them up online? Is there a certificate I have to get before looking or is it more about doing odd jobs while shadowing their work?

 

[pms_testosterone]

@limlim I don't think you should retake calc unless an admissions officer directly tells you to. One course is not going to sink your app.

Yes, you can look online for pharmacy jobs. When you apply, emphasize your science background and interest in becoming a pharmacist. If you have no luck, then yes there are career or technical college programs in pharmacy assisting, but one of these will put you back a few thousand bucks and won't get you paid more as a pharmacy assistant.

(There is also Pharmacy Technician, which is a health profession requiring a two-year college diploma and licensing exams - but probably not useful in your situation.)

 

[bbb1127]

I just got accepted to both schools. Not sure yet which one I'm going to pick tho... why do you guys wanna go to waterloo?

 

[Courty]

Thanks a lot for the response. I'm not 100% sure if I am over 75% average but I should be (probably close to 75 though). My biggest regret is that my calc mark dropped from 85 to 62 after the final exam because it was my first set of exams at the university and calc at the time was a full year course. I didn't know how to pace myself and went into the exam sleep deprived (had 5 exams over the course of 4 days) and completely blanked out. UofT since then has changed the calc course to be 2 half year courses. I feel like I should be able to ace it this time around but it has been a few years so my math is a bit rusty

In terms of volunteer work and getting a job at a pharmacy, did you guys happen to look them up online? Is there a certificate I have to get before looking or is it more about doing odd jobs while shadowing their work?

I would suggest looking online for open pharmacy assistant positions, then going in person to drop off your resume- this will make a huge difference. To be honest, applying online only will probably get you no where, especially if you have no pharmacy experience to begin with. When you go to drop off your resume, always ask to speak to the pharmacy manager, and explain your situation / interest in pharmacy to them. There are a lot of pharmacists out there who are willing to give opportunities to students and help them learn. You might have to drop off a couple dozen resumes, try independent pharmacies first- they are more likely to take students as part time pharmacy assistants or volunteers.

 

[chocochoo]

I would suggest looking online for open pharmacy assistant positions, then going in person to drop off your resume- this will make a huge difference. To be honest, applying online only will probably get you no where, especially if you have no pharmacy experience to begin with. When you go to drop off your resume, always ask to speak to the pharmacy manager, and explain your situation / interest in pharmacy to them. There are a lot of pharmacists out there who are willing to give opportunities to students and help them learn. You might have to drop off a couple dozen resumes, try independent pharmacies first- they are more likely to take students as part time pharmacy assistants or volunteers.

@limlim I 100% agree with Courty. It also really helps if you're from a smaller town, the odds are definitely in your favour.

 

[Bananarama331]

I just got accepted to both schools. Not sure yet which one I'm going to pick tho... why do you guys wanna go to waterloo?

Hey you! Do you have facebook? We currently have a group chat going on for those of us who have been accepted to both schools to discuss which is the better option, come join us there! Make a post on this group so I'll know who you are and add you into the chat! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1429967117028987/

Anyone else who's also reading this: go join the FB group! There are about 5 upper year students in that group open to answer all of our questions regarding Waterloo pharmacy

 

[Bananarama331]

Thanks a lot for the response. I'm not 100% sure if I am over 75% average but I should be (probably close to 75 though). My biggest regret is that my calc mark dropped from 85 to 62 after the final exam because it was my first set of exams at the university and calc at the time was a full year course. I didn't know how to pace myself and went into the exam sleep deprived (had 5 exams over the course of 4 days) and completely blanked out. UofT since then has changed the calc course to be 2 half year courses. I feel like I should be able to ace it this time around but it has been a few years so my math is a bit rusty

In terms of volunteer work and getting a job at a pharmacy, did you guys happen to look them up online? Is there a certificate I have to get before looking or is it more about doing odd jobs while shadowing their work?

Hey Lim! I went to UofT as well, and like you, I know first year calc was a killer due to it being a full year course! I also have a C- on my transcript, as well as low 70's on a couple of required pre-reqs - if that sets you a bit at ease. I would say that if that first year calc is in the 50's, you should consider re-taking it again, however, you should email the admissions and ask them whether they approve of you doing this. At UofT, they really really really do not like it when you re-take courses (as mentioned on the admissions website).

How I found my pharmacy experience was that I was originally going to my family doctor to get my immunizations so that I could volunteer at one of the pharmacies in UHN, but he said "why go to the hospital? there's a pharmacy down the street". So I asked him if he can call the pharmacist for me and he sent me over for an interview! You can go to your family doctor if you've known him for a while, I'm sure he's friends with a lot of pharmacists and can hook you up as such!

Also, since you go to UofT, I'm sure you're familiar with the enormous amount of hospitals we have right outside our campus. All of those hospitals have pharmacies! Go to the volunteer department, and get your forms fill out and express the fact that you want to be a "pharmacy volunteer" to the volunteer coordinator. In my opinion, this is an easier route to getting a position inside a pharmacy. As of right now, I know friends that got to volunteer in the pharmacies inside Toronto General as well as Mount Sinai.

According to my other friends, I've also heard many of them just going to their local pharmacies, and straight up going to the counter and asking the pharmacist whether they're hiring / taking volunteers. Otherwise, other friends have gotten positions by asking family friends or family members!

 

[Soccerules5]

Upper years:

Where did you live? I've been looking at residence options and the residences available by waterloo are around 9km away from the school of pharmacy. Are there any locations closer to the school?

 

[PharmacyD21]

I was searching around and I couldn't seem to find anything cheaper than ~800 per month.. is that the average price near that area?
I did my undergrad down the street at Laurier and I was only paying ~$550

 

[Bananarama331]

I was searching around and I couldn't seem to find anything cheaper than ~800 per month.. is that the average price near that area?
I did my undergrad down the street at Laurier and I was only paying ~$550

I was looking and the 1 bedrooms across the street cost 1.3k a month T____________T ....

How did Waterloo become the new downtown toronto?

 

[PharmacyD21]

did anyone find any decently priced rent around that area?

To be completely honest, I would much rather pay ~$400 at a place that further from the school of pharmacy and just buy a car to use for co-op and whenever I would want to go home

 

[pms_testosterone]

Here's the pharmacy students' society housing board if anyone's interested: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SOPhSHousingboard/

 

[Bananarama331]

did anyone find any decently priced rent around that area?

To be completely honest, I would much rather pay ~$400 at a place that further from the school of pharmacy and just buy a car to use for co-op and whenever I would want to go home

I heard that's not too great of an idea b/c down kitchener is nick named "sketchener", so if you're a female living by yourself it may be a factor to consider

 

[PharmacyD21]

I attended Laurier University, so if you drive up king towards the school that area is very safe. I have never felt unsafe walking home from the library late at night. However, if you go the opposite way down kitchener I would see how that could be a problem

 

[Bananarama331]

I attended Laurier University, so if you drive up king towards the school that area is very safe. I have never felt unsafe walking home from the library late at night. However, if you go the opposite way down kitchener I would see how that could be a problem

That's very useful information - thank you!

 

[PharmD.93]

For those of you looking for housing there is no Residence on/near the health sci campus. If you're planning on getting a 1 bedroom in downtown kitchener it can get pretty expensive.
The area can be pretty sketchy especially at night. However, the School of Pharmacy recognizes this and offers a free taxi service Sundays to Thursdays after 9pm that covers up to $20. So you can get something a bit away if you can't study at home and wanna study at school and prefer not to walk.

 

[studenttt]

has anyone heard from the waitlist yet?

 

[cidersky]

has anyone heard from the waitlist yet?

Not yet! Either I'm not high up enough or they still have some figuring out to do.

 

[UWPH2015]

Best option to live is along king st, in Wloo, There are lots of busses that go to pharm campus, its not a hard commute, just 25mins or so, but much better and cheaper than living in kitchener

 

[bbb1127]

For those who have accepted waterloo's offers, have you guys heard back yet? All it says on my account is the intention to matriculate

 

[PharmacyD21]

you should receive a letter in the mail soon! don't forget to send your final transcripts

 

[Pharm55]

Not yet! Either I'm not high up enough or they still have some figuring out to do.

Also on the wait list and haven't heard yet. Anyone know if many people with more than 1 offer turn down Waterloo? Or if people even get off the waiting list?
Any advice would help, much appreciated!

 

[Pharm55]

Accepted from the waiting list July 7th

cGPA 86%
Volunteered in retail pharmacy for about 2 years
Other ECs like hospital volunteering, coop job, and volunteering on campus

The interview was great! Panel was very friendly and questions were straughtforward. FSA was more difficult than I anticipated and it was quite stressful but I managed to finish on time. First time applying and I only applied to Waterloo. Best of luck to those still waiting, don't give up hope!

 

[Abe99]

Hey Guys, i just wanted to congratulate all of you that got accepted, I also had an interview this year, but unfortunately i didnt get accepted. If you dont mind shedding some light on what you guys presented during the 5 minutes that you presented ? I feel like my presentation wasnt good enough and that it was the main reason for not getting accepted.

Also, how did you guys practice for the FSA, I ran out of time for the article and math ?

 

[pms_testosterone]

Hey @Abe99 - I interviewed twice at UW and was accepted the second time. The second time, I had my talk memorized and seemed very friendly/comfortable with the interviewers. I would really recommend memorizing your talk so that you seem friendly and well-spoken. It doesn't matter what you present on - a hobby, job, personal experience, etc. I actually discussed my most recent job.

There's really nothing to practice for the article part of the FSA, you just gotta read and write as fast as possible. The math should not take more that 10-15 min though. Seems like you should practice your basic concentrations/multiplication/division/etc.

 

[Abe99]

Hey @Abe99 - I interviewed twice at UW and was accepted the second time. The second time, I had my talk memorized and seemed very friendly/comfortable with the interviewers. I would really recommend memorizing your talk so that you seem friendly and well-spoken. It doesn't matter what you present on - a hobby, job, personal experience, etc. I actually discussed my most recent job.

There's really nothing to practice for the article part of the FSA, you just gotta read and write as fast as possible. The math should not take more that 10-15 min though. Seems like you should practice your basic concentrations/multiplication/division/etc.

Thank you for your reply! do you sharing what did you improve on after your first interview aside from your talk memorized ? and what did you talk about regarding your most recent job ?

 

[pms_testosterone]

No worries.
I also worked on giving fuller, more detailed answers to questions. I am shy so this wasn't natural for me. Practice general interview qs with a university career counselor if you suspect your interview's holding you back. For my presentation about my job, I just talked about how I prepared for my job and what I learned from it. Nothing special.

 

[cidersky]

Hi everyone! I was taken off the waitlist August 9th and would like to share my stats for future applicants.

GPA: ~81% average
Extracurriculars: Co-President and previous Junior Executive of the Pre-Pharmacy Club, Events Executive of another club, Japanese Speech Contest participant, 1-month exchange student, English Conversation partner, etc... a lot of volunteer hours in high school.
Pharmacy-related experience: Volunteer experience at both retail and outpatient pharmacy, and did a job shadowing of a surgery pharmacist.

Interview: Felt like this went pretty well. If you're a UW student, I highly recommend you take advantage of the Career Centre's services--very helpful in preparing you for the interview. I was able to present my 10-minute presentation to them.

FSA: Ouch. I think this was why I was waitlisted. I don't think I allocated my time well and felt really stressed for the math portion, which inhibited my ability to think.

 

[pharmacyy24]

hey guhs i got my.interview invite at 10 40am today,where as my friend got.it.an hour before me , does this mean im lower on the candidates list

Have you figured out if the time has anything to do with canidate ranking?

 

[Bananarama331]

Have you figured out if the time has anything to do with canidate ranking?

I don't think it has to do with anything! This is not to be snarky / rude in any way at all, but I was able to gain acceptance whereas my friend who got the interview invite before me was unfortunately not accepted.