What are my chances of getting into pharm school?

[lnw26]

I am sophomore with a 3.18 cumulative GPA and I wanted to know my chances of getting in to the following pharmacy schools and would I be better suited for one rather than the others:
University of Pittsburgh Pharmacy
Temple Pharmacy
Thomas Jefferson Pharmacy
Duquesne School of Pharmacy
I have over 120 hours of volunteer service in the health care system, I'm an active member of my school's BSU, and I'm a work study student at a school for disabled children, and I also plan to work as a pharmacy tech for the upcoming break and potentially for the rest of my academic career. I also have research lab experience thanks to my coursework, and my preliminary PCAT percentile is a 58.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Timbo]

I am sophomore with a 3.18 cumulative GPA and I wanted to know my chances of getting in to the following pharmacy schools and would I be better suited for one rather than the others:
University of Pittsburgh Pharmacy
Temple Pharmacy
Thomas Jefferson Pharmacy
Duquesne School of Pharmacy
I have over 120 hours of volunteer service in the health care system, I'm an active member of my school's BSU, and I'm a work study student at a school for disabled children, and I also plan to work as a pharmacy tech for the upcoming break and potentially for the rest of my academic career. I also have research lab experience thanks to my coursework, and my preliminary PCAT percentile is a 58.

Doable. You have the extracurriculars already so just study for your PCAT to get it up. But why do you want to go to pharmacy school though despite job market saturation, decreasing salaries, and predicted massive unemployment?

 

[GypsyHummus]

Because what else is a bio major to do with a 3.1 GPA?

Doable. You have the extracurriculars already so just study for your PCAT to get it up. But why do you want to go to pharmacy school though despite job market saturation, decreasing salaries, and predicted massive unemployment?

 

[DOOM N GLOOM]

I am sophomore with a 3.18 cumulative GPA and I wanted to know my chances of getting in to the following pharmacy schools and would I be better suited for one rather than the others:
University of Pittsburgh Pharmacy
Temple Pharmacy
Thomas Jefferson Pharmacy
Duquesne School of Pharmacy
I have over 120 hours of volunteer service in the health care system, I'm an active member of my school's BSU, and I'm a work study student at a school for disabled children, and I also plan to work as a pharmacy tech for the upcoming break and potentially for the rest of my academic career. I also have research lab experience thanks to my coursework, and my preliminary PCAT percentile is a 58.

You will get in so long as you have a pulse and can take out $200k+ in loans.

 

[GypsyHummus]

At this point, what is the floor GPA-wise, for getting into a PharmD program? 2.5?

You will get in so long as you have a pulse and can take out $200k+ in loans.

 

[DOOM N GLOOM]

At this point, what is the floor GPA-wise, for getting into a PharmD program? 2.5?

There is no floor. Schools can arbitrarily make up minimum GPA’s for admission like 2.5 or 3.0 but that’s just an academic exercise and there’s no substance behind it.

Here’s a good example: UCSF’s “minimum” cumulative GPA requirement for admission is a 2.8, yet you’ll notice that the “lowest” admitted GPA for the Class of 2018 is a 2.59:
About the Students | PharmD Degree Program | UCSF

If something’s not fishy with this then I don’t know what is.

 

[GypsyHummus]

Wow. It’s like what’s the point anymore. Anyone can get in it seems like.

Though there are Med students with those numbers as well. Not a lot, but there are some accepted every year.

I soppose that cheaper schools will be harder to get into.

I’m not super familiar with Pharmacy, are there a lot of in state schools where you can keep cost of attendance low? I think a PharmD would be ok if you can get it for 80-100k total cost (including living, tuition, etc).

There is no floor. Schools can arbitrarily make up minimum GPA’s for admission like 2.5 or 3.0 but that’s just an academic exercise and there’s no substance behind it.

Here’s a good example: UCSF’s “minimum” cumulative GPA requirement for admission is a 2.8, yet you’ll notice that the “lowest” admitted GPA for the Class of 2018 is a 2.59:
About the Students | PharmD Degree Program | UCSF

If something’s not fishy with this then I don’t know what is.

 

[lnw26]

Wow. It’s like what’s the point anymore. Anyone can get in it seems like.

Though there are Med students with those numbers as well. Not a lot, but there are some accepted every year.

I soppose that cheaper schools will be harder to get into.

I’m not super familiar with Pharmacy, are there a lot of in state schools where you can keep cost of attendance low? I think a PharmD would be ok if you can get it for 80-100k total cost (including living, tuition, etc).

I live in Jersey, meaning my only option is rutgers really but in my experience, they don't give a lot in regards to financial aid.

 

[PharmD Jobs Are Hopeless]

I live in Jersey, meaning my only option is rutgers really but in my experience, they don't give a lot in regards to financial aid.

I am going to be real honest, but you will probably thank me later. Pharmacy is over saturated and the chances of getting a job after graduation are difficult to near impossible right now. I graduated a few years ago and went through a hospital residency program. Hospitals and retail are so full of employees they do not really need anyone else. You could be the best and brightest and not have a chance when there is no openings. Maybe if your uncle or father works at a pharmacy you might have a chance. The truth is there are pharmacists with years of experience that can not find work or are getting laid off. Why should they hire you when people much more qualified are trying to get the same job? I wish some one would have warned me before I got caught in this trap. Life is not all that great when you owe over 200K and jobs are non existent. Run from pharmacy as fast as you can.

 

[solitarius]

The best job in pharmacy right now is some admin job at a pharmacy school. Until that bubble bursts.

 

[AD1208]

I am going to be real honest, but you will probably thank me later. Pharmacy is over saturated and the chances of getting a job after graduation are difficult to near impossible right now. I graduated a few years ago and went through a hospital residency program. Hospitals and retail are so full of employees they do not really need anyone else. You could be the best and brightest and not have a chance when there is no openings. Maybe if your uncle or father works at a pharmacy you might have a chance. The truth is there are pharmacists with years of experience that can not find work or are getting laid off. Why should they hire you when people much more qualified are trying to get the same job? I wish some one would have warned me before I got caught in this trap. Life is not all that great when you owe over 200K and jobs are non existent. Run from pharmacy as fast as you can.

Listen to this person. My cousin graduated pharmacy 6 years ago and the best she can land was a PRN job that pays less than 50k a year. The only reason she can survive all this is that her husband paid all her loans and is doing well. She practically gave up after 2 years looking for a full time job and decided that a PRN position is better than no position.

I worked at numerous retail stores over the years and have witnessed the same situation. My best friend worked as a pharm tech during his 3rd and 4th year in pharmacy school. The minute he graduated he was let go due to no availability. 4 yrs down the road he became an accountant

Sent from my SM-G950U1 using SDN mobile

 

[Timbo]

Listen to this person. My cousin graduated pharmacy 6 years ago and the best she can land was a PRN job that pays less than 50k a year. The only reason she can survive all this is that her husband paid all her loans and is doing well. She practically gave up after 2 years looking for a full time job and decided that a PRN position is better than no position.

WTF really? I know market sucks now, but it wasn't that bad 6 years ago. How hard did she really try looking for a job?