Are grades everything?

[ChemAngel]

I've had this debate with alot of my classmates.

some people believe that they have to get the top 5%...that they have to get all As. That grades are everything and are the most important thing in the world. They believe it is what makes them stand out in the group, shows to people how smart they are.

(some have gone to the extremes of hiding old exams and helpful information so they can have an edge over the other students. and are seen crying because they got a B)

Other people are just here for the ride. As long as they pass, they are content. Their model is "C=Pharm.D ". They are just here to learn the information and understand it, even if it means not getting the A.


So where does everyone here fall under? What are your beliefs? When is too much...too much?

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[Caverject]

I do the best I can and I am happy with that. I am not Rho-Chi material by any stretch, but my motto is not C=PharmD.

 

[Sosumi]

I'm not as gung ho as some of my classmates about getting all A's and being depressed if I didn't score the highest on an exam. I just happen to do well though because I truly enjoy the material and always try to find ways to apply it as a pharmacist. I love learning about drugs.

Some of my classmates who are just barely skating by though worry me. There's this one girl who was asking a few of my friends and me right before a pharmacology exam really basic things like what's a receptor and what's the difference between norepinephrine and acetylcholine? Pharmacy schools are so desperate to graduate everyone that I can't believe she hasn't had to repeat the year. I overheard another girl talk about another classmate who is not too bright but somehow allowed to continue by saying, "Don't worry, she's just going into retail so won't use her brain or kill anyone." *shiver*

 

[emogrrrrl]

I have no idea where I stand in my class, but I do fine. There are a handful of people in my class who are way too serious about wanting to be the #1 student of the class. This one person in my class is only able to regurgitate what he/she reads from a book- if asked a question outside the context of a textbook he/she has no clue.
Do grades matter? Depends on what you want to do. And even then, I don't think those who just study and are not involved in any extracurriculars are going to be top pick for such things as residency.
I'd like to believe there's a happy median somewhere. I'm also not a C=PharmD person. It's not because I want top grades, it's b/c I'm able to do well enough to where I shouldn't just skate by with a C average (that would be laziness on my part). Now, if I was (or become) a C student no matter how hard I studied, then so be it. It's not worth crying about or killing myself over.
Just my .02.

 

[dgroulx]

I would love to make all A's, but I don't. I try my best, but don't spend a whole lot of time studying for exams. My study habits have been poor all my life and I'm not about to change them now. I was a little upset when I received a C last semester. It's my first C, since I've been an adult student.

I am well prepared for verbal case studies and share my research with other students so that they can also do well. My GPA is above 3.0, but below a 3.5. Students with a 3.5 don't even make it into Rho Chi, so I'm nowhere near that level.

Everyone in my class understands the material, but the tests are tricky and some people just don't do well on them. Five of my classmates are going to repeat 2nd year. That number may get larger after this semester, but I hope not.

I don't think graduating in the top 5% is important at all. Having a extra decoration on my body when I graduate means nothing to me.

 

[Tuck]

I have never really cared that much about grades. I think the only time I focused on getting good grades was to get into pharmacy school. On the other hand, I really enjoy learning new things. Pharmacy school is not difficult, but to get A's you really have to put in a significant amount of time studying the material to get every detail. I am just not willing to put in that extra time. I would much rather spend time with my family and get B grades than study more and get A's. Of course that is a personal choice on my part and many others feel that they are letting themselves down if they don't do the absolute best that they can. I think it all comes down to what your priorities are in life.

 

[Asor]

Sorry, but what does Rho Chi mean? Some sort of honor society?

 

[bananaface]

Yeah, it's an honor society. It's top 5 or 10 percent, I forget which. I am SO the anti-Rho Chi. But, I think I make a good practitioner anyway. Grades don't necessarily reflect what you know or your ability to practice. Things I have missed from one class will get repeated in another and I'll end up learning it then.

 

[twester]

I work hard. The grade I receive is what I receive. If I work hard and get a 'B' on an exam, then I'm really happy with it. I'm a little anal about my grades, I admit. Oh, OK... I'm obsessive, but I recognize that grades are only a part of pharm school admission criteria.

I know that my high GPA will not give me a huge admission advantage over other students with GPAs toward the high or middle-high range. It's more a matter of pride for me and I get a kick out of the whole learning process. For me, it's like bowling a perfect game or getting a hole-in-one. Both golf and bowling are really individual sports, and academics serves that purpose for me.

I come from a background of being reasonably successful in a field, then getting kicked to the curb repeatedly for a few years. Academia has really helped me to feel good about myself again. Success is so much sweeter than failure.

So just do the best you can, learn everything you possibly can, and - above all - enjoy it. The rest is gravy.

That's my advice. Sorry, I can get rather enthusiastic about this topic.
Troy

 

[indoflip]

I worked hard in pharm school but I never sacrified sleeping at night to study and I always made time to watch my favorite shows and went out on the weekends. I was a B student. Sure, I could've pulled all nighters for the A but I was a much happier person not doing that

 

[ZpackSux]

Grades don't mean Chit.. I'll hire a pharmacist with good attitude who can communicate effectively with others over someone who was a 4.0 student.

I was in Rho Chi not because I felt grades were important. It was a game. I like games.

 

[kwakster928]

Grades don't mean Chit.. I'll hire a pharmacist with good attitude who can communicate effectively with others over someone who was a 4.0 student.

I was in Rho Chi not because I felt grades were important. It was a game. I like games.

Rho chi vs. Phi lamda sigma what would you prefer? if you had a choice?

 

[ZpackSux]

Rho chi vs. Phi lamda sigma what would you prefer? if you had a choice?

Most of the Phi Lams were in Rho Chi.... but..I would never hire a pharmacist based on rx school frat history...

1. Attitude
2. Ability to Communicate

You got a job.

 

[kwakster928]

Most of the Phi Lams were in Rho Chi.... but..I would never hire a pharmacist based on rx school frat history...

1. Attitude
2. Ability to Communicate

You got a job.

figured. thanks for your input.

 

[ZpackSux]

When I was a P3, there were 12 pharmacy interns at the hospital I worked at. Basically, interns replaced the techs during weekends. We had an opening for another intern ..with a load of applicants. Since students were responsible for obtaining so many intern hours outside of school, weekend job was a must.

The pharmacy director, a great mentor of mine..and I were reviewing the applications... one guy stuck out. He was a P2 with a 4.0 GPA. The director laughed... threw the resume at me and said.."what do you think?"

I said.. "he won't work out....the dude won't want to work ...too preoccupied with grades.." He said..."exactly..!" We hired a P1 who wrote "What I lack in experience, I'll make it up with effort."

 

[Caverject]

The pharmacy director, a great mentor of mine..and I were reviewing the applications... one guy stuck out. He was a P2 with a 4.0 GPA. The director laughed... threw the resume at me and said.."what do you think?"

I said.. "he won't work out....the dude won't want to work ...too preoccupied with grades.." He said..."exactly..!" We hired a P1 who wrote "What I lack in experience, I'll make it up with effort."

So true on so many levels. Most 4.0 students do not make great pharmacists because of their inability to think on their feet. I asked our 4.0 student the other day about a drug and didn't have a clue as to what I was talking about until I mentioned it was a b-blocker...the drug was atenolol

 

[ZpackSux]

So true on so many levels. Most 4.0 students do not make great pharmacists because of their inability to think on their feet. I asked our 4.0 student the other day about a drug and didn't have a clue as to what I was talking about until I mentioned it was a b-blocker...the drug was atenolol

Man...that's scary.

 

[Sosumi]

When I was a P3, there were 12 pharmacy interns at the hospital I worked at. Basically, interns replaced the techs during weekends. We had an opening for another intern ..with a load of applicants. Since students were responsible for obtaining so many intern hours outside of school, weekend job was a must.

The pharmacy director, a great mentor of mine..and I were reviewing the applications... one guy stuck out. He was a P2 with a 4.0 GPA. The director laughed... threw the resume at me and said.."what do you think?"

I said.. "he won't work out....the dude won't want to work ...too preoccupied with grades.." He said..."exactly..!" We hired a P1 who wrote "What I lack in experience, I'll make it up with effort."

Ouch! My GPA is pretty close to 4.0. I don't think it's fair to pigeonhole everyone with a 4.0 as just constantly studying. I work 15-20 hours a week retail, and only because my new PDM won't allow me to work more since I worked over 50 hours a week during the summer and costing more than the peanuts that they pay their techs (frigging Rite Aid).

 

[CSzGirl]

I am pretty firmly in the "work hard, but don't stress over grades too much." The way I look at it is that most of my classes so far have been primarily graded based on test scores. However, when I am a pharmacist, I am highly unlikely to encounter a situation where someone wants me to name all the enzymes in the glycolytic and gluconeogenic pathways, their cofactors, activators and inhibitors --- and not to look any of it up.

Plus, if you're too focused on getting all A's, you're more likely to burn out.

Most of the schools I applied to flat out said that they would rather have a candidate with a lower GPA but had a life outside of school. They wanted well-rounded people, who they found tend to become better pharmacists in the long run.

 

[ZpackSux]

Ouch! My GPA is pretty close to 4.0. I don't think it's fair to pigeonhole everyone with a 4.0 as just constantly studying. I work 15-20 hours a week retail, and only because my new PDM won't allow me to work more since I worked over 50 hours a week during the summer and costing more than the peanuts that they pay their techs (frigging Rite Aid).

First and foremost.. you're a geek.

A well rounded 4.0 student is whole another story. We won't hire them..cuz we're afraid they'll take our jobs.. j/k

Good Job!

 

[ChemAngel]

I'm in a happy median as well.

My idealogy isn't "I need to get that A", but it isn't "C=pharm.D"

my philosophy is that you understand the subject matter enough to apply it in real life situations. I don't think getting top 5% means you can do that.


I don't think getting straight A's means you know what you are talking about.

I does mean one or more of these things:
1) you can regurgitate information
2) you got extra information on what is on the exam
3)you are a good guesser


I'm a solid B student. I get high Bs, medium Bs, and a couple of As.... but people constantly come up to me to ask me to explain things....because i KNOW what i am talking about and can relate it so well that it even helps people remember it on the exam.

When I go into an exam I ask myself "did I study the best I could? If I had more time, would I have been able to do better?"

If I answer myself, " I DID study my best and no extra studying in the world would help me do better"...than I am content with whatever grade I get.

Because I believe sometimes the questions instructors ask are unclear as to how specific they want the answer to be...and in multiple choices...those are my downfall (especially when words like "none of the above" appear).

I think that grades don't show how smart you are...or how better you are as a person.

there are some "C" students that I would trust with an honest opinion and "A" students that I wouldn't trust them as far as I can throw them.

there are "C/B" students that are super smart...that know there stuff...and there are "A" students that are dumb as bricks and you wonder HOW they got those grades.

those are mostly the cheaters in class...which I have proven several times. It was sad when I looked at the top 5% of the class from a list they give....and 5 of them I have seen on several occasions cheating in front of me (while taking an exam)....kind of degrades the idea of top 5%, doesn't it?

 

[ultracet]

i personally don't care at all about my grades

i guarentee you my CV is far more impressive than all of the rho chi people in my class

do i care about that either? ahh a little but not really

do i think it will help me get a job? i honestly do not think it will matter until i get older and want better positions.