Deadset on going to pharmacy school. Grades are abysmal.

[rorygilmoreirl]

This is my first post on this forum and I'm making this to ask what else I can do to make me even considered an applicant for a pharmacy school.

I'm technically a senior at college and so far have finished all of my electives and general education requirements. My GPA at the moment is a 1.919

Here is an outline of my core classes:
General Bio: F
General Bio: Retaking
Chem 1: A
Chem 2: F
Chem 2:
Chem 2: Retaking this semester
Physics 1: C
Physics 2: F
Calculus 1: A
Stats: A

As you can see my transcript is nothing short of terrible and though I am in my senior year I still have yet to take Organic Chem or finish General Bio. I milked the whole fun part of college and this past year I've figured a lot about my intentions. On top of that I was diagnosed with ADHD and am now registered with the disability office at my school.

Right now, I'm doing amazing in all of my classes Gen Bio 1, Chem 2, Stats 2 and a liberal studies class. I feel more focused and my motivation is through the rough. I've literally given up on every single aspect of my life other than school and I average about 6~8 hours a day on studying. So far in exams I have got all A's and I always stay ahead of class material. I am 100% sure this trend will continue down the rest of my college courses(even through the beast of Orgo). I'm starting to think I'm falling in love with my work.

Regardless I have a horrible track record and I'm not sure if my all A's will help. I've failed Chem 2 twice, Bio once and physics 2 once as well. My advisor said that pharmacy school was extremely competitive(no ****) and that my best bet in the dark would be to get a degree first. Even with that I got the feeling from her that I still wouldn't be competitive enough.

So what else would I need to do if I needed to get into pharmacy school? I understand good PCAT score, extracurriculars, recommendations and pharmacy experience, but what about graduate school?

I'm really cloudy about the logistics of graduate school, but what I do know is that my cousin graduated BU with a 2.8 GPA, got his masters at Tufts and is somehow in a medical school out in Nebraska. (?)

For right now, I'm working on building up my resume/a BS in Biology with a decent GPA. Just trying to get a scope of what else I might need to do in the future.

Thanks Guys.

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[FlavyFlav]

I can only speak from my experience. I started college much the same way, playing, partying, and not really caring about school. I didn't even realize I wanted to go into pharmacy until about 4 years into my "6-year bachelor degree". Basically, by the time I discovered what I wanted to do, I was sitting at a 2.3gpa with nothing to show for it.

However, the next two years was a period of serious hunkering down and applying myself to get those grades up. I had so many credits that the A's I received basically only got me up to a 2.75, counting retakes of classes. So here's what I did to make myself more 'marketable'.

First off, I scored well on the PCAT, this was goal number one. It's hard to prove you're ready for pharmacy school if you can't do well on the entrance test. So, that was a 93%.

Next, I worked full-time as a pharmacy technician and excelled at my work through promotions and volunteer projects in the pharmacy. This gained the respect of the pharmacy manager who wrote one of my LoRs. The second came from a graduate level Pharmacology class I managed to get into at my university where I basically had my nose up the professor's butt the entire semester.

I also spent my summers volunteering at a local hospital just to help pad out that application (I really don't like hospital work).

The last thing I did was apply to several pharmacy schools. I only had interviews at 10% of the schools I applied to, and was only accepted to one (and that was in my second year of applying). From what I can tell though, one acceptance is all you need.

In a nutshell, extracurriculars and a positive performance trend in school will help shine through a dismal GPA, but be prepared to do double the work to make up for your play time. Also, you'll have an uphill battle in the interview, but be honest and upfront and sell yourself to the interviewer. It is possible, so there's some hope at least.

 

[Trent Steele]

This is my first post on this forum and I'm making this to ask what else I can do to make me even considered an applicant for a pharmacy school.

I'm technically a senior at college and so far have finished all of my electives and general education requirements. My GPA at the moment is a 1.919

Here is an outline of my core classes:
General Bio: F
General Bio: Retaking
Chem 1: A
Chem 2: F
Chem 2:
Chem 2: Retaking this semester
Physics 1: C
Physics 2: F
Calculus 1: A
Stats: A

As you can see my transcript is nothing short of terrible and though I am in my senior year I still have yet to take Organic Chem or finish General Bio. I milked the whole fun part of college and this past year I've figured a lot about my intentions. On top of that I was diagnosed with ADHD and am now registered with the disability office at my school.

Right now, I'm doing amazing in all of my classes Gen Bio 1, Chem 2, Stats 2 and a liberal studies class. I feel more focused and my motivation is through the rough. I've literally given up on every single aspect of my life other than school and I average about 6~8 hours a day on studying. So far in exams I have got all A's and I always stay ahead of class material. I am 100% sure this trend will continue down the rest of my college courses(even through the beast of Orgo). I'm starting to think I'm falling in love with my work.

Regardless I have a horrible track record and I'm not sure if my all A's will help. I've failed Chem 2 twice, Bio once and physics 2 once as well. My advisor said that pharmacy school was extremely competitive(no ****) and that my best bet in the dark would be to get a degree first. Even with that I got the feeling from her that I still wouldn't be competitive enough.

So what else would I need to do if I needed to get into pharmacy school? I understand good PCAT score, extracurriculars, recommendations and pharmacy experience, but what about graduate school?

I'm really cloudy about the logistics of graduate school, but what I do know is that my cousin graduated BU with a 2.8 GPA, got his masters at Tufts and is somehow in a medical school out in Nebraska. (?)

For right now, I'm working on building up my resume/a BS in Biology with a decent GPA. Just trying to get a scope of what else I might need to do in the future.

Thanks Guys.

Better find another career field. Im sorry but any school that admits a <3.0 student is not one worth going to... What is your reasoning for wanting to be a pharmacist anyways?

 

[wanttobepharm]

Better find another career field. Im sorry but any school that admits a <3.0 student is not one worth going to... What is your reasoning for wanting to be a pharmacist anyways?

I respectfully disagreed. He seems like he has figured out his career goal and want to pursue it. Many school's view applicants as well rounded individuals instead of students with exceptional GPA and PCAT score. Perhaps not as low as his, but 2.75 is definitely a possible benchmark to achieve. If he devote himself into activities similar to those of the 2nd poster, he will have a shot at getting into decent pharmacy schools.

I know UCSF for one accepts students that has accomplished tremendously and do not possess 3.5+ GPA, and they are the #1 pharmacy school in the United States.

I would recommend retaking many classes and at least obtain Bs in the classes and spend a majority of the time in excurricular/working activities that give experiences and exposures to pharmacy.

 

[FlavyFlav]

Better find another career field. Im sorry but any school that admits a <3.0 student is not one worth going to... What is your reasoning for wanting to be a pharmacist anyways?

Your statement is not based on any facts, I believe. Also, anyone can turn themselves around and achieve what they want as long as they're willing to do the work. I'm just one example.

 

[pharm B]

Many schools have automatic GPA cut-offs to minimize the number of applications they have to review, so that is something to consider.

I'm not familiar with PharmCAS (applied only to non-PharmCAS schools) but I know they average your attempts at a given class, so even with an A in Biology on the second attempt, you're still going to have a 2.0 for that class ( (4+0)/2 ).

For that reason, you might consider schools that don't utilise PharmCAS, as they might have different GPA calculations (grade forgiveness comes to mind). I wouldn't worry about graduate school until you're within a year of finishing your pre-reqs.

The extra degree might get you bonus points on your pharm school app, but your GPA might still shoot you in the foot. I'd work on getting your pre-reqs done with A's in everything remaining (and retaking failed ones, getting A's).

 

[FlavyFlav]

There are also schools, like Texas Tech, that have academic forgiveness meaning they take the retake class grades in place of your first ones. Saying that though, they usually have a much higher GPA requirement in place. It's another option to explore, however.

 

[wanttobepharm]

There are also schools, like Texas Tech, that have academic forgiveness meaning they take the retake class grades in place of your first ones. Saying that though, they usually have a much higher GPA requirement in place. It's another option to explore, however.

What he said.

And
To be honest, GPA doesn't define you, it only represent you in one aspect.

I personally have really low GPA...but I am working in a major pharmaceutical company and it helped my application tremendously.

It's about what you do with your whole career that matters, not how many As you get in school. Although it does help, don't get me wrong.

 

[Trent Steele]

Seriously though, with the explosion of pharmacy schools opening, the name and prestige of the school will matter when being hired in the future. Going to a school like UCLA will give you a much better chance of being hired than going to unaccredited brand new xyz SOP at whatever college. Even if you were so busy you couldn't manage a 3.0 because u were busy saving the lives of critically ill Somalian infants, a school that lets in people with a bunch of Fs and retakes on their transcript is not worth going to... I mean if you can't manage B's in undergrad how can you expect to perform in a professional school?? but if you still think its worth a shot then by all means do it up; on the minuscule chance that you are admitted, you'll still be playing with fire come hiring time.

best luck

 

[rorygilmoreirl]

I can only speak from my experience. I started college much the same way, playing, partying, and not really caring about school. I didn't even realize I wanted to go into pharmacy until about 4 years into my "6-year bachelor degree". Basically, by the time I discovered what I wanted to do, I was sitting at a 2.3gpa with nothing to show for it.

However, the next two years was a period of serious hunkering down and applying myself to get those grades up. I had so many credits that the A's I received basically only got me up to a 2.75, counting retakes of classes. So here's what I did to make myself more 'marketable'.

First off, I scored well on the PCAT, this was goal number one. It's hard to prove you're ready for pharmacy school if you can't do well on the entrance test. So, that was a 93%.

Next, I worked full-time as a pharmacy technician and excelled at my work through promotions and volunteer projects in the pharmacy. This gained the respect of the pharmacy manager who wrote one of my LoRs. The second came from a graduate level Pharmacology class I managed to get into at my university where I basically had my nose up the professor's butt the entire semester.

I also spent my summers volunteering at a local hospital just to help pad out that application (I really don't like hospital work).

The last thing I did was apply to several pharmacy schools. I only had interviews at 10% of the schools I applied to, and was only accepted to one (and that was in my second year of applying). From what I can tell though, one acceptance is all you need.

In a nutshell, extracurriculars and a positive performance trend in school will help shine through a dismal GPA, but be prepared to do double the work to make up for your play time. Also, you'll have an uphill battle in the interview, but be honest and upfront and sell yourself to the interviewer. It is possible, so there's some hope at least.

Thanks for the input flavyflav.

Your situation of a 6 year bachelor degree sounds strikingly similar to mine and to see someone who was once in my shoes and succeeded through the trials REALLY gives me inspiration.

Aside from schooling, I'm working part time at a Forever21 and I'm on the executive board at my school's ASA(asian student association). I hope to get my hands on a pharm. tech position soon and trade that for my current job, but fingers crossed now as I have yet to get the job yet after several meetings with senior pharmacists at local pharmacies.

In terms of the PCAT, I looked over some of the subject material and with the way I'm studying these days I'm very confident I will make a high score.

I know I have my work cut out for me, pharmacy school is no joke! I realize that more than likely I'm at the bottom of the applicant pool and I will have to do nothing short of finding the cure for cancer.

But like I said, I'm willing to put in the work. I read medical student advice, blog and try my best to mimic their intense daily schedule. I fill my day with work and keep a journal/agenda of things I could do to better myself as an applicant.

To be honest, I've always admired people working in the medical field for their hard work and I want to be a part of that. I love the sciences and the discoveries you make even in General Biology I are nothing short of mindblowing/borderline mysticism.

I want to be recognized as a hardworking and bright individual who makes a really decent salary. I'm doing plenty of research into this field, and I am well aware of the job saturation and the fact that this is a pretty much an over glorified cashier-retail position.

I've worked in retail/fast food for so damn long, I can handle dealing with hundreds of crazy customer/patients a day. I've sold women's clothing(I'm a straight MAN!!!), burritos, quizno subs and vietnamese sandwiches. I've become amazing in making sales and realize that they key to it all is to know your product and be confident with that knowledge. To be confident that your product will please(help in this case) your customer. To not let the customer get to you at the end of the day.

At this point and time, I feel that a pharmacist best fits my desires for a long term career. I'm willing to give up every aspect of my life just so I can into a pharmacy school.

I went off on a little tangent back there, but just thought I'd publicly put out some of my motivation. Thanks again everybody for your input and it's good to be a part of this community

 

[deleted390966]

my cousin graduated BU with a 2.8 GPA, got his masters at Tufts and is somehow in a medical school out in Nebraska. (?).

Your cousin must have got no less than 3.7 in his Masters.

 

[rorygilmoreirl]

Your cousin must have got no less than 3.7 in his Masters.

I'm not sure, but I definitely wouldn't put it past him. Masters in Biomedical science.

I haven't talked to him in awhile(probably should), but from what I gathered he also did extensive work with the "Molecular Cardiology Research Institute"(at tufts) "... working on the identification and validation of microRNA targets in vascular smooth muscle cells".

Hopefully I snatch me up one of those

 

[owlegrad]

Even schools that utilize PharmCAS each have their own formulas for calculating GPA. The trick is to find schools whose formulas would give the highest GPA. Also look for schools that seem to have a more balanced approach rather than a GPA-focused one, although in truth that may be difficult.

Just to drive home the point - even if a school uses PharmCAS they will not necessarily use the PharmCAS calculated GPA - in fact, non of my schools did, they all had their own formula.

Good Luck!

Many schools have automatic GPA cut-offs to minimize the number of applications they have to review, so that is something to consider.

I'm not familiar with PharmCAS (applied only to non-PharmCAS schools) but I know they average your attempts at a given class, so even with an A in Biology on the second attempt, you're still going to have a 2.0 for that class ( (4+0)/2 ).

For that reason, you might consider schools that don't utilise PharmCAS , as they might have different GPA calculations (grade forgiveness comes to mind). I wouldn't worry about graduate school until you're within a year of finishing your pre-reqs.

The extra degree might get you bonus points on your pharm school app, but your GPA might still shoot you in the foot. I'd work on getting your pre-reqs done with A's in everything remaining (and retaking failed ones, getting A's).

 

[klj5269]

Your situation is kind of strange. It's not like your grades are all bad, they are confusing... you either have As or Fs. If you try to swing the "I had ADHD and didn't know and messed up school but now its under control and I did better", they might not believe you because its clear you could get As in some classes if you tried but got Fs in others because...? ADCOMs might think you are inconsistent and irresponsible, so I would suggest doing everything in your power in the next few years to prove that's not the case.

 

[DnK71188]

How exactly does pharmcas work? I was under the impression that it only calculated your science & math grades with retakes included. Does it also calculate non-math/science? Just wondering.

They're are plenty of schools who will let you in, if you put the work in. Don't freak out so much, and don't listen to people who say some schools arn't worth going to. If your a pharmacist, your a pharmacist. Unless you live in a highly competitive area it won't matter.

Not everyone is perfect and not everyone knows what they want to be when they grow up. Sometimes it just takes awhile.

 

[xtsukiyox]

How exactly does pharmcas work? I was under the impression that it only calculated your science & math grades with retakes included. Does it also calculate non-math/science? Just wondering.

They calculate the GPA & slice it a few different ways:
- Undergrad / Grad GPA
- Cumulative GPA
- Science GPA
- Math GPA
- I believe the school can call up GPA by year (freshman, sophomore, etc) but I could be making that up.

Ws don't impact; Fs / Withdraw Failing do count, regardless of school policy (pharma school & undergrad school policy).

Not everyone is perfect and not everyone knows what they want to be when they grow up. Sometimes it just takes awhile.

Amen, brother! Or, Sing it, Sister! Y'know, depending.

 

[netmag]

How many credit hours do you have at the moment? If you know that you should be able to calculate exactly how many classes you'd have to take and what kind of grades (A's & B's) you'd need to get to a certain GPA level.

PharmCAS calculates everything including repeats. So I agree that you'll probably have to do some in depth school research. For example a school might calculate GPA differently from PharmCAS but they may still use the PharmCAS gpa to filter out people who are below their stated cumulative and science gpa threshold. If you're below their minimum, some schools might not bother to send you a supplemental application for instance. You can find the schools that would work best for your situation.

In the meantime, you'll have to concentrate of trying to build a strong upward trend in GPA so you can clearly differentiate your improvement over your earlier years.

 

[thecoolpharmboi]

This is my first post on this forum and I'm making this to ask what else I can do to make me even considered an applicant for a pharmacy school.

I'm technically a senior at college and so far have finished all of my electives and general education requirements. My GPA at the moment is a 1.919

Here is an outline of my core classes:
General Bio: F
General Bio: Retaking
Chem 1: A
Chem 2: F
Chem 2:
Chem 2: Retaking this semester
Physics 1: C
Physics 2: F
Calculus 1: A
Stats: A

As you can see my transcript is nothing short of terrible and though I am in my senior year I still have yet to take Organic Chem or finish General Bio. I milked the whole fun part of college and this past year I've figured a lot about my intentions. On top of that I was diagnosed with ADHD and am now registered with the disability office at my school.

Right now, I'm doing amazing in all of my classes Gen Bio 1, Chem 2, Stats 2 and a liberal studies class. I feel more focused and my motivation is through the rough. I've literally given up on every single aspect of my life other than school and I average about 6~8 hours a day on studying. So far in exams I have got all A's and I always stay ahead of class material. I am 100% sure this trend will continue down the rest of my college courses(even through the beast of Orgo). I'm starting to think I'm falling in love with my work.

Regardless I have a horrible track record and I'm not sure if my all A's will help. I've failed Chem 2 twice, Bio once and physics 2 once as well. My advisor said that pharmacy school was extremely competitive(no ****) and that my best bet in the dark would be to get a degree first. Even with that I got the feeling from her that I still wouldn't be competitive enough.

So what else would I need to do if I needed to get into pharmacy school? I understand good PCAT score, extracurriculars, recommendations and pharmacy experience, but what about graduate school?

I'm really cloudy about the logistics of graduate school, but what I do know is that my cousin graduated BU with a 2.8 GPA, got his masters at Tufts and is somehow in a medical school out in Nebraska. (?)

For right now, I'm working on building up my resume/a BS in Biology with a decent GPA. Just trying to get a scope of what else I might need to do in the future.

Thanks Guys.

Not to be rude, but with those grades, can you be considered a senior? I would think you will have to retake those courses if you want to get a degree, especially something in science. So work hard on your classes, because 1.919 is below the required GPA for pharm school (and for a degree too right?)

Good luck in your endeavors!

 

[thecoolpharmboi]

Better find another career field. Im sorry but any school that admits a <3.0 student is not one worth going to... What is your reasoning for wanting to be a pharmacist anyways?

I don't think GPA is a sole factor in determining an applicant. And it shouldn't be. I know people with 3.5+ GPA that I think should not be pharmacists and people who are on the border of 3.0 who would be great pharmacists. It all depends.

 

[clockwork247]

I don't think GPA is a sole factor in determining an applicant. And it shouldn't be. I know people with 3.5+ GPA that I think should not be pharmacists and people who are on the border of 3.0 who would be great pharmacists. It all depends.

however as the GPA situation, you NEED a minium amount of GPA to even get your application look at, and that's around 2.8? (sorry i don't know for sure but I think it's around there), the OP even had some Fs and that's gonna screw up the GPA pretty bad. I'm unsure of what you can do to remove those bad grades... i just don't understand how you can get an F, it's actually really hard to get an F in a class, most of the time you still end up with Cs if you don't do anything.

 

[ValeRx]

Your grades suck too bad, sorry. There have been some low GPA's on here but a 1.9? That's not salvageable by any means. With the way PharmCAS works, the best you can get is a C average and you won't even be looked at. I don't care what your CV looks like or the rest of your app, you won't even make the first cut which is a minimum GPA.

 

[FlavyFlav]

Your grades suck too bad, sorry. There have been some low GPA's on here but a 1.9? That's not salvageable by any means. With the way PharmCAS works, the best you can get is a C average and you won't even be looked at. I don't care what your CV looks like or the rest of your app, you won't even make the first cut which is a minimum GPA.

Anything is possible given time and determination. Retake the F's, make A's in everything else and suddenly, two years later, you have a competitive application. It's obvious nothing's going to happen immediately, but I think the OP is aware of that. On the offchance that they are serious, then they should know the realistic expectations they'll be required to meet.

Again, it is possible, it's just going to require some good work from here on out.l

 

[thecoolpharmboi]

however as the GPA situation, you NEED a minium amount of GPA to even get your application look at, and that's around 2.8? (sorry i don't know for sure but I think it's around there), the OP even had some Fs and that's gonna screw up the GPA pretty bad. I'm unsure of what you can do to remove those bad grades... i just don't understand how you can get an F, it's actually really hard to get an F in a class, most of the time you still end up with Cs if you don't do anything.

Yes, you need at least a decent GPA for your application to be looked at. But as Trent Steele stated that he/she believed you should have at least 3.5 GPA to get into a pharmacy school and then further states that if any school accepted someone with lower than 3.5 GPA, then he/she believed it's not a good school. I was saying you can't judge someone solely on their GPA. Everyone knows that. I wasn't referring to the OP, but in general.

Anyways, @OP: Your GPA is really abysmal. You need to do some serious make up time maybe take a few semesters to make up for all your mistakes. Good luck!

 

[phathead]

I was accepted to four of the more well known and respected schools in the country with the stats located in my sig.

I refused to apply to new or lesser schools because I did not want to back my way into pharmacy school.

One word of advice, don't use your ADHD as a crutch for your failings. Schools don't like to see you try to pass the buck and explain away problems. Hell I wouldn't even mention it, just state that you recognized you had personal issues that you later addressed.

Doing so will speak much more highly of your character than simply saying you did poorly due to your condition.

It is an extremely long and uphill battle, but if you truly want to make it to pharm school there is no reason why you couldn't.

 

[SHC1984]

I didn't read your post, but I'll tell you this. Pharmacy is saturated and jobs are hard to find now. If you are looking for a good paying job with great job security look elsewhere. There are jobs out there that pay more and don't factor in someone's GPA. Good luck.

 

[xtsukiyox]

SHC, not to be cheeky, but did you at least read the thread title...?

 

[SHC1984]

SHC, not to be cheeky, but did you at least read the thread title...?

Yes I did. Titles like that really translates to.....I am deadset on finding a GREAT PAYING JOB with GREAT JOB SECURITY. But my grades are bad any advise?

That's what that title tells me. And it's okay, that's why we all went into pharmacy for. No offense, but anyone telling you any differently would be lying.

 

[FlavyFlav]

Yes I did. Titles like that really translates to.....I am deadset on finding a GREAT PAYING JOB with GREAT JOB SECURITY. But my grades are bad any advise?

That's what that title tells me. And it's okay, that's why we all went into pharmacy for. No offense, but anyone telling you any differently would be lying.

but... he doesn't even have to worry about the job and money part yet...

 

[xtsukiyox]

Yes I did. Titles like that really translates to.....I am deadset on finding a GREAT PAYING JOB with GREAT JOB SECURITY. But my grades are bad any advise?

That's what that title tells me. And it's okay, that's why we all went into pharmacy for. No offense, but anyone telling you any differently would be lying.

"Deadset on going to pharmacy school. Grades are abysmal." tells me that she's, well, dead set on pharmacy school, and thus "get out now" advice is not helpful to her topic. I tend to take words like that at face value, especially before I read the entirety of it.

 

[aocutiepi]

- I believe the school can call up GPA by year (freshman, sophomore, etc) but I could be making that up.

I know that your semester by semester GPA is on PharmCAS, and I also know that most of the schools I've looked at look for UPWARD TRENDS in GPA, PCAT, etc.


To the OP:

My .02? You're fighting an incredibly uphill battle, but it's one that you can turn around for yourself. With credible experience and decent PCAT scores and that good old upward trend in your grades, you might have a shot somewhere (this also assumes you get your GPA up to a reasonable level.)

But you realize (I'm positive you do based on your post) that it's going to be a tough road. Plenty of people slack off and do abysmally then turn their lives around--my boss had a 0.50 GPA his freshman year of college (too much partying with his frat) and gradually brought it up (less damage was done because he was just a sophomore, but point still stands) and got into Kentucky. He's a very good and respected pharmacist in our community today. You don't have to have a 99th percentile PCAT and a 4.0 to be a pharmacist. I have to remind myself of this sometimes, too. (None of this is to say that pharmacy schools should accept applicants with abandon, either. I know I wouldn't want someone with an 8 composite on the PCAT and a 1.00 GPA near prescription drugs.)

Also, the experience of completely changing your attitude and looking at your education experience with fresh eyes could also be an interesting point to talk about in your supplementals if they offer an optional essay to explain kinks in your application--no point in not mentioning it, they're gonna see it in your application anyway.

The worst thing that can happen by taking a year or so to turn it all around is that you don't get accepted. But there are plenty of paths out there. Who knows, maybe you'll even stumble into one while you're on this path and like it better. Or, like it enough to be a satisfying backup in case you don't land an admission.

I wish you the best of luck in whatever road you travel on.

 

[ValeRx]

Anything is possible given time and determination. Retake the F's, make A's in everything else and suddenly, two years later, you have a competitive application. It's obvious nothing's going to happen immediately, but I think the OP is aware of that. On the offchance that they are serious, then they should know the realistic expectations they'll be required to meet.

Again, it is possible, it's just going to require some good work from here on out.l

Seriously, you need to cut the "You can do it!" crap. There have been a lot of people on here with less than amazing grades. Hell, I certainly was never a straight A student. A 1.9 HAS NO CHANCE. Again, even if they showed an upward trend, a F and A average to a C, which is a 2.0 GPA. They will NOT even be considered! Be realistic and quit giving this person false hope...

As a friendly day-walker once said, "Some mother****ers are always trying to ice skate up hill."

 

[thecoolpharmboi]

Yes I did. Titles like that really translates to.....I am deadset on finding a GREAT PAYING JOB with GREAT JOB SECURITY. But my grades are bad any advise?

That's what that title tells me. And it's okay, that's why we all went into pharmacy for. No offense, but anyone telling you any differently would be lying.

You know, I think we all would be better off without your opinion. Just saying.

 

[FlavyFlav]

Seriously, you need to cut the "You can do it!" crap. There have been a lot of people on here with less than amazing grades. Hell, I certainly was never a straight A student. A 1.9 HAS NO CHANCE. Again, even if they showed an upward trend, a F and A average to a C, which is a 2.0 GPA. They will NOT even be considered! Be realistic and quit giving this person false hope...

As a friendly day-walker once said, "Some mother****ers are always trying to ice skate up hill."

Yes sir..

To OP, YOU CAN DO IT!!! Of course, I turned around academic probation into being a P-3 at the moment. It is possible, just not as probable as a 4.0 student getting in. I never said it wouldn't take a great amount of time, and I never said it would be easy. It's a hard, grueling process, and other avenues definitely should be considered.

I do appreciate your direct reprimand and opinion, however. I'm sure it has its place.

 

[ValeRx]

Yes sir..

To OP, YOU CAN DO IT!!! Of course, I turned around academic probation into being a P-3 at the moment. It is possible, just not as probable as a 4.0 student getting in. I never said it wouldn't take a great amount of time, and I never said it would be easy. It's a hard, grueling process, and other avenues definitely should be considered.

I do appreciate your direct reprimand and opinion, however. I'm sure it has its place.

We all applaud you for your optimism but you are encouraging the OP to waste thousands of dollars and time on more coursework that will essentially be futile. An individual who is a senior in college with a cumulative 1.9 GPA doesn't have what it takes to go into pharmacy, sorry. They obviously have a long history of substandard academic performance. No medical school would ever give them a second look. Do you want to make our profession look even worse by having someone who has less than a C average?

 

[FlavyFlav]

We all applaud you for your optimism but you are encouraging the OP to waste thousands of dollars and time on more coursework that will essentially be futile. An individual who is a senior in college with a cumulative 1.9 GPA doesn't have what it takes to go into pharmacy, sorry. They obviously have a long history of substandard academic performance. No medical school would ever give them a second look. Do you want to make our profession look even worse by having someone who has less than a C average?

Anyone can make our profession look better or worse. I don't think there's a GPA cutoff for that. You obviously have your opinions on the matter, so I doubt there's any use in going back and forth on this.

I still stand by what I've said, and, as indicated above, it's based off my personal experiences in the matter. I can't say where you're passing this judgment from, but there are other viewpoints.

Saying that, I do appreciate the frank attitude though. It would be a struggle to go into anything professionally with the OP's performance history and all sides of the situation should be considered (monetary, temporal, etc.)

 

[R2pharmD2]

We all applaud you for your optimism but you are encouraging the OP to waste thousands of dollars and time on more coursework that will essentially be futile. An individual who is a senior in college with a cumulative 1.9 GPA doesn't have what it takes to go into pharmacy, sorry. They obviously have a long history of substandard academic performance. No medical school would ever give them a second look. Do you want to make our profession look even worse by having someone who has less than a C average?

Even schools that utilize PharmCAS each have their own formulas for calculating GPA. The trick is to find schools whose formulas would give the highest GPA. Also look for schools that seem to have a more balanced approach rather than a GPA-focused one, although in truth that may be difficult.

Just to drive home the point - even if a school uses PharmCAS they will not necessarily use the PharmCAS calculated GPA - in fact, non of my schools did, they all had their own formula.

Good Luck!

Whether someone with a 1.9 GPA should or shouldn't have a chance at pharmacy school is debatable, but it's certainly possible. As other posters have mentioned, the PharmCAS GPA isn't the final word in every instance and there are schools where the OP might have a shot. Is it worth the effort though? If I were in that position, I probably would have looked elsewhere, honestly, but I can't fault someone for trying.

The OP should be aware that they could have a perfect record from here on and still not get in (I don't think anyone here is sugar-coating this) but it's their time and their money. Besides, even if they don't get into pharmacy school, they still need to figure out something else to do with their life. If they want to try for grad school as an alternative, they probably need to show some improvement in their grades anyway.

 

[chemguy79]

Whether someone with a 1.9 GPA should or shouldn't have a chance at pharmacy school is debatable, but it's certainly possible. As other posters have mentioned, the PharmCAS GPA isn't the final word in every instance and there are schools where the OP might have a shot. Is it worth the effort though? If I were in that position, I probably would have looked elsewhere, honestly, but I can't fault someone for trying.

The OP should be aware that they could have a perfect record from here on and still not get in (I don't think anyone here is sugar-coating this) but it's their time and their money. Besides, even if they don't get into pharmacy school, they still need to figure out something else to do with their life. If they want to try for grad school as an alternative, they probably need to show some improvement in their grades anyway.

I think that this is the best post in the thread. The above poster states the likelihood isn't great, but it is possible. More importantly, it informs the OP that regardless of their ability to get into pharmacy school, they need to improve their grades in order to open up any doors regarding a potential career.

 

[SHC1984]

You know, I think we all would be better off without your opinion. Just saying.

First of all the pharmacy field is saturated and there are better paying jobs out there is a FACT not an opinion, you idiot.

Secondly, knowing that FACT is more valuable than anything idiots like you could provide.

 

[chemguy79]

First of all the pharmacy field is saturated and there are better paying jobs out there is a FACT not an opinion, you idiot.

Secondly, knowing that FACT is more valuable than anything idiots like you could provide.

SHC, is that an effective way for a future pharmacist to communicate with others in the field? I do believe that your quoted post is a violation of the TOS on SDN.

 

[ValeRx]

Whether someone with a 1.9 GPA should or shouldn't have a chance at pharmacy school is debatable, but it's certainly possible.

This has nothing to do with whether or not they should have a chance. They will NOT. This isn't a personal view of mine, it's reality. It's not possible. There is a minimum cut off point for every school to avoid having to go through every single application. Even if the OP got a 4.0 GPA for the next two years, I don't even think they would pull it up high enough to even make it past the initial cut of applications.

I'm going to be honest here, I'm pretty appalled at the coddling that goes on in this forum. Do I like to be Debby Downer? No, I don't but you people need to be realistic. This board isn't here to shoot down aspirations and dreams but come on, be serious. People come in here all the time asking if they've got a shot with a 2.5-3.0 all the time. That's cutting it close to being really competitive, bar some amazing extra curricular activity and what not. This honestly takes the cake. You are encouraging a person with a 1.9 and F's in basic pre-reqs. If they got an F in Bio 101 and Chem 101, what are they going to get in Organic? What if they got into pharmacy school? Fail and you're gone. No repeating multiple courses over and over. Grades don't truly reflect an individual 100% of the time but Christ, grades DO reflect a basic comprehension of material. If you have a 1.9 after three years of higher education, you have a problem. One year of bad grades while you transition from HS to college, sure.. but not after three years.

 

[dudecoolname]

First of all the pharmacy field is saturated and there are better paying jobs out there is a FACT not an opinion, you idiot.

Secondly, knowing that FACT is more valuable than anything idiots like you could provide.

Any examples other than PA or MD/DO?

I only had interviews at 10% of the schools I applied to, and was only accepted to one (and that was in my second year of applying). From what I can tell though, one acceptance is all you need.

How many schools did you apply to?

 

[thecoolpharmboi]

First of all the pharmacy field is saturated and there are better paying jobs out there is a FACT not an opinion, you idiot.

Secondly, knowing that FACT is more valuable than anything idiots like you could provide.

I don't think everyone here goes to pharmacy purely because we all think it will provide us with job security. That's YOUR OPINION, not fact. Based on your posts here on SDN, I can tell that you probably regret a lot of things. But there are some of us who actually love the profession, knowing these factors in job market. Ideally, yes, we all want a job when we get out. But I also don't go to pharmacy purely on that fact.

You seem like the type who did. And I feel bad for you, I really do, I hope you find something you can do that you actually love!

 

[xNeenax]

Like ValeUC said there is a cut off for some schools but there are schools who have academic forgiveness like FlavyFlav said, so just apply to those schools and retake as many classes as you possibly can, do extremely well on the PCAT, and write a good PS explaining your grades because schools will not look over those Fs even if you retook the course. Take some upper level classes too by getting a degree. Remember pharmacy courses are not a walk in the park, you have to prove to the pharmacy schools that you can handle the pharmacy curriculum.
Also Be active in school activities (join student organizations) and get pharmacy experience: maybe some volunteer hours (100+ maybe) then find a job as a tech.


Everyone should respect each other and each other's opinions, just write what you got to say and move on geez. If you guys don't then I'm going to start doing the analogies thing again!!!!

 

[R2pharmD2]

This has nothing to do with whether or not they should have a chance. They will NOT. This isn't a personal view of mine, it's reality. It's not possible. There is a minimum cut off point for every school to avoid having to go through every single application. Even if the OP got a 4.0 GPA for the next two years, I don't even think they would pull it up high enough to even make it past the initial cut of applications.

You're partially correct. The majority do have a minimum of >2.5, but there are some that go as low as 2.0 and others that don't have a minimum at all. See here if you don't believe me. Also, as has been pointed out multiple times already, not every school averages grades to calculate GPA.

I'm going to be honest here, I'm pretty appalled at the coddling that goes on in this forum. Do I like to be Debby Downer? No, I don't but you people need to be realistic. This board isn't here to shoot down aspirations and dreams but come on, be serious. People come in here all the time asking if they've got a shot with a 2.5-3.0 all the time. That's cutting it close to being really competitive, bar some amazing extra curricular activity and what not. This honestly takes the cake. You are encouraging a person with a 1.9 and F's in basic pre-reqs. If they got an F in Bio 101 and Chem 101, what are they going to get in Organic? What if they got into pharmacy school? Fail and you're gone. No repeating multiple courses over and over. Grades don't truly reflect an individual 100% of the time but Christ, grades DO reflect a basic comprehension of material. If you have a 1.9 after three years of higher education, you have a problem. One year of bad grades while you transition from HS to college, sure.. but not after three years.

I think you confuse telling someone it's possible with telling them it's probable. It's *not* probable. Their chances are poor, and as I already pointed out, I wouldn't bother if it were me (which isn't exactly encouraging). But you don't think there's some new school out there trying to fill their first class that wouldn't take a chance on someone with a >3.75 GPA over the last 2 years and >90 PCAT score, even if their overall GPA is still in the low 2s? Would they rather have that person, or the 2.5 with a 50 on the PCAT to fill out their class?

 

[phathead]

First of all the pharmacy field is saturated and there are better paying jobs out there is a FACT not an opinion, you idiot.

Secondly, knowing that FACT is more valuable than anything idiots like you could provide.

Watch your tone.

And there are fallacies in your "fact". My area is not saturated and there are still good paying jobs.

That being said, that "fact" only matters if you're going into the profession for the money. If you're doing it because it is what you want to do and you love it, it won't matter. Everything is cyclical, things may be a little down now, but they will rebound. It's not like there's never going to be a pharmacist opening again.

 

[xtsukiyox]

Like ValeUC said there is a cute off for some schools

Neena, I'm sure you'd win the cute off.

For anyone keeping score at home, R2pharmD2, between his two posts, has said anything I was thinking & more, better than I could.

 

[pharm B]

Looks like things cooled off pretty quick. Just remember to keep it civil, guys!

 

[xNeenax]

Neena, I'm sure you'd win the cute off.

oops hahaha

Looks like things cooled off pretty quick. Just remember to keep it civil, guys!

I'm getting ready to annoy people.

 

[owlegrad]

For anyone keeping score at home, R2pharmD2, between his two posts, has said anything I was thinking & more, better than I could.

And R2 wins the thread!

 

[Carboxide]

This has nothing to do with whether or not they should have a chance. They will NOT. This isn't a personal view of mine, it's reality. It's not possible. There is a minimum cut off point for every school to avoid having to go through every single application. Even if the OP got a 4.0 GPA for the next two years, I don't even think they would pull it up high enough to even make it past the initial cut of applications.

I'm going to be honest here, I'm pretty appalled at the coddling that goes on in this forum. Do I like to be Debby Downer? No, I don't but you people need to be realistic. This board isn't here to shoot down aspirations and dreams but come on, be serious. People come in here all the time asking if they've got a shot with a 2.5-3.0 all the time. That's cutting it close to being really competitive, bar some amazing extra curricular activity and what not. This honestly takes the cake. You are encouraging a person with a 1.9 and F's in basic pre-reqs. If they got an F in Bio 101 and Chem 101, what are they going to get in Organic? What if they got into pharmacy school? Fail and you're gone. No repeating multiple courses over and over. Grades don't truly reflect an individual 100% of the time but Christ, grades DO reflect a basic comprehension of material. If you have a 1.9 after three years of higher education, you have a problem. One year of bad grades while you transition from HS to college, sure.. but not after three years.

I've got to agree. The OP, being a senior, would have to take AT MINIMUM 90 credits of classes with a 4.0 average to even get to around a 3.0. If I were you, I wouldn't apply - your chances are so close to zero it's not worth going out that many decimal points.