UCSF chances

[sswass]

Please help!!! I desperately want to get into my first choice UCSF . I have avg. GPA but hear UCSF looks at entire app. Given my extracurriculars, is this enough for UCSF to overlook the avg. GPA and consider me a candidate? Should I apply under early decision? Please be real in your responses, I can handle it.

• Undergrad: UCI (BS in Public Health Sciences)

Overall | Last Year
cGPA: 3.28 | cGPA: 3.75
sGPA: 3.0 | sGPA: 3.75

• Experiene: (Pharm)

-8 months associate at an independent pharmacy
-10 day medical mission (lead pharmaceutical volunteer)
-20 hours shadowing pharmacist

• Other:

-4 years administrative work at primary care office
-6 months intern at optometry office
- Lead coordinator of youth group
-2 years pre-pharm society (club)
-1 years genetic divergence lab research
PS: Strong-----anything UCSF is specifically looking for/I should stress?
LoR: (1) Pharmacist (9.5/10). (2) research professor (average) . (3) speech professor (good). clergey (average-good)
------Do I need to include specific prof. (ie. science/ math)? Does the research LoR make up for it?
Interview: If I get it, I will nail it

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[Cauris]

i had a friend who got a interview but wasnt accepted.

Her stats were significantly better than yours
Don't bother applying. You will have a difficult time getting into USC, UOP, or UCSD let alone ucsf...

 

[oldstock]

i had a friend who got a interview but wasnt accepted.

Her stats were significantly better than yours
Don't bother applying. You will have a difficult time getting into USC, UOP, or UCSD let alone ucsf...

I agree with @aznwiseguy that it would be hard to get in with those stats of yours. It would be more realistic for you to take the PCAT and apply to PCAT/non-Cali schools (as Cali schools are stupidly expensive anyway).

But who knows ?? Just put it on your PharmCAS application, you never know GL

 

[sswass]

i had a friend who got a interview but wasnt accepted.

Her stats were significantly better than yours
Don't bother applying. You will have a difficult time getting into USC, UOP, or UCSD let alone ucsf...

Thanks for the input. If I can ask, do you know if your friend did well in her interview?

From what I've read (likely overblown), UCSF considers GPAs from 3.0+ depending on the strength of the overall app. I have a 3.75 GPA upward trend and ~ 5 years of experience in health care, a good PS and LoR....Am I just tricking myself?

I know UCSF is #1 and the only reason I think I have a chance is because I've heard GPA is only a minor factor in what they consider. USC, UCSD...I probably have no chance.

 

[Cauris]

She said it was hard.

 

[manne02]

If you really do want to go for UCSF (and you don't mind paying the application fees), then I say just go for it and apply. UCSF is more forgiving about GPA, but only because they don't have a 3.0 cutoff GPA like USC and UCSD do. The only thing you can really do about your grades is to make sure that you keep that upward trend. Also, they look at your GPA to make sure you can handle the doctorate program. So if there is a pre-req that you didn't do as well in, take an upper division class for that subject. If you ace that, then you can show them that your bad grade was a one time thing.

The only thing that you can really control when you apply are your essays. You need to make sure your personal statement is exceptional, and not just for UCSF because it goes to all of the schools you apply to. Now the hardest part about applying to UCSF is their supplemental application. There's about 5 mini essays you have to write that must answer specific questions and one more personal statement just for UCSF. Spend as much time as you can on the supplemental. It's not due until November and they do not have rolling admissions. This means it doesn't matter when you submit your supplemental app, which gives you more time to work on it.

I wouldn't suggest writing your PharmCAS personal statement tailored to UCSF, because it will go to other schools. Only do this for your UCSF supplemental app. To be honest, it doesn't sound like you've done too much research on the school or the pharmCAS application process in general. For the LORs, UCSF doesn't require any specific professor to write a letter for you. However, some schools do. So check your other school's requirements to make sure your LORs all meet them. Still, since you have LORs that are just "average," try replacing them with people that can write excellent letters. Your experience is fine, it's probably on par with most people. This is why you need to really work on your essays. It's the only way you will really stand out. Research the school: their mission, values, goals, what are they known for, what does it offer that makes it your top choice? The director of admissions Joel Gonzales runs a blog about admissions. I definitely recommend reading almost every entry. There are several posts that offer advice on what UCSF is looking for both from the admissions office and from students. Blog: http://pharmdadmissions.ucsf.edu

Although your GPA isn't as competitive as most people that get into UCSF, don't let it discourage you. If that is really the school you want to go, then the worst thing you could do is not apply. Compensate for your grades with your essays and LORs. Good luck!

 

[WSUWarrior012]

I wouldn't get discouraged. You have the extracurricular activities covered with tons of pharmacy experience (I envy that you have that much extracurricular). I think the one downfall about your stats is your GPA. Its not a bad GPA don't get me wrong but usually a lot of pre-pharmacy students have a GPA around 3.5 or higher when they get accepted. But if you get called in for an interview, you could make your rebuttal by saying you had all that extracurricular trying to really understand what you would be doing as a pharmacist and you didn't have as much time to study, as a result. Bottomline, It can't hurt to apply. Some people have more luck than others and sometimes the interview is the deciding factor for admittance. Apply for it, have confidence, and stay optimistic because anything could happen!

 

[RxEvileye]

manne02's great reply made most of the points I was going to make.

GPA and "stats" people post are not everything. You have a good upward trend and they look at your history not just your GPA totals. What you won't see on this forum are people's personal statements, supplementals, actual LOR's etc. If all the school wanted were 4.0 students the class wouldn't be as diverse in experiences as it is. Don't be discouraged by people like aznwiseguy or other's denials. Do your best on the application and research the school.

A couple other things to comment on:

I found the interview slightly stressful but also fun and believe I did well. It is MMI format so you do not have the chance to explain your academic history like WSU Warrior012 suggested. There are spaces in PharmCAS and their supplemental to explain hardships.

A minor point, but the supplemental had one larger essay about what makes you unique, and 3 other required essays as well as an "optional" one you can take advantage of. Then I think three others where you can use it to explain disadvantages.

Good luck!

 

[TheDrugDoc1990]

Please help!!! I desperately want to get into my first choice UCSF . I have avg. GPA but hear UCSF looks at entire app. Given my extracurriculars, is this enough for UCSF to overlook the avg. GPA and consider me a candidate? Should I apply under early decision? Please be real in your responses, I can handle it.

• Undergrad: UCI (BS in Public Health Sciences)

Overall | Last Year
cGPA: 3.28 | cGPA: 3.75
sGPA: 3.0 | sGPA: 3.75

• Experiene: (Pharm)

-8 months associate at an independent pharmacy
-10 day medical mission (lead pharmaceutical volunteer)
-20 hours shadowing pharmacist

• Other:

-4 years administrative work at primary care office
-6 months intern at optometry office
- Lead coordinator of youth group
-2 years pre-pharm society (club)
-1 years genetic divergence lab research
PS: Strong-----anything UCSF is specifically looking for/I should stress?
LoR: (1) Pharmacist (9.5/10). (2) research professor (average) . (3) speech professor (good). clergey (average-good)
------Do I need to include specific prof. (ie. science/ math)? Does the research LoR make up for it?
Interview: If I get it, I will nail it

You should apply. I just got in with a 3.3 overall and 3.3 science and downward grade trends. I had extracurriculars similar to, if not less than yours. It's all about your essay. Make sure to spend a few weeks on them (at least).

 

[jokersmiles]

You should apply. I just got in with a 3.3 overall and 3.3 science and downward grade trends. I had extracurriculars similar to, if not less than yours. It's all about your essay. Make sure to spend a few weeks on them (at least).

wow.
pham admission is a joke.

 

[exiangwsu]

You should do a post baccalaureate or a master degree. Ur gpa is on the lower end. The average GPA for UCSF is around 3.5, besides having stellar extracurricular activity or essays. There are at least four or five candidates during my interview have a master degree.