University of British Columbia Application Thread

[Yuuto]

Hello all applicants, new and old! Here is to the new year of applications, best of luck to all of you.

I'll try and answer any questions that pop up when I remember to check the thread.

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[DustFreeEraser]

Ubc first year >.<
What are the average GPA/PCAT scores that people got into? How important are Extra curricular activities?

 

[pharmlover22]

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[Yuuto]

The stats of GPA and PCAT aren't officially given out, but I estimate them to be around 80%/85 percentile respectively. Extra-curricular activities are generally important, as they want more than just academically focused individuals. Any ECs would show that you're a well-rounded person. Granted, if you have to sacrifice doing well academically to do ECs, then you might want to avoid it.

If you're asking for EXACTLY how important ECs are, there's not really a set number or value associated with it.

EDIT: Average means AVERAGE though; I personally had a GPA in the mid-high 70's and a PCAT of mid 80's. So don't be scared or deterred if your GPA and PCAT isn't high!

 

[Elisaveth]

[Question answered by UBC website]

 

[sydney32]

got 57% on first math midterm, how ****ed am i?

 

[Yuuto]

got 57% on first math midterm, how ****ed am i?

If that's a serious question, then you're not at all. A single midterm is nothing in the big scope of things, just pull it back up with the second midterm and final, and don't let it happen with your other courses.

 

[gingereng]

lol not at all!!I actually failed my organic chem midterm but as you can see, i still got in. Don't let one midterm bog u down

 

[lllix]

lol not at all!!I actually failed my organic chem midterm but as you can see, i still got in. Don't let one midterm bog u down

Yep, I failed my Organic II midterm and got 51% on the final. My lab mark was the only thing that brought me up and landed me a solid C in the class. Still got in.

 

[DustFreeEraser]

Are the Burnaby spots for the PCAT already full?!? I can't seem to register for any of the January dates >.<

 

[iLLmatic26]

Are the Burnaby spots for the PCAT already full?!? I can't seem to register for any of the January dates >.<

It probably means they're full. Try contacting them to be sure of it.

 

[kelseywafer]

So I'm interested in doing Pharmacy at UBC (1-2 years UBC Okanogan Pre-Pharmacy and then 4 years UBC Vancouver Pharmacy ) and since I'm still in highschool I was wondering if anyone who was accepted to Pre-Pharm programs, preferably in UBC, remembered the marks (letter grade and/or percent) they got?

Mainly in the following courses.. (these are the ones I'm taking/have taken)

Chem 11
Chem 12
Bio 12
Math 11 (Principles)
math 12 (principles)
Physics 11
physics 12
English 11
English 12
Math 12 (Principles)

and how was it? hard ?

 

[owlegrad]

So I'm interested in doing Pharmacy at UBC (1-2 years UBC Okanogan Pre-Pharmacy and then 4 years UBC Vancouver Pharmacy ) and since I'm still in highschool I was wondering if anyone who was accepted to Pre-Pharm programs, preferably in UBC, remembered the marks (letter grade and/or percent) they got?

Mainly in the following courses.. (these are the ones I'm taking/have taken)

Chem 11
Chem 12
Bio 12
Math 11 (Principles)
math 12 (principles)
Physics 11
physics 12
English 11
English 12
Math 12 (Principles)

and how was it? hard ?

Let me try moving this to a thread full of UBC students and hopefully someone here can help you.

 

[sydney32]

So I'm interested in doing Pharmacy at UBC (1-2 years UBC Okanogan Pre-Pharmacy and then 4 years UBC Vancouver Pharmacy ) and since I'm still in highschool I was wondering if anyone who was accepted to Pre-Pharm programs, preferably in UBC, remembered the marks (letter grade and/or percent) they got?

Mainly in the following courses.. (these are the ones I'm taking/have taken)

Chem 11
Chem 12
Bio 12
Math 11 (Principles)
math 12 (principles)
Physics 11
physics 12
English 11
English 12
Math 12 (Principles)

and how was it? hard ?

There isn't an actual pre pharmacy program universities , just apply for sciences and take the pre requisite courses.

 

[Yuuto]

Well, technically there is a program that's advertised as "pre-pharmacy" up at UBCO:

http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/okanagan/index.cfm?tree=18,282,959,0

However that program isn't necessary, as Pharmacy at UBC requires undergraduate courses that can be taken at the Vancouver campus as well. So if you were planning on going to UBCO only because they offer a pre-pharm program, you can always reconsider.

EDIT: (Just going to copy and paste this from my Facebook message)

HEY WANNA BE PHARMERS! Upcoming dates to keep track of:

January 31, 2012: Change of Program Application form due on the SSC

February 28, 2012: Online Pharmacy Application due (BY THE WAY, IT'S UP! http://www.pharmacy.ubc.ca/programs/degree-programs/BscP/application-procedures )

Questions? Give me a shout! Best of luck!

 

[bballa99]

To 3rd/4th years:

What do you guys think about job security and wages these days?

To prepharmers:

I would really look into this if this is what you really want to do.

 

[skycheck]

Anybody know of a how-to-guide that goes over what constraints there are for filling out the online application? (i.e. # of words for each field, who can/can't be used as a verifier, etc.)

 

[aanickaa]

Anybody know of a how-to-guide that goes over what constraints there are for filling out the online application? (i.e. # of words for each field, who can/can't be used as a verifier, etc.)

I don't believe there's a word limit and if there was and you hit it, you wrote way too much (you can get away with 1 or 2 sentences for the majority of those award, hobby, etc. parts). Apart from that, just the essays having a 500 word limit should be your only worry.

Contact person just needs to be credible, not that they'll ever call any of them unless something seems completely out of place with everything else.

Simply put, fill it out like any other application, use to-the-point sentences for non-essay boxes and you're good to go

 

[skycheck]

I don't believe there's a word limit and if there was and you hit it, you wrote way too much (you can get away with 1 or 2 sentences for the majority of those award, hobby, etc. parts). Apart from that, just the essays having a 500 word limit should be your only worry.

Contact person just needs to be credible, not that they'll ever call any of them unless something seems completely out of place with everything else.

Simply put, fill it out like any other application, use to-the-point sentences for non-essay boxes and you're good to go

Thanks for the advice! Is it just me or is this thread dead when compared to the one from last year?

 

[983211]

Hello all applicants, new and old! Here is to the new year of applications, best of luck to all of you.

I'll try and answer any questions that pop up when I remember to check the thread.

What were the GPA ranges for admission into the 2011/2012 program for out of province students?

Also, who did you get to write your reference letters? Would it be okay if none of them knew you "academically" (ie NOT a teacher or professor), but rather a person as a whole?

 

[lllix]

What were the GPA ranges for admission into the 2011/2012 program for out of province students?

Also, who did you get to write your reference letters? Would it be okay if none of them knew you "academically" (ie NOT a teacher or professor), but rather a person as a whole?

I got in as an OOP with a cumulative GPA of about 3.3/4.0 at the end of my biology degree. I have no idea what grade UBC calculated for me, but I imagine it is between 70-75% (my pre-req's like chem and calc definitely dragged me down).

I got two pharmacists that I worked with very closely for a long time to write my references and I don't think that there is really a requirement or a preference for academic references anyway, since they already have your grades for that.

 

[Decadence]

I might be in trouble, I don't know if I entered the SSN section blank or not during the PCAT registration; and now the pharm application is haunting me asking for my SSN.


Have anyone ever run into this problem? Should I contact ubc pharm or pcat?

 

[spudly]

To 3rd/4th years:

What do you guys think about job security and wages these days?

To prepharmers:

I would really look into this if this is what you really want to do.

I'm a 4th year, and as much as I love pharmacy, I would be very apprehensive about applying to the program were I a pre-pharmacy student today. I am not so much worried about job security for myself, as I already signed with a company, but once the program starts pumping out 224 students every year, I think jobs are going to be a lot more competitive and some students may find themselves unemployed or under-employed (with a part time job that only get 20 hours a week and no benefits). That being said, there will always be jobs available, and if you really want to become a pharmacist, I would encourage you to apply. But just know that once you get in, it doesn't suddenly mean you are set for life and don't need to worry about future employment prospects. I really believe in the future that the students getting jobs or at least ideal jobs will be those who are very involved in the faculty and who also maintain decent averages (80% or higher). Those students that think they don't need to be involved at all and get by with a 60% average are going to be screwed come job application time because their resumes will be empty and they will have a hard to differentiating themselves from every other student.

As far as wages go, if you are someone who can't stand the prospect of leaving Metro Vancouver, you really need to consider a different career. Companies are not hiring students right out of school to work in Vancouver and even if you do manage to get a job in Vancouver, the starting wage is currently as low as $34/hr (which I would personally not be willing to work form, especially since the cost of living here is ridiculous). If you are willing to leave the lower mainland, wages are still very competitive, and I would say the average is $47/hr, with many companies offering 5-10k signing bonuses per year and outstanding benefits. For myself personally, I grew up in Northern British Columbia and plan on going back to my hometown where wages are right around the $50/hr mark.

Wages and job security aside, I actually think it is a very exciting time to become a pharmacist. Since I entered the program in '08, there have been more changes to pharmacy practice than in the past 20 years. For example, pharmacists can now "adapt" prescriptions, meaning they can provide renewals (refills), and provide minor changes to regimen and dose without first contacting the doctor. Additionally, we can now give vaccines by IM injection, and in the future should be able to give injections subcutaneously as well (just need the ok from the college). Pharmacists are now being paid to provide medication reviews too. (Check out the college of pharmacists website or the BC pharmacy association website to learn more about the exciting new initiatives that pharmacists are participating in) I am sure many more clinical services will be added in the near future. Starting next year, the faculty will be in their new building at UBC (which looks amazing and I am a tad jealous that I won't be able to experience it as a student). Also, by 2020, it is predicted that the number of seniors in the province will be 4x higher than in 2010. Therefore, demand for pharmacists should increase substantially at that point (just right now it is a bit scary for employment prospects but I think it could have more to do with the economy than simply pharmacy).

I guess my point is that I encourage students to really research the profession and talk to either pharmacists working already, or to students in the program to keep current in the profession.

 

[ubcpharmist]

Hi guys! I am a first year UBC pharmacy student and I have a 2010-2011 Kaplan PCAT study guide for sale and I am selling it for $20. If anyone is interested please let me know. I also have MCAT study materials too if any of you are also thinking about medical school! Examcrackers box set $140 (paid $270) and 2010-2011 Kaplan MCAT study guide $40 (paid $95)! Good luck with your applications this year. I know its a lot of waiting, but its worth it in the end!

 

[Otter14]

I'm currently a 4th yr chemistry student and am applying for Pharm for the first time (so excited!) Does anyone have any advice? Based on my GPA and PCAT alone, do I stand a chance at being invited to the interview?

cGPA ~ 3.0 /4.0

Verbal 58
Readng 52
Biology 91
Quantitative 62
Chemistry 95
COMPOSITE 82
Conventions of language 3.0
Problem solving 2.5

I've got A's in my Organic & Inorganic Chemistry classes, and considerable volunteering in a hospital.

*I'm from out of province (Ontario), so I'm curious if this will count against me?

 

[hairbear]

I might be in trouble, I don't know if I entered the SSN section blank or not during the PCAT registration; and now the pharm application is haunting me asking for my SSN.


Have anyone ever run into this problem? Should I contact ubc pharm or pcat?

I did the same thing haha. I emailed [email protected] and they basically told me to email them my SIN and they would add it to my profile.

 

[lllix]

I'm currently a 4th yr chemistry student and am applying for Pharm for the first time (so excited!) Does anyone have any advice? Based on my GPA and PCAT alone, do I stand a chance at being invited to the interview?

cGPA ~ 3.0 /4.0

Verbal 58
Readng 52
Biology 91
Quantitative 62
Chemistry 95
COMPOSITE 82
Conventions of language 3.0
Problem solving 2.5

I've got A's in my Organic & Inorganic Chemistry classes, and considerable volunteering in a hospital.

*I'm from out of province (Ontario), so I'm curious if this will count against me?

It probably wouldn't hurt to apply; however, that composite and GPA are below the usual average of what has been accepted in the past. If you have solid extracurriculars, personal essay skills, good references, and relevant pharmacy experience then it might be enough to get an interview. But that's just my two cents.

 

[Aktinos23]

So I'm interested in doing Pharmacy at UBC (1-2 years UBC Okanogan Pre-Pharmacy and then 4 years UBC Vancouver Pharmacy ) and since I'm still in highschool I was wondering if anyone who was accepted to Pre-Pharm programs, preferably in UBC, remembered the marks (letter grade and/or percent) they got?

Mainly in the following courses.. (these are the ones I'm taking/have taken)

Chem 11
Chem 12
Bio 12
Math 11 (Principles)
math 12 (principles)
Physics 11
physics 12
English 11
English 12
Math 12 (Principles)

and how was it? hard ?

I took my first year undergrad in UBCO (Pre-pharmacy) back in AY 09-10 and from what I know it is easier to be accepted in UBCO than UBC Vancouver Science. I think around 80-85 (combined average) in those highschool courses should be enough. (My average were in the 90's but I have a friend who got in with low 80's)

Pre-pharm in UBCO will just be the same as any other first year undergrad science, and if you have enough interest and expertise in those highschool courses that you listed then you will definitely be just fine in the pre-pharm program.

 

[calijello]

Is 73% GPA, and 89% PCAT is worth applying this year?
I'm trying to improve my gpa with second and third year courses.

 

[papayaman]

Yes, you should Calijello. My stats were 73% GPA and 91% PCAT and I got in. There's never any harm in trying. You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain.

 

[calijello]

wow, thank you!!!! :')
did you have alot of volunteering experience? or do you think you did well on the interview?

 

[papayaman]

I don't know what qualifies as a lot of volunteer experience, but I was able too fill all the spaces with at least one year to each activity. In terms of the interview, I felt pretty good about it. Not as scary as i thought if would be...kinda fun actually...

 

[bballa99]

wow this thread seems dead? it usually picks up in feb though..

 

[Strutter]

I have a few questions about the online application...

Can we include awards from high school in the awards section? I participated in a team sport, and we got 1st place in the Fraser Valley.

Should I put entrance scholarships from another university that I declined as an award? It's a couple thousand dollars.

And if I am presently volunteering, what would I put under the "Dates To" section?

 

[aanickaa]

I have a few questions about the online application...

Can we include awards from high school in the awards section? I participated in a team sport, and we got 1st place in the Fraser Valley.

Should I put entrance scholarships from another university that I declined as an award? It's a couple thousand dollars.

And if I am presently volunteering, what would I put under the "Dates To" section?

Never hurts to max out on the Awards section, I filled it from the most recent to oldest. As for the entrance award, you can always describe it as something you were presented with but you ended up declining for whatever reason. Just whatever little thing you can add to make yourself "stand out" a little more than the rest of the applicants; after all, everyone's extremely competitive until the interview portion.

Just put the ending date as 02/2012 since nothing else is for certain beyond that. And I'm pretty sure they'll assume the volunteer work you're doing will persist past the application process.

 

[983211]

In the online application, i wasnt quite sure what they meant by "technical skills." Can anyone tell me what this entails?

 

[Yuuto]

In the online application, i wasnt quite sure what they meant by "technical skills." Can anyone tell me what this entails?

What I had interpreted it as was any sort of certification you had or courses you've taken to have hands-on skills. They've listed a few things like CPR and First Aid as examples. I personally only had First Aid and CPR C during my application cycle.

 

[983211]

What I had interpreted it as was any sort of certification you had or courses you've taken to have hands-on skills. They've listed a few things like CPR and First Aid as examples. I personally only had First Aid and CPR C during my application cycle.

So would piano count as a technical skill? I have certificates for the piano exams i completed. Also, I have completed many figure skating tests (which were administered by SkateCanada), so would this count as one as well? And If i have also been trained to be a teaching assistant for SkateCanada's learn to skate programs, could i put this as a technical skill apart from my figure skating one?

 

[Yuuto]

So would piano count as a technical skill? I have certificates for the piano exams i completed. Also, I have completed many figure skating tests (which were administered by SkateCanada), so would this count as one as well? And If i have also been trained to be a teaching assistant for SkateCanada's learn to skate programs, could i put this as a technical skill apart from my figure skating one?

Piano and other sports and activities has a special area for it, I believe it's "Activities". Skills would more be along the lines of Lifeguard certification or Personal Trainer certification, or Pharmacy Technician training. Things that are outside the realms of what would normally fall under "Extracurricular Activities". So for what you provided, Skating figure tests and Piano would fall under Activities, while your teaching assistant training would be Skills, if you have an OFFICIAL Documentation or Reference for it.

Edit:

I also received this question in my PM box, but I believe it would benefit most of you, as it is a common question, so I'll put it here:

"Hi Yuuto,

I'll be applying to UBC pharmacy for this year's admission cycle. I was wondering how you would fill out the online application. For instance, in the "Description of work: skills, job duties" section, would we write it out in sentence form or point form?

Thank u"

To answer your question: There is no "right" way to fill out the application. Some people write too much, some people write too little. Even the people who have been accepted in past years don't know what the "proper" method of filling out the application is. The only advice I can give you is that whether you put it in point form or sentence form; what's most important is that you can communicate what you did for that award / skill/ extracurricular activity, and in turn what did you take away from it (what did you learn / improve on, essentially).

 

[983211]

Piano and other sports and activities has a special area for it, I believe it's "Activities". Skills would more be along the lines of Lifeguard certification or Personal Trainer certification, or Pharmacy Technician training. Things that are outside the realms of what would normally fall under "Extracurricular Activities". So for what you provided, Skating figure tests and Piano would fall under Activities, while your teaching assistant training would be Skills, if you have an OFFICIAL Documentation or Reference for it.

Edit:

I also received this question in my PM box, but I believe it would benefit most of you, as it is a common question, so I'll put it here:

"Hi Yuuto,

I'll be applying to UBC pharmacy for this year's admission cycle. I was wondering how you would fill out the online application. For instance, in the "Description of work: skills, job duties" section, would we write it out in sentence form or point form?

Thank u"

To answer your question: There is no "right" way to fill out the application. Some people write too much, some people write too little. Even the people who have been accepted in past years don't know what the "proper" method of filling out the application is. The only advice I can give you is that whether you put it in point form or sentence form; what's most important is that you can communicate what you did for that award / skill/ extracurricular activity, and in turn what did you take away from it (what did you learn / improve on, essentially).

Ohh alright, i get it now. Thank you so much!

 

[Tygasil]

Hi,

I was wondering what you guys would put under the "other activities" section. For instance, my friends and I play sports alot, not as a club per se but just as part of our weekly routines. Is it worth putting on the application? Can I use a friend as a reference if I do?

Thanks

 

[buta]

Just wondering if a lot of applicants to UBC pharm are fresh out of high school or have actually acquired an actual bachelor's degree in another field?
I am about to complete my undergraduate degree... Just decided to do pharmacy recently...=/

 

[Strutter]

Never hurts to max out on the Awards section, I filled it from the most recent to oldest. As for the entrance award, you can always describe it as something you were presented with but you ended up declining for whatever reason. Just whatever little thing you can add to make yourself "stand out" a little more than the rest of the applicants; after all, everyone's extremely competitive until the interview portion.

Just put the ending date as 02/2012 since nothing else is for certain beyond that. And I'm pretty sure they'll assume the volunteer work you're doing will persist past the application process.

Thank you so much for your response!!!

 

[twenty7]

I got in as an OOP with a cumulative GPA of about 3.3/4.0 at the end of my biology degree. I have no idea what grade UBC calculated for me, but I imagine it is between 70-75% (my pre-req's like chem and calc definitely dragged me down).

I got two pharmacists that I worked with very closely for a long time to write my references and I don't think that there is really a requirement or a preference for academic references anyway, since they already have your grades for that.

May I ask you what your PCAT score was? I'm also out of province! PM me if you wish. =)

 

[983211]

Just wondering if a lot of applicants to UBC pharm are fresh out of high school or have actually acquired an actual bachelor's degree in another field?
I am about to complete my undergraduate degree... Just decided to do pharmacy recently...=/

UBC requires a minimum of 1 year of general science for all pharmacy applicants.

 

[aanickaa]

Just wondering if a lot of applicants to UBC pharm are fresh out of high school or have actually acquired an actual bachelor's degree in another field?
I am about to complete my undergraduate degree... Just decided to do pharmacy recently...=/

Even if a high school student managed to rack up a whole bunch of post-secondary-equivalent credits from IB, AP, etc., he or she still wouldn't be able to collect enough credits to apply until after first year.


Approximately ~30-35% of the admitted class already holds some sort of degree - think this number has been holding steady for a couple of years now. Don't worry about age/experience too much as it should never be a limiting factor if you have the desire to do something you enjoy.

 

[aanickaa]

Hi,

I was wondering what you guys would put under the "other activities" section. For instance, my friends and I play sports alot, not as a club per se but just as part of our weekly routines. Is it worth putting on the application? Can I use a friend as a reference if I do?

Thanks

I don't see the harm... I had swimming and a student-led choir listed under that category. And I don't see why friends wouldn't be valid references as long as they're of a reasonable age (18+) and can comment on your activity. As a precaution, just tell your friend you've listed them down incase he or she does get contacted. No surprises .

 

[Tygasil]

I don't see the harm... I had swimming and a student-led choir listed under that category. And I don't see why friends wouldn't be valid references as long as they're of a reasonable age (18+) and can comment on your activity. As a precaution, just tell your friend you've listed them down incase he or she does get contacted. No surprises .

Thank you so much!

 

[awwer12]

-------------

 

[aanickaa]

Hi
I am a second year student at UBC.

My current GPA is 86.7 but I believe I can raise it up to around 87%
(I haven't finished the second term part of the PHYS)

I have finished all the pre-requites (except second term PHYS), and STAT 203 so far.

However, I have not received good PCAT percentile.

I was ranked in the PCAT composite as 74th percentile...
I got 94th in BIOL, 81st in Math and Chem but got 20th on the reading. WTH?
Would UBC look specifically what ranking I received in the each section, or only the composite?
I thought the reading was very easy; it was second easiest section among other sections, but apparently not.

Would you guys think that I have a shot at an interview with such low PCAT mark?
I am deeply concerned with my PCAT score.
Please help me get some sense of where I might be at

Thank you

Your PCAT is definitely enough for an interview and yes, they only look at the composite score. I had a score of ~20 and 40 on the English sections when I did the PCAT the first time and still got an interview, so no worries there. While it is entirely possible that you'll be in the lower 25-50% percentile when they rank individuals for the interviews, it's been generally accepted that the PCAT is weighed very little past the interview process and hence, your PCAT score won't be taken into much account during the final selection process.

With that solid average of ours, I suspect that an "average" interview will get you that admission letter into the Faculty. All things being the same as the past two years though, of course.