University of Iowa Pharmacy Application

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sunnys

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Hi, I wanted to start this thread for those applying to University of Iowa this year (2011) for the fall of 2012. Just want to hear from others who are applying there too. I'm super excited to apply....hopefully it goes well.

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I applied there but it sucks that they start their interview process in Feb!
 
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Has anyone recieved an interview invitation yet? I saw in years past that they started going out end of december and january.
 
Has anyone recieved an interview invitation yet? I saw in years past that they started going out end of december and january.

I have an interview on Feb 4th.
 
I got an e-mail invitation a few days ago. I am confirmed for February 4th. I am also really excited, I hope I get in. I love the atmosphere of U of I. The friendly, informal attitude of the staff and administration is wonderful. I am very curious about the interview, do any of you have any insight? I have been told they are conducted by alumni.
 
Man now im starting to get worried, still have not heard anything :confused: other than they got my primary and secondary applications. I feel like I have descent stats PCAT comp 82 gpa 3.6.
 
Man now im starting to get worried, still have not heard anything :confused: other than they got my primary and secondary applications. I feel like I have descent stats PCAT comp 82 gpa 3.6.


I didn't either.. I wonder why:rolleyes:
 
I didn't hear anything yet either. All I got was an email a few months ago saying how interesting my personal statement was. :( Hang in there everyone!!
 
I didn't hear anything yet either. All I got was an email a few months ago saying how interesting my personal statement was. :( Hang in there everyone!!
I am pretty sure they are just getting started. You guys will hear, especially if you got an email last year.
 
I am pretty sure they are just getting started. You guys will hear, especially if you got an email last year.

Whee! Got my interview invite!!!! They're letting me choose between 3 dates feb 4, 18, and 25th. Hope the rest of you guys get an invite soon too!
 
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Got an interview invite finally :D. Trying to get the morning interview on the 18th just waiting for them to get back to confirm what day/time. Good luck everybody.
 
dang.. I still didn't get an interview invitation.. sucky!:(
 
Got one today too! Still deciding on what day to attend! Good luck everyone!
 
Hey All,

I am a Parm Student this year at Iowa. I used to look at these threads all the time and out of curiosity jumped back on here and read your comments. A few things: First off, take it easy and stop worrying. Especially if you have above a 3.5. Just because someone on here got an interview doesn't mean they are better than you, it just means the admissions committee got to their file first. Everyone has a pretty good shot of getting a spot. Refer to the link below. About 300 interviews are given out, and around 190 offers are made to those, so around 2/3 of people get an offer (108 accept that offer). Don't stress out about that one part of your application that isn't amazing, Iowa is good at looking past stuff like that. Regarding the interview; it's broken down into three parts. An essay, interview, and tour. For the interview, it will be a student, faculty member, and a practitioner. They will ask you pretty typical interview questions.

http://www.pharmacy.uiowa.edu/about...ts_admits_and_enrollees_with_prior_degree.pdf
 
Hey All,

I am a Parm Student this year at Iowa. I used to look at these threads all the time and out of curiosity jumped back on here and read your comments. A few things: First off, take it easy and stop worrying. Especially if you have above a 3.5. Just because someone on here got an interview doesn't mean they are better than you, it just means the admissions committee got to their file first. Everyone has a pretty good shot of getting a spot. Refer to the link below. About 300 interviews are given out, and around 190 offers are made to those, so around 2/3 of people get an offer (108 accept that offer). Don't stress out about that one part of your application that isn't amazing, Iowa is good at looking past stuff like that. Regarding the interview; it's broken down into three parts. An essay, interview, and tour. For the interview, it will be a student, faculty member, and a practitioner. They will ask you pretty typical interview questions.

http://www.pharmacy.uiowa.edu/about...ts_admits_and_enrollees_with_prior_degree.pdf

hey, i was wondering if you could share your experience with us about how Iowa is. are you from instate or out-of-state? how do you like it there? how is the school, the program, the people? i was reading last years forum and i guess i'm a little worried after reading some negative comments. thanks in advance!
 
hey, i was wondering if you could share your experience with us about how Iowa is. are you from instate or out-of-state? how do you like it there? how is the school, the program, the people? i was reading last years forum and i guess i'm a little worried after reading some negative comments. thanks in advance!

Totally. I am instate and have lived here all my life. As far as the geographical location, I love Iowa. Of course there is less to do here than other places around the country, but I appreciate the simplicity. It also seems my classmates from around the country like the location. Iowa City is a unique place as well.

As far as the school, I also like it a lot. The first semester can be somwhat frustrating as you don't necessarily learn a whole lot about Pharmacy. In order to get everyone on the same page they basically cover the sciences all over again, but that is how most programs are set up. I would say the faculty at Iowa are above average. With any program you will have outliers in both directions but overall really good faculty. The college of pharmacy {COP} also really strives to support programs throughout the year. You literally can't go a week without there being some kind of organizational program that you can be apart of.

The largest negative about our pharmacy school is the building. It's getting pretty old. It does the job, but it would be nice to be in a better building. Although Iowa's medical campus in general is very nice and you do get to take some classes all around it. Also, the College of Pharmacy just got approved by the board of regents to construct a sweet new building. Although you probably wouldn't catch any part of that. I think after Iowa builds their new building they will be considered a top 5 school in the rankings.

Also, I have gotten the question about how different the coarse load is in professional school. I went to a university for my undergrad and I would say that Pharmacy school is about the same as far as how hard the information is that is being presented, but that you get about 30% more information to learn for every test. Also, the tests are a lot more frequent.

The way information is presented in professional school is a little different as well. For undergrad most of my classes where lectures where I used a notebook to take down notes. In professional school, everything is power point slides. So most people print out slides in binders. FYI

Places to study at Iowa: This is also somewhat of a negative for me. I really like to study in a bright and nice place on campus. The college of pharmacy has a room with meeting rooms attached that you can study in, which is nice, but the medical library at Iowa is kind of "bunker" like. It's made of concrete and the lighting isn't the best. Ha. This really isn't that big of a deal although.

Something great about Iowa is that our college of Pharm is practically attached to a teaching hospital. This really provides some great experiences and allows for way more opportunities than other colleges. Most of my rotations are within the hospital and I really appreciate the opportunities for volunteering and such there. Naturally, there are a lot more people who can mentor you since they are close in proximity. I think the hospital is a great asset for those wanting to do residency after coming to Iowa.

Advice to those who come here next year: Don't compare yourselves to others. For the first couple weeks everyone is trying to determine if they are "actually smart enough to be here" Just skip that part! :) You'll be happier because of it.

Other thoughts: The Tuition scholarship is huge. It pays about half your tuition and the only factor is having a 3.5 or above. This scholarship is based on your undergrad GPA for the first year, so if you have above a 3.5 and come to Iowa, take 10K off your tuition. Here is the annoying part, after you are in pharmacy school, this scholarship is based on your Iowa GPA. So if you went to Iowa for undergrad and got 140 credits with a 3.9, then you are basically golden for the next four years. If you went to another university and got a 3.9 with 140 credits, that doesn't count toward the scholarship after the first year. After you start as a student, then it's based on your Iowa pharmacy school GPA, which is much harder, although doable.

Those are my thoughts. I love my classes, and have met some great people. Good luck to all of you applying. It's a hard time in life with so much uncertainty, but preserver and it will all pay off!
 
Thank you so much for the detailed information on your experience so far clinical rx! much appreciated
 
Do they give travel awards to all the students who apply there?
 
Any idea what interview questions they'll ask? I'm definitely one to bomb an interview!
 
Good luck to all who have an interview today! How did it go?
 
Good luck to all who have an interview today! How did it go?
Have my interview in a few hours! Can't wait! Good luck everyone and hopefully I will be seeing you in the fall!
 
Have my interview in a few hours! Can't wait! Good luck everyone and hopefully I will be seeing you in the fall!

Hey there, do you have any tips? How did your interview experience go?
 
Just relax and be yourself. It was the most chill interview I have had so far.
 
Would anybody be able to comment on the issue of state residency? I see that out of state residents pay 38k/yr while in-state residents pay 20k/yr. Is it possible to obtain residency in Iowa after 1 year?

Cost is a huge factor for me and would like to get more info if any of you guys can shed some light :)
 
Would anybody be able to comment on the issue of state residency? I see that out of state residents pay 38k/yr while in-state residents pay 20k/yr. Is it possible to obtain residency in Iowa after 1 year?

Cost is a huge factor for me and would like to get more info if any of you guys can shed some light :)
If you are out of state, it will always be out of state ( at least that was my understanding from my interview day). They do have a good academic scholarship between 9k-11k if you keep a 3.5. Even if you don't have an undergrad 3.5, you can still get the scholarship after your first year if you get a 3.5.
 
If you are out of state, it will always be out of state ( at least that was my understanding from my interview day). They do have a good academic scholarship between 9k-11k if you keep a 3.5. Even if you don't have an undergrad 3.5, you can still get the scholarship after your first year if you get a 3.5.
To clarify here is what their website says about residency.



"Q12. I am a resident of another state. If I move to Iowa and want to eventually be considered an Iowa Resident for tuition purposes, what must I do to establish myself as an Iowan for tuition and fee purposes?
Answer: If you want to establish residency for tuition and fee purposes, you would have to live in Iowa for 12 consecutive months. During those 12 months, you could be registered no more than half-time at any institution in the state. [For an undergraduate student, this would be no more than six semester hours during the Fall semester, six semester hours during the Spring semester, and no more than four semester hours total during the Summer sessions. For a graduate student, this means enrollment not exceeding 5-5-4 semester hours.] This enrollment maximum is cumulative enrollment in Iowa. It includes your UI courses, Guided Independent Study courses, community college courses, classes at all public and private Iowa colleges, etc.

In addition, you could not be claimed as a dependent on income tax returns in another state. When you are living and working in Iowa to support yourself, you need to file Iowa resident income tax returns.

We also expect to see that shortly after your arrival, you did things to establish an Iowa domicile. Usually this means obtaining an Iowa drivers license, registering any vehicles you own in Iowa, and registering to vote in Iowa."

source: http://www.registrar.uiowa.edu/TuitionandFees/Residency/ResidencyTuitionFAQs/tabid/189/Default.aspx
 
If you are out of state, it will always be out of state ( at least that was my understanding from my interview day). They do have a good academic scholarship between 9k-11k if you keep a 3.5. Even if you don't have an undergrad 3.5, you can still get the scholarship after your first year if you get a 3.5.

Thanks for the info! I have another question, is the GPA based scholarship automatic or is it something that students have to apply for?

27k/yr is actually not that bad at all...
 
Thanks for the info! I have another question, is the GPA based scholarship automatic or is it something that students have to apply for?

27k/yr is actually not that bad at all...
Its automatic.
 
I'm curious for those applying if you are accepted what would be your reasons for choosing to go to Iowa (or even what would be your reasons against it). I have been accepted to Creighton which was my top choice before I did my interview at Iowa. However after interviewing at Iowa I realized there were definitely some aspects that put Iowa above Creighton on my list. If I am accepted to Iowa I want to be prepared to make a decision between the two so I would like to know what applicants like or don't like about UI.


Good luck to everyone who is applying!
 
I am curious to know about the written part of the interview... any info will be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!:)
 
I'm curious for those applying if you are accepted what would be your reasons for choosing to go to Iowa (or even what would be your reasons against it). I have been accepted to Creighton which was my top choice before I did my interview at Iowa. However after interviewing at Iowa I realized there were definitely some aspects that put Iowa above Creighton on my list. If I am accepted to Iowa I want to be prepared to make a decision between the two so I would like to know what applicants like or don't like about UI.


Good luck to everyone who is applying!
You are a bit ahead of me - but I'm in somewhat similar situation. Accepted to Creighton (like it a lot) and wondering about UI, where I interview next week. Could you tell us what made a strong positive impression at UI - to possibly change your mind on where to go? Both cost about the same (OOS), both have excellent reputations, both have medical centers attached. The building/labs/library at UI Pharmacy School are apparently a bit old (according to a current UI student), but the US News ranking (how important is this?) puts UI ahead of Creighton. Please add anything you saw to help with the comparison. Thanks.
 
ClintE--
The biggest thing that struck me was UI has the largest teaching hospital and the students that led our tour really stressed how because of this there are countless opportunities to explore different options for pharmacy. Dr. Kelly stressed that too, but I think it's more important coming from the students. The other aspect I think UI differs is their push on research, which could be a positive or a negative depending on the student. A UI student said they have a few classes that are researched based, and he knew of other students in different pharmacy programs who didn't have those type of classes. Students at the interview day said there are all kinds of research opportunities if its something you're interested in. The buildings and labs are definitely old, and parking sucks. I really liked Iowa City better than Omaha but I grew up in a town of 700 so I like 60,000 better than the "big city." Creighton wins on technology and they really stressed the private school advantage of having teachers who are paid solely to teach. I feel that Creighton is more "caring" and personal, while Iowa would have more opportunities, but thats not to say that you can't find opportunities at Creighton, or caring professors at Iowa. Which is why if I am accepted to Iowa the decision would definitely be tough.


Tariqsa--
The writing portion of the interview is in a computer lab and you have 30 minutes to type in Word answers to two questions in less than 1 page single space. They give you directions on a sheet a paper in front of you, that step by step tells you what you need to do. I'm not a fast "writer" and I had the perfect amount of time. They said it allows you to have one more opportunity to tell the ad com something about yourself while testing your writing abilities. Not stressful at all so don't sweat it! :)
 
Loved the campus but wasn't impressed by the college...The labs are really small compared to some others I have seen. I talked to my interviewers about the residency program and they said that its extremely difficult to a position at the hospital! I guess they were being honest and I appreciate that but compared to the others schools I interviewed at, Iowa didn't seem to emphasize on residency in fact they provided more info about research opportunities (which I'm not at all interested in).
 
Thanks agw6844 for the summary.
If I want research I would go get a PhD! Costs way less. The old buildings/labs/library (consistent theme across all commenters) is a big turn-off for me - partly because of allergies. But I'm sure the quality of PharmD education at UI (as at other top 25 pharmacy schools) is excellent.
 
Did folks who interviewed on Feb 4th hear back?
 
Hi I have interview this week I am bit nervous can u tell me how was your interview ? What they ask for?
 
Did anyone go to interview recently? How was the essay question? I heard they asked to write two impromptu essays.. Could you guys give me some tips? I'm worry about it.....
 
Did anyone go to interview recently? How was the essay question? I heard they asked to write two impromptu essays.. Could you guys give me some tips? I'm worry about it.....

it's not a big deal...all they really want to see is if you actually wrote your own personal statement...to see if the writing on your personal statement matches your interview essay.
 
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