University of Maryland Fall '12 Admissions

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Rockinacoustic

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Greetings to prospective students and future classmates! SDN was incredibly informative during my application process, so I'd like to take some time to return the favor these next few months. Below is a list of links that should aid in any questions you may have this application cycle.

School Home Page

Web Page for Prospective PharmD Students

PharmCAS admissions stats on the Fall 2010 entering class

Last Year's UMD Pharmacy SDN thread


Feel free to ask and answer any questions that may arise during these next few months!

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It looks like the min PCAT the school considers is 70 but on their website it says that there isn't really a minimum.. =/
 
It looks like the min PCAT the school considers is 70 but on their website it says that there isn't really a minimum.. =/

I can't comment on whether this is really an unwritten rule or not, but my advice would be to prepare yourself for the PCAT so that obtaining at least a 70 composite won't be an issue.
 
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when are they sending out the interview invitations for the early decision ? :( !
 
Technically, the 70th percentile is indeed the minimum. However, the admissions committee recognizes that this may not be a reasonable expectation of some applicants with extenuating circumstances. For example, it is not reasonable to expect a chemistry student to do well on the biology section if they have yet to take biology. This doesn't mean you can blow off studying for the section because getting a 12 on the section will hurt you. They are also frequently curious about grades that don't match the PCAT. How does one, for example, get straight A's in chemistry and then get a 50th percentile on the PCAT chemistry section? So while these types of timeline-related or other discordant events are evaluated on a case by case basis, it is still strongly recommended that you do your best.

I am proud that the admissions committee at UMB looks at the whole candidate and every aspect of the application and doesn't merely look at GPA/PCAT as absolute thresholds. That tells you something about the people at UMB versus the people at the other schools in the country. And trust me, UMB is in a minority with that regard, especially among the top schools.
 
Hopefully, someone can help me with this. I've already emailed the school but I figured I can ask here as well.

On PharmCAS, the school requires 3 semester hours or 5 quarter hours of statistics. However, on the actual school's website, it doesn't list quarter hours but tells you to convert your quarter hours to semester by multiplying it by 0.66. You then round up or down accordingly. My issue is that my stats class was 4 quarter units. Multiplying it by 0.66 gives me 2.64 which rounds up to 3 semester hours. Does this fulfill the stats requirement? Or do I need the full 5 quarter hours? My university doesn't even offer 5 unit classes unless it's a foreign language class.

Also, on pharmCAS it says they don't take letter of reqs from pharmacists. But again, on the website the don't really specify who they don't accept from. Will they accept a letter of rec from a pharmacist who I work with? Since we only have one pharmacist on staff at a time, she also supervises me.

Sorry this is so long. I'm just really confused.
 
Hopefully, someone can help me with this. I've already emailed the school but I figured I can ask here as well.

On PharmCAS, the school requires 3 semester hours or 5 quarter hours of statistics. However, on the actual school's website, it doesn't list quarter hours but tells you to convert your quarter hours to semester by multiplying it by 0.66. You then round up or down accordingly. My issue is that my stats class was 4 quarter units. Multiplying it by 0.66 gives me 2.64 which rounds up to 3 semester hours. Does this fulfill the stats requirement? Or do I need the full 5 quarter hours? My university doesn't even offer 5 unit classes unless it's a foreign language class.

Also, on pharmCAS it says they don't take letter of reqs from pharmacists. But again, on the website the don't really specify who they don't accept from. Will they accept a letter of rec from a pharmacist who I work with? Since we only have one pharmacist on staff at a time, she also supervises me.

Sorry this is so long. I'm just really confused.

I would try calling student affairs as that is a more direct and personal way to pose your question than an email.

To the second question- I and many others had no problem submitting a letter of recommendation from a pharmacist. In-fact, I submitted letters from two.
 
Well my pcat score is an estimated 69 composite but my GPA is a 3.96. I have 4 years pharmacy experience and great recommendations. I don't know if the schools look at this but I have been averaging a 30-35 hour work week along with 9-12 credits at any given time.
Having such a schedule I really didn't have much time to prepare for the pcats. In you opinion would it be worth it to apply to anyway?

thanks
Ashley
 
Well my pcat score is an estimated 69 composite but my GPA is a 3.96. I have 4 years pharmacy experience and great recommendations. I don't know if the schools look at this but I have been averaging a 30-35 hour work week along with 9-12 credits at any given time.
Having such a schedule I really didn't have much time to prepare for the pcats. In you opinion would it be worth it to apply to anyway?

thanks
Ashley

There have been people that were accepted with under a 70 composite score. Like a previous poster has said, Maryland prides itself in looking at the full content of the applications they receive. If this is a school you are interested in applying to, I would definitely go for it.

Of course the higher the PCAT score the better, but to be safe I would be sure to have at least 60s on the biology and chemistry portions.
 
Just got back from the UMDB open house. I was very impressed with the school, nice facilities and the students seem interested and motivated. I'll definitely be hoping for an interview invite. Good luck everyone!
 
Just got back from the UMDB open house. I was very impressed with the school, nice facilities and the students seem interested and motivated. I'll definitely be hoping for an interview invite. Good luck everyone!

Is that why it took forever getting out of the parking garage today?

I can't offer any input on the admissions process, but I'm impressed with the faculty I've met. They really care about the students and pharmacy in general. And the new building is pretty nice.
 
Hi everyone,

I was hoping for some feedback regarding my pcat stats:

pcat:
va 392 35th
bio 410 65th
rc 393 34th
qa 420 74th
chem 426 81st

composite: 408 60th

as you can see my science scores are good but i performed so poorly on RC and VA that they brought my composite to 60th. I immigrated to the US about 11 years ago and English is not my first language.
On my practice exams I had been performing consistently above 75 composite. Should I retake the PCAT or should I apply with what I have?

Thanks! :)
 
Hi everyone,

I was hoping for some feedback regarding my pcat stats:

pcat:
va 392 35th
bio 410 65th
rc 393 34th
qa 420 74th
chem 426 81st

composite: 408 60th

as you can see my science scores are good but i performed so poorly on RC and VA that they brought my composite to 60th. I immigrated to the US about 11 years ago and English is not my first language.
On my practice exams I had been performing consistently above 75 composite. Should I retake the PCAT or should I apply with what I have?

Thanks! :)


The first time I took the PCAT I scored 24 in VA but then the second time I scored 65.. I used Dr Collins material the second time.. If you plan to retake it make sure u get the right material!! I would say retake it.. try to score higher in Bio as well.
 
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Hi everyone,

I was hoping for some feedback regarding my pcat stats:

pcat:
va 392 35th
bio 410 65th
rc 393 34th
qa 420 74th
chem 426 81st

composite: 408 60th

as you can see my science scores are good but i performed so poorly on RC and VA that they brought my composite to 60th. I immigrated to the US about 11 years ago and English is not my first language.
On my practice exams I had been performing consistently above 75 composite. Should I retake the PCAT or should I apply with what I have?

Thanks! :)

Retake the exam. Focus on your verbal, comprehension, and biology sections, but because you need to elevate your composite, and not just one section, then you need to make sure your composite makes it over the 70% threshold. It is great you are interested in pharmacy, but being in the US for 11 years, through what I assume to be your adolescent years, means that you received formal US english-based education and the assumption will still remain that while English is not your first language, you should have some degree of proficiency with it by this point.
 
How does everyone think the interview process went today?!

Do we know how many interviews there were for early decision?

It was great to meet so many other applicants today. Good luck to everyone!
 
I don't know for sure, but I heard from another applicant that there were 35 ED interviews. Good luck all! :xf:
 
There are 22 on the list for the morning interviews...

I think the day went very well. Everyone was so friendly and approachable, which made me relax once I was there. I was really stressing out beforehand!!
 
how was your interview? how do you feel? do you guys know how many people they'll take for ED?
 
Hey guys...I have a few questions about the recommendations. I am planning to submit two recommendation letters from my pharmacists. But I saw on the pharmcas website that U. of Maryland does not accept recommendation letters from pharmacists. i found this a bit surprising. Anyone else has any experience with this?

Also, I am planning to submit 4 letters (2 from science professors and 2 from pharmacists). I know they only look at three. Do they just randomly pick the three out of 4? How does it work?

Any responses will be appreciated.
 
Feel free to ask and answer any questions that may arise during these next few months!

I'm an in-state resident (which I know UMD doesn't really care that much about when considering applicants--looks like a 1:1 in-state/out-of-state ratio), a non-traditional student with a bachelor's degree, with some pharmacy experience, and a 3.7+ GPA for prerequisites, as well as a PCAT score somewhere in the 90th percentile (I don't want to get ID'd for silly questions).

If I finish one of my prereqs over summer 2012, would the admissions committee count that against me when looking at my application? I know that they say you're fine as long as you finish all your prereqs successfully by the end of Summer Session 2012, but does it make me a little bit less competitive in any kind of way?
 
I think they sent out acceptance email...
 
I just got notice that they received my application 6 weeks after I sent it out. Is this just because they have so many applicants that it takes them this long to respond? Also, any idea if they will update us when our application has been fully assessed? I know they told us not to ask for an update. Thanks!
 
On the supplemental, if I indicate that my preference is only the Baltimore campus will I still be considered for the Shady Grove Campus?
 
On the supplemental, if I indicate that my preference is only the Baltimore campus will I still be considered for the Shady Grove Campus?

Yes. A few people asked this at the open house I went to, and the admissions officer who was presenting said that it didn't really matter what preference you chose on the supplemental.
 
I heard on Monday morning that I was accepted for University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, class of 2016!! So excited!!!!

Anyone else who applied early decision hear back yet?!
 
I just got notice that they received my application 6 weeks after I sent it out. Is this just because they have so many applicants that it takes them this long to respond? Also, any idea if they will update us when our application has been fully assessed? I know they told us not to ask for an update. Thanks!
Did you indicate on PharmCAS that you were applying for early decision? If not, they will only look at your application for regular decision, which has not started yet. They do not have rolling admissions.
 
Hey guys...I have a few questions about the recommendations. I am planning to submit two recommendation letters from my pharmacists. But I saw on the pharmcas website that U. of Maryland does not accept recommendation letters from pharmacists. i found this a bit surprising. Anyone else has any experience with this?

Also, I am planning to submit 4 letters (2 from science professors and 2 from pharmacists). I know they only look at three. Do they just randomly pick the three out of 4? How does it work?

Any responses will be appreciated.
Hello,
I saw that on the PharmCAS website as well. Other schools that I looked in to wanted a letter from a pharmacist regardless of whether you worked at a pharmacy or not. I think what that means is that they don't require a letter from a pharmacist if there is no relationship to you, for example, a supervisor. I was just accepted for early decision, and I had a letter from two different pharmacists I worked under. I submitted 4 letters total. Two from pharmacists and two from science professors.
Hope this helps!
 
Hey guys...I have a few questions about the recommendations. I am planning to submit two recommendation letters from my pharmacists. But I saw on the pharmcas website that U. of Maryland does not accept recommendation letters from pharmacists. i found this a bit surprising. Anyone else has any experience with this?

Also, I am planning to submit 4 letters (2 from science professors and 2 from pharmacists). I know they only look at three. Do they just randomly pick the three out of 4? How does it work?

Any responses will be appreciated.

One of my three letters was from a pharmacist who was a previous employer, and I was also just accepted early decision. You could call the admissions office-- they would probably be able to give you more direct answers to both of your questions.

I heard on Monday morning that I was accepted for University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, class of 2016!! So excited!!!!

Anyone else who applied early decision hear back yet?!

I got an acceptance e-mail on Monday morning also for the class of 2016!!!! :) Now I'm having a really tough time deciding between Baltimore and Shady Grove. Which campus did you choose?
 
I got an acceptance e-mail on Monday morning also for the class of 2016!!!! :) Now I'm having a really tough time deciding between Baltimore and Shady Grove. Which campus did you choose?

Baltimore !!! Please ! LOL !!! Jk. I mean, it depends on where you live. Are you planning to dorm? Were you interviewed in the morning or afternoon? Im so excited !!! :love:
 
Haha I'm excited too!! I interviewed in the morning session. What about you? If I choose Baltimore, I think I'd move to the city (either apply for campus housing or find an apartment nearby) and hopefully find a roommate or two. Right now, I live closer to SG. Decisions, decisions...
 
Oh i was interviewed in the afternoon :) Hmm dorming would be fun :D but thats more money there ..
 
I just got notice that they received my application 6 weeks after I sent it out. Is this just because they have so many applicants that it takes them this long to respond? Also, any idea if they will update us when our application has been fully assessed? I know they told us not to ask for an update. Thanks!

This is why more people need to heed my advice I have repeatedly stated on this website for years.

Just because you submit your application by the deadline set by the school does not mean that the school receives the application at the time of submission or even immediately after the passing of the deadline. PharmCAS sends applications to the school at their leisure. When I went to school, I knew some applicants who submitted everything on time but their application wasnt received by the school until THREE MONTHS after the deadline. Interviews were over but the school reopened them because PharmCAS is a terrible service which has only one priority - collecting your money.
 
Has anyone received their official acceptance letter in the mail yet?
I'm still waiting... I think it will feel more real when I have the official letter in my hands!
 
Hi everyone,
i was wondering how long it would take to get an interview invitation after they receive your supplementary application and fees.

Thank you.
 
Hi everyone!

I'm worried I won't finish the supplemental essays in time since I have yet to submit my PharmCAS to Maryland. :( Can anyone who has opened or completed the supplemental application post how many essays are required for the supplemental application? Thanks!!
 
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Hi everyone!

I'm worried I won't finish the supplemental essays in time since I have yet to submit my PharmCAS to Maryland. :( Can anyone who has opened or completed the supplemental application post how many essays are required for the supplemental application? Thanks!!


so if what i filled out was indeed the supplemental, there were no additional essays--- just checking boxes about why you're applying and any alumni associations so it only took a couple of minutes. i had to send my fee by mail, but thats the only thing that might take some time. my pharmcas just got sent out to schools, so i haven't heard anything back from maryland yet so if someone who has heard can confirm that there are no additional essays that'd be great!
 
Thanks for the reply, prepharm14! I was able to get in contact with someone I know in Maryland's PharmD program, and she said she didn't have any supplemental essays, either. Albeit three years ago, if you had a similar experience, then that's probably all there is. Thanks again!
 
so if what i filled out was indeed the supplemental, there were no additional essays--- just checking boxes about why you're applying and any alumni associations so it only took a couple of minutes. i had to send my fee by mail, but thats the only thing that might take some time. my pharmcas just got sent out to schools, so i haven't heard anything back from maryland yet so if someone who has heard can confirm that there are no additional essays that'd be great!

yeah I was worried that there was more to the application because some schools required additional essays. Def no complaints about that! :)
 
Has anyone who applied for regular admission received an interview date yet? if yes how long did it take from when they received your supplementary application and fees?

Thank you
 
Has anyone who applied for regular admission received an interview date yet? if yes how long did it take from when they received your supplementary application and fees?

Thank you

Maryland does not have rolling admissions. Therefore all the regular decision applications will be reviewed after the deadline has passed and the files are received from PharmCAS. In past years, this means applications will be reviewed some time in January for late January-February interviews.

So you unfortunately have a while to wait.
 
because I am an out-of-state student,
and since my gpa is not so much great + my PCAT english is terrible,
I don't know if I have any chance to get in to this school..
I really really really want to go to this school.
Do I have any chances here?

At the orientation I went to, the admissions member said that your PCAT composite should be 80% or above. She made it seem like a pretty strict requirement, and that the rest of your app would have to be outstanding for them to waive it. Do you have any good extracurriculars?
 
PCAT 80% is not a STRICT requirement. Maryland prides itself on looking at the applicant as a whole. You can boost your low PCAT with higher GPA or with other experiences (organizations, work).

Also, to clarify about the letter of recommendation from a pharmacist: you can get a letter of recommendation from a pharmacist your work with (has a professional relationship with) and not YOUR pharmacist who dispenses your medication.
 
Maryland prides itself in looking at the entire candidate, but that comes with the caveat that you demonstrate that you have a) recognized your weaknesses, poor decisions and b) made the mature decision to improve upon those weaknesses.

The most important thing for weaker applicants to show is personal growth and a pattern of improvement. If you did poorly in a class, what did you do to learn the material afterwards? Did you simply take your C in organic chemistry and never bother to improve your understanding of the material? Or did you take tutoring and make sure you got a 90th percentile on the chemistry section in the PCAT? Did you retake a class and earn a barely passing C? Or did you seek assistance from TAs and bring it up to a B or even an A? If your GPA is low at 2.7, what do your last three semesters look like? Much of the same or did you step up your game and the last three semesters are a 3.5? Maryland recognizes that people make mistakes or that they are imperfect in talents, but they also know that for you to succeed in a very tough and rigorous curriculum at their pharmacy school, you must be willing to never take a 99% if you know you could have earned a 100%.

A constant drive for self-development and continued growth is something which sets apart the great candidates from the average or poor ones. Admissions groups long ago recognized that the people who go above and beyond to develop their own skill set (or accomplish other tasks) are the people who will succeed in life regardless of entering or exiting GPA. If you would like a personal consultation on this, please message me and I will be happy to give you my feedback on what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong.
 
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Current students and those who applied to this school for early decision, what made you want to go to this school over other schools?
 
Current students and those who applied to this school for early decision, what made you want to go to this school over other schools?

I am not a student there, however lets just say I am familiar with the school and other schools of pharmacy.

Four reasons to attend Maryland: location, opportunities, faculty/curriculum, and the people.

Location: - University of Maryland in Baltimore gives you access to both University of Maryland hospital and Johns Hopkins hospital (both of which are truly first class teaching hospitals) and the VA to boot. So from a clinical perspective, you have a great number of opportunities. If you are interested in managed care, there are a number of managed care companies in the area as well as the center for medicare services (CMS). If you are interested in a career in top notch research, the NIH is just 45 mins down the road near DC. If you are interested in pharmaceutical companies, two big ones, Astra Zeneca and MedImmune are in Wilmington DE (1 hr) and Rockville MD (1 hr) away, respectively. If you are interested in goverment and advocacy, DC is a short hop away. If you are interested in regulatory agencies, all the consulting companies and of course the FDA are nearby. Other schools tout that their students go to all these places too... and this is true. But the difference is that other students go through the vetting process and compete against all the other students in the country to be at places like the FDA... whereas we have some UMB preceptors, or at least enough contacts to make things happen for you if you want. If you don't really know what you want to do, but know you want to discover something you are passionate about and then take every opportunity to pursue those passions, then UMB is the place for you.

Opportunities: there is a student org for everything, and if there isnt, make one and you can get some stipend from the school to attend relevant conferences. Four fraternities by which you can socially network nationally. Baltimore is a city in great need of medical assistance, so you can latch onto existing (or create your own) health outreach programs and get real meaningful experience. Academically, there are the dual degree programs which many schools do not and cannot offer, and being on a health campus means that you can take courses in the other schools at no extra charge. Lastly, being in a big urban city means that there are opportunities which exist in a city and no where else. For example, if you wanted to shadow a pharmacist at the HIV clinic associated with the university hospital, you could simply ask to do so as a pharmacy student and create your own impromptu rotation-type experience since most of the pharmacists who work there are teaching faculty anyways. You cant get those HIV clinics (or other similar things) outside of major cities.

Faculty & Instruction: while every school has its faculty who exist to do research and loathe the days they have to teach, the clinical faculty at Maryland is truly top notch. They are also getting younger and more educated professors who are very interested in research and having their pharmacy students get involved in their research. Most faculty have open door policies and equally important, many professors you can go grab a beer with... and often do. They see you as a student and a peer because in four short years you will be the latter. So by and large, the faculty respect the students, genuinely care about teaching, and want to hear your thoughts. Of course, if all you have to say is "that test blows" then they will shut their doors... and rightly they should.

The People: already covered having beer and singing kareoke with professors, but the student body is something else. Maryland is literally one big family. Everyone knows everyone else and we all take care of one another and help each other along. Those days of competing for that A are gone - there are no curves, and you are competing only against yourself, so everyone has an incentive to help each other.
 
I am not a student there, however lets just say I am familiar with the school and other schools of pharmacy.

Four reasons to attend Maryland: location, opportunities, faculty/curriculum, and the people.

Location: - University of Maryland in Baltimore gives you access to both University of Maryland hospital and Johns Hopkins hospital (both of which are truly first class teaching hospitals) and the VA to boot. So from a clinical perspective, you have a great number of opportunities. If you are interested in managed care, there are a number of managed care companies in the area as well as the center for medicare services (CMS). If you are interested in a career in top notch research, the NIH is just 45 mins down the road near DC. If you are interested in pharmaceutical companies, two big ones, Astra Zeneca and MedImmune are in Wilmington DE (1 hr) and Rockville MD (1 hr) away, respectively. If you are interested in goverment and advocacy, DC is a short hop away. If you are interested in regulatory agencies, all the consulting companies and of course the FDA are nearby. Other schools tout that their students go to all these places too... and this is true. But the difference is that other students go through the vetting process and compete against all the other students in the country to be at places like the FDA... whereas we have some UMB preceptors, or at least enough contacts to make things happen for you if you want. If you don't really know what you want to do, but know you want to discover something you are passionate about and then take every opportunity to pursue those passions, then UMB is the place for you.

Opportunities: there is a student org for everything, and if there isnt, make one and you can get some stipend from the school to attend relevant conferences. Four fraternities by which you can socially network nationally. Baltimore is a city in great need of medical assistance, so you can latch onto existing (or create your own) health outreach programs and get real meaningful experience. Academically, there are the dual degree programs which many schools do not and cannot offer, and being on a health campus means that you can take courses in the other schools at no extra charge. Lastly, being in a big urban city means that there are opportunities which exist in a city and no where else. For example, if you wanted to shadow a pharmacist at the HIV clinic associated with the university hospital, you could simply ask to do so as a pharmacy student and create your own impromptu rotation-type experience since most of the pharmacists who work there are teaching faculty anyways. You cant get those HIV clinics (or other similar things) outside of major cities.

Faculty & Instruction: while every school has its faculty who exist to do research and loathe the days they have to teach, the clinical faculty at Maryland is truly top notch. They are also getting younger and more educated professors who are very interested in research and having their pharmacy students get involved in their research. Most faculty have open door policies and equally important, many professors you can go grab a beer with... and often do. They see you as a student and a peer because in four short years you will be the latter. So by and large, the faculty respect the students, genuinely care about teaching, and want to hear your thoughts. Of course, if all you have to say is "that test blows" then they will shut their doors... and rightly they should.

The People: already covered having beer and singing kareoke with professors, but the student body is something else. Maryland is literally one big family. Everyone knows everyone else and we all take care of one another and help each other along. Those days of competing for that A are gone - there are no curves, and you are competing only against yourself, so everyone has an incentive to help each other.



Thank you for your very informative post into University of Maryland. Makes me want to go there even more.
 
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