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USC relies more on its reputation than its actual educational qualities. Ask any current student, they'll all tell you that the faculty have no idea what they're doing with the infrastructure
USC Pharmacy Class of 2019
- Thread starter nuikm3603
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Then why are you posting in a forum specifically regarding the 2019 class for USC pharmacy? Seems like a complete waste of time for someone as wise and responsible as you claim to be.
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I only clicked the thread because I saw BMBiology's name come up, and that person always says something to stoke the fire.
What I'm doing on SDN is just waiting for updates from UCSF, and I'm at work, so it's not really ruining my life to make a few posts
UCSF's tuition is $36000 a year, and the cost of living in San Francisco is much higher than Los Angeles (especially near USC). If you were like me, you would know how financially unwise it is to attend UCSF for pharmacy school. Not only is the field super saturated, you're going to be more than a quarter MILLION in loans. If you stay in California, don't forget our crazy taxes which will bring your six figure salary down to around 70K. Don't forget interest. And that thing you called your personal life? Forget about it. You'll be spending your late twenties and thirties paying off your loans. You could've gotten a PharmD at any other school for a fraction of the price. So forgive me for my over generalization. Either your family has money or you're just bad at making critical life decisions and you'll stay poor.
Amen. I thought this was a USC Class of 2019 thread, not a bashing thread. Maybe that's the reason why this troll is banned.
On the other hand, congrats to all that was accepted and good luck to those on Saturday!
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UCSF is a state school and they offer better financial aid in terms of grants and scholarships available. USC won't be giving a lot of grants to ya. SF has a high cost of living, but any grown up who knows how to budget will have money saved for that. Living costs are the biggest thing, and at least they can be offset with smart planning, leaving the tuition which is much cheaper than USC's tuition. USC's tuition is pretty absurdly high.
GL
Not saying I'm gonna get in though, hopefully I do
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This comment is absurd. You are somehow trying to tell me that a dollar spent on cost of living doesn't equal a dollar spent on tuition. If any grown up who knows how to budget will have money saved for cost of living, then that same grown up will have money saved for tuition. Money is money, regardless of where it goes to. The money you save from cost of living at USC can go towards tuition, just like the money you save from tuition at UCSF can go towards the high cost of living. The difference in debt after four years will be negligible in the long run between the two schools. Also you didn't address the other points, like 1) If you stay in California, don't forget our crazy taxes which will bring your six figure salary down to around 70K 2) You could've gotten a PharmD at any other school for a fraction of the price.
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You're right, any grown up should have money saved for tuition too, but most applicants are coming straight from undergrad, where they'll have undergrad loans to deal with too. It's true, money saved on cost of living will go to tuition, but the difference between SC and UCSF tuition is 12K, which is a LOT of money. Over 4 years, thats almost 50k. 50k is only "negligible" for rich people or people who have NEVER had to struggle for money.
It's perfectly fine to say that you've lived a pretty chill life where finance was never an issue. But I think for many of us, that's just not true.
More unfounded generalizations.
You conveniently left out the part about cost of living. The cost of living at UCSF could easily be an extra $400/month in San Francisco. 400/month*12 months*4 years=$20,000. That almost cuts the difference in half. This is all relative. Coming out of UCSF, you will have over $144,000 in loans just for tuition. USC would be $192,000. Add in cost of living, you're looking at about a $28,000 difference. Yes, $28,000 is a lot of money, but $164,000 (UCSF tuition plus additional cost of living to USC) is a lot more money. This is what I mean by negligible. Either school you attend, you will have an incredibly large amount of loans. You seem to think that this is only the case for USC students. It's not.
And you still failed to address the two points that you initially brought up in regards to USC, but could just as easily be applied to UCSF (California taxes, and cheaper options available). It seems like you are against USC and there's nothing anyone can say to change that.
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You don't have to live in SF for 48 months. Most UCSF students do their rotations out of SF in their 4th year right? So if you go home, you don't pay for housing. Additionally, if you have a lot of roommates, you'll definitely reduce the amount you spend for rent. And you're not in school for the whole year. You can sublet for the summer periods. It's still a lot cheaper.
I'm definitely against SC. Also with your two points thing, I'm not sure I get what you mean. SF is pretty reasonably priced for a California school, which is where I intend on practicing. The point is, USC is extremely unaffordable for normal lower class and middle class people. I don't think there's any argument against that.
Also again, not all of the FinAid UCSF is in loan form. Public schools usually have better financial aid than private schools. So that 144K you're talking about could easily be 100k. At least that's what they said at the interview.
As you said, you're not gonna convince me that SC is a good life choice for non affluent people. I hope if you've been accepted and you submitted a deposit, you take your finances and future more seriously. Congrats if you got in, otherwise GL if you're waiting.
I'm definitely against SC. Also with your two points thing, I'm not sure I get what you mean. SF is pretty reasonably priced for a California school, which is where I intend on practicing. The point is, USC is extremely unaffordable for normal lower class and middle class people. I don't think there's any argument against that.
Also again, not all of the FinAid UCSF is in loan form. Public schools usually have better financial aid than private schools. So that 144K you're talking about could easily be 100k. At least that's what they said at the interview.
As you said, you're not gonna convince me that SC is a good life choice for non affluent people. I hope if you've been accepted and you submitted a deposit, you take your finances and future more seriously. Congrats if you got in, otherwise GL if you're waiting.
"You don't have to live in SF for 48 months. Most UCSF students do their rotations out of SF in their 4th year right? So if you go home, you don't pay for housing. Additionally, if you have a lot of roommates, you'll definitely reduce the amount you spend for rent. And you're not in school for the whole year. You can sublet for the summer periods."
All can be said for USC.
"Also again, not all of the FinAid UCSF is in loan form. Public schools usually have better financial aid than private schools. So that 144K you're talking about could easily be 100k. At least that's what they said at the interview."
This is graduate school. You rarely get grants for graduate school, and if you do, it's not going add up to $44,000.
"As you said, you're not gonna convince me that SC is a good life choice for non affluent people. I hope if you've been accepted and you submitted a deposit, you take your finances and future more seriously."
Are you serious? You continue to ignore the fact that if you go to UCSF, you will be paying over $50,000/year (tuition+cost of living). Your only response to this is that you may get some grant money. Your opinion seems to be that $50,000/year is very doable, but $57,000/year (USC) is a terrible option and one that would only be made by financially irresponsible people.
Are you missing the hypocrisy littered through your posts?
I was put on active consideration for USC, and as you are, I am awaiting the decision for UCSF. Thank you for your well wishes, and I wish you the same. But please stop generalizing and acting like UCSF is incredibly cheap. Nearly $200,000 of loans will result from either USC or UCSF.
Hopefully UCSF decisions come out soon!
All can be said for USC.
"Also again, not all of the FinAid UCSF is in loan form. Public schools usually have better financial aid than private schools. So that 144K you're talking about could easily be 100k. At least that's what they said at the interview."
This is graduate school. You rarely get grants for graduate school, and if you do, it's not going add up to $44,000.
"As you said, you're not gonna convince me that SC is a good life choice for non affluent people. I hope if you've been accepted and you submitted a deposit, you take your finances and future more seriously."
Are you serious? You continue to ignore the fact that if you go to UCSF, you will be paying over $50,000/year (tuition+cost of living). Your only response to this is that you may get some grant money. Your opinion seems to be that $50,000/year is very doable, but $57,000/year (USC) is a terrible option and one that would only be made by financially irresponsible people.
Are you missing the hypocrisy littered through your posts?
I was put on active consideration for USC, and as you are, I am awaiting the decision for UCSF. Thank you for your well wishes, and I wish you the same. But please stop generalizing and acting like UCSF is incredibly cheap. Nearly $200,000 of loans will result from either USC or UCSF.
Hopefully UCSF decisions come out soon!
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Did you not read where I said most people don't do their rotations at SF? That saves you a tremendous amount of money depending on where you rotate. If your home is in LA and you stay in LA to rotate while attending USC, you STILL have to pay the tuition price. 12k is a significant amount of money.
The bottom line is that UCSF's tuition is much less than USC's and that's a fixed cost. Living expenses are not.
Let's do the math:
UCSF Tuition = 36,071
For 4 years, that's ~ 144,248.
This INCLUDES health insurance.
Let's assume a 2% origination fee on 140,000.00 in loans because why not? It'll give us a ball park.
Loan Origination Fees: $2800
So that's like 142,800.00 for loans for tuition alone.
USC Tuition = 48,876
+ "Mandatory Fees" = 2974, calculated with this site https://pharmacyschool.usc.edu/programs/pharmd/pharmdprogram/cost/
I subtracted the computer cost from the total cuz most of us will have laptops already.
For 4 years, that's ~ 207400.
Assuming 2% Origination, Origination Fees ~ 4000
211000.00 is what you're looking at for loans for tuition alone.
211000.00 - 142800.00 = 68200
That's higher than I even projected. I hope for both our sakes, we get in to UCSF.
Everything you just stated has already been said. Yes the difference is $68,000. Again, this is without cost of living. You love to not include that.
"The bottom line is that UCSF's tuition is much less than USC's and that's a fixed cost. Living expenses are not."
This isn't true. Rent and utilities are a fixed cost. Rent and utilities in SF can easily be double LA in the area of USC.
I think you fail to see the point I'm trying to make. You have been on this mission to tear down USC because of their high tuition costs. UCSF also has high tuition costs. Your loans after UCSF will also be high. You have failed to accept this.
Why doesn't $142,800 in loans scare you away just as much as $211,000? Like I said, UCSF also has high tuition costs. Your loans after UCSF will also be high.
You said it yourself in your very first post against USC...and you have been contradicting yourself ever since because it all can be applied to UCSF.
"Not only is the field super saturated, you're going to be more than a quarter MILLION in loans (maybe a little less for UCSF, but everything can still apply to UCSF).
If you stay in California, don't forget our crazy taxes which will bring your six figure salary down to around 70K. Don't forget interest.
And that thing you called your personal life? Forget about it. You'll be spending your late twenties and thirties paying off your loans. You could've gotten a PharmD at any other school for a fraction of the price.
So forgive me for my over generalization. Either your family has money or you're just bad at making critical life decisions and you'll stay poor."
Why don't you realize that this can all be said for UCSF? That's what I've been saying this entire time.
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$142,800 is a lot, but $211,000 is WAY more. It's like I'm taking crazy pills or something
As I said earlier, if money doesn't matter to you and your family, then it's not a big deal.
But to everyone else, it kind of matters
I agree with you though when you say rent is much more expensive in SF, but you can get liveable conditions at about 700 if you share a room with someone.
For 700, you could get your own room in Alhambra or somewhere near the USC health sciences campus. If you shared a room, you could go down to 350.
AND YOU WOULD STILL PAY MORE THAN AT UCSF IN TOTAL!
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It's almost like you don't read what I say.
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yo, imma let you finish, but you post the most insensitive and idiotic responses OF ALL TIME.
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I don't read bull**** so you might be right.
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LOL @ All the hate on the tuition and fees. You guys are obviously not financially savvy if you think you can't pay off that much money with a pharmacist's salary.
Anyways I want to apply this year for next year and I was wondering if you guys could let me know my chances
GPA : 3.2 @ UCI
PCAT? : 87
2 Years research (Computational analysis / Learned Python)
2 Years volunteer work as pharm tech @ independent hospital
idk what else they want. I declined my acceptance at Roseman to take a year off and handle some ****, so I'm planning on applying to USC and Chapman this year too
Anyways I want to apply this year for next year and I was wondering if you guys could let me know my chances
GPA : 3.2 @ UCI
PCAT? : 87
2 Years research (Computational analysis / Learned Python)
2 Years volunteer work as pharm tech @ independent hospital
idk what else they want. I declined my acceptance at Roseman to take a year off and handle some ****, so I'm planning on applying to USC and Chapman this year too
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^ says the guy with a 3.2 GPA.
Just google "take home calculator". If you make $120 k a year, you are going to take home (after taxes) just $2800 every 2 weeks or about $73 k per year. Just to make it simple, I am not including money for 401 k, health insurance.
So if you borrowed $300 k with 7% interest rate, that is $21 k in interest! You are not even touching the principle.
Have some financial common sense. Wake up and smell the Vicodin.
Just google "take home calculator". If you make $120 k a year, you are going to take home (after taxes) just $2800 every 2 weeks or about $73 k per year. Just to make it simple, I am not including money for 401 k, health insurance.
So if you borrowed $300 k with 7% interest rate, that is $21 k in interest! You are not even touching the principle.
Have some financial common sense. Wake up and smell the Vicodin.
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California doesn't accept the PCAT and you just need to have a cosigner at the bank.
Hi Mr. BMBiology! I was wanting to know how did you study for the pharmacy courses? Do you have any tips? What was the hardest thing for you when you first started and how did you overcome it? What did you like most about pharmacy school? Thank you for your help!
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Congrats- if you decide to join the Trojan family- Welcome! If not best of luck!
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Just had my March interview this past Saturday... I guess we're kind of lucky because we're the last batch and we don't have to wait as long as others from previous interviews. But the suspense is still killing me! ><
Does anyone know how many seats are left at this point???
Does having the last interview mean that you have the lowest chances of getting in? (Since the people with highest GPA's go first...?)
Does anyone know how many seats are left at this point???
Does having the last interview mean that you have the lowest chances of getting in? (Since the people with highest GPA's go first...?)
I submitted my deposit and its official! Hope you get in also!
Just had my March interview this past Saturday... I guess we're kind of lucky because we're the last batch and we don't have to wait as long as others from previous interviews. But the suspense is still killing me! ><
Does anyone know how many seats are left at this point???
Does having the last interview mean that you have the lowest chances of getting in? (Since the people with highest GPA's go first...?)
1. At this point I have no idea how many seats are left but I'm sure now people are going to recieve rejection letters pretty soon. Since it's the last batch of interviews, there isn't anymore need for active consideration I believe. I'm sure there are a lot more seats left or they are pre-occupied since decisions from UCSF aren't out yet. Once April 1st comes around, all the USC Seats should start filling up.
2. From what I've heard, the last interview is going to be the most competitive. However, it's tough to assume that all people that have recently got in have "high GPAs". For example, me. I got in with an average GPA but I'm sure my extra-curriculars factored in on the decision. I was on AC before also! If it's not too late, try to send thank-you emails.
Good luck and stay busy to keep your mind off of it !
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Just had my March interview this past Saturday... I guess we're kind of lucky because we're the last batch and we don't have to wait as long as others from previous interviews. But the suspense is still killing me! ><
Does anyone know how many seats are left at this point???
Does having the last interview mean that you have the lowest chances of getting in? (Since the people with highest GPA's go first...?)
I also interviewed last Saturday. I heard USC had accepted a good amount of applicants already. But like jcambay said, a good chunk of people I met there are waiting on SF's decisions. And I know a few who got accepted into USC but are waiting on SF so we'll know around April. Just keep yourself occupied till then!
Best of luck to us both!
I'll post my stats when I get home! But yeah I too am waiting for SFs decision. I just want to see if I got accepted. It just makes more sense for me to stay in SoCal and attend USC. I've been wanting to go there since sophomore year. Stay patient
Overall GPA : 3.383
Science GPA: 3.263
Physical Science GPA: 3.550
Bachelors in Pharmaceutical Sciences
I had an upward trend throughout my four years of undergrad. It was a very difficult transition for me but I think it played in my favor that I didn't give up.
Volunteered over 200 hours at an independent pharmacy then hired as their clerk and worked until I graduated from college
Volunteered and current volunteer 150+ hours at outpatient pharmacy at a well-known children's hospital
Pharmacy technician at Target for over a year now.
Co-coordinator for a freshman mentorship program for my major
Part of co-founding pre-health professional fraternity and philantropy chairman
Research for a year and completed the UROP program
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How did your interview go? I also have an average GPA but not as much pharmacy extracurriculars because I didn't decide to pursue pharmacy until my fourth year of undergrad (I'm still taking prerequisites but I have my BS in biochem). I do have other extracurriculars and both my interviewers seem to really like me. I'm just scared that admissions is going to be super selective with the last interview group. And me pursuing the pharmacy field late might not be in my favor. :/
My interview I thought went pretty well. I had Dr. O'Callahan and she was super engaged in the conversation. I knew I messed up on the essay which was pretty difficult for me. Writing has always been my weak point. But yeah other than that, I thought it went well. I ended up emailing my interviewer and the professor that sat with us at the table. I'm sure that now UCSF decisions are out... Seats are starting to free themselves! Don't worry. Just be patient
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No. I interviewed on the 14th and I haven't heard back either. According to the official website, "All applicants will be notified by mail or email approximately four weeks after the interview date. Status updates will be mailed to you about four weeks after each interview session or as soon as decisions are made. The School does not release status information over the telephone." This means we should hear back either late next week or a couple days after that.
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I haven't heard anything either. But since our interview was the last and largest group, it might take them a while. Especially since UCSF and UCSD decisions are all out. I wouldn't expect to hear from them until next Monday or later.
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I just got accepted from the March 14 interview today! I'm so happy and so excited! Good luck everyone!
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CONGRATS!
Did you get an email? What was the time stamp?
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Me too! Congrats! Time stamp 3:53PM
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Thank you! Congrats to Roaringlions too! I received an email time stamped at 3:53PM
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AC today time stamped 10:26am.
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AC today time stamped 10:26am.
same
What does this mean? Have they sent out all their acceptances already? Is there an official wait list? The wait is aggggonizingggg!
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For those who have been accepted, is there a deadline to send in grades for the academic update?
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I'm not sure what academic update you are referring to? Are you talking about the PharmCAS one for Fall Quarter and/or Semester grades? I thought the Academic Update window to submit to PharmCAS was from December 15 to February 16.
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As all of you are making your decision on what school to attend, I'd figured i chime in as a P2 aka second year at USC School of Pharmacy. Probably my biggest regret is choosing this school over UCSD and UOP when i applied 2 years ago.
The negatives of the school are well documented. You can read on and on on this forum
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/usc-pharmacy-school-–-the-truth-no-one-will-tell-you-about.1052814/
The administration is still very unorganized. As you probably know they take forever in the admission process. They finally decided to change the interview process and include food, tour, and Q&A. Before it was just interview and essay and you're out in less than 2 hours lol The first year course biosystems from what I heard from class of 2018 is still a mess despite Kathy Besinque not being in charge of it. There are people barely starting their internships in their second year because they are so hard to find in SoCal. The oversaturation of pharmacists is real. I know many of class of 2015 dont even know if they'll have jobs and many are going to be floaters. $250,000-$300,000 in debt when you factor in interest, how long before they pay off those loans? Rotations are being cut and residency match rates are still very low.
I made this post just for fyi purposes and hope all you P1's this fall make a well informed decision on what school to attend because you're going to be there for the next 4 years. and whichever school you choose to attend, you're going to carry on for the rest of life with the loans you're going to take out etc. USC is the most expensive school in the whole US and with the pharmacy profession the way it is right now, unless you're rich, factoring in the cost differences between each school is a must.
AT, I know you're active on the forum here. I'd figured i give my 2 cents
The negatives of the school are well documented. You can read on and on on this forum
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/usc-pharmacy-school-–-the-truth-no-one-will-tell-you-about.1052814/
The administration is still very unorganized. As you probably know they take forever in the admission process. They finally decided to change the interview process and include food, tour, and Q&A. Before it was just interview and essay and you're out in less than 2 hours lol The first year course biosystems from what I heard from class of 2018 is still a mess despite Kathy Besinque not being in charge of it. There are people barely starting their internships in their second year because they are so hard to find in SoCal. The oversaturation of pharmacists is real. I know many of class of 2015 dont even know if they'll have jobs and many are going to be floaters. $250,000-$300,000 in debt when you factor in interest, how long before they pay off those loans? Rotations are being cut and residency match rates are still very low.
I made this post just for fyi purposes and hope all you P1's this fall make a well informed decision on what school to attend because you're going to be there for the next 4 years. and whichever school you choose to attend, you're going to carry on for the rest of life with the loans you're going to take out etc. USC is the most expensive school in the whole US and with the pharmacy profession the way it is right now, unless you're rich, factoring in the cost differences between each school is a must.
AT, I know you're active on the forum here. I'd figured i give my 2 cents
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PharmCAS has an additional academic update I believe from April 15 to June 26 for spring courses. And you send USC your official transcripts after June 26th. At least, that was what they told me in my email.
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Oh I see! The PharmCAS website says, "You can update your Spring & Summer 2015 courses online during the PharmCAS Spring Academic Update window. The Spring Academic Update window will open on April 15 , 2015, following the completion of the spring 2015 term, and close on June 26, 2015. Arrange for your official Spring 2015 and Summer 2015 transcripts to be sent DIRECTLY TO THE PHARMACY DEGREE PROGRAM(S) you have been accepted to AS SOON AS THEY ARE AVAILABLE."
Sorry for the confusion! I think it's because I have already received my degree and finished all my prerequisites, so my email from USC said, "Thank you for submitting final transcripts which show the completion of all required pre-pharmacy coursework and degree conferral" (which actually confused me because I haven't actually sent any transcripts directly to USC).
