who got into pharmacy with low GPA?

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oddiess

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Wow you have a good pcat..but as far as applying, I think most schools require a minimum of 2.75 or maybe 2.5...I'm not sure if there are any schools with a minimum gpa requirement of 2.0

You'll have to research.:luck:
 
Your PCAT is great. However, you definitely need to retake some classes and try and get your GPA up to a 3.0. You'd be pretty competitive with a 3.0 and a 94 PCAT in my opinion. Good luck
 
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oddiess said:
Hi,
I am applying for this fall and I have a composite of 94%, not a lot of pharmacy experience either. I dont think I have a very good chance because my GPA is very low. (2.1 right now, I have my reasons but still)
Anyone who got into Pharmacy schools with low GPA? should I still bother with applying? I guess I just want to see if i have any hope.
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How can you get 94% with 2.1 Gpa??? That is weird. I have studied a lot for the Pcat, but I only got around 81%.
 
I've never heard of any pharmacy school having a minimum GPA of anything less than a 2.5. I wouldn't apply if I were you as your app will most likely just get thrown out as soon as they see your GPA. Get more pharmacy experience and bring your GPA up. Sorry :(
 
I think you should definitely apply with a PCAT that high. When they see how well you have done on the PCAT they are willing to negotiate the GPA for sure. You have already proven yourself by your PCAT score. Not too many high GPA people can get a PCAT that high so this means you have understood the material for prerquisite classes that they require for getting into Pharmacy school.

By the way, can I please ask what you studied and how you managed to get a score like that? Any tips will help. I am about to take the PCAT in 5 days and I am freaking out !!!!!:scared:

Thanks and Good Luck !!!
 
I agree with the other posters that you need to get your GPA up. There are just too many applicants with better stats for you to have a chance right now. Sounds like you can do it though!
 
Sorry, I don't think you have a chance. 94% is good, but lots of people applying are going to have PCATs of 75+ and GPAs of 3.5+. A GPA that low can not be cancelled out by one test - even if you are smart enough for pharmacy school, you have to show good work ethic. However, you may have circumstances we don't know about - your grades are low because you were raising your orphan sister, you have a letter of recommendation from some bigshot, you've worked in a variety of pharmacy-related fields. Unless the rest of your application is totally and completely oustanding, I wouldn't apply.
 
i am retaking 90% of my prereqs and i am getting a dean to write me a reference letter. shes the one that helped me during those tough times. i did so bad in school because i was in a really bad emotional state, but i have recovered...
i dont know, already applying though cuz i already turned in my pharmCAS. Since i already invested several hundred already, i think i am going to just go through with it. if i dont get in, i will just work for 1 year hopefully in a pharmacy... sigh...
 
exactly, that is what i was gonna say. I think you should still apply, just dont apply to those schools that require 150.0 or 200.00 for the supp app fee. I would stick with your local public schools and a few private schools out of state.

Make sure you research thier acceptance rejection rates too. and maybe even call the school and ask them? :oops:
 
1908PharmD said:
exactly, that is what i was gonna say. I think you should still apply, just dont apply to those schools that require 150.0 or 200.00 for the supp app fee. I would stick with your local public schools and a few private schools out of state.

Make sure you research thier acceptance rejection rates too. and maybe even call the school and ask them? :oops:
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Where can you research this?
 
Can anyone sugest how to pull that 90% between now and summer next yr?. i kn of taking higher sci. classes that kaplan course didn't really help me at all.
 
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Wow.........your PCAT is awesome..........What did you use to study and what was your study plan???????? please let us know..............

As for your GPA, you definetely need to bring it up............Try retaking some of the courses...........

Maybe you could retake at a Community College......the courses there are far easier..
 
oddiess said:
Hi,
I am applying for this fall and I have a composite of 94%, not a lot of pharmacy experience either. I dont think I have a very good chance because my GPA is very low. (2.1 right now, I have my reasons but still)
Anyone who got into Pharmacy schools with low GPA? should I still bother with applying? I guess I just want to see if i have any hope.
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I'm in a similar situation my man. I was 95 percentile PCAT, and my GPA is between 2.7 and 3. I'm not sure what it is exactly. I'm scared to waste my money applying, but I really don't want to spend another year trying to get my grades higher, and even if I do, there's no guarantee I'll be able to do it.
 
GPA isn't everything. I just wanted to chime in and say that I have under a 3.0 and got into pharmacy school this year. Look for my other posts and it tells you my whole story. I even got a 99 on my PCAT but the school that I got into doesn't even look at PCAT and my scores were not out before they accepted me. Low GPA does mean you have to work harder but it's possible, I'm living proof.:D
 
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2.1 overall GPA? OUCH. No offense but I don't think you will have much of a chance with those stats. The 2.1 pretty much disqualifies you from most schools, since most have a minimum of 2.5 overall GPA. However, with this being said it is possible! How many credit hours do you have? If you do not have that many it will not be hard to raise that above a 2.5. But if you have over 70 or so credit hours it will be significantly harder to pull it up but it can be done.

With a 94% composite on the PCAT and a 2.6-9ish overall GPA you stand a good chance! You cannot give up and it is really important that you do not make anything but A's from here on out; a feat much easier said than done. Good luck and hang in there! :luck: (Your going to need a little luck too)
 
Late post, sorry. I have a 2.668 GPA now going into my 4th year in college and is there any hope that I can get into a pharmacy school?!
 
What country are you guys talking about where you stand a good chance of getting in with less than a 3.0 gpa? I'm an undergrad at University of Texas, and their stats show that in 2007, they accepted 141 out of 539 applicants. The average GPA was 3.6 +- 0.03SD and 81% PCAT composite. Out of the 141, 38 had degrees.
 
For those with low GPA's: What folks are telling you is true, the low GPA's are really going to hinder you, but what are your circumstances? For instance, I am currently in Pharmacy school and I was accepted with a cumulative GPA below 2.5. I was 90+ on PCAT, and my MOST RECENT schooling was in the 3.5 GPA area. Why? Several years ago I enrolled in school and never attended, and didn't bother dropping classes. I have more than one straight-F semester because of that. But in the interceeding years, I straightened myself out, applied myself, returned to school, and did wonderfully. Even with my good current grades my previous record held my grades down (I returned to school for pre-pharm with a 0.61 GPA!)

How did I overcome the "cumulative" problem? Like the others said, I showed a good work ethic with the current trend of good grades. I smoked the PCAT. I EXPLAINED MY SITUATION IN MY PERSONAL STATEMENT. For schools that are actually looking for good people to make good pharmacists (not good grades to push through for tuition money) this is important.

My GPA was below my school's "acceptance level", but because of what I did above, they made an exception. Or "acception" if you will. ;)

To contrast lmaon's post, my class stats are average GPA 3.65, average PCAT 92, and 51% have degrees (I do not). Out of 535 applicants, they interviewed 70-something, and accepted 55.
 
I know some school's minimum is at least a 2.5. My school requires a 3.0 to apply. Your high PCAT scores will allow you some leeway with your GPA but not anything lower than the minimum requirement. I think that a low GPA shows that you lack the discipline to make the grade even though you are very intelligent. Pharmacy schools requires a lot of discipline and dedication due to its heavy school load, so they might not admit you due to that reason. However, like the above post, they do make exceptions if you can explain your circumstances, but it has to be a really really good excuse! Good luck!

Our class profile was: ~1000 applicants, 258 interviewed, 119 accepted, GPA 3.4-3.8 (sciences and math), PCAT comp 360-434, 52% have degrees
 
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Hey guys....I am on the same boat. I have a GPA of 2.4:oops: with low science GPA. I already have my degree and been working. I want to go back to school and do pharmacy. I am planning on taking all my pre-reqs again at a local community college about 41 credits....with a high PCAT and recommendations from the new mentors and higher GPA at a community college stand me any chance to go to pharmacy school...I have been looking at touro college of pharmacy and some other schools..Should I bother taking 41 credits or just give up.:confused:
 
~2.7 GPA, 93rd percentile PCAT

3 years cert. pharm tech at Walgreen's, pharmacy volunteer at hospital
excellent LoRs, and definitely prepared very well for the interview
starting my second year of pharm school :)

Don't expect to get into UTA, but do know anything is possible if you have truly put in the work for it. Apply to multiple schools, get solid LoRs from people you have truly made an impact on and who have a great professional or academic standing in the field, and be prepared to explain the reasons for your poor GPA and why you are still an excellent candidate to stick out pharm school for the next 4 years (whoo run-on!).
 
im having trouble trying to decide if i should apply to pharmacy school for fall of 2011....i scored really low like below a 50% on the pcat and i know it was only nerves because my gpa is like 3.8....any suggestions...
 
Does having too many W's on your transcript hinder your chance of getting in? Say I have a decent GPA but have a lot of W's on my transcript:idea:.....
 
Trop123 said:
Does having too many W's on your transcript hinder your chance of getting in? Say I have a decent GPA but have a lot of W's on my transcript:idea:.....
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It depends on the reasons, clearly. Otherwise, one could assume that those Ws are from quitting to avoid GPA damaging marks. And that is a hindrance.
 
TEENY22 said:
im having trouble trying to decide if i should apply to pharmacy school for fall of 2011....i scored really low like below a 50% on the pcat and i know it was only nerves because my gpa is like 3.8....any suggestions...
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I think if you've read the title of this thread, you'd realize you are in the wrong place with a 3.8 GPA.
 
I've been searching the web trying to find some hope that I have a small chance of actually making it into pharmacy school...... Currently my GPA is only 2.3 because when I first started college 7 years ago I had no idea what I wanted to do and didn't make very good grades. Since then I have been trying drastically to bring up my grades but working at a pharmacy 40 hrs. a week for the past 5 yrs. has kept my grades mostly at B's. I have started repeating some of the pre-req's for pharmacy trying to bring up my grades but it doesn't seem to help much. Do you think that I should just start taking more chemistry or math courses that are not required to help bring up my GPA or would most schools even look at them if they're not pre-reqs?:confused:
 
greenwheel8 said:
I've been searching the web trying to find some hope that I have a small chance of actually making it into pharmacy school...... Currently my GPA is only 2.3 because when I first started college 7 years ago I had no idea what I wanted to do and didn't make very good grades. Since then I have been trying drastically to bring up my grades but working at a pharmacy 40 hrs. a week for the past 5 yrs. has kept my grades mostly at B's. I have started repeating some of the pre-req's for pharmacy trying to bring up my grades but it doesn't seem to help much. Do you think that I should just start taking more chemistry or math courses that are not required to help bring up my GPA or would most schools even look at them if they're not pre-reqs?:confused:
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yes, take more classes than just the prereqs. if you look through one of my old posts, i had a similar situation. i have been accepted into 4 pharmacy schools so far so you can do it if you really wanted to. if you have more specific questions you can always pm me! good luck.
 
Hi, I'm new to this forum. I'm in the same boat. I'm wondering if I should continue with Pharm or just give up. Here are my stats:

I have an undergrad degree in biology with a 2.71 cumm GPA. After my degree, I took the rest of the pre pharm prerequisites at a local JC. My overall GPA is now 2.92 and my science/math GPA is 2.83 :( What are my chances of getting in?

I should mention, I have over 100 non-pharm related volunteer hours. I am active in my community, run marathons, and have 3+ years working in a lab. I have 2 years working as a lab assistant and 1 year working as a research assistant. What are my chances??
 
saraL said:
Hi, I'm new to this forum. I'm in the same boat. I'm wondering if I should continue with Pharm or just give up. Here are my stats:

I have an undergrad degree in biology with a 2.71 cumm GPA. After my degree, I took the rest of the pre pharm prerequisites at a local JC. My overall GPA is now 2.92 and my science/math GPA is 2.83 :( What are my chances of getting in?

I should mention, I have over 100 non-pharm related volunteer hours. I am active in my community, run marathons, and have 3+ years working in a lab. I have 2 years working as a lab assistant and 1 year working as a research assistant. What are my chances??
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What is your PCAT score?
 
what IS considered a "Low GPA" anywho?

i've seen people bemoan a 3.7 GPA as "low". i think if a person has valid reasons for "weak" aspects of the application you should be able to be a competitive candidate. heck, I know someone who got into UCSF Med School with a GPA around 2.8 but made up for it strong leadership experiences and explaining that he help fund his own undergrad education by working full time WHILE being a full time student.
 
Hi johnnytinx,

I have not taken the PCAT yet. I'm just wondering with my GPA if it's even worth trying?? It's either Pharm or physical therapy. I have observation hours in PT and a few in Pharm.
 
I started school with a 3.2 gpa, then had straight ~2.0 semesters for a year and a half. I was a ******* when it came to taking responsibility and studying. However, I turned that around, got my BA with a gpa of a 3.08! Now, in pre-pharm and my 6th year of college, it's almost getting to the fun stuff lol. Just stick with it. A gpa is just a gpa, and a PCAT score is just that as well.
 
Benelli said:
I started school with a 3.2 gpa, then had straight ~2.0 semesters for a year and a half. I was a ******* when it came to taking responsibility and studying. However, I turned that around, got my BA with a gpa of a 3.08! Now, in pre-pharm and my 6th year of college, it's almost getting to the fun stuff lol. Just stick with it. A gpa is just a gpa, and a PCAT score is just that as well.
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I was recently accepted to UoP Pharmacy school with a pretty moderate 3.2cGPA and 3.3sGPA and no BS. However what did make me stand out were that I paid my own way through school without any financial aid, and worked full time and sometimes 2 jobs while finishing my prereqs for pharmacy school. I didn't get much sleep back then. I applied several years ago, but didn't even get an interview. Somewhere between then and now, I started a family, and got a promotion from my pharmacy tech job to become a corporate auditor.

I was responsible for a lot of things, and I had job security because I was saving a large measurable amount of money from fending off insurance company audits. I did really well in my job, and it also included training and presentations at our corporate meetings in front of 115 pharmacists. I'm just a regular guy with a passion for the profession. Myself and my one other colleague have become the authorities on Pharmacy Law in the community pharmacy setting because of the amount of time we have spent researching and delegating with PBMs.

I could be making half as much as a pharmacist and still be 100 percent okay with that. The best thing you can do is carve a niche or just work on improving yourself in a meaningful way. I'm 30, and I have a wife and son, so I'm not your typical pharmacy student.... but that's what makes me unique, is that through it all, I ended up actively pursuing the career even though it wasn't through academics.

Set yourself apart from the average student. Your GPA is somewhat important, but show that you are a well rounded and determined individual. Jobs are hard to come by in pharmacy, but if you can get your foot in the door of a retail chain or volunteer at a hospital setting, take the chance and try your best to show the schools that you are absolutely passionate about being a pharmacist.
 
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5minutes said:
How can you get 94% with 2.1 Gpa??? That is weird. I have studied a lot for the Pcat, but I only got around 81%.
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Wow, that's amazing. Are you a wizard?
 
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2012PharmDmiss said:
I know some school's minimum is at least a 2.5. My school requires a 3.0 to apply. Your high PCAT scores will allow you some leeway with your GPA but not anything lower than the minimum requirement. I think that a low GPA shows that you lack the discipline to make the grade even though you are very intelligent. Pharmacy schools requires a lot of discipline and dedication due to its heavy school load, so they might not admit you due to that reason. However, like the above post, they do make exceptions if you can explain your circumstances, but it has to be a really really good excuse! Good luck!

Our class profile was: ~1000 applicants, 258 interviewed, 119 accepted, GPA 3.4-3.8 (sciences and math), PCAT comp 360-434, 52% have degrees
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let's just say that UB isn't the place for everyone. 3.4-3.8 GPA is nearly impossible to achieve for someone like me. and that PCAT score requirement just scares me, not to mention they used to require calc 2 + calc based physics x2 for admission.
 
I have a pretty low GPA- around 2.9 after PharmCAS calculations, I believe. I was accepted to Palm Beach Atlantic and am waiting to hear back from NOVA.
But I did have an 88 PCAT, pharmaceutical lab experience, and published research.
It's my understanding a lot of places put more weight on the PCAT since it is standardized and everyone is on the same playing field compared to GPA, where someone may have a low GPA from a difficult college and someone else may have a very high one from a community college.
 
Hi where did you retake your prerequisites? I took mine before in a community college in NJ and I wanted to retake them in a community college in FL to boost up my GPA but they said that I can't take them again anymore..
 
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fenixtnlfan said:
I agree with the other posters that you need to get your GPA up. There are just too many applicants with better stats for you to have a chance right now. Sounds like you can do it though!
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am confuse here...i have 3.32 gpa from one school, 2.6 from the other school where i got my BS in Biology.. prereqs GPA is a 3.01...thinking of taking the pcat...any hope for me getting into pharm school..been working since i started college ove 70 hours a week..in healthcare
 
I am currently an undergraduate student majoring in Chemistry and Psychology. My GPA for both majors is really good with the exception of a failure in Organic Chem I. I retook it over the summer and got a C because I took it with Calc at the same time. I am now taking Orgo II and I am really worried because summer classes don't leave much room to study and prep as much as you want or need to and if I get another C I know I will be jeopardizing my entry into Pharmacy school. If I do well on my PCAT and finish up all of my chemistry courses with A's do I stand a chance? Please Advise! Thank You!
 
What's wrong about retaking classes? My friend has two C her freshman year (because it was freshman year) and a D in OChem, but she retook them and got As. I got nothing but Bs, so won't she be a better applicant than me because of those As. I know that it's not that hard to get As after retaking classes but retaking can boost up your gpa.up a lot.
Plus, people who usually get bad grades begin to try harder and start getting As in other classes.
A 4.0 gpa with only 3 retakes seems better than 3.0 without any retakes, right?
Pharmacy schools, in my area, only look at your highest grade, so my friend has absolutely nothing to worry about right?


I think I posted this in the wrong thread....
 
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xNeenax said:
My friend has two C her freshman year (because it was freshman year) and a D in OChem, but she retook them and got As. I got nothing but Bs, so won't she be a better applicant than me because of those As. [...] A 4.0 gpa with only 3 retakes seems better than 3.0 without any retakes, right?
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I wasn't aware that it was possible to get a 4.0 GPA with retakes. PharmCAS, at least, considers all of your grades equally for their GPA. By my calculation, D + A = ~B-. C + A = B, same boat you're in, except you don't have to explain the C.

xNeenax said:
Pharmacy schools, in my area, only look at your highest grade, so my friend has absolutely nothing to worry about right?
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Oh, there's my answer. Depends on how many retakes - she will probably still have to explain, even if the classes aren't considered for GPA at these particular pharmacy schools. At least, that's how it seems to me (also a pharmacy applicant, so I could be making it up ;)).
 
Mostly everyone who posts on here(SDF) seems to have gotten well above 90% on their pcat. lol. Unless you can prove it, don't post your score and boast, no need. (Heck, I can say I got a 95% and who's to say I didn't?:confused:)

Anywho, I just wanted to throw in my 2 cents for those who are struggling b/c of low gpa and low pcat scores.

I live in Tx and I have talked to representatives from most Texas schools. One thing I concluded from all the conversations I had was they do not have a clear cut pcat score that they're looking for, which is why they give you an AVERAGE. i.e. if the average pcat score in 2010 was 73 then that school accepted anyone from 63 to 83 or 53 to 93. (Of course I'm not calculating any other factors like gpa or there well could've been a bunch of 60's and 80's with little 70's)

Some people on here have claimed that if you have a lower than 70 pcat then you should def retake. Well, what if you have 69 and 3.8 gpa? still retake? Or what about 3.1 gpa with 80 pcat? Not sure if anyone can tell you EXACTLY what numbers you would need to get accepted other than the admissions committee from schools you're applying to.

So my point is, do not be discouraged by your numbers or anyone who tells you you have low "numbers". You should already know if you have competitive numbers or not. If you don't then you should find out from your desired schools not from a group of people who will have nothing to do with your future as a pharmacist haha. :D
 
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Hey I have the low GPA too and I'm about to take the pcat can you tell me how did u study for pcat u did well on ur pcat by getting 80 thank u
 
MadScientistGrl said:
I have a pretty low GPA- around 2.9 after PharmCAS calculations, I believe. I was accepted to Palm Beach Atlantic and am waiting to hear back from NOVA.
But I did have an 88 PCAT, pharmaceutical lab experience, and published research.
It's my understanding a lot of places put more weight on the PCAT since it is standardized and everyone is on the same playing field compared to GPA, where someone may have a low GPA from a difficult college and someone else may have a very high one from a community college.
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Hey I have a pretty low GPA Too around 2.9 and I'm planning to take the pcat once I took it and I did bad on it...u did very well on ur pcat by 80 can you give me some tips that how did u study for it..thank u:(
 
daisy937 said:
yes, take more classes than just the prereqs. if you look through one of my old posts, i had a similar situation. i have been accepted into 4 pharmacy schools so far so you can do it if you really wanted to. if you have more specific questions you can always pm me! good luck.
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Hey Im in the same situation and i couldnt find ur old posts..My GPA is around 2.7 and I'm graduating this may in BS major..and planning to take the pcat ..once i took it and i did bad...do u think can i still get into pharmacy schools by this gpa if i do good on my pcat?
 
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