17 Hour Recommendation

[shaq786]

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Some of the schools that I want to apply to are asking me to take 17 credit hours worth of classes so that I can prove that I can handle pharmacy school.

Did anyone else here do this? The only reason I didnt was becuase I wanted to keep my GPA high and not loose it. In pharmacy school, it doesnt even matter if you get all B's, or B's and some C's. I am wondering if my chances of getting into that particular school will be ruined becuase I didnt take 17 hours of credits. Sounds pretty ridiculous. Anyone can take 17 hours at a university and get out with B's.

 

[collinisem]

Well, I took 17+ hours (even up to 19) during my undergraduate career. I understand why a pharmacy school would ask to see a relatively heavy course load so that the student can prove their ability to balance several difficult classes all at once. It seems though that even though you may not have satisfied this requirement you probably have a high GPA, right? I would say that you still have a chance, especially if you have a high GPA to offset the fact that you didn't take heavy course loads. From what I understand, with the pharmacy application process, there are exceptions to every rule.

And just to let you know, not everyone can take 17 hours worth of upper level science courses and get out with B's. Otherwise, adcoms would not ask to see heavy course loads.

 

[RachGator]

There are exceptions to every rule. I was never able to take that many cedits at once because I also worked part time and sometimes full time. They want to make sure you can handle your time and be successful. I think they are afraid of getting people who just take 12 hours a semester and do nothing else (work, volunteer, take more classes, etc.). Someone who doesn't know what a lot of work is would probably get too overwhelmed. Good !

 

[MoXiEguRl]

I was actually asked this question when i was interviewed.. "we noticed you only went to school 12 or 14hrs a semester you realize pharmacy school is 17, 18hrs?!"


Yes... But i also support myself 100% therefore i have to work part/full time.. making my work week + school more than 17 or 18hrs a week! They are testing you.. if you do work a job right now and attending school you will be fine. That just means not working.. the evil words...... school loans..............


Explain yourself... as another poster said there are exceptions to the rule.

Good luck to you.

 

[fidelio]

are credit hours the same as units?

 

[vafcarrot]

I think a unit is equivalent to 4 hours... that's what it was at my school. we could take up to 4.75 units a semester, which is 19 hours.

Next semester as a PY2, I'm taking 22 credit hours. As a PY1, I took 19.

 

[YLan1980]

I never ever took 17 credits, I mostly took 12-14 credits but then I was working 35-40 hours a week so if you factor all that in, it probably comes out the same and I got accepted to both VCU and Shenandoah University. 🙂 My GPA is 3.5 and I took the PCAT one time and got a 79.

 

[purpleheart1]

At the time my sister-in-law was in dental school, one of her good friends was accepted conditionally. They said that they would let her try the first year, but she pulled it through with a lot of studying and help from her professors. She finally did it and graduated as a dentist. She did not specialize though but my sister went ahead to Temple to specialize in pediatrics. Good luck! Grades are important but not the only thing. You need to show them that you can do it and with your best efforts. Be determined. Study a lot!!!! 🙂

Cheers.

 

[GatorRxGirl]

Actually, I took an average of 8 hours a semster and it took me 5 years to get my BS. I was accepted to 2 (and waitlisted at 1) good schools. It is important to show what you can do. I also worked 40 hours a week and blew them away at my interviews. Not everyone gets in taking so few hours but hey, it can be done!

 

[PolarBear21]

I'm in a UC and we use units. I had no idea pharm schools look into your courseload until last quarter, but I was already taking a good amount of units because I did not understand how I would graduate on time / get all my prepharm reqs done otherwise.

I've been taking 15-16-17-18 units these past two years. Mainly 16 units.

My question is does it matter after you apply if you only take 12-13. Its ridiculous, I'm signed up for Microbiology 140 (i hear its a really hard class), Pathology/Immunology (I hear this is hard too, its offered through UCD vet school), Geology 107 (I hear this is easy), and then I'm taking Neurobiology/Physiology labratory (i hear this is ok, but a lot of work). So four science classes, all upper division, it only brings me to 12 units!!!! Ridiculous!! 😕

What do you think the adcoms will think of that? I'm applying hopefully this summer and thats for my fall quarter. I'm taking summer school also (15 units spread over two sessions).