4 year no advantage?

[Thumper17]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I recently visited the relatively new SIU - Edwardsville school of pharmacy, and they said that where you did your undergrad and if you have a degree has NO bearing on the admissions decision (unless two applicants were EXACTLY equal in everything else).

I asked the admissions dean straight out if a chemistry degree from University of Chicago or Northwestern is the same as 2 years at the local CC.....and....

She said yes, and I really think I had trouble hiding the disbelief on my face. Does anyone else find this rather insane? Is this normal practice for all schools? I just don't see how intense bell curved top 10 science universities be compared equally to any given local CC?

Sorry I had to vent to avoid ripping up my diploma!😛

 

[mrblah]

As long as the person who's sitting next to me in pharm school isn't a complete ****, I don't care where they went for undergrad.

By looking at the low attrition rates and high naplex rates of most pharmacy schools, the application process is rigorous enough to weed out the "not so competitive students", but at the same time, keep restrictions to a minimum so they don't jeapordize their own application pool.

btw, B.A. degrees make great coasters and place mats 🙂

 

[monsterbrain]

I just got accepted to SIUE, and took the majority of my pre-reqs at St. Louis CC. Certainly for SIUE to consider those classes equivalent to the required pre-reqs for their program, then someone must have reviewed or audited them at some point. Why does everyone seem to think that 4-year universities are so much more difficult than community colleges?

I know there are CCs out there that probably deserve that reputation, but I found the classes I took at STLCC were more difficult than any I have taken at a 4-year university. So I'm probably taking your post a little personal as if you deserve to be there and not me??

Certainly you did not get your chemistry degree JUST to get into pharmacy school, because that would have been a complete waste of time. Certainly you did it for other reasons, such as self-fulfillment, more career opportunities, and a greater knowledge base. If that's the case, then don't tear up your degree.

 

[genesis09]

With SIUE, the big issue is if you live in southern Illinois. Most schools do give preference to those with degrees. At UIC, you'll get extra points.

 

[Thumper17]

Congrats on getting into SIUE monsterbrain, I hope to be a year behind you (I plan on apping in the fall).

I am not saying I desreve to be there and you don't, and I know some CCs are much better than others, but I don't see how a school can say all As are the same and that's that. Some schools curve, others don't. Some have mandatory grade distributions, others don't. Sometimes it does not even come down to how hard the class is, but rather how it is graded or who your competition is. I just feel that all As are not equal, and a pharmacy school not seeing it that way too is just strange to me.

 

[PharmDstudent]

The advantage of getting a four year degree is that you will have something to fall back on. The degree has no barring after you've gotten into pharmacy school. HOWEVER, if you figure out that you do not like pharmacy later on, then you will have a bachelors degree that you can use towards something else.

 

[monsterbrain]

Congrats on getting into SIUE monsterbrain, I hope to be a year behind you (I plan on apping in the fall).

I am not saying I desreve to be there and you don't, and I know some CCs are much better than others, but I don't see how a school can say all As are the same and that's that. Some schools curve, others don't. Some have mandatory grade distributions, others don't. Sometimes it does not even come down to how hard the class is, but rather how it is graded or who your competition is. I just feel that all As are not equal, and a pharmacy school not seeing it that way too is just strange to me.

Thank you.

I hear what you're saying, but it would obviously be impractical for pharmacy schools to evaluate every educational institution out there. But then it would almost be discriminitory to only allow prereqs to be taken at 4-year universities due to tuition factors. I do think having a degree should carry some weight, I was just referring more to where a person takes their prereqs.

No one from SIUE Pharmacy will ever say this, but it appears to me that they prefer students who took prereqs at SIUE. I live in Missouri and some classmates are from Northern Illinois, but we were probably accepted b/c we took prereqs there. Not a known fact, just my opinion. Hope to see you there!

 

[BlueCrayon]

A B.S. may not necessarily give you an advantage in the eyes of an admissions committee, BUT you should definitely keep in mind it will make you a better candidate in general. In a round about way, it should help you in the sense that you will have more knowledge and experience to convey in your application and interview. I think a lot of programs say they don't favor a B.S., but I think that's BS. 😀 They might say that for discrimination reasons, but numbers don't lie...I've seen a couple schools stats that show every year, more and more applicants already have a 4-year degree.

 

[Illinigirl09]

The Associate Dean of Student Affairs at UIC (who also don't care where you took your classes/where you got your degree) explained it this way to us:

People who took their classes at community college may have taken "easier" classes, and received better grades than those going to a 4-year university. But, where the 4-year university makes up is for the PCAT - he's under the impression that students who take their science/etc at a regular university have an advantage on the PCAT, and thus a higher score in comparison to cc counterparts. He said "its not a perfect system, but thats the way we try to balance it."

 

[Illinigirl09]

They might say that for discrimination reasons, but numbers don't lie...I've seen a couple schools stats that show every year, more and more applicants already have a 4-year degree.

Actually the reason why people may be getting in with a 4-year degree might not have anything to do with the degree, per say. It actually probably has more to do with the fact that people want more experience/leadership opportunities/jobs, etc and thats why more people are staying in school, or even applying twice and then only getting in after another year. Also, more people are re-taking classes, and so they stay at school longer, and probably rack up more credits to graduate. But yeah in general a higher percentage of people are getting in with 4year degrees.

 

[collegegirl247]

at the time I thought a 4 year degree was a good idea and now looking back I wish that I would have just gotten my pre-reqs... I would have saved my self so much time and lots of money!! hindsight is always 20/20

 

[JWells488]

I just got accepted to SIUE, and took the majority of my pre-reqs at St. Louis CC. Certainly for SIUE to consider those classes equivalent to the required pre-reqs for their program, then someone must have reviewed or audited them at some point. Why does everyone seem to think that 4-year universities are so much more difficult than community colleges?

I know there are CCs out there that probably deserve that reputation, but I found the classes I took at STLCC were more difficult than any I have taken at a 4-year university. So I'm probably taking your post a little personal as if you deserve to be there and not me??

Certainly you did not get your chemistry degree JUST to get into pharmacy school, because that would have been a complete waste of time. Certainly you did it for other reasons, such as self-fulfillment, more career opportunities, and a greater knowledge base. If that's the case, then don't tear up your degree.

Which branch of STLCC did you attend? I have taken some pre reqs at Forest park and florrisant valley and there is a very clear difference in quality of classes at STLCC and my 4 year university.