A determined veteran ....

www.westernu.edu/pharmacy/
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jelf725

jelf725

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Ok so I've been very determined to get into pharmacy school. I served in the army as a combat medic for 4 years to use my GI bill to work towards a PharmD.

What are my chances with listed stats below of getting in? Is there anything else I could do to improve my chances?

STATS:

BS Biology (junior)

current gpa 3.3

science gpa 3.5

pcat 60

---combat medic in army for 4 years-honorable discharge

---pharmacy tech for 2 years before enrolling back in school after military

----PTCB certified & already sterile certified

----volunteer at medical facility for American Red Cross 3 hours/week
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jelf725 said:
Ok so I've been very determined to get into pharmacy school. I served in the army as a combat medic for 4 years to use my GI bill to work towards a PharmD.

What are my chances with listed stats below of getting in? Is there anything else I could do to improve my chances?

STATS:

BS Biology (junior)

current gpa 3.3

science gpa 3.5

pcat 60

---combat medic in army for 4 years-honorable discharge

---pharmacy tech for 2 years before enrolling back in school after military

----PTCB certified & already sterile certified

----volunteer at medical facility for American Red Cross 3 hours/week
Click to expand...

I'm gonna keep this sweet and short.

First of all. I would like to give you my upmost thanks and appreciation for what you are doing for our country. Thank you sir!
I think any school that would not interview/accept you would be losing out.
why?
1. Good strong experiences all related to healthcare especially pharmacy. Not a lot of people are sterile certified and having 2 years of pharm tech exp only shows that you know your stuff and have been exposed to the advancements and issues that face pharamcy today

You not only worked but also have volunteer experience. A BIG plus, this shows adcoms that you are not in it for only money but also passion. The American Red Cross is currently the second largest medical organization in the nation so volunteering for them is a BIG PLUS.

Your science and cumulative GPA are SOLID. trust me. If you read my tesimoney, my GPA was below a 3.0 and I got accepted to multiple programs. Your GPA is considered solid.

Your PCAT of 60 might seem low to you, but you would be surprised at how many applicants get in with a 50 or 60ish. your solid GPA and incredible experiences make up for this. DEFINITLEY do not fret over a 60 PCAT. turst me, a high PCAT would only be valuable for someone who has mediocre GPA and NO experience

BOTTOM LINE: Your experiences in volunteering and working in healthcare fields will definitley make you stand out and get you into a good program.



PS

Thanks again for your contributions to this country. Kudos and I wish you nothing but the best!:thumbup:
 
jelf725 said:
Ok so I've been very determined to get into pharmacy school. I served in the army as a combat medic for 4 years to use my GI bill to work towards a PharmD.

What are my chances with listed stats below of getting in? Is there anything else I could do to improve my chances?

STATS:

BS Biology (junior)

current gpa 3.3

science gpa 3.5

pcat 60

---combat medic in army for 4 years-honorable discharge

---pharmacy tech for 2 years before enrolling back in school after military

----PTCB certified & already sterile certified

----volunteer at medical facility for American Red Cross 3 hours/week
Click to expand...

One good thing about serving in the military: there is always an interesting story to tell and interviewers seemed so intrigued. I was a pharmacy technician in the Air Force for over 8 years before I decided to get out, get my bachelors, and apply for pharmacy school. I am pretty sure that you will be fine. Good luck and I am glad to see a fellow veteran applying for pharmacy school like myself.
 
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@"The Recoverer" ---

I'm actually not a sir lol...
Actually a 26 y/o female with a 5 yr old completing all the previously mentioned tasks :)

And thanks everyone! The good replies are quite encouraging!
 
jelf725 said:
@"The Recoverer" ---

I'm actually not a sir lol...
Actually a 26 y/o female with a 5 yr old completing all the previously mentioned tasks :)

And thanks everyone! The good replies are quite encouraging!
Click to expand...

I am a 27 year old female with a 6 year old!! :)
 
jelf725 said:
@"The Recoverer" ---

I'm actually not a sir lol...
Actually a 26 y/o female with a 5 yr old completing all the previously mentioned tasks :)

And thanks everyone! The good replies are quite encouraging!
Click to expand...

:( Oh man! I am so sorry. :oops:It's alright, a sir in my mind just means a great person haha. Just like how I refer to everyone as guys.
 
jelf725 said:
Ok so I've been very determined to get into pharmacy school. I served in the army as a combat medic for 4 years to use my GI bill to work towards a PharmD.

What are my chances with listed stats below of getting in? Is there anything else I could do to improve my chances?

STATS:

BS Biology (junior)

current gpa 3.3

science gpa 3.5

pcat 60

---combat medic in army for 4 years-honorable discharge

---pharmacy tech for 2 years before enrolling back in school after military

----PTCB certified & already sterile certified

----volunteer at medical facility for American Red Cross 3 hours/week
Click to expand...

Please please! I am pretty sure that you will get in, but I am worried for you. GI bill... that always make me feel like a 1 free shot of making it or else you're doomed. I know there are people out there who go to pharm school with loan and leave with 100K-300K loans, but I am scared for you.

Please make it completely count, sit down and get in reasonable amount of work every day in as many of your classes as you can. Don't think you have to do alot just a reasonable amount, anything that you can get done is reasonable. When your brain tells you to go check facebook, tell it no bull**** and keep working... and hold off the checking til the end of the day. Take small break... but please work hard and make it all count!

You get only 1 chance, my hope's in you. Work hard and become a doctor!

You sure deserve it!
 
@Forum--

Um I'm definitely gonna have student loans by the time I'm done with school so I'm not quite sure where you're going with "you only have one shot make it count"??? I'm not some random person who was in the military and just happen to come across being a pharmacist ....it's been years in the making. I've always been a great student and I'm old enough to have developed reasonable study habits....so, again..not sure if you're trying to scare me or encourage me, but either way my determination will get me where I want to be :)
 
ForumHangout said:
Please please! I am pretty sure that you will get in, but I am worried for you. GI bill... that always make me feel like a 1 free shot of making it or else you're doomed. I know there are people out there who go to pharm school with loan and leave with 100K-300K loans, but I am scared for you.

Please make it completely count, sit down and get in reasonable amount of work every day in as many of your classes as you can. Don't think you have to do alot just a reasonable amount, anything that you can get done is reasonable. When your brain tells you to go check facebook, tell it no bull**** and keep working... and hold off the checking til the end of the day. Take small break... but please work hard and make it all count!

You get only 1 chance, my hope's in you. Work hard and become a doctor!

You sure deserve it!
Click to expand...

Wtf lol. Can you translate this into human speak?
 
Corpseman said:
Wtf lol. Can you translate this into human speak?
Click to expand...

Once you serve in the military for a while, the military gives you a full ride scholarship to any higher education institution of your choice. This full ride scholarship is called the GI bill.

Am I correct?

If you have it and you drop out of college, your blow up your 1 shot chance of getting a good life, which you earned by risking your life serving in the military.

To counter this, you merely develop a good studying habit, work hard, and get your degree, which means you made the best of your investment.

I fear or imagine that there are people who make wrong choices and drop out of college while on the GI bill because they select the wrong major or they studied poorly... which are sad and tragic story.
 
ForumHangout said:
Once you serve in the military for a while, the military gives you a full ride scholarship to any higher education institution of your choice. This full ride scholarship is called the GI bill.

Am I correct?

No.

If you have it and you drop out of college, your blow up your 1 shot chance of getting a good life, which you earned by risking your life serving in the military.

Without the GI Bill, you cannot have a good life? What if you drop out and go back to college a year later?

To counter this, you merely develop a good studying habit, work hard, and get your degree, which means you made the best of your investment.

True.

I fear or imagine that there are people who make wrong choices and drop out of college while on the GI bill because they select the wrong major or they studied poorly... which are sad and tragic story.

Again, true, but dont you think that this woman has a good idea of what she wants and is capable of making good decisions?
Click to expand...

Answers in bold
 
ForumHangout said:
Once you serve in the military for a while, the military gives you a full ride scholarship to any higher education institution of your choice. This full ride scholarship is called the GI bill.

Am I correct?

If you have it and you drop out of college, your blow up your 1 shot chance of getting a good life, which you earned by risking your life serving in the military.

To counter this, you merely develop a good studying habit, work hard, and get your degree, which means you made the best of your investment.

I fear or imagine that there are people who make wrong choices and drop out of college while on the GI bill because they select the wrong major or they studied poorly... which are sad and tragic story.
Click to expand...

What the hell are you talking about?
Go google GI Bill. Post 9/11 gi Bill to be specific.
 
Btw, loved the part about it being "your one chance at the good life."
LOL, get real man.:D
One of my friends dropped out of college, he owns a construction company, which he started. His boat worth more than my house. And I have a pretty impressive house.
 
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IlDestriero said:
Btw, loved the part about it being "your one chance at the good life."
LOL, get real man.:D
One of my friends dropped out of college, he owns a construction company, which he started. His boat worth more than my house. And I have a pretty impressive house.
Click to expand...

Love how he/she used "blow up" your one chance at a good life.
 
The OP has good experience, decent grades...PCAT a little low...but will for sure get into school somewhere.
 
Well, without reading up on Wikipedia or seeing any documentary on the news or reading any academic articles, I just automatically assumed that a GI bill was a full ride scholarship that you just get after serving for a good amount of time in the military....

...but I was wrong.
 
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ForumHangout said:
Well, without reading up on Wikipedia or seeing any documentary on the news or reading about any academic articles, I just automatically assumed that a GI bill was a full ride scholarship that you just get after serving for a good amount of time in the military....

...but I was wrong.
Click to expand...


Yeah, GI Bill is used to pay for tuition, housing allowance, and books for veterans to attend school. I am almost at the end of mine, so I will have to take out loans for pharmacy school (I might be able to have my husband's GI Bill if he decides to roll it over to me, but we will see).
 
tm79602 said:
Yeah, GI Bill is used to pay for tuition, housing allowance, and books for veterans to attend school. I am almost at the end of mine, so I will have to take out loans for pharmacy school (I might be able to have my husband's GI Bill if he decides to roll it over to me, but we will see).
Click to expand...

...and how many years of schools left do you have?
 
Corpseman said:
Answers in bold
Click to expand...

Yes, I agree with your last point. Perhaps I should have had better judgement toward her studying skill as she did say she was a bio major with 3.0+ gpa and plenty of motivation according to her work/volunteering exp.
 
ForumHangout said:
...and how many years of schools left do you have?
Click to expand...

I am on my last couple of months of GI Bill (I used it during my undergrad and I graduate in May from KU). It lasts for about 4-5 years.
 
Thank you for the clarification. I am so confused between the OP, Jefl, and Tm... I thought I was addressing the same person the whole time, but just I realized it's two different moms who both were in the military and have kids very close together in age lol!

Well I hope you guys get into/finish pharmacy school and get your doctorate degree. I hope the degree will provide you with an opportunity to get a good job or to further pursuit more education deeper in the pharmacy field so that you can find a good job that will free you and your families from financial burden. Best of luck!~~~

I also hope that your babies will never grow up.
 
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MAN....did I have some catch up reading on these posts lol. Within scrolling I think I made about 3 different faces. Yes, me and "tm" are two different female vets with similar goals. And glad someone pointed Forum guy in the right post-military direction to correct false ideals. Again glad for all the input !!!

We are pcsing to Hawaii next summer so hopefully I can bust my a** and grad with my BS or see what's up as far as going to Hilo for PharmD there...
 
smercer said:
I would say one sentence too many, but most of your posts in this thread have been kind of disturbing.
Click to expand...

Yes, you are right. My post were kind of down and doom and gloom. I even had a hunch they were too. Will try to be more positive, optimistic, and hopeful around here. Us human beings are all about hopes.
 
ForumHangout said:
Yes, you are right. My post were kind of down and doom and gloom. I even had a hunch they were too. Will try to be more positive, optimistic, and hopeful around here. Us human beings are all about hopes.
Click to expand...

I just thought it was kind of funny. Thanks for the chuckles!! :)
 
I'd say your chances of getting into a pharmacy program are pretty good . If you check out the schools that you are interested in they usually have statistics for current and previous classes so you can see how you measure up.
 
jelf725 said:
Ok so I've been very determined to get into pharmacy school. I served in the army as a combat medic for 4 years to use my GI bill to work towards a PharmD.

What are my chances with listed stats below of getting in? Is there anything else I could do to improve my chances?

STATS:

BS Biology (junior)

current gpa 3.3

science gpa 3.5

pcat 60

---combat medic in army for 4 years-honorable discharge

---pharmacy tech for 2 years before enrolling back in school after military

----PTCB certified & already sterile certified

----volunteer at medical facility for American Red Cross 3 hours/week
Click to expand...

Same here.. 68 whiskey , my gpa was 3.84 in science and math combined but i have no other experience lol.. took some pharmacy tech clubs and im considered 70% disabled according to the VA lol.. I got interviews to the 5 schools I applied but only chose to attend 2 interviews.. Loma Linda University and Pacific of Oregon .. You have much more impressive stats than mine so Im sure you will be more than fine.. Seems they love veterans
 
Yeah there's a spot for vets in pharmacy school. You'll get in somewhere.
 
jelf725 said:
Ok so I've been very determined to get into pharmacy school. I served in the army as a combat medic for 4 years to use my GI bill to work towards a PharmD.

What are my chances with listed stats below of getting in? Is there anything else I could do to improve my chances?
Click to expand...

You sound very competitive, so apply broadly to the schools you like with one "ideal" already picked out. Odds are you might get it. ;)

And speaking from the viewpoint of a married veteran with kids, I can say that it's a tough road, but I'll be a P4 after May. I didn't have any previous experience like you did as a medic, so you'll probably have an even better time of it.

Best of luck. :thumbup:
 
IlDestriero said:
We take care of our own. :thumbup:
I interview residents for a very competitive fellowship. You can bet the farm that your status as a vet will help get you the interview. Once you're in the door you still have to bring it though.
Click to expand...

I always wonder if the VA applies this during the pharmacy residency application. I've been told they don't (by VA hiring pharmacists), but it'd be nice to have some bonus points in that process.
 
"I also hope that your baby will never grow up."

This has me cracking up right now. Thanks, I needed that laugh today. :laugh:
 
pharm B said:
I always wonder if the VA applies this during the pharmacy residency application. I've been told they don't (by VA hiring pharmacists), but it'd be nice to have some bonus points in that process.
Click to expand...

Yeah. I was hoping for the same, but I guess they give us no love.
 
Same here, i'm extremely determined even before getting into the army. I chose Pharmacy Technician to have my experiences..and overall, i'm having 4 years of experience of inpatient,outpatient, supply, refill, and field pharmacy.

your GPA is higher than mine, and your chance should be good too.

Check some schools specifically friendly to military (for example..Campbell)
I don't know what you were getting out as, but Thank you for your service, and same for here :p

let's cross finger on each other. We are all brothers and sister in military.


jelf725 said:
Ok so I've been very determined to get into pharmacy school. I served in the army as a combat medic for 4 years to use my GI bill to work towards a PharmD.

What are my chances with listed stats below of getting in? Is there anything else I could do to improve my chances?

STATS:

BS Biology (junior)

current gpa 3.3

science gpa 3.5

pcat 60

---combat medic in army for 4 years-honorable discharge

---pharmacy tech for 2 years before enrolling back in school after military

----PTCB certified & already sterile certified
----volunteer at medical facility for American Red Cross 3 hours/week
Click to expand...
 
Kaidou---

4 years honorably discharged as combat medic in a Blackhawk unit :)
 
I have a couple semesters left of science classes and I'm going to try for 2014 cycle. My husband is getting stationed in Hawaii next June so hopefully I can go to school there. I might just finish my BS biology in Hawaii and wait until we move after that to enter pharm school bc ill only need a couple more credits for BS. Haven't made up my min yet
 
I have very similar situation. My wife's currently doing her master at Duke (half online half clinics..) and the location might be a big factor on my school choice.. Unless they halt TA after this fiscal year, i'll definitely get it by end of this year.

Too bad I hardly see other soldiers planning on pharmacy schools...even though i'm working at the pharmacy with other soldiers.

Nice to see you! :)
 
one thing I really consider as veteran is yellow ribbon participating schools. with good amount of yellow ribbon and GI bill, you will go to pharmacy school (even private school) free for entire time!
I found few schools having that program available for pharmacy students too.
 
kaidou1412 said:
one thing I really consider as veteran is yellow ribbon participating schools. with good amount of yellow ribbon and GI bill, you will go to pharmacy school (even private school) free for entire time!
I found few schools having that program available for pharmacy students too.
Click to expand...

Yellow ribbon doesnt matter if you are going to in-state public school, it will be 100% paid for no matter what.

There is also a limit on the number of students that the yellow ribbon covers. Finally, the yellow ribbon will not pay your tuition in full in some states, so watch out for that.


Just a heads up.
 
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