acceptances/rejections?

[Athomeonarock]

I have a friend who has applied to pharmacy school for fall 04 entry. She has a 3.24 GPA , got a 97th percentile on the PCATS and had a summer of pharmacy volunteer experience at a hospital inpatient pharmacy. So far she has been rejected from UOP, Albany College of Pharmacy,and Drake and she hasn't heard anything from SUNY buffalo or Maryland. She wanted me to ask on this forum, what sort of credentials people who got accepted to UOP or ACP or Drake had, and has anyone heard from Buffalo or Maryland (good or bad). Plus, is there any advice for her, if she is to reapply for next year. Thanks.

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[pharmdgrl]

To me it sounds like her GPA is not bad and her PCATS are really good. I know UOP doesn't look at PCAT score though. I think either her interview didn't go so well or she is lacking perhaps in leadership or other extracurricular or outreach activities?? I know I was rejected last year due to lacking in leadership....I worked on that and I got admitted this year....she should call and see how she can improve they will tell her where her weaknesses were.

 

[Leah27]

Hi, I'm the friend menitioned above.. I finally got my account working on this forum! Thank you very much for your reply. I should also mention I am applying to pharmacy schools with a B.S in Neuroscience. I also wasn't granted interviews at any of the schools.. It is possible my leadership skills are lacking (only in the volunteer world though... in the work world I definatly have leadership experience) and perhaps I applied too late in the process. I am still waiting on Buffalo and Maryland though... but my confidence is shot after being rejected from 3 schools! I'm really interested on finding out what people heard from them both good and bad! Thanks again for your reply.

 

[Shanana]

Leah, my stats are very similar to yours (3.2 GPA, 99% PCAT, BS Biology) and I got in to the University of Maryland. I had my app completed pretty early though - I was in the interview group from January.

I was also rejected from Albany.

The only advice I would have for next year is to perhaps get more pharmacy experience. You sound like an excellent candidate.

I hope you hear good news - if you have any questions about the Maryland interview process, PM me.

Shannon

 

[Leah27]

Thanks Shanana, you've given me a glimmer of hope at least! I completed the application in November, however I wasn't able to take my PCATS until January, so I bet they didn't review my application until then. Because I havn't heard anything yet, I'm sort of assuming I was waitlisted... do schools generally send letters telling you you are waitlisted or no? Thank you for your offer, if I'm granted an interview I will def PM you!

 

[eddie269]

how did you do in your science courses? specifically the science pre-req's. And did you finish out your last bunch of science pre-req's with higher grades? I heard UOP loves to see improvement in your pre-req's. For example, if you started out with a few C's but ended with your last yr. full of A's, they SHOULD like you more (or so I've heard). But moreso, you should contact the school and ask what part of your application you can improve on for next time around. This way, you can see exactly why they didn't even offer you an invite. Your PCAT is great so I don't know why the other schools didn't invite you.

and yeah, all CA schools don't look at PCATs.

 

[shal]

Originally posted by Leah27
Hi, I'm the friend menitioned above.. I finally got my account working on this forum! Thank you very much for your reply. I should also mention I am applying to pharmacy schools with a B.S in Neuroscience. I also wasn't granted interviews at any of the schools.. It is possible my leadership skills are lacking (only in the volunteer world though... in the work world I definatly have leadership experience) and perhaps I applied too late in the process. I am still waiting on Buffalo and Maryland though... but my confidence is shot after being rejected from 3 schools! I'm really interested on finding out what people heard from them both good and bad! Thanks again for your reply.

I believe you have sufficient leadership experience (as long as it was displayed in your application). UOP is on rolling admissions so submitting your application later in the cycle may have had an effect. You should try calling them and find out what your app was lacking. Rejection is hard, I had a tough time dealing with it the first few days but now I am beginning to feel that waiting a year might be the best thing for me right now. I applied to 3 schools.. 1 rejection w/o iv, 1 with iv at UOP, and 1 waitlist. Maybe if I applied to 4, i would have gotten in. Good luck with the schools you have left!

 

[Leah27]

Hi Shal, good luck with your waitlisting... I think the reasons I didn't get into UOP was because I applied toward the end of application procedures, and also because I hadn't taken "Public Speaking" yet, but enrolled in it at cc for the summer.. hello? if they offered me and interview they could see that i could speak publically right? (what a stupid pre-req!) as far as my science prereq's eddie.... I had a C + in freshman chem 1.. but all B+, A- after that....plus i have a B.S in Neuroscience from a tough school.. ... maybe I should have gotten all A's at a CC? Oh well, hindsight is 20/20 right?