Accepted students and pre-pharm students, What are your stats?

[dreamer122]

To all accepted pharmacy students and students who are planning to go into pharmacy, what are your GPA, PCAT score, extracurricular activities, pharmacy experiences, leadership experience, etc?

It would be great to know the general stats of all fellow pre-pharm students and accepted students so that we all can have a general idea of where we are on this competitive path.

Mine is a 3.5 GPA,
have not yet taken PCAT but aiming for 60-70 (hopefully, idk...)
200 hrs hospital volunteer
I am horrible with interviews

completely lack leadership skill/experience or any other student club involvement as well as research. How competitive do you think my stats are? any advices would be greatly appreciated! I keep having nightmare about not being accepted into any single school and I am planing on applying to about 15 different schools across the US.

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[Apothecary Aquinas]

You've got solid stats that are above average for most pharmacy schools. Assuming you have a decent PCAT score you should have absolutely no problem getting multiple acceptances. In my humble opinion, 15 schools is overkill as you will most likely end up with more interviews to attend then you know what to do with. I would say (depending on you PCAT score) pick 10 or less schools to apply to. If it were me I'd probably pick ~5 to apply to but I have a feeling you wouldn't feel comfortable picking that few to apply to.

In the meantime try and get some practice interviewing. Rehearse responses out loud to yourself and know your application inside and out. Make sure you know why you want to go to pharmacy school and be ready for the many other common interview questions. Family or friends may help you out in mock interviews or even your school (sometimes the pre-health department will offer mock interviews).

I might recommend looking at the school requirements for the specific schools you want to apply as some require more than one LOR from a science professor or another professor. It's great to have 2 pharmacist letters but some may want more than just one letter from a professor. Make sure to double check this with each school.

 

[everyone one sees B]

Stats:
- Science GPA: 3.0
- Cumulative GPA: 3.4
- PCAT: 92
- Leader for 2 clubs for 2 years, volunteer teacher assistant at local K-12 schools for 4 years, research assistant for 1 year and 40 hours of pharmacy clerk
- 1 LoR from humanities professor, 1 from my PI, and 1 from a pharmacist

I think your stats are competitive. From the information you’ve given, your GPA is competitive, but how competitive your GPA is depends on where you’re completing your pre-reqs. When are you planning to apply? If you can squeeze in some leadership experience somewhere, I think you’ll be pretty solid.

I agree with apothecary. 15 is definitely excessive. I would also recommend shooting for 5 schools. I would apply to 1-2 “reach” schools and 1-4 “maybe you’ll get in” schools. You could also maybe consider 1 “i’ll definitely get in” school, but given how competitive pharmacy is getting, I’d definitely put in your best effort to get into good reputation schools so you have a good shot at landing jobs/residencies/fellowships.

 

[dreamer122]

You've got solid stats that are above average for most pharmacy schools. Assuming you have a decent PCAT score you should have absolutely no problem getting multiple acceptances. In my humble opinion, 15 schools is overkill as you will most likely end up with more interviews to attend then you know what to do with. I would say (depending on you PCAT score) pick 10 or less schools to apply to. If it were me I'd probably pick ~5 to apply to but I have a feeling you wouldn't feel comfortable picking that few to apply to.

In the meantime try and get some practice interviewing. Rehearse responses out loud to yourself and know your application inside and out. Make sure you know why you want to go to pharmacy school and be ready for the many other common interview questions. Family or friends may help you out in mock interviews or even your school (sometimes the pre-health department will offer mock interviews).

I might recommend looking at the school requirements for the specific schools you want to apply as some require more than one LOR from a science professor or another professor. It's great to have 2 pharmacist letters but some may want more than just one letter from a professor. Make sure to double check this with each school.

Thanks for the advice! I will probably try for 10 schools as I definitely won't feel comfortable applying only 5 schools.

 

[dreamer122]

Stats:
- Science GPA: 3.0
- Cumulative GPA: 3.4
- PCAT: 92
- Leader for 2 clubs for 2 years, volunteer teacher assistant at local K-12 schools for 4 years, research assistant for 1 year and 40 hours of pharmacy clerk
- 1 LoR from humanities professor, 1 from my PI, and 1 from a pharmacist

I think your stats are competitive. From the information you’ve given, your GPA is competitive, but how competitive your GPA is depends on where you’re completing your pre-reqs. When are you planning to apply? If you can squeeze in some leadership experience somewhere, I think you’ll be pretty solid.

I agree with apothecary. 15 is definitely excessive. I would also recommend shooting for 5 schools. I would apply to 1-2 “reach” schools and 1-4 “maybe you’ll get in” schools. You could also maybe consider 1 “i’ll definitely get in” school, but given how competitive pharmacy is getting, I’d definitely put in your best effort to get into good reputation schools so you have a good shot at landing jobs/residencies/fellowships.

Your stats are impressive! I am applying this year so I probably don't have any chances for student club involvement anymore. Good luck to you!!

 

[everyone one sees B]

Your stats are impressive! I am applying this year so I probably don't have any chances for student club involvement anymore. Good luck to you!!

Thank you! Good luck to you as well

 

[lalaland33]

Stats:

• Science GPA: 3.8
• Cumulative GPA: 3.84
• PCAT: 97
• Secretary and then president of non-pharmacy related organization
• 167 hours of hospital pharmacy volunteering / 1 year 8 months of retail pharmacy / ochem tutor for 2 years
• 2 LoRs from pharmacists, 2 LoRs from science professors
• no research experience

@dreamer122 It won't be a big deal if you don't have leadership in extracurriculars. As for the interview, just practice some questions and have a "story" prepared for scenario questions. You have experience as a tech, so use that to your advantage

 

[SubstanceQ]

This sounds very familiar and very accurate.
If your parents have money to put you in a private school you’re automatically smarter than everyone else! Or at least if you go by GPA

 

[HipHopHippo]

• 3.5 cumulative GPA
• 3.0 science
• BS
• 96th percentile PCAT
• 2.5 years retail tech experience at the time of my applications with PTCB certificate
• 2 leadership positions in a non-pharmacy extracurricular
• 3 LoRs from pharmacists

I applied to 10 schools because I was panicking about not getting in anywhere, I was offered interviews within 1 day by 7/10 schools and they all offered me interviews in the end so definitely don’t overdo it with 15 applications like everyone’s saying. You’re going to be spending too much on the degree anyways.

I’d just add that you should consider focusing on schools that have good working relationships with hospitals (i.e. on the same campus or close enough that you can keep a summer internship) to help with getting a residency.

 

[dannnielleeee]

A few people have commented on your plan to apply to 15 schools, so I'd like to throw in my two cents:

Based on your stats, you'll definitely get in somewhere. What I would recommend (and what I did myself) is to rank your list of schools, and apply in batches.

Submit your application as early as possible to your top 5, higher reaching schools. Then, if you don't hear anything back within about two to three weeks, submit your application to your next batch of schools. And then a third, if needed (doubt you will). This way, you're not paying for applications and supplementals for all those schools at once, if at all.

I had 10 on my list, and initially submitted my application to my top 5, and didn't have to bother with the rest.

 

[Pharmboy85]

• 2.26 cGPA
• 2.89 science
• 95th percentile PCAT (99 Chem)
• BS Biochem
• 2 LORs from pharmacists, 1 academic (biochem professor)
• 5 years tech experience
• No extracurriculars
• No volunteering

I applied to 5 schools expecting nothing, got accepted to 4. Obviously from my cGPA I made plenty of mistakes during undergrad. I made sure that I had really well thought out answers as to why, and what I learned from those experiences. I should note that I completed my most recent 60 credit hours with a 3.98, showing a drastic improvement in discipline.

I’ll also say that while I’m well aware that at the end of the day it’s just a test, my PCAT score was discussed as a major positive during every single interview, so it really does carry a lot of weight so you should definitely aim high. Two of the schools spoke at length during the interviews about how the Chemistry subsection correlates strongly with success in pharmacy school.

I talked to as many pharmacy students as possible regarding the interview process so I would be more relaxed and not caught off guard come time, and it really paid off. OP your stats will definitely get you interviews, and you have little to worry about as far as getting in goes.

 

[Ploqt54]

Stats:
- Science GPA: 3.0
- Cumulative GPA: 3.4
- PCAT: 92
- Leader for 2 clubs for 2 years, volunteer teacher assistant at local K-12 schools for 4 years, research assistant for 1 year and 40 hours of pharmacy clerk
- 1 LoR from humanities professor, 1 from my PI, and 1 from a pharmacist

I think your stats are competitive. From the information you’ve given, your GPA is competitive, but how competitive your GPA is depends on where you’re completing your pre-reqs. When are you planning to apply? If you can squeeze in some leadership experience somewhere, I think you’ll be pretty solid.

I agree with apothecary. 15 is definitely excessive. I would also recommend shooting for 5 schools. I would apply to 1-2 “reach” schools and 1-4 “maybe you’ll get in” schools. You could also maybe consider 1 “i’ll definitely get in” school, but given how competitive pharmacy is getting, I’d definitely put in your best effort to get into good reputation schools so you have a good shot at landing jobs/residencies/fellowships.

do you mind if I ask how did you study for the pcat and what materials you used?

 

[everyone one sees B]

do you mind if I ask how did you study for the pcat and what materials you used?

The Kaplan books and the pearson practice exams were enough for me! I spent about 2 months studying

 

[SubstanceQ]

Based on my experience, if you are waitlisted somewhere, don’t go there, especially if you are waitlisted and get accepted within the last 2 weeks of schools starting, as I was.
This is a foreseeable truth of the school telling you that they don’t want you in the first place, and will harass you to all ends to remind that you are and have always been, and will always be at the bottom of the todem pole at that particular school. This is a sad but unfortunate truth and I witnessed the timeline of events and discrimination firsthand. I didn’t have to know this and just carried on with my education peacefully but now I do. #neverthesame #themoreyouknow

 

[HipHopHippo]

I’ll also say that while I’m well aware that at the end of the day it’s just a test, my PCAT score was discussed as a major positive during every single interview, so it really does carry a lot of weight so you should definitely aim high. Two of the schools spoke at length during the interviews about how the Chemistry subsection correlates strongly with success in pharmacy school.

Out of curiosity, who brought up PCAT scores during your interviews? I only went to interviews at 3 schools and all of them were blinded, i.e. the interviewers had never seen my application. Two of them were further broken into the multiple mini interview style where my academic performance never even came up.

Also now I’m paranoid over how I’ll do in pharmacy school since Chemistry was the only section I didn’t get over 90th percentile.

 

[Koala3298]

When you apply to 10-15 schools, are your professors and pharmacists willing to spend time sending that many letters? I want to apply as many schools as I can too, but I really don't want to bother them and fill their email box with my stuff.So maybe I will just go with 5.

 

[FinallyOnTrack]

When you apply to 10-15 schools, are your professors and pharmacists willing to spend time sending that many letters? I want to apply as many schools as I can too, but I really don't want to bother them and fill their email box with my stuff.So maybe I will just go with 5.

The way it works is PharmCas requests the LOR on your behalf then forwards it to each school that you apply for.


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[UGAZ]

• 2.26 cGPA
• 2.89 science
• 95th percentile PCAT (99 Chem)
• BS Biochem
• 2 LORs from pharmacists, 1 academic (biochem professor)
• 5 years tech experience
• No extracurriculars
• .

Wow...this shows how low pharmacy profession is now. With these stats, back in my old day, people didn't even have the balls to apply to pharmacy school. My class average entrance GPA was 3.7 back in 2003.

 

[JST416]

15 pharmacy schools is just crazy. Pick a few and go with the one that is in state and not a private or for profit school. I applied to one school b/c I didnt want to pay private or out of state tuition. Got in, graduated and now work as a pharmacist in the same hospital where I started as a tech.

 

[BC_89]

Ok...I’ll bite....needed to vent to small extent but I’ll do this instead...

Should I apply here it is:

BS: Biochemistry (Minor: Mathematics)
GPA: cGPA 3.65 / sGPA 3.55
PCAT: Pearson practice ones ~90th thus far (still on active duty requesting leave time to sit-in later down the road)
LORs: O-6 Colonel pharmacist for the army, GS-13 pharmacist for VA hospital, undergrad prof. (Biochem)
**5 years tech with last 4 active duty army while PTCB certified
** Supervisor with outlying Clinic and large Trauma 1 center VA hospital (vault technician, set schedules, budgeted - ordered meds, verify - validate prior authorization forms with special non-formulary meds, etc etc)
** 1 year of undergraduate research (was pending publication guess it never happened)
** 2 year volunteer overseas as a translator during tsunami crisis in the pacific (assisted healthcare reps from New Zealand / Australia)

Soon-to-be Disabled Veteran by end of year (still bothers me but may make a thread in military forum for some guidance on this). Benefits though include Post 9-11 GI Bill ( in-state tuition rate in all 50 states thus covering 100% cost of said tuition + housing allowance tax free + book stipend) and awaiting disability rating as extra cash assistance.

Non-trad as well.