Any suggestions?

[Earthangel336]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hello everyone.

I was wondering if I could get some suggestions to whatelse I can do to improve my odds of gaining acceptance into a pharmacy school for Fall 2010. I am a biology major at NCAT.

My weakness if my overall GPA. I didn't start out being a science major and was in a major that I was extremely unhappy with a little over a year and it shows in my grades Now, my pre-rec and biology major grades are great but I know the overall is going to kill me. I got A's in my organic classes btw.

I have lots of volunteering activities including starting a self esteem builder type of workshop for girls at a local school. I also tutor at a free center in an under served community here on a regular basis and I volunteer at the hospital. I have my own personal hobbies including beekeeping, playing a couple of intruments, and I started a event planning business with my
sister. I also have over 100+ hours of shadowing.

I am taking the PCAT in June.

My questions for you all are
a. What schools should I apply to
b. Is there anything else I should work on to add to my application
c. What would be my best plan B if I don't get in. Should I try to go get a MS?

Thanks for your time.

 

[diastole]

I have read on this forum that there are schools out there that only look at your prereq GPA. If true, you might want to try for those schools. Your explanation for your lower GPA sounds reasonable enough. Not everybody finds the perfect fit the first time out in a major. You can address that in your personal statement. Hopefully you have a great upward trend and your science GPA is high.

Your ECs look pretty good. It shows leadership and compassion. Is that experience in the clinic and hospital in the pharmacy? If not, getting pharmacy experience would help out. You should also do your best to get a high PCAT score. Retake it in August or October if necessary.

If you don't get in, I wouldn't bother with a masters. Just try to strengthen your application and reapply.

 

[Earthangel336]

I have read on this forum that there are schools out there that only look at your prereq GPA. If true, you might want to try for those schools. Your explanation for your lower GPA sounds reasonable enough. Not everybody finds the perfect fit the first time out in a major. You can address that in your personal statement. Hopefully you have a great upward trend and your science GPA is high.

Your ECs look pretty good. It shows leadership and compassion. Is that experience in the clinic and hospital in the pharmacy? If not, getting pharmacy experience would help out. You should also do your best to get a high PCAT score. Retake it in August or October if necessary.

If you don't get in, I wouldn't bother with a masters. Just try to strengthen your application and reapply.

Thanks for your comments.
My shadowing experience is in 3 different pharmacy settings and I am going to try to add to that this summer. My hospital volunteering hours are from 2 different intensive care type units that I have been working with off and on since high school. There is an upward trend in my GPA and the chairperson of my department has agreed to right one of my letters of recommendation.

 

[aplif3]

I would say see what you get on your PCAT and then you can go from there. Find the average statistics on past student's info for the schools you would be interested in going and then see where you fit into, then apply to those schools. But if you do have a low GPA, you really won't be picking them by choice, you'll be applying to whichever schools that might take a look at you. Also, most schools look at your overall and Pre-req and math/science GPAs separately, so if you did decently in math and science, you might have a chance. Lastly, you can always explain yourself with a fantastic personal statement.

 

[Earthangel336]

I would say see what you get on your PCAT and then you can go from there. Find the average statistics on past student's info for the schools you would be interested in going and then see where you fit into, then apply to those schools. But if you do have a low GPA, you really won't be picking them by choice, you'll be applying to whichever schools that might take a look at you. Also, most schools look at your overall and Pre-req and math/science GPAs separately, so if you did decently in math and science, you might have a chance. Lastly, you can always explain yourself with a fantastic personal statement.

My math and science GPA is pretty strong. Thank you for your suggestions. I personally don't care what school I go to. I just want an opportunity to do well.

 

[Earthangel336]

Bumping......