April the big month?

[jdpharmd?]

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How many of us have acceptance letters (hopefully!) coming in April? It seems like the normal time in this area. I applied to 4 schools, was accepted into 1 in mid-march and 2 told me that thet will mail them out around the 1st or 2nd week in April. I'm not so sure about the 4th school because their communication is horrible. Is April the big month for a lot of you? I certainly hope to have some more choices coming up pretty soon. May and June just seem too late, so if anyone pulls any funny waitlist business, I think I will just stick to my guns and go where I have a "real" acceptance by then.
I also had to put down my deposit already for one school (MWU-DG) because I knew that I wouldn't get any more acceptances until at least mid-april and my deadline is april 3rd, so if I go anywhere else, I'm out $300 minimum. If I just happened to get rejected by my other 3 schools, then I would be in a world of hurt if I didn't accept MWU, so I had to pay. It's kind of bitter-sweet. It's nice to have an early acceptance, but it sucks to already be paying tuition for next fall (essentially). Do most of you think that you will know for sure where you're going by the end of april? How long are you willing to hold out on alternate lists? Anyone going to MWU - Downers Grove IL?

Jd

 

[MolarGuy02]

Hey whats up JDPPharmd, hopefully you will gain acceptance into the school of your choice. I only applied to one pharmacy school, and I will probably find out in late April to early May. I have registered for Fall classes, which I will be taking if I don't get into pharmacy school. I'm wondering if I should have applied to more than one school. I guess I'll have to wait it out. Good luck to you.
-MolarGuy

 

[Triangulation]

I think the loss of deposits is just the reality for a lot people. I know a pharm 3 at UCSF who got off the waitlist the first day of class, and had already started at SC. He just packed up his stuff and moved that day and ate the $500 deposit and perhaps more. It's just how it goes sometimes.

 

[jdpharmd?]

I don't mind losing my deposit that much, but would not move the first week of classes or anything like that. I don't know about tuition differences bt SC and UCSF, but if they were about the same price then you would just loose your deposit, any housing money that you have already paid, the cost to move (again) and you would be forced to find new housing, friends, change your financial aid, etc. I am not going to jump when some school says jump. I've already been through plenty and I don't have unlimited time or money. SC to UCSF is one thing, but what if it was somthing like Albany to Arizona? I would imagine that it's about a 3000 mile move and a 40+ hour drive. Where do you draw the line? To put students on the alternate list unti the first week of class is crazy in my opinion. Does the UCSF grad get paid more after graduation? No. Does he stand a significantly higher chance of passing the boards? No. Why let the schools run your life? I know a student who was offered a spot at UofM the first week of classes at another pharmacy school and although it was his first choice, he declined and stayed at the school he was at. He wasn't about to lose his deposit for school and housing, find new housing, go through another orientation, and move 3 hours just because UofM was "nice" enough to offer him a spot the first week of class. I think that he made the right choice. Most of us have had applications submitted since about December. To be uncertain of your future for 8 or 9 months (December to Auguts/September) is unfair to the student. I think that I draw the line around May and go where I'm accepted and enjoy it. You certainly won't see me changing my mind in September.

Jd

 

[riskhk]

I hope Ill hear good news in April too!

 

[Triangulation]

Hmm. I dunno jdpharmd, if UCSD let me in the day school started, I'd give it some serious thought (this is indeed a moot point since they already rejected my sh#$, but to illustrate the point...) even if I'd gone through a month at SC. Granted, I probably wouldn't switch bc my girlfriend is in LA and she'd be kinda pissed about me pulling the switcharoo to SD that late in the game, but as I've always said my interests were in being in So Cal for as cheap as possible. Even switching a month after school started would still save me dough in the big picture, and in reality there are schools that will be better than others at realizing specific long term goals. If you want to go into academia or research I think UCSF would be a better choice than USC. If you really wanted to go to University of Washington, and you were taken off the waitlist the day school started, but you were already enrolled at one of your safety schools, i think many of us would pack up and head to U-Dub. It's personal preference. How bad do you want to go there? If you won't regret not attending there, then don't, but if it's gonna bother you ad infinitum then you need to go for it.

 

[jason UCSD2000]

I have to agree with Triangulation on this one. Right now I'm playing this game. It's only worse, because the only school I've been accepted to so far is Albany - which starts May 19th. I could be well into classes by the time I found out my waitlist status at UCSF. My waitlist position is actually not too bad, and that makes it worse. I just had my UOP interview yesterday, so now I'm waiting for that. Albany offers summer housing, so my girlfriend is going to stay in our house until after summer, so it's not like I'll have to "move" twice. But, she's also planning on teaching where ever we go (which involves applying in advance), so it's not like I can jerk her around either. I guess I just have to decide how long I'll wait and what I'm willing to lose (money-wise) in order to go to my top choice. I just can't imagine dropping everything at the last minute and going to UCSF a week or so before classes start. I guess I could always live on Haight St. for a while... Hey Triangulation, do you just want to strike a deal with your UCSF slot? I'm sure admissions will go for that...😛

 

[jdpharmd?]

If Albany starts classes in May, then when would you graduate? I'm guessing 2006, but I'm just curious. Also, would you go to class all year like MWU-Glendale or LECOM, or just for a summer or two. Your situation is tough, and that move is pretty killer. I wish you the best of luck and I hope you make the right choice. (really, you can't go wrong)

Good Luck to Everyone!
Jd

 

[Triangulation]

I guess I could always live on Haight St. for a while...

I live about ten mins from Haight. That'd make for a fun story for you at orientation. It might be more comfortable sleeping in the park though😉

You'll be the first to know when/if I ultimately turn down UCSF, I've got until April 2 to reply to the website.

I delayed my final reply to USC till the end of the month, legitimately bc I have no money to pay the deposit.

Wait a minute. Jason that's a crazy sitch you're in. Worse case scenario, which won't happen to you bc you're badd, you could be in school all summer and then hear from UCSF. That's nuts. I think that's slightly shady that Albany didn't tell you until you got accepted that school starts in May. That makes planning for it rather arduous.

 

[RPhToBe]

My brother went to MWU in Downers Grove. I think he did allright and wasnt too exhausted from it. It was a bit of a drive though from Chicago.

Can I ask some questions of you? I am also considering MWU.

• How did the interview go?
• What types of Iinterview questions do they ask?
• What kind of PCAT and GPA scores are they looking for?
• Thanks a bunch and congratulations!