Average number of Schools People Apply to

[yuki]

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Hi All,
I was wondering what is the average number of schools people have applied or will apply to? I am thinking about 13 schools? Is that on the extreme side?
I just don't want to kick myself for not applying to more if I don't get in. But on the other hand, having people write me 13 LOR seems kind of excessive? What are your thoughts?
🙁

 

[ForgetMeNot]

I wouldn't worry about the specific number too much. It seems like plenty of people applied to multiple schools. It's almost like I'm the freak for only applying to two schools.

 

[jdpharmd?]

I wouldn't worry about the specific number too much. It seems like plenty of people applied to multiple schools. It's almost like I'm the freak for only applying to two schools.

I applied to four, but that was before pharmCAS. I have some friends who applied to one and others who applied to 10+.

 

[Roxicet]

I wouldn't worry about the specific number too much. It seems like plenty of people applied to multiple schools. It's almost like I'm the freak for only applying to two schools.

I guess I'm a super-freak, then. I only applied to one school. I'm stubborn, or instead, I like the sound of tenacious better. Or maybe crazy. 😀

 

[off2skl]

I also only applied to one school...and really crossed my fingers 🙂

 

[goheel]

6 schools here, and I thought that was too many 😉 Where do you get the money to apply to more than 10 schools? Do you really need to apply to that many schools?

 

[ForgetMeNot]

I guess I'm a super-freak, then. I only applied to one school. I'm stubborn, or instead, I like the sound of tenacious better. Or maybe crazy. 😀

Well, if I was as stubborn as you, I would have ended up in Amarillo, Texas! I applied there and had accepted an interview before I had even heard of Midwestern. Luckily I became informed about the program here at CPG and then applied. So I'm glad that I expanded my horizons. I know that a couple of girls I did my undergrad with applied to like 8 schools, also before the whole pharmCAS thing. I don't know where the money came from for all of the schools. I didn't inquire, and now I wish I had!

 

[OSURxgirl]

13 seems excessive...unless you have a low GPA or PCAT. I applied to one school the first year of PharmCAS and was fortunate enough to get in. While one may be too few, 13 sounds like an awful lot. If you have a strong application, you probably won't need to apply to so many.

 

[Bruinized]

Hmm, how expensive is it to apply to pharmacy school? Would it be over $60/school? 😱

 

[off2skl]

Pharmcas charges $130 (I thought $105 last year was a lot) for the first application and an additional $40 for each additional school. Some of those schools have supplemental applications and fees in addition and those vary from school to school. Schools that do not use pharmcas also vary. There was a thread a while back where people calculated how much they had spent between PCAT, applications, flying to interviews, deposits, etc. All I can say is

 

[Spyris]

3 schools only because i wanted to stay in cali 🙂 ucsd, usc, and ucsf!

 

[Bruinized]

Pharmcas charges $130 (I thought $105 last year was a lot) for the first application and an additional $40 for each additional school. Some of those schools have supplemental applications and fees in addition and those vary from school to school. Schools that do not use pharmcas also vary. There was a thread a while back where people calculated how much they had spent between PCAT, applications, flying to interviews, deposits, etc. All I can say is

more like and 👎

 

[MNnaloxone]

Two and 1/2 schools. A week before the app was due, the U of MN stated that they wanted my AP scores from HIGH SCHOOL. Good luck getting those in a week, so I only cut two application checks.

 

[bananaface]

I just applied to one. But, it took me 2 tries to get in.

My first time around I met a girl from CA at the interview who had spent 2K on airfare to attend interviews at 4 schools. If you think PharmCAS is expensive, wait until you hit the airlines. 😀 You might consider investing in a credit card with frequent flier miles.

 

[young skywalker]

Only applied to one. It doesn't make sense to apply to more than 3.

 

[WildOrchids27]

People want options. Whats wrong with applying to more than 3 schools? It makes a whole lot of sense to apply to more than one school. What if you don't make it in that one school you applied to, then what? You'll have to wait until next year. That's what I think. I'm planning to apply to 3-5 schools.

 

[vafcarrot]

I'm only appyling to one school but if I wasn't married and tied down to a certain location, I think I would have applied to more schools.

Here's a question: How many schools did you apply to when you were doing undergraduate? Maybe those numbers correlate somehow. I only applied to two.

 

[MNnaloxone]

OK, I'll play along-I applied to 6 schools for undergrad. I was only serious about 2 of them. Imagine the look on the counselors face when I told her I was turning down USC, Rose-Hullman, RIT, U of MN and U of Ill to go to...North Dakota State. (Hey, the tour guide was FINE!)

 

[cognito]

I applied to 11, but should have applied to less. I was sending cancellations after the first 3 interviews. But, I should have looked at the min qualifications before deciding to apply to so many.

 

[Roxicet]

I'm only appyling to one school but if I wasn't married and tied down to a certain location, I think I would have applied to more schools.

Here's a question: How many schools did you apply to when you were doing undergraduate? Maybe those numbers correlate somehow. I only applied to two.

I only applied to one school for undergrad, too....Texas A&M. I wanted to be a genetics major, and that was the only school in TX that had it as a specific major. I was accepted, but I guess I figured that if I wasn't accepted, I would just stay home and attend the local university that accepts anyone with a pulse, and is a lot cheaper. I guess if I wasn't accepted to my pharm school of choice, I would have just gone on with life and kept on working full time. No big deal; that would have meant that someone who was more qualified deservingly got my seat.

 

[yuki]

Thanks a lot for all your feedback. I guess I am just nervous that with the dramatic increased of applicants these past 2 years that my chances of getting in are slim. My undergrad GPA was around 3.3 -3.4 so not that great, but been out of school for over 6 years and have been taking various classes since then. I do have patient experience, having worked as a medical assistant for 2 years, followed by a lab bench researcher for another 2 and now as a bioinformaticst for another 1 1/2. I really like science but miss the patient/health care field so being a pharmacist seems ideal.
Trust me, I know how expensive everything is adding up to be. Ideally, I would like to stay in California, but there's no guarentees. I just don't want to kick myself for not applying more when all the rejection letters come flying in.
🙁

 

[DocRx]

Roxicet Gig'em! I moved from Texas A&M to UT Austin to start Pharmacy school in a couple of days. All of my family went to Texas A&M so they give me a hard time for going to UT. For undergrad i applied to 2 schools got in both. For Pharmacy school I applied to 3 schools in Texas. All I have to say is Gig'em and Hook'em!!!!! Jason

 

[UCFGrad]

One School:

University of Florida

Go gators! 😍

 

[sunkiki486]

I applied to 7 schools total. 🙂

 

[OSURxgirl]

It sounds like you have a lot of health care/ science experience. Highlight this on your application and personal statement! Your GPA is competitive enough to get you interviews. And it sounds like you'll have a lot to talk about at your interviews. The only other think I could suggest is getting some volunteer or work experience in a pharmacy, and I think you'll be golden.

 

[legaia]

I applied to One and I got into One. Only applying to state schools makes sense, thus no airfair and such

 

[off2skl]

Thanks a lot for all your feedback. I guess I am just nervous that with the dramatic increased of applicants these past 2 years that my chances of getting in are slim. My undergrad GPA was around 3.3 -3.4 so not that great, but been out of school for over 6 years and have been taking various classes since then. I do have patient experience, having worked as a medical assistant for 2 years, followed by a lab bench researcher for another 2 and now as a bioinformaticst for another 1 1/2. I really like science but miss the patient/health care field so being a pharmacist seems ideal.
Trust me, I know how expensive everything is adding up to be. Ideally, I would like to stay in California, but there's no guarentees. I just don't want to kick myself for not applying more when all the rejection letters come flying in.
🙁

I think another thing you should contemplate are the schools themselves. Have you researched all of these schools and their locations? Are you comfortable with their curriculum, with how the feel of the school (if you've visited). Are you really willing to move to their location? Can you afford the school or are you willing to take out more loans to pay for the tuition?

 

[Tuck]

I only applied to one school and was sent my acceptence 3 days after my interview. I would agree that there are a lot more applicants that are applying to Doctor of Pharmacy programs; however, a large number of these applicants are not qualified applicants. Many people have seen the recent jumps in pharmacy salaries and apply, some have not even completed half the pre-requisites required for the school they apply. In addition, many are using the centralized application process to apply to multiple schools. While the numbers appear to be going up drastically, the number of qualifed applicants has not really increased all that dramatically. So...I would not worry too much as long as you are a competetive applicant.