Bachelors before Pharm School?

[Aaronmhahs]

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Hi everyone,

I am a little uneasy in regards to my future plans in academia. My original goal was to transfer to UCLA from community college to complete a B.S. in Chemistry after 2 years. Then i planned on applying for UCSF pharm school to get my PharmD.

Something that is overwhelming me is the cost of it all.

Is the extra $50-60k worth getting my bachelors? (im paying for EVERYTHING myself without parental monetary support)

Or should i just finish my prepharm studies at community college and transfer straight to pharmschool (assuming i can get in)

Testimonials and advice is greatly appreciated! this is really stressing me out and discouragin me.

-Sincerely,
Aaron

 

[BabyBelle]

It depends. Are you willing to go out of state? Because if you're planning on applying to only CA pharm schools, then you're going to be a at a huge disadvantage. Majority of CA schools require a bachelors before matriculation. And from what I'd read on previous posts, it seems like it's very very rare for a student to enter a CA pharm school without a bachelors.

If you are willing to go out of state, you will have more options because there are schools out there which do not need a bachelors degree. You will have to look into taking the PCAT though.

 

[UpstateNY518]

I was in your same exact situation my friend. I decided to go to a University to finish my bachelors in Biology and then took my pcat and scored a 90 composite so for me it has been good so far. I dont regret spending the little extra either I met alot of great people and gained much experience that I did not have just from a community college setting. That is just something to think about, HOWEVER I am not you and noone can truely tell you if you should or shouldnt go about a certain route such as this you have to look inside yourself and see if you are truely ready for the rigor of pharmacy school or not.

 

[rxellie]

I was in your same exact situation my friend. I decided to go to a University to finish my bachelors in Biology and then took my pcat and scored a 90 composite so for me it has been good so far. I dont regret spending the little extra either I met alot of great people and gained much experience that I did not have just from a community college setting. That is just something to think about, HOWEVER I am not you and noone can truely tell you if you should or shouldnt go about a certain route such as this you have to look inside yourself and see if you are truely ready for the rigor of pharmacy school or not.

I totally agree with this post! I was in the same situation..paying for my schooling on my own as well but I am glad I completed my undergraduate degree! I feel more prepared for pharmacy school! Good luck!

 

[type b pharmD]

i would recommend going to a community college.

I mixed some 4 year school classes and some CC classes, no degree.

I feel like a winner for not paying for the B.S.

Bachelor's degree doesnt get you very far these days anyway, and once you have a pharm D , thats all a potential employer is going to see anyway

get the BS if you have money to blow and really like partying.

 

[Passion4Sci]

Get the 4 year degree if you want to go to school in California and/or want a back-up plan if pharmacy doesn't work out.

 

[delano2000]

Get the 4 year degree if you want to go to school in California and/or want a back-up plan if pharmacy doesn't work out.

Sent you a PM.🙂

 

[Project2015]

Get the 4 year degree if you want to go to school in California and/or want a back-up plan if pharmacy doesn't work out.

👍

Sent you a PM.🙂

😕😕😕😡

 

[delano2000]

😕😕😕😡

It's personal.😉😛

 

[Passion4Sci]

Yeah, unrelated to OP.

Delano had to discuss whether to get 30" rims on his Buick Regal or not.

 

[UES Girl]

Consider going to CSU - about 10 % of UCSF's class on average every year comes from a CSU. Not a huge chunk compared to a gross overrepresentation of UC grads but it is what it is, UC likes UC grads.


Still, it's a viable option in the end because you will still have a bachelors degree and it's comepletely possible to graduate from a CSU with 0 loans - I have and like you I have payed my way through school while juggling two majors and often two part time jobs at the same time. Not bad (pretty awesome actually), compared to UC grads in my class with an average debt of 25 k.


On the plus side, the BS you will get from CSU will still make you a much stronger aplicant to other schools wherever you decide to apply than a no BS applicant applying in the same cycle. And the first year of pharm school, will pretty much be re-iteration of your senior's year science classes if you go for one of the sciency BS in biochem or molecular bio for example.

 

[delano2000]

Yeah, unrelated to OP.

Delano had to discuss whether to get 30" rims on his Buick Regal or not.

 

[veyep]

I went to UCLA and it didn't cost $60,000 😕😕 It will be very hard to get in pharmacy school without a degree! You don't need to get a degree in chemistry that will make your chances lower if your GPA drops. Unless if you can't breathe and live without chemistry I would chose an easier degree, but do get a degree!

 

[Passion4Sci]

I went to UCLA and it didn't cost $60,000 😕😕 It will be very hard to get in pharmacy school without a degree! You don't need to get a degree in chemistry that will make your chances lower if your GPA drops. Unless if you can't breathe and live without chemistry I would chose an easier degree, but do get a degree!

Half of most SDN'ers classes are still sans degree, so I think in just about every state except for California, not having a BA/BS is not quite the death certificate you make it out to be. Watch those blanket statement generalities...