Can a B student get into pharmacy school

[119044]

Can a person who gets mostly B's get into pharmacy school or does most of a person's grade in their classes should be A's. I think it is really hard to get A's in every class and still have a life and still be considered a well rounded person. I think it is much easier to get B's and a few C's no D"S OR F and no repeated courses and be a well round person

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[acetyl]

Can a person who gets mostly B's get into pharmacy school or does most of a person's grade in their classes should be A's. I think it is really hard to get A's in every class and still have a life and still be considered a well rounded person. I think it is much easier to get B's and a few C's no D"S OR F and no repeated courses and be a well round person

These days, however, you need to make more A's than B's, and try not to make any C's. It's a numbers games, and the higher your numbers the better chances you have of getting where you want to go.

 

[Caverject]

Can a person who gets mostly B's get into pharmacy school or does most of a person's grade in their classes should be A's. I think it is really hard to get A's in every class and still have a life and still be considered a well rounded person. I think it is much easier to get B's and a few C's no D"S OR F and no repeated courses and be a well round person

you do not want to be a well, round person because, in fact, it is shown that apple-type people are more prone to type II diabetes...and wishing to be a well round person would truly be a diservice to public health.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I got As, Bs, Cs. A withdrawal, too. I think I had a 3.27 GPA going in. I think. I don't really remember or particularly care about my GPA. But, yeah, I'm here. It's one of those fancy, big, state land grant schools, too.

The interview is where you will have to shine. I got a darn near perfect on mine. I also did well above average on the PCAT.

Just don't tell the 4.0 GPA types in the school you get into your stats, they'll hate you for the fact that you got in based on roughly 5 hours of standardized test-taking and 45 minutes of brilliant BSing when, in comparison, they got in on, at a minimum, 2 entire years of flawless work. They'll think they have license to look down on you. Well, not all of them...just some of them...

I have no idea why they even interview people. It's just a subjective measure of how well a potential candidate can fool them into believing they are a loving, caring individual that's there to "help people" rather than there for the money. Sure, there is the student that's there for the right reasons all the time, but a good actor can appear to be anything. And the good pre-pharmacy nerd from the imaginary, sterile world of those stupid CVS commercials is easy as heck to pull off.

God, I ramble.....

 

[honeykrown]

I beleive most people are too focused on the "A" which doesnt mean average. I once had a nursing teacher tell my class that people are too focused on getting "A"s and considering "B"s but they fail to realize the fact that a "C" means average while "A" is excellent. every body cannot be excelltent. teachers are different, pple has different things going on in their lives. These schools mostly base their stuff on GPA not really caring who cheated to get thru a class or not. and as WVU said, u have to shine in the interview. If they cheated and passed in class without getting caught, those pple are mostly smart enuf to pass thru the interview phase.

As i asked a person who picked up my phone in Shenandoah "even if someone has a GPA of 4.0 and the PCAt score was low cos of personal stress u wouldnt consider teh person, she answered no and said we have too many applications that they do not bother to view those less than a 60%, which i believe isnt fair enuf becos the person could actually prove themselves at the interview.

I hope i pass my PCAT next year tho.

 

[Rxbound]

I got As, Bs, Cs. A withdrawal, too. I think I had a 3.27 GPA going in. I think. I don't really remember or particularly care about my GPA. But, yeah, I'm here. It's one of those fancy, big, state land grant schools, too.

The interview is where you will have to shine. I got a darn near perfect on mine. I also did well above average on the PCAT.

Just don't tell the 4.0 GPA types in the school you get into your stats, they'll hate you for the fact that you got in based on roughly 5 hours of standardized test-taking and 45 minutes of brilliant BSing when, in comparison, they got in on, at a minimum, 2 entire years of flawless work. They'll think they have license to look down on you. Well, not all of them...just some of them...

I have no idea why they even interview people. It's just a subjective measure of how well a potential candidate can fool them into believing they are a loving, caring individual that's there to "help people" rather than there for the money. Sure, there is the student that's there for the right reasons all the time, but a good actor can appear to be anything. And the good pre-pharmacy nerd from the imaginary, sterile world of those stupid CVS commercials is easy as heck to pull off.

God, I ramble.....

And this, children, is why WVUPharm is one of my SDN heroes. More pharmacy students need to be like him. Heaven forbid someone can actually be smarter than they appear on paper...(3.2 here and someone with a 4.0 is shrieking right now).

 

[comet81]

Can a person who gets mostly B's get into pharmacy school or does most of a person's grade in their classes should be A's. I think it is really hard to get A's in every class and still have a life and still be considered a well rounded person. I think it is much easier to get B's and a few C's no D"S OR F and no repeated courses and be a well round person

The answer is "YES". Why? coz, I got in. Juet show them you are capable and prospective person. Get strong recommendation letters and personal statement. Some school really think these are important. That's how I got in. My GPA and PCAT are not that great. Good luck. Also, remember this: DO NOT GIVE UP.

 

[bsps_2007]

i think it depends on the school. UGA, for instance, adds up GPA, PCAT, and an interview score and then takes the top 100 scores to fill the class. a B student would have a better chance applying early to a school that uses a rolling admissions process.

 

[evilolive]

University of Michigan and UCSF seems forgiving of Bs if you have other factors that make you desirable (even though they're top schools). At least I think it's working for me 🙂

 

[acetyl]

University of Michigan and UCSF seems forgiving of Bs if you have other factors that make you desirable (even though they're top schools). At least I think it's working for me 🙂

Didn't you say your gpa was something like 3.9? There's not many B's there.

I still think if you want to have a competitive application, you should make more A's than B's, and make no C's. This is possible in addition to being a "well-rounded" person, it's just a commitment to spending time studying and working hard. It's hard while you're doing it, but well worth it in the end.

 

[evilolive]

Nope, my GPA is around a 3.4, with my science around a 3.1-3.2 (a handful of some unflattering grades).

 

[acetyl]

Nope, my GPA is around a 3.4, with my science around a 3.1-3.2 (a handful of some unflattering grades).

You're right, I bet it's janeno who has the 3.9, but you do go to Stanford?

 

[greatdeals225]

I got As, Bs, Cs. A withdrawal, too. I think I had a 3.27 GPA going in. I think. I don't really remember or particularly care about my GPA. But, yeah, I'm here. It's one of those fancy, big, state land grant schools, too.

The interview is where you will have to shine. I got a darn near perfect on mine. I also did well above average on the PCAT.

Just don't tell the 4.0 GPA types in the school you get into your stats, they'll hate you for the fact that you got in based on roughly 5 hours of standardized test-taking and 45 minutes of brilliant BSing when, in comparison, they got in on, at a minimum, 2 entire years of flawless work. They'll think they have license to look down on you. Well, not all of them...just some of them...

I have no idea why they even interview people. It's just a subjective measure of how well a potential candidate can fool them into believing they are a loving, caring individual that's there to "help people" rather than there for the money. Sure, there is the student that's there for the right reasons all the time, but a good actor can appear to be anything. And the good pre-pharmacy nerd from the imaginary, sterile world of those stupid CVS commercials is easy as heck to pull off.

God, I ramble.....

what do you mean by a perfect interview? you mean telling them what they want to hear, even if you're half lying? or engaging well in conversations? I don't know how they 'rate' interviews, and i got one in 2 weeks.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

what do you mean by a perfect interview? you mean telling them what they want to hear, even if you're half lying? or engaging well in conversations? I don't know how they 'rate' interviews, and i got one in 2 weeks.

I got a 29.25/30. They let you look at your score after you are admitted. And, actually, I was open and honest. I told them the secure job market, ample compensation, and only 6 years of education are the major reasons I chose pharmacy. I didn't even mention the "I like to help people" thing, but I told them in a way that I didn't sound callous. You have to finesse it up.

 

[Farmercyst]

You could just go to school forever and average everything out.

My GPA is 3.58, 3.49 science, but I've been going to school for 7 years now (I know "....a lot of people go to college for 7 seven years...Yeah, they're called doctors. Shut up Richard")

Anyway. 3.5 is a B+ average, but after my first year it was only 3.08 (or 2.78 if you believe pharmCAS is fair) I hope to get in this year. I've had 1 interview, and another at Western 1/27. I hope to get in, but have little EC.

 

[evilolive]

You're right, I bet it's janeno who has the 3.9, but you do go to Stanford?

Not going to say 🙂 Maybe I'll tell you if I end up going to Michigan.

 

[acetyl]

Not going to say 🙂 Maybe I'll tell you if I end up going to Michigan.

I'm pretty sure I'm right. Have you heard from SF yet?

 

[evilolive]

I've got a Feb 3rd interview with them *nervous*

 

[acetyl]

I've got a Feb 3rd interview with them *nervous*

In the words of Borat, "nice".

 

[twester]

And this, children, is why WVUPharm is one of my SDN heroes. More pharmacy students need to be like him. Heaven forbid someone can actually be smarter than they appear on paper...(3.2 here and someone with a 4.0 is shrieking right now).

I had a 4.0 and I'm not shrieking. I felt that, as a non-traditional student, my grades had to reflect what I was capable of doing academically. I already had a proven track record, career-wise. I have classmates who had less-than-perfect GPAs. One friend is struggling a little with the didactic part of the pharm school curriculum, but she blows us all away with her counseling and people skills. I've learned a lot from her. It makes perfect sense that she got a seat and she's going to be a kick-ass pharmacist. 👍

 

[eddavatar]

Can a person who gets mostly B's get into pharmacy school or does most of a person's grade in their classes should be A's. I think it is really hard to get A's in every class and still have a life and still be considered a well rounded person. I think it is much easier to get B's and a few C's no D"S OR F and no repeated courses and be a well round person

It seems like pharm classes are getting more and more competitive every year. Our upperclassmen are saying that our class is ultra-competitive compared to them and I can definitely feel the academic prowness of my classmates. I would say to feel safe, you probably want a 3.5 at least. My PCAT (I somehow destroy standardized tests) more or less got me almost nowhere (only extended interview by UMD and UW, shot down by a host of other schools) due to my mediocre GPA. USC didnt need PCAT scores.

With that said, I personally think a class of all 4.0s is strictly inferior to a class of 3.3s with different profiles and interests.

 

[howsoonisnow]

I got As, Bs, Cs. A withdrawal, too. I think I had a 3.27 GPA going in. I think. I don't really remember or particularly care about my GPA. But, yeah, I'm here. It's one of those fancy, big, state land grant schools, too.

The interview is where you will have to shine. I got a darn near perfect on mine. I also did well above average on the PCAT.

Just don't tell the 4.0 GPA types in the school you get into your stats, they'll hate you for the fact that you got in based on roughly 5 hours of standardized test-taking and 45 minutes of brilliant BSing when, in comparison, they got in on, at a minimum, 2 entire years of flawless work. They'll think they have license to look down on you. Well, not all of them...just some of them...

I have no idea why they even interview people. It's just a subjective measure of how well a potential candidate can fool them into believing they are a loving, caring individual that's there to "help people" rather than there for the money. Sure, there is the student that's there for the right reasons all the time, but a good actor can appear to be anything. And the good pre-pharmacy nerd from the imaginary, sterile world of those stupid CVS commercials is easy as heck to pull off.

God, I ramble.....

Your screen name is followed by "Pitt sucks" and you preach lying in the interview and cast off those who work hard to obtain good grades prior to applying to pharmacy school.

People want to be able to trust their pharmacist, and I'd imagine it's tough to trust someone who is less interested in their health and more worried about getting loaded with their buddies on the weekend. You're a tough guy.

Glad WV was never on my list of destinations.

 

[Rxbound]

I had a 4.0 and I'm not shrieking. I felt that, as a non-traditional student, my grades had to reflect what I was capable of doing academically. I already had a proven track record, career-wise. I have classmates who had less-than-perfect GPAs. One friend is struggling a little with the didactic part of the pharm school curriculum, but she blows us all away with her counseling and people skills. I've learned a lot from her. It makes perfect sense that she got a seat and she's going to be a kick-ass pharmacist. 👍

Apologies. Maybe I should have said a traditional student with a 4.0 would be shrieking...

 

[twester]

Apologies. Maybe I should have said a traditional student with a 4.0 would be shrieking...

LOL

Absolutely. Shrieking their heads off...

 

[acetyl]

Your screen name is followed by "Pitt sucks" and you preach lying in the interview and cast off those who work hard to obtain good grades prior to applying to pharmacy school.

People want to be able to trust their pharmacist, and I'd imagine it's tough to trust someone who is less interested in their health and more worried about getting loaded with their buddies on the weekend. You're a tough guy.

Glad WV was never on my list of destinations.

Hey now, WV is a good guy, and never said anything about advocating lying in an interview, nor did he say he gets wasted with his buddies.

From what I understand, he said it was possible to act to the admissions committee or to the interviewer during the interview, which by the way, from my interview experiences, everyone does to some degree (regardless of if you're aware), and from his response is something that he did not do at all during his interview. These interviewers have been doing this stuff for years, and I seriously doubt you can lay the sheep over their eyes THAT much.

If you consider getting loaded with his buddies by playing Gears of War all night long and writing responses to weirdos like me and you on SDN, then sure, he's a drunk.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Your screen name is followed by "Pitt sucks"

They do. In football anyway. They are my school's big rival. Now their pharmacy school is top notch and actually better than my school, IMO. Of course you don't know about the huge football thing we have going on over in the big boy forum with me, Zpak, Cyclo, etc harping on about football, our fav. teams, etc. "Pitt Sucks" comes from this.

and you preach lying in the interview

No I didn't. If you actually took the time to read my posts, you'll note that I wrote I specifically DIDN'T lie during my interview. Rather, I was open and honest about my desire to enter the profession. I mention the lying thing because 80% of the interviewees do it to make themselves look more appealing, thus the interview process is bunk. I bet you got a 15 on the reading comprehension part of the PCAT, eh?

and cast off those who work hard to obtain good grades prior to applying to pharmacy school.

When the hell did I do that? I just said that THEY try to look down on ME because my stats weren't as good. Which did happen. It's a first impression thing that I slowly got over. Now, granted, I personally don't get the whole "getting As" thing because the only way to get As is to jump through silly hoops that don't involve learning. Don't you worry though, I learned the stuff. You don't get 90s on the PCAT without actually learning the stuff.

People want to be able to trust their pharmacist

Most people do trust me. Actually, they trust me over most people because I'm brutally honest and specifically don't lie about anything. Hell it gets me in trouble because I'm so honest. Especially at home. God knows I don't tell the wife her dress looks bad anymore. I just don't comment and run away....far, far away....then pretend I can't talk due to upper RT infection....

and I'd imagine it's tough to trust someone who is less interested in their health and more worried about getting loaded with their buddies on the weekend.

What the hell are you talking about? A) I don't drink. B) I do care about their health. Nice sweeping generalization there. Obviously I'm not the person you think I am..?

You're a tough guy.

Darn straight. I took 4 guys out by myself tonight on Gears of War. Took two out with the boomshot, shotgunned one, and snuck up on the other and chainsawed him. I gots mad 733t h4x0r skillz.

Glad WV was never on my list of destinations.

Ok. We typically like to keep the British out, anyway. With their darned electricity and indoor plumbing...they think they're better than us they do...but we got ramps...and pepperoni rolls....mwahahaha.

 

[seren8dipity]

hahaha wvupharm you crack me up

 

[WVUPharm2007]

If you consider getting loaded with his buddies by playing Gears of War all night long and writing responses to weirdos like me and you on SDN, then sure, he's a drunk.

After I posted my Xbox live tag on the blog, I had 5 people friend me the next day. WTF? I was better than all of them, too.

 

[pharmboy30]

In my opinion, all that matters is you pass the NAPLEX and law.
Grades are irrelevant.

I have been told in interviews and working that people prefer well rounded socialized people. People that worry about getting all A's and comparing themselves with others are stereotypically more bookworm types and can memorize and recall, but have a hard time applying to real world situations. When I was working in the lab, the A students asked so many questions and were not confident in what they were doing. Others just did the work and were confident in their abilities.

IMO, most of what you learn in pharmacy school doesn't apply to real world - I found the learning curve was greatest for me on rotations and working. I still learn things every day working.

I had a couple 4.0 or near in my class and most "studied 8 hours a day" and didn't have jobs. I had a full time job, studied maybe 8 hours a week, passed all my classes with a 3.0, passed the boards, and I work overnights as only pharmacist in a 350 bed hospital.

Performance on a test doesn't always equal knowledge, common sense, or ability.

 

[acetyl]

After I posted my Xbox live tag on the blog, I had 5 people friend me the next day. WTF? I was better than all of them, too.

Sounds like I may have to get me one of those 360's and rain on your parade. Better yet, I know a kid who's by all definitions a gamer, and I'll give him your name. I'm not sure if he plays this game, but if he does, he'll definetly be some competition.

 

[143namil]

Hey now, WV is a good guy, and never said anything about advocating lying in an interview, nor did he say he gets wasted with his buddies.

From what I understand, he said it was possible to act to the admissions committee or to the interviewer during the interview, which by the way, from my interview experiences, everyone does to some degree (regardless of if you're aware), and from his response is something that he did not do at all during his interview. These interviewers have been doing this stuff for years, and I seriously doubt you can lay the sheep over their eyes THAT much.

If you consider getting loaded with his buddies by playing Gears of War all night long and writing responses to weirdos like me and you on SDN, then sure, he's a drunk.

agrred! u got people biting their nails off about applications and others who could care lessa bout coming back and answering, encouraging and taking the time to share their experience and answers. You rock mr. Wv!