Chances for 2018 cycle?

[doubletwenty]

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Hi everyone,
I was wondering what are my chances for the top pharmacy schools (UNC, minnesota, university of michigan, and etc... ) for the upcoming 2018 cycle are?

Stats: 3.5 gpa
97 pcat composite
200+ hours of hospital volunteering in outpatient pharmacy. (got a certificate for that)
600+ hours of research with 1 paper published
Working as a retail pharm tech for 4 months currently
Had a Bachelor in June 2016
Taking 2 gap years because I wanted to relax for a bit before I start pharm school.

 

[biohemist]

Hello, you have pretty good stats. If you are still in contact with your professors or know any pharmacists that will give you a LOR you should get into any school you want. Don't pay attention to any of these people here discouraging you from going to pharmacy school. If you are one of the best you will always succeed in life. Good luck!

 

[steveysmith54]

Don't pay attention to any of these people here discouraging you from going to pharmacy school. If you are one of the best you will always succeed in life. Good luck!

Just FYI, a lot of people report information from credible sources like BLS projections, HRSA reports, and other credible magazines that cover pharmacy, such as pharmacy times... it's also clear that bc of the projected unemployment rate and current struggle of new grads to obtain jobs, the quality of applicants has gone done and schools are having a hard time filling classes... you can ignore all of this available info or consider it... choice is yours

 

[biohemist]

Just FYI, a lot of people report information from credible sources like BLS projections, HRSA reports, and other credible magazines that cover pharmacy, such as pharmacy times... it's also clear that bc of the projected unemployment rate and current struggle of new grads to obtain jobs, the quality of applicants has gone done and schools are having a hard time filling classes... you can ignore all of this available info or consider it... choice is yours

Yes we get it. The pharmacy field is and will be more saturated than other health fields. And yes, the quality and number of applicants has declined too but Pharmacy is still a great career and if you are better than the rest you get the job. So be better than the rest!!!!!

 

[Amicable Angora]

Yes we get it. The pharmacy field is and will be more saturated than other health fields. And yes, the quality and number of applicants has declined too but Pharmacy is still a great career and if you are better than the rest you get the job. So be better than the rest!!!!!

You can say that about anything, why not change everything you said and apply it to law?

 

[biohemist]

You can say that about anything, why not change everything you said and apply it to law?

Because he is interested in Pharmacy and not interested in Law.

 

[biohemist]

You can say that about anything, why not change everything you said and apply it to law?

Your profile says you are a Pharmacy student. Why don't you drop out and start another career with great job outlook.

 

[steveysmith54]

Yes we get it. The pharmacy field is and will be more saturated than other health fields. And yes, the quality and number of applicants has declined too but Pharmacy is still a great career and if you are better than the rest you get the job. So be better than the rest!!!!!

So Be better than the rest, huh? Sounds like a tall order for the majority.... kind of high standards there... good luck fulfilling that...

 

[doubletwenty]

Oh goodness. I just want to know my chances lol.
That is a given I'll consider the saturation of pharmacy since I work in a pharmacy. Anyways, complaints about jobs should be in the pharmacy forum and not the prepharm forum imo.

 

[Amicable Angora]

Can someone explain to me why every single new comer on studentdoctor has 0 reading comprehension?

 

[steveysmith54]

Oh goodness. I just want to know my chances lol.
That is a given I'll consider the saturation of pharmacy since I work in a pharmacy. Anyways, complaints about jobs should be in the pharmacy forum and not the prepharm forum imo.

To answer your first question; your chances are excellent. You have the stats to be competitive for any school, on paper. You would have been competitive even 10 yrs ago when the amount of applicants was at an all time high. I do think that you need to reconsider the schools that you are applying to simply bc most students develop connections and begin working as interns in the area where they go to school. Are you willing to live in all of those states post graduation? The only way that you do not get into your desired school is if you completely bomb the interview. To prepare for an interview, you must have a clear understanding of the role of a pharmacist and convince the interviewer that you the right fit for their school/profession.

As far as your notion that complaints about jobs should be in the pharmacy forum. Let me first say that providing credible resources that predict the outlook of the profession is not a job complaint. A job complaint is like saying that "CVS is hella understaffed" Even the moderators for the pre-pharmacy forum include this topic in the FAQ. https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/pre-pharmacy-faq-2014-version.198059/#post-1700934 . A lot of schools and deans have deceived students about this topic and it's shameful.

 

[doubletwenty]

Ah okay thanks for the clarification, Steveysmith54. Also, thanks for giving me inputs about my stats.
And yes, I am willing to move anywhere to be honest. Can you also give me an idea on some of the schools that I should considering applying and some of the schools I should not apply? Thanks for your time steveysmith54.

 

[steveysmith54]

Ah okay thanks for the clarification, Steveysmith54. Also, thanks for giving me inputs about my stats.
And yes, I am willing to move anywhere to be honest. Can you also give me an idea on some of the schools that I should considering applying and some of the schools I should not apply? Thanks for your time steveysmith54.

I think if you are truly willing to live anywhere post graduation, those are solid list of schools. Generally you want to apply to schools that are:
accredited
affordable
solid alumni network
solid reputation
established good rotation sites
most people choose schools that are fairly close to where you want to live once you graduate (I will elaborate on this).

Most pharmacy students work as interns starting p2 (some earlier) to gain experience and fulfill board of pharmacy requirement for licensing. These opportunities tend to turn into pharmacist jobs upon graduation. Same goes for rotations, they can be similar to extended audition for a job. That's the advantage of going to school close to where you want to work; you start the job search early and often get a leg up on the competition. It's much much more difficult to get a job when you are applying off the street. Everyone will have a Pharm.D., you need to do other things while you are in school to differentiate yourself.But, that's getting a bit too far ahead. GL in the application process.

 

[PromisedNeverland]

I like turtles

 

[PharmtoCS]

...if you are better than the rest you get the job. So be better than the rest!!!!!

Or be a snowflake and think that saturation won't affect you because you're special.

 

[AsuPharm]

Hello, you have pretty good stats. If you are still in contact with your professors or know any pharmacists that will give you a LOR you should get into any school you want. Don't pay attention to any of these people here discouraging you from going to pharmacy school. If you are one of the best you will always succeed in life. Good luck!

At this point, I akin you pre-pharmers to the likes of climate change deniers. We come backed with statistics and factual information yet you choose not to believe and even go as far as denying the saturation doesnt exist. Go ahead, go to pharm school. In 5 years when you are 150k plus in debt with little job offers in areas you dont want to be in practice settings you dont want to practice, dont come bitching. We are trying to warn you people yet you continue thinking its some conspiracy. If you dont believe me, look for yourself on CVS' or your local hospitals website. As for telling people that if they are tops in their class they would be fine, this is true for any career. But, how many take the debt load we do? Very few. How many people would be going to med school if there werent enough residencies to ensure everyone is able to practice after graduation, while the number of med students tripled in a course of 5 year? Many would run away, as should most prepharmers. So when you come peddling how bad the job market isnt, please come backed with facts and not whatever your pharm school dean is pimping as we'll call them out too.

 

[biohemist]

At this point, I akin you pre-pharmers to the likes of climate change deniers. We come backed with statistics and factual information yet you choose not to believe and even go as far as denying the saturation doesnt exist. Go ahead, go to pharm school. In 5 years when you are 150k plus in debt with little job offers in areas you dont want to be in practice settings you dont want to practice, dont come bitching. We are trying to warn you people yet you continue thinking its some conspiracy. If you dont believe me, look for yourself on CVS' or your local hospitals website. As for telling people that if they are tops in their class they would be fine, this is true for any career. But, how many take the debt load we do? Very few. How many people would be going to med school if there werent enough residencies to ensure everyone is able to practice after graduation, while the number of med students tripled in a course of 5 year? Many would run away, as should most prepharmers. So when you come peddling how bad the job market isnt, please come backed with facts and not whatever your pharm school dean is pimping as we'll call them out too.

But all you people here replying are pharmacy students. Why not drop out? Go find another career.

 

[AsuPharm]

But all you people here replying are pharmacy students. Why not drop out? Go find another career.

Fell for the same crap that everyone else did. Trying to advise people against our mistakes. My school is top 15 and DOUBLED their enrollment in the time Ive been here. Last week our dean held a session on increasing tuition and class size. One of my classmatea pressed him on it. He cited the HRSA and BLS studies. His response? Theres a need in Phoenix, no citation of any kind. HA! Of course it was his response. The class that just graduated had big trouble getting jobs in the area, straight from some of their mouths. Im trying to ensure that I have a decent job when I graduate which is less and less likely by the day.