Choosing A Pharm. D. Program

[dacr8tiv1]

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Welp, it's that time of year where I have to FINALIZE my decision for school. I was accepted into my first choice which I am UBER excited about, but with tuition and fees totaling nearly $60K I am hesitant about going. I was also accepted into 2 other programs, 1 of which is currently on probation, and the other of which was previously on probation but is now fully accredited. The other two programs are significantly less expensive and I could finance my entire 4 years with what the one year costs at my number one choice. I have been thinking a lot lately and I am still stumped. My heart is telling me to go to my first choice, but my brain and pockets are telling me to consider the other 2 programs.....

Should I go to one of the less expensive schools? Will this probationary status make a difference? After all a PharmD. is a PharmD. right? Do employers actually look at these accredidation statuses?

I'm so confused. Any insight would be appreciated..

 

[charfdorn]

Welp, it's that time of year where I have to FINALIZE my decision for school. I was accepted into my first choice which I am UBER excited about, but with tuition and fees totaling nearly $60K I am hesitant about going. I was also accepted into 2 other programs, 1 of which is currently on probation, and the other of which was previously on probation but is now fully accredited. The other two programs are significantly less expensive and I could finance my entire 4 years with what the one year costs at my number one choice. I have been thinking a lot lately and I am still stumped. My heart is telling me to go to my first choice, but my brain and pockets are telling me to consider the other 2 programs.....

Should I go to one of the less expensive schools? Will this probationary status make a difference? After all a PharmD. is a PharmD. right? Do employers actually look at these accredidation statuses?

I'm so confused. Any insight would be appreciated..

Which of these schools requires a move, and is that a plus or a minus for you?

I would say go to the school you most want to go to and worry about the cost later. It just means you'll be paying off your loans longer.

 

[KARM12]

Which of those schools did you get accepted to?

 

[wellwell]

I would say go to the school you most want to go to and worry about the cost later. It just means you'll be paying off your loans longer.

Lol, how long have you been a pharmacist? Or even a pharmacy student for that matter?

 

[FarscapeGirl]

I think you're going to have to tell the names of these schools for people to be any help...

I'd say go to the school where you'll be most comfortable and get the best education. If you think that one school is great but that you'll be stressed thinking about the amount of loans you're paying, that may not be a good choice.

 

[browneyes021]

If I could go back in time, and apply to more schools and have multiple acceptances, I would've picked the most affordable school in an area close to a large city (in case I ever needed a mini-vacation). Your heart may tell you to go to your first choice (the one you fell in love with), but I say go with the more practical choice. The most important thing is getting your Pharm.D. and while name recognition may help with rotations, it's not something truly needed when looking for a job. At least that's how I feel. 😳

 

[solzont]

If I could go back in time, and apply to more schools and have multiple acceptances, I would've picked the most affordable school in an area close to a large city (in case I ever needed a mini-vacation). Your heart may tell you to go to your first choice (the one you fell in love with), but I say go with the more practical choice. The most important thing is getting your Pharm.D. and while name recognition may help with rotations, it's not something truly needed when looking for a job. At least that's how I feel. 😳

I agree...I often see this quote in and around this forum from time to time, "...and got into a top program." Well, good job, but *top* is very subjective regardless of what you read in the news. Find a program that provides a solid education but also exists in an environment that enables you to excel.

 

[dacr8tiv1]

Well, as of now the three schools I was accepted into are Midwestern (HEART) LOL... Hampton and Howard... Still waiting on 2 other schools. I know that if I get into VCU that's where I'm going but as it stands now I don't know what school to pick out of the three... After doing some research Howard had a 53.8% Naplex pass rate in 2004... It has since increased but that's definitely another issue...

 

[RNtoPharmD]

Cheapest school

 

[browneyes021]

Cheapest school

Amen! 😀 Would you rather have 60K in student loans or 120K in student loans?

 

[RNtoPharmD]

Amen! 😀 Would you rather have 60K in student loans or 120K in student loans?

of course! 🙂 but also consider the cost of living other expenses in those areas.

 

[FarscapeGirl]

of course! 🙂 but also consider the cost of living other expenses in those areas.

I think someone brought up this already, but also think about moving and where your family is. Moving can be very expensive, depending on your situation.

Also, if your family is within an hour's drive with one school but a plane ride for another... travel to see them can get expensive. And it can also be easier/less expensive to have family near by (depending on the family, of course).

 

[Keyoda]

To the OP: I think you should only go to one of the fully accredited schools in order to get the most out of your rotations. That 60K tuition is the total for all 4 years right? If so, then it is not too expensive for a top choice. But only you can decide.

To the rest of you: I know I said, only the student can decide, but I would like to put my situation out there and see what you guys think *I* should do. (Doesn't mean I'll do what you say, but I'm hoping you'll make me consider something I might not have thought of).

Rutgers or UCSF

I want to be a medical liaison, Rutgers has the industry connections. To be a good medical liaison one needs the great clinical skills best learned at UCSF. Rutgers also costs half as much as UCSF ($50K vs. $100K for 4 years of just tuition). I also did my undergrad at Rutgers and liked it OK and I have to admit as scary as a potential move to SF is, I'm kind of excited about the idea. Based on this limited info what do you guys think ???

 

[dacr8tiv1]

To the OP: I think you should only go to one of the fully accredited schools in order to get the most out of your rotations. That 60K tuition is the total for all 4 years right? If so, then it is not too expensive for a top choice. But only you can decide.

To the rest of you: I know I said, only the student can decide, but I would like to put my situation out there and see what you guys think *I* should do. (Doesn't mean I'll do what you say, but I'm hoping you'll make me consider something I might not have thought of).

Rutgers or UCSF

I want to be a medical liaison, Rutgers has the industry connections. To be a good medical liaison one needs the great clinical skills best learned at UCSF. Rutgers also costs half as much as UCSF ($50K vs. $100K for 4 years of just tuition). I also did my undergrad at Rutgers and liked it OK and I have to admit as scary as a potential move to SF is, I'm kind of excited about the idea. Based on this limited info what do you guys think ???

No, It's 60K per year which mean about a quarter million dollars in debt upon graduation... I've done a lot of thinking and I THINK I've made a decision.. YAY!

 

[bacillus1]

Hampton and Howard? Depending on what you want to do, those may not be good choices. If you basically just want to do retail or be a staff hospital pharmacist, then those are all fine (well, Howard anyway, since they're fully accredited), but with residencies becoming more competitive they will start looking at what school you went to.

But is it really 60k? Maybe I should relax about my 30k a year now...That seems really steep, I guess going to Howard isn't gonna harm you that much considering that difference.

 

[RobertRodrig1]

Howard is a terrible in many subjects. It ranks dead last in the US in clinical psychology. A 58% passing rate on the NAPLEX?? Most schools have 90% and above. Imagine failing the NAPLEX after 4 years of school. That is an unacceptable statistic.

 

[RobertRodrig1]

A school can't make or break you unless it is either a top 10 or a very low ranking school. You should go for the moderately good school which won't hurt you. As long as you go in with a strong drive, you can make it whatever you want it to be. It depends on your effort and your drive. If you go to a very expensive school and slack off then what good would that be.

 

[FarscapeGirl]

To the OP: I think you should only go to one of the fully accredited schools in order to get the most out of your rotations. That 60K tuition is the total for all 4 years right? If so, then it is not too expensive for a top choice. But only you can decide.

To the rest of you: I know I said, only the student can decide, but I would like to put my situation out there and see what you guys think *I* should do. (Doesn't mean I'll do what you say, but I'm hoping you'll make me consider something I might not have thought of).

Rutgers or UCSF

I want to be a medical liaison, Rutgers has the industry connections. To be a good medical liaison one needs the great clinical skills best learned at UCSF. Rutgers also costs half as much as UCSF ($50K vs. $100K for 4 years of just tuition). I also did my undergrad at Rutgers and liked it OK and I have to admit as scary as a potential move to SF is, I'm kind of excited about the idea. Based on this limited info what do you guys think ???

I thought I heard that medical liaisons travel a lot? If so, you might tire of that after a few years. If you would potentially want to do something later that required great clinical skills, that may be something to consider.

I went to UCD for undergrad, and after four years, I was ready to move on. I ended up going to grad school at UW in Seattle. I was happy to move (especially to a big city), and I like it here. However, there was no financial incentive for me, so that may change things.

 

[Keyoda]

Thanks for your reply! Yes, Medical Liaisons do travel A LOT and the pharmaceutical industry is...shall we say..."dynamic". So I agree that I do need to prepare myself for an alternative career no matter which school I choose.

Seems like you vote for UCSF based on change and an education applicable to a variety of settings.

My question to the rest of you is which is more important?

-The cheaper school that specializes in your current interests

OR​

-The more expensive school in a better location that gives a more well rounded education.