Community College?

[anireeta]

Hello,

I am currently a senior in highschool. I was wondering what my chances are in entering UOP's Pharm D program if i go to community college for two years? During those two years of community college, I will finish the required pre-requisites and try to aim for a high GPA.

Or should I enroll in a 4-year university and get a bachelor's degree in Bio Chemistry.... and then apply to the Pharm D program?

Please and Thank you

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Passion4Sci]

Hello,

I am currently a senior in highschool. I was wondering what my chances are in entering UOP's Pharm D program if i go to community college for two years? During those two years of community college, I will finish the required pre-requisites and try to aim for a high GPA.

Or should I enroll in a 4-year university and get a bachelor's degree in Bio Chemistry.... and then apply to the Pharm D program?

Please and Thank you

You have basically zero chance to get into any California program with just your pre-requisites, I'm afraid. Because you don't have to take the PCAT here, you have to possess a 4 year degree.

An unofficial, unscientific polling of my current classmates yielded not a single person without a 4 year degree. The majors varied from Psychology to Managerial Economics but they all had degrees.

Delano is admitted for next year's class as well (matric. in fall this year) and he said only two of his fellow admittees have no degree.

In short, it's a really bad idea. Is it possible? Yeah, it is... but you could also go play Mega Millions and win $300M as well. It's possible. Do you want to bank on it? Heck no.

CNCP & Touro out-right require the 4 year degree, too. And UCSF might as well, with 99% degree admission last cycle. And I know from the 2009 cycle at UoP, it was 94%. I suspect my class is at least 94%... if not more. And 94% might as well be 100% honestly.

If you want to attend a pharmacy school in CA and UoP's 0-6 program (3+3) is out of the running for you then you absolutely, positively need a 4 year degree. Do 2 years of pre-requisites at a CC then take a TAA/TAG to a 4 year UC/CSU, do your last 2 years in whatever, get your degree and go to pharmacy school... but please, don't try to be the one person that gets into a CA pharmacy school with only 2 years of coursework. That's a losing bet, and do you want to gamble with your future? I wouldn't.

 

[BabyBelle]

Passion4Sci is correct. Unfortunately, your chances of being accepted into a CA school with only prereqs from a CC will not make you a competitive candidate compared to all those applicants who have 4 year degrees. If you plan on taking the PCATs and applying out of state then you have a chance but it's just really competitive here in CA. If you plan on applying to only CA schools, then getting a 4 yr degree will be your best bet.

 

[delano2000]

Like P4Sci said, of my future classmates 2 of us thus far will not have degrees by August but we both have more than 2 yrs of pre-reqs under our belts.

I did about 2-2.5 yrs at a CC and transferred to a 4 yr university a yr ago. So, by the time I matriculate, I will have at least completed 3 to roughly 4 yrs of undergrad education. Another semester or so and I would have the degree but since I already got accepted, no need for the BS now.

 

[anireeta]

Thanks everyone for your input It was very helpful.
I've decided that I will go to a 4 year college and get a bachelor's degree first.

Thank you once again.

 

[Passion4Sci]

Thanks everyone for your input It was very helpful.
I've decided that I will go to a 4 year college and get a bachelor's degree first.

Thank you once again.

You're welcome... and make sure you get really involved in your undergrad., and get as much exposure to the field as you possibly can, as soon as you can.