Dalhousie Pre-pharmacy 11-12

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meaw01

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Hey guys! So.. I think this is a little too early, but I thought I would start this thread. I am stressing so much over pharmacy right now, and I am wondering what I should do this summer so that I could increase my chance at being accepted into Dalhousie pharmacy program this year. It is going to be pretty competitive for me because I will be applying in my freshman year! Anybody else applying in first year? And anyone who would like to share some pieces of advice on the MMI or other things regarding pharmacy admission? I am stressed out, but I am so excited at the same time!

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First year?
How in the world did you finish your prerequisites?
 
As long as I'm in the process of completing all my pre-requisites, I am eligible. :)
 
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That's awesome! Congratulations on getting accepted! I'm going to Dalhousie this September, so I'm not an OOP. I think this might improve my chances of getting in. Just out of curiosity, if you don't mind me asking, what were your GPA and interview like? Did you get your references from pharmacists and professors?
 
That's awesome! Congratulations on getting accepted! I'm going to Dalhousie this September, so I'm not an OOP. I think this might improve my chances of getting in. Just out of curiosity, if you don't mind me asking, what were your GPA and interview like? Did you get your references from pharmacists and professors?
Hey! For OOP stuff I'm not sure it matters where you go to university, it's whether your home base is in the maritimes. Although I'm not sure, I'm from Nova Scotia so that was never an issue for me. Anyways, living in the maritimes does improve your chances, 90% of the seats are reserved for students from the maritimes.

My GPA is 3.9 on a 4.3 and my interview went well this year. My references were from my old boss and a pharmacist.
 
Hey! For OOP stuff I'm not sure it matters where you go to university, it's whether your home base is in the maritimes. Although I'm not sure, I'm from Nova Scotia so that was never an issue for me. Anyways, living in the maritimes does improve your chances, 90% of the seats are reserved for students from the maritimes.

My GPA is 3.9 on a 4.3 and my interview went well this year. My references were from my old boss and a pharmacist.

Thanx:) and is the interview really hard? How good should the references be? Did you shadow a lot of pharmacists? What extracurriculars did you do that might have helped you get in?
 
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Anyone else still planning to apply for the upcoming academic year? I'm planning to get my application ready over Christmas break. I have been doing some volunteering at a pharmacy, so hopefully that helps out if I get an interview.

Any advice/suggestions from anyone?

This is so nervewracking. I live in Nova Scotia so I feel like I have a pretty good chance, given the fact that my average in my first year of university was ~88 (full year of prereqs) and this year the only pre req I have left is stats and I have high 90s in that course. The rest of my courses are also above 80.

AHHH.


First year?
How in the world did you finish your prerequisites?

From people I know I don't think it is that difficult to complete your pre reqs in one year..I could have easily but unfortunately stats wouldn't fit into my schedule because my labs were at terrible times, but I know people who completed pre reqs in one year!
 
Anyone else still planning to apply for the upcoming academic year? I'm planning to get my application ready over Christmas break. I have been doing some volunteering at a pharmacy, so hopefully that helps out if I get an interview.

Any advice/suggestions from anyone?

This is so nervewracking. I live in Nova Scotia so I feel like I have a pretty good chance, given the fact that my average in my first year of university was ~88 (full year of prereqs) and this year the only pre req I have left is stats and I have high 90s in that course. The rest of my courses are also above 80.

AHHH.

From people I know I don't think it is that difficult to complete your pre reqs in one year..I could have easily but unfortunately stats wouldn't fit into my schedule because my labs were at terrible times, but I know people who completed pre reqs in one year!
If you have at least around a B+/A- average, you should most definitely get an interview at Dal. The application process itself is very simple, and doesn't even require any input of volunteer activities (unlike other schools), so the only advice I can give to you now is to apply!

However, once you find out you have an interview you should definitely start practicing behavioral interview type questions, and really become familiar with why you want to be a Pharmacist. I volunteered a lot before my interview, although it's not a requirement, it does help support some of your answers to interview questions. Just be honest, and do your best to really show your personality.

Best of all, breathe and enjoy the process! It is one of the most stressful processes (applying, interviewing, and waiting for your letter), but you can do it!
 
Hi there, just wondering if anyone is or has applied to pharmacy at Dalhousie university in Nova Scotia Canada. How competitive is the program? I'm currently a first year university student who finished first semester with a 3.6 (4.3 scale) GPA. I had a 95% Average in highschool, what are my chances at getting an interview? Any information would be great - Thanks.
 
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If you have at least around a B+/A- average, you should most definitely get an interview at Dal. The application process itself is very simple, and doesn't even require any input of volunteer activities (unlike other schools), so the only advice I can give to you now is to apply!

However, once you find out you have an interview you should definitely start practicing behavioral interview type questions, and really become familiar with why you want to be a Pharmacist. I volunteered a lot before my interview, although it's not a requirement, it does help support some of your answers to interview questions. Just be honest, and do your best to really show your personality.

Best of all, breathe and enjoy the process! It is one of the most stressful processes (applying, interviewing, and waiting for your letter), but you can do it!
Thanks a lot for the encouragement! I got my grade back for my last pre req (95) today, so I now feel as though my marks won't be an issue to gain an interview...or I hope so! A friend of mine got in after her first year and attached letters of reference and her resume/cover letter. What are your thoughts on this? Overkill? I doubt one would gain entry because of this, I'm sure it was her grades/must have done well on her interview!

I guess now its time to start getting stuff ready!!! Phew
 
Thanks a lot for the encouragement! I got my grade back for my last pre req (95) today, so I now feel as though my marks won't be an issue to gain an interview...or I hope so! A friend of mine got in after her first year and attached letters of reference and her resume/cover letter. What are your thoughts on this? Overkill? I doubt one would gain entry because of this, I'm sure it was her grades/must have done well on her interview!

I guess now its time to start getting stuff ready!!! Phew
I would say it's overkill, yes. When I applied I only sent in the required forms, nothing additional like a resume or cover letter. Although, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt. I don't know of anyone else who sent such things in.

That's correct, for an interview, they select the 200 applicants with the highest grades.
 
Hi there, just wondering if anyone is or has applied to pharmacy at Dalhousie university in Nova Scotia Canada. How competitive is the program? I'm currently a first year university student who finished first semester with a 3.6 (4.3 scale) GPA. I had a 95% Average in highschool, what are my chances at getting an interview? Any information would be great - Thanks.

Also i am a maritime resident.

any help would be great


Merging with existing thread in school-specific discussions. Please use the search function in the future before posting a new thread.
 
I believe I already answered your questions via private message? Was there anything unanswered?

Hi vortex, I guess basically i am worried about getting an interview. Like i said i have a 3.6 GPA on a 4.3 scale, and have a 95% average in highschool. Will those marks get me an interview?
 
Hi vortex, I guess basically i am worried about getting an interview. Like i said i have a 3.6 GPA on a 4.3 scale, and have a 95% average in highschool. Will those marks get me an interview?
Hello,

Yes you should get an interview with those marks. Definitely apply and see what happens :)
 
anyone else super nervous?! i wish there were more people posting that planned to apply!! should i bother sending my high school transcripts in? im in second year of my undergrad at the moment
 
anyone else super nervous?! i wish there were more people posting that planned to apply!! should i bother sending my high school transcripts in? im in second year of my undergrad at the moment


Hey Special K,
I'm also applying now for september. I'm currently a first year university student, and finished with a 3.6 (on a 4.3) scale GPA. Hoping this will be enough, what do you think? how are your marks? I was also wondering if we need to send in our highschool transcripts. Anyone with any information on this?
Thanks.
 
Hey Special K,
I'm also applying now for september. I'm currently a first year university student, and finished with a 3.6 (on a 4.3) scale GPA. Hoping this will be enough, what do you think? how are your marks? I was also wondering if we need to send in our highschool transcripts. Anyone with any information on this?
Thanks.

Hey!! Good luck to you :) I'm not sure what my gpa is but my average is about 88. Keeping my fingers crossed!! I sent in my high school marks simply because the undergrad app asked for them.. It won't hurt I'm sure! I'm sure your gpa is good enough for an interview!! I was so nervous sendig my application!!! They processed it today! Just out of curiosity do you go to dal? Or a maritime university?
 
Hey everyone,

I've just sent in my application and I understand how nervous everyone is. This is my second time applying so I hope things are better this time. I have a 3.7GPA so I'm hoping that is competitive enough. Wish everyone the best with their applications and look forward to seeing everyone's positive updates!
 
Hey everyone,

I've just sent in my application and I understand how nervous everyone is. This is my second time applying so I hope things are better this time. I have a 3.7GPA so I'm hoping that is competitive enough. Wish everyone the best with their applications and look forward to seeing everyone's positive updates!

Hi Griffisu.
What was your GPA the first time you applied? Did you get an interview then? Like I said I have a 3.6, and I'm pretty nervous with getting an interview. If I get to the interview however I feel like I have everything else in order to get accepted. Special K, I do not go to Dal, but rather another Maritime university.
 
Hi Griffisu.
What was your GPA the first time you applied? Did you get an interview then? Like I said I have a 3.6, and I'm pretty nervous with getting an interview. If I get to the interview however I feel like I have everything else in order to get accepted. Special K, I do not go to Dal, but rather another Maritime university.


I feel the same way. I think I'm confident enough in my social/problem solving skills to do well in the interview, if my nerves don't get the better of me! I don't go to Dal either, I'm curious as to the number of Dal students accepted versus other maritime universities.

On a side note, how does one go about calculating their GPA? Haha, my school just gives us number grades..
 
I feel the same way. I think I'm confident enough in my social/problem solving skills to do well in the interview, if my nerves don't get the better of me! I don't go to Dal either, I'm curious as to the number of Dal students accepted versus other maritime universities.

On a side note, how does one go about calculating their GPA? Haha, my school just gives us number grades..
I'm in my first year of Pharmacy at Dal, and I would say the vast majority of the class is non-dal students. Quite a few from NB, PEI, and other NS universities. I was always worried that they would be biased toward Dal students, but that definitely isn't the case. The College of Pharmacy is responsible for supplying Pharmacists to the rest of the maritime provinces, so it's important that they take a good sample from all of them. I think it's done quite well.

Regarding GPA calculation, if you google "GPA Calculator" there will be quite a few tools that come up that will help you do this.

Let me know if you have any other questions!
 
I'm in my first year of Pharmacy at Dal, and I would say the vast majority of the class is non-dal students. Quite a few from NB, PEI, and other NS universities. I was always worried that they would be biased toward Dal students, but that definitely isn't the case. The College of Pharmacy is responsible for supplying Pharmacists to the rest of the maritime provinces, so it's important that they take a good sample from all of them. I think it's done quite well.

Regarding GPA calculation, if you google "GPA Calculator" there will be quite a few tools that come up that will help you do this.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Oh that's a relief! I was worried about biases too. But I'm glad you said that haha.
Is it a 4.3 scale I should calculate it on?
 
has everyone applied? Anyone have any tips?
 
So deadline was today!!! wonder when interviewees will be notified...lol i kow it wont be for awhile but im anxious
 
Good luck to everyone who has applied! I wish you success in getting an interview!
 
So apparently I have the worst luck ever. I just called Dal to make sure they got everything for my application (i called a week or so ago and they said to call back in a week). She said "we have your application and supplemental here, but no transcripts. did you request them?" I was like.. yes. I requested that my university send them on Jan 9th. So she told me to call back Tuesday incase the registar's office didn't get them to the college yet. but i sent my application on the 9th too, and that made its way to the registrar's office......

I called my university (which is a 5 hour drive from Halifax, mail shouldnt take 3 weeks) and they said they were sent the evening of the 9th. I really don't know what to do since the deadline has passed.. will they not consider my application since they didn't receive my transcripts?
 
It's an application date, the deadline doesn't include transcripts. If they're past it's fine. Just get them resent and let them know that something must've happened in the initial transaction. No need to worry.
 
Awesome. They were so vague on the phone I wasn't sure what it meant.
 
i remember my friend was in the middle of studying for exams (second week of april, or the first week, not sure) when she got a call. id like for it to be sooner.. hypothetically if you get an interview what do you plan on wearing?
 
I've heard that calls for interviews are starting to go out, so good luck everyone! Don't worry if you don't get called for a few weeks, they often space things out. I remember getting my call while studying for finals.

As far as dressing for the interviews, I would suggest professional attire (skirt/dress pants). Dress for the job, so just make sure you aren't wearing jeans, khakis, or sneakers :)
 
thanks!! I think it is going to be a long couple of weeks, lol. Do you happen to know know if its random or if they go alphabetically or what?
 
Hey all, Margaret just telephoned me and informed me I got an interview. She also said today was the first day for calls, so they will be continuing for awhile! GOOD LUCK :D
 
Hey all, Margaret just telephoned me and informed me I got an interview. She also said today was the first day for calls, so they will be continuing for awhile! GOOD LUCK :D

What are your initials? Do they do it in alphabetical order? Ah nerve wrecking
 
Hey Hope2Be - don't think they do it in alphabetical order, I'm an R! So if it was the first day its doubtful that they do that. maybe it might be in order they were received, sent mine in pretty early. :) keep me updated
 
Hey Hope2Be - don't think they do it in alphabetical order, I'm an R! So if it was the first day its doubtful that they do that. maybe it might be in order they were received, sent mine in pretty early. :) keep me updated

For sure:) if I get one I'll let you know ASAP, then maybe we can discuss interviews with eachother!
 
Yes totally!! that would be great, haha i do not know anyone thats applying!
 
I haven't heard anything yet either, but I remember last year my friends didn't receive calls until exam time. So i'll continue to stay patient.
 
I haven't heard anything yet either, but I remember last year my friends didn't receive calls until exam time. So i'll continue to stay patient.

Yeah that's what I remember from last year too..I'm
Sure they'll be going on for a while :) let us know!!!
 
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