Does it matter?

[TheCommonCold]

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Ok, this may be an ignorant question, but here it goes.
I was wondering does it matter where your undergraduate was done?


Like lets say someone went to a community college to finish up their basics and then went to a four year university for example University of North Texas and got their Bachelors in BioChem and had at decent GPA for applying to pharmacy school and another student went to a school considered better academically like Texas Tech all 4 years and achieved the same GPA. (Sorry, I don't know how the schools are ranked so correct me if I'm wrong) I just want to know if the cheaper option is better or is it worth it for the more expensive college?
Would the Pharmacy school take someone from Tech over the person who did their basics at the CC and then went to UNT or am I wrong?😕

 

[Guitarmacy]

Depends on the pharmacy school. The ones in Colorado don't discriminate based on where you took your pre-requisites (except Biochemistry has to be taken at a 4-year). IMO save your money.

 

[Sugoi Travis]

To an extent, I would imagine so. If it wasn't the case, what would be the point of challenging yourself at a higher institution then?

 

[kcha90]

Getting straight A's at a community college is not as impressive as getting straight A's at a four-year institution.

 

[bw6]

Getting straight A's at a community college is not as impressive as getting straight A's at a four-year institution.

+1

Generally speaking, that is probably true. A lot of people don't see community college as being on the same level as universities with a name. ADCOMs are made up of people so it would stand to reason that a couple members are biased against CC (esp. considering that they are almost all employed by bigger universities).

Really though, if you do 2 years at CC and finish up at a univerity - I doubt it would have any significant effect on your chances. You would also save a metric **** ton of $$ 😉

 

[kcha90]

+1

Generally speaking, that is probably true. A lot of people don't see community college as being on the same level as universities with a name. ADCOMs are made up of people so it would stand to reason that a couple members are biased against CC (esp. considering that they are almost all employed by bigger universities).

Really though, if you do 2 years at CC and finish up at a univerity - I doubt it would have any significant effect on your chances. You would also save a metric **** ton of $$ 😉

I agree, but you would have to get good grades for all four years

 

[AlPacino]

Most schools do not care where you took your prereqs. They mostly look into your SGPA and your PCAT scores. That is what stands out. PCAT is said the be the "equalizer." It is the same content no matter where you studied your prereqs. There is nothing wrong with taking your classes at a CC, its actually smarter in todays economy. You just better make sure to nail the PCAT!

Its the whole package that adcoms look it, not just one individual aspect.

 

[Starshipp]

does not matter

 

[bw6]

Most schools do not care where you took your prereqs. They mostly look into your SGPA and your PCAT scores. That is what stands out. PCAT is said the be the "equalizer." It is the same content no matter where you studied your prereqs. There is nothing wrong with taking your classes at a CC, its actually smarter in todays economy. You just better make sure to nail the PCAT!

Its the whole package that adcoms look it, not just one individual aspect.

I would agree with nearly everything that you said. However, I think the point is that all else being equal, a 3.8 at CC is not viewed the same as a 3.8 from a university by some. Especially those who would be involved with admissions at a university pharm school. So yeah, a university name definitely can't hurt your chances of getting in.

Like I have been saying though, it is one of a dozen things that adcoms look at. I liked going to a big school for undergrad and another big uni for pharm because I love the atmosphere. Is it worth the extra money to do 4 years at a university instead of 2/2... probably not.
To each his own.

 

[kcha90]

In my experience (as a student at a public 4-year university in CA), transfer students from CC tend to find the science courses quite challenging at my school, and say that the courses here are much more difficult than CC courses. This may or may not be a representative sample.

 

[GrimeWizard]

In my experience (as a student at a public 4-year university in CA), transfer students from CC tend to find the science courses quite challenging at my school, and say that the courses here are much more difficult than CC courses. This may or may not be a representative sample.

As a student who went from a CC to a 4-year university, the reason CC students feel this way is because there are 300+ people in a class. The course is not more difficult, because the material covered and the text used are often identical. The difficulty is learning how to study without the help of the teacher and the one-on-one attention students receive in a CC course that only has 30 people in it. If CC courses were easier than 4-year university courses then they would never transfer.

 

[AlPacino]

I would agree with nearly everything that you said. However, I think the point is that all else being equal, a 3.8 at CC is not viewed the same as a 3.8 from a university by some. Especially those who would be involved with admissions at a university pharm school. So yeah, a university name definitely can't hurt your chances of getting in.

Like I have been saying though, it is one of a dozen things that adcoms look at. I liked going to a big school for undergrad and another big uni for pharm because I love the atmosphere. Is it worth the extra money to do 4 years at a university instead of 2/2... probably not.
To each his own.

Your putting way too much emphasis on the whole big school education. I got my undergrad years ago at a university and now im taking all my pharmacy prereqs at a state college since I am a out-of-packet student now. Ive been in both the university and now the CC setting and can sincerely tell you that Id rather save thousands of dollars, be closer to home/work, and be in smaller class setting than have the "big school atmosphere." Been there before, so I will just wait until pharm school this time.

 

[kcha90]

Your putting way too much emphasis on the whole big school education. I got my undergrad years ago at a university and now im taking all my pharmacy prereqs at a state college since I am a out-of-packet student now. Ive been in both the university and now the CC setting and can sincerely tell you that Id rather save thousands of dollars, be closer to home/work, and be in smaller class setting than have the "big school atmosphere." Been there before, so I will just wait until pharm school this time.

Saving money, proximity to home/work, and class size is one thing, but we're talking about how adcoms evaluate performance in CC vs. performance at 4-year schools. I do not believe that they are considered equal in adcoms' eyes. I went to a 4-year institution so it doesn't really matter to me whether I'm right or not. Also, the whole CC/4-year thing is just one aspect of an application, and may not even make a difference when taken with the rest.

 

[Sugoi Travis]

Most schools do not care where you took your prereqs. They mostly look into your SGPA and your PCAT scores. That is what stands out. PCAT is said the be the "equalizer." It is the same content no matter where you studied your prereqs. There is nothing wrong with taking your classes at a CC, its actually smarter in todays economy. You just better make sure to nail the PCAT!

Its the whole package that adcoms look it, not just one individual aspect.

I don't necessarily believe in your first sentence. I feel that adcoms will look at where you took your prereqs and relate that to GPA and PCAT. What if a CC student had a 4.0 GPA, but got a 90 on the PCAT while a uni student had a 3.0GPA, but got a 90 on the PCAT as well? Both candidates, according to the PCAT, seem equally adept despite a massive GPA difference. Just for the sake of the example, assume that the uni student went to a UC or Ivy League school while the CC student went somewhere that few people may know about: should the UC/Ivy League student be considered less competitive than the CC student because the uni student went to an extremely competitive and rigorous institution?

I feel that in cases like these, it DOES MATTER where you went for your prereqs, but not in the way most people might think. I believe that looking at where someone went will confirm what you see on the GPA and PCAT.

 

[AlPacino]

I don't necessarily believe in your first sentence. I feel that adcoms will look at where you took your prereqs and relate that to GPA and PCAT. What if a CC student had a 4.0 GPA, but got a 90 on the PCAT while a uni student had a 3.0GPA, but got a 90 on the PCAT as well? Both candidates, according to the PCAT, seem equally adept despite a massive GPA difference. Just for the sake of the example, assume that the uni student went to a UC or Ivy League school while the CC student went somewhere that few people may know about: should the UC/Ivy League student be considered less competitive than the CC student because the uni student went to an extremely competitive and rigorous institution?

I feel that in cases like these, it DOES MATTER where you went for your prereqs, but not in the way most people might think. I believe that looking at where someone went will confirm what you see on the GPA and PCAT.

What if a CC student had a 4.0 GPA, but got a 90 on the PCAT while a uni student had a 3.0GPA, but got a 90 on the PCAT as well?

First off, both those student will be going to pharmacy school. Anybody with a 3.0+ GPA and a 90 PCAT is going to be accepted somewhere.

I don't necessarily believe in your first sentence. I feel that adcoms will look at where you took your prereqs and relate that to GPA and PCAT.

I once felt the same way. So to find out I starting emailing the adcoms and pre-pharmacy advisors of different schools, going to open houses to ask questions, virtual fairs, etc. They all told me the same thing. It.....does....not.....matter. Some of them will try and kiss up to your situation. You tell them you go to a CC they say "No, it makes no difference where you did your prereqs. We have a percentage of student in our pharmacy program that never even got an undergrad and just went to CC."
You tell others that you attend a high end university they say "You will better fit into the university style and curriculum and have the upper advantage."
Its the same thing, all are just trying to sell you on their program. They dont care where you took your prereqs. If you dont believe me, go ahead and ask for yourself. Email a adcom committee member and tell them your a in-state CC student. You will be told the same thing.

 

[PolymeraseIII]

Is this a factor? Yes it isn't, no it isn't.. lol

 

[owlegrad]

First off, both those student will be going to pharmacy school. Anybody with a 3.0+ GPA and a 90 PCAT is going to be accepted somewhere.


I once felt the same way. So to find out I starting emailing the adcoms and pre-pharmacy advisors of different schools, going to open houses to ask questions, virtual fairs, etc. They all told me the same thing. It.....does....not.....matter. Some of them will try and kiss up to your situation. You tell them you go to a CC they say "No, it makes no difference where you did your prereqs. We have a percentage of student in our pharmacy program that never even got an undergrad and just went to CC."
You tell others that you attend a high end university they say "You will better fit into the university style and curriculum and have the upper advantage."
Its the same thing, all are just trying to sell you on their program. They dont care where you took your prereqs. If you dont believe me, go ahead and ask for yourself. Email a adcom committee member and tell them your a in-state CC student. You will be told the same thing.

There are some people who will never be convinced. Maybe it is rationalization or maybe something else but some people are hellbent on insisting that Uni>CC. Whatever, it's no skin off my nose. lol

 

[AlPacino]

There are some people who will never be convinced. Maybe it is rationalization or maybe something else but some people are hellbent on insisting that Uni>CC. Whatever, it's no skin off my nose. lol

Meh it doesnt affect me at all. I think its because alot of students who get their undergrad at a high end university know this and need to find a way to justify that hefty tuition with discussions such as these. I dont mean to disrespect anybody, just my opinion.

Im just a pre-pharmer, what do I know?

 

[bw6]

Your putting way too much emphasis on the whole big school education. I got my undergrad years ago at a university and now im taking all my pharmacy prereqs at a state college since I am a out-of-packet student now. Ive been in both the university and now the CC setting and can sincerely tell you that Id rather save thousands of dollars, be closer to home/work, and be in smaller class setting than have the "big school atmosphere." Been there before, so I will just wait until pharm school this time.

I like how you respond to my post by highlighting something in the very beginning out of context. If you missed the whole thesis of my statement: "Is it worth the extra money to do 4 years at a university instead of 2/2... probably not.
To each his own."

You should be a journalist.

 

[AlPacino]

I like how you respond to my post by highlighting something in the very beginning out of context. If you missed the whole thesis of my statement: "Is it worth the extra money to do 4 years at a university instead of 2/2... probably not.
To each his own."

You should be a journalist.

When I highlight something, that just means Im responding to that specific part -_-

Cant, my grammar sucks lol

 

[bw6]

Yeah.. science is more fun anyway

 

[AlPacino]

Yeah.. science is more fun anyway

I strongly recommend this page 👍

http://www.facebook.com/IFeakingLoveScience

 

[DrDrugs2012]

Admissions committees will first look to see if you did well or poorly
Next they will consider where you went to school. They will tend to err on the side of well known reputable schools because their students are known commodities. The idea being that the applicant pool is qualitatively better from more selective the undergraduate schools even if quantitatively poorer. There are plenty of qualified applicants from community colleges but the solid wager is that the students who fare well in all aspects of their tenure at reputable 4 year schools are the students most ad coms look to interview.
Last they will look to see if you went to a school they are familiar with in the sense of knowing how students from that school fare in their graduate school. Most schools do not have a true 'national' applicant pool as most students tend to attend a school in driving range of their current home (not the same as commuting range). They will know whether merely passing organic chemistry means the same as an A at another school based on the performance of both students in the chemistry-based classes at pharmacy school. Anecdotal, I am sure, but that impression lingers.

 

[Sugoi Travis]

There are some people who will never be convinced. Maybe it is rationalization or maybe something else but some people are hellbent on insisting that Uni>CC. Whatever, it's no skin off my nose. lol

Yikes...aren't we jumping the gun a little too quickly about how I think?

 

[owlegrad]

Yikes...aren't we jumping the gun a little too quickly about how I think?

It was a general observation, not specifically about you, 🙂

 

[Pojman]

Is this a factor? Yes it isn't, no it isn't.. lol

lol - I noticed the same thing...

So... I completed all of my math prerequisites, up to calculus II, and my English 101/102 credits at a community college. All of the rest of the prerequisites were obtained at a state university.

When I was being interviewed by an admissions counselor for pharmacy school, one of the questions that he asked me was, "Where did you complete these prerequisites?".

I do not know why he asked me that, or what he gleaned from the question, but it was asked. I was accepted to a pharmacy school nonetheless.

I do not know if it matters. The only way to answer that question would be to know how the person that is reviewing your application thinks and feels about CC vs. university.

I would guess that overall it does not matter much.. But, I think there is a common opinion about community college being a bit easier than university. Whether or not that is true would be very hard to answer. As for my experience, I would have to say that my time in community college was slightly less stressful and less taxing. But, everyone has a different experience I guess.

Bottom line is - If you are a competitive applicant with marketable skills/talents, I would not worry about it.

 

[Starshipp]

LOLOL i noticed that too.

i guess it isnt....

 

[jerbearox]

I would assume that it would be the final factor to differentiate 2 almost identical applications.