FSU for Pre-pharmacy

[Ava999]

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Hello,
I am currently a senior in High school, wanting to pursue Pharmacy as a career.To be specific I want to be a clinical pharmacist. I have applied to UF, FSU, FAMU, and I might apply for UCF.

Out of the colleges I applied to, only FAMU and UF have pre-pharmacy AND pharmacy programs (FSU has only Pre-pharmacy.) UF was my 1st choice school, but I recently didn't get accepted, and now I have 2 choices: FSU and FAMU.

The problem that I have is that I don't really want to go to FAMU, because I've heard that it wasn't a good school and it has accreditation problems. And like I said before, after graduating I want to do a residency to be a clinical Pharmacist, and if I graduated from FAMU it might not look so well compared to someone who graduated from UF (or some other school). .


I know that there are other schools like NSU and PBA that have full pharmacy programs as well, BUT I can't afford NSU and PBA therefore I didn't apply.
So the advice I need is, should I:

1.) go to FAMU for the 6yr program.
OR
2.) go to FSU (if I get accepted) for 2yrs then transfer to UF or some other pharmacy school.

I do not want to go to community college, so I ruled that out.
Thanks.

 

[Tinkerbell22]

Hello,
I am currently a senior in High school, wanting to pursue Pharmacy as a career.To be specific I want to be a clinical pharmacist. I have applied to UF, FSU, FAMU, and I might apply for UCF.

Out of the colleges I applied to, only FAMU and UF have pre-pharmacy AND pharmacy programs (FSU has only Pre-pharmacy.) UF was my 1st choice school, but I recently didn't get accepted, and now I have 2 choices: FSU and FAMU.

The problem that I have is that I don't really want to go to FAMU, because I've heard that it wasn't a good school and it has accreditation problems. And like I said before, after graduating I want to do a residency to be a clinical Pharmacist, and if I graduated from FAMU it might not look so well compared to someone who graduated from UF (or some other school). .


I know that there are other schools like NSU and PBA that have full pharmacy programs as well, BUT I can't afford NSU and PBA therefore I didn't apply.
So the advice I need is, should I:

1.) go to FAMU for the 6yr program.
OR
2.) go to FSU (if I get accepted) for 2yrs then transfer to UF or some other pharmacy school.

I do not want to go to community college, so I ruled that out.
Thanks.

I'd go to FSU because you never know if you will want to finish a bachelor's degree rather than 0-6 OR you might decide you don't like Tallahassee or you want to open your options to different 2+4 pharmacy schools and apply there.

I think you should apply to UCF also if it's not too late because UF has a pharmacy school in Orlando/Apopka so if you like the area you might be able to stay if you get accepted to that campus.

This is just a complete personal thing too, but Tallahassee is also a huge party town so it might be easier to focus on school/grades and hosptial volunteer opportunities if you're in a metro city like Orlando.

 

[jjfree]

I'm getting my B.S. from FSU in May, and I'm going to pharm school at UF in the fall. FSU is a great school, and as long as you stay focused you will get an excellent education. Also, if this means anything, at the UF interview it seemed like FSU had the second highest number of people present, next to UF students of course. Also, if applicable, apply to the honors program at FSU, you will have smaller classes and better professors.

 

[Tinkerbell22]

I'm getting my B.S. from FSU in May, and I'm going to pharm school at UF in the fall. FSU is a great school, and as long as you stay focused you will get an excellent education. Also, if this means anything, at the UF interview it seemed like FSU had the second highest number of people present, next to UF students of course. Also, if applicable, apply to the honors program at FSU, you will have smaller classes and better professors.

That is really good advice. I don't know a lot about FSU except that UF and FSU are pretty much the largest schools in Florida, so if you can get into the smaller honors classes that sounds like it would help tremendously. I know I had an easier time getting to know professors when the class was small. They automatically know who you are if you do well and ask a few questions. In the large classes (I even had 200-250 students in some pre-reqs at UM which is private) it is so hard to get your name known when there are that many other students.

 

[Ava999]

I'm getting my B.S. from FSU in May, and I'm going to pharm school at UF in the fall. FSU is a great school, and as long as you stay focused you will get an excellent education. Also, if this means anything, at the UF interview it seemed like FSU had the second highest number of people present, next to UF students of course. Also, if applicable, apply to the honors program at FSU, you will have smaller classes and better professors.

When you said that you got your BS, did it take you 4 years to get that?
Meaning 4 ears for BS degree, and another 4 years for pharmacy school?

 

[Ava999]

Oh, and I'm scared that if I transfer to UF, I might not get accepted...

 

[jjfree]

Yes, I decided to stay and get my biology degree instead of opting for the 2+4 route. One of the main reasons I stayed was bright futures. I had 4 years paid for, not taking advantage of it seemed like a waste. Some schools, such as Auburn, prefer that students receive a degree. UF, however, does not show preference to students with bachelors degrees. Regardless, more and more students are getting an undergrad degree before pharmacy school. It's a decision you will have to make once you start school.

 

[OCizzle]

Getting your bachelor is a big waste of time. Take it from a sucker who unnecessarily went through all 4 years of undergrad.

 

[Tinkerbell22]

Oh, and I'm scared that if I transfer to UF, I might not get accepted...

If you're not in a guaranteed acceptance or 0-6 program it's always suggested that you apply to multiple schools. No one can really tell you what is the "right" number, but normally if you have a superb application your chances go up and you may not feel the need to apply to many many schools (it is kind of expensive for all the applications and interviews)... BUT you should always have a few top choices that you would be happy attending. When I was just starting out after high school I was a little scared to leave Florida, but now that I am almost 23 I am actually looking forward to going out of state. Just something to think about... I honestly think you should go to FSU and take advantage of any scholarships, etc and then think about your options from there. After you complete 2 years, think about how your GPA looks, start studying for the PCAT, etc and then decide if you want to start applying to pharm school or get your degree. The person above me is right though... a lot of schools, especially the very competitive and popular ones, are getting tons and tons of qualified applicants who will have a degree when they enter pharmacy school so having one will only help you.

This is just my opinion 🙂

 

[Tinkerbell22]

Getting your bachelor is a big waste of time. Take it from a sucker who unnecessarily went through all 4 years of undergrad.

That is so not true. Even students who are accepted right now with only 2 years of college, it is often more competitive for them, and a lot of schools are reporting that the amount of 2 year students in their P1 classes are diminishing each year.

I would never tell someone just starting off to completely write off the degree, because if they aren't accepted after 2 years then they're going to have to rethink their whole plan instead of having their degree already set up just in case. Also... 2 years from now I'm assuming that things might be even more competitive, so it can only help someone if they plan ahead just in case they decide to get their BS or BA.

 

[Ava999]

So going to FAMU would be a no no?

 

[Tinkerbell22]

So going to FAMU would be a no no?

You definitely shouldn't exclude FAMU if you really want to go there... I'm just saying that I would personally go to FSU if it was up to me because I would feel like I have more options. You can always apply to various pharmacy schools straight from FAMU if you don't happen to like the 0-6 program, but I think it will be easier if you go to FSU since the curriculum at FAMU might be geared mainly towards satisfying their own pre-reqs rather than the required classes you might need if you apply elsewhere. I don't really know much about the 0-6 program and what kind of classes you take your first 2 years, etc... so that might be why I just am not familiar with it.

 

[OCizzle]

That is so not true. Even students who are accepted right now with only 2 years of college, it is often more competitive for them, and a lot of schools are reporting that the amount of 2 year students in their P1 classes are diminishing each year.

I would never tell someone just starting off to completely write off the degree, because if they aren't accepted after 2 years then they're going to have to rethink their whole plan instead of having their degree already set up just in case. Also... 2 years from now I'm assuming that things might be even more competitive, so it can only help someone if they plan ahead just in case they decide to get their BS or BA.

I did my BS in Biology, 95% of the classes I took on my first two years for the biology track were also part of the pharmacy prerequisites. The ones that weren't (such as Public Speaking, Economics, etc) can be easily taken over the summer. It's also easier to get good grades in the lower division courses (biology, anatomy, inorganic/organic chem, etc) than it is in the higher division ones taken during later years. You should have more time to study for the PCAT during the first two years, at the very least less stressed out.

Sure, some of the classes will help me in pharmacy school, but it's nothing a little bit of extra studying couldn't accomplished. Certainly not to warrant graduating 2 years later. In retrospect I wasted a couple of years trying to figure out which career I wanted to do. For someone who's already dead set on pharmacy from the get-go, it's absolutely possible to do it in two years and that's what I'd recommend. It's certainly not easy, as you will have to do prereqs, PCAT, ECs and applications in only two years, but you will thank yourself down the line. Take it from a guy who spent an extra two years dicking around with an useless degree to show for it.

 

[Tinkerbell22]

I did my BS in Biology, 95% of the classes I took on my first two years for the biology track were also part of the pharmacy prerequisites. The ones that weren't (such as Public Speaking, Economics, etc) can be easily taken over the summer. It's also easier to get good grades in the lower division courses (biology, anatomy, inorganic/organic chem, etc) than it is in the higher division ones taken during later years. You should have more time to study for the PCAT during the first two years, at the very least less stressed out.

Sure, some of the classes will help me in pharmacy school, but it's nothing a little bit of extra studying couldn't accomplished. Certainly not to warrant graduating 2 years later. In retrospect I wasted a couple of years trying to figure out which career I wanted to do. For someone who's already dead set on pharmacy from the get-go, it's absolutely possible to do it in two years and that's what I'd recommend. It's certainly not easy, as you will have to do prereqs, PCAT, ECs and applications in only two years, but you will thank yourself down the line. Take it from a guy who spent an extra two years dicking around with an useless degree to show for it.

I have a bachelor's degree in Biology and I'm currently working on a master's degree, but I don't feel like I've wasted any time. I loved my undergrad years and I'm forever grateful for the time I spent there, and the preparation I have for pharmacy school. So we are basically the same situation with opposite points of view. LOL

The only thing is that prominent pharmacy schools are really starting to see more and more applicants with degrees, and if you care about the actual program you get in to then I would have to disagree and say that you should at least plan for the degree in the event that it doesn't work out after the first 2 years.

 

[OCizzle]

I have a bachelor's degree in Biology and I'm currently working on a master's degree, but I don't feel like I've wasted any time. I loved my undergrad years and I'm forever grateful for the time I spent there, and the preparation I have for pharmacy school. So we are basically the same situation with opposite points of view. LOL

The only thing is that prominent pharmacy schools are really starting to see more and more applicants with degrees, and if you care about the actual program you get in to then I would have to disagree and say that you should at least plan for the degree in the event that it doesn't work out after the first 2 years.

Looks like we have different opinions on the matter. I do think that if you get all the requirements done in the first two years, along with a high GPA/PCAT score, and EC/Pharmacy experience, you shouldn't have any issues getting into one your top choices if you apply. If it doesn't work then continue with your bachelor and apply the next cycle. If you're doing some kind of biology or chemistry major, then the prerequisites will be nearly identical.

 

[Tinkerbell22]

Looks like we have different opinions on the matter. I do think that if you get all the requirements done in the first two years, along with a high GPA/PCAT score, and EC/Pharmacy experience, you shouldn't have any issues getting into one your top choices if you apply. If it doesn't work then continue with your bachelor and apply the next cycle. If you're doing some kind of biology or chemistry major, then the prerequisites will be nearly identical.

Yeah... I think some schools don't mind as much especially if you go there for undergrad... especially schools with guaranteed admission or schools like UF for example... they seem to like their own undergrads because they know they are well prepared.

If you're applying to a private school, or out of state it probably matters more though.

 

[Ava999]

That's the problem, I know UF prefers their undergrads more. I might actually, maybe, go to fAMU because it is a full 6 year program (don't have to worry about PCAT), BUT I also plan on doing a residency after I graduate, so... I don't know if FAMU would look right in my application for a residency.

 

[Tinkerbell22]

That's the problem, I know UF prefers their undergrads more. I might actually, maybe, go to fAMU because it is a full 6 year program (don't have to worry about PCAT), BUT I also plan on doing a residency after I graduate, so... I don't know if FAMU would look right in my application for a residency.

It's not that UF really outright prefers their own students... if you are a Florida resident with good grades/PCAT/ and extracurricular activities then you have a decent shot... but if you go to UF and have maybe a slightly lower GPA or something like that, they are apparently more lenient because they know it's a rigorous school. That's just rumors, but it makes sense?

 

[Ava999]

It's not that UF really outright prefers their own students... if you are a Florida resident with good grades/PCAT/ and extracurricular activities then you have a decent shot... but if you go to UF and have maybe a slightly lower GPA or something like that, they are apparently more lenient because they know it's a rigorous school. That's just rumors, but it makes sense?

Yea, it makes sense. Thanks for taking your time, and giving me advice.
It would be even greater if students from both FAMU and UF, comment on this post...but like I said, Thanks you were a great help 🙂

 

[OCizzle]

Tinkerbell is right, it doesn't matter which school you attend as long as you have good grades and PCAT scores. I did my undergrad at FAU and finished with a 3.6 GPA and 91% PCAT. I got interview invites and acceptances from all the FL pharmacy schools (except FAMU, which I didn't bother applying to).

Do your undergrad wherever you think you will do better in, and just worry about getting good grades.

 

[Tinkerbell22]

Tinkerbell is right, it doesn't matter which school you attend as long as you have good grades and PCAT scores. I did my undergrad at FAU and finished with a 3.6 GPA and 91% PCAT. I got interview invites and acceptances from all the FL pharmacy schools (except FAMU, which I didn't bother applying to).

Do your undergrad wherever you think you will do better in, and just worry about getting good grades.

Ohh we've got an Owl in the house... lol

Did you go to the Boca or Davie campus?

 

[OCizzle]

Ohh we've got an Owl in the house... lol

Lol, oh boy

Did you go to the Boca or Davie campus?

I did most of my undergrad in Boca but had to take some classes in Davie during my last year because they weren't offered in the main campus. Are you from FAU as well?

 

[Tinkerbell22]

Lol, oh boy



I did most of my undergrad in Boca but had to take some classes in Davie during my last year because they weren't offered in the main campus. Are you from FAU as well?

LOL... That seems to happen a lot! (Having to drive to one campus or the other) No, I went to UM, but pretty much all my friends went to FAU. I probably have more friends there than I do at UM and FIU. lol

Most of them had the opposite happen to them though, they live in Davie/Plantation and had to drive to Boca.

 

[Forrest Gump]

Yea, it makes sense. Thanks for taking your time, and giving me advice.
It would be even greater if students from both FAMU and UF, comment on this post...but like I said, Thanks you were a great help 🙂

I graduated from FSU in December with a degree in Chemical Science and will be attending pharmacy school starting this summer. While I enjoyed every minute at FSU - if I knew when I started that I wanted to be a pharmacist I would probably have opted for FAMU. I majored in business the 1st year and after deciding on pharmacy, I switched my major to Biology. I later switched to Chemical Science because it is the closest degree to all of the pre-pharmacy prerequisites. So, if you decide to go to FSU, you can benefit from avoiding that pitfall! Dr. Goldsby, of the Chemistry department, is the best and most knowledgable about pre-pharmacy - I found him late in my journey but, again, you can benefit by knowing about him right off the bat.

FAMU is a great school and the reason I would've opted to go threre (if I knew then what I know now) is because it is the best deal in town! The total cost for Florida residents is $15,000 while I'll have to borrow at least $120,000 to finance my pharmacy school. So, if you're looking to finish 2 years earlier and avoid students loans, you should consider FAMU. As for their accreditation - there are some other threads that address it and to the best of my knowledge, it is baseless. I can't remember the details but if you search for the past threads you can see for yourself.

Good luck!

 

[Ava999]

To everyone that posted;Thank you.

 

[mjsoy]

ok so i am a senior in high school i have been accepted into the pre-pharmacy program at famu but i also got accepted into the c.a.r.e program at fsu i wanted to go to fsu because everything will be free but they don't have pharmacy if i go to fsu for my 2 years is it going to be hard for me to get accepted into the pharmacy school at famu or should i just go to famu

 

[unpredictability]

Tinkerbell is right, it doesn't matter which school you attend as long as you have good grades and PCAT scores. I did my undergrad at FAU and finished with a 3.6 GPA and 91% PCAT. I got interview invites and acceptances from all the FL pharmacy schools (except FAMU, which I didn't bother applying to).

Do your undergrad wherever you think you will do better in, and just worry about getting good grades.

If I were to attend FAU, is it possible to take the 2 years of pre-reqs and 4 years of pharmacy school route? Meaning, I would be attending FAU for two years majoring in biochem to get the pre-reqs done and then apply to pharmacy schools?