Getting Into Pharmacy School - A Realistic Guide

[Pharm_Advice]

I wrote this for a friend to help him/her get a realistic point-of-view about pharmacy school and the entire application process. Just wanted to share this with the rest of you guys looking to apply to pharmacy school.

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***Disclaimer: what you’re reading all comes from my personal experiences, what I’ve gathered from the experiences of my peers and what simply makes sense to me. I did not consult any official guides before writing this. Everything you're reading is entirely my opinion. The entire admission process probably does not follow what I describe verbatim, but it’s not too much of stretch from what actually happens***
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Before you apply:

1. Know why you’re applying, why you want to do pharmacy school, and why not other careers. Don’t just send in an application to a few schools to convince yourself that you’ve given your best shot and hope to get in. Applications cost money and time. Don’t waste money. Don’t waste time.

2. Find out the earliest date you’ll be able to start your application, regardless if it is through PharmCas or if it’s directly to the school.

a. Generally, PharmCas opens earlier than those schools that do not participate in PharmCas.​

b. Narrow the schools to the geographical areas you’d like to attend. If you’re unable to go out of state or travel more than 45 minutes from home to school every day, then obviously, focus on the schools that are located closer to you.​

i. Always have back up schools​

ii. Apply to at least 3 or 4 schools.​

3. Know the schools you want to apply to.

a. Know the stats: average GPA, average PCAT, student body composition (males, females, in-state, out-of-state, etc.)​

i. GPA and PCAT averages are not the end-all, be-all to applications.​

1. On PharmCas, if either your overall GPA or your math-and-science GPA is below the minimum required then it will still allow you to submit your application; however, I think it warns you that you’re submitting your application to a school with a higher minimum GPA requirement and your chances of getting your application reviewed is slim. I might be wrong on this. It's been a while.​

b. Know the age of the school: older, more established schools vs. newer, awaiting accreditation or recently accredited schools.​

i. Older, more established schools​

1. More strict on minimum GPA and PCAT requirements​

2. They have an established student body and will generally accept students that contribute to its “average student”.​

3. More competition since most people prefer to attend a more established school​

ii. Newer, awaiting accreditation or recently accredited schools​

1. Accreditation --- all schools cannot be accredited until it graduates it first class, therefore, a new school with Candidate status means that it is in good shape and is simply waiting until its inaugural class graduates to receive full accreditation (Accredited status)​

a. That being said, a school with a Pharmacy program in its infancy (opened within the last 3 years), is not only a good choice to apply to but is excellent for students with less appealing stats.​

b. Don’t hesitate to apply to a school just because it is new. Opening a school (generally a new Pharmacy program within an established university/college) takes a lot of work and commitment from founding members that literally no one will risk their careers to see it open and fail.​

2. One of the advantages of applying to a newer school is that its student body is not yet established (no “average” students) and they are constantly adjusting its admission criteria to attract a wide variety of students.​

a. Think of it as opening a business, the fact that it is a new school brings a lot of uncertainty to potential students; therefore, these schools tend to invite to interviews a wider variety of students​

b. That being said, it doesn’t mean that they will invite to interviews Joe Smith with a GPA of 1.98 cumulative and 2.1 math and science, and a PCAT of 20.​

c. Know yourself: be realistic with yourself​

i. If your GPA is low, accept it or try to improve upon it​

ii. If your PCAT is low, retake it. (Maximum of 5 times)​

iii. If you have strengths, reinforce it in your application​

iv. If you don’t have interest in healthcare and is doing pharmacy because it’s easy and makes a lot of money then choose another career.​

v. If you don’t know what your weaknesses/strengths are, ask a peer, ask your co-workers, ask your employer, ask your family. Be open to criticism and take everything in stride.​

1. All of these will play a role in your application/interviews/future careers.​

vi. Older schools will consider all factors in order to provide all motivated students a fair chance at an interview. Think of it as if they are giving these students a chance at admission since the students are in essence giving the school a chance, despite it being unestablished. (We all have to start somewhere).​

1. GPA (both cumulative and math-science)​

a. 2.5 and above means you have a chance​

i. Mine was somewhere around 2.8 to 3.0 GPA average​

b. 2.0 to 2.5 – chances are slim​

c. < 2.0 – please reconsider applying to pharmacy school or at least re-take some classes to bring that GPA up​

2. PCAT​

a. 70 and above – competitive​

i. My final PCAT was an 86, with three previous PCAT scores around that same range.​

b. 50 to 70 – you’ve still got a very good chance​

c. 30 to 50 – chances are slim, but I’ve seen students get in with a PCAT this low; probably not the only factor​

d. < 30 – again, reconsider applying to pharmacy school, PCAT is a standardized test, which means if you’re below the 30th percentile then chances are you’ll struggle throughout pharmacy school when it comes to exams, and probably will struggle even worse on the NAPLEX and MPJE (Board exams).​

3. Raw grades​

a. Generally, A’s and B’s are always preferred​

i. I had these​

b. Some C’s – you’re still fine​

i. Had quite a few of these​

c. D’s and F’s – it’s ok to have these in your transcript​

i. It’s NOT ok to not retake these classes and improve with at least a B​

ii. I had two F’s​

1. Government – do not remember even taking the class at community, actually took the class at university and made a B​

2. Microbiology​

a. Failed the first time taking it at university (bleak half a year)​

b. Received a C taking the same class, same university, and from the same professor​

c. Received an A- the third and final time from community college; however, took a higher difficulty level (Microbiology for Nursing) instead​

d. Overall, raw grades show trend and progression. If you’re getting lower grades earlier in your college years and higher grades later then you’re fine. Be able to explain this in your interview.​

4. Quality of where you attempted your undergrad prerequisites.​

a. I really do not think this actually matters. An A from a community college is just as good as an A from a large university​

5. Whether or not you have a Bachelor degree – more schools are leaning toward students with a Bachelor degree – shows maturity and willingness to put in the work to accomplish a goal.​

a. I had a Bachelor degree​

6. Your work experience – generally this is the most important aspect that cannot be expressed thoroughly on paper. You putting down that you’ve worked in the pharmacy 3+ years means nothing until you’ve described the quality of those 3 years, either on paper through your personal essay or prepare to bring it up during interviews​

a. I had several years of experience before applying​

7. Your extracurricular activities – what you do outside of the pharmacy world matters. Share these experiences with the school if they are important to you and important that the school knows about you.​

a. I really had no extracurricular activities worth mentioning when I applied except for “Founding member of Chinese Student Society” at my university.​

8. Leadership positions – mention these; they are important​

a. If you are Senior Pharmacy Technician for your pharmacy, mention it. It might not feel important to you, but it matters to the admission committee​

9. Certifications – list these, they are also important​

a. If you are a CPhT, mention it. Not every technician is certified. This makes sure that you stand out​

10. Your age, gender, ethnicity, religious views and other personal data – believe it or not, all of these factors actually do matter. Regardless of what all schools say, there is a quota. There isn’t a specific # on the quota, but all schools want to have a diverse student body. Obviously, these are factors that you cannot personally change; however, you can use this to your advantage--especially when the school does rolling admission (most schools do rolling admission).​

a. Rolling admission means they pick out several applications during each of its admission period and invite them for interviews. Based on the interviews and the applications that accompany each applicant a decision is made during that period (remember, you’re being compared to applicants within that particular admission period)​

i. Reject – you bombed the interview, and your application was sub-par​

ii. Accept – with haste, they like you, you stood out amongst those interviews during that particular admission period​

iii. Pending – they feel ambiguous about you and still needs more time to consider. They could push you to their next rolling admission period and compare you to those other applicants and if you still fail to stand out they could finally reject you, or continue to push your application to another rolling admission period or possibly until the final admission period for that admission cycle. (I’ll go further into details about this later)​

iv. Waitlisted – they think you’re a good fit for their school but there are better candidates, should these other candidates reject their admission offer and spaces open up, you’ll be next on their list.​

b. Think about it realistically, if your personal data actually does not matter, they wouldn’t ask you to mark it down. This makes sense because no school wants to end up with a student body full of: over-achieving, A students, captain of their social clubs, 20-somethings females. So, while a quota doesn’t actually exist, diversity matters and it is a contributing factor.​

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The application process:

1. Deadlines – know the deadlines, write it down, and remember it. An alternative to having to keep track of the deadlines is to apply early.

2. Know the requirements for all of your desired schools.

a. All required pre-requisite should be met at least by the time you’re applying; worst case scenario is have 1 or 2 classes at most that you’ll plan to complete over the summer should you get accepted.​

b. Try to meet some of the “recommended pre-reqs” – this will impress the admission committee since you’re actually “over-achieving” what is minimally required.​

c. Look at the admission data from previous year and be confident that you’re at least within range of students that were accepted.​

i. Average GPA’s and PCAT’s are important; however, minimum GPA or PCAT accepted is also important​

1. It’s not that you’re trying to see “how low you can go”. But it’s motivating to know that there are outlier applicants who were accepted for one reason or another.​

d. Know if they require a supplemental application and when it is due and if there’s any additional cost.​

e. Know what type of recommendation letters they will require. Generally it’s from one professor (math and science) that taught you and one employer/supervisor or even a pharmacist. However, all of this varies​

3. PharmCAS transcripts take a lot of time!!!

a. The application for PharmCAS should not take you more than 2 hours to complete (outside of the personal essay and supplemental applications). The bulk of that 2 hours will be spent entering in your grades into PharmCAS.​

b. HOWEVER, PharmCAS requires official transcripts to be submitted directly from all universities/colleges you attended in order for them to essential verify what you entered and finalize your GPA calculation based on its own formula. Again, this will take time. At least a month (from what I remembers) for you to receive your calculated GPA from PharmCAS.​

i. Good news – you can finish your application in the meantime and submit your application as soon as possible without having to wait on PharmCAS​

ii. Bad news – your application will not be sent until this is done. Therefore, in order to ensure that PharmCAS receives your transcript ASAP so it can begin calculating GPA averages in a timely manner, request your transcripts to be sent early. Don’t wait until 9000 other students need their transcript sent and risk yours getting lost. “Murphy’s Law – Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong”​

c. Remember those deadlines you’re asked to keep in mind??? – if you wait until a month before a school’s deadline to request your transcripts from your schools to be sent in, and PharmCAS takes a month and a half to calculate your GPA, you’ve missed the deadline, and it’s not PharmCAS’ fault. ​

i. This happened to me for a few schools and I blamed no one but myself.​

4. Everyone’s time is important.

a. You’ll need recommendation letters. You’ll need at least 2, some schools will require 3.​

b. That being said, give all the people you’re intending to ask for a recommendation letter ample time to complete the letter for you. PharmCAS will even allow the recommendation letters to be completed electronically.​

c. However, respect everyone’s time and effort.​

d. Don’t rush them, don’t constantly remind them (a reminder about every 2 weeks is more than sufficient), don’t make them feel uncomfortable about having to write a letter for you.​

i. Remember, you want a good recommendation letter that helps you stand out, not a generic letter that says “you’re a hardworking student”. It’s better if it describes what makes you a hardworking student.​

ii. That being said, know who you can ask or should ask --- if you don’t have that much option, then obviously ask whoever you can – but a good recommendation letter sometimes can make your application more appealing.​

e. If you ask someone who asks you in return to simply write it and he/she will sign it—don’t do it. Politely thank he/she and ask someone else. There’s nothing worse than starting professional school on a dishonest path. If you’re unable to form relationships with people who will wholeheartedly vouch for you at this point of your life --- reconsider pharmacy school --- reconsider life altogether.​

f. Thank them! Appreciate all the time and effort they’ve put in to help you get into pharmacy school. A thank you letter is more than enough to express your gratitude. Even if you end up not getting in, appreciate that he/she was there to offer the help and would do so again if you choose to reapply.​

5. Enter all data and answers honestly.

a. Don’t lavish your application with leadership positions and extracurricular activities that you’re not warranted. In the interview process the admission committee will have your application in their hand and will ask you to elaborate about what you’ve put down. Should you stutter, or murmur your answers to them, they will know you’ve fudged your application.​

6. The personal statement.

a. It’s simply that. A personal statement. Tell the admission committee about yourself. Tell them something they don’t already know from reading all of the other sections in your application. Don’t spend too much time writing about one important aspect of your life. Share what you feel will paint the most complete picture of you. Share your interests, even if it’s outside of healthcare. Share you volunteer experiences. Share you.​

7. Apply early - remember rolling admission? – well, here’s how I think it works

a. So let’s say you decided to apply as soon as applications become available --- a hypothetical school has rolling admissions, the first of which is around September 15.​

i. So at that point, the school reviews all 30 applications that it has received and pick out about a third of that for interviews, the rest of the applications are put back into the applicant pool for another admission period.​

1. If you applied now, you’re only competing with 29 other applicants – all of the factors that the school considers will decide whether or not you deserve an interview. Your personal data also helps too. They do not want to invite to interview 10 Caucasian females with 3.5 GPA who were president of her university’s debate team or sorority. Can you imagine how exciting that interview will be for the admission committees?​

2. If you get an interview – you’re competing against 10 other applicants which mean that you’ll have to stand out at the interview. Your personal data and application does not play an important role here. It’s YOU that will attract the admission committee. Since it’s so early in the admission process that the fact that you’re a 20 something Asian Female with tons of experience in the pharmacy with a 3.0 GPA is not really important right now. They will probably find someone with similar stats with much better personality later in the admission cycle. You’re at the interview to get them to remember you and accept you as soon as possible​

a. You get accepted – congrats!​

b. You get denied – seriously, think back what you could have done better during the interview so that the next school that invites you for interview does not turn you away​

c. You get postponed – your admission decision gets delayed and you’re forced to wait while the next admission period rolls in and you’re being compared to a different pool of candidate​

i. I was postponed --- did not take my own advice and applied early​

d. You get waitlisted – it’s not bad news, it happens because you’re a fit for the school but they just want to make sure they have enough spaces to accommodate you. Generally this happens much later in the admission cycle when the school has sent out enough acceptance offer.​

3. If you don’t get an interview – your application is put back into the pool as more applications flow in. The next admission period begins about a month later and you’re being reconsidered and compared to 100 other applicants (70 more applications were submitted between the first and second rolling admission period). Now you’re competing against 99 other applicants and since there’s limited capacity in how many students the school can handle at a time for interviews, so instead of 1/3 of the applicant pool gets interviews, now only 1/4 (25 students) of the applicants get an interview.​

4. This process continues until the school has accepted its maximum capacity and the further in to the admission cycle the smaller the proportion of applicants get interviews (the same numbers of students are offered interviews, however).​

a. Newer schools tend to have a lower capacity of about 70 to 100 students. More established schools have closer to 120​

b. However, schools tend to not accept enough students to meet its capacity early, but rather drags it out through the entire admission cycle; hence the reason why they “postpone” your admission decision.​

ii. So if you wait until 2 months or a month before the deadline when everyone is scrambling to submit his/her application then you’re essentially competing with ~1000 applicants as opposed to the first 30 who actually made the effort to apply early. College student being college student. Procrastination happens. This is inevitable. So apply early.​

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[Pharm_Advice]

The Interview:

1. Practice interviewing with your employers. Someone that is able to provide critical assessment of what you need to improve on.

a. Don’t ask your bff to interview you. It won’t help and he/she will think “you did fine”.​

b. Don’t ask family members to mock interview you. They will think you did great and give you a false sense of confidence.​

c. Find someone that can be honest and critical of you without fear of hurting your feelings to do mock interviews with. If you can’t find that person, it’s time to reassess the kind of people you surround yourself with.​

2. Gather information - learn more in-depth about the school that offered you an interview. They have a website. Go to it.

a. Read the message from the Dean.​

b. Know the school’s mission statement.​

c. Know the faculty members. Skim through their bio and learn what their interests are. Do this again the day before the interview. Familiarize yourself with their picture. Not so you can stalk them but to trick your brain into thinking that these are just normal, familiar and non-intimidating people and not actual stranger who you'll be facing in an interview.​

d. Know how the school’s pharmacy curriculum is structured --- think of questions to ask about these​

i. I asked questions about when IPPE/APPE would be – the interviewer was impressed (she actually said “I’m impressed that you know about IPPE/APPE) that I had questions, but more impressed because I threw pharmacy acronyms at her like I’m already in pharmacy school.​

e. Know the recent school’s accomplishment​

i. If it’s a new school. Ask them about how their recent accreditation visit went. Know who the accrediting body for pharmacy schools is (ACPE).​

3. The interview process (from my experience)

a. Most schools will interview in teams of two: a pharmacy practice and a pharmaceutical sciences professor​

i. Gives that good cop, bad cop feel. However, most professors come across as more intimidating than they really are. It’s because you perceive them that way.​

ii. Remember, you’re granted an interview because after reviewing your application, you stood out amongst all of the other applications. They’re inviting you for an interview not to grill you about why you deserve a spot at their school. They’re inviting you for an interview to find out more about you and how you’ll fit in to their program, mission statements, culture and student body. Just talk about you but remember to keep it relevant.​

b. Ask the professors doing the interview about their work, how it’s progressing and if they’re anticipating any help in the near future. They’ll be impressed you prepared for the interview. More flattered that you took an interest in what they do.​

c. If you’re applying to a local school and its students show up at your pharmacy for rotations, comment about them. It doesn’t have to be entirely nice, but it does have to be constructive.​

d. Always have questions. Show an interest in the program, show an interest in the school, show and interest in pharmacy.​

4. Interview questions - most of these you can look for online, so I’ll only provide a few that I think is important to know and have an answer to. Remember, these are not multiple choice questions; there really isn’t a “right answer”, the interviewers simply want to analyze your thinking process and see how you would answer them.

a. Why pharmacy? Why not Medical/Dental school? Why not Nursing? Etc.​

i. DO NOT say because you think Medical school is more difficult or that you don’t think you’d be able to make it in Medical school. It demeans the pharmacy profession and makes it seem like you’re “not smart enough for other professions, but you’re dumb enough for pharmacy school”.​

ii. Tell specific what sparked your interest in pharmacy school.​

b. Why this school?​

i. If it’s a new school, express your interest in helping to build the foundation for the pharmacy program. Tell them what makes them stand out. (Read their mission statement). Recognize the school’s culture and roots. Most pharmacy programs are built from an existing university that has existed for +50 years.​

c. What is professionalism to you?​

i. Professionalism is a term that’s being used a lot, especially in a professional school. Define it in your own words. There isn’t a real right answer.​

d. What would you do if a member in your group is not contributing?​

i. DO NOT say that you’ll bring it up with the professors. Always, talk to the individual first, but still stay focused on the task that’s required. Your one and only primary objective is to complete the task that your group is responsible for. Anything else will sidetrack and hinder your progress. You are expected to handle non-compliant group members on your own. This isn’t pre-K, and little Tommy isn’t going to be punished for taking nap instead of helping you finish coloring page 1.​

e. What do you do outside of pharmacy?​

i. Tell them what is not already on your application. Fun, interesting, and relevant to the interview.​

f. What are your strengths/weaknesses?​

i. Your weaknesses should never be that “you’re too perfect/a perfectionist” or anything along that line. It sounds pretentious and demonstrates that you’re lacking an objective point-of-view about how you evaluate yourself. IF you do not think you have any weaknesses other than being too perfect, it’s time to re-evaluate your life.​

1. I remember telling the interviewers that my weakness was that I often find it difficult for me to relinquish controls of a task I or my group is responsible for. I tend to take more than I can handle and end up being stressed out about completing my responsibilities adequately and in a timely manner.​

ii. Know your strengths. If you learn quickly. Emphasize it, don’t brag about it. If you remember people easily, or if you can relate to people easier, or any anecdotes that show you’re a people person, share it. Pharmacy, like all other health care profession, is a patient-oriented career. IF you’re not a patient-oriented, people-person, then consider becoming a scientist or a researcher.​

iii. Be realistic with yourself. Be real with the interviewers​

g. What makes you different from other interviewees?​

i. I shared with the interviewers how I recognize that pharmacy school will be stressful; however, unlike other applicants, I know how it feels to fail and have to pick yourself back up. I referenced my two F’s on my transcript and shared with them that those were my wake up call. I went from being fifth of my high-school class to actually failing several classes during a moment of my life where I struggled to keep both school and personal life balance (you do not have to go into details about your struggle, it is unnecessary and distracting). What was important was that I picked myself back up and overcame my struggles, which I pointed out to the grades that I improved upon later.​

Hopefully all that I’ve mentioned will help you get into pharmacy school. Everything I’ve shared are from my personal experiences and what I’ve deducted from the experiences of my peer. This isn’t intended as a complete or guaranteed guide to getting into pharmacy school but rather just simple pearls that could help improve your chances of getting in. Nothing is worth more than hard work, dedication, and determination. If you put in the effort, someone will recognize it. Good luck in your efforts next year.

 

[kies89]

Wow this is reallt good. Thanks

 

[in0220]

Thank you so much!
I have an interview scheduled in May and this is definitely helpful.
Do you have any suggestions on how I should prepare for the "Tell me about yourself" question or the free 10 minute self-introduction time?

 

[mbpuffer]

Great post! Thanks for sharing your insight.

 

[blueheron]

Good post, here's a small supplement:

The biggest thing in this post I see to address is PharmCAS. The schools can see your application as soon as you e-submit. I got an interview to the school I applied for two weeks before my GPA was verified, next day after I submitted.

Also, if you apply early, you still have 3 semesters, so you can have a few prereqs left, especially if you already have a degree.

And finally, if you have a good GPA and PCAT, do Early Decision, don't waste money on applying to other schools right off the bat. Schools love when they are the one and only choice for a good candidate. ED students know in that first month one of the 4 decisions and can plan accordingly. October is still pretty early to apply to other schools.

 

[NaOH]

One thing I would add that is when considering what schools to apply to, it is vital to consider cost. Many new schools, being private, for-profit institutions, can be ruinously expensive - as an example, tuition at the private school in my state is nearly double that of the state school. It's true that for many with less competitive stats, or more severe geographical restrictions, that a private school may be the only realistic option - just be aware that your debt coming out of school will have a large effect on what options you have open to you after graduation.

 

[Pharm_Advice]

Thank you so much!
I have an interview scheduled in May and this is definitely helpful.
Do you have any suggestions on how I should prepare for the "Tell me about yourself" question or the free 10 minute self-introduction time?

I think the best thing to tell to the admission committee about yourself in the allotted time is simply that, "things about yourself". Don't share adversity that you've faced looking for sympathy. Don't tell them you're doing pharmacy school for x or for y, to set an example. I think the worst thing you can do is try to portray yourself as magnanimous or seems like you're telling the admission committee a great story. Simply tell them what is it that you do. An example would be, if you're in to photography, share that with them. Your attention for details in photography is also applicable when you're out on rotations and reading patients' charts while you're trying to manage the current therapy they're on. If you've worked in the pharmacy for a while share those experiences. If you haven't worked in the pharmacy, tell them what was it that sparked your interest in pharmacy.

If you're interested in pharmacy simply for the reason that it is a "high-paying" doctorate program, then you're in for a lot of hurt. Tuition is expensive and can end up from 80,000 to 150,000 by the time you graduate, that is if you decides to not take the full amount of loan allotted each year. If you take the full amount so that you wouldn't have to work while you attend school then your total amount owed could end up around 200,000+ for a private four years program

Bottom line, tell them what you think would help the admission committee remember you apart from the 100+ plus replies of "Well, I am a pre-health/med, and I just love patient care. I want to be able to help patients with their medication. And I think pharmacy is a great profession".

 

[Pharm_Advice]

Good post, here's a small supplement:

The biggest thing in this post I see to address is PharmCAS. The schools can see your application as soon as you e-submit. I got an interview to the school I applied for two weeks before my GPA was verified, next day after I submitted.

Also, if you apply early, you still have 3 semesters, so you can have a few prereqs left, especially if you already have a degree.

And finally, if you have a good GPA and PCAT, do Early Decision, don't waste money on applying to other schools right off the bat. Schools love when they are the one and only choice for a good candidate. ED students know in that first month one of the 4 decisions and can plan accordingly. October is still pretty early to apply to other schools.

You're absolutely right about PharmCas sending out applications instantaneously as soon as you e-submit. But from what I remembers the entire GPA/Transcript calculations process took almost two months, even after I confirmed that all my required transcript were received by PharmCas. By the time they were done calculating my transcript, I blew past my March deadlines [Started my application early December, transcripts were received by first week of January] and had to apply to other schools with later deadlines.

Thank you for reminding me about Early Decision as well. It is a great option to show your commitment to the school and that you've singled them out as THE school that you want to attend.

Bottom line is, apply early.

 

[Pharm_Advice]

One thing I would add that is when considering what schools to apply to, it is vital to consider cost. Many new schools, being private, for-profit institutions, can be ruinously expensive - as an example, tuition at the private school in my state is nearly double that of the state school. It's true that for many with less competitive stats, or more severe geographical restrictions, that a private school may be the only realistic option - just be aware that your debt coming out of school will have a large effect on what options you have open to you after graduation.

If only aspiring students know as much about pharmacy school tuition as they have a pre-conceived notion about how much "pharmacist makes" they would definitely re-consider doing pharmacy school simply for the money. Tuition for private schools is above $30,000 and I'm guessing public schools is about half as much. If you're doing a three year program then there's absolutely no time for work to supplement some of that cost. So you'll end up borrowing the full amount of loan each year which is around 51,000. By the time you graduate you're $150,000 in the hole and sometimes its hard to consider doing residency with that much debt looming. So some ends up doing retail pharmacy. There's something that pharmacy school does not prepare you well for, and that is dealing with customers. Not patients, but customers.

 

[twd2013]

You're absolutely right about PharmCas sending out applications instantaneously as soon as you e-submit. But from what I remembers the entire GPA/Transcript calculations process took almost two months, even after I confirmed that all my required transcript were received by PharmCas. By the time they were done calculating my transcript, I blew past my March deadlines [Started my application early December, transcripts were received by first week of January] and had to apply to other schools with later deadlines.

Thank you for reminding me about Early Decision as well. It is a great option to show your commitment to the school and that you've singled them out as THE school that you want to attend.

Bottom line is, apply early.

I'm a little confused about the Early Decision process. So if I choose one school for Early Decision, I can't submit my application to any other schools until I get a reply from the ED school?

 

[Wallace12]

I'm a little confused about the Early Decision process. So if I choose one school for Early Decision, I can't submit my application to any other schools until I get a reply from the ED school?

Correct. I think they tell you by October, at least my state school was that way.

 

[twd2013]

Correct. I think they tell you by October, at least my state school was that way.

Oh okay, so on Pharmcas, is there a link or a box that you check so that you are submitted to that school for Early Decision? Sorry for the questions, I just want to make sure I have all the info, so I know what to do.

 

[Wallace12]

Oh okay, so on Pharmcas, is there a link or a box that you check so that you are submitted to that school for Early Decision? Sorry for the questions, I just want to make sure I have all the info, so I know what to do.

I'm not totally sure but I think so. Check your school's website I know mine had all of that information on how to apply early decision

 

[blueheron]

Oh okay, so on Pharmcas, is there a link or a box that you check so that you are submitted to that school for Early Decision? Sorry for the questions, I just want to make sure I have all the info, so I know what to do.

Yes there is a box to check. When you input the school you want to go to there will be a question if you want to apply Early Decision.

 

[abeautifulday]

Hi,

Thanks a lot for your info and it is very very helpful.

I am ED applying, so I have a few questions:

1. the deadline for ED application for my school is Oct 1st, so when should I ask the the pharmacist and professor for the LORs?
2. Should I order the transcript before I start to fill out the PharmCAS application?
3. It seems there is an essay questions on the PharmaCAS application and another essay questions on supplemental application? so we have to submit those two essays?

Thanks a lot you guys

 

[JakeSill]

.

Hi,

Thanks a lot for your info and it is very very helpful.

I am ED applying, so I have a few questions:

1. the deadline for ED application for my school is Oct 1st, so when should I ask the the pharmacist and professor for the LORs?
2. Should I order the transcript before I start to fill out the PharmCAS application?
3. It seems there is an essay questions on the PharmaCAS application and another essay questions on supplemental application? so we have to submit those two essays?

Thanks a lot you guys

Yes to all.

 

[iZodliquify]

Hi,

Thanks a lot for your info and it is very very helpful.

I am ED applying, so I have a few questions:

1. the deadline for ED application for my school is Oct 1st, so when should I ask the the pharmacist and professor for the LORs?
2. Should I order the transcript before I start to fill out the PharmCAS application?
3. It seems there is an essay questions on the PharmaCAS application and another essay questions on supplemental application? so we have to submit those two essays?

Thanks a lot you guys

1. Ask for the LORs right now. You have to give the writer ample time to write a good recommendation.
2. Order it now because it takes like a month plus for pharmcas to get it and calculate your pharmcas GPA
3. Yes.

 

[DruggieDoRight]

Do yourselves a favor and get everything started early that way you don't have to have a heart attack as the deadline approaches.

 

[Silent Cool]

Doesn't anyone with a pulse get in these days?

 

[abeautifulday]

What address should I order my transcripts to?

 

[abeautifulday]

I feel like the essay questions on the Pharmcas application and the supplemental application are pretty the same at some aspects? I think it's not a goog idea to repeat some ideas. Do you guys have any ideas avoiding repeat myself?

 

[blueheron]

You must print out a page from your app to send with the transcript, so it gets processed for your app. It will have the address on it.

 

[rikonyan]

You must print out a page from your app to send with the transcript, so it gets processed for your app. It will have the address on it.

So in other words we can't really send in our transcripts now right? We have to wait till PharmCAS opens in July 14th.

 

[blueheron]

Yes, and your GPA does NOT have to be verified before you e-submit. The school will get another copy of your transcripts anyway.

 

[abeautifulday]

I am not clear, so we have to wait until the PharmCas open and print out of the page from the app and send it with the transcript? if so, it takes a month for PharmCas receive the transcripts and calculate GPA?

 

[Amicable Angora]

I am not clear, so we have to wait until the PharmCas open and print out of the page from the app and send it with the transcript? if so, it takes a month for PharmCas receive the transcripts and calculate GPA?

When PharmCAS opens, it will have clear directions and also options for help if you can't find the answer to your questions.

 

[gs1089]

You're absolutely right about PharmCas sending out applications instantaneously as soon as you e-submit. But from what I remembers the entire GPA/Transcript calculations process took almost two months, even after I confirmed that all my required transcript were received by PharmCas. By the time they were done calculating my transcript, I blew past my March deadlines [Started my application early December, transcripts were received by first week of January] and had to apply to other schools with later deadlines.

Thank you for reminding me about Early Decision as well. It is a great option to show your commitment to the school and that you've singled them out as THE school that you want to attend.

Bottom line is, apply early.

I made a mistake of requesting for my transcript just last week, and the deadline of the school I am applying to is on December 1. Does that mean PharmCAS should be done processing my application by then or will my application be okay as long as PharmCAS has all my requirements by Deember 1?

 

[littleowl]

It depends on the school. Some institutions will look at applications submitted by the deadline even if you're missing the GPA verification and some institutions won't touch it if it isn't complete with all necessary requirements by the deadline.It would probably be best to check with the school on their individual policy. Hope this helps.

 

[vintagepearls]

This is amazing advice! Thank you so much for posting this!

 

[kpharm89]

Thanks for putting the effort into making this post! This advice is extremely helpful!

I am planning to apply to mostly California schools in the 2015-2016 cycle and want to apply as soon as possible since they have early deadlines and rolling admissions. Should I (is it even possible) to request for transcripts and LOR before PharmCas even opens their application?

 

[RxStudentatUB]

This post should be called "Getting into Pharmacy School - Don't worry about it!" Then, make another post which would be useful for many graduates starting this year: "Becoming a salaried pharmacist - a realistic guide - how realistic are my chances?"

 

[Pharm_Advice]

Thanks for putting the effort into making this post! This advice is extremely helpful!

I am planning to apply to mostly California schools in the 2015-2016 cycle and want to apply as soon as possible since they have early deadlines and rolling admissions. Should I (is it even possible) to request for transcripts and LOR before PharmCas even opens their application?

I would recommend getting LOR requests in as soon as possible. As for the transcripts, I would wait until PharmCas opens before I send in the requests for the school to send in the transcripts.

 

[Pharm_Advice]

This post should be called "Getting into Pharmacy School - Don't worry about it!" Then, make another post which would be useful for many graduates starting this year: "Becoming a salaried pharmacist - a realistic guide - how realistic are my chances?"

I am actually giving this some serious thought seeing how some people go through pharmacy school and their rotations not realizing that each experience is in itself an interview process. People complain about "working for free" without realizing that their attitude on rotations could affect their chances of landing a residency or a job offer later on in life. Pharmacy is a really a small world. A district pharmacy supervisor once told me when I was on rotations that "everyday is an interview, so always come prepared".

 

[Anna1010]

Do I have a chance to get into a pharmacy school without a bachelors degree. I have 7 years of experience working as a pharmacy technician, and I have decided to go back to school to become a pharmacist. I know that this is not going to be easy, but I would like to know if I have a chance, if I get all the pre requisites and take pcat test. Thank you.

 

[Pharm_Advice]

Do I have a chance to get into a pharmacy school without a bachelors degree. I have 7 years of experience working as a pharmacy technician, and I have decided to go back to school to become a pharmacist. I know that this is not going to be easy, but I would like to know if I have a chance, if I get all the pre requisites and take pcat test. Thank you.

Some of my classmates were older, non-traditional students, without a bachelors degree. A bachelors degree isn't required but it definitely helps. However, what's more important is having good (B or higher) grades in your prereqs and study hard to make a good (80+) PCAT score. Also make sure you build a good relationship with your professors when you're taking those prereqs. I'm sure they'll be excited to help you get into pharmacy school now that you're committed to furthering your career. So to sum it up, you'll need to balance out your application to have a good chance of getting in. Good luck.

 

[MatCauthon]

Getting into pharmacy school in a nutshell:

1. Take all pre-reqs
2. Get at least a 2.0 grade-point average. If GPA is less than 2.5, apply to a newer school like D'Youville
3. Pay deposit and enjoy

 

[Anna1010]

@MatCauthon hi, do you know if most pharmacy school accept science classes from an integrated science program? Thanks!