Going back to school - unusual situation - HELP

[CaliCPhT]

Hi everyone. I'm new here to the board. When I was younger, I got accepted to pharmacy school. Unfortunately, I did not have my act together as I turned 21 right before my P1 Semester was to begin. I had a lot of financial and personal challenges (family unsupportive and abusive, bad relationship that ended badly, stress about money, etc). So, in the middle of my second year, I resigned from school. I went on to graduate with a BS in Marketing. For the past 5 years I've worked in managed care as a clinical pharmacy tech. I've learned a LOT, I'm good at what I do and well respected in my department.

Now, I want to go to pharmacy school - the web-based program at Creighton. I am terrified though that my past mistake will preclude me from getting accepted. I plan to self-study chemistry and o-chem to refresh my memory, and I'm enrolling in some courses over the summer (Psychology, Biomed Lecture/Lab (kind of like and integrated A&P course), and Pathophysiology. I plan to get great grades in these classes and I think this will look good on an application. There are other courses that I plan to take in the fall. I know that I can get some killer letters of recommendation from my employers (VP, Medical Director, Director). I am just terrified about that dark mark of being a pharmacy school dropout... Should I even try? This is something that I really want. I just don't think that it should be the only deciding factor in me not getting accepted.

Thoughts? Support? Criticism? Questions?!?

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[omnione]

It's better to try than not to try at all.

The key is to have a good PCAT and GPA so that your application will stand out so that Creighton will draw you for an interview. I forgot if there was a question on the supplemental application about previous enrollment, but like I said, it's better to try. Once you get your interview, tell your story to the interviewers as the interviews there are closed-file and geared toward you as a person as opposed to stats. I figure that your dropout will come up in the committee's review afterwards, but you can get advocates on that committee with a good interview.

The web-based program at Creighton is optimized for people who have other issues in life like a family or another job. Also, Creighton does look for a well-rounded applicant. Case in point, I got into the campus-based program despite slipping in school grades over the past two years. However, I explained my situation while showing them what I can do with focused effort and I think that might have made a difference in Creighton's decision.

So, get good grades and PCAT scores to get you in the door. Also, contact the admissions counselors at Creighton to get their opinion as I never looked into Creighton's protocol for handling dropouts and reapplicants. The true answer lies with them.

 

[chitownpharm]

I definitely agree with omnione; you have to give it a try. I am a PhD program drop-out (not quite the same situation as you), and I have been admitted to one program and wait-listed at Creighton web-based. I took several approaches to explaining why I had quit another graduate program. I wrote about my personal growth and past experiences in my supplemental application. I used it as a forum to explain that having been through another graduate experience that I had come to my decision through a path that made me more determined to be successful than I had in my previous graduate school. Also, and I don't know if this is possible for you, I had my advisor from grad school write a letter of recommendation (my third) explaining that that she knew some of the problems that had led to my leaving graduate school and was confident of my ability to be successful in a graduate program. I have no idea if this helped me get interviews, but once I had interviews, no one questioned me about it. Look on your experience as a strength, not a weakness. You have pharmacy school experience and work experience, and now you know you're ready to go tackle the rigors of pharmacy school. This makes you a better and more determined student than you were before. Go for your dreams and people will respect that!

 

[Dr.Biassi]

You should try. I'm pretty sure you will get accepted. With you experience and how you grew through there years i bet they won't look back before they accept you. just take the PCAT try to meet all of the prerequisites.

 

[CaliCPhT]

Thanks for the encouragement. Yes, you have to state if you were previously enrolled and must provide a letter or documentation from the dean of the previous school to state that you would be eligible to continue. I am in contact with them, and they are reviewing my file. I am still waiting to hear back from them.

The last time, I went into the pharmacy program with absolutely no pharmacy experience or real drug knowledge. I only applied to one program and got accepted. I think my PCAT score at that time was somewhere in the 80th percentile. I just wish that I had had my act together more and was less interested in partying. yep, I partied way too much and I regret it somewhat (but it sure was fun!). Now, i have no desire to do any of that and just want to stay focused and make it successfully! Also, I have a great deal of clinical knowledge of drugs/drug classes and disease states that I think will help me out in the long run.

I knew that I didn't want to work in a retail pharmacy when I was in school, but now that I've been in a stimulating and challenging clinical environment, I know what I want to do.

 

[mr. rx]

Wow, interesting tale. I'm glad you've gotten your act together and deciding to go back to pharmacy school. Reading about your story made me realize I made the right decision to stop hanging out with friends who always drink/party. I really think that once you get into pharmacy school, you need to focus more on your schoolwork than going out to drink, etc. Anyways, G/L with your application, hope you are able to go back.

 

[CaliCPhT]

LOL - thanks! Yes, you are absolutely right. You should focus more on your schoolwork than going out to drink!!! But - all the friends that I hung out with in Rx school partied so much too! It was so hard to say no, because it was a way to release stress. Double-edged sword. I'm determined this time though.

Hope you get accepted to the school of your choice!!