GPA, grades, questions

[studentgirl89]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Hi,

I am a fourth year at my undergraduate school. I am thinking of few careers, and pharmacy is one of them. I want to learn more about the pharmacy schools, its requirements and its grades. My major is biology and my gpa for principles of fields (my major) is 2.840 and my overall GPA (including my major and non major courses) is 2.952. I got few C's relating to my major which are Introduction to Biology I (I got a B in intro to biology II and a B in intro to biology III), Organic Chemistry III (I got a B in organic chemistry I, and an A in organic chemistry II), Evolutionary Biology, Cell Biology, and Genetics. Is there anything I can do to pull my GPA up? Should I re-take two courses (like cell biology and genetics) or not? I am taking few more requirement science courses in my fourth year, such as general ecology, physics, comparative antanomy and physiology, and developement biology, and few biological elective courses such as introduction to microbiology. What science electives do you think will satisify for pharmacy schools? What kind of GPA will the pharmacy schools accept from the students? I am so scared for my future and my grades! 🙁 Any advices and suggestions will be helpful! Thank you!

 

[smileyman22336]

I'd like to suggest retaking the C's you have and getting your GPA to above a 3.0. Then continue your education and go for your masters if it's your desire to do so.

 

[Beet Pharmer]

Where will he retake the Cs? You can't do it in the same school and most other schools will not let you retake the class if you have a C or higher.
Also, when your GPA is calculated they will use the C and the retake grade (if you even get to retake it).

This entire retaking business seems.... odd

 

[R2pharmD2]

Where will he retake the Cs? You can't do it in the same school and most other schools will not let you retake the class if you have a C or higher.
Also, when your GPA is calculated they will use the C and the retake grade (if you even get to retake it).

This entire retaking business seems.... odd

At my school, I can retake regardless of what my grade was initially, in up to 4 courses, with the new grade replacing the old. You're right that pharmcas will average the two grades anyway, but since not all schools use pharmcas (and even among those that do, some still calculate gpa themselves or use the gpa from your transcript) it depends on where the OP is applying whether retaking would be worthwhile or not.

 

[studentgirl89]

Hi,

I go to Rochester Institute of Technology in upstate New York. However, my school can let you retake some courses if you aren't happy with a grade like a C or lower. But, C is satisifed for moving on to the next sequence of a course (like I got a C in intro to bio I, and I can move on to intro to bio II). My school doesn't include a C into a GPA if you got a better grade when you re-take a same course again. But, the thing is that I am going to graduate in May 2012, and I don't know if I'll retake some classes again, because I am concerned if it'll prolonged my graduation date. Any suggestion? Can you tell me which GPA will pharmacy schools accept from the students?

Where will he retake the Cs? You can't do it in the same school and most other schools will not let you retake the class if you have a C or higher.
Also, when your GPA is calculated they will use the C and the retake grade (if you even get to retake it).

This entire retaking business seems.... odd

 

[SparkLy09]

Honestly, I would just study for the PCAT and hope for a score in the 90's. Meanwhile, if you have not yet, take courses such as anatomy, physiology if you have not yet during the summer or after you graduate (as to not prolong your graduation plans & also to complete pre-reqs). If you have not taken Biochem, that could help tremendously too especially if you can get an A as it shows that you can get good grades in upper level sciences + helps to have a upward trend. With that, I would start looking for people who could write you stellar LORs + really truly start thinking of why you want to be in pharmacy for your personal statement. It would help a lot to try and find a volunteer/work position within a pharmacy if at all possible, because then you'd have some experience + probably a letter from a pharmacist.

But in a nutshell, get a high PCAT score, and your GPA as closest to 3.0 as possible.