Help! What do I do?

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Hey everyone. . . I need your help desperately. I graduated from UCLA in summer 2003 with a BS in PsychoBiology. I was pre-med, I took all the pre-med classes and took the MCAT but I did horrible. In a last minute attempt, I raised my gpa from a 2.1 to a meager 2.7 in my last year. Since I graduated I got married and have been working in a closed door pharmacy as a tech for the last year. Everything in my life since graduation has made me fall in love with pharmacy. I love the role a pharmacist plays in the community, I love the hours (for my wife's and future family's sake), I love my experience with the pharmacists at my work. . . . bottom line, I really want to go to pharmacy school now. 🙂
So now I'm evaluating myself as a candidate and am very discouraged. I'm not sure if my chem and bio classes (even though they satisfy med school reqs), satisfy the requirements. I would hate to have to go back and take an upperdivision bio or chem class after being out of school for over a year. I'm willing to do whatever it takes but I would hate to do bad in a class because I forgot the basics. Does anyone know of a counselor I can see to go over what classes I need? If it turns out there are a lot of science classes I still need, should I take it at a junior college to save money or try taking it at the university where I want to apply? Also, is there such a thing as a post bacc program to get into pharm school? I know there are a lot of them for med school where you start taking med school oriented classes and if you do well, you are eligible to enter medical school. Has anyone heard of a program like this for pharmacy? Also, what other things should I do to build my application? At my current job I know a lot of pharmacists in high places in california (members of the board of pharm, connections to the dean of admissions @UOP). So at least I could get good letters of rec. Bottom line, what's the quickest, most inexpensive way to maximize my chances of getting into pharm school? Damn, I'm overwhelmed just typing this. Well I'd appreciate any suggestions or comments. Thanks everyone!

 

[Caverject]

Most sciences needed for medicine are the same sciences for pharmacy. If you have questions, you should call the school you are interested in applying to. If it turns out that you do not have the right classes, I would take them at either the junior college or four year university. The 4 year university would probably be better for you since you have such a poor GPA

 

[littleangel]

At my current job I know a lot of pharmacists in high places in california (members of the board of pharm, connections to the dean of admissions @UOP). So at least I could get good letters of rec.

Don't count on these "connections." Believe me, connections don't always factor into a pharmacy school's decision to interview or accept you. A letter from a board of pharmacy member will not always compensate for a lower-than-average GPA.

Just a friendly word of caution. Good luck!

 

[DrEaMeRcHiCk]

From what I've learned from threads on this site...btw you should search for threads that pretain to your situation. They might not be exactly what you're going through but its a lot of useful information.
If I were you, I would take the courses at a junior college to save some money because it doesn't matter where you take them as long as you have them done with good grades. As for your GPA, try raising it even more or take the PCAT so you can borden the amount of schools you can apply to. Don't give up hope because you seem like you have the will power so that alone will take you the distance.
As for pre-reqs, go onto the websites of the Pharmacy School you plan to apply to. Most have course equivalences for all universities and colleges so you'll know what requirements you have fulfilled in just a click.

Good luck!

 

[mikey_rx]

I am replying because I was in the exact same situation as you last year. I had graduated with a 2.9 overall and 2.7 science from UCD. My advice: DONT GIVE UP. If you really want it, do not give up. I was extremely discouraged intially but I made the decision to do whatever necessary to help my application. I enrolled in a post-bacc. program at CSU Hayward. I am pretty sure all CSU have a similiar post-bacc. program for pre-professional health. Check out the one nearest to you. Next thing, check out the course equivs for the schools you're applying to and make sure take any prereqs. or retake those you had poor grades in. I also advise you to take upper-division classes in physiology, immunology, microbio, etc. I was working for 2 years before I started taking classes again and they aren't that hard if you're dedicated. My post-bacc GPA was 3.8 taking all upper-division classes. If you're smart enough to attend UCLA, you're capable on doing it. I ended up applying with a 3.2 overall 3.0 science.

I applied this year and I've already got some interviews. I made my fair share of mistakes but it's never to late to turn things around. Best of luck to you.

Cheers,
Mikey

 

[Hildergard]

It seems that a lot of UCLA students cannot really study at UCLA, doesn't it? It must the West Wood 😀 . Just kidding....

Anyway, I have a friend of mine who is very much in the same situation as you are. She's graduated from UCLA with PsychoBiology degree and her GPA is about 2.8-2.9 (pretty much all C's in Chemistry and some requirements). However, she is now retaking all of chemistry classes at a community college. I stil cannot believe how she's doing that --- taking both 2 classes of General Chemistry + 1 class of Organic Chemistry (the second one, she'll take it next semester). So, my point is that you could take classes (some of the requirements) at any community college. It is cheaper and easier for you to ask questions and get help with materials from your instructors (due to small-sized class). Well, she's now applying for USC and UOP.

Don't give up! Good luck.....

 

[iamhungry]

i, too, got my bs in psychobio at ucla last year, graduated with a meager 3.03 cum and even lower science gpa. i am taking prereqs right now mostly for western because i believe this is probably the only school in cali that will accept my low gpa. i turned my ap with them end of sept and last fri, they called me for an interview 2nd week of november. i feel extremely nervous because my whole future lies in this interview. i really don't want to waste another year being a pharm clerk. it's kind of embarrassing how i have a bs from ucla and make 7.55 an hour. if i do get into western, i have to take biochem153c, hopefully through ucla extensions during spring, or take biochem31 at smc. also, i took physci3 but that did not have a lab, so i'm going to take physiology again at a community college. apply out of state too! i'm applying to hawaii, nevada, and other supposedly "easy" places. if you really want to become a pharmacist, just keep trying no matter what!

 

[ultracet]

i would retake all classes at a university not a junior college.

if you don't do well at the university and then do fabulously at a junior college it really may not say anything except the classes were easier.
if you take them at a university you can prove that you are ready for the rough stuff....


good luck!

 

[Cdiddy]

i would retake all classes at a university not a junior college.

if you don't do well at the university and then do fabulously at a junior college it really may not say anything except the classes were easier.
if you take them at a university you can prove that you are ready for the rough stuff....


good luck!

I second that. I have heard that some schools do look down on grades from a junior college. While some may disagree, courses from a state university or private college will always look better than grades from a community college.