High Schooler Looking At Pharmacy

[EJB90]

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Hi Everyone,

My name is Eric, I am 17 and from Connecticut. I am going to be a High School senior this Fall and I am looking into perusing the profession of Pharmacy. I am not really sure what first attracted me to pharmacy but I find the topic fascinating, enjoy sciences, I like helping people, solving problems, and I think it's an important job in today's society. I've done a lot of shadowing and I really think I want to do this as a future career.

First off I am interested in my chances in getting into pharmacy school. Mostly I am looking at 0-6 schools but here are some stats about me.

Academics
- My GPA is roughly a 3.2/4.0 when I convert it from my schools stupid 6.25 scale that makes no sense. My school was rated the #3 school in CT, #2 small school, and was awarded some "Vanguard" award for a school that shows academic excellence
- I got a 1200/1600 on my SATs, but I am planning on retaking them in September. (I plan on taking the ACTs as well)
- I take all honors classes when available (English, Chem, Earth Sci, etc)
- Science electives such as Anatomy and Physiology I & II
- I took AP Biology sophomore year and got a 4 on the exam
- I took AP USH junior year (no grades yet) and I am taking AP Language, AP Physiology senior year
- Always honor role student

Leadership/Extracurricular
- Class Officers President Soph & Jr year
- Student Government Class Representative Sen year
- Soccer
- Lacrosse
- Track
- Indoor Track
- Awarded Hugh O'brian leadership award & seminar
- Awarded FTE seminar (economics thing)
- Awarded service to the sophomore & junior class awards
- Award CT Student Assoc leadership award by Principal

Community Service
- At least 40-50 hours of various things from making DVDs for sports teams, to making databases for the senior center, to helping out at a lax tournament

Experience
- Shadow Pharmacist in Apothecary- total of 50hrs so far- no pay, but I learn a lot. He's the only pharmacist there (no pharm techs or clerks either) so its a lot of 1 on 1.
- Shadow in Hospital Pharmacy- hopefully 9-12hrs by end of summer, I've done 3 so far.

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These are the Schools I am looking at:
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Services
Pros: Boston location, long history, small size, good feel for me, 0-6 PharmD program, the pharmacist I shadow was a teacher there and he's writing me a letter of recommendation, I'll should get merit $$ there
Cons: Only freshman housing guaranteed, might be too compact of a campus

Albany College of Pharmacy
Pros: Nice campus, not too far away from home, dorms look pretty big, 0-6 PharmD Program, small size
Cons: In Albany, overall vibe wasn't great, no early action, just early decision

Wilkes University (still have to see it in person)
Pros: I'll get merit $$ there, looks nice in pictures, guaranteed into pharmacy program if GPA is over 3.3 in prepharm if I remember correctly, small size
Cons: Relatively new program, far away, no full 0-6

Western New England College (Starting up program for fall of 2009)
Pros: Small size, close to home, decent campus, should be easy there, heard good things about the school
Cons: Brand new program (viability???), in Springfield, MA, little info about their upcoming program

Does anyone have any experience they'd like to share about the schools I am looking at? Also, should I be looking at other schools. UConn has prepharm but no guarantees and I don't want to go there anyways, too big for me. URI I don't think I'd get in with my grades and they probably prioritize instate students.

Sorry for writing so much.

Thanks!

 

[lucky1011]

Hey! I'm an incoming senior and I'm looking into applying to 0-6 schools too. I don't have any advice but I was excited to see another person going through the same things like I am as well. You are very lucky that these schools are close to home because I live on the west coast. Anyway, from the looks of your stats and ec's you seem like a very smart person. I'd apply to all four schools if I were you.

Question: How do you know that you're going to get merit money to MCPHS and Wilkes?

 

[EJB90]

Hey! I'm an incoming senior and I'm looking into applying to 0-6 schools too. I don't have any advice but I was excited to see another person going through the same things like I am as well. You are very lucky that these schools are close to home because I live on the west coast. Anyway, from the looks of your stats and ec's you seem like a very smart person. I'd apply to all four schools if I were you.

Question: How do you know that you're going to get merit money to MCPHS and Wilkes?

I went to MCPHS open house and they had it in one of their presentations. Wilkes has the info directly on their website. They're still private schools though so you're still paying a lot. I'll have to look somewhere to see how much money I could get at MCPHS, but I know I can get 11,000-13,000 at Wilkes.

 

[deleted205891]

Hi.

Most 0-6 programs are not too hard to get into. Different schools look at different things, so a 3.2 may be a problem for some (hopefully that's an unweighted 3.2), while at others your activities will make up for it. 0-6 programs are good because you don't have to take the PCAT, just beware that many do somewhat try to weed people out, but this is not a problem if you're willing to go to class and do the work.

Albany: I've heard many bad things about the school. Plus, as you said, it's in Albany (enough said). It's on probation this year.

MCPHS: Never visited it, but it's in Boston, what could be better. I've heard of quite a few people complaining about this program as well.

I'm not sure if you should go to a totally new program if you have other options, since the school won't get fully accredited until it graduates its first class (so you will graduate from a non-accredited school). But I'm not an expert on this. You mean a new 0-6 program is starting up? I thought they were trying to do away with them.

You should try Rutgers, heard good things about their program (though with your stats it would be pretty hard to get in).

You may also want to look at USP (where I go)

Pros:
Lots of notable alumni in the pharmaceutical industry, so good networking opportunities
In a large city, so you can go explore
You can minor in things along with your PharmD, and there are limited double-major options available
You can start getting involved in professional organizations as early as freshman year, and we have lots of them (good so you can explore the profession of pharmacy as early as possible)
Good greek life, if you're interested in that
There is an honors program. They give you extra money for books if you get in (unfortunately it wasn't there when I started).

Cons:
They don't give much financial aid (basically $7k off tuition to everyone)
Pharmacy class size of 300. I'm starting my 3rd year now, so I'm gonna start experiencing this. We do have recitations in smaller groups, though.
Not too many activities offered by the college.
Everyone goes home on weekends and studies more than they should IMO, so it can be quite boring at times.
Not the best neighborhood in the world (though it's not too dangerous as long as you have common sense)
Somewhat high attrition rate, but honestly if you're not prepared to do work, you shouldn't be in pharmacy school to begin with.

 

[bklyngirl]

I went to MCPHS open house and they had it in one of their presentations. Wilkes has the info directly on their website. They're still private schools though so you're still paying a lot. I'll have to look somewhere to see how much money I could get at MCPHS, but I know I can get 11,000-13,000 at Wilkes.

If you're interested in the city life you may be interested in Long Island University (Arnold and Marie Schwartz) in Brooklyn, NY. You may qualify for a $10,000 scholarship which you would get each year during your undergraduate years (first 4 years). They are no longer a 0-6 program, but a 2-4, which means you need to reapply to the professional program (but it's a lot easier getting into the professional program if you're a pre-pharm student at the school.) You can also look into St. John's University in Queens, NY - they also offer generous merit scholarships. I hear they plan on changing from a 0-6 program to a 2-4 as well. My cousin applied to both (with similar stats as yours) and was accepted to Long Island University, but rejected from St. John's.
Albany has a severely negative reputation on this forum, so give it careful consideration if you are accepted.
I also know of someone at University of Rhode Island's pharmacy program who is extremely satisfied. I believe they still offer guaranteed entry and so does Boeve (Northeastern in Mass.).
If you're looking to be closer to home, UConn would be a good choice, and would save you alot of money in the long term.
If pharmacy is what you truly want, the best advice would be to find a 0-6 guaranteed entry program so you can avoid all the application stress later on.