How hard is it to get into a 'top' pharmacy school in 2024? What are my chances?

[Determin3D AneurysM]

I am interested in UCSD Skaggs, and the PharmCAS directory show they filled 68 of the maximum of 70 seats for the last entering class. I assume this was for the class starting fall 2023. They wish to fill 65-70 seats. I wonder if they really would stop at 68 seats and not accept 2 more students because they are satisfied with the cohort of 68 they admitted? I notice for many of the other pharmacy schools the PharmCAS directory shows they did not fill their classes to the maximum last year. An Oregon State University staff member confirmed the partially full class entering fall of 2023 for me when I asked. Side question I wonder if this will help improve the over-supply of pharmacists as the years go on.
Also, is there any way to convince a 'prestigious' school to take me even though my pre-req courses expired given the time expiration policy? I find it odd given how much easier it is to get in to pharmacy school today that some schools would still have a high bar to jump, the hoops and loops.

Are Prerequisite Courses Barriers to Pharmacy Admission or the Keys to Student Success? - PMC

The variability and complexity of course prerequisites across colleges and schools of pharmacy can result in barriers to admission. While prerequisites play an important role in the admissions process and assuring student preparation, requiring ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Thanks

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[RN2RPh]

I am interested in UCSD Skaggs, and the PharmCAS directory show they filled 68 of the maximum of 70 seats for the last entering class. I assume this was for the class starting fall 2023. They wish to fill 65-70 seats. I wonder if they really would stop at 68 seats and not accept 2 more students because they are satisfied with the cohort of 68 they admitted? I notice for many of the other pharmacy schools the PharmCAS directory shows they did not fill their classes to the maximum last year. An Oregon State University staff member confirmed the partially full class entering fall of 2023 for me when I asked. Side question I wonder if this will help improve the over-supply of pharmacists as the years go on.
Also, is there any way to convince a 'prestigious' school to take me even though my pre-req courses expired given the time expiration policy? I find it odd given how much easier it is to get in to pharmacy school today that some schools would still have a high bar to jump, the hoops and loops.

Are Prerequisite Courses Barriers to Pharmacy Admission or the Keys to Student Success? - PMC

The variability and complexity of course prerequisites across colleges and schools of pharmacy can result in barriers to admission. While prerequisites play an important role in the admissions process and assuring student preparation, requiring ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Thanks

You ask us about your chance then you should at least provide us "your stats" ?
Yes, it is probably much easier to get in pharmacy school now but it doesn't mean they will accept everyone. No program wants to accept a bunch of low quality students and they can't pass the NAPLEX down the road (which obviously will damage their reputation even more)
If you want to convince any program to accept your expired pre-req courses then you just need to give them some good reasons. For eg: if you took BioStat 10 years ago but you have been working as a Research Associate in the last couples years and you use BioStat everyday at your job then they probably ok with it. In the other hand, if all you do in the last few years was driving Uber then they probably ask you to retake the course.

 

[Determin3D AneurysM]

sorry, I did think about posting stats but I'm more guarded on privacy is all

 

[RN2RPh]

sorry, I did think about posting stats but I'm more guarded on privacy is all

Oh well, I am sorry too... I don't have my crystal ball with me today...so I can't give you any meaningful information.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

You can use the WAMC template (I picked the dental one for you, adjust as needed).
► TEMPLATE: How to Format your WAMC Thread ◄

I am interested in UCSD Skaggs, and the PharmCAS directory show they filled 68 of the maximum of 70 seats for the last entering class. I assume this was for the class starting fall 2023. They wish to fill 65-70 seats. I wonder if they really would stop at 68 seats and not accept 2 more students because they are satisfied with the cohort of 68 they admitted?

So understand that there is a strong interest for California residents to stay in California. I need to look more at the stats, but a place like UCSD attracts students who are very similar to their undergraduate cohort (and their medical school). Places like UCSD and UCSF may not completely fill, but given the large number of California applicants in general, they will likely get closer to full compared to other California pharmacy programs that may not have as much name prestige or state support. (I haven't seen the recent PharmCAS stats so I can stand corrected.)

I'm very sure enrollment management wants all the seats filled because it affects budgets and resource allocation. If the applicant pool were more healthy, I could see enrollment management take +1 or +2 provided accreditation standards allow (especially if they have been running short on enrollment over recent years). In short, no one is satisfied if there is a shortfall on tuition.

Ask the schools about your "expired" prerequisites. Some may be a bit more picky than others but that could also be due to how likely they have hit their enrollment targets.

 

[Determin3D AneurysM]

I can pm anyone who wants to know my academic stats for admissions application.

 

[Determin3D AneurysM]

Oh well, I am sorry too... I don't have my crystal ball with me today...so I can't give you any meaningful information.

it is okay 🙂

 

[BC_89]

is there any way to convince a 'prestigious' school to take me even though my pre-req courses expired given the time expiration policy? I find it odd given how much easier it is to get in to pharmacy school today that some schools would still have a high bar to jump, the hoops and loops.

Even though programs have become easier to get into, that still does not change the requirement to take the NAPLEX. Programs are required to release their NAPLEX pass rates and is used as a type of assessment to keep regional accreditation. A more "prestigious" program can be looked at as a NAPLEX pass rate of >90%. If you have pre-reqs >8+ years old, you need to justify why they can rely on you to pass classes (let alone pass the NAPLEX) while still preserving their regional accreditation status.

Also, in a business perspective, they don't get continual payments from you if you fail out early on in their program. What makes you think you can pass while being years separated from taking any science courses? What makes you qualified if no one can give you a recent reference? When classes get tough, and having no experience working in pharmacy (this happens a lot), what will give you the will-power to press through and not quit and try for something else? These are the questions many top-tier programs look closely at (for the programs who don't, they are predatorial and will set you up for failure before their program flops).

For the WAMC question, just post your academic stats on here - it happens 500+ times a day in the premed forums and no ones identity/privacy has been compromised.

 

[PharmtoCS]

I would have thought that the WAMC thread is obsolete by now. All you need is to have a pulse and qualify for $200k+ in student loans to get into pharmacy school.

 

[RxPreceptor]

My advice…great stats (top grades, top PCAT scores, meeting all pre-reqs, etc.) will only get you so far. Interview skills can make or break you if trying to get into a top tier, competitive school. I speak from experience over frustrations of getting waitlisted at one of the top tier colleges I applied to (in state, non private, pretty notorious/prestigious…would have been a significant difference in terms of overall student loan debt). The past is the past though 😝

obviously there are plenty of haters on these forums…do your research on the career path, work as a technician (year or two at least) before committing to get a better understanding of the profession