How to compensate for low GPA(2.6)

[lesept2]

I am planning on applying to Pharmacy school this coming June and I am attending a quarter system school. At the moment I have a 2.6 GPA as a Pharmaceutical Sciences major. How can I compensate for low gpa?should I retake classes that i got some "C" in or should I take new classes or advanced classes and do good in them? Should I consider taking classes at city college since they are easier and would boost overall PharmCAS grade? I just got licensed recently as pharmacy technician and I hope that this experience will help too. Thanks

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[HelloPanda22]

I had a similar problem and just took more advanced classes instead of retaking. I also did well on the PCAT. If you're not hell bent on staying in California, just make sure you do well on your PCAT! Luckily, you still make the 2.5 GPA requirement for many schools.

 

[twizzlers713]

I'd think that stomping the PCAT would be your best option. I talked to a lady at UGA who said they've admitted students with sub 3.0 gpa with 90ish percentile PCAT+good interview

 

[headortail]

should I retake classes that i got some "C" in or should I take new classes or advanced classes and do good in them?

If they're "important" classes that you got C's in, I would retake, like Organic chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology/microbiology, physiology or something useful (and it'll be good 'cause you'll be fresh with that knowledge in pharmacy school!) If they're non-science classes I wouldn't bother.
Study for the PCAT, it's not that hard, just practice a lot with the online practice tests!

 

[veyep]

I am planning on applying to Pharmacy school this coming June and I am attending a quarter system school. At the moment I have a 2.6 GPA as a Pharmaceutical Sciences major. How can I compensate for low gpa?should I retake classes that i got some "C" in or should I take new classes or advanced classes and do good in them? Should I consider taking classes at city college since they are easier and would boost overall PharmCAS grade? I just got licensed recently as pharmacy technician and I hope that this experience will help too. Thanks

Just apply to new schools, you will get in...

 

[xtsukiyox]

I'ma steal chemguy79's schtick.

lesept2, with a significant number of Cs in your prereq classes, have you identified what the issue is with your performance? It is important to rectify any deficiencies in understanding early, so you can build on a good knowledge base as you move into harder classes & ultimately pharma school.

Pharmacy tech experience can definitely help round out an application.

 

[chemguy79]

I'ma steal chemguy79's schtick.

Tee Hee!

lesept2, with a significant number of Cs in your prereq classes, have you identified what the issue is with your performance? It is important to rectify any deficiencies in understanding early, so you can build on a good knowledge base as you move into harder classes & ultimately pharma school.

Don't hate the player, hate the game.

OP ... If you have a poor GPA, find out why you earned those grades and prepare to show that you can handle that material by taking upper level courses.

Side Note: Personally, I don't believe in retaking classes because it's a bit of a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario. If you earned a D before in a class, an ad com will likely expect you to make an A in a course. If you don't earn an A, you're damned because they will question whether you can truly master the basic material. Therefore, if you need 2 attempts to somewhat understand Gen Chem, would an ad com have faith that you can master Pharmacokinetics without 2 attempts at the material?

That school of thought was why I went to graduate school (aside from an interest in science); I wanted to show that I could master challenging material. However, if you're in undergrad taking pre-reqs, plan on taking upper level courses that may not be pre-reqs in order to get into an upper echelon pharmacy school.

 

[wanttobepharm]

Also depend on what system of school you are in. Looking at you're from California, UCs cannot retake Cs, not sure about CSU. You can always go retake at community colleges, but performing better in upper division courses outshine a C in say "General biology".

I personally have a few classes that I wish to have gotten higher grades but decided to just do better in upper division courses such as physiology, microbiology, etc.

 

[xtsukiyox]

Tee Hee!

Dude, you just used "echelon" in a sentence. If that doesn't make it good advice, I don't know what does.