I can't believe how hard I have failed.

[jackal head]

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Applied to University of Saskatchewan and it was my only school.

I didn't get in.

I'm a bit in shock right now, I honestly don't know what I'll do.

I also found out my average was not the 86-87% I thought it was but instead is an 83. I had spent so much time trying to figure how they would convert my 3.75 cgpa into their percent standards but they wouldn't tell me and I didn't think it would be this low.

To make matters worse, I have nearly 3 years of university education with all the pre-reqs done and all with marks well above failing so I can't make any significant difference there.

The part I messed up on was probably the written interview and this Test of Critical Skills and these two parts combined are worth 40% of my final admission score, my gpa (not purely cgpa, it's a combination of cgpa and pre-req gpa) is the other 60%.

I don't know what to do now, I'm stumped.

My marks won't really be going anywhere unless I want to spend years raising them by a couple of percents.

Applying to more schools next year is not a bad plan but it would require me to take a lot more upper level classes for an entire year or maybe even two.

Furthermore, the other schools are in a different province so I'd be applying as an Out-Of-Province (like Out Of State) and with a measly 83 (assuming I can maintain it with the harder classes) I don't see my chances going up by much.

The only options at this point seem to be
1) Give up and finish a degree in something else.
2) Give the Test of Critical Skills and the Written Interview another shot by trying again next year.

I spent about 2 weeks preparing for those tests, I felt as ready as I could be and I felt good about them when they were done but back then I thought I was in the upper 80s. Now with the grades being stuck where they are, I am for the first time in my life seriously considering giving up pharmacy all together. It seems like a very real possibility that I may well never get in, anywhere.

 

[phathead]

I don't know what to do now, I'm stumped.

The part I messed up on was probably the written interview and this Test of Critical Skills and these two parts combined are worth 40% of my final admission score, my gpa (not purely cgpa, it's a combination of cgpa and pre-req gpa) is the other 60%.

Well there ya go /threadclosed

 

[jackal head]

Well there ya go /threadclosed

The problem I have with simply trying again is that it's impossible to measure my progress. It's not like the PCAT where you know exactly how you did; they don't give out the scores for the Test of Critical Skills and the written interview.

So in essence, I am just blindly trying again without really being able to justify why I think I will have a better chance.

 

[Notecard]

The part you failed with was applying to only one school. If I were you next year I'd apply to 3-4 schools. Pick schools that are close to you and hold interviews before the interview to the school you really want to go to. That way you'll get practice before it really counts.

 

[UNMorBUST]

The part you failed with was applying to only one school. If I were you next year I'd apply to 3-4 schools. Pick schools that are close to you and hold interviews before the interview to the school you really want to go to. That way you'll get practice before it really counts.

The bolded. Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket.

 

[owlegrad]

The bolded. Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket.

Nothing is bolded.

EDIT: Now it is.

 

[rxlea]

Nothing is bolded.

Huh? What are you talking about???

 

[owlegrad]

Huh? What are you talking about???

😛





Last edited by rxlea; Today at 09:46 PM. 😱

Yes I will.

 

[UNMorBUST]

Hey now, you two keep your grubby paws off my posts. 😛

 

[Praziquantel86]

This is excessive moderation and I won't be a part of it.



og: He thinks he is sooo funny.

 

[owlegrad]

Hey now, you two keep your grubby paws off my posts. 😛

I can assure you, I would never stoop to that level. Ever. Unless your name is crazybob, in which case I will over-moderate to my hearts content. Much like my mentor, delano.

This is excessive moderation and I won't be a part of it.

Last edited by Praziquantel86; Today at 10:40 PM. Reason: Fixing things.


You think you are sooo funny.

 

[UNMorBUST]

Geez. Half the posts here have been edited.

 

[owlegrad]

Geez. Half the posts here have been edited.

😳

 

[BigFan]

I'm sorry to hear that OP 🙁 I think your biggest mistake as mentioned was applying only to one pharmacy school. Considering you have 3 years of university, you should be able to apply to several others. Who cares if you are OOP? It might put you at a small disadvantage(need higher gpa) but the more, the better chance of getting in. Of course, make sure its a university you want to go to but my advice would be to try again next year applying to several universities and finishing your degree since you only have a year left(assuming its a 4 year honors project) 🙂

 

[Ekuj]

Your grades were good enough and competitive so it was probably the Test of Critical Skills that messed you up. I would not give up just yet and definitely try again next year.

 

[RickyRicardoFC]

Most people replying to this thread are probably all american...its not so simple in canada applying to a pharmacy school...
You see in Canada... there are only like 8-10 pharmacy schools... Saskatchewan being one, two in the maritimes (which give 90 percent of seats to IN MARITIME students) I think one or maybe two are FRENCH speaking ones, so thats out for all Canada (French is learned in school... but common... who takes french seriously, and even if you do... there's no way to be fluent enough to go to a french speaking pharmacy school)... so that basically leaves the one in BC and two in Ontario... but wait?! (And this is going to sound like a HUGE racial thing, but its very true) BC and Toronto are full of asians... who's GPA's are all 3.9-4.0 and have ridiculous PCAT scores... (Also at University of Toronto.. almost all the students in science take Ritalin (not a joke)... so red bull as a study aid vs Ritalin... also a disadvantage)

Can you afford to apply/go to a pharmacy school in the states? I know it will be a lot more money.... but your chances will be far greater, and its not like you can't come back to canada to practice.... I'm not putting down the competitiveness of the states... its just playing your odds... a pool of 10 pharmacy schools vs a pool of 50+ in the states... I realize the population is greater, therefore more competition in the states, it just seems like their expectations about pharmacy students are WAY more realistic.

 

[pharmschooler]

Most people replying to this thread are probably all american...its not so simple in canada applying to a pharmacy school...
You see in Canada... there are only like 8-10 pharmacy schools... Saskatchewan being one, two in the maritimes (which give 90 percent of seats to IN MARITIME students) I think one or maybe two are FRENCH speaking ones, so thats out for all Canada (French is learned in school... but common... who takes french seriously, and even if you do... there's no way to be fluent enough to go to a french speaking pharmacy school)... so that basically leaves the one in BC and two in Ontario... but wait?! (And this is going to sound like a HUGE racial thing, but its very true) BC and Toronto are full of asians... who's GPA's are all 3.9-4.0 and have ridiculous PCAT scores... (Also at University of Toronto.. almost all the students in science take Ritalin (not a joke)... so red bull as a study aid vs Ritalin... also a disadvantage)

OK...So it might be difficult to get in due to a small number of schools, but be a bit more realistic. Canada has a population less than that of California (which has somewhere between 8 - 10 pharm schools, but used to have far fewer). If you had more schools, you'd probably have too many pharmacists, and no jobs upon graduation. Which would you prefer?

Also, being Asian does not correspond to having a higher intelligence. Those GPAs and PCAT scores are not a product of extra smarts given only to Asians, it's the product of a good work ethic and strong parental support of academics. So get crackin'!

Also, the Ritalin thing...read this article about one author's experience trying ADHD drugs. It might make you question whether it's truly an advantage:
http://www.slate.com/id/2118315/

 

[Passion4Sci]

First thing I'd do is contact the school directly and ask for a specific reason or reasons why they rejected you... That might give you something better to shoot for, a target to aim for so to speak.

 

[RickyRicardoFC]

@pharmschooler,

Very true, much rather prefer more job security when graduating from a program like pharmacy. I'm just saying it can seem a bit defeating for a Canadian trying to get into pharmacy school, especially one who lives in Ontario/BC. Almost all states give preference to in state students, because why train someone if they're just going to leave right after their education. Likewise in Canada, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, 2 Maritimes all give preference to in province student (up to 90 percent of seats in one of the maritimes) ... and I guess it makes sense... because why live in the maritimes as a pharmacist making 100,000+ a year when you could live better in Ontario (be able to spend more on entertainment, etc...).. and so they don't want people leaving the province and going to Ontario because their province will lose out. Ontario on the other hand... accepts any province students, with no preference given to local University students or in province students. So someone living in Halifax is competing against the small population of Halifax... but someone in Ontario is competing vs ALL OF CANADA

Also, I didn't mean to imply that being asian corresponds with higher intelligence... I meant just the cultural differences. They are just way more disciplined at 10 years old than most people are when they're 30... not to mention they have a closer network. There is also some racial discrimination on their part when it comes to laboratory jobs (which can be greatly beneficial in becoming a stronger applicant when it comes to med school). Almost anyone who has gone to university of toronto (even some asians) will admit that there is some discrimination.

Interesting article! I enjoyed it. Just remember that people always write to make you believe their side of the story. Some of the points brought up against ritalin use are rare! And the other points just prove that it is advantageous to be using it when getting the grades for med/pharmacy. While it is not good to be dependent on the drug, or any drug to enhance your performance... taking it for a couple years to ace the pre pharm courses is still an advantage...

It's a LITTLE bit like baseball with steroids... those players suck before taking it... take it... hit 40+ HRs a year.. get a bigger contract.. then 4 years down the road its discovered they were taking them.. well who cares? they already got their big money contract... while it is ILLEGAL to take steroids in professional sports, it is almost never punished. If it is punished... in comparison with their big contracts they get... it's a slap on the wrist. Pharmacy schools are never going to find out if someone used ritalin to get better grades... it's just impossible to find out. Also, you may lose some creativity from taking it.. but if your goal is med school or pharmacy school... chances are you were never a creative person to begin with... just like with baseball, the rewards far outweigh the risks.

 

[RickyRicardoFC]

Oh also, greatly agree with pharmschooler. "GET CRACKIN!"... if your goal is a Canadian pharm school and there's no way you would want to go to a US one, then get crackin. Know your competition... While my description of people at University of Toronto may seem outrageous... it is the reality.. these students have tremendous discipline and amazing grades. If they're studying 5 hours a day... you have to study 10. If they're studying 10.. well then you study 10 and do extra cirriculars/pharmacy related volunteer work. Outdo your competition... it will be tremendously hard to train yourself to do this. Just commit to it! I'm guessing you got rejected recently... and if this is the case don't give up. Get back on that horse and try 10 times harder than you did before. If you got rejected few months ago and are still feeling like such a failure... then maybe pharmacy isn't for you. Feeling down is okay.. its normal after rejection... but the most important thing is how you overcome it, and to not stay down for long.

 

[jackal head]

Oh also, greatly agree with pharmschooler. "GET CRACKIN!"... if your goal is a Canadian pharm school and there's no way you would want to go to a US one, then get crackin. Know your competition... While my description of people at University of Toronto may seem outrageous... it is the reality.. these students have tremendous discipline and amazing grades. If they're studying 5 hours a day... you have to study 10. If they're studying 10.. well then you study 10 and do extra cirriculars/pharmacy related volunteer work. Outdo your competition... it will be tremendously hard to train yourself to do this. Just commit to it! I'm guessing you got rejected recently... and if this is the case don't give up. Get back on that horse and try 10 times harder than you did before. If you got rejected few months ago and are still feeling like such a failure... then maybe pharmacy isn't for you. Feeling down is okay.. its normal after rejection... but the most important thing is how you overcome it, and to not stay down for long.

Thanks for the reply, that's all fine and good but I'm still short on options.

I was fortunate to be considered a resident (have been here for little over a year now). I think another attempt is worth a shot BUT

I'm basically* doing the same thing again and expecting a different result.

Taking more classes and getting a degree would help as a backup and that's what I want to do but it would risk my gpa and my residency status.

It just sucks that re-taking this test seems to be my only option. This one single test.
Waiting an entire year for this one thing will make me brain dead.

 

[RickyRicardoFC]

sorry... I know I keep writing a lot on this thread... just trying to give you as much food for thought as you can handle. You are probably in a thinking state of mind about your future, etc...Take some time, think about whether or not pharmacy is what you want to do, because you may say you want to do pharmacy, but really have no passion for it. Good marks are great, but they can only get you so far, you are still going to need a passion for pharmacy. My sister was telling me how people who graduated at the top of her law class did not get articling jobs... and this one girl who graduated undergrad with all these scholarships... and when she got to law school flunked out. GETTING IN is half the battle. After that you still have to do well in pharmacy school, and get a job after... which may seem easy, but the times are changing. Degrees don't guarantee you anything these days. I don't know if you're listening heavily to your parents or not... but some parents just don't understand, because back in their day if you had a degree you would have a job. Nearly everyone in Canada these days has an undergrad degree... and what it comes down to a lot of the time is drive, passion, and character to be successful in anything you choose. This may sound really cheesy... but its true.

 

[Gladd]

83 is a great GPA even for Canadian schools!

Apply OOP. I'm from BC and got into UofT with a GPA lower than yours AND a pretty mediocre PCAT score.

Don't get down on yourself. Your GPA is good enough.

 

[lllix]

Okay, here is the deal:

I am an Alberta resident, I applied last year to U of A, UBC, and U of S. Rejections across the board.

This year I finished my degree and only applied to U of A and UBC. I just got accepted at UBC and am still waiting on word from U of A.

You severely limited yourself by applying to only one school and simply relying on residency is not enough. Different schools have different factors for evaluation and trust me, my pre-req GPA was abysmal (we are talking like around 3.1 here), but i got an 87 on the PCAT, have a ton of pharm work experience, great reference letters, etc. I was able to increase my GPA in the last two years of my degree despite the fact that the courses were much more challenging than the pre-reqs I took because I was focused and took subjects that were hard but also interesting.

Finish your degree, show improvement, get experience, apply to many schools, do everything you can to improve your chances. Perseverance is key.

 

[cjflahave]

Okay, here is the deal:

I am an Alberta resident, I applied last year to U of A, UBC, and U of S. Rejections across the board.

This year I finished my degree and only applied to U of A and UBC. I just got accepted at UBC and am still waiting on word from U of A.

You severely limited yourself by applying to only one school and simply relying on residency is not enough. Different schools have different factors for evaluation and trust me, my pre-req GPA was abysmal (we are talking like around 3.1 here), but i got an 87 on the PCAT, have a ton of pharm work experience, great reference letters, etc. I was able to increase my GPA in the last two years of my degree despite the fact that the courses were much more challenging than the pre-reqs I took because I was focused and took subjects that were hard but also interesting.

Finish your degree, show improvement, get experience, apply to many schools, do everything you can to improve your chances. Perseverance is key.

👍
I was accepted my second year applying.

 

[thecoolpharmboi]

I really don't understand the notion of applying to only one school.

 

[chemguy79]

I really don't understand the notion of applying to only one school.

I can understand the notion rather easily; If it's the only school that you truly want to attend, why spend your money applying to other schools? If I have no interest in attending a school other than UCSF, why apply to other schools?

However, with that choice comes great risk, as seen by the OP. You should cast a wider net unless you're 100% sure that you'll be accepted to that one school. You live, you learn and hopefully, the OP will be cast a wider net for the application deadline.

 

[pharmschooler]

I really don't understand the notion of applying to only one school.

It makes sense if you're geographically limited and only will go to school if it's in the immediate area.

 

[thecoolpharmboi]

It makes sense if you're geographically limited and only will go to school if it's in the immediate area.

Sorry, my comment was a little narrow minded. I see your point.

@OP: Keep working hard, there's always room for improvement!😀

 

[1ive2die]

OP,

With your grades it might be worth it to try to apply OOP. Write the PCAT and apply to UBC and U of T. Both have similar application procedures. UBC recently increased enrollment and U of T's applicant number has dropped significantly this past application cycle. I would say with a decent PCAT you have a great shot at either school.

Don't listen to people who say you need a 3.8 or 3.9 to be competitive. I know many people who have gotten in at both schools with GPAs at borderline 3.0. If pharmacy is really what you want, this is the way to get it.

 

[jackal head]

OP,

With your grades it might be worth it to try to apply OOP. Write the PCAT and apply to UBC and U of T. Both have similar application procedures. UBC recently increased enrollment and U of T's applicant number has dropped significantly this past application cycle. I would say with a decent PCAT you have a great shot at either school.

Don't listen to people who say you need a 3.8 or 3.9 to be competitive. I know many people who have gotten in at both schools with GPAs at borderline 3.0. If pharmacy is really what you want, this is the way to get it.

I can't help but wonder why I didn't get in. If it's not my gpa than it has to be that test. The admission gpa and that test are the only 2 factors.

If I can just prepare better for that test (which is a persuasive essay + written interview) and if I do well on that test next time, I'm sure I'll get in.

Preparing to apply for the other schools won't help me stand a better chance with this one and I will be spending so much more time/money/effort into something that I don't want (re-locating).

 

[jack rabbit]

Are you really a registered sex offender?

 

[jackal head]

Are you really a registered sex offender?

Lol no

 

[chemguy79]

I can't help but wonder why I didn't get in. If it's not my gpa than it has to be that test. The admission gpa and that test are the only 2 factors.

If I can just prepare better for that test (which is a persuasive essay + written interview) and if I do well on that test next time, I'm sure I'll get in.

Preparing to apply for the other schools won't help me stand a better chance with this one and I will be spending so much more time/money/effort into something that I don't want (re-locating).

I'm curious; Do you interview with the school? If so, that surely factors in as well. You said that there was a written interview, but I like to think that a personal interview would influence your acceptance as well. It could be that they didn't believe that you wanted to be a pharmacist in your written interview questions.

 

[jackal head]

Alright, I've decided to go all out for next year.

With UofS, all I can do is just re-take the Test Of Critical Skills/Personal Profile.

I met the minimum requirements for this year but so did about 220 other people. I didn't even make it on the waiting list. Therefore, I can't rely on just improving this one test for next year.

Now my plan is as follows:

Take PCAT in September

Fall Semester:
Gen Chem 2
Orgo 2
Biochem
- Ready to Apply to UofA

Winter Semester:
Calc 2
P-chem
2 Interviews (requiring travel)
And the dear old Test of Critical Skills/Personal Profile
- Ready to Apply to UofS, UofT and UBC

It'll all be over in about 10 months and then I'll have applied to 4 schools in total.

The hardest part will be step 1, re-taking the PCAT and scoring >85 since it's been so long since I've taken my pre-reqs and last time I scored 80 with Dr.Collins.