I got rejected from every school....didnt even get one interview...help!!

[NetsRule]

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well guys I got rejected from every school. Here are my stats:

3.39 cumulative gpa
2.7 science gpa
1 year tech experience
91% PCAT

Thats right...91 PCAT and not even one interview. I know my science GPA really hurts my chances. I'm gonna give it one last try this cycle. What schools are my best chance with such a low science GPA?? any help would be great. thanx.

 

[steveysmith54]

Do you have a degree? If you don't you might want to consider getting one and also retake classes that you have C's in.

Your pcat score says you're very bright... don't give up.

 

[NetsRule]

Do you have a degree? If you don't you might want to consider getting one and also retake classes that you have C's in.

Your pcat score says you're very bright... don't give up.

I have a BA in economics.

 

[confettiflyer]

what schools did you apply to?

 

[ldgeise]

Where did you apply and what kind of tech experience do you have?? Are you certified??

 

[leoproductionz]

yeah, how many and what schools did you apply to? 🙁 im getting even more worried now about my chances.

 

[nerv12345]

i suspect your science gpa is killin you

retake classes and raise it!

 

[cycloketocaine]

well guys I got rejected from every school. Here are my stats:

3.39 cumulative gpa
2.7 science gpa
1 year tech experience
91% PCAT

Thats right...91 PCAT and not even one interview. I know my science GPA really hurts my chances. I'm gonna give it one last try this cycle. What schools are my best chance with such a low science GPA?? any help would be great. thanx.

I know you are a tech, but do you have any other EC's?? Any clubs or things like that? The more active the better.......

 

[cystapharm]

where did you complete your prereqs? to me, 3.39 is decent. 91 shows that you know your material so you seem competent to me. It must be that 2.7 science thats killing your chances.

 

[binghamkid]

well guys I got rejected from every school. Here are my stats:

3.39 cumulative gpa
2.7 science gpa
1 year tech experience
91% PCAT

Thats right...91 PCAT and not even one interview. I know my science GPA really hurts my chances. I'm gonna give it one last try this cycle. What schools are my best chance with such a low science GPA?? any help would be great. thanx.

If you compare your stats to the averages provided on aacp.org, I would suggest strengthening multiple aspects of your application.

1) Retaking science classes/attempting new science courses at a community college to bring up both the science and cumulative GPA.

2) increasing your pharmacy experience; while 1 year is sufficient in many regards, you want to make sure that the rest of your application compensates for your GPA.

3) PCAT is good, but what sections are you weak on? If your chem, bio, and quantitative scores are lower, then it may demonstrate to the adcoms that you are weak in the science areas. If so, you may need to retake to get a better score in those sections.

4) Finally, who did you get your letters of recommendation from? If your LORs aren't strong, they will not compensate as much as you will like.

5) Another thing to consider is your personal statement for Pharmcas. While this is generally subjective, if your personal statement isn't outstanding, it will provide little basis for them to consider your application considering your GPA is at the lower end of the GPA range for many schools.

 

[rx27563]

i think the major point here is exactly WHERE the applicant is applying? stats are wayyyy different depending on your location...we need to know more of the story here i believe.

 

[eddie269]

Check the link in the sig. 😀

 

[No1 Pusher]

You applied at the last minute. That's why.

 

[confettiflyer]

since the OP hasn't answered any of our questions, here's my lovely story of how he got rejected!

He showed up to the interview smelling of fermented egg and horse poo and was not clean shaven. When asked why he wanted to pursue pharmacy, he said, "Because pharmacy is a natural extension of my drug dealing years in hollywood." After scratching himself in inappropriate places, he high fived the admissions committee and left the room.

that is why he did not get in, haha...end of thread.

 

[terse]

since the OP hasn't answered any of our questions, here's my lovely story of how he got rejected!

He showed up to the interview smelling of fermented egg and horse poo and was not clean shaven. When asked why he wanted to pursue pharmacy, he said, "Because pharmacy is a natural extension of my drug dealing years in hollywood." After scratching himself in inappropriate places, he high fived the admissions committee and left the room.

that is why he did not get in, haha...end of thread.

that story couldn't have happened, since the OP didn't even get an interview 😛 that's what this thread is all about

 

[No1 Pusher]

since the OP hasn't answered any of our questions, here's my lovely story of how he got rejected!

He showed up to the interview smelling of fermented egg and horse poo and was not clean shaven. When asked why he wanted to pursue pharmacy, he said, "Because pharmacy is a natural extension of my drug dealing years in hollywood." After scratching himself in inappropriate places, he high fived the admissions committee and left the room.

that is why he did not get in, haha...end of thread.

You forgot to read the OP's thread subject. The OP didn't even get 1/2 interview.

 

[NetsRule]

If you compare your stats to the averages provided on aacp.org, I would suggest strengthening multiple aspects of your application.

1) Retaking science classes/attempting new science courses at a community college to bring up both the science and cumulative GPA.

2) increasing your pharmacy experience; while 1 year is sufficient in many regards, you want to make sure that the rest of your application compensates for your GPA.

3) PCAT is good, but what sections are you weak on? If your chem, bio, and quantitative scores are lower, then it may demonstrate to the adcoms that you are weak in the science areas. If so, you may need to retake to get a better score in those sections.

4) Finally, who did you get your letters of recommendation from? If your LORs aren't strong, they will not compensate as much as you will like.

5) Another thing to consider is your personal statement for Pharmcas. While this is generally subjective, if your personal statement isn't outstanding, it will provide little basis for them to consider your application considering your GPA is at the lower end of the GPA range for many schools.

Thanks for the sincere advice.

In terms of the PCAT.. my bio, chem, nd math were pretty decent. 95 in biology, 86 in chem, and 82 in math. 90 for verbal. and 76 for reading. overall 91%.

I had one good LOR from my pharmacist...nd one not so great one from a physiology course in which i got an A but the professor didnt really know me so his letter was generic

I mean to me its really 2 factors that hurt me bad. applying last minute and the science GPA. thats why im asking... what schools are easy to get into for ppl with low science gpa but decent stats in the other categories.

 

[NetsRule]

also people asked where I applied. I applied to 6 schools. MCPHS Worcester, Buffalo, LECOM Erie, LIU, Temple, and Rutgers.


I now realize that these schools are amongst the hardest to get into. That is why I need help to know which schools are the easiest to get into. I'm looking mainly for private schools not public. And schools that consider a really low science gpa 2.7 or lower.

 

[confettiflyer]

haha dang it...you're right. sorry, i just wanted to be creative =(

anyway...here http://www.pharmcas.org/collegesschools/AAGAccreditation.htm

look for schools that have "Pre-Candidate" or "No ACPE status to date" and these will generally be easier to get into while they are in this stage. Do your research! Some schools seem to be riskier than others (ie standalone schools).

 

[eddie269]

I mean to me its really 2 factors that hurt me bad. applying last minute and the science GPA. thats why im asking....

That's why. Forget everything else. Find a rolling admissions private school, apply the first week the application becomes available, and save money for that interview.

Your 91 PCAT already shows the adcom your science gpa was probably a fluke. Although it's quite low, I sure hope you didn't sit around doing nothing since you last applied. Retaking classes, taking extra science classes, taking upper-div science classes were all things you should be doing since last cycle. That way your 2.7 gpa can climb up to a 3.0 this cycle.

If it's still at 2.7, well, there's not much you can do. Just apply early.

Errr, yeah, read my thread. 🙂

 

[Rumplestiltazepam]

also people asked where I applied. I applied to 6 schools. MCPHS Worcester, Buffalo, LECOM Erie, LIU, Temple, and Rutgers.


I now realize that these schools are amongst the hardest to get into. That is why I need help to know which schools are the easiest to get into. I'm looking mainly for private schools not public. And schools that consider a really low science gpa 2.7 or lower.

Science gpa lower than 2.7 considered is tough. Those are the courses they look at to see if you can survive pharmacy school. If you have a string of C grades in those courses what does that tell them?? Your PCAT shows you know your stuff but your grades make you look lazy and unmotivated, yes there could be circumstances behind your bad grades bla bla but schools don't care about circumstances.

 

[NetsRule]

Science gpa lower than 2.7 considered is tough. Those are the courses they look at to see if you can survive pharmacy school. If you have a string of C grades in those courses what does that tell them?? Your PCAT shows you know your stuff but your grades make you look lazy and unmotivated, yes there could be circumstances behind your bad grades bla bla but schools don't care about circumstances.

yeah man. its called not giving a crap ur freshman year. but does that mean im cursed for life just because I wanted to party at 18? I can rock any science course now but I'm given no chance because of what I did at 18.

 

[binghamkid]

The problem with a science GPA of a 2.7 is that with your BA in economics, it doesn't give much of an opportunity for the schools to evaluate your ability in the sciences. Had you taken lots of science courses because of a major in science, a 2.7 science GPA would be more meaningful if it meant that you raised your GPA from your freshman year. However, as an economics major, you wouldn't have taken that many science courses aside from the prereq requirements for pharmacy school. Your primary GPA is fine, but i imagine most of that comes from your economic courses, not your science courses. Remember a 2.7 GPA means you got mostly B's and a few C's in your sciences. Considering the relative number of courses you would have taken, that leaves very few A's in your science classes (if any at all). On the other hand, someone with a 2.7 GPA as a science major may have pulled their science GPA up to a 2.7 in their latter years through upper division coursework and pulling A's in those classes.

You will have to do remedial work to fix that; either take upper division science courses, or work on your foundation courses to demonstrate you can get As. While your PCAT score demonstrates you know the material, it by no means indicates that you are stellar. Your section scores are quite above average, but remember, they are not scores in the high 90s which would indicate complete mastery of the material relative to other applicants. Remember all schools will take the best applicants they can. It's your job to be that applicant and not expect that schools will keep their standards low. The application process is getting more competitive each year; from this forum, I've heard many schools have tightened up their requirements because of the increased influx of applicants. Unless it's a brand new unaccredited school, you'll be hard pressed to find one that accepts people with a less competitive application.

 

[aboveliquidice]

Like Eddie said - Your app needs to be done NOW - with a slamming personal statement and good LORs - Your GPA is low, but your PCAT may be enough to get an interview nod. I would pick one early decision school - and also at least one non pharmcas early decision. Beyond that - you need to retake the classes you bombed (with a 2.7, I'm sure you have plenty to retake). Its gonna cost you money, but the amount is null when compared to the future gains...

~above~

 

[cassiegal21]

Question: when you say science GPA does that mean only the required sciences for admission or all sciences taken. Because i fear being in the same boat when i apply. but if i took alot of sciences classes that were not required (upper level) would that make up for the lower grades in the ones that were. sorry to get the thread a bit off track.

 

[Pharm Buddy]

Question: when you say science GPA does that mean only the required sciences for admission or all sciences taken. Because i fear being in the same boat when i apply. but if i took alot of sciences classes that were not required (upper level) would that make up for the lower grades in the ones that were. sorry to get the thread a bit off track.

I believe it is all the science courses you have taken so far. I have a few upper division science courses that are not prerequsite courses, and PharmCAS also took those into my Science GPA.

 

[azPharmD2B]

I believe it is all the science courses you have taken so far. I have a few upper division science courses that are not prerequsite courses, and PharmCAS also took those into my Science GPA.

That's just for PharmCAS. The truth is, it depends on where you apply. Some schools only care about the pre-requisite science classes you'll be transferring. And a 2.7 science GPA will be difficult to raise even retaking classes as PharmCAS takes into account every time you took it, not just the highest. Other schools only take the highest, it all depends.

The fact of the matter is, a low science GPA needs to be explained in your personal statement. Come right out and say you screwed up freshman year. Counter this by showing your marked improvement from then on, and your good PCAT score. Besides this LoRs, community service, various types of pharmacy experience, leadership experience, etc will all help round out an application.

And saying you just want to get into the easiest school is incredibly lame. Would you want to drive over a bridge engineered by someone who only cared about getting into the easiest engineering school? Or have a surgery done by a doctor who went to the easiest medical school?

 

[confettiflyer]

And saying you just want to get into the easiest school is incredibly lame. Would you want to drive over a bridge engineered by someone who only cared about getting into the easiest engineering school? Or have a surgery done by a doctor who went to the easiest medical school?

I personally believe it does not matter at all where you go to school, so long as you have a degree from an accredited school and receive state licensure, and are competent enough to do the job. Easy is a relative term here. When you're a practicing pharmacist, your pharmacy school will matter about as much as your high school mattered when you were a 3rd year undergraduate.

When I get rushed into an emergency room and the doctor needs to open me up, I'm not gonna ask whether he went to the Caribbean or to UCSF...I'm gonna ask for the dang morphine!

 

[overhillpharmer]

That's why. Forget everything else. Find a rolling admissions private school, apply the first week the application becomes available, and save money for that interview.

Your 91 PCAT already shows the adcom your science gpa was probably a fluke. Although it's quite low, I sure hope you didn't sit around doing nothing since you last applied. Retaking classes, taking extra science classes, taking upper-div science classes were all things you should be doing since last cycle. That way your 2.7 gpa can climb up to a 3.0 this cycle.

If it's still at 2.7, well, there's not much you can do. Just apply early.
🙂

Ditto,
APPLY EARLY!

I was pushing deadlines and did interview at 4 schools but I only got into 1 school. My Science GPA was around 3.85 and my PCAT comp was 95. 'On time is late!'

 

[Hope14]

ok guys, so this thread has really scared me over the edge. not that I already wasn't before. My situation SUCKS! I have a low gpa (overall and science) and I am a science major , so I dont have that many other classes to boost up my gpa. In any case, I messed up my freshmen year, and a semester in my spph. year. Yea BIG time. But I did retake those classes, not saying I got A's but I retook them still. Right now I am retaking orgo chem II because I failed that my soph. year, Im hoping I do well and it boosts up my gpa alot because it will get replaced, however as we all know the Pharmcas takes in EVERYTHING, so I am not looking fwd to that part, perhaps looking at schools not participating in Pharmcas, and I also took my PCAT. I underestimated it by alot, I ran out of time in everything, which really brought me low. So everyone says apply decently early, ok whats a good time in this situation? I am probably retaking my PCATS in oct, and the scores would be directly sent to the schools when out.

As per expierence goes, I don't have any in pharmacy. But I do have other EC's and leadership skills and have held tutoring jobs etc etc. I did get an offer today from a pharm but it is clashing with my school schedule 🙁...yea everything stinks...please HELP! im so tired/upset of thinking, rethinking about this everyday...and LOR's, how many should be good?

ahh sorry for repeating myself...and thanks.

 

[evilolive]

I personally believe it does not matter at all where you go to school, so long as you have a degree from an accredited school and receive state licensure, and are competent enough to do the job. Easy is a relative term here. When you're a practicing pharmacist, your pharmacy school will matter about as much as your high school mattered when you were a 3rd year undergraduate.

When I get rushed into an emergency room and the doctor needs to open me up, I'm not gonna ask whether he went to the Caribbean or to UCSF...I'm gonna ask for the dang morphine!

Well if I were seeing a cancer specialist to treat a potentially terminal illness, I would certainly hope that he graduated from a respectable institution. I don't know about you, but having the degree is a minimal baseline - I wouldn't be willing to put my life on it. You may not care whether your ER doctor went to UCSF or the Caribbean, but the hospital certainly does and thus will be subsquently reflected in the hiring practice as well as medical school residency matching programs. Would you want someone opening up your heart to come from an easier foreign medical school or from the best where residents get world class educations? Peoples' lives are not something to be taken trivially.

 

[eddie269]

Well if I were seeing a cancer specialist to treat a potentially terminal illness, I would certainly hope that he graduated from a respectable institution. I don't know about you, but having the degree is a minimal baseline - I wouldn't be willing to put my life on it. You may not care whether your ER doctor went to UCSF or the Caribbean, but the hospital certainly does and thus will be subsquently reflected in the hiring practice as well as medical school residency matching programs. Would you want someone opening up your heart to come from an easier foreign medical school or from the best where residents get world class educations? Peoples' lives are not something to be taken trivially.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) in the field of pharmacy, the program you graduated from doesn't matter at all. It's your residency and experience that will get you that hospital position and it's your ability to breath and having a pulse that will get you that retail position. 🙂

UCSF pharmacy grad vs whoever = same job opportunities. How you interview is a totally different story.

 

[evilolive]

Fortunately (or unfortunately) in the field of pharmacy, the program you graduated from doesn't matter at all. It's your residency and experience that will get you that hospital position and it's your ability to breath and having a pulse that will get you that retail position. 🙂

UCSF pharmacy grad vs whoever = same job opportunities. How you interview is a totally different story.

Well I respectfully disagree out my own personal experience and opinions of other pharmacists I have worked with and talked to, but I fully expect the networking from my school (and the required 1 year research project as a part of the Michigan curriculum) to help me get that residency I want in the future 🙂 I'm not saying that I won't get it outside of my individual merits, but perks of having the institutional family help.

 

[confettiflyer]

Well if I were seeing a cancer specialist to treat a potentially terminal illness, I would certainly hope that he graduated from a respectable institution. I don't know about you, but having the degree is a minimal baseline - I wouldn't be willing to put my life on it. You may not care whether your ER doctor went to UCSF or the Caribbean, but the hospital certainly does and thus will be subsquently reflected in the hiring practice as well as medical school residency matching programs. Would you want someone opening up your heart to come from an easier foreign medical school or from the best where residents get world class educations? Peoples' lives are not something to be taken trivially.

I see your point and do agree that having a degree is just that..minimal. I think a doctor's residency and training have for more bearing on his or her ability as a physician. In the end, everyone has to pass USMLE, everyone has to treat patients, and everyone has to be competent through their residencies and internships. FMG's have more loops to jump through anyway.

Specialists aren't minted fresh out of school...they invariably rise up over the course of decades, and by then.... 4 years of school is nothing compared to 20 years in the field. If a cancer specialist comes to me, there's a reason she/he's in that position...I'm not about to question his or her schooling which probably occurred a quarter of a century ago.

 

[xcvbvcfgh]

Like Eddie said - Your app needs to be done NOW - with a slamming personal statement and good LORs - Your GPA is low, but your PCAT may be enough to get an interview nod. I would pick one early decision school - and also at least one non pharmcas early decision. Beyond that - you need to retake the classes you bombed (with a 2.7, I'm sure you have plenty to retake). Its gonna cost you money, but the amount is null when compared to the future gains...

~above~

One non pharmcas early decision school? What would that be?

I thought non participating pharmcas schools are on a rolling basis.