I need advice (please be kind)

[techniques]

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I currently have a 3.9 at a community college and am a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and I'll receive an Associates Degree in Science in May. I have a really bad track record (having been kicked out of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and been on probation at another community college) and have recently worked my way out of my rut. I hope to do decently on my PCATs (taking them in October) and plan on doing some volunteer work through my school. I was just wondering how my chances are in general terms (I'm applying to transfer to Rutgers, USP, Temple, MCPHS W, Jefferson, U of Maryland). If I don't get in, should I elect to get a Bachelor's degree in biochemistry at Rutgers, or work as a Pharm. tech and try to improve my PCAT score? (I don't anticipate a good score this time around, I'm taking Orgo 1 and A&P 1 now). Please give me some advice!

 

[TSG]

I currently have a 3.9 at a community college and am a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and I'll receive an Associates Degree in Science in May. I have a really bad track record (having been kicked out of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and been on probation at another community college) and have recently worked my way out of my rut. I hope to do decently on my PCATs (taking them in October) and plan on doing some volunteer work through my school. I was just wondering how my chances are in general terms (I'm applying to transfer to Rutgers, USP, Temple, MCPHS W, Jefferson, U of Maryland). If I don't get in, should I elect to get a Bachelor's degree in biochemistry at Rutgers, or work as a Pharm. tech and try to improve my PCAT score? (I don't anticipate a good score this time around, I'm taking Orgo 1 and A&P 1 now). Please give me some advice!

Why were you kicked out of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign? And would this record be reflected on the transcripts?

 

[will7678]

What is your overall GPA? If you are lower than 3.0 overall with those other bad grades then I wouldn't even bother taking the PCAT right now because even a 99 on the PCAT isn't going to get you in for 2010. In that case you should start planning on trying for 2011 and take the PCAT next summer. That way you will be applying with one good PCAT score rather than one good one and one bad one.

 

[techniques]

Why were you kicked out of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign? And would this record be reflected on the transcripts?

I withdrew from a few semesters and I had lower than a 2.0 GPA for the remaining semesters. I partied a lot, I admit it and didn't give two ****s about school. I've gotten a lot more mature and I'm actively looking for ways to get into pharmacy school.

 

[Passion4Sci]

If you don't get in, a Bachelor's degree from a legit university like Rutger's would make you look a lot more competitive and attractive. Showing that you can be successful at a university will go really far with your last attempt at a university resulting in you being a crazy party animal. How long was your UG party animal phase and what has transpired between now and then to cause you to mature?

A 3.9 is very good, as is PTK membership, but what does your GPA look like with everything else in there? Cos that's what the first line look at... PharmCAS GPA, cumulative, smashed together.

 

[techniques]

What is your overall GPA? If you are lower than 3.0 overall with those other bad grades then I wouldn't even bother taking the PCAT right now because even a 99 on the PCAT isn't going to get you in for 2010. In that case you should start planning on trying for 2011 and take the PCAT next summer. That way you will be applying with one good PCAT score rather than one good one and one bad one.

I figured as much. I'm hoping the admissions board will see a significant improvement in my academic profile that is reflective of my current character. Regardless of my chances, I'm going to apply to get familiar with the process. I'd just like to have some general advice on how to get into pharmacy school from my current situation.

 

[techniques]

If you don't get in, a Bachelor's degree from a legit university like Rutger's would make you look a lot more competitive and attractive. Showing that you can be successful at a university will go really far with your last attempt at a university resulting in you being a crazy party animal. How long was your UG party animal phase and what has transpired between now and then to cause you to mature?

A 3.9 is very good, as is PTK membership, but what does your GPA look like with everything else in there? Cos that's what the first line look at... PharmCAS GPA, cumulative, smashed together.

3 years. I'm supposed to have graduated by now. I just got sick of my lifestyle and accepted the fact that I'd get no where doing what I was doing.

 

[Passion4Sci]

3 years. I'm supposed to have graduated by now. I just got sick of my lifestyle and accepted the fact that I'd get no where doing what I was doing.

It is a pretty unsustainable lifestyle indeed... glad you recognized that now and got it out of your system.

The only thing that looks "bad" is that you failed completely out of another CC and of course got removed from the university, so the next logical thought is, "Well, I guess s/he got into an easy CC!"

Note: I am absolutely not saying that in jest or insulting a CC. But, since OP did not do well at a prior CC nor at a university, it's a likely, warranted assumption that people will think of.

A great 'combo breaker' so to speak would be a degree from a university, like you suggested. It'd be a chance to show that hey, you made a couple of mistakes, but you've grown up and matured now. Think really hard about any impetus you might've had between then and now that you can use as a springboard for your change, rather than just, "I got tired of it", though.

Anyway, good luck and my $.02 is simply that you should forget the CPhT for now and focus on getting into Rutger's, and seeing if you can hack it at a university again.

Because wouldn't it suck to get INTO a pharmacy school, do a year, get into P2 (and into deep debt) and get academically sanctioned?