LA Schools: USC vs. West Coast University

[dave16]

Just wondering if anyone else here is planning on applying to these two schools. In your opinion, does WCU have any advantages over USC (besides the lower cost of course)? Since USC has the more established program, I suspect employers would be partial towards applicants with degrees from USC’s pharmacy school.

What are your thoughts?

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[NCW2401]

When you use common school abbreviations its hard to answer. WTF is WCU?

 

[dave16]

When you use common school abbreviations its hard to answer. WTF is WCU?

It's in the title. By the way, USC = University of Southern California

What does WTF stand for?

 

[Judgment Dragon]

I would go to USC. WCU is a for-profit school. Actually, I would go to neither.

 

[PharmtoCS]

Both are extremely overpriced and will put you at $200-300k in loans when you graduate into a terrible job market. If you can't get into a cheaper out of state school, then I would seek an alternative career path, i.e. computer science or physician assistant.

 

[dave16]

I would go to USC. WCU is a for-profit school. Actually, I would go to neither.

USC is non-profit but more expensive than WCU. If you ask me, most private schools are in a way "for profit."

 

[dave16]

Yeah I know. Both schools are pretty expensive but I was wondering if potential employers really care what school you get your degree from. If it's not that big a deal then you might as well get it from the newer cheaper school.

I would seek an alternative career path.

Not an option for me as I have invested my whole [academic] life in this. Also I really like the field and it's not just about the money.

 

[Dalteparin]

Some employers might wonder why you'd go to a brand new, sketchy school like WCU if you could get in somewhere else.


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[NCW2401]

Going to either is not worth the money if both are private schools. I would not ever consider a for profit school. Also take into account the amount of debt you will graduate as compared to a public university. Also University of South Carolina is the original USC.

 

[dave16]

Some employers might wonder why you'd go to a brand new, sketchy school like WCU if you could get in somewhere else.


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Is that something that happens regularly, or is it just a guess?

Also, I know WCU is not fully accredited yet (because it still needs to graduate its first class) but why would you say it's sketchy?

 

[dave16]

take into account the amount of debt you will graduate as compared to a public university.

Of course it's better to pay as little as you can for an education, but when it comes getting a professional education, public schools are pretty expensive too. Take UCSD for example; it is a public school but still costs around 120K. WCU has a price tag of ~170K. There is a difference but it's not that big. Compare that to USC's 240K.

Also University of South Carolina is the original USC.

That may be the case but nobody thinks of University of South Carolina when they hear USC. USC is pretty much world famous (whether or not it deserves to be is a different question). Oh and USC.edu

 

[NCW2401]

Of course it's better to pay as little as you can for an education, but when it comes getting a professional education, public schools are pretty expensive too. Take UCSD for example; it is a public school but still costs around 120K. WCU has a price tag of ~170K. There is a difference but it's not that big. Compare that to USC's 240K.



That may be the case but nobody thinks of University of South Carolina when they hear USC. USC is pretty much world famous (whether or not it deserves to be is a different question). Oh and USC.edu

Haha yeah I know. Its bull****. West coast is the worst coast.

 

[Dalteparin]

Is that something that happens regularly, or is it just a guess?

Also, I know WCU is not fully accredited yet (because it still needs to graduate its first class) but why would you say it's sketchy?

A lot of pharmacists have somewhat negative opinions of students from the new schools because it seems like the newer schools take students who are less academically qualified than the more established schools. As for WCU specifically, search this forum for threads about it. It doesn't exactly sound like a good use of your money.

 

[PharmDoReMe]

If WCU isn't accredited yet, you don't want to take the chance that you spend time at that school and it ends up not receiving full accreditation. You don't wanna waste all that money and not even get a degree out of it. Not worth the chance to me.

 

[dave16]

A lot of pharmacists have somewhat negative opinions of students from the new schools because it seems like the newer schools take students who are less academically qualified than the more established schools. As for WCU specifically, search this forum for threads about it. It doesn't exactly sound like a good use of your money.

That's the problem. I have searched these forums but haven't found anything factual about why WCU sucks. It's mostly just speculation.

 

[dave16]

If WCU isn't accredited yet, you don't want to take the chance that you spend time at that school and it ends up not receiving full accreditation. You don't wanna waste all that money and not even get a degree out of it. Not worth the chance to me.

Well, students who go to "candidate status" schools allegedly enjoy all the same privileges as those enjoyed by students that go to fully accredited schools. It is of course always a risk going to a school that hasn't received full accreditation yet, but if you do a cost benefit analysis and conclude that you are saving tens of thousands of dollars by picking the candidate school, it might actually be worth it. I think it is important to keep in mind that every school started out as being non-accredited and had to wait at least 4 years to be eligible for full accreditation.

 

[PharmtoCS]

Well, students who go to "candidate status" schools allegedly enjoy all the same privileges as those enjoyed by students that go to fully accredited schools. It is of course always a risk going to a school that hasn't received full accreditation yet, but if you do a cost benefit analysis and conclude that you are saving tens of thousands of dollars by picking the candidate school, it might actually be worth it. I think it is important to keep in mind that every school started out as being non-accredited and had to wait at least 4 years to be eligible for full accreditation.

Look up Hawaii College of Pharmacy (HICP).

 

[dave16]

Look up Hawaii College of Pharmacy (HICP).

Yes, I've heard about it but as the Wikipedia article states: "It is alleged that the college did not follow requirements for disclosure on not being accredited."
That's the reason why it was forced to shut down. Also, did this school have candidate status when this happened?

 

[PharmDoReMe]

Kinda sounds like you've already made up your mind to try for WCU lol

 

[dave16]

Kinda sounds like you've already made up your mind to try for WCU lol

I won't lie; I am partial towards schools that charge students less in tuition fees But it's not even that. I'm just interested in hearing all the arguments for/against these schools. And to have a constructive discussion I think it's important for me to add my own thoughts and ideas on the subject.

 

[Sine Cura]

All California programs have ridiculous tuition compared to programs at public universities outside California. University of Arizona is like $24k a year now for in-state, Oregon State University is $24k a year for out-of-state (!). Notwithstanding the bleak future of pharmacy, it would make more financial sense to go out of state to a public school or 3-year-program out-of-state then find work in California afterwards. I've seen idiots from Midwestern and Roseman still find gainful employment. There are MCPHS grads "everywhere" in retail in my neck of the woods.

If you are just going to be a retail intern and do retail afterwards, any school that won't shut down in a few years works.

Edit: also the excuse that "it is easier to pass CPJE if you go to school in California..." No. There are barely any questions on law, which Weissman covers just fine. If you got 110+ on NAPLEX, you should be fine. If you got like below 80 on NAPLEX, you probably are in trouble.

Pass rates for those who did not matriculate at California schools include foreign grads, whose failures wreck the overall pass rate for "out-of-state" applicants, so I wouldn't use those pass rates to support the idea that students should go to school in California just because it would be easier to pass CPJE.