Long Island University & Community College pre-req questions- REALLY need help

[PharmBoy90]

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Basically, I just started my 3rd year of college (5th semester). I have bounced back and forth between CW Post here on Long Island, and a local community college.

My first semester of college, I was aiming to become a Radiologic Technologist, and was taking Biology, but I withdrew from it, because I lost interest in the Radiology field.

Second semester, I transferred to a local community college and took some liberal arts courses, and did pretty well. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do at this point.

However, last Fall, I decided to go back to CW Post and try Pre-Pharmacy. I was taking Calculus, Biology, and Chemistry. I was struggling in all 3 classes, and although I was trying and getting tutored, I wasn't studying much. And sadly, my Grandmother (who had been suffering from pancreatic cancer, and whom I was very close with) died in a car accident toward the end of the semester. I was able to withdraw from the Bio & Calc, and I ended up with an F in Chemistry.

This past Spring, I stayed at Post and just took some liberal arts courses to try and get my GPA back up. Over the summer, I started freaking out about how much school was costing me, and I am now back at the Community College I went to in Spring 2009 as a part-time student trying some business classes...which I am not enjoying at all.

So, as you can tell, I've been a complete mess. I've been having such a hard time deciding what I want to do with my life, and along with personal issues, my college experience hasn't been very good so far. But I feel like I have my head on my shoulders now. I would really like to give 110% to Pharmacy.

The school I'd like to go to for Pharm school is LIU's campus in Brooklyn. Is it true that you get preference if you attend their CW Post campus over other students who do not? Because my parents keep telling me to do my pre-requisites at the community college, but I don't want to take the classes there if I won't get into Pharmacy school

I do think I can get into Pharmacy school if I can get my grades up. I also have Pharmacy experience at Walgreens, and I'm getting a new job in the Pharmacy at CVS this month, hopefully.

Any advice? Sorry for the long post.

 

[APCPhT]

Basically, I just started my 3rd year of college (5th semester). I have bounced back and forth between CW Post here on Long Island, and a local community college.

My first semester of college, I was aiming to become a Radiologic Technologist, and was taking Biology, but I withdrew from it, because I lost interest in the Radiology field.

Second semester, I transferred to a local community college and took some liberal arts courses, and did pretty well. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do at this point.

However, last Fall, I decided to go back to CW Post and try Pre-Pharmacy. I was taking Calculus, Biology, and Chemistry. I was struggling in all 3 classes, and although I was trying and getting tutored, I wasn't studying much. And sadly, my Grandmother (who had been suffering from pancreatic cancer, and whom I was very close with) died in a car accident toward the end of the semester. I was able to withdraw from the Bio & Calc, and I ended up with an F in Chemistry.

This past Spring, I stayed at Post and just took some liberal arts courses to try and get my GPA back up. Over the summer, I started freaking out about how much school was costing me, and I am now back at the Community College I went to in Spring 2009 as a part-time student trying some business classes...which I am not enjoying at all.

So, as you can tell, I've been a complete mess. I've been having such a hard time deciding what I want to do with my life, and along with personal issues, my college experience hasn't been very good so far. But I feel like I have my head on my shoulders now. I would really like to give 110% to Pharmacy.

The school I'd like to go to for Pharm school is LIU's campus in Brooklyn. Is it true that you get preference if you attend their CW Post campus over other students who do not? Because my parents keep telling me to do my pre-requisites at Suffolk, but I don't want to take the classes there if it looks bad on my transcript.

I do think I can get into Pharmacy school if I can get my grades up. I also have Pharmacy experience at Walgreens, and I'm getting a new job in the Pharmacy at CVS this month, hopefully.

Any advice? Sorry for the long post.

As a Post graduate. I feel your pain. I'm now 70k in debt pretty much. I transferred from Stony Brook... I was doing horrible there, but I had some issues going on in my life. Even beginning post, I was just getting adjusted. I finished my undergrad really strong though (junior and senior years 3.8 and 3.9).

I was in a similar boat. First I was a Bio Major. Once I knew I wanted pharmacy, I changed to pre-pharm. But then I though eh it is going to take me 3 years because of screwing up at SBU anyway. I might as well just finish my BS in Bio in my 4 years. I worked my ass off to do it. But yes I bounced back and fourth, my freshman/sophomore grades suck.

LIU gives preference to there Pre-Pharm students from LIU BK first. Second they give preference to CW Post students, I don't think it matters if you are pre-pharm, bio, or chem. Technically you can't get a degree in pre-pharm. Which I argued to them because my transcript says Bio, then switched to pre-pharm, and then back to Bio.

So allegedly, there is some preference. But considering you have skipped around to other schools, I'm not sure if they will really look at you as a post student. I think they would only look at you as a post student if you have a degree from CW Post, or are currently enrolled in a degree granting program there, meaning not just 1 or 2 classes.

I just think it's unreal that they still give preference to the pre-pharm at LIU BK before they give preference to Post students. I have a degree from them, and I'm working on a second degree now. So we'll see what happens.

 

[IwantPharmD]

As a Post graduate. I feel your pain. I'm now 70k in debt pretty much. I transferred from Stony Brook... I was doing horrible there, but I had some issues going on in my life. Even beginning post, I was just getting adjusted. I finished my undergrad really strong though (junior and senior years 3.8 and 3.9).

I was in a similar boat. First I was a Bio Major. Once I knew I wanted pharmacy, I changed to pre-pharm. But then I though eh it is going to take me 3 years because of screwing up at SBU anyway. I might as well just finish my BS in Bio in my 4 years. I worked my ass off to do it. But yes I bounced back and fourth, my freshman/sophomore grades suck.

LIU gives preference to there Pre-Pharm students from LIU BK first. Second they give preference to CW Post students, I don't think it matters if you are pre-pharm, bio, or chem. Technically you can't get a degree in pre-pharm. Which I argued to them because my transcript says Bio, then switched to pre-pharm, and then back to Bio.

So allegedly, there is some preference. But considering you have skipped around to other schools, I'm not sure if they will really look at you as a post student. I think they would only look at you as a post student if you have a degree from CW Post, or are currently enrolled in a degree granting program there, meaning not just 1 or 2 classes.

I just think it's unreal that they still give preference to the pre-pharm at LIU BK before they give preference to Post students. I have a degree from them, and I'm working on a second degree now. So we'll see what happens.

70K in debt before pharmacy school? What's your financial plan for pharmacy school? Sorry if it's personal, but I worry about debt too.

 

[PharmBoy90]

As a Post graduate. I feel your pain. I'm now 70k in debt pretty much. I transferred from Stony Brook... I was doing horrible there, but I had some issues going on in my life. Even beginning post, I was just getting adjusted. I finished my undergrad really strong though (junior and senior years 3.8 and 3.9).

I was in a similar boat. First I was a Bio Major. Once I knew I wanted pharmacy, I changed to pre-pharm. But then I though eh it is going to take me 3 years because of screwing up at SBU anyway. I might as well just finish my BS in Bio in my 4 years. I worked my ass off to do it. But yes I bounced back and fourth, my freshman/sophomore grades suck.

LIU gives preference to there Pre-Pharm students from LIU BK first. Second they give preference to CW Post students, I don't think it matters if you are pre-pharm, bio, or chem. Technically you can't get a degree in pre-pharm. Which I argued to them because my transcript says Bio, then switched to pre-pharm, and then back to Bio.

So allegedly, there is some preference. But considering you have skipped around to other schools, I'm not sure if they will really look at you as a post student. I think they would only look at you as a post student if you have a degree from CW Post, or are currently enrolled in a degree granting program there, meaning not just 1 or 2 classes.

I just think it's unreal that they still give preference to the pre-pharm at LIU BK before they give preference to Post students. I have a degree from them, and I'm working on a second degree now. So we'll see what happens.

Thanks for your input. Do you think I still have a chance at getting in if I do my pre-reqs and get my grades up? Or am I pretty much hopeless at this point?

And yeah, I'm like 50K in debt and I haven't even completed my pre-reqs yet. So maybe this isn't a good idea for me, but I am really willing to try this time. 🙁

 

[APCPhT]

Thanks for your input. Do you think I still have a chance at getting in if I do my pre-reqs and get my grades up? Or am I pretty much hopeless at this point?

And yeah, I'm like 50K in debt and I haven't even completed my pre-reqs yet. So maybe this isn't a good idea for me, but I am really willing to try this time. 🙁

I don't think you are ever hopeless... Get your grades up, maybe consider finishing a degree somewhere? It would help show that you can commit to a pathway, not just sporadicly moving around colleges and taking a few classes.

Yeah debt sucks. What are my plans? Not sure... As everyone says to me, its good debt. Regardless of whether or not I get into Pharmacy school, I will keep going and probably get a Ph.D. or eventually maybe another profession.

Graduate school financial aid works differently. FAFSA covers almost all cost. There are special circumstances even beyond the $121,000 you are allowed for graduate school if you are going to a Professional School (Like Pharmacy/Med) I know many pharmacists who graduated with the same kind of debt I am in and they are working hard, and doing fine... I'm a hard worker so I'm prepared for potential 50/60 hour weeks. I do it in summer time now! haha.

 

[PharmBoy90]

I don't think you are ever hopeless... Get your grades up, maybe consider finishing a degree somewhere? It would help show that you can commit to a pathway, not just sporadicly moving around colleges and taking a few classes.

Yeah debt sucks. What are my plans? Not sure... As everyone says to me, its good debt. Regardless of whether or not I get into Pharmacy school, I will keep going and probably get a Ph.D. or eventually maybe another profession.

Graduate school financial aid works differently. FAFSA covers almost all cost. There are special circumstances even beyond the $121,000 you are allowed for graduate school if you are going to a Professional School (Like Pharmacy/Med) I know many pharmacists who graduated with the same kind of debt I am in and they are working hard, and doing fine... I'm a hard worker so I'm prepared for potential 50/60 hour weeks. I do it in summer time now! haha.

Yeah, I don't know what I should do at this point. Stay at the CC or go back to Post (the 4-year school) and finish the pre-reqs? Or if I should get a degree in something...I'm just really frustrated on what I should do.

 

[APCPhT]

Yeah, I don't know what I should do at this point. Stay at the CC or go back to Post (the 4-year school) and finish the pre-reqs? Or if I should get a degree in something...I'm just really frustrated on what I should do.

My personal opinion is if you screwed up, you might as well get the 4 year degree. Start working your ass off. If it is going to take you longer than 2 years to get the pre-reqs complete (the standard time to complete it so that your PharmD takes 6 years) than just go for a BA or BS. It would have taken me 3 years as I said to finish the "pre-reqs" (pre-pharm at Post) so I said what they hell, 1 more year I should have my 4 year degree. My advisor was like I don't think you will be able to finish the BS in 4 years, maybe the BA. I certainly proved her wrong. I started working my ass off and finished strong. It felt great to earn that degree. It makes it worth spending the $ when you come out with something.

It opens up more doors as well when you have the degree. If you want to apply to other schools that have different pre-reqs (non-science/math), many times it is overlooked when you have a degree.

If you want to do research and development or teach as a pharmacist as well, it would probably be really beneficial.

Even if maybe you get an Associates at community college. Not a bad idea.

I just think if you screw up, it shows Pharmacy school you can commit and you can follow through, and you can do it.

 

[PharmBoy90]

The thing is, I'm already 20 years old. This is my 3rd year of school, so technically, I should be in my first year of Pharmacy school already. I'm so behind. 🙁

 

[LebronJamesNy]

Don't take the science classes at a community college, they don't transfer over. For example i took Gen bio 1 at cc, it transferred as a foundations of bio class, instead of gen bio, which is basically remedial Bio 1.

Also can someone who got accepted to LIU ParmD share their GPA and PCAT score.

 

[PharmBoy90]

Also can someone who got accepted to LIU ParmD share their GPA and PCAT score.

Yes, I'd like that too. Thanks to whoever can share that info.