Low gpa, just decided to go to pharm school. still any chance?

[hope&faith]

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Hi,
new member here. So i decided to go to pharm school because after doing job shadowing for few days at local hospital, i really like the job/career of pharmacy. My gpa is on really low side and i am senior at U of W. i have about 2.54 c-gpa and suppose to graduate in this coming fall. but I'm planning on doing dual degree and stay here in school till next summer. Im planning on taking some science course to improve my science gpa. I did calculation and i can graduate with about 3.1 gpa by next summer. I'm planning on applying to pharm school next year cycle. Is there any hope for me to get in the pharm school. I been searching a lot lately about pharm school and interested into creighton, shenandoah, Washington state university ( because its in state and close to home and also my first choice) and few other schools which have lower gpa requirement.
Please give some honest advice/ opinion if i can make it or should i even try to apply.

Thanks

 

[hope&faith]

anyone out there with any advice ?

 

[pharmgal2020]

There are many things that go into a pharmacy application. Since you have a low GPA, you can try to make your application more competitive by having a high PCAT score, having extracurricular activities, volunteering, and pharmacy experience. It's a great thing that you job shadowed because it shows you have interest in the field of pharmacy. Anything is possible as long as you put your mind to it. There have been people in the past with low GPAs and they still got accepted. Don't worry! 🙂

 

[MatCauthon]

From what I've seen, all you need is a 2.0 to get into pharmacy school. Just make sure to apply to the newer schools

 

[mjmjoa]

From what I've seen, all you need is a 2.0 to get into pharmacy school. Just make sure to apply to the newer schools

What are the newer schools?

 

[amazinglycrazy]

No point applying to newer schools, you are just taking shortcuts to get into the profession since newer schools are really expensive and mostly have lower admission standards with less reputation as a whole. Besides, don't you want the best education you can have in those 4 years with a reputable pharmacy school with all the time and money you are gonna spent? Sure, being an all-rounder definitely helps into gaining admission, but with a low GPA, how are you going to grasp the more intense material in pharmacy school? Kudos to you though for willing to take measures to improve your science GPA and trying to make it work. Don't sell yourself short though by applying to newer schools, I would say aim harder to get into the good schools which can offer you an amazing pharmacy education with a good reputation.

 

[hope&faith]

thanks guys for ur input. I agree that newer schools are not going to be that reputable at the time and are going to be very expensive. But i dont hv that many options rite now. Just trying to get into school anywhere in U.S. and finish degree and get job so I can support my family.

 

[PharmtoCS]

thanks guys for ur input. I agree that newer schools are not going to be that reputable at the time and are going to be very expensive. But i dont hv that many options rite now. Just trying to get into school anywhere in U.S. and finish degree and get job so I can support my family.

If you are going into pharmacy just to get a job and support your family, then you may be in for a rude awakening after you graduate with $150-200k+ debt and no job to pay that off. By the time you graduate, an unemployment rate of as much as 26% is expected for new graduates and possibly more underemployed. As @amazinglycrazy says, you are doing a disservice to yourself and the profession by signing away $200k+ student loans to go into a school that will not give you back what you pay for.

Since you're in the Washington area, I would honestly look into computer programming or something in the growing technology industry. These require much shorter education times and much less student loans, have much better job prospects, and pay as well if not more than for pharmacists.

 

[hope&faith]

I am not really into computer programming career. I want to stay in health care field. Are there any other possiblities of other careers ? I am so lost right now in life and i have no idea which way to go. My gpa is too low to get into any med school. I was also looking into healthcare administration master's program but its just so long time to finish and my family needs my support at the soonest.

 

[hope&faith]

I started looking into healthcare administration also. Cuz they do have program which is only 2 years long and won't cost me $200k+ tuition. But i really like pharmacy field. so now I'm in real dilemma of wat to do.

 

[PittPharm87]

always a chance !

 

[pharamacy_yo]

I am not really into computer programming career. I want to stay in health care field. Are there any other possiblities of other careers ? I am so lost right now in life and i have no idea which way to go. My gpa is too low to get into any med school. I was also looking into healthcare administration master's program but its just so long time to finish and my family needs my support at the soonest.

What about opportunities in public health? Dietician? Nursing? PA? NP? Do you really want to do pharmacy? If so, apply wherever you want to go. New schools do have lower admission standards but each year the increase their expectations. All schools start from the bottom. Many of the schools that opened up 7+ years ago, everyone was thinking "Oh it's not accredited, no connections, etc", but majority of schools make it and get accredited. I would focus more on what you really want to do.

 

[AC3_PharmD]

I am not really into computer programming career. I want to stay in health care field. Are there any other possiblities of other careers ? I am so lost right now in life and i have no idea which way to go. My gpa is too low to get into any med school. I was also looking into healthcare administration master's program but its just so long time to finish and my family needs my support at the soonest.

That statement in itself makes me incredibly nervous for you. Are you 100% sure that you know exactly what you're getting into starting off into pharmacy? My cousin is an anesthesiologist and I'm gearing up getting ready to move to go to a top ranked Pharm school. She stated to me, point blank, that she has a friend whose husband has just finished at a different, private university and has no job, and no job prospects.

Just think about that scenario for one second. This individual has a family to support and he is hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt with no way to pay off his debt. To make it worse, he's in an area where the Pharm D. and the pharmacy program is considered a top tier path. If your family needs your support, I highly doubt adding another 150-200K worth of loans on their back is the answer.

If you are going into this profession to find a way out of debt/financial independence you are going down the wrong road.

 

[Rxasian585]

Apply to Pcom, thats the school with the lowest criteria to apply.

 

[hope&faith]

Apply to Pcom, thats the school with the lowest criteria to apply.

Thank you. I will look into it.

 

[hope&faith]

What about opportunities in public health? Dietician? Nursing? PA? NP? Do you really want to do pharmacy? If so, apply wherever you want to go. New schools do have lower admission standards but each year the increase their expectations. All schools start from the bottom. Many of the schools that opened up 7+ years ago, everyone was thinking "Oh it's not accredited, no connections, etc", but majority of schools make it and get accredited. I would focus more on what you really want to do.

you are right. Im looking into nursing program now. It will take me 3 years to complete my BSN ( if i decided to go into BSN ) and i can get a job in my area and then hopefully get some experience and try nursing of anesthesia program if i don't get into that than i will try to get Masters in nursing or Doctor of Nurse practicing online and call this a life I guess.

 

[pharamacy_yo]

you are right. Im looking into nursing program now. It will take me 3 years to complete my BSN ( if i decided to go into BSN ) and i can get a job in my area and then hopefully get some experience and try nursing of anesthesia program if i don't get into that than i will try to get Masters in nursing or Doctor of Nurse practicing online and call this a life I guess.

It's never too late to really know what you want to do and be happy with. From your (online) tone, it seems like even nursing may not be what you want to do. Try exploring other options. Go for something that you will be happy with.

 

[PharmtoCS]

Nursing is also extremely saturated just like everything else in healthcare, maybe with the exception of medicine, dentistry, and physician assistant.

Computer programming will net you the best return on investment. Take 2 years of courses at a community college or go through one of those 3-month coding boot camps, and you are on your way to multiple job offers of an $80k+ salary.

 

[hope&faith]

It's never too late to really know what you want to do and be happy with. From your (online) tone, it seems like even nursing may not be what you want to do. Try exploring other options. Go for something that you will be happy with.

You are correct. I am not really happy with nursing. However, there are bills comes every week in mail which i have to pay and make sure my family has food on table and roof on head. So i am willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen. Even if it means going into field that i don't like and doing something for rest of my life which i don't enjoy. But it is what it is and i have to do what i got to do.

 

[hope&faith]

Nursing is also extremely saturated just like everything else in healthcare, maybe with the exception of medicine, dentistry, and physician assistant.

Computer programming will net you the best return on investment. Take 2 years of courses at a community college or go through one of those 3-month coding boot camps, and you are on your way to multiple job offers of an $80k+ salary.

True but there are always job openings in my area where i live. And i am not that good with computer progamming, i have some friends who are doing it but are having hard time finding jobs. Plus i have no idea what i want to do or need to do. But what i do know is that , i need to get a job fast to help my family else my whole family will be on streets. So if i have to drop out school and get a job at mcdonalds, heck i will do that. But i feel like I'm wasting all these 6 years of my life going to university and community college. and graduating with $30k debt already.

 

[BC_89]

True but there are always job openings in my area where i live. And i am not that good with computer progamming, i have some friends who are doing it but are having hard time finding jobs. Plus i have no idea what i want to do or need to do. But what i do know is that , i need to get a job fast to help my family else my whole family will be on streets. So if i have to drop out school and get a job at mcdonalds, heck i will do that. But i feel like I'm wasting all these 6 years of my life going to university and community college. and graduating with $30k debt already.

Strongly consider something: your looking for lowest minimal gpa of acceptance. Despite saturation alone in some areas of the states, have you considered the course load? Medicinal biochemistry with pathophysiology and lab work along with trying to support a family for SOMETHING your not sure you'll enjoy and go into great debt in? I have a wife with a son and one on the way, so I understand the need for support. Take science courses to know if health field is of some interest. I was a welder for awhile and did construction which pays great with enough hours into it. If your doing things just for support and not for career success for yourself, don't pick a path that requires so much debt. It's tough now, but don't rush into something you will truly hate....it will strongly weigh down ur family just as much as debt would

 

[pms_testosterone]

Why not get certified and work as a pharm tech for a year or two before jumping into anything?

 

[Primus25]

Hi,
new member here. So i decided to go to pharm school because after doing job shadowing for few days at local hospital, i really like the job/career of pharmacy. My gpa is on really low side and i am senior at U of W. i have about 2.54 c-gpa and suppose to graduate in this coming fall. but I'm planning on doing dual degree and stay here in school till next summer. Im planning on taking some science course to improve my science gpa. I did calculation and i can graduate with about 3.1 gpa by next summer. I'm planning on applying to pharm school next year cycle. Is there any hope for me to get in the pharm school. I been searching a lot lately about pharm school and interested into creighton, shenandoah, Washington state university ( because its in state and close to home and also my first choice) and few other schools which have lower gpa requirement.
Please give some honest advice/ opinion if i can make it or should i even try to apply.

Thanks

My cumulative GPA is a 3.01 and my science GPA is a 3.5. I scored an interview this September for the only school that I have applied. Just make sure you have solid extracurriculars, recommendation letters, experience....etc.

 

[ALLSTAR1988]

Hello, I am new to this site, but I have read several discussions and I'm only joining to ask this one thing.

Okay first things first; I have a 3.2 GPA and I averaged 84th percentile on the PCAT( Biology, Math, Chemistry--> 90's, Reading 30, Verbal 50). I have no job experience and no volunteer work. I also have a two year beard that could be a liability into an interview into pharmacy school( priority in Florida, but theres not many options). The question I have is that: with no volunteering or job experience, and no way to get it before Pharmacy school( two DUI's; no license,car,or job) but will get it soon. Also, another question is that can I get into pharmacy school, and after 4 years into a hospital with this beard? I will include pictures.