Low GPA. Where do I go for pharmacy schools?

[audxyang]

Hello everyone,

I am an undergraduate in my junior year.

My overall GPA is 2.75 and Science GPA is 2.8.

No pharm experience.

About my science classes, I retook bio 1 for the second time and bio 2 for the third time but all ended up with C. I passed chem 1 & 2 with As.

Currently taking Genetics and Immunology but I think I am failing Immunology. I cannot withdraw the class because I am an international student.

I am not doing very well with biology classes. I think I enjoy chemistry better.

Do I have a chance to get into Pharmacy school since all of my friends who have the same goal are doing very well at school and their GPA is all above 3.3!!!

Where should I go for pharmacy school? I am very very disappointing.

Some say MCPHS but their GPA requirement is 2.7
PS:I haven't taken PCAT yet.

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[MQQ]

Hello everyone,

I am an undergraduate in my junior year.

My overall GPA is 2.75 and Science GPA is 2.8.

No pharm experience.

About my science classes, I retook bio 1 for the second time and bio 2 for the third time but all ended up with C. I passed chem 1 & 2 with As.

Currently taking Genetics and Immunology but I think I am failing Immunology. I cannot withdraw the class because I am an international student.

I am not doing very well with biology classes. I think I enjoy chemistry better.

Do I have a chance to get into Pharmacy school since all of my friends who have the same goal are doing very well at school and their GPA is all above 3.3!!!

Where should I go for pharmacy school? I am very very disappointing.

Some say MCPHS but their GPA requirement is 2.7
PS:I haven't taken PCAT yet.

Do very well on ur PCAT, and get involved with the hospital, retail, clubs ... Where u go for undergrad. matters a lot.

 

[audxyang]

Do very well on ur PCAT, and get involved with the hospital, retail, clubs ... Where u go for undergrad. matters a lot.

I want to work as a pharmacy technician at any pharmacy but they require a license. I tried to look for internship with hospital that related to pharmacy intern program, they also require pharmacist intern license which only apply once you get into pharmacy school.

is there any way I can work for CVS or Walgreens? I don't know anyone to ask and I tried to search for info alot but nothing came up.

I thought MCPHS doesn't require PCAT.

PS: currently a undergraduate at University of Central Florida...

 

[DailyDaisies]

I want to work as a pharmacy technician at any pharmacy but they require a license. I tried to look for internship with hospital that related to pharmacy intern program, they also require pharmacist intern license which only apply once you get into pharmacy school.

is there any way I can work for CVS or Walgreens? I don't know anyone to ask and I tried to search for info alot but nothing came up.

I thought MCPHS doesn't require PCAT.

PS: currently a undergraduate at University of Central Florida...

You could always look for volunteer positions for a pharmacy, especially for independently owned ones. It helps if you visited them in person with a resume in hand.

How well did you do on your upper division science courses? Biochemistry or microbiology for instance?

 

[audxyang]

You could always look for volunteer positions for a pharmacy, especially for independently owned ones. It helps if you visited them in person with a resume in hand.

How well did you do on your upper division science courses? Biochemistry or microbiology for instance?

I haven't taken any of them. I wasted my first 2 semester for ESL classes... I took physics 1 and 2 already. Biochemistry, microbiology and orgo chemistry are all I have left.

Thank you for your tips. I will look at the local pharmacies. I don't have any work experience before but I did volunteer when I was in middle school and high school. I am currently in some clubs. Hopefully that will make my resume looks better.

 

[DailyDaisies]

I haven't taken any of them. I wasted my first 2 semester for ESL classes... I took physics 1 and 2 already. Biochemistry, microbiology and orgo chemistry are all I have left.

Thank you for your tips. I will look at the local pharmacies. I don't have any work experience before but I did volunteer when I was in middle school and high school. I am currently in some clubs. Hopefully that will make my resume looks better.

I hate to be a negative Nancy, but let’s be realistic here. If you find yourself having trouble understanding the biochemistry and microbiology material once you take them, I would seriously reconsider a different career path. And I’m not sure if you’ve looked ahead at the pharmacy curriculum, but they are based pretty heavily off of those two topics. Same with biology. The fact that you scored poorly on them despite retaking it several times tells you that you’re either not interested in the topic or you have poor memorization. Plus the pharmacists in my life told me that pharmacy was majority memorization..

But if you still decide to pursue this career, I recommend your volunteer work should be strictly pharmacy related since it would be the most impressive type on your application. Plus it will give you a good preview into what you’re actually getting yourself into. Same with your extracurricular activities.

 

[Faustian]

Study for the pharmacy technician exam and pass it. Get your experience in retail. It’s mostly customer service and people treating you horribly, but stick it out long enough and you can learn quite a bit.

Your situation isn’t hopeless. Fortunately, getting into pharmacy school isn’t that hard as long as you do well on your PCAT. You can do it.

How I know: I was a pharmacy technician. Several close family members- pharmacist, pharmacy students.

 

[audxyang]

Study for the pharmacy technician exam and pass it. Get your experience in retail. It’s mostly customer service and people treating you horribly, but stick it out long enough and you can learn quite a bit.

Your situation isn’t hopeless. Fortunately, getting into pharmacy school isn’t that hard as long as you do well on your PCAT. You can do it.

How I know: I was a pharmacy technician. Several close family members- pharmacist, pharmacy students.

Hi Faustian, I would love to know more about the process to be a pharmacy technician. Do you have to take a test to get a license before applying to a pharmacy? I read online that it required SSN but I am an F-1 visa international student.

 

[audxyang]

I hate to be a negative Nancy, but let’s be realistic here. If you find yourself having trouble understanding the biochemistry and microbiology material once you take them, I would seriously reconsider a different career path. And I’m not sure if you’ve looked ahead at the pharmacy curriculum, but they are based pretty heavily off of those two topics. Same with biology. The fact that you scored poorly on them despite retaking it several times tells you that you’re either not interested in the topic or you have poor memorization. Plus the pharmacists in my life told me that pharmacy was majority memorization..

But if you still decide to pursue this career, I recommend your volunteer work should be strictly pharmacy related since it would be the most impressive type on your application. Plus it will give you a good preview into what you’re actually getting yourself into. Same with your extracurricular activities.

its okay sometimes we need to be realistic... I just hate biology and tbh I didn't spend much time for bio 1 and bio 2 much. I failed the first time and retook them at the second times. I need to spend more time for biology.

 

[DailyDaisies]

its okay sometimes we need to be realistic... I just hate biology and tbh I didn't spend much time for bio 1 and bio 2 much. I failed the first time and retook them at the second times. I need to spend more time for biology.

Biology didn’t come easy to me at first either. But I realized I couldn’t study for biology the same way I studied for math or chemistry. Perhaps you should look into finding similarities and differences between the key concepts! This new approach has worked wonders for me. Good luck !

 

[audxyang]

Biology didn’t come easy to me at first either. But I realized I couldn’t study for biology the same way I studied for math or chemistry. Perhaps you should look into finding similarities and differences between the key concepts! This new approach has worked wonders for me. Good luck !

Thank you!

This may seem stupid of me to ask this kind of question... English is my second language. How did you study for biology? I tried to read the text book and wrote them down but then I forgot the details once I took the tests...

 

[Faustian]

Hi Faustian, I would love to know more about the process to be a pharmacy technician. Do you have to take a test to get a license before applying to a pharmacy? I read online that it required SSN but I am an F-1 visa international student.

My state is TX, so search online what you would have to do with the pharmacy board of Florida. The laws recently changed, so back when I was a tech you could just self-study for the test and take it. Now it seems you have to take a course and probably take the test when you finish.

Florida Board of Pharmacy » Registered Pharmacy Technician- Licensing, Renewals & Information

Check out the link and see what you have to do. I don’t know about the F-1 visa so that website would probably have the info or you can call them and ask.

 

[audxyang]

My state is TX, so search online what you would have to do with the pharmacy board of Florida. The laws recently changed, so back when I was a tech you could just self-study for the test and take it. Now it seems you have to take a course and probably take the test when you finish.



Check out the link and see what you have to do. I don’t know about the F-1 visa so that website would probably have the info or you can call them and ask.

thank youuuu!!

 

[audxyang]

Anyone know any thing about MCPHS and ACPHS(Albany)?

 

[Faustian]

thank youuuu!!

Good luck

 

[MQQ]

I want to work as a pharmacy technician at any pharmacy but they require a license. I tried to look for internship with hospital that related to pharmacy intern program, they also require pharmacist intern license which only apply once you get into pharmacy school.

is there any way I can work for CVS or Walgreens? I don't know anyone to ask and I tried to search for info alot but nothing came up.

I thought MCPHS doesn't require PCAT.

PS: currently a undergraduate at University of Central Florida...

I never worked at a drug store, but I do volunteer in a hospital... at the employee pharmacy center.

 

[AH.Rx]

Lol

 

[audxyang]

Lol

whats so funny

 

[DailyDaisies]

Thank you!

This may seem stupid of me to ask this kind of question... English is my second language. How did you study for biology? I tried to read the text book and wrote them down but then I forgot the details once I took the tests...

Like I said previously, I would review the lecture right after class, and then compare and contrast key concepts with each other. While I did this, I noted questions I could ask my professor during class or office hours. In some instances, it also helped when I related some concepts to real life in some way or built an acronym for some miscellaneous concepts. And a few days before the exam, I would consistently test myself by writing the concepts over and over again! AKA repetition is the key!

 

[BC_89]

Do very well on ur PCAT, and get involved with the hospital, retail, clubs ... Where u go for undergrad. matters a lot.

Just to clarify and assuming the school is regionally accredited:

Where you go for undergrad does NOT matter a lot. Matter of fact, I’d say it matters very little.

 

[TheFactionless]

Hello everyone,

I am an undergraduate in my junior year.

My overall GPA is 2.75 and Science GPA is 2.8.

No pharm experience.

About my science classes, I retook bio 1 for the second time and bio 2 for the third time but all ended up with C. I passed chem 1 & 2 with As.

Currently taking Genetics and Immunology but I think I am failing Immunology. I cannot withdraw the class because I am an international student.

I am not doing very well with biology classes. I think I enjoy chemistry better.

Do I have a chance to get into Pharmacy school since all of my friends who have the same goal are doing very well at school and their GPA is all above 3.3!!!

Where should I go for pharmacy school? I am very very disappointing.

Some say MCPHS but their GPA requirement is 2.7
PS:I haven't taken PCAT yet.

I hate to be this person but stay far far away from pharmacy school if you can't pass bio with better than a C. Pharmacy school is now easy to get into. Passing your classes is not so easy. Passing the NAPLEX is even harder.

 

[Amicable Angora]

Please consider:

1. You probably won't be able to obtain a job as a pharmacy technician because of your visa and international status. If I recall correctly, you are limited to employment opportunities within the school. So you wouldn't be able to qualify for outside opportunities.
2. Can you see yourself living in America for the rest of your life or do you plan to return to your home country? I cannot support anyone spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for a pharmacy degree that they either will not use in America, or cannot use back in their home country. Here, the general pay for pharmacists is in the high 5 figures or low $100,000 range. Other countries have wildly different salaries (often lower), and they won't care that you have your Pharm.D.
3. Why pharmacy? It's a lot tougher than you think, especially since either your intelligence or work ethic is lacking. You have to survive 4 years of school, then out compete the local American students for a job opportunity. With the market as is, there's no reason for a company to hire you and have to help process you a work visa, as opposed to hiring any of the thousands of Joe Blows that are applying.

 

[rxgirl06]

California Northstate University is easy to get into. My friend had a 2.7 GPA and got in within a couple days after her interview.

 

[PharmtoCS]

California Northstate University is easy to get into. My friend had a 2.7 GPA and got in within a couple days after her interview.

But you’ll end up with $250k+ in private student loans and have a hard time finding a job.