Low GPA

[hiimnew16]

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Hi everyone,

I went through some rough patches in college and I'm still trying to figure out a few things. I was thinking about applying to pharm school, but I am not really confident about my GPA. My GPA at UC Berkeley was around 3.2 cumulative and maybe around a 3.1 for science. I still need to take a few more classes such as Public Speaking and Econ. I wanted to know if you guys had any advice for me and what I can do to improve my chances. Any advice would really help me 🙂

 

[PharmtoCS]

Your GPA is fine. Pharmacy school is really easy to get into. The problem is that you will be $200k+ in debt and there will be no jobs when you graduate.

Go back to UC Berkeley or local college and major in computer science if you can. You can make $100k+ after graduation without having to take out $200k+ in loans for pharmacy school, and you will have much better job opportunities compared to pharmacy.

 

[hiimnew16]

Your GPA is fine. Pharmacy school is really easy to get into. The problem is that you will be $200k+ in debt and there will be no jobs when you graduate.

Go back to UC Berkeley or local college and major in computer science if you can. You can make $100k+ after graduation without having to take out $200k+ in loans for pharmacy school, and you will have much better job opportunities compared to pharmacy.

Thank you for the advice~ I'll look into CS classes if I can 😀

 

[Jordan95]

Your GPA is fine. Pharmacy school is really easy to get into. The problem is that you will be $200k+ in debt and there will be no jobs when you graduate.

Go back to UC Berkeley or local college and major in computer science if you can. You can make $100k+ after graduation without having to take out $200k+ in loans for pharmacy school, and you will have much better job opportunities compared to pharmacy.

Is this for real? I'm pre med, but that just seems absurd.

 

[whispered]

Is this for real? I'm pre med, but that just seems absurd.

While people are correct when they say that the job market is not as open as many pharmacy schools may want you to think, people who have that attitude are just shooting down others so that they have a better chance of getting a job. If you know where to look, who to talk to, or already have a foot in the door, it's so easy to get a job as a pharmacist.

The problem is people coming out of pharmacy school think they'll be instantly in like a PIC position at a pharmacy, or at least staff pharmacist, when most, if not all staff/PIC of major chains worked as relief and/or floater first. It's just like why there's thousands of low-end jobs out there, but people don't take them because they think they're better than it, then they end up without a job.. etc.

 

[RxAddyCt]

^
Wrong, the problem is people coming out of pharmacy school thinking they'll be a clinical pharmacist at a local hospital getting reimbursed for their services through Medicare Part B. I don't blame them because this is what the current pharmacy curriculum teaches. I remember when 90% of my classmates all wanted a residency or a hospital position coming out of school, about half of them got neither and are now working as a staff/floater at retail chains not wanting to ever be a PIC. Ask a typical pharmacy student right now what their end goal is and I guarantee you they'll say something along the lines of.... "I want to do a residency or be a clinical pharmacist in a hospital," fortunately there is always the 10% in the class that wants just straight retail.

To the OP, the job market is pretty bad out there but in all honesty you know what you're getting yourself into so I'm not going to say more. On the other note, your GPA is excellent as there are far worse applicants out there who made it into a pharmacy school somewhere even if it's not their ideal first choice. Just make sure you have some exposure to retail setting before really dedicating yourself to the field. Also, make sure you're interning throughout your years of pharmacy school to build that connection to increase your chance of being hired at their store after graduation. Jobs don't get handed to us pharmacists anymore as they have been in the past.

Edit: assuming your PCAT isn't extremely low (<50) then you should be in good shape.

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[PharmtoCS]

While people are correct when they say that the job market is not as open as many pharmacy schools may want you to think, people who have that attitude are just shooting down others so that they have a better chance of getting a job. If you know where to look, who to talk to, or already have a foot in the door, it's so easy to get a job as a pharmacist.

The problem is people coming out of pharmacy school think they'll be instantly in like a PIC position at a pharmacy, or at least staff pharmacist, when most, if not all staff/PIC of major chains worked as relief and/or floater first. It's just like why there's thousands of low-end jobs out there, but people don't take them because they think they're better than it, then they end up without a job.. etc.

 

[Godsgirl16]

^
Wrong, the problem is people coming out of pharmacy school thinking they'll be a clinical pharmacist at a local hospital getting reimbursed for their services through Medicare Part B. I don't blame them because this is what the current pharmacy curriculum teaches. I remember when 90% of my classmates all wanted a residency or a hospital position coming out of school, about half of them got neither and are now working as a staff/floater at retail chains not wanting to ever be a PIC. Ask a typical pharmacy student right now what their end goal is and I guarantee you they'll say something along the lines of.... "I want to do a residency or be a clinical pharmacist in a hospital," fortunately there is always the 10% in the class that wants just straight retail.

To the OP, the job market is pretty bad out there but in all honesty you know what you're getting yourself into so I'm not going to say more. On the other note, your GPA is excellent as there are far worse applicants out there who made it into a pharmacy school somewhere even if it's not their ideal first choice. Just make sure you have some exposure to retail setting before really dedicating yourself to the field. Also, make sure you're interning throughout your years of pharmacy school to build that connection to increase your chance of being hired at their store after graduation. Jobs don't get handed to us pharmacists anymore as they have been in the past.

Edit: assuming your PCAT isn't extremely low (<50) then you should be in good shape.

Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Just because you don't get the kind of job you want, doesn't mean that there are no jobs in general. I've wanted to be a pharmacist since I was a child and now I am applying this year. I've been hearing people left and right saying the same thing as you. But to be honest, it doesn't have to be that bad if you are smart about it. Working during school, making those calls for positions, getting those connections through networking and people, etc can eventually get you a decent job. And another thing, you guys talk about 200k in loans and whatnot. I'm applying to a school where it's only like 22k per year, and I'm planning on housing only like the first 1 year and a half. So also be smart about your finances and it can work out. I agree with the other person who said ppl make it so negative for others. Honestly it's all about being a step ahead of everyone else. It's not all the gloom like everyone makes it out to be.

 

[RxAddyCt]

Just because you don't get the kind of job you want, doesn't mean that there are no jobs in general. I've wanted to be a pharmacist since I was a child and now I am applying this year. I've been hearing people left and right saying the same thing as you. But to be honest, it doesn't have to be that bad if you are smart about it. Working during school, making those calls for positions, getting those connections through networking and people, etc can eventually get you a decent job. And another thing, you guys talk about 200k in loans and whatnot. I'm applying to a school where it's only like 22k per year, and I'm planning on housing only like the first 1 year and a half. So also be smart about your finances and it can work out. I agree with the other person who said ppl make it so negative for others. Honestly it's all about being a step ahead of everyone else. It's not all the gloom like everyone makes it out to be.

You're not in pharmacy school yet? Oh lord have mercy, so you still have another what? 5-6 years? I'll pray for you when you graduate, "oh Holy Spirit please let there be at least a temporary position available for this poor young naive soul to inhabit so she can repay her loans. She took all the necessary steps such as networking, working during school, and being smart about her finances."






I'm just kidding, you'll do fine. State school power with 22k/year.


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