Masters Program, worth it?

[dk00]

(I know there's a different forum for it but this is kind of pre-pharmacy related so i put it here)

So I have been looking for ways to improve my application and I have grown attached to the idea of a masters program, in fact i was certain i wanted to do it until i saw some of the tuition costs and learned the fact that most of these masters programs wont even guaranty me a career. I need to improve my overall GPA somehow and i have some questions:

1. In pharmcas does the cumulative GPA take into account graduate level work also or is it only undergrad work?
2. Can you recommend any masters programs that would help my chances at getting into pharmacy school, AND at the same time, give me a good career even if i dont get in?
3. I have been looking at the tuition costs and they are ridiculously expensive is it really worth it, I mean to say will the adcoms consider this a plus on my application or a neutral??

Thanks

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[riggylou]

The GPA gets broken down by year..freshman, soph, junior, senior, cumulative undergrad, graduate, professional, overall. And further by science, non-science, math. Then the science gets broken down into some sub-categories too. So..a master's would be put into 'graduate' and 'overall'. But..it's the up to the schools which GPA they want to look at and for the most part pharmacy schools consider your undergrad GPAs. I think for the ultimate goal of being a pharmacist, your time would be better served by taking or retaking undergrad classes or getting work experience. Master's program can always 'look good'...but the cost may outweigh the benefit. It should probably be at least somehow connected to pharmacy...healthcare, business, science to have hope of giving you kudos points.

 

[Skrumpy]

(I know there's a different forum for it but this is kind of pre-pharmacy related so i put it here)

So I have been looking for ways to improve my application and I have grown attached to the idea of a masters program, in fact i was certain i wanted to do it until i saw some of the tuition costs and learned the fact that most of these masters programs wont even guaranty me a career. I need to improve my overall GPA somehow and i have some questions:

1. In pharmcas does the cumulative GPA take into account graduate level work also or is it only undergrad work?
2. Can you recommend any masters programs that would help my chances at getting into pharmacy school, AND at the same time, give me a good career even if i dont get in?
3. I have been looking at the tuition costs and they are ridiculously expensive is it really worth it, I mean to say will the adcoms consider this a plus on my application or a neutral??

Thanks

I had a coworker that needed to raise his GPA to at least the minimum required GPA for the school he wanted to get into. So he got his masters in business. It worked because he eventually got into a top school. I'm not sure if simply retaking undergrad classes is a good use of your money. If your GPA is pretty bad in science/math courses than a masters in some sort of science/math field definitely could only help you. Just make sure you buckle down and do well. You'll need to redeem yourself in the areas you are hurting in from undergrad.

 

[gregors]

DO NOT do a MS in science or math. They are research degrees and few serious programs even accept students for an MS degree. However, the most common outcome of a PhD is changing your mind and leaving with a MS especially for Americans. Nearly all programs are non-competitive for Americans and at large universities are based on their need for teaching assistants with good English skills.

I can't comment on masters or professional programs in other fields.

Stick with undergrad courses because it's what they require and the competition is more standard.

 

[JCzap]

I am finishing up my MS in Biochemistry currently. I received interview invites to all but one school that I applied to (turns out I had to send my transcripts there as well as to PharmCAS, which they failed to tell me about till March). I will be going to a very good program in the fall for Pharmacy. There were comments at interviews with open files about my graduate education, all positive. I had a weak but upward trending GPA graduating undergrad. I kicked butt in grad school, showed that I can juggle many things and do well in school at the same time (I worked in a lab full time, full time school, plus volunteer work and clubs at school).

All things considered, it is very expensive. Do I regret my Masters? No, not at all. I learned a lot, have an impressive resume, the proof that I can succeed at graduate level work, and aside from that, got out of a city I hated and that was destructive to my health (reason I left for grad school in the first place was health related). If you can improve your GPA with taking classes part-time while working, do it. It's what I would do if I had to do things over again.