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If I were not an international student, I won't be worry to much.
Interesting because I am not an international student and if I had those grades and performed at that level in my core science courses I would be worried. Not sure where you get the idea that residing in the United States gives you a pass on being required to excel...
Okay, here is my situation.
I am an international student who worries about my PrePharm program. (My major is Chemistry).
I have gotten B in Gen Chem I, C in Gen Chem II , and D in Organic Chem I(I have to retake it obviously)
C in Intro to Bio (I am not sure if this is Cell & Molecular Biology)
C in Pre-Calculus.
As in Sociology, Communication, English Writing, and American History (second half).
As you can see my liberal subjects are good, but my science classes are NOT GOOD.
I am not US Resident, so I have to worry about my GPA for the most part -- of course as PCAT score.
I will not be able to get into Pharmacy Technicians, but I might be able to shadow a pharmacist.
I know that posting this kind of thread won't help me get into Pharmacy school.
If I do get As in rest of my pre-reqs; Physics, Calculus, rest of Bios and get a good LOR and kick-ass Personal Statement.
Would I be ok?
If I were not an international student, I won't be worry to much.
Also, If I don't get in, would it be better working a Chemistry Lab to get more experience in field and apply again?
Not to be the barer of bad news, but while looking around for out-of-state acceptance statistics I found:
http://www.aacp.org/Docs/MainNavigation/InstitutionalData/9345_PSARTable9.pdf
From the chart (top left), it looks as if schools only take (on average) 0-2 foreign students a year. Looks like your best chances would be applying to Philadelphia, Temple and Texas Southern.
Was it bad that I read his entire message in a Borat voice?
That chart shows very few pharmacy schools. When I was reading it, I thought where's ACP, MCPHS and others that I couldn't find.
Keep in mind that not too many international students apply to the US for pharmacy, since the American PharmD is not the required degree for pharmacists in the vast majority of countries. This is another reason why acceptance numbers are so low.
Retake all the classes in which you got a C or less and be sure to get all As.
Pharm schools care the most about your pre reqs classes, acing those should be your #1 priority.
Just a rough guess here but if you can't get your GPA to at least 3.5, you don't have a good chance. At this point you'll definitley have to get a science degree. This will give you a chance to raise your GPA and all those upper level sciences may even help you for the PCAT. However as others have said, realize this is now an uphill battle (odds are against you), so only continue if you truly think you can turn yourself around.
If science isn't your thing, you may want to consider doing something else.
But if I retake classes, won't they average GPA and would look bad for application?
The look pretty bad as is. I would say that you should be worried with grades like yours even if you were instate student for the school you are applying to. While it is possible that you will turn around and be straigth-A from now on, that's not very realistic.
But if I retake classes, won't they average GPA and would look bad for application?
"Yeah, I may have bad grades and no aptitude for science, but they will open enough schools so that at least one will be desperate to get me." Not the best foundation for future success. But please do continue, that creates less competition for students who really apply effort.Aren't there going to be new Pharm schools by the time I can start applying?
you need to retake any course with a grade lower than a B. The fact that you got so many poor grades in just gen chem and organic chem shows that you will not be able to handle the rigors of pharm school as they contain courses that combine the two with a factor of 10 in difficulty.
Retake a course you got a B- in? Several schools I spoke with about my grades (I had a couple C- and minimum requirement was a C) said that while I would need to retake that C- to meet requirements, they would much rather see me take more advanced courses to show that I could handle the material.
Each school is looking for different things in their students.. so best bet would be to contact the schools you're interested in and see what they recommend.
"Yeah, I may have bad grades and no aptitude for science, but they will open enough schools so that at least one will be desperate to get me." Not the best foundation for future success. But please do continue, that creates less competition for students who really apply effort.
Come on, you don't even know that Intro to Biology is NOT Cell and Molecular Biology, and that's AFTER allegedly passing the course. I think you are a troll. :troll:
So...you're saying that if we continue to advance to the next level each semester (whether we are working on our major or pre-reqs) and take rigorous courses, the committee will still consider us competitive?
First of all, I was just asking about new Pharm schools.
Uhm. in my school, it's called Intro to Biology but if you read the description, it's Cell and Molecular Biology (I asked the counselor).
You, sir, is very sacrastic. , no I am not a troll. Thank you very much.
I didn't do too well in organic chemistry mainly because I wasn't focused in my classes as freshman/soph, the main college I went to had most students who have taken AP chemistry and did very well (most of them over 3), and the chemistry program was accelerated. I thought I wasn't fit for chemistry subjects because I didn't do well, but later taking biochemistry I realized I didn't hate it, I just didn't piece things together. I retook entire organic chemistry and biochemistry series and got straight As in all my courses and loved both classes solidifying my desire for pharmacy.
If you are doing pharmacy because your parents tell you to become a pharmacist than change careers. If your reason for doing bad is something like mine where you just didn't put in the effort, than don't listen to people saying you should change majors. Either way retaking chemistry will show if you are fit for pharmacy or not, because if you can't get straight As with retake than your chances as international student is going to be low.
You should take the PCAT and apply out of california as well. Cali schools are very difficult even for US residents, but for international students you have to be damn near 4.0. Also you did well in non-science courses like English, but can you speak fluently? If not, I would take several communication/speech courses to improve your speaking ability or maybe show that you are fluent with good grades in those classes. With your stats you have to out compete other international students with the ability to do well in the interviews and speak more coherently than them. If you are from Spanish speaking country than that might help you compete against other international students in Cali as well, but that is also not guaranteed. Like others have noted, it isn't going to be easy. You should be a little worried (a better word would be concerned), and use that to motivate yourself to do well.