Need advice about pharmacy school !!!!

[mou1279]

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I am currently senior and graduating in August 08 with a BS in chemistry (minor in Biology). My GPA is 2.5 and have not taken PCAT yet. My plan was finish BS, do MS (2 yrs) in Chem while take PCAT. I think if I had my BS and MS in chemistry, I would have a good shot getting into a pharmacy school (if my GPA ends up being 2.9-3.1). I don’t really want to do MS but I think that’s my only shot getting into pharmacy school. I was thinking raising my GPA by retaking some chem classes and graduate in December 08 with BS instead of August 08 and take PCAT and then apply. Now I am not really sure what to do. So, I am really confused now and need some serious advices!!!

 

[fenixtnlfan]

I think your plan sounds good. As you said, bringing up that GPA is really needed. Also, get some pharm experience because you are really going to need to be competitive with a lower end GPA.

 

[BelmontUSOP2]

Right now, your most pressing issue is the lack of a PCAT score. Most schools require a score as part of the admissions application packet. You don't have that.

On the other hand, you do have (almost) an asset that you should acknowledge: a soon to be completed BS with major and minor in relevant areas.

Get the PCAT taken, see how you perform on it....GPA and PCAT don't always correlate. Once you have that info, you'll be better able to judge your wisest next step. It might be admission without a MS degree.

Eric H. Hobson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean
Belmont U School of Pharmacy

 

[AbsoluteEthanol]

Right now, your most pressing issue is the lack of a PCAT score. Most schools require a score as part of the admissions application packet. You don't have that.

On the other hand, you do have (almost) an asset that you should acknowledge: a soon to be completed BS with major and minor in relevant areas.

Get the PCAT taken, see how you perform on it....GPA and PCAT don't always correlate. Once you have that info, you'll be better able to judge your wisest next step. It might be admission without a MS degree.

Eric H. Hobson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean
Belmont U School of Pharmacy

that's a great advice, personally, i would forego the MS and study my BEHIND off for the PCAT. If you get a 98%+ schools may be interested... do you have any pharmacy related experience? can you get great letters of rec? those things are paramount, GPA isn't EVERYTHING

 

[mou1279]

Thank you for all of your advices. I am working in a Pharmacy right now and can get some good recom. As far as PCAT, I am studying for that too (it get out of hand time to time, studying for Pchem and immuno at the same time). I am planning to take the next upcoming PCAT. My advisor suggested about getting a MS and I am not really sure which direction to go!
Should I get BS and take a year off where I study really hard for PCAT and see what happens after that😕?

 

[Happy Hounds]

Is your GPA your composite GPA? If so, realize that different pharmacy schools have different prerequisites that make up your "Pre-Pharmacy GPA." This may change your application GPA substantially if most of your lower grades were in your upper division classes before graduating. Take a look at some of the requirements for the schools you're interested in applying to, and calculate your GPA based on those specific requirements. It might be higher than you think! 😀

 

[mou1279]

My overall GAP is 2.6 now and I am graduating in August 08. Not really sure about my science GAP though.

 

[AbsoluteEthanol]

My overall GAP is 2.6 now and I am graduating in August 08. Not really sure about my science GAP though.

i was in a similar situation, although my gpa is higher than yours it's still under 3. i took a year off to gain more pharm experience, gathered great letters of rec and focused on my applications (i took the PCAT last year and got a 99). if you need to study for the PCAT i suggest you use your year off for that as well. what kind of pharm related experience do you have? do you have 3 letters of rec? are you a good essay writer?

 

[rxlynn]

I would be very cautious about going into a Master's program thinking that it will improve your GPA. I have a Bachelor's and a masters in chemistry, and I can tell you that I felt the course work in the two years of the MS was MUCH more difficult, and my GPA reflected that. Also, would you be required to do a thesis and associated research for the MS? If so, then keep in mind that research isn't as easy to control as coursework, and you won't be allowed to graduate until your advisor says the thesis is "finished". So, you could potentially end up spending a very large amount of time in research to get that MS. If you like that and would want to pursue that sort of opportunity after pharmacy school, then it might be a big asset to have the MS. Otherwise, I think you will find that it takes time away from your ultimate goal.

 

[pharmacy ey]

Seeing that taking classes as a post-bac costs a lot more than as an undergrad (as undergrad you get state grants and all sorts of financial aid, while as a post-bac/graduate there is not much aid available), you may want to push back your graduation time until you have retaken enough classes to boost your gpa up a little. It may take some time though, as I also graduated with a 2.6 and it has taken me about two years to raise it to a 2.88 (with straight A's every semester as a post-bac) according to PharmCAS. But if money is not an issue then you can go ahead with plans to graduate and take classes later.

I agree with others about not doing the MS. Take the time to prepare for ur PCAT and get lots of EC/pharmacy experience instead. It will be very impressive when you get to mention all of that during your interview. I just had a group interview at Midwestern and everyone else in the group had TONS of rx experience while mine was just some months of volunteer. Suffice to say, I felt inadequate afterwards. 🙁

Anywho, good luck with everything!! REMEMBER: pcat, EC, and GPA; I think you should focus on those instead of the MS.

 

[RXist]

I didn't know that there were school admins on here. GPA matters a whole lot though, not just PCAT. That was my biggest/only weakness and most of the schools I applied to had issues with GPA. It was like a recorder, "Your GPA is not competitive enough." You're on the right path though, a clean slate of new grades and degrees will be really helpful.

 

[mou1279]

I am an okay essay writer, can get more than three good recombination, working in Walgreen for about four months now, have fair amount of volunteered hrs. As far as GPA, should I push my grad 1 sem and retaking couple classes and bring up the GPA? I can use some help with these questions: Does pharmacy school see how many times a student takes PCAT until they get the grade they want? I mean is it bad to take PCAT more than 3 times? Which GPA is important…pre-pharmacy prerequisites or MS? Thank you all.

P.S- I am open for any suggestions!!