Need Advice On Applying to Pharmacy School: PLEASE HELP!

[Nic24]

THANKS TO ANYONE WHO READS AND GIVE ADVICE..I NEED IT!

So, I'm applying to pharmacy school this year, but majority of my academic coursework consists of Community College. Im worried that it wont make me competitive enough. I went to a University a couple of years ago for 1 year and took the basic gen ed courses, like Lit, Psych, Spanish, and History. I got about 26 credit hours there, and left with a 2.5 GPA. I had to go home the following year due to financial reasons. I went to my local community college, and really excelled. I have a 3.98 GPA, I was on the Honors list every semester and because of my grades I was inducted into the Community College Honor Society(Phi Theta Kappa). I took all my science and Chem courses there, such as Gen Bio, Gen Chem, O-Chem, MicroBio, Anat/Physio, and Calc. They offered all of that and I aced them all. Here lies the problem: Is CC good enough?

I actually called one of the pharmacy schools Im interested in and explained my situation. The dean of the school told me that I wouldn't be ruled out and they look at the entire picture, ie, LORs, extra-activities, PCAT scores, etc. Then he went on to tell me that you can have someone from Harvard making all Ds and Cs and someone in a CC making all As...and that doesn't mean the Harvard person is better. Honestly that analogy made no sense to me only b/c Ive been told and heard that some schools don't regard CC coursework as rigorous or hard enough. I have the minimum amount of credits to apply to pharmacy schools, as majority dont require a Bachelor's degree, but only the perquisite coursework be completed. I do have a year at a university, but its only a 2.5GPA. Im also taking the PCAT in July. Does anyone have any advice on what I should do? I feel like my 3.98 wont even stack up to someone with a 3.0 at a University....just because they're from a university and I'm from a CC.

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[mjmjoa]

I think you'll be fine, especially if you get a high PCAT. You have a really high GPA even for a CC.

 

[pharamacy_yo]

Don't discredit your knowledge, hard work, and the colleges you are applying to. Not all community colleges are "easy". Keep up extra-currics and def get some experience so a pharmD can write you a LOR. Have a good score on the PCAT (if applying out of California), smile and be confident in the interview, and you will be just fine.
Good luck.

 

[Nic24]

I think you'll be fine, especially if you get a high PCAT. You have a really high GPA even for a CC.

Thanks for the encouragement. I was skimming some other threads on CC vs. University and this is the comment I found below that worries me:..

"As for the 'discrimination' thing...it's hardly discrimination to accept only what you consider to be the best candidate. I've taken classes at CC and at a university, and the classes at CC are DEFINITELY inferior from my experience. If I was an adcom, my experience in taking both levels would definitely cause me to accept a university student over a comparable or an even slightly higher GPA CC student"

There's an entire thread about how an "A" CC gpa is still not as good as a C or B Uni GPA. I really wanted to apply to some top and competitive schools, but these type of comments just discourages me.

 

[pharamacy_yo]

You have nothing to lose (except maybe money). But apply. Give it your best, and if it isn't good enough, then maybe work to make yourself better. But not applying and just worrying is not the answer.

 

[Nic24]

Don't discredit your knowledge, hard work, and the colleges you are applying to. Not all community colleges are "easy". Keep up extra-currics and def get some experience so a pharmD can write you a LOR. Have a good score on the PCAT (if applying out of California), smile and be confident in the interview, and you will be just fine.
Good luck.

Thanks so much! I do have 2 Pharm D. pharmacists willing to do an LOR. Getting rejected is my biggest fear b/c Im applying ED to a school in August. And along with rejection comes with the embarrassment of having to explain to people and waiting another year =(. Im just really hoping the college's feel that Im just as good as someone with a Bachelor's degree

 

[pharamacy_yo]

Don't let the fear of failing & what others think keep you from reaching your dreams - a quote from some famous person that really applies to you right now

 

[pharamacy_yo]

I think it's "Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game"- Babe Ruth

 

[IDontHateYou]

That's such bs. My community college is no cake walk. Some students in my organic chemistry came to Miami Dade college during the summer because FIU didn't have class and they didn't do any better in class than the mdc students. In fact, highest grAdes in class were from mdc students. Also, during my interview, most were university students but I had the highest PCAT coming from a CC. The notion that university students are smarter is just false to me. My chemistry teachers were hardcore as hell.

Don't sell yourself short, more expensive school doesn't mean better

 

[IDontHateYou]

My friend took anatomy at FIU and all his professor did was read the pages that he wanted the students to read themselves at home. Also, ultimately the easiness of a class comes down to the individual professor. You have some laid back professors at universities just like you have some hardcore teachers at CC