Need Advice

[Cdiddy]

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Hi,

This is my first time posting, but I have been lurking around this forum for about the last 3 months. I have learned a great deal and I am sure you guys (and gals) can help steer me in the right direction.

I am really dead set on being a pharmacist. I do have some roadblocks though.

I won't lie, I really messed up my first three years of school. I have around a 2.5 gpa. The upside is I haven't taken any of my science classes yet. The only math classes I have taken are Pre Calc and Statistics which I didn't do too hot in. The problem is not that I don't understand the work. I was just lazy. I know if I apply myself I can make A's and B's in my science and math courses. I was wondering if I could get around a 3.5 in my math science gpa and around a 3.0 gpa overall, will this keep me out of pharmacy school. I have two more years to raise my gpa and I am planning on getting pharmacy work experience to help my application too. I think I can show the admissions committees that I did mess up about 3 years ago, but I took a couple years off from school and I got my life on track. So basically I just wanted to get your advice on the situation.

Thanks

Chris C

 

[rxforlife2004]

Cdiddy,

Dont' stress out too much on your GPA. Sure you did a bad job in the pastl; but if you really show who you are by the next two years, then u'll be fine. Also, this SDN forum will literally help you prepare quite well for steps to the door of admission.

From what i know pharmacy schools look at a candidate with variety categories, such as GPA, Inverview, Volunteer and Work experience, Interview, Essay. So GPA is important, but not that it'll ruin your future....

Best luck to you.

 

[jemc2000]

And some Pharmacy Schools don't care about your overall GPA, just your math/science GPA.

 

[MNnaloxone]

jemc is right on. Different schools have different ways of calculating your GPA. I know that my school had a list of classes that counted towards a pre-pharm GPA. My A in a 400-level Zoo class didn't count. Of course, neither did the D that I got the first time in Immunology. I applied with a 3.3, and a pre-pharm GPA not much higher than that, and got in on the first wave.

But I had a few other things going for me, too. A 98 on the PCAT, a job history of teching, and residency in the state (actually a free 15% of the points, if I remember right). On top of that, I had already taken some of the 1st-year pharmacy classes while earning my BS (which was probably another plus), so I had already demonstrated that I could function-at least at that 1st year level.

(Immunology, Clinical Imm, Path. Micro, BioChem and their labs are shared between Pharms, MicroB's and Biotech's at my skool.)

As with everything else in admissions, your mileage may vary. Check out the schools you're interested in, and try to ply to their requirements.