Need your input please

[hotsauce]

Hey guys, I would appreciate you input, suggestion and support. Here are my cliff notes:
2002: start of freshman in college, did nothing but party and party.
2003: same old story. (GPA 1.71, put on academic probation and later got kicked out)
2004: dropped out of school, rehab, work
2005: got my life back on track and realized I needed to go back to school.
2006: enrolled at a different community college
Present: studying and working my butt off with a current GPA of 3.73 at this school, been a Walgreens pharm tech for over 3 years, (guaranteed 2 LOR by pharmacists) and soon to take the PCAT with the hope of finishing my pre-reqs by summer 08.

Problem: obviously as u guys can see is my past academic experience wasn't to great. I can do nothing but blame myself knowing the past is the past and all I can do is look towards the future. Do you guys think that I even have a slim chance at pharmacy school? Should I just pursue a Bachelors? I found out that USN has a forgiveness policy that doesn't take grades older that 5 years which gives me a little bit of hope.

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[pharmacia07]

how is your credit history? that's why USN have a forgiveness....it's about the $ and it's in las vegas too

 

[goinkhead]

Hey guys, I would appreciate you input, suggestion and support. Here are my cliff notes:
2002: start of freshman in college, did nothing but party and party.
2003: same old story. (GPA 1.71, put on academic probation and later got kicked out)
2004: dropped out of school, rehab, work
2005: got my life back on track and realized I needed to go back to school.
2006: enrolled at a different community college
Present: studying and working my butt off with a current GPA of 3.73 at this school, been a Walgreens pharm tech for over 3 years, (guaranteed 2 LOR by pharmacists) and soon to take the PCAT with the hope of finishing my pre-reqs by summer 08.

Problem: obviously as u guys can see is my past academic experience wasn't to great. I can do nothing but blame myself knowing the past is the past and all I can do is look towards the future. Do you guys think that I even have a slim chance at pharmacy school? Should I just pursue a Bachelors? I found out that USN has a forgiveness policy that doesn't take grades older that 5 years which gives me a little bit of hope.

i think you have a really good shot at any school...im sure adcoms will look at the resiliency of your journey in a positive light.

 

[organicnerd]

i am in a similar situation as urself OP.

 

[fenixtnlfan]

I think you have a good chance. A bachelor's would probably help you get in. Just make sure you can explain why you dropped out, and what is different now.

 

[hotsauce]

While I still do have a bit of hope, I still can get passed the fact that 1.71 GPA from the previous school will bring my overall GPA barely over the minimum requirements for most schools. I hope the upward trend will really help me out. Thanks everyone for you input.

 

[swift976]

Hey guys, I would appreciate you input, suggestion and support. Here are my cliff notes:
2002: start of freshman in college, did nothing but party and party.
2003: same old story. (GPA 1.71, put on academic probation and later got kicked out)
2004: dropped out of school, rehab, work
2005: got my life back on track and realized I needed to go back to school.
2006: enrolled at a different community college
Present: studying and working my butt off with a current GPA of 3.73 at this school, been a Walgreens pharm tech for over 3 years, (guaranteed 2 LOR by pharmacists) and soon to take the PCAT with the hope of finishing my pre-reqs by summer 08.

Problem: obviously as u guys can see is my past academic experience wasn't to great. I can do nothing but blame myself knowing the past is the past and all I can do is look towards the future. Do you guys think that I even have a slim chance at pharmacy school? Should I just pursue a Bachelors? I found out that USN has a forgiveness policy that doesn't take grades older that 5 years which gives me a little bit of hope.

After seeing this post gave me hope to go back to college and still pursue my career in pharmacy because I did the same thing that you did in the beginning of my college years. I was going to post a similar thread too.


will the past GPA add on to your current GPA as you mention above to get into USN or any other pharm schools?

 

[Shrav]

After seeing this post gave me hope to go back to college and still pursue my career in pharmacy because I did the same thing that you did in the beginning of my college years. I was going to post a similar thread too.


will the past GPA add on to your current GPA as you mention above to get into USN or any other pharm schools?

Im kinda in the same boat myself where I messed up my first year, unfortunately not due to partying but excessive research done in the lab...I landed myself with a Undergraduate Research Assistantship in my first semester of my freshman year...I was looking for experience in the research side as well....things were pretty straight from there out...spent my time in the lab...got my name out on a research publication within a year and my grades went for a toss (I know I'm weird)...got my initial jolt and got to a CC where I worked and am working on my GPA as well..... and then got back on track.....the GPA will factor in I guess..PharmCas would probably factor it in but then adcoms would take an individual look at your grades and see that you have improved as a student and have become more mature as an individual...I would not be too dejected...im just waiting on my PCAT scores to come out to do a check on where I need to improve before I retake in january....

 

[hotsauce]

After seeing this post gave me hope to go back to college and still pursue my career in pharmacy because I did the same thing that you did in the beginning of my college years. I was going to post a similar thread too.


will the past GPA add on to your current GPA as you mention above to get into USN or any other pharm schools?

Yea, you have to submit all grades and all schools attended. It's my understanding that USN has a academic forgiveness policy in which they calculate the GPA with grades within 5 years and newer. It's to bad only a few schools offer this. I think u should go back to school and definitely give it a shot.

 

[hotsauce]

Im kinda in the same boat myself where I messed up my first year, unfortunately not due to partying but excessive research done in the lab...I landed myself with a Undergraduate Research Assistantship in my first semester of my freshman year...I was looking for experience in the research side as well....things were pretty straight from there out...spent my time in the lab...got my name out on a research publication within a year and my grades went for a toss (I know I'm weird)...got my initial jolt and got to a CC where I worked and am working on my GPA as well..... and then got back on track.....the GPA will factor in I guess..PharmCas would probably factor it in but then adcoms would take an individual look at your grades and see that you have improved as a student and have become more mature as an individual...I would not be too dejected...im just waiting on my PCAT scores to come out to do a check on where I need to improve before I retake in january....

Yea I hope when I do apply that I will at least get an interview to have a chance to explain my journey. Thanks for the feedback. I definitely think your experience in lab and research will be a huge plus and advantage when u apply.

 

[Shrav]

Yea I hope when I do apply that I will at least get an interview to have a chance to explain my journey. Thanks for the feedback. I definitely think your experience in lab and research will be a huge plus and advantage when u apply.

I really am doubting that...research always is a good thing to have...but at the expense of grades...thats going to be my negative point...im kinda preparing for the worst situation....