New Pre-Pharmacy Student-- Tips?

[PharmGuy96]

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As it seems from birth, I have always been one of those people who must plan everything. Going far past that, I must have a backup plan - there might be some minute possibility that Plan-A falls through. On this thread, I hope that some of you can help me become more competitive in both my undergraduate studies and applying for pharmacy school.

A recent high school graduate, I will be attending the University of Kentucky in the fall. There, I hope to fit in all of my pre-requisites in 2 years. With the aid of AP and dual credits, I hope (and pray) this won't be so bad. I am a member of the Honors College, Pre-Pharmacy Club, and the William C. Parker Diversity Organization. I have been a pharmacy technician at a local pharmacy for the past year, and will be taking the national pharmacy technician exam sometime this summer.

What tips would current - or past - pre-pharmacy students recommend?

I've looked at several, but, as of now, I wish to attend UK's COP.

 

[RxEvileye]

It sounds like you're very focused and on track already. A couple tips that might be helpful:

Keep a journal or make notes in your phone anytime you do extracurriculars. Add in the amount of time and dates you did the activity, and if possible, how it made you feel or some basics about what you did. It's helpful when you do your PharmCAS app.

Also, while you're getting some retail tech experience it's a good idea to expose yourself to other areas of pharmacy, even shadowing or just seeing speakers. Your pre-pharmacy club may be a good way to do so. This will help you become more knowledgeable and sure about the profession.

Finally, research schools straight from their website. Make sure you're taking the correct pre-requisites and will be able to meet their requirements and deadlines. You don't want to be applying and realize you took the wrong class or won't be able to finish a prereq the summer beforehand.