Nursing killed my Science GPA... Will graduate school help?

[ALLNuclear]

Nursing is my undergrad. GPA right at 3.0 with science GPA under 3.0 because nursing is a "science."

Already planning to retake undergraduate science courses as needed, and I haven't taken chem/organic yet. However, my undergraduate GPA isn't budging much -- too many credits.

Will getting my Master of Science in Nursing help, assuming I keep a good GPA? + nursing experience, because I'll be working while I complete all these. Will it help ENOUGH to go for it?

Also, I know to count partially on the PCAT.

Any other suggestions or alternatives are needed, please.

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[me0wmix]

Nursing is my undergrad. GPA right at 3.0 with science GPA under 3.0 because nursing is a "science."

Already planning to retake undergraduate science courses as needed, and I haven't taken chem/organic yet. However, my undergraduate GPA isn't budging much -- too many credits.

Will getting my Master of Science in Nursing help, assuming I keep a good GPA? + nursing experience, because I'll be working while I complete all these. Will it help ENOUGH to go for it?

Also, I know to count partially on the PCAT.

Any other suggestions or alternatives are needed, please.

Try to pull up your GPA as best as you can. I say you're okay if your GPA is 3.0 or greater as long as you have other activities to compensate for the GPA. Your Masters in Nursing may help in nursing, but I don't know about pharmacy. You'll have to give a good explanation of why you're not sticking with nursing to adcoms.

I think any work experience in the healthfield will benefit you. Just try to relate your nursing experience to pharmacy.

Good luck!

 

[WhiteSnows]

I think master of nurse won't change your GPA that much. It also takes too much time. Go back, and retake a few classes which causes your GPA low.

 

[Jaded03]

I think master of nurse won't change your GPA that much. It also takes too much time. Go back, and retake a few classes which causes your GPA low.

I agree. I also think it's ridiculous to get a masters in nursing just to not be one. It is wasting valuable resources to a profession that needs to be filled. I suggest as the above has said and repeat all the courses you were doing poor in, especially in the prerequisite categories. I would also take all your pharmacology and medication nursing courses over to hopefully defend your argument in your statement and interview of why you didn't become a nurse and why you chose pharmacy. I doubt schools will overlook it, so be prepared.

 

[iambic]

Nursing is my undergrad. GPA right at 3.0 with science GPA under 3.0 because nursing is a "science."

Already planning to retake undergraduate science courses as needed, and I haven't taken chem/organic yet. However, my undergraduate GPA isn't budging much -- too many credits.

Will getting my Master of Science in Nursing help, assuming I keep a good GPA? + nursing experience, because I'll be working while I complete all these. Will it help ENOUGH to go for it?

Also, I know to count partially on the PCAT.

Any other suggestions or alternatives are needed, please.

An advanced degree is usually intended for specialized interest in a particular field. It seems counterintuitive to pursue a master's in nursing in order to increase your odds of getting into pharm school. I would stick to improving the core sci classes instead.

 

[gonj]

i know the medical schools count nursing as a non-science.

are you sure pharmcas counts nursing as science?

this is all i could find on the matter:

https://portal.pharmcas.org/applicants2008/faq/pcas_gpas.shtml

Q: Which course subjects are included when calculating each specific PharmCAS GPA?

A: Courses with the following Course Subjects are calculated into the Science GPA:

• Biochemistry
• Biology
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Microbiology
• Organic Chemistry
• Other Science
• Physics

 

[drugdoc]

You didn't have to take chemistry as a nursing student???

 

[gonj]

most BS in nursing programs that require chemistry only require less rigorous course(s) for non-science majors

 

[fhx06]

I agree... you are only costing yourself more time and putting yourself into debt by pursuing a Master's. If anything, work and take classes at a community college or university to improve your GPA. Then, study as best as you can to get a high PCAT. Also, talking to the pharmacists at the hospitals can also be a great way to build key contacts.

Best of luck to you, and I hope you achieve what you are aiming for.

An advanced degree is usually intended for specialized interest in a particular field. It seems counterintuitive to pursue a master's in nursing in order to increase your odds of getting into pharm school. I would stick to improving the core sci classes instead.

 

[PrePharmD]

You didn't have to take chemistry as a nursing student???

I don't know about other schools but I had to take organic and biochemistry for the nursing program at my school.

 

[diastole]

Will it even help your GPA that much? If you have too many units, your GPA isn't going to move that much. Calculate your GPA with the number of units that you expect to receive and the grades you realistically expect to get. See how much it helps and then decide if it is worth it. I think you could get more bang for your buck by getting a great PCAT or strong work or EC experience but it might help to see the numbers.

 

[Kirbypuff]

Forget about your GPA.... and forget about all the pharmacy schools that care about your cumulative GPA! You do have a chance with many other pharmacy schools, if you retake pre-pharmacy courses and get good grades for the next 3-4 semesters. You can say that your new motivation to become a pharmacist helped you do well in school. Clearly, when your motivation was to become a nurse, you did not perform very well academically. Maybe pharmacy will change your academic attitude. Your past does not matter! You can start fresh whether your cumulative GPA says so or not. That's why some pharmacy schools have minimum GPA requirements of as low as 2.5. 2.5 is the exception for students who have good recent grades. Just focus on the PCAT, your new grades, get involved some EC's, and try to get a pharmacy job. Just spend some time researching pharmacy schools that are not too competitive. Even the competitive schools at a certain point would've taken a candidate like yourself, but due the overwhelming number of applicants, they are forced to only accept students with perfect records. You can do it! 🙂

 

[OChemist]

ack, Im having the same problem.

 

[Cangri One]

would getting a masters in public health higher my chances? what about a masters in pharmaceutical sciences?

 

[fenderbiz]

Your math/science gpa is calculated using only the prerequisites for pharmacy school, as far as I know. University of Florida states this very clearly on their website. As far as other schools go, I'm not sure, but I imagine it would be the same.

 

[jasonbourne]

Nursing is my undergrad. GPA right at 3.0 with science GPA under 3.0 because nursing is a "science."

Already planning to retake undergraduate science courses as needed, and I haven't taken chem/organic yet. However, my undergraduate GPA isn't budging much -- too many credits.

Will getting my Master of Science in Nursing help, assuming I keep a good GPA? + nursing experience, because I'll be working while I complete all these. Will it help ENOUGH to go for it?

Also, I know to count partially on the PCAT.

Any other suggestions or alternatives are needed, please.

Nursing didnt kill your GPA, you killed your GPA. It is ridiculous to make such a statement. As a student, it is your own responsibility to keep your GPA high enough. Its wrong to blame it on nursing like you did in the title of your post.

 

[hardcorepianist]

.

 

[bugg]

.

 

[OChemist]

Your math/science gpa is calculated using only the prerequisites for pharmacy school, as far as I know. University of Florida states this very clearly on their website. As far as other schools go, I'm not sure, but I imagine it would be the same.

Some have pre pharmacy science gpa, but pharmcas has nursing listed as a science, I find that funny because it isn't a science, it's more hands on and make a scenrio based.

Science gpa are suppose to be biology, physics, math, and chemistry only. 4 years ago pharmcas never put nursing in =/.

My science gpa was a 3.6, it went down to a 3.2.
O well, I need to take the remaining science classes and try to up the science gpa.

hopefully most schools have a pre pharmacy science gpa or just look at the main pre reqs.

"The pre-pharmacy science GPA is then calculated for applications meeting the minimum criteria. This GPA includes only the science and math courses from OSU's Pharm.D. prerequisites"

http://pharmacy.oregonstate.edu/future-students/pharmd/faq

maybe they calculate it twice? or maybe pharmcas calculates the pre pharmacy gpa and the all science gpa.

"The science GPA is calculated by PharmCAS and will not be recalculated by the OSU College of Pharmacy."

http://pharmacy.oregonstate.edu/future-students/pharmd/faq

 

[fenderbiz]

^ Hmm, I think you're right bugg - my mistake.

 

[fenderbiz]

Just found this in the UF FAQ:

"The gpa is calculated using the grades from the pre-professional courses only. The College does not have grade forgiveness therefore if you have taken a class more than once, the college will average the grades together. The minimum gpa to apply is a 2.5. Based on the fall 2006 admitted class, the average gpa was a 3.5; competitive is a 3.3 and above. Out of state applicants should have at least a 3.6."

I think I remember seeing this on an older pdf, as well. It's not as clear as I thought it was.

 

[OChemist]

"Q: Which course subjects are included when calculating each specific PharmCAS GPA?
A: Courses with the following Course Subjects are calculated into the Science GPA:

• Biochemistry
• Biology
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Microbiology
• Organic Chemistry
• Other Science
• Physics"

Other sciences include
"Agricultural Science, Astronomy, Bioethics, Chiropractic, Dentistry, Electronics, Emergency Med-Tech, Engineering, Epidemiology, Geology, Kinesiology, Medical Technology, Meteorology, Nursing, Nutrition, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacology, Physical Anthropology, Physical Geography, Physical Science, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, Public Health, Radiology, Respiratory Therapy, Teaching Science"

 

[OChemist]

I heard from my collegue that the they have a seprate science gpa from pharmcas, like looking at the pre pharmacy science/math only.

He said "All schools focus on the pre reqs"

But this nursing thing is scaring me.

 

[bugg]

.

 

[diastole]

I heard from my collegue that the they have a seprate science gpa from pharmcas, like looking at the pre pharmacy science/math only.

He said "All schools focus on the pre reqs"

But this nursing thing is scaring me.

Why don't you call up the schools you are interested in and ask? It will open up the lines of communication and it isn't a question that has an obvious answer.

 

[OChemist]

I called albany school of pharmacy and they said
"We only look at biology, chemistry, physics, and math"

They say that they make no distinction (over the email, I dont know what it means)

LIU said "We look at everything,yes it will count toward your science gpa"

Looking at everything is again open to interpretation because they might have a pharmcas science gpa, and they might have a pre pharmacy science gpa.

Had I known that this would expect my science gpa I would have drop the course a long time ago.

My only hope at this point is to take physical chemistry, physics calc based 2, astronomy and Biology nutrition to up my science gpa.

I am currently sending out emails to ask, it is most likely that the nursing gpa count toward the science gpa; however depending on certain schools and certain ways of viewing my science gpa I might or might not have a chance.

 

[Cangri One]

what about anatomy and ecology?

 

[OChemist]

LIU:
We look at your nursing
Albany:
We dont look at it
Buffalo:
Dont look at it
Maine:
Dont look at it

LIU =(, for shame.