Pharmacy school application

[mp535217]

submitted pharm school application 2.47 gpa (2 Fs summer semester from being sick) 400 PCAT 3 LORS Biochem degree in spring,adding fall grades so gpa should be 2.6. Any recommendations on schools? Or anyone with similar stats? Im working as a pharm tech & worked as a medical assistant.

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[BC_89]

More and more programs are moving from having a PCAT requirement. With that, a 400 PCAT equates to 50% of applicants who took the PCAT over the past 5 years scoring better than you. In essence, a 400 score is not considered competitive. Since many programs do not consider this score to play any part in the interview process, this wouldn't necessarily be something I would be concerned with.

2.47 GPA is not competitive with many schools requiring a minimum cut-off of a 2.5 GPA (MINIMUM, not average). Is this 2.47 GPA cumulative or a science GPA? Future semester grades cannot objectively be looked at since that requires an assumption of what "might be true" and depending what weight of classes exist the final semester. Working as a pharm tech and obtaining a bachelors could be a positive depending on how long you've been exposed in pharmacy and how long you've been in school (full-time, part-time, multiple repeated courses, etc).

I will not acknowledge the state of the career projection in this post (but you should). With that, you need to stay away with selective programs and look for the very recent accredited programs. You need to be willing to apply to programs from east to west coast with the following in mind:

1) Regional Accreditation - Graduating from a non-accredited program means you cannot legally work as a pharmacist. Pending accreditation presumes accreditation upon graduation but is in no wise a guarantee - just something to think about.
2) NAPLEX pass rate - The higher the number the better equipped you are to passing your licensure exam - strongly consider this when picking a program.
3) Cost - You'll be paying six figures in debt to pass the NAPLEX, the more debt you're in, the less likely you're lifelong earnings will be worth it. Go cheap.
4) School retention - Students with subpar GPA typically fail or quit a program. Be sure to recognize your learning style and how the faculty is.

AACP | Pharmacy School Locator

NAPLEX Pass Rate | 2020

Start with these new programs with higher chances to consider you for an interview, then use my 4 rules of thumb list to narrow it down (always start with your in-state programs first before spreading out) - I recommend none of these, but if the question is how to increase your chances for an interview, here is this:

- Medical College of Wisconsin
- Medical University of South Carolina
- Marshall B. Ketchum University
- Larkin University
- University of South Carolina
- University of Texas at Tyler

 

[VA77]

More and more programs are moving from having a PCAT requirement. With that, a 400 PCAT equates to 50% of applicants who took the PCAT over the past 5 years scoring better than you. In essence, a 400 score is not considered competitive. Since many programs do not consider this score to play any part in the interview process, this wouldn't necessarily be something I would be concerned with.

2.47 GPA is not competitive with many schools requiring a minimum cut-off of a 2.5 GPA (MINIMUM, not average). Is this 2.47 GPA cumulative or a science GPA? Future semester grades cannot objectively be looked at since that requires an assumption of what "might be true" and depending what weight of classes exist the final semester. Working as a pharm tech and obtaining a bachelors could be a positive depending on how long you've been exposed in pharmacy and how long you've been in school (full-time, part-time, multiple repeated courses, etc).

I will not acknowledge the state of the career projection in this post (but you should). With that, you need to stay away with selective programs and look for the very recent accredited programs. You need to be willing to apply to programs from east to west coast with the following in mind:

1) Regional Accreditation - Graduating from a non-accredited program means you cannot legally work as a pharmacist. Pending accreditation presumes accreditation upon graduation but is in no wise a guarantee - just something to think about.
2) NAPLEX pass rate - The higher the number the better equipped you are to passing your licensure exam - strongly consider this when picking a program.
3) Cost - You'll be paying six figures in debt to pass the NAPLEX, the more debt you're in, the less likely you're lifelong earnings will be worth it. Go cheap.
4) School retention - Students with subpar GPA typically fail or quit a program. Be sure to recognize your learning style and how the faculty is.

AACP | Pharmacy School Locator

NAPLEX Pass Rate | 2020

Start with these new programs with higher chances to consider you for an interview, then use my 4 rules of thumb list to narrow it down (always start with your in-state programs first before spreading out) - I recommend none of these, but if the question is how to increase your chances for an interview, here is this:

- Medical College of Wisconsin
- Medical University of South Carolina
- Marshall B. Ketchum University
- Larkin University
- University of South Carolina
- University of Texas at Tyler

I would add Chicago State and Uof Charleston on that list.

 

[PharmtoCS]

The recommendation is to not go to any pharmacy school, period. You will likely graduate with $200k+ in student loans and have a hard time finding a job. Even if you do find a job, work conditions will likely be terrible.