Pharmacy school entry with Low GPA

[airen]

I had a low gpa but I got into UCSF. When I applied, I only had a 3.13, after my acceptance, it was raised to a 3.23 so dont' be discouraged!

was that your overall or science GPA, dragonqueen? mind sharing what made you stand out among the thousands of applicants? hope you're enjoying UCSF.

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[moldovanits]

Why don't we all start the 3.0 and below club to show that hope is out there for people in our situation.

lets keep this alive!

 

[rchris827]

Midwestern CCP, LECOM Bradenton....

Hey comet81,
Congrats on getting in to pharm school! I hope to do the same! I read that you got into two pharm schools and I would like to have more info about what you did to get into pharmacy school and how you did it. I'm about ready to fall out dead over all this!!! my e-mail is [email protected] I really, really, really need some help!!!

thanks,
In the my GPA is lower than 3.0 club

 

[Live00]

How did you get started working at a pharmacy store?

 

[june1946]

How do I take the pharmacy tech exam? Do I have to take classes before taking the exam?
By the way your info is very valuable. Thanks

Hey ... don't go around giving up just yet ...

Like everyone's been saying, just put in a lot of effort into the other areas that these colleges look at, like pharmacy experience, volunteer work, and the pcat.

Don't worry, I'm in the same boat as you guys are, with my 2.333. I have 3 semesters left, so not all is lost, but what happened with me was bad study ethic.

If that's your case, it's up to you to change that. I just started competing with the med school kids who absolutely have to get A's, studied with them, etc. But remember, you've gotta change the way you act and study.

As for pharmacy experience, reach out to your local hospital. Or take the pharmacy tech exam [I took it, and it's not that difficult] and then get a job.

There's plenty of volunteer work to be done. I go to http://www.volunteermatch.org/ to find work.

And finally, there's the PCAT. If you had to change your study ethic, like I did, studying for this should feel no different.

The whole competition thing with the pre-meds does wonders for me ...

Hope this helps.

 

[wbrown]

How do I take the pharmacy tech exam? Do I have to take classes before taking the exam?
By the way your info is very valuable. Thanks

You don't have to take classes before the exam. Some people find this helpful, especially if you've never worked in a pharmacy. Many people are able to just study by themselves, learn stuff on the job, or learn from one of the test prep books. You can go to www.ptcb.org for more info on the national exam. They offer it several times per year and I believe there are several practice exams on the website.

 

[CaliCPhT]

Hi. Yes, go to PTCB.org and review their information. I purchased an online review course for the PCAT and studied for about 2-3 weeks before the exam. Also, I used a Pharmacy Calculations book from pharmaceutics class and went through the entire book (you can probably find one fairly inexpensive on textbooks.com). With this, I scored 856/900 on the test. My worst subject that was tested was pharmacy law/assisting the pharmacist (but I don't work in retail so I wasn't worried!)

Another member of the below 3.0 club (my cumulative GPA was 2.93 when I graduated). but, my math and science GPA is 3.27 I'll just keep my fingers crossed

 

[FutureGaPharm]

Good feedback/responses, lets keep it moving.

 

[Transfat]

Walgreen's will actually pay for you to take the test and offers free classes. Although I would certainly not recommend working there long term, its a good place to get certified for free.

 

[Transfat]

The pharmacy tech test, that is.

 

[StringTheorist]

nope, just pre-pharm. i like phsyics, though . and I had a 2.99 pre-pharm GPA, 3.5 overall, and got accepted to UF. so stay strong, folks!

 

[rxrxrx]

my friend is in a similar situation. 2.8 undergrad GPA but will have a masters in may and has a 3.6 graduate GPA. she also has recent pharm tech experience and tons of volunteer/research/leadership experience. assuming she does decent on the pcat, do you think she has a chance b/c she improved her grades or will they look more at undergrad GPA.

thank you.

 

[StringTheorist]

rxrxrx, it really doesnt hurt that it improved it just all depends that her pre-pharm GPA, not necessarily undergrad, is around or above a 3.0. and the MS pushes her way above other competition

 

[moldovanits]

Just called western they say want atleast a 3.2 gpa in science. they said the bracket just went up to 3.4ish

 

[malpal22]

I just found this website today and am very happy with it! I am a second year student and did very poor my freshman year. I am a pharmacy tech now and am tranferring with about a 2.5 to a new school b/c class schedules were messed up @ my school. I have one year of prereques left to take, and at the end of this semester I should be at 2.8 if all goes well. I am taking summer classes to speed things up and boost my GPA, so should I take the pcat and apply this fall or pharmacy school? I'm afraid they'll see my low transfer grades

 

[mtravaglini27]

(User removed comment.)

 

[tatysayz]

Hello,

i am a Junior in highschool and soon enough i will be applying to colleges. My current GPA is about 2.8 and i have a GREAT PASSION for pharmacy. If i dont end up becomign a pharmacist i wont be ale to live with myself as crazy as it may seem. Wat should i do? Do i have any chance?

 

[azPharmD2B]

Hello,

i am a Junior in highschool and soon enough i will be applying to colleges. My current GPA is about 2.8 and i have a GREAT PASSION for pharmacy. If i dont end up becomign a pharmacist i wont be ale to live with myself as crazy as it may seem. Wat should i do? Do i have any chance?

Your high school GPA doesn't matter unless you are applying to get into a 6 year program. Best advice I can give at this point is to study hard in your math and sciences, start being active in your community (service organizations, clubs, volunteerism), read up and learn about health, medicine and pharmacy, and go get a part time job retail or volunteer at the hospital to gain some experience. Good luck!

 

[wendylin12]

I was thinking about taking PCAT and go to pharmacy school. I have a question after reading your question. How did you apply job in pharmacy? I am kind of lost on that. And where can I apply the job in pharmacy? I have one more semester to go, so, I want to find a job in related field and gain experience. Thank you

 

[Passion4Sci]

I was thinking about taking PCAT and go to pharmacy school. I have a question after reading your question. How did you apply job in pharmacy? I am kind of lost on that. And where can I apply the job in pharmacy? I have one more semester to go, so, I want to find a job in related field and gain experience. Thank you

Having a CphT, that is, Certified Pharmacy Technician, license is a really good start. You can begin your search at large retail chains like Walgreen's, Rite Aid, and the like... Depending on your geographic region, these jobs can either be easy to find or very impossible to find.

Aside from that, contact your local independent pharmacies also... Get ready to be persistent, though. Pharmacy is a burgeoning field - At the last orientation for my hospital ( I am the lead volunteer and I make presentations at the classes) we had 41 applicants for 1 pharmacy tech volunteer position, LOL. This number has been rising very steadily over the past 6 months... And my seniors tell me that as little as 18 months ago, they practically had to beg people to work in Pharmacy. I think it's very interesting.

You can volunteer also, like I mentioned above, and this is how the majority of us get our trigger time in the Pharmacy (I think?). I am a CphT and rather lucked into a nice job at an indie pharmacy as someone was leaving to go to Pharmacy school, I scooted right in.

Welcome to SDN and good luck.

 

[Wind chimes]

I am interested in taking the CphT on my own, can someone provide a list/suggestion of books that I should study to ace the test?

 

[Passion4Sci]

I am interested in taking the CphT on my own, can someone provide a list/suggestion of books that I should study to ace the test?

I used the Mosby's Review. There's a brand new version out at book sellers right now, it retails for $42.95 and it comes with a bad-ass CD that has 10 (or so) practice tests (full length...) and 2 timed exams that are actually scored for you. It bore a striking resemblance to the actual PTCE. Quite eerie as a matter of fact, lol.

Here's a B&N link to the exact one I used (1st edition):
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Mo...ination/James-J-Mizner/e/9780323033671/?itm=6

The 2nd edition is here:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/bo...sp?box=9781416062042&pos=-1&EAN=9781416062042

With the ISBN, you could search Amazon or Half.com or something and find the 1st Ed much cheaper. It has everything you need to score 650/900 on the easiest test you'll EVER take.

 

[Wind chimes]

With the ISBN, you could search Amazon or Half.com or something and find the 1st Ed much cheaper. It has everything you need to score 650/900 on the easiest test you'll EVER take.

Hey thanks for your prompt reply! I guess this will be my first book towards CphT prep

 

[Passion4Sci]

Hey thanks for your prompt reply! I guess this will be my first book towards CphT prep

You're welcome. It shoudl be your First and only book.

I am no math/science genius and I whipped that exam. The hardest part for me were all of the "How many tsp in 400 mL" type questions. I definitely could've drilled conversions more, I guess. As long as you study Mosby's, have familiarity with NDC numbers, the Controlled Substance Act, what the Orange and Red books are, how many refills you can get on Accutane, what a Schedule II medicine is, and such... you'll be perfectly fine. You can miss a LOT of content on that exam and still pass.

If you're decent at basic algebra (IS)(IV)=(FS)(FV) proportion type stuff you'll fly through it.

 

[SYPHARMACY]

i went to 3 different schools and so i dont know my overall GPA but i think its ALOT lower than 3.0. Was a chem major and messed up in upper divs and retook the pre-reqs i got C's in. Do most schools look at the upper divs as an indication of how well i will do in their program?? if so... not getting in. PCAT in aug. i better get 90s eh?

 

[Passion4Sci]

i went to 3 different schools and so i dont know my overall GPA but i think its ALOT lower than 3.0. Was a chem major and messed up in upper divs and retook the pre-reqs i got C's in. Do most schools look at the upper divs as an indication of how well i will do in their program?? if so... not getting in. PCAT in aug. i better get 90s eh?

They'll look at your PharmCAS combined GPA more than anything else on individual transcripts, as far as I know.

Just shoot for as high as you can on the PCAT. A 95 composite won't necessarily offset a 2.75 GPA straight away, but it certainly can be a fulcrum to wedge yourself into school. =]

 

[Hopeful1988]

There are schools that have a minimum GPA requirement of a 2.5 so you can definitely apply to those, but many schools have a minimum GPA requirement of 3.0.

I have a OGPA of 2.8, and a SGPA of 2.7, so if you want, send me a private message and I'll be glad to share with you my experience and, hopefully, help you feel optimistic

Hi, my stats are very similar to urs and I am very worried about gettin into pharm schools, I have OGPA 2.75 SGPA 2.6 please help! What school did u get into? I will definitely want to apply there. Also, what schools will accept with such low stats?

 

[Passion4Sci]

Hi, my stats are very similar to urs and I am very worried about gettin into pharm schools, I have OGPA 2.75 SGPA 2.6 please help! What school did u get into? I will definitely want to apply there. Also, what schools will accept with such low stats?

Head up to the WAMC thread and give us way more background!

Short answer: You'll find MOST schools to say their minimum required GPA to be in the 2.5 neighborhood. With a great PCAT, if applicable, great ECs and work experience/life history, almost any GPA in the 2.7ish range has the potential to be accepted.

One very prominent SDN poster, whom I don't want to name for the fear of offending someone (Due to the topic), got into UCSF with a GPA in the 2.9/3.0 range because his/her application was so well-rounded.

Consider an applicant with a sterling academic record, so great it could be printed in platinum, but who has very little life experience and nothing to show for in terms of ECs or volunteerism. All academics, nothing else. Will this person get in? Sure, probably, but it's also a reasonable assumption, then, that the other end of the spectrum will, too.

 

[Rhizoid13]

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[jjeen23]

I am interested.. Could you give me some tips?

 

[PS08]

When your talking about gpa are you talking about overall or just science and math? Overall with my pre pharm requirements I have almost a 2.9 and in science and math I have around a 2.5 I believe. Although I'm about to start my training to be a pharmacy tech, and i've some some volunteering and lab work experience.

I haven't taken the Pcat yet, but i'm not sure if I should change my goals since I don't know if i'll be able to get into a school.

 

[atpsynthase]

I have a 3.05 GPA with a BS in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology, BA in Chemistry, and a BA in Spanish and received interview invites from 5 different schools (3 of which are in the top 10 according to the current rankings).

 

[vivxn]

For a post bacc program, would it better to retake classes you didn't do well in your undergrad or take other science courses, and if so what courses?

 

[Passion4Sci]

For a post bacc program, would it better to retake classes you didn't do well in your undergrad or take other science courses, and if so what courses?

YOU should turn your stuff around! You're only in your 2nd year for Jimbob's sake.

No need to throw in the towel so soon man.