Prior military........application Q?

[twosocks]

I was military for 6 years, been out for 2, and now going back to school. I will be going to CC for my pre reqs but plan on applying to UF for PharmD. I have come up with a budget that gives me five years to finish school. Does being prior military have a major impact on an admission decision?

Thanks

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[ageldred]

Can't speak from an adcoms perspective since I'm a prepharm like everyone else on this forum, however I can't see how it would hurt your application. Most likely while in the military you were faced with tough situations requiring quick thinking and being able to stay calm which are transferrable skills to a pharmacy. My boyfriend is a former marine and he always puts down his military experience while applying for jobs, etc because he thinks it gives a competitive edge. Your experiences may differ but I think it would be a strong point for you.

I was military for 6 years, been out for 2, and now going back to school. I will be going to CC for my pre reqs but plan on applying to UF for PharmD. I have come up with a budget that gives me five years to finish school. Does being prior military have a major impact on an admission decision?

Thanks

 

[Farmercyst]

I was military for 6 years, been out for 2, and now going back to school. I will be going to CC for my pre reqs but plan on applying to UF for PharmD. I have come up with a budget that gives me five years to finish school. Does being prior military have a major impact on an admission decision?

Thanks

Depending on what you did it can also go under leadership experience, and most people have at the very least respect for armed services, it can only help.

 

[KEC5071]

I was military for 6 years, been out for 2, and now going back to school. I will be going to CC for my pre reqs but plan on applying to UF for PharmD. I have come up with a budget that gives me five years to finish school. Does being prior military have a major impact on an admission decision?

Thanks

I am in the same situation. Do you have a degree already? I have already interviewed with the school that I am trying to get into and they seemed to be positive about my experience. I also have a family connection to a different pharmacy school and that school's dean thought that military experience was a great asset.

 

[ForcedEntry]

Unless you received a BCD, it can only help.

 

[aboveliquidice]

Agreed - America today loves the military (as opposed to the Viet Nam era) - it can only help you. As a bonus, you can share that you served in the Marine Corps - if you didn't - I would just say that I "served" - I mean really, who wants to admit they were in the Army??? (little moto for ya )

~above~

 

[LECOMorBUST]

I certainly used it as a trump card and I feel it had a favorable impact. No one is going to question the training you have as a professional, maturity, being able to maintain that professional appearance, discipline, being able to handle extremely stressful situations on a short and long term basis...etc, it really goes on and on. Let's face it, life is being able to handle stress and being a professional even when dealing with others who are not.

The director of admissions who I had my interview with, did a residency at a VA Medical Center and my service really seemed to seal the deal there and when I recently applied for a pharmacy technician position. During that interview, you could tell she was impressed and she offered me the position on the spot.

 

[Me+PharmD]

I'm not really sure that it helps that much. I'm currently active duty finishing up my 6 year enlistment in approx. 3 months. I started me pre-pharm journey back in 2004, and roughly 24 classes later my GPA has been over a 3.9. I had a terrible year back in 2000 earning less than a 2.0 my entire freshman year. I joined the AF in 2001, acquired SSgt is less than 4 years, and I've won multiple awards and dec.'s while in the AF. I thought for sure that I'd be a shoe-in to most adcom's, especially since I've completed everything on active duty and scored an 83 on the PCAT. Consequently, I was immediately denied at UGA and I've been waitlisted at Mercer. So, I wouldn't count on the military helping much. Pharmacy schools aren't very impress with active duty folks who complete their pre-req.s while on active duty, but this is just my experience. Good Luck!

 

[ForcedEntry]

I'm not really sure that it helps that much. I'm currently active duty finishing up my 6 year enlistment in approx. 3 months. I started me pre-pharm journey back in 2004, and roughly 24 classes later my GPA has been over a 3.9. I had a terrible year back in 2000 earning less than a 2.0 my entire freshman year. I joined the AF in 2001, acquired SSgt is less than 4 years, and I've won multiple awards and dec.'s while in the AF. I thought for sure that I'd be a shoe-in to most adcom's, especially since I've completed everything on active duty and scored an 83 on the PCAT. Consequently, I was immediately denied at UGA and I've been waitlisted at Mercer. So, I wouldn't count on the military helping much. Pharmacy schools aren't very impress with active duty folks who complete their pre-req.s while on active duty, but this is just my experience. Good Luck!

It's because you said chAir Force.

 

[Me+PharmD]

Yea...I guess A.F. Special Operations Command might have had a little more merit. Then again, even if they knew what that was then they would understand that we still don't do much in the overall scheme of things.

 

[aboveliquidice]

A.F. Special Operations Command

umm... so this is special chair repair???

HAHHA - on a more serious note - when taking classes on Active Duty - a LOT of my classes ended up coming from different schools. I think I had to request 7 different college transcripts. Also, I had never taken more than 2 classes at any given time (on Active Duty) - which makes it seem like you cant handle a large class load (Completely circumstantial).

The only solution for it was taking the time to finish pre-reqs as a full time student. This shows that you can handle the load, and that your grades are not a product of taking few classes at the same time.

If not this year - Continue pursuing your BS - taking a heavy load - once you prove the GPA is not a fluke - you'll be a shoe in - your other stats are perfect...

~above~

 

[LECOMorBUST]

It's because you said chAir Force.

There's a poke...

I started me pre-pharm journey back in 2004, and roughly 24 classes later my GPA has been over a 3.9. I had a terrible year back in 2000 earning less than a 2.0 my entire freshman year.

No offense but if you were applying through PharmCAS or not, usually schools want to see every transcript and perhaps that freshman year did you in (in terms of GPA).

 

[KellyBean]

No offense but if you were applying through PharmCAS or not, usually schools want to see every transcript and perhaps that freshman year did you in (in terms of GPA).

I think he mentioned somewhere that his average GPA is 3.5-3.6

 

[aboveliquidice]

Military blokes are not necessarily the same as your typical civilians... Ragging on each other is perfectly acceptable - and I have never met a person that was successful in the military along with having thin skin...

His GPA for the past couple of years is VERY high - but being on active duty means he only took a few classes at any given time. Which is probably hindering him - especially since the only time he was a full-time student, he had limited success - this Me+PharmD - not the OP. If he doesn't get in this year - an entire year as a full-time student pursuing a BS will do wonders for his application.

As for the OP - I think we can safely say that using your service - especially in the open forum of an interview - will definitely be of use.

~above~

 

[LECOMorBUST]

I think he mentioned somewhere that his average GPA is 3.5-3.6

I did not see that anywhere.

His GPA for the past couple of years is VERY high - but being on active duty means he only took a few classes at any given time. Which is probably hindering him - especially since the only time he was a full-time student, he had limited success

Good point, I know from experience the juggling act of being a student full-time and on Active Duty. The classes were fairly "Mickey Mouse" yet still very time consuming. I did that for only 1 semester and then went to part-time status.

 

[aboveliquidice]

Lecom - what service were you in? I always signed up for classes - but got deployed during the semester... The school would just remove me from the class so I didn't have to get a W or anything - it was like I had never taken the course.

It was still frustrating though... most of my "real" classes came after my Active duty was complete. Thats the Marine Corps for ya

~above~

 

[KellyBean]

I did not see that anywhere.

in another post

 

[twosocks]

Thanks for all the input. I was actually navy, not the chair force... I will be going back full time so all my pre reqs will be completed during that time. I will certainly throw down the vet card and play it for all its worth. Thanks.

 

[eelo]

Thanks for all the input. I was actually navy, not the chair force... I will be going back full time so all my pre reqs will be completed during that time. I will certainly throw down the vet card and play it for all its worth. Thanks.

Prior Navy........ okay, I retired in 1997. A couple suggestions: When writing about yourself, be sure to have someone outside the military proofread your writing. It's horrible how much military-speak becomes a normal part of our everyday usage. For example, not many corporate or academic entities have the same concept of a "liaison" as we do/did.....

Now then- do NOT diminish what you do/did. One thing about the military in general, and the Navy is particular, is that you can be thrown into a position in which you have little real-time training or experience, and you're expected to drive that darn train and godhelpya if you screw it up (because then, you know, the terrorists win). Anyhow- if you're a good technical writer, be factual about something like this. If you're a good prose-style writer, stay factual, but add in the drama and the emotion, and don't forget the humor. Most importantly, be sure to emphasize what you did RIGHT, and how that balanced out anything you may have done less-than-right. Address your leadership quals, because you've got them, not only in formal training, but also in everyday examples in your work. I'm pretty sure you were *ahem* 'encouraged' to do volunteer work in the community, with the schools, or even rebuilding that orphanage and convent in some remote Mediterranean or Indonesian town. Don't forget about your "...years of experience working with a diverse population of internal and external customers, with varying levels of education and experience....," not to mention anything you've done as part of a task force or special multi-national group (in any form), or if you've ever been assigned overseas and had to work with local English-speakng and non-English-speaking employees, dealing with local customs and practices.

You can talk about a lot of things without revealing anything that classified or even protected, you just have to couch the language.

I wish you the best.

 

[themorphinerule]

Similar situation. I graduated HS in 1997, left for the Army 2 weeks after walking the stage and getting my diploma... I was a Food/Health Inspector (91R) for 4 years.. but I started taking the the basic nonsciences in 1998, 2 classes at a time. Got out about 6 years ago, but I think about 2 years ago I went fulltime-- even did a full year at a Temple University to show that I could handle a fulltime classload at the University level, and just recently finished my last 3 classes at a local CC... but ended up with an overall 3.5 GPA, with a 3.2 science GPA/ 3.6 Math GPA.. but even with those stats I upsold on the military healthcare experience and I think that was impressive. I mentioned how I was apart of the policy making decision and it's something I'm good at and love. It takes a good mind to build up programs and write SOP and make it the model for other military programs to emulate. It's all about how you sell yourself. But they key is to save all the sciences for the end and go at it fulltime. I got away with taking English and Psych and Sociology while in the Army, but I doubt that woud have flown had I taken Biology, Microbiology and the Chemistries while I was in. Hey, that's my prescription for success... Goodluck! Bulldogs Rock!

 

[ForcedEntry]

I am willing to help any prior service folks on these forums with their personal statements. Mine was a doozy, and I know it made a difference. Send me a PM and we will see what we can put together.

Our time on the island, thus far, was just long enough to remove all traces of individuality. Our heads remained flush from the razor, and our new clothes emanated stale packaging. Although familiar remnants of civilian life continued to seep from our pores, we had already begun responding to the barking commands of our drill instructors just as lightning precedes thunder. Today was our eighth day on Parris Island and the first morning of physical training. As we mustered in a pre-dawn platoon formation, the pounding of my adrenaline soaked heart was overcome by a deafening cyclic chant racing overhead amongst the trees. We marched away from our barracks en route to the source of clamor. In time, the sun's fiery glow pushed back the night as we rounded the final corner of our pine forest trek. Our destination was an undulating sea of cadent waves. Five hundred men counted jumping jacks with unity. That morning I grew three feet taller, as my pride thwarted temptations of exhaustion. A metamorphosis had begun.

Semper Fidelis

P.S. If you copy my ****, I will kill you in three seconds with my pinky.

 

[LECOMorBUST]

Lecom - what service were you in? I always signed up for classes - but got deployed during the semester... The school would just remove me from the class so I didn't have to get a W or anything - it was like I had never taken the course.

It was still frustrating though... most of my "real" classes came after my Active duty was complete. Thats the Marine Corps for ya

~above~

Army. I personally saw the same thing with other soldiers, the school simply deleting their existence from courses due to the same reasons.

I did the same thing, took general education requirements during Active Duty and any sciences after the discharge.

in another post

Gotcha.

 

[987654321]

i was in the corp. and got out three years ago, been going to school ever since. i just got into NOVA, and will start this fall. the prior military experience definitly impressed the interviewers, but you have to have a good academic history too.
definitly bust your but in school. volunteer in a pharmacy if you don't already work in one.... good luck.