Reality vs Wishful Thinking

[nerv12345]

okay ladies and gentlemen...how many of you have ever been conflicted about applying to schools with more competative GPA requirements than your GPA?

my dilemma is that my GPA is a mere overall 3.25 (science 3.35'ish) and i WANT to apply to schools with average GPA's of acceptees of 3.6ish, etc (like UCSD and washington university) but i feel i won't get in and i might as well save 100-200 bucks by not applying to schools of that sort.

am i thinking too realistically? should i give hope a shot? i guess one good thing that MIGHT help me would be that i transfered from a junior college with a 3.18, but my first year GPA at the university (which i am about to finish up) is a 3.89 so far

i'm just a little confused..any words of wisdom?

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[googleit]

Hey nerv12345,

I am in the same boat as you and I, too, would like to apply to such schools as UCSD and Washington. After reading numerous posts regarding low GPA and acceptance into Pharm School, I am going for it. I think when it comes down to it, I'd rather be rejected than having the feeling of "what if". I'll be placing focus on other aspects such as my work experience and research position in my personal statement. Hopefully, it will get me somewhere. I guess I'm just highly optimistic

 

[aboveliquidice]

Nothing ventured - nothing gained. If you never try - you will fail 100% of the time.

Dont worry about the money - what is $100/$200 in the grand scheme of things?

Good

~above~

 

[cystapharm]

okay ladies and gentlemen...how many of you have ever been conflicted about applying to schools with more competative GPA requirements than your GPA?

my dilemma is that my GPA is a mere overall 3.25 (science 3.35'ish) and i WANT to apply to schools with average GPA's of acceptees of 3.6ish, etc (like UCSD and washington university) but i feel i won't get in and i might as well save 100-200 bucks by not applying to schools of that sort.

am i thinking too realistically? should i give hope a shot? i guess one good thing that MIGHT help me would be that i transfered from a junior college with a 3.18, but my first year GPA at the university (which i am about to finish up) is a 3.89 so far

i'm just a little confused..any words of wisdom?

hey whast up.....im from oc too. what jc did you go to...occ by any chance? also which university did you transfer to? thanks.

 

[omnione]

Instead of averages, I wish pharmacy schools would release data of the GPA range of the middle 50% of matriculating students. Given that the top 25% pull the average up, while many of people in the bottom 25% get in because of greatness elsewhere. Thus, knowing the range of GPAs of the middle 50% gives you a better view of the GPA needed to be a truly competitive applicant.

I digress a little, but I guess that the middle 50% of schools with 3.6 GPAs have GPAs between 3.4-3.8 more or less.

I think you should try since you aren't that far off GPA wise. You just need an interview first, and worry about the impressing then.

 

[nerv12345]

thanks for the encouragement guys! i don't know why i didn't realize this earlier, but it would be stupid for me to NOT apply rather than give it a shot

omnione...that would be great if they did that. it would be much clearer to prospective students

cystapharm: went to fullerton college, transfered to cal poly pomona

 

[beanpie]

hey whast up.....im from oc too. what jc did you go to...occ by any chance? also which university did you transfer to? thanks.

hey...i went to OCC, but that was back in the dark ages (1989). It's a great school!

ok, back to the topic: my overall gpa is 3.0 and i was accepted to USC. So, imho apply to the schools you want to go to.

 

[nerv12345]

congrats beanpie!! i actually REALLY want to go to USC

another thing that bothers me is that out of state public schools tend to favor in-state students...and with my non-competative GPA i have virtually eliminated all out of state public schools to apply to

 

[ageldred]

congrats beanpie!! i actually REALLY want to go to USC

another thing that bothers me is that out of state public schools tend to favor in-state students...and with my non-competative GPA i have virtually eliminated all out of state public schools to apply to

They DO favor in state students. Those state residents support the schools with their tax dollars, therefore they have a greater chance of being accepted. Private out of state schools have no such preferences in general, and out of state public tuition is usually around the same as private tuition. If you want to go out of state apply to the private schools there.

 

[eelo]

congrats beanpie!! i actually REALLY want to go to USC

another thing that bothers me is that out of state public schools tend to favor in-state students...and with my non-competative GPA i have virtually eliminated all out of state public schools to apply to

Of course they do; that's their mission. It's a definite waste of energy and time to allow it to bother you. If you're looking for in-state rates, go to a school in your state...... or move.

 

[binghamkid]

congrats beanpie!! i actually REALLY want to go to USC

another thing that bothers me is that out of state public schools tend to favor in-state students...and with my non-competative GPA i have virtually eliminated all out of state public schools to apply to

Just because they favor in-state students doesn't mean you don't have a chance. As far as I can tell, there's at least 25 to 30 students (maybe more) that are coming from out-of-state for UofMaryland this year. You have a chance, so don't give up =) You just need to stand out somehow.

 

[CaliCPhT]

okay ladies and gentlemen...how many of you have ever been conflicted about applying to schools with more competative GPA requirements than your GPA?

my dilemma is that my GPA is a mere overall 3.25 (science 3.35'ish) and i WANT to apply to schools with average GPA's of acceptees of 3.6ish, etc (like UCSD and washington university) but i feel i won't get in and i might as well save 100-200 bucks by not applying to schools of that sort.

am i thinking too realistically? should i give hope a shot? i guess one good thing that MIGHT help me would be that i transfered from a junior college with a 3.18, but my first year GPA at the university (which i am about to finish up) is a 3.89 so far

i'm just a little confused..any words of wisdom?

Ok. the average GPA is just that - an average of all the entry GPA's of the students in the program. Some will be higher and some will be lower. I think for you, the fact that you've managed to bring in a GPA of 3.89 over 1 year will speak a lot about you. You should definitely give it a chance. You can also take an opportunity to say why your JC GPA was a 3.18. The worst thing that can happen is the school can say no - this year. But try, try, try!!! Visualize yourself getting offered an interview at the schools you want to go to and visualize yourself rocking the interviews where the adcoms are fighting for you!!! You have to have the confidence in yourself to succeed! If you don't believe in yourself, then no one else will believe in you. Just my pearls of wisdom.