Reapplicant looking for tips!

[Thyroglobulin]

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Hey guys, I wasn't accepted to any of the schools I applied to (CA schools). I'm looking to improve my application and I want to hear some honest opinions. I have a BS in Bio and I plan on applying OOS this time.

Grades in Pre-requisites.
Calculus: A- Physio: B
Anatomy: A Psych: A
Gen Chem1: C MacroEcon: B+
Gen Chem2: C Genetics: B
Cell Bio: B Pre-Calc: C
General Bio: B+, B-
Bio Stats: A
Ochem1: B-
Ochem2: B+
Ochem lab: B
Physics1: A-
Physics2: B
Micrbio: B
Biochem: B

3.2 cum. gpa. I've been averaging a 3.5~ the past 2 years though.

I know the general chem looks bad. I took it when I was a frosh and did not know how to study for science classes. I plan on retaking genchem1 if there is space at a local jc. Is this a good idea? Should I retake precalc too?

Extracurricular
2 year officer pre pharm club (I dont have many hours acheived though)
3 yrs in bio club
100 hours volunteer at homeless shelter
Have shadowed 2 pharmacists

I'm currently looking for volunteer spots at local pharmacies. I'm going to take the PCAT in Aug/Sept too.

Thanks for the help guys!

 

[Niosh]

You'd probably get the best response from the admissions dept at the schools you applied to. They'll tell you what they thought were your weak spots. I can tell you with almost certainty that it wasn't any one single class that got you denied. Re-taking Gen-Chem I might be a waste of time and money. The schools themselves will be able to help you more than anyone here can.

I didn't get in last year and called the school's adviser up and he was able to tell me the good and the bad about my application. It was easy then for me to work directly on those points that needed it most. I got in this year.

 

[LAPharmGirl]

I second contacting the school(s) directly. I didn't get in last year and was given very specific advice that helped me get in this year.

Plus making a personal connection with someone in the admissions office always helps. Good Luck!

 

[kevinlawton]

Mind if I ask which schools you applied to? I know someone who got into UCSF with a 3.1 sGPA so it could have been the essay that also gave you a problem

 

[Thyroglobulin]

Thanks for the advice, I'll call back the offices to see what went wrong.

I applied to USC, UOP, and Touro,

 

[30Percent]

You might want to apply to more schools this time around.

 

[SVB99]

I second the notion of applying OOS. I would also recommend some pharmacy technician experience. It makes a huge difference at most schools. At least it for me. Your grades merit at least a few interviews depending on where you apply.

 

[dktaba]

I submitted applications this cycle and unfortunately was not able to apply until the last minute for schools whose deadlines were at the start of November because of some delays in my application materials. Consequently I was not able to finish any secondary applications other than for schools that had a much later deadline. Basically I only ended up applying to a couple of schools. I got accepted into Touro (yay!) but I really want either UCSF, UCSD or USC or at least a school that is ranked or has a reputation and a good research program. I have good enough stats that on the 'what are my chances' thread they said my chances at any of those three schools are very high and I intend to do more pharmacy volunteering and also learn spanish as a second language (important here to Southern California schools especially). I dont want to risk it by declining the offer from Touro but I also want to at least take a shot at these other schools. I live in San Diego and did my undergrad at UCSD and have heard that the schools reputation and research programs etc can really impact the opportunities available to new pharmacy graduates. Plus being a public school the tuition is 10,000 a year compared to Touro at over 30,000. Is it a bad move to decline Touro and reapply to Touro and complete all my applications for my choice schools for this coming cycle? I would hate to not get anything for some reason because I declined. But I would also apply right away when the cycle opened. Any input appreciated

 

[netmag]

Unless you really, really need to stay in CA, you should indeed consider out of state schools. You would be in some where right now if you had done so and I mean decent schools too. However, if you would need to take the PCAT but even then as long as you can get above a 50 on it, you still could've gotten into a couple of schools. If you read threads here you can see what stats people have who are getting into certain schools.

If you need to stay in CA then you need to stay there but otherwise you may look back after another year and realize that you could've already been half way through or nearly done with graduate school in the time that you spent trying to improve your app just for CA schools.

 

[PharmacyWarrior]

Get some experience as a cpht and apply to more schools (for this cycle). If you really want to get in CA, I suggest you take more upper division science courses and try to raise your GPA a bit more.

 

[netmag]

You probably should've started your own thread instead of tacking this onto someone else's. However, if you turn down an offer then you need to be prepared not to get accepted to that school again. It depends on the school really. They may not care or if they note that you declined an offer the previous year, they might put you down at the bottom of the list or just reject you. Hard to say. I had a friend that explicitly did not apply to certain schools because she wanted to take a try at her top choices first. She made that decision knowing that she might have to wait another year but she was in a situation where she was ok with that if necessary and there were some legitmate questions about the schools that she decided to wait on. She also would not have declined an offer if she only got it from one school so that played into her decision to hold off on applying to a few schools. In general, you should only apply to a school that you would be fine with actually going to if you got accepted only to that school.

In your situation, it's up to you. If you think your stats are good enough to get you into on of your top choices or perhaps somewhere else then you can do that. Just make sure you don't have any expectations one way or the other about the school that you decline. As long as you have the understanding that they are within their rights to tell you to take a hike next year and you're ok with that possibility then you can do whatever you want.

I submitted applications this cycle and unfortunately was not able to apply until the last minute for schools whose deadlines were at the start of November because of some delays in my application materials. Consequently I was not able to finish any secondary applications other than for schools that had a much later deadline. Basically I only ended up applying to a couple of schools. I got accepted into Touro (yay!) but I really want either UCSF, UCSD or USC or at least a school that is ranked or has a reputation and a good research program. I have good enough stats that on the 'what are my chances' thread they said my chances at any of those three schools are very high and I intend to do more pharmacy volunteering and also learn spanish as a second language (important here to Southern California schools especially). I dont want to risk it by declining the offer from Touro but I also want to at least take a shot at these other schools. I live in San Diego and did my undergrad at UCSD and have heard that the schools reputation and research programs etc can really impact the opportunities available to new pharmacy graduates. Plus being a public school the tuition is 10,000 a year compared to Touro at over 30,000. Is it a bad move to decline Touro and reapply to Touro and complete all my applications for my choice schools for this coming cycle? I would hate to not get anything for some reason because I declined. But I would also apply right away when the cycle opened. Any input appreciated