Rutgers Pharmacy Prerequisites for Transfers

[avpaddict]

Hi, I have a question about transferring into the pharmacy school!

Is it true that in order to apply as a transfer student for Rutgers EMSOP, you need to complete all of the prerequisite courses BEFORE YOU APPLY? I mean, is it possible to put off the completion for some of the remaining prerequisite courses to before the matriculation from the point when I apply, like all the other schools?

I know that most other pharmacy schools accept students as long as they have plans to finish the remaining prerequisites before they matriculate into the program, so I had just assumed that it'd be the same way for Rutgers. However, one of the admissions officers in Rutgers claimed that all the prerequisite courses must be competed before I apply, and I'm now just hoping this was a mistake on his part. I mean, if you need to finish ALL the prerequisites BEFORE applying as a transfer, doesn't that mean sophomores don't even get a chance to apply? The deadline for transfer is the 1st of February, so how on earth would you be able to finish a 70 semester credits worth of prerequisite course loads in just 3 semesters? And that's orgo and A&P included! I know it's really hard to get a spot in the pharmacy program as a transfer because the number of seats available is very small to begin with, but I'd never even considered something like this would be the case. I'm still waiting for a reply back at the school to confirm if this is really true, but in the meanwhile I'd like to hear some thoughts or your comment on this. For any of you guys who know about the transfer process, please share with me what you know about it. I'd really appreciate that.

Thanks!

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[BC_89]

This belongs in the Pharmacy School Specific Discussions subforum.

Moving.

 

[prepharmer]

I can confirm that that is not true. I got into Rutgers pharmacy as a transfer about a month ago. I applied while I was taking some prereqs in the fall (calculus, anatomy and physiology, physics I) and interviewed/was accepted while still taking prereqs in the spring (anatomy and physiology, physics II).

I still didn't decide whether or not to go-- talking to pharmacists about job saturation and not sure if it is worth it. I got into other schools as well which will be cheaper for me since I'm not in state at Rutgers.

 

[prepharmer]

If you're interested in my stats I was in the 98th percentile on the PCAT and have a 3.9 GPA.

 

[avpaddict]

If you're interested in my stats I was in the 98th percentile on the PCAT and have a 3.9 GPA.

Congrats on being accepted, that's just plain incredible!
I kinda see how you got in though how would you not get in with a 3.9/98 lol
I guess you're busy nowadays completing the remaining courses for the semester I presume?
Anyways, the administrative assistant from the school just confirmed that I must complete all prerequisites in order for Admissions to review my application and she also added that my application will be withdrawn if I don't complete them.
How did you get Admissions to review your application and get accepted while still taking courses?
Considering you're OOS and all, you didn't come from another Rutgers department as a school-to-school transfer by any chance, were you? I ask because I hear it's different for school-to-school transfers, that you may use the spring semester to complete prereqs in this case.
Oh, and if you don't mind me asking, can't you just attend Rutgers for a year and file a domecile there after filing taxes and everything if you're independent? I'm pretty sure you'd be able to pay the in-state tuition for the remaining years after that.

 

[prepharmer]

Congrats on being accepted, that's just plain incredible!
I kinda see how you got in though how would you not get in with a 3.9/98 lol
I guess you're busy nowadays completing the remaining courses for the semester I presume?
Anyways, the administrative assistant from the school just confirmed that I must complete all prerequisites in order for Admissions to review my application and she also added that my application will be withdrawn if I don't complete them.
How did you get Admissions to review your application and get accepted while still taking courses?
Considering you're OOS and all, you didn't come from another Rutgers department as a school-to-school transfer by any chance, were you? I ask because I hear it's different for school-to-school transfers, that you may use the spring semester to complete prereqs in this case.
Oh, and if you don't mind me asking, can't you just attend Rutgers for a year and file a domecile there after filing taxes and everything if you're independent? I'm pretty sure you'd be able to pay the in-state tuition for the remaining years after that.

Yeah still taking the rest of my courses remotely. Physics II in person was a pain but much better than through Zoom lol

I read the same thing the administrative assistant at your school did online but decided to take a chance on applying. I tried to speak to people at Rutgers but it's easy to get misleading information since it's such a big university and you're not on a typical track. (I'm not a Rutgers student.) I started my application in the fall but actually sent it in between semesters (before my fall grades came in) so could be that made a difference.

About tuition I'm still trying to figure it out. I finally spoke to someone in the residency department yesterday. She said that, if you're under 24 like me, unless you're living and paying taxes in NJ for a year BEFORE you start school, residency goes according to your parents for the entire time you're in school. I'm still hearing conflicting things. I know someone who thought she would qualify for residency after a year... Well, she's finishing P3 now and still paying OOS. Racking up that debt and actually thinking about MD now, so go figure.

@avpaddict if you have any more questions about the process please go ahead and ask

 

[avpaddict]

Yeah still taking the rest of my courses remotely. Physics II in person was a pain but much better than through Zoom lol

I read the same thing the administrative assistant at your school did online but decided to take a chance on applying. I tried to speak to people at Rutgers but it's easy to get misleading information since it's such a big university and you're not on a typical track. (I'm not a Rutgers student.) I started my application in the fall but actually sent it in between semesters (before my fall grades came in) so could be that made a difference.

About tuition I'm still trying to figure it out. I finally spoke to someone in the residency department yesterday. She said that, if you're under 24 like me, unless you're living and paying taxes in NJ for a year BEFORE you start school, residency goes according to your parents for the entire time you're in school. I'm still hearing conflicting things. I know someone who thought she would qualify for residency after a year... Well, she's finishing P3 now and still paying OOS. Racking up that debt and actually thinking about MD now, so go figure.

@avpaddict if you have any more questions about the process please go ahead and ask

So you applied fairly early, but turned in your transcripts for evaluation between the fall and spring semester? Maybe I should try that for a change! I still can't believe Rutgers would feed incorrect information to students who's holding them in such high regards that they're even preparing to apply, though. Even if you take into account that it's a huge school. Who would've thought, you're a real life savior!

Anyways, do you mean to say if you were over 24 before the school started, you'd be able to pay in-state after the first year? Because that'd be really sad since it's your age that's the problem then. I mean having to pay OOS just because you're under 24 before matriculation? They should seriously realize that most students are an independent all on their own before they hit 24 and even more so after that, and consider the fact they don't rely on parents for tuition anymore. Well, I guess the school just don't see it the same way.

Oh, and I definetly agree with you on looking for a different path. Your GPA seems to be an overkill to even consider pharmacy, so what made you think about it in the first place? Your GPA sounds competitive enough even for med school, so I would definetly encourage you to take that route!

This leads me to another question. How's your EC looking? I know you have perfect quantitative stats but it makes me wonder if you also have the good ECs to make you THE PERFECT CANDIDATE.
Thanks a lot for sharing your experience

 

[prepharmer]

So you applied fairly early, but turned in your transcripts for evaluation between the fall and spring semester? Maybe I should try that for a change! I still can't believe Rutgers would feed incorrect information to students who's holding them in such high regards that they're even preparing to apply, though. Even if you take into account that it's a huge school. Who would've thought, you're a real life savior!

Anyways, do you mean to say if you were over 24 before the school started, you'd be able to pay in-state after the first year? Because that'd be really sad since it's your age that's the problem then. I mean having to pay OOS just because you're under 24 before matriculation? They should seriously realize that most students are an independent all on their own before they hit 24 and even more so after that, and consider the fact they don't rely on parents for tuition anymore. Well, I guess the school just don't see it the same way.

Oh, and I definetly agree with you on looking for a different path. Your GPA seems to be an overkill to even consider pharmacy, so what made you think about it in the first place? Your GPA sounds competitive enough even for med school, so I would definetly encourage you to take that route!

This leads me to another question. How's your EC looking? I know you have perfect quantitative stats but it makes me wonder if you also have the good ECs to make you THE PERFECT CANDIDATE.
Thanks a lot for sharing your experience

Sorry I was a bit unclear in what I said above. I planned on applying early, so I researched what I needed in order to apply back then. But I actually submitted my application toward the end of the window (in January) after fall semester. I figured it was worth a try and it paid off... But yeah, that 24 thing is really hurting me.

I have some EC's but definitely not what you would need for med school. (Part of school-selected leadership society, on staff of school science journal.) I have some but not a lot of healthcare experience and volunteering. I also haven't done research. I am considering taking a gap year to build up on those things, taking the DAT and applying to dental school.

Pharmacy appealed to me because I really like chem-heavy subjects but still wanted a healthcare job with patient interaction. I would want to go the clinical route and possibly academia as well. I think pharmacy really does appeal more to me than dentistry (they are obviously very different careers so it's hard to measure one against the other) but I'm still doing research and talking to people etc. to be absolutely sure about my decision.