Should I get a Bachelors degree before Pharmacy School??

[TXpharmD08]

I am a student at a community college in Texas taking pre-pharmacy courses. I'm considering transfering to Texas A&M or Texas Tech to finish my prerequisites and maybe even getting a BA in chemistry. I currently have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 and a Science GPA of 4.0(only one science course so far). I'm wanting to know if i should stay at my community college and finish my prerequisites then go straight into pharmacy school, or would it be better to have the bachelors degree? thanks for any help with the decision!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[phuturepharmd]

i may be biased but I would say that getting a degree just strengthens your chances of being accepted into pharmacy school. It shows that you are a dedicated student and gives you one more advantage over non-degree applicants.

 

[phathead]

It would be better to have a BA/BS but some people do get in without it.

It is an almost unwritten requirement at most schools that you either have to have a 4 year degree or be pretty close to having one. Several schools are going to that requirement within a year or two, so it is not a bad idea.

 

[Passion4Sci]

Having a back-up plan is also a good idea.

Get the Bachelor's degree.

 

[NinjaSquirrel]

I am a student at a community college in Texas taking pre-pharmacy courses. I'm considering transfering to Texas A&M or Texas Tech to finish my prerequisites and maybe even getting a BA in chemistry. I currently have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 and a Science GPA of 4.0(only one science course so far). I'm wanting to know if i should stay at my community college and finish my prerequisites then go straight into pharmacy school, or would it be better to have the bachelors degree? thanks for any help with the decision!

I was in your shoes 3 years ago, and I believe the best advice has already been mentioned by Passion4Sci. Always have a back up!
I am currently finishing my final semester towards my BS as a Biology major with a Chem minor. Granted some individuals call Bio-majors "failed majors" (since not many opportunities are available until you get your MS), I feel that being a Bio-major has given me multiple opportunities in becoming more familiar with the material you can expect to see as a P1. For example I have taken courses such Immunology and Human Physiology (not referring to A&P here) and granted I am no expert in either field, this will greatly help me as a P1.

As for your prerequisites, for Texas schools it is highly unlikely that certain courses will transfer from a CC. There is always a question raised by the COP's whether those CC courses are competitive as some 4yr intitutions. I personally took my sweet time in taking as many courses that I possibly could ie: the maximum amount of credits that would transfer to a four year institution. Certain courses according to the COP I am interested in stated that they prefer I take higher level courses such as O-Chem at a 4yr univ. Therefore I took all of my freshman and sophomore level courses at a CC which was about 48 credits and the rest required for the degree at the 4yr univ.

Sorry if I typed a lot of crap lol, but the moral of the story is: Always have a back-up.

 

[crazybob]

I am a student at a community college in Texas taking pre-pharmacy courses. I'm considering transfering to Texas A&M or Texas Tech to finish my prerequisites and maybe even getting a BA in chemistry. I currently have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 and a Science GPA of 4.0(only one science course so far). I'm wanting to know if i should stay at my community college and finish my prerequisites then go straight into pharmacy school, or would it be better to have the bachelors degree? thanks for any help with the decision!

Apply to pharmacy school before getting your bachelors degree and see if you can start without one. Many people in my class do not have a bachelors degree, but some do and one guy has a PhD.

It all depends on how comfortable you are with your education. If you believe that you will benefit significantly from finishing your degree and graduating before starting pharmacy school, then I'd say go for it.

But you do not necessarily need one if you have taken enough upper-level courses and you feel that you are well prepared.

 

[Moni526]

Honestly, it really depends on the school you are applying to. I definitely agree it strengthens your application. Personally, I have an AA and I have completed the rest of the prereqs at my school. I have been accepted to a school already. I know a P4 at Nova who got in with NO degree, just all of the prereqs. So the decision is totally up to you.

 

[doctorfreeze]

go for phd to improve chances

 

[cuncti316]

It's highly recommended, and it will make you look more competitive....

 

[Passion4Sci]

go for phd to improve chances

...

 

[crazybob]

go for phd to improve chances

You have to realize that it takes a long time for the OP to get to his PhD. 2 years of grad school and 4 years to get his PhD. That's longer than the time it would take to get his PharmD.

In 6 years, he could get his PharmD, and go through PGY1 and PGY2 residencies.

 

[Passion4Sci]

Pretty sure Doctorfreeze is in the wrong forum. Or something.

 

[crazybob]

Pretty sure Doctorfreeze is in the wrong forum. Or something.

Not necessarily. He/she isn't explaining his/her posts completely, so it may seem like it's off-topic.

 

[TXpharmD08]

Thanks guys for the help! I'll see how i stand after this semester but it looks like i will just get the BA first then apply for Pharmacy school. thanks again!