Sick to my stomach (didn't get gainesville campus)

[Trancelucent1]

(sorry it's long but I need advice)

When I found out that I was accepted the University of Florida's College of Pharmacy, I was ecstatic and I believed that I was accepted to the Gainesville campus. However, when my materials came in the mail they said that I might get my second choice which was Orlando. They would do a randomization and the campus would be selected in mid-March. I called today and they said that I was selected for the Orlando campus. Well, when I first chose that as my second choice (in September), I was willing to move there. I had a place to stay and I thought that the campus would have lectures just like at the main campus. I am the type of student who attends every lecture and ask questions and learn best this way. Well since then I have found out that all the lectures are online and I can DL them and watch them when I want. This is great for someone who doesn't like structure, but I am not like that. I enjoy getting up and going to class. I enjoy sitting there and socializing with people and asking questions with them before and after class. I really feel like I will not get much out of the satellite campus. I am a single 21 year old and have no family attachments, therefore I want to be around other people in the same boat. From what I've heard most of the people at the satellite campuses are married with families. Also, I was really looking forward to being involved with student council. I made a conscious decision not to work through pharmacy school so that I could be involved with student activities. I worked hard to finish early so that I could save up and not have to work during school. I am very upset right now and know that I will not be happy in Orlando. When I spoke with the woman from pharmacy student affairs she said that I could write a letter explaining my situation and that she would make sure that the director of admissions received it. However, there are not guarantees. What should I do? This really is a big enough deal to make me not want to go to Pharmacy school at all this year. Any advice? Thanks!!!

~Pam

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[28657]

I'm sorry to hear that you didn't get accepted to your first choice campus. That totally blows! I'm like you, I definitely like the social aspect of school. Hopefully the adcom will feel your pain and fix the problem. Maybe there's a few people who are just as upset about not getting Orlando and you could switch? I don't have much advice to give, but I *think* dgroulx attends UF distance learning style, so she should be able to tell you about it.

 

[gdk420]

Creighton university tried to pull the same crap on me and my friends. I flat out said no to them, my friend on the other hand, took their acceptance and said, the first student to drop out of the campus, he has to get first shot at it. They said, yes to his deal. He paid the deposit, did the online thing, after first semister, someone drop out, and they let him have the spot. But there was no gurantee that anyone would drop out and no gurantee that he would get the spot even. So he was kind of lucky.
In all honesty, if u have good grades and descent experience, I say go apply again to other schools. One of my classmates did the online at Florida and is now attending USC. She told me it is a world of difference. The interaction with ur classmates, the professors, the organizations that u will join, they all helped her to learn more. But that was her experience. My personal advice, if u have shakey grades or need to get out of school fast (family problem, money problem, etc.) then I say take the deal and go do the online thing. If not, just apply again to other schools.

 

[dgroulx]

I love the distance campus. We are actually at our campus about 3 days per week, but it will be 4-5 during year two. There are only 58 of us, so we are really close knit. We have branches of all the student groups and there are social activities. The KE chapter is really big at St. Pete. They do lots of things together. I'm sure it's the same in Orlando. There are some really nice people in Orlando, too. I met a few of them during the ASP Immunization drive in Tallahassee over spring break.

Plus, you are allowed to go to Gainesville and see the lectures if you want. We have a few students who do that. Your health center ID doesn't designate your campus. Just go to Orlando when you are required to be on campus, if you would rather have the lecture interaction.

There were several disappointed students in our class, but now they love being in St. Pete. I think you should give Orlando a try. There will be more young people than you think.

Also, there were over 2,000 applications, so it is super competitive this year and I wouldn't recommend giving up your seat if they won't transfer you.

 

[Caverject]

Also, do not think the alternative campuses have student activites, because they do. As a matter of fact, the APhA-ASP region 3 Member at Large is from an alternative UF campus. There will be many oppertunities to be involved. Plus, Apopka is a beautiful area and relativly (sp?) cheap to live at. It may not be what you wanted, but it isin't bad either.

 

[Trancelucent1]

I've heard that the orlando and st. pete distance campuses are much different. First of all, the Orlando campus is in one building where there isn't much interaction with other people. I've grown up in central florida and was really hoping to move out of this area as I've been here my whole life. Also, the KE chapter has not yet began to have meetings in the Orlando site (as the website states). This is important to me because I plan on doing a residency and would like this on my resume. Also, I want to do specialize in Pediatric clinical pharmacy, and was hoping to get some sort of an internship at Shands. Obviously, this will not happen being in Orlando. I understand that I can go to Gainesville for the lectures but does it really make sense to drive 2 1/2 hours to do that? There are many many reasons why Orlando is not right for me, I have a past there (not a bad one) but my goal is to move away and start over new. I'm ready to meet new people and I feel that since I know many people in the Orlando area, my studying will be jeopardized. We will see what happens, but I do plan on petitioning the site. They accepted me in a week so I'm sure that they do not want to lose me as a student. I have excellent grades and therefore feel that I should have some sort of a choice, especially since they accepted me so quickly. Thanks for the advice! I would definately like to hear more from people in the Orlando campus!


~Pam

 

[jason UCSD2000]

Originally posted by Trancelucent1
When I spoke with the woman from pharmacy student affairs she said that I could write a letter explaining my situation and that she would make sure that the director of admissions received it. However, there are not guarantees.

~Pam

You should write your letter. You never know what a good letter can do. Also, the others are right - if you give up your spot, do you think you'll get another shot next year? Do they allow people to transfer after a year? Did you apply to any other schools? I personally would not want to do the online thing. How badly do you want to go to pharmacy school this year?
-jason

 

[Caverject]

Originally posted by jason UCSD2000
You should write your letter. You never know what a good letter can do. Also, the others are right - if you give up your spot, do you think you'll get another shot next year? Do they allow people to transfer after a year? Did you apply to any other schools? I personally would not want to do the online thing. How badly do you want to go to pharmacy school this year?
-jason

I agree with jason. I have a few friends that got into a campus other than Gainsville. They played the "I'll quit because I got into another school" card and got in to Gainsville. The people that I know that did it, wrote letterrs to the dean. Be persistant in the fact that you are UNHAPPY about the location you were put at. It's nice to see that you did your research about what is and isint available at the campus. Most students going into pharmacy school I bet dont even understand what KE or APhA is. Good luck!

 

[Trancelucent1]

Thanks for the replies!! I will be writing my letter and sending it out today! I'll keep you posted!

~Pam

 

[dgroulx]

Good Luck! Dr. McKenzie is pretty cool. You might want to make an appointment to talk with him in person, too.

Dana

 

[dgroulx]

I wanted to let you know that some classes (pharmacology, pharmacotherapy, calculations, practicum, small group discussions, etc) are all held at the campus. These are classes that require interaction and they are not conducted over the internet.

Your internet courses are standard lectures like biochem, micro, and med chem. Most students in Gainesville stopped going to biochem and watched the video instead. Several of the professors from these classes travel to the distance sites for question & answer sessions, too.

I don't know about KE, but Orlando has an active ASP chapter. During legislative days, they had more students attend than Gainesville. The region 3 member at large for ASP that South mentioned is from the St. Pete campus.