South University - Columbia, SC Campus c/o 2013 Thread

[dtran01]

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I was accepted into this 3 year accelerated program, but it has been relatively quiet about this school on these boards. So I thought I'd start a thread!

This thread is only for the Columbia location, which is in South Carolina. The building is still under construction but slated for a June grand opening, and classes are scheduled to commence on June 14, 2010. The campus has FULL ACCREDITATION because it is an extension of the Savannah campus.

Has anyone else gotten in to the Columbia campus? Are you excited about attending? How did you feel about your visit?

Personally, of all the schools I've gotten into, this will be the cheapest, both for cost of living since a 2bedroom apt can be had for $650, as well as because it's about 36K for only THREE years instead of 4. Plus you have to calculate that extra year of being on the job market. The way classes are structured year-round, after only 2 years, students will be free to select their preceptor site for their 3rd yr rotations in their state of choice, so students may be able to save by going back to a site near home for a year.

 

[spacecowgirl]

I didn't know this was opening already. Where in town will the campus be?

Woe to the Cola people looking for rotation sites in town with another school opening.

 

[dtran01]

It will be right next to where the South University Nursing school is in Columbia, SC. Generally, it is the northeastern portion of the city. Pretty lively city and I would almost call it suburban if not for the gaps in between. I was surprised at how much there was to eat there 😀 it's not in the middle of nowhere.

What do you mean woe to the cola residents?

 

[Tatodotcom]

It will be right next to where the South University Nursing school is in Columbia, SC. Generally, it is the northeastern portion of the city. Pretty lively city and I would almost call it suburban if not for the gaps in between. I was surprised at how much there was to eat there 😀 it's not in the middle of nowhere.

What do you mean woe to the cola residents?

I think he/she means that it's already saturated in the area so its going to be difficult to find rotation sites. Pretty much why hardly any South students can find rotations in Atlanta with Mercer and UGA having priority over them.

 

[dtran01]

Not really a problem if you're from out of state, right? Just go home and find a rotation site near there. 😀

 

[Tatodotcom]

Not really a problem if you're from out of state, right? Just go home and find a rotation site near there. 😀

that works too...👍

 

[CK8652]

anyone going to the Savannah interview on the 12th? I'm not sure what to make out of the school, but they were very quick in responding to my application. Staff seems nice enough, feedback anyone?

 

[SouthernBadger]

I am going to be student in the Savannah class starting this June. The school is relatively small but the staff seemed extremely nice and professional. I was looking to make sure they had good advising and library facilities and was impressed. I compared South's 3 year accelerated program to many other programs across the country and found it to be a good fit. Depending on what you are looking for in a school may change your attitude. But on a side note, I just moved down to Savannah and absolutely love the city.

 

[CK8652]

I am going to be student in the Savannah class starting this June. The school is relatively small but the staff seemed extremely nice and professional. I was looking to make sure they had good advising and library facilities and was impressed. I compared South's 3 year accelerated program to many other programs across the country and found it to be a good fit. Depending on what you are looking for in a school may change your attitude. But on a side note, I just moved down to Savannah and absolutely love the city.

Have you done much research on their experiential programs? Any indication of how successful graduates have been in obtaining a residency ?

 

[Tatodotcom]

Have you done much research on their experiential programs? Any indication of how successful graduates have been in obtaining a residency ?

They definitely are not a geared toward residency..
My interviewer told me only 8 people did a residency last year none of which were in GA....this, along with other reasons, are why I decided against south. They did not even have a residence director at the interview.

It feels like almost everyone there was going into retail...if u want to get a good residency go to the top ranked programs👍

 

[SouthernBadger]

One thing I learned from college thus far is that you aren't judged solely on the school you come from. Residencies do interviews and want to evaluate each applicant to find the best match. So going to a high ranked school may help, but doesn't really change how good of an applicant you are. I suspect South doesn't become too involved with residency programs because it is an accelerated 3 year program. Many people choosing this program I would suspect are trying to graduate and enter the working world as a pharmacist as soon as possible. I went to a "high ranked" undergraduate school. This can often be based on research funding, publications and many resources that private schools are not necessarily striving to attain. So be mindful of your college choice to make a best fit match for yourself, not based on rankings. With this said, I am personally not interested in a residency so I am not very knowledgeable about the program South has geared towards it.

 

[CK8652]

They definitely are not a geared toward residency..
My interviewer told me only 8 people did a residency last year none of which were in GA....this, along with other reasons, are why I decided against south. They did not even have a residence director at the interview.

It feels like almost everyone there was going into retail...if u want to get a good residency go to the top ranked programs👍

I have an interview at Mercer next month, any insight into that program?

 

[rjd9090]

Hey there. I interviewed this past Friday at the Columbia, SC campus. They told us we should here something within a week but I got a phone call from one of the professors about 2 hours afterwards letting me know that I had been officially accepted. I'm way excited!

 

[AlphaChiPharmD]

I received my acceptance today. 😍 I am soooooo excited! See you in June!!

 

[AFGrl1183]

Hello everyone. Congrats on getting accepted to everyone who did. I am going to be applying to South (Columbia campus), USC, and PC, when my time comes of course which probably won't be until June 2011. I am just now starting my pre reqs, but I have a prior B.S. so I think I'll just have to do the sciences. If anyone can give any advice about their interview at South, and what their GPA, PCAT, pharmacy experience, etc. was that would be very helpful. I talked to a representative the other day over the phone and she said the average (or maybe it was minimum 😕) GPA was 3.3 and science and math was about the same, and PCAT around 60. Is this true? Did anyone have around these same GPA's and PCAT scores and still get accepted? If you did, what were your other factors (did you have pharm experience, good LOR's, extra cirrics)? Any advice would be nice! Thanks!

 

[rjd9090]

I received my acceptance today. 😍 I am soooooo excited! See you in June!!

Congrats! When did you interview??

 

[CK8652]

Hello everyone. Congrats on getting accepted to everyone who did. I am going to be applying to South (Columbia campus), USC, and PC, when my time comes of course which probably won't be until June 2011. I am just now starting my pre reqs, but I have a prior B.S. so I think I'll just have to do the sciences. If anyone can give any advice about their interview at South, and what their GPA, PCAT, pharmacy experience, etc. was that would be very helpful. I talked to a representative the other day over the phone and she said the average (or maybe it was minimum 😕) GPA was 3.3 and science and math was about the same, and PCAT around 60. Is this true? Did anyone have around these same GPA's and PCAT scores and still get accepted? If you did, what were your other factors (did you have pharm experience, good LOR's, extra cirrics)? Any advice would be nice! Thanks!

Let's just say I felt over qualified with a 3.5 GPA, a 92pcat, BS Biochem, the ability to speak clear English, and a couple months at a pharmacy. I got the impression 2.5-3.0's got in all day with a 60 pcat

 

[BbillpharmD]

Let's just say I felt over qualified with a 3.5 GPA, a 92pcat, BS Biochem, the ability to speak clear English, and a couple months at a pharmacy. I got the impression 2.5-3.0's got in all day with a 60 pcat

haha gotta love it/👍

Any one with a pulse can get in. When I interviewed here, I got accepted 4 hours after by phone. If you have a 90 plus pcat then you're basically automatically accepted.

 

[AFGrl1183]

Well that's good I suppose for me since I am not very good at math and science, but I wonder how good the school is then? I haven't had the chance to make a visit yet to see how their facility or faculty are. Can anyone give advice on how good the school acutally is? By good I mean, do they prepare you well for pharmacy practice? But I suppose if this is the Columbia campus inagural class, no one would really know much about that. Well if anyone has visited there or if the people that have interviewed there can give me any insight on how the facilities and faculty are that would be nice. Thanks!