Southern Illinois pharmacy school

[panzer]

I was browsing this forum and didn't find any thread about SIUE pharmacy school. Did anyone here apply there and got interviewed? What were your stats???

What about those people that got in and chose to go somewhere else in IL or some other state. What were your reasons? I am just surprised there is no talk of SIUE being a cheaper southern IL school.

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[Illinigirl09]

I didn't apply and don't plan on applying, but because its affiliated with the University of Illinois system I had a lot of guidance about their program.

SIUE definitely favors in-state students, but in a different way than UIC's program does. SIUE favors small-town students, especially those from around the Edwardsville area. Apparently, they're more geared towards rural pharmacy.

I have a lot of random notes from when an admissions officer came to talk to our pre-pharm club, so PM me if you have any other questions.

 

[monsterbrain]

I was accepted by SIUE and will be attending this fall. What Illini said is not necessarily true. I live in St. Louis, which means I am from out of state AND definitely not a rural pharmacy student. What I have noticed is that the school seems to favor SIUE pre-pharmacy students. I had a 3.72 GPA (3.60 math/science) and a 76 pcat with 2.5 years pharm tech experience. If you go to www.siue.edu/pharmacy/ you can see the demographics of each class.

I was told they received 650 applications (not sure how many of those were truly viable), interviewed 180, and accepted around 80. It's a small school, but I have been very impressed with the staff on all my interactions with them. They should get accreditation next year after the '09 class graduates, so I imagine the number of applicants will increase.

I think there are a few reasons this school is not very popular on this forum: 1) the school is relatively new, 2) they are not yet accredited, and 3) the school is not located in a large metropolitan area (although St. Louis is only about 20 minutes away.)

 

[Illinigirl09]

I wasn't at all trying to be discouraging, I was just passing on what I had been told explicitly from one of the people on their admissions staff that came to talk to us, Dr. Gireesh Gupchup (I finally dragged up my notes). Of course there are exceptions as to who they favor, and you may as well be one of them. But if you look at the demographics of their incoming class, http://www.siue.edu/pharmacy/profile.shtml you'll see that out of 82 students this incoming class, only 10 were not from the state of Illinois, 40 from southern Illinois, 24 from central and only 8 are from the Chicago area. That doesn't mean someone who is interested in the program shouldn't apply because they're from Chicago, it just means they tend to accept more people that are from smaller towns (I'm saying that because they're aren't actually any metropolitan areas in southern Illinois.)

That being said, I was incredibly impressed by Dr. Gupchup and their program is pretty incredible. They have 18 week semesters, and you do "experimentals" every semester. Straight from my notes, I have "We stress the rural component, and our program is focusing on rural pharmacy." They have a strong student governance and are looking for holistic students that are more well rounded.

The last thing Dr. Gupchup showed us was how they weigh different sections of the applicant, and he wrote it on a blackboard and was very amusing about it, talking about that all the applicants are really great but you have to be a "special unicorn" with "a great horn that sticks out from the rest." He really was a hit. Here's what he said:

Pre-pharm GPA - I
Pre-pharm math/science - I
PCAT - II
LOR - V
Cumulative GPA - IV

and the "horn" is the Interview - II and the Writing prompt - III.

Also, they don't look at writing section of your PCAT.

Those are my general notes.

 

[panzer]

^ Thanks for the great info. I wonder why we don't get him or any other SIUE representative in our school.. Which school did you go to?

As for the rural component, could that also mean that you could make a commitment to serve in the rural areas to get that part of the application? I don't know if this work but I am thinking on the lines of federal programs where you get aid from the government if you promise to go and serve in underrepresented poorer areas of the country after graduation.

 

[panzer]

I was accepted by SIUE and will be attending this fall. What Illini said is not necessarily true. I live in St. Louis, which means I am from out of state AND definitely not a rural pharmacy student. What I have noticed is that the school seems to favor SIUE pre-pharmacy students. I had a 3.72 GPA (3.60 math/science) and a 76 pcat with 2.5 years pharm tech experience. If you go to www.siue.edu/pharmacy/ you can see the demographics of each class.

I was told they received 650 applications (not sure how many of those were truly viable), interviewed 180, and accepted around 80. It's a small school, but I have been very impressed with the staff on all my interactions with them. They should get accreditation next year after the '09 class graduates, so I imagine the number of applicants will increase.

I think there are a few reasons this school is not very popular on this forum: 1) the school is relatively new, 2) they are not yet accredited, and 3) the school is not located in a large metropolitan area (although St. Louis is only about 20 minutes away.)

Did you apply to other schools especially in your home state of missouri [cheaper public schools?] or did you make the decision to come here because you are so close to this school than others?

 

[monsterbrain]

Did you apply to other schools especially in your home state of missouri [cheaper public schools?] or did you make the decision to come here because you are so close to this school than others?

I did not apply to any other schools because I could not leave my family. University of Missouri has pharmacy schools in Kansas City and Columbia (2 hours away) and so was not an option for me. St. Louis College of Pharmacy is a 0-6 program and very difficult (if not impossible) to get into. If I had not been accepted, I would have looked at other careers.

Have you taken all your pre-reqs yet? If not, can you attend SIUE to do so? I know the school will never say so, but I'm convinced that's the ticket into the pharmacy school. Not that everyone who takes pre-reqs at SIUE will get in, but I really do believe it makes an impression on the adcom.

 

[monsterbrain]

I wasn't at all trying to be discouraging, I was just passing on what I had been told explicitly from one of the people on their admissions staff that came to talk to us, Dr. Gireesh Gupchup (I finally dragged up my notes).

Oh sorry; I didn't mean to make it sound like you were being discouraging. It just seems like a lot of people are leary of applying to SIUE because of the school's reputation for preferring in-state, southern-Illinois candidates, and I wanted panzer to know that acceptance for an out-of-state applicant is not impossible. Especially when I personally know many of the goofballs they accepted 🙄. But that 10 out of 82 number you quoted is definitely daunting!

I, too, think Gupchup is great! He is teaching one of my courses this fall, and I can't wait to see what he is like in the classroom. All of the faculty I have met so far (which probably isn't that many) are just like him. I wish there were more current students on this forum that could add to these discussions.

 

[panzer]

I wouldn't concern myself with SIUE with such a smaller class if I were an out of stater...


Though, the average GPA seems high on stats in this thread but that maybe that pharmacy used to be all about GPAs and PCATs in the past. I think changes started happening after 04-05 otherwise someone I know wouldn't have had gotten into a school! 😀

 

[monsterbrain]

There was a girl in my organic class that did not get an interview with SIUE. She said they told her that her 3.3 pre-pharm GPA was too low. Now, I don't know how much truth is behind her statement (you know how these stories go); but supposedly the dean didn't want to interview anyone who had less than a 3.5 GPA. Apparently, he found that statistically many of the lower GPA students already enrolled in the school were struggling. Believe what you will, but personally ALL the people I know who were admitted (probably under 10) had higher GPAs than mine. One of my friends having a 3.85 GPA and an 85 on PCAT was put on the waitlist (#7) but eventually was accepted.

Sorry if it seems like I'm being discouraging now. Realistically, though, if you have over a 3.5 GPA and 75 PCAT, you should be competitive for an interview. Best of luck to you!

 

[panzer]

I am just kind of surprised considering the "competitiveness" of SIUE undergrad program [people with 15's on ACT getting in according to a person who lived downstate with not so stellar grades] as it must be providing at least some applicants to SIUE pharm school.

PS Is your GPA 3.5ish since you said all people you knew had higher GPAs? Some 4.0's??? 😆

 

[Caesar]

I am just kind of surprised considering the "competitiveness" of SIUE undergrad program [people with 15's on ACT getting in according to a person who lived downstate with not so stellar grades] as it must be providing at least some applicants to SIUE pharm school.

PS Is your GPA 3.5ish since you said all people you knew had higher GPAs? Some 4.0's??? 😆

people with 15's on ACT doesn't affect the competitiveness of a program. You will still have (and do) those with 34's and 35's who choose to go to a school because they are given full rides (I know a few). Many of the students did the 6 year program and applied in after 2 or 3 undergrad years.

PM me if you have questions, I don't hang out in the Pre-Pharm forums.

 

[monsterbrain]

I am just kind of surprised considering the "competitiveness" of SIUE undergrad program [people with 15's on ACT getting in according to a person who lived downstate with not so stellar grades] as it must be providing at least some applicants to SIUE pharm school.

PS Is your GPA 3.5ish since you said all people you knew had higher GPAs? Some 4.0's??? 😆

My GPA was 3.72, and yes, many of my classmates had 4.0s. Definitely what you would call "brainiacs." They just act like ******s outside of the classroom. And I wouldn't equate the general population of SIUE to those accepted to pharmacy school. Two totally different animals. The people I know that were accepted are extremely bright and dedicated students--certainly NOT the same kids who got a 15 on the ACT.

 

[panzer]

Well I was making an intelligent guess considering SIUE's preference for downstate, rural applicants and SIUE being one of the biggest schools [are there any other undergrad universities there?] and somehow the fact that at undergrad schools where they also have a pharm school, you have the bulk of the class coming from their undergrad class. For example, if you look at UIC's pharmacy school, you will see like the most people from one university are their UIC undergrad program. Now the school says that it doesn't matter where you take the courses and it might be true but there is a huge correlation to be overlooked..

 

[monsterbrain]

Well I was making an intelligent guess considering SIUE's preference for downstate, rural applicants and SIUE being one of the biggest schools [are there any other undergrad universities there?] and somehow the fact that at undergrad schools where they also have a pharm school, you have the bulk of the class coming from their undergrad class. For example, if you look at UIC's pharmacy school, you will see like the most people from one university are their UIC undergrad program. Now the school says that it doesn't matter where you take the courses and it might be true but there is a huge correlation to be overlooked..

Here's some information that might clear up your doubts: SIU Carbondale is also in southern Illinois and has an enrollment of > 16,000. Edwardsville, IL is directly across the river from St. Louis, MO (metro population of 1.5 million), where there are many big colleges--ever heard of Washington University, one of the top ranked medical schools in the country? SIU Edwardsville has an enrollment of almost 11,000 and the pharmacy school accepts a whopping 80 students. Even if you figure that 50% of the pharmacy class come from the SIUE undergrad program, you are talking about 40 students being selected from a pool of 11,000. Don't you think with that ratio, the school might be picking the best of the best?

If you go to the website Illinigirl referenced, you will see the pharmacy school's stats, particularly where each year has higher numbers than the last. Am I trying to convince you that SIUE has one of the country's best pharmacy programs? No. They aren't even accredited yet. But I guess I am trying to convice you and others out there that the southern Illinois region is not full of a bunch of backwoods, hillbilly types. It is true that the area is hurting for pharmacists, and the school hopes its students aid in that shortage; but other than location (and most certainly night life 😉) there is no difference between a city and rural pharmacist.

 

[homeslice]

I almost never see anything about SIUE on these forums, but I just got an interview invite in the mail today. Anybody else?

 

[durrrrr]

I have one too. Friday, March 27th PM interview.

 

[dibango]

me too

 

[durrrrr]

me too

The same date and time as me? or just an interview with siue in general?

 

[runner1942]

I just got my interview letter this weekend! March 30- I'm very excited! I am an SIUE undergrad now, so I'd love to stay where I'm at!

 

[phisto]

hey, i am from chicago and i have got an interview on the 30th of this month.i plan on driving to Edwardsville on the 29th and return on the 30th after my interview.Wondering if anybody having an interview on the same day wants to carpool with me.

 

[roziak]

I am from the Edwardsville area and I also have an interview coming on up on the 26th of this month. I have a 3.65GPA and got a 58 on my PCAT... I don't think the PCAT score makes me fall into the competitive range for the PCAT but as long as I got the interview 🙂


monsterbrain, the statement about the minimum of a 3.5 pre-pharmacy GPA to get an interview i think is wrong. One of my friends got one and they have about a 3.2 or so pre-pharmacy GPA. And I don't think your GPA or PCAT matter in the interview because it's a closed-interview meaning that the interviewers don't know your grades at all before or during the interview.

Also, where did you hear about the numbers for people getting accepted? (the 80accepted, 180interviewed, and 650applied)? I heard that it was more like 80accepted, 600interviewed, and around 2000 applied from multiple students in the school of pharmacy. those numbers seem pretty high but I don't really know.

 

[Dr.iz-n]

I want to apply to this school in Fall 2010. My PCAT composite is 77 and my Pre-pharm GPA is probably 3.2ish, overall, 3.6...Do I seem competitive? Also, I have lots of community service and other interesting experiences.

Does the school have early decision? I know they don't participate in Pharmcas...

I am from the Edwardsville area and I also have an interview coming on up on the 26th of this month. I have a 3.65GPA and got a 58 on my PCAT... I don't think the PCAT score makes me fall into the competitive range for the PCAT but as long as I got the interview 🙂


monsterbrain, the statement about the minimum of a 3.5 pre-pharmacy GPA to get an interview i think is wrong. One of my friends got one and they have about a 3.2 or so pre-pharmacy GPA. And I don't think your GPA or PCAT matter in the interview because it's a closed-interview meaning that the interviewers don't know your grades at all before or during the interview.

Also, where did you hear about the numbers for people getting accepted? (the 80accepted, 180interviewed, and 650applied)? I heard that it was more like 80accepted, 600interviewed, and around 2000 applied from multiple students in the school of pharmacy. those numbers seem pretty high but I don't really know.

 

[farmassist87]

my interview is on the 30th, so i'm starting to get excited. i'm looking forward to seeing the campus cuz i've never been in that area before. one thing i was wondering about was whether or not it is required or recommended for pharm students to have a car with them on campus (for off campus observation hours and such) . I know midwestern recommends it while uic does not. any current students have advice on this?

 

[ILRX88]

Acceptance letters were sent today so hopefully we will know in a couple of days!!!