Strengths vs Weaknesses in an App

[TheFactionless]

I plan on applying later this year.

STRENGTHS: I hold a degree in a science discipline, I have worked in a pharmacy for 10 years, I've been a certified technician for 8 years. I held office for a prepharmacy club when I was still in school. I graduated a few years ago now. I have already taken my PCAT (not going to take it again) and I made a 70. I already have 1 excellent LOR from my former pharmacy manager.

I'm not working in the pharmacy anymore because I simply wasn't making any money as tech, I'm using my degree at that time and have been able to save up 1 years worth of pharmacy school tuition and I'm on track to saving up at least 2 and maybe even 3 (if I'm lucky).

WEAKNESSES: My transcript is a mess. I have C's and D's in classes here and there. Most of them are not pharmacy pre-requisites but some are. Those that are pre-requisites I am currently retaking for an A. (I will make an A. The classes weren't hard, I just didn't apply myself at all.)

Some of the schools I'm applying to say they only consider the most recent attempts at classes and only use the prepharmacy GPA. How am I looking? Any advice anyone can give me?

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[mikeyy2301]

What school are u applying too?


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[mikeyy2301]

By the way ur pcat score should be competitive to get u in. It also depends on ur prepharm gpa


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[TheFactionless]

What school are u applying too?


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Some schools in Texas and Howard.

 

[mikeyy2301]

Oh really I'm applying to tsu and Howard but I think I'm pulling out from Howard because my prerequisite was not meet


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[Mounjaro]

You've got enough extracurriculars, plenty of involvement, and a competitive PCAT score. As long as your GPA isn't slaughtered, you should be fine.

 

[TheFactionless]

You've got enough extracurriculars, plenty of involvement, and a competitive PCAT score. As long as your GPA isn't slaughtered, you should be fine.

Ok cool. After my retakes my pre Pharm gpa will be like a 3.5 but of course pharmacy reports all of my crappy grades too. That's more so what I'm worried about at this point. If this ill this have such a negative impact overall and destroy my chances.

 

[DrDrugs2012]

Your chance to distinguish yourself and overcome your past poor performance is in your personal statement. Do not dwell on your past performance and instead reference the past, succinctly emphasize what you learned from your past mistakes and what made you suddenly apply yourself diligently in academics. Shift the conversation at the admissions committee table from one of comparing raw stats to evaluating your personal evolution. On a basis of raw stats, you're an average applicant. On the basis of trajectory, however, I have more confidence in my desire to interview you.

And despite what anyone says, sob story personal statements (I got into pharmacy because my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer and I got so interested in medicines being used to save her life....) are filed in the circular bin. Everyone has an experience akin to that at least once in their 20+ years of life. Those stories tell the reader nothing about you as a person other than you think science is cool. Neato burrito. Second graders think science is cool when I shake a pencil and make it look like rubber. You wouldn't be applying if you weren't interested in science.

Make the admissions committee want to know more about you. That's how you score the interview and get the offer. And if you talk candidly about your personal growth, in a positive light, I would want to know more about you.

 

[TheFactionless]

Thanks for the honesty. Would you be willing to review my personal statement when I complete it?

 

[DrDrugs2012]

Thanks for the honesty. Would you be willing to review my personal statement when I complete it?

If you are talking to me, sure. You can always PM me. Always happy to help students achieve their goals.

But I am not on the site often. I will do my best to check frequently right now since I am a bit snowed in. But do get back to me sooner than later. Assuming of course you are talking to me. Heh

 

[TheFactionless]

If you are talking to me, sure. You can always PM me. Always happy to help students achieve their goals.

But I am not on the site often. I will do my best to check frequently right now since I am a bit snowed in. But do get back to me sooner than later. Assuming of course you are talking to me. Heh

Yes i am. I've only have an incomplete rough draft so far so it might be a little bit. But even if you check once a month that will be fine. I'll have it ready months before I apply.

 

[El Trombopag]

Second graders think science is cool when I shake a pencil and make it look like rubber.

That made my morning

 

[Amicable Angora]

Some schools in Texas and Howard.

Are you aware that Howard is a traditionally black school?

 

[TheFactionless]

Are you aware that Howard is a traditionally black school?

Lol. Yes. I know it's a HBCU.

 

[Amicable Angora]

Well if you're black and you have a ~70% on the PCAT and at least a half decent GPA you're going to get into Howard.

 

[sajimar25]

This is off-topic but I wanted to give it a try and see if someone can help. Has anyone here gone to UTSA?

I've applied to TSU for 2017 and I have an interview in November. The only pre-req. I am missing is Medical Terminology. I live in San Antonio currently and I got my B.S. In Biochemistry from SUNY Binghamton in 2010. I can take the class I'm missing at Univ. of Texas at San Antonio, but the only Medical Terminology class there is offered through the Kinesiology Dept. TSU said they won't accept it.

For any other students that went to UTSA, how did you fulfill the Medical Terminolgy pre-req? Where did you take it?

Thanks!