Supplemental Application/Religious preference

[BonaPharm]

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I need some feedback on this from anyone.
I am in the process of applying to pharmacy school.One of the schools where I am applying, on their supplemental application they ask for Religious Preference. Its a private school and a Baptist university. At the bottom of application they say of course they dont discriminate and stuff.
I am a Muslim and I just pretty much want to know whether you guys think its a wast of my time.

Or should I put N/A because to me they are not asking what religion are you they are asking for the "preference".
I dont know help me I need some advise.

 

[Glycerin]

This belongs in the pre-pharmacy forum, so I am moving it.

If it is Mercer to which you are referring, they will not discriminate against you because you are Muslim. Talk about how being open to other religions and views is beneficial to the pharmacy profession.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I think WVU does the same thing and I put down atheist (or I've been smoking too much crack and it didn't really happen.) West Virginia is like the dark ages. You can't go a mile down the interstate without seeing a "Puh-raise Jay-zus" billboard (in authentic phonetic redneck for you reading pleasure.) If I don't get any flack for it in the land of the good 'ol boy, I doubt you will. If worst does come to worst, you can always perform the ultimate act of being an American - sue the bastards.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Oh, wait, nevermind, it was the Christian Pharmacists Fellowship Int'l I'm thinking about. Haha, good times. I remember I emailed the faculty member overseeing it if I could join if I wasn't a Christian. Never got a response. Which is a shame, because I wanted to join and be my school's chapter president for the sheer irony of it all. That and they do cool work in the 3rd world treating the truely unfortunate which would have been a great opportunity.

 

[ultracet]

just be honest..... i go to a private baptist institution and we have all types in our class..

that being said.... in class try not to be offended when the professors talk about God or Jesus or you have a prayer before tests.... we also discuss religion and the practice of pharmacy and even have a course in Christianity and Heathcare

 

[cdpiano27]

Is this school Palm Beach Atlantic? If so, do not let them know you are anything else but Christian in some way. I am originally from the West Palm Beach area, and took piano lessons from my first teacher there all the way back in 1987 way before the pharmacy school was built. Back then, the school was very much into promoting their baptist ideas, and the music department performed A LOT of religious music. In fact classical music still is present when you are put on hold while waiting to speak to the head of graduate admissions. Even the classical choral music that is performed there is based on oratorios, such as Mendelssohn's Elijah which is about the birth and death of Chirst. I know that they are still this way.

Church is MANDATORY at this school. In fact the church is right across the street on Olive Avenue (US I). The faculty is nice but they are indeed very religious and in the Baptist way as well. I would right N/A if I were you.
If you are Christian definitely let them know. If you are not, keep it secret.
They are hardcore on religion, and that was a big selling point for the school when not many people knew about them when I was a young kid back in the 1980's to early 1990's.

Anotehr thing, they will not let a girl room with another boy unless they are married. This is clearly a part of their religious beliefs.

As far as the school, the area is very nice, being near the Intracoastal waterway, with a great view. CityPlace, with its expensive stores and movie theatre are there. This was built in 1999 and I went to high school, while this mega-complex was being built. But the pharm school is across a CEMETERY! Very creepy! I believe it is a good school for pharmacy but they are very religious. Remember their slogan is: Practicing pharmacy with faith. Preparing the servant-leaders of our profession for tomorrow. Some people like the religion and will go here because this is how the school is truly unique, while others don't. You can decide for yourself.

If you just want another school to apply to, just stay quiet, go to church, do the community service hours, and do not say anything about your religion if you are Muslim. Remember, you just want your PharmD and to get a very-high-paying job after graduation. Nothing more.

Good luck!

 

[aaron31981]

If it is Mercer, they will not reject you simply due to theological preferences.

I said that I am agnostic, and they accepted me. Just hope you don't room with some prostalatizing theology student. The fear of that is one of the reasons I went to MWU instead...

 

[FLGrlJo]

It's my understanding the school uses that information for statistical purposes only - not for making admisisons decisions.

Hope this helps!

 

[aurovon]

I think you should state the fact you are Muslim. Why? Because you will stand out. Your admission should not be based upon your religon, ethnicity, etc. Even if they do, who knows maybe they like it that you are different than most of the students and might want to take you in for whatever reason. I say go ahead and do it mainly because it would stand out.

 

[bananaface]

I am in favor of being open about religious preference. If you are going to potentially need any accomodations as a result of your religious preference, you would need to state your religious preference on your application. For example, if you didn't state that you are Muslim, your professor might not be as willing to let you out of a lab exercise involving a glucose tolerance test so that you can observe Ramadan. Or, if you happen to be a person who chooses to dress traditionally, and the current school dress code does not allow for that, you may have difficulty getting them to change things. Finally, if people aren't going to accept you for who you are, you probably don't want to spend 4 years of your life putting up with then.

 

[RLK]

Is this school Palm Beach Atlantic? If so, do not let them know you are anything else but Christian in some way. I am originally from the West Palm Beach area, and took piano lessons from my first teacher there all the way back in 1987 way before the pharmacy school was built. Back then, the school was very much into promoting their baptist ideas, and the music department performed A LOT of religious music. In fact classical music still is present when you are put on hold while waiting to speak to the head of graduate admissions. Even the classical choral music that is performed there is based on oratorios, such as Mendelssohn's Elijah which is about the birth and death of Chirst. I know that they are still this way.

Church is MANDATORY at this school. In fact the church is right across the street on Olive Avenue (US I). The faculty is nice but they are indeed very religious and in the Baptist way as well. I would right N/A if I were you.
If you are Christian definitely let them know. If you are not, keep it secret.
They are hardcore on religion, and that was a big selling point for the school when not many people knew about them when I was a young kid back in the 1980's to early 1990's.

Anotehr thing, they will not let a girl room with another boy unless they are married. This is clearly a part of their religious beliefs.

As far as the school, the area is very nice, being near the Intracoastal waterway, with a great view. CityPlace, with its expensive stores and movie theatre are there. This was built in 1999 and I went to high school, while this mega-complex was being built. But the pharm school is across a CEMETERY! Very creepy! I believe it is a good school for pharmacy but they are very religious. Remember their slogan is: Practicing pharmacy with faith. Preparing the servant-leaders of our profession for tomorrow. Some people like the religion and will go here because this is how the school is truly unique, while others don't. You can decide for yourself.

If you just want another school to apply to, just stay quiet, go to church, do the community service hours, and do not say anything about your religion if you are Muslim. Remember, you just want your PharmD and to get a very-high-paying job after graduation. Nothing more.

Good luck!

Church is mandatory? Wow.