Too Young?

[ADHDJake]

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Does age come into play at all during the selection process or do administrators shy away from using it as a selection factor to avoid discrimination? I'm 19 atm, just took my PCAT and will have all my pre-reqs done by the end of next spring. I'm pretty confident about everything so far (still nervous about my PCAT scores but I've never done poorly on an exam so I'm hoping they'll at least be average), except the fact that if the selection committee uses age as a factor they might see me as being potentially too immature for admission into a professional health degree program. So far my GPA is a 3.917, just got a little side tracked during Organic I and Organic II so I got B's in both lectures but A's in the labs (3/2 hours respectively).

Thanks,
-Jake

 

[Passion4Sci]

Well, it'd be nice for you to have some life experience, I guess, but I seriously doubt AdCom will look at your GPA and everything and throw your app. away. The only thing you might want to look at improving is your extra-curriculars.

The most important thing is to be well-rounded.

 

[Unsure90]

hey i'm 19 too. high five.

lol.

anyway, don't most people apply at 21 and enter at 22 yrs old? two years isn't a big difference. the whole maturity level thing you're worried about can be seen in your writing and during an interview so i doubt age plays a big role in admissions.

ps: if it helps, my sister at MWU CPG says there are a handful of 20 year olds there 🙂

 

[desmoulins45179]

hey i'm 19 too. high five.

lol.

anyway, don't most people apply at 21 and enter at 22 yrs old? two years isn't a big difference. the whole maturity level thing you're worried about can be seen in your writing and during an interview so i doubt age plays a big role in admissions.

ps: if it helps, my sister at MWU CPG says there are a handful of 20 year olds there 🙂

No - some people (I would think a lot of people) apply after 2 years of college (around 19-20). They don't always get in, and therefore have to apply again, bu I know a lot of people who apply after 2 years of college.

 

[SHC1984]

Does age come into play at all during the selection process or do administrators shy away from using it as a selection factor to avoid discrimination? I'm 19 atm, just took my PCAT and will have all my pre-reqs done by the end of next spring. I'm pretty confident about everything so far (still nervous about my PCAT scores but I've never done poorly on an exam so I'm hoping they'll at least be average), except the fact that if the selection committee uses age as a factor they might see me as being potentially too immature for admission into a professional health degree program. So far my GPA is a 3.917, just got a little side tracked during Organic I and Organic II so I got B's in both lectures but A's in the labs (3/2 hours respectively).

Thanks,
-Jake

Jake, you can't ever be too young, only too old. Good luck! 👍

 

[crazybob]

if you have enough life experiences to deal with the different types of people at your school and in the community by being a professional and also being responsible, then your age will not matter.

 

[diastole]

If I were an adcom, wouldn't judge on age alone but I would factor in maturity. If you come across as mature and thoughtful during an interview then the age shouldn't be a problem. If you act immature, then I'd give your place to someone else.

 

[AZbball35]

I'm only 20 years old, and I just got accepted to MWU-CPG. My GPA is about a 3.35 but I have a LOT of extra-curriculars and a good amount of pharmacy experience. As long as you are well rounded and handle yourself well in the interview you should have no problem.

 

[MrMeowphers]

If I were an adcom, wouldn't judge on age alone but I would factor in maturity. If you come across as mature and thoughtful during an interview then the age shouldn't be a problem. If you act immature, then I'd give your place to someone else.

I agree wholeheartedly with that statement. It's purely based on how mature you sound. And you can show this through your personal statements and interviews.

I will say that some schools enjoy having older students because with age comes experience and also honing down what your aspirations/directions are.

Why do you think some programs like UCSF require everyone applying to have a bachelors?

 

[busyizzy]

Why do you think some programs like UCSF require everyone applying to have a bachelors?

Btw, UCSF doesn't require Bachelor's....

 

[bwsalvas]

loaded question. you already knew the answer.

 

[ADHDJake]

Thanks for the replies. The information about being 20 and getting accepted is especially reassuring.

I have no pharmacy experience because I can't seem to find a pharmacy that will hire me in my area. I started tutoring organic chem for my school though as hopefully a way to compensate with a different kind of semi-relevant work experience. I do have quite a bit of extra-curricular activities, although none specifically targeting pharmacy. I also received letters of recommendations from the president of my college, the vice president, my orgo prof, and the dean of the chemistry division.

Still waiting on my PCAT scores. Hate how your scores are online but you have to give in and pay $20 more to see something they've obviously already put into a digital format.

 

[TXPharmDStudent]

Does age come into play at all during the selection process or do administrators shy away from using it as a selection factor to avoid discrimination? I'm 19 atm, just took my PCAT and will have all my pre-reqs done by the end of next spring. I'm pretty confident about everything so far (still nervous about my PCAT scores but I've never done poorly on an exam so I'm hoping they'll at least be average), except the fact that if the selection committee uses age as a factor they might see me as being potentially too immature for admission into a professional health degree program. So far my GPA is a 3.917, just got a little side tracked during Organic I and Organic II so I got B's in both lectures but A's in the labs (3/2 hours respectively).

Thanks,
-Jake

I was 19 when I sent in my application and am 20 now and was accepted so you can do it.

By the way, them refusing to accept you due to your age is against the law. It's called illegal discrimination, it's as illegal as if they didn't accept you because you're in a wheelchair or because you're black.

 

[Passion4Sci]

Btw, UCSF doesn't require Bachelor's....

Right, it just happens that 99% of last year's matriculants had them.

That is a tacit agreement that they "require" a Bachelor's. If the chances of getting in without one is <1/100 (Thereabouts), we're dealing with infinitesimal odds.

Better to err on the side of having one than not when looking at UCSF.

 

[Passion4Sci]

I was 19 when I sent in my application and am 20 now and was accepted so you can do it.

By the way, them refusing to accept you due to your age is against the law. It's called illegal discrimination, it's as illegal as if they didn't accept you because you're in a wheelchair or because you're black.

That's why they don't call it age. They use some clever verbiage that a lawyer in a skyscraper deduced wouldn't be able to be actioned by someone wanting to file a lawsuit.

 

[nicolemsm]

I'm only 20 years old, and I just got accepted to MWU-CPG. My GPA is about a 3.35 but I have a LOT of extra-curriculars and a good amount of pharmacy experience. As long as you are well rounded and handle yourself well in the interview you should have no problem.

What undergrad school did you go to? I see you're from AZ and pretty young, I'm guessing ASU or one of the Maricopa CCs?

 

[rxlea]

That's why they don't call it age. They use some clever verbiage that a lawyer in a skyscraper deduced wouldn't be able to be actioned by someone wanting to file a lawsuit.

LMAO- You always crack me up.

 

[phathead]

Very few people get in after two years now. Partially its because most schools want to see a degree or the majority of a degree completed. The only people I've known to get in after two years in the last few years had 4.0s with very very high PCAT scores

 

[aboveliquidice]

Maturity comes into play... age is non-factor

 

[Moni526]

I still think it's CRAZY that some people can get all their prereqs done in just two years! I am in my fourth and have been a full-time student since last year (when I only needed a few chemistry classes)

 

[phathead]

I still think it's CRAZY that some people can get all their prereqs done in just two years! I am in my fourth and have been a full-time student since last year (when I only needed a few chemistry classes)

If you focus on one school, its possible.

I also know of a few people who, through AP credits, took Orgo I their very first semester in college

 

[nicolemsm]

If you focus on one school, its possible.

I also know of a few people who, through AP credits, took Orgo I their very first semester in college

I am on a 2.5 yr plan but if my AP/IB credits transferred and were accepted I'd be on a 1.5 - 2 yr plan (that includes summers)