Turned down USC/SCCP interview

[killer4605]

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Got a call for an interview from these guys. I called back and spoke to the assistant dean. I told him I could get all the requirements except physics1/2 and I have a 4.0 w/ 96 pcat. I asked if physics requirement could be bent a little to just meeting it before graduating and he said no.

He wants me to wait another year to apply because of physics... Yeah, fat chance. Another spot has just opened up for one of you guys.

 

[S.O.S.]

Got a call for an interview from these guys. I called back and spoke to the assistant dean. I told him I could get all the requirements except physics1/2 and I have a 4.0 w/ 96 pcat. I asked if physics requirement could be bent a little to just meeting it before graduating and he said no.

He wants me to wait another year to apply because of physics... Yeah, fat chance. Another spot has just opened up for one of you guys.

HOW MANY MORE PREREQS DO U HAVE LEFT AND DID U SPEAK TO JIM GRANDERSON??

 

[killer4605]

HOW MANY MORE PREREQS DO U HAVE LEFT AND DID U SPEAK TO JIM GRANDERSON??

After this semester I will need to take anat/phys and physics 1/2. No way I can take all 4 over the summer.

I don't remember the name of the guy.

 

[snailman]

It's possible to finish four classes over the summer. Find a school that has two month-long summer sessions, and take two classes each session. I'm taking three classes over the summer myself.

Pharmacy prereqs are annoying, but it's something we all have to deal with. Why should you be excused from these prereqs? Because of your GPA/PCAT? That's a lame attitude to have, IMO.

 

[spacecowgirl]

I took 4 prereqs in the summer before I started, it's definitely doable.

I agree with snailman. I mean, way to go on your great stats and all, but requirements are requirements 😕

 

[killer4605]

It's possible to finish four classes over the summer. Find a school that has two month-long summer sessions, and take two classes each session. I'm taking three classes over the summer myself.

Pharmacy prereqs are annoying, but it's something we all have to deal with. Why should you be excused from these prereqs? Because of your GPA/PCAT? That's a lame attitude to have, IMO.

I didn't say excused. I told the guy I would take them the following summer. We all know you don't need physics to be a pharmacist and I never said I wouldn't take the classes.

4 sciences with labs? No thanks, I've applied to other schools with less prereqs.

And yes, I do expect to get some kind of leniancy for having top grades/pcat. I don't expect them to kiss my ass but a little help in giving me another summer to finish some pointless prereq would have been nice.

 

[killer4605]

I took 4 prereqs in the summer before I started, it's definitely doable.

I agree with snailman. I mean, way to go on your great stats and all, but requirements are requirements 😕

Which 4 classes... There's a difference between taking some humanities or a math class and taking 4 sciences with labs. My local tech school only gives anat/phys with the lab (you lose 25% of your grade by not going to lab.)

And I would need to take at least 1 phyics lab for mercer. The scheduling conflict alone would make it impossible, let alone having each lab twice a week.

 

[Trancelucent1]

My roomate took Organic I/II and Anat/Phys the summer before starting pharmacy school. It just depends one what you're willing to do. My last summer I took Micro + lab (4 hour labe once a week and 2 hr class 3 times a week) and Survey of Human disease (4 hours once a week...it was awful). I also fit in a random science class which was 3 credits. I also worked 4 days a week, looking back I don't know how I did it, but I managed. I did all that just so I could graduate a semester early (and boy was it worth it having almost a year off before starting pharmacy school). It's definately doable.

Also, although physics isn't directly used in pharmacy school the thought process most definately is. Now when I do kinetics problems, it's the thought process I learned from physics that helps. I can see how frustruating it might be but pharmacy schools can't just bend the rules, especially when some students are willing to whatever and they have competitive grades as well. Good luck.

 

[rxlynn]

Which 4 classes... There's a difference between taking some humanities or a math class and taking 4 sciences with labs. My local tech school only gives anat/phys with the lab (you lose 25% of your grade by not going to lab.)

And I would need to take at least 1 phyics lab for mercer. The scheduling conflict alone would make it impossible, let alone having each lab twice a week.

Have you actually talked with Mercer regarding prereqs? Why I ask - I asked them if I could submit documentation of job experience to fulfill one of the non-science prereqs (one of my other schools told me that they let applicants with at least a bachelor's degree do that), and Mercer told me no way. Just wondered if they were similarily inflexible with you.

 

[blizz]

Well, physics sort of helped with physical chemistry in a way.

 

[DHG]

Which 4 classes... There's a difference between taking some humanities or a math class and taking 4 sciences with labs. My local tech school only gives anat/phys with the lab (you lose 25% of your grade by not going to lab.)

And I would need to take at least 1 phyics lab for mercer. The scheduling conflict alone would make it impossible, let alone having each lab twice a week.

Last Summer I took :
First semester:
Anatomy (with lab)
Physics II Lab
Research
second semester:
Statistics (our stat class had a Lab also)
Physiology (with lab)
Research


It sucked. But I did it. I agree that it was more difficult than humanities classes would have been. It wasn't impossible but it was't fun either. All depends on if its worth it to you. If it isn't worth it to you, don't do it.

And don't be surprised that schools don't change their tune for you. Great stats and great PCAT's are a dime a dozen when schools get 1000+ applications. They get to call the shots. Some schools are more flexible than others. If you don't like the school's requirements, look someplace else. If you really want to go to that school, do what they ask of you.

 

[killer4605]

Last Summer I took :
First semester:
Anatomy (with lab)
Physics II Lab
Research
second semester:
Statistics (our stat class had a Lab also)
Physiology (with lab)
Research


It sucked. But I did it. I agree that it was more difficult than humanities classes would have been. It wasn't impossible but it was't fun either. All depends on if its worth it to you. If it isn't worth it to you, don't do it.

And don't be surprised that schools don't change their tune for you. Great stats and great PCAT's are a dime a dozen when schools get 1000+ applications. They get to call the shots. Some schools are more flexible than others. If you don't like the school's requirements, look someplace else. If you really want to go to that school, do what they ask of you.

That's why I'm not bothering with them. They were a safety to be honest (i'm instate)

 

[ICA]

HOW MANY MORE PREREQS DO U HAVE LEFT AND DID U SPEAK TO JIM GRANDERSON??

I think he/she meant University of South Carolina.

 

[DHG]

That's why I'm not bothering with them. They were a safety to be honest (i'm instate)

😀 Good! No worries then.

 

[Ritzy]

😀 Good! No worries then.

Personally, I wouldn't see it as fair if they considered your application without considering the effect Physics I and II can have your GPA. Those two classes have been my only C's in college. And they have made a big impact on my GPA. I would have LOVED to take them after being accepted someplace. That's not fair at all to think that someone else could take my place at a school because they were allowed to take them after already being accepted.

 

[starsweet]

I didn't say excused. I told the guy I would take them the following summer. We all know you don't need physics to be a pharmacist and I never said I wouldn't take the classes.

4 sciences with labs? No thanks, I've applied to other schools with less prereqs.

And yes, I do expect to get some kind of leniancy for having top grades/pcat. I don't expect them to kiss my ass but a little help in giving me another summer to finish some pointless prereq would have been nice.

There are also people with stats as good as yours PLUS previous degrees. The point is, there are always going to be people who are on a higher level than you, and by the same token, on a lower level than you. Does this mean that schools should alter the standards for everyone according to their stats? No. I don't think you would like it if they LOWERED the standards for someone with lower grades than you.

 

[killer4605]

Personally, I wouldn't see it as fair if they considered your application without considering the effect Physics I and II can have your GPA. Those two classes have been my only C's in college. And they have made a big impact on my GPA. I would have LOVED to take them after being accepted someplace. That's not fair at all to think that someone else could take my place at a school because they were allowed to take them after already being accepted.

I'm pretty good in physics so I'd doubt I'd get a C in it. I help my roommate with his physics homework and I haven't taken the course yet. Either way, it doesn't matter anymore. They put their foot down and I accepted it.

 

[killer4605]

There are also people with stats as good as yours PLUS previous degrees. The point is, there are always going to be people who are on a higher level than you, and by the same token, on a lower level than you. Does this mean that schools should alter the standards for everyone according to their stats? No. I don't think you would like it if they LOWERED the standards for someone with lower grades than you.

Schools make exceptions all the time. I don't see what the big deal is. My dad was accepted at UGA school of pharmacy and he was missing at least 5 prereqs.

There's a difference between altering standards for everyone and making a small exception.

And, to be honest, I wouldn't care if they lowered the minimum requirements to a 1.0. That doesn't mean they will take someone with a 1.5 over someone with a 3.5.

 

[starsweet]

Schools make exceptions all the time. I don't see what the big deal is. My dad was accepted at UGA school of pharmacy and he was missing at least 5 prereqs.

There's a difference between altering standards for everyone and making a small exception.

And, to be honest, I wouldn't care if they lowered the minimum requirements to a 1.0. That doesn't mean they will take someone with a 1.5 over someone with a 3.5.

I don't think that's a small exception. Some schools, such as Creighton, will not even grant credit for a prereq that has already been taken just because the credit hours are different, even if the course content is the same, and even if the grade was an A.

And by lowering the standards, I meant telling someone with lower stats than you that they could delay taking physics (just because their stats were lower). Basically, they would get what you also wanted (but didn't get) because they had lower stats than you.

I'd be interested to know what prereqs your dad was lacking when he was accepted at UGA. Were these all non math/science requirements?

 

[spacecowgirl]

Schools make exceptions all the time. I don't see what the big deal is. My dad was accepted at UGA school of pharmacy and he was missing at least 5 prereqs.

Times have changed.

To answer your earlier question, I took the classes you needed but without the labs because they weren't required. It honestly wasn't that bad and it was good preparation for pharmacy school in terms of workload.

It's a moot point now, since you're not going there, but I don't see how it would be possible for you to take the classes the next summer; you'd be on rotation.

As a general statement, not just to killer4605, I found a big difference when I got to pharmacy school in terms of the flexibility of your profs and the program. You'll be sorely disappointed if you expect the same treatment you got as an undergrad. It's wise to get into that frame of mind now.

 

[ultracet]

Schools make exceptions all the time. I don't see what the big deal is. My dad was accepted at UGA school of pharmacy and he was missing at least 5 prereqs.

There's a difference between altering standards for everyone and making a small exception.

And, to be honest, I wouldn't care if they lowered the minimum requirements to a 1.0. That doesn't mean they will take someone with a 1.5 over someone with a 3.5.

Accepted at UGA when?

For the bs program or the pharmd?

 

[calrx]

4 sciences with labs? No thanks, I've applied to other schools with less prereqs.

This baffles me. You're bitching because you don't want to take 4 science classes w/ labs over the summer?! Actually, you'd only be taking 2 at a time, which confuses me even more. What the heck do you think you're going to be taking for 4 straight years in pharmacy school!? [HINT: Nothing but science classes and labs!]

And if you're so great at Physics already, certainly it shouldn't be a big deal to take it over the summer along with A&P, right?!?🙄

Sorry if I'm being a bitch, I just really don't understand the "why isn't USC catering to me" attitude that you have. Life doesn't work that way, buddy.