UCSF Stats

[catchsomezz]

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I'm getting ready to submit my applications to UCSF, SD, and SC; im also getting the jitters about my chances of an interview.

I realize that many of you have submitted your applications and received your invites back. I was hoping you could share your stats for me to get a more realistic picture of what I'm up against.

Me:

School: UCSD
Major: Bioengineering specializing in Bioinformatics
Overall GPA: 3.4
Science GPA: 3.6
Pre-Req: ~3.6
Experience:
volunteered at a summer camp for 3 years (can someone tell me if this is useful in terms of application)
volunteered research in immunology lab 3 years (i am running my own project and have my results submitted to the NIH for a grant. should i mention this some where also? if so, where)
working at Pfizer 1 year
no pharmacy tech exp :-(

 

[fatevsdestiny]

I think you are a competitive candidate. I didn't have any pharmacy experiences when I applied. For the lab work, it should be under ur extracurriculum activities, and if NIH funds you , it should be under Awards and Honors (Mainly Awards).

 

[binghamkid]

I'm getting ready to submit my applications to UCSF, SD, and SC; im also getting the jitters about my chances of an interview.

I realize that many of you have submitted your applications and received your invites back. I was hoping you could share your stats for me to get a more realistic picture of what I'm up against.

Me:

School: UCSD
Major: Bioengineering specializing in Bioinformatics
Overall GPA: 3.4
Science GPA: 3.6
Pre-Req: ~3.6
Experience:
volunteered at a summer camp for 3 years (can someone tell me if this is useful in terms of application)
volunteered research in immunology lab 3 years (i am running my own project and have my results submitted to the NIH for a grant. should i mention this some where also? if so, where)
working at Pfizer 1 year
no pharmacy tech exp :-(

Based on what you have, I would say you're fairly competitive. Your GPA is more or less within the range, but it's not super competitive. However, your NIH research is a definitely rare EC, and I would hype that up as much as possible. Put it in your personal statement, and make sure it's in your pharmCAS essay. Also, if you contact the admissions offices, you can see if they would like you to forward a copy of your research proposal and publication writeup.

 

[catchsomezz]

thank you for all the advice. its been pretty hectic. trying to make the final touches for the pharmcas essays and supp apps.

Im essentially apply to SD, SF, and SC. What do you guys thing? is that playing too close to the edge? should i apply to more colleges?

edit: just to tack on another question for the veterans of pharmacy. i see alot of people with >3.8 GPAs from city/state colleges. i tried to search this but didnt' really come up with a clear cut answer. how large of a benefit does doing all your courses in a UC count toward. moreover, for example, i've heard that stanford's genetics phd program esp likes the Bioengineering: Bioinformatics majors at UCSD. is that sort of thing in play for pharmacy schools? do they recognize and factor in your major. (not say to biology is not a hard major. but the computer engineering and quantum physics tanks my overall GPA).

 

[chibipinkbunny]

Well the majority of UCSF's P1's are from UC's; UC Berkeley being the majority UC 😛 There are people from lots of different schools that get accepted though. I was a Chemistry major at UC Berkeley with about a 3.35 and I had a 4.0 from my two years at a community college. I worked 10 times as hard to get that 3.35 at Berkeley! Anyway, they averaged my grades together so my culmulative GPA came out to be more like a 3.6. However, UCSF emphasizes that you are more than just a GPA. They look at high GPA, but they are really looking at you as a person. It's not like med school admission. A friend of a friend of mine had a 3.95 GPA at Berkeley and didn't get into UCSF so a great GPA will only take you so far. I didn't have any pharmacy experience, but I did have some health experience. I would suggest that you volunteer at your school's health clinic if you don't have any direct patient health experience. If you volunteered at a summer camp, I would emphasize your leadership. What did you learn about conflict resolution? What did you learn about teamwork? Hmmm, perhaps I've strayed off topic, but hoped that helped some!

 

[fenixtnlfan]

I agree with everyone here, except on one thing. Don't list the NIH grant as an honor/award. I bet your PI got the money and not you so it doesn't make it your award. Wherever you put your research in your application, just say something to the fact that your research was used in an NIH grant proposal for your lab.

 

[SPharmN]

I'm almost in the same boat as catchsomezz. I got some research experience, but I didn't really expand on that, or even mention that, in my essays. I was afraid they would wonder "why not grad schools? why pharmacy school?" Although knowing research is one tiny possible choice out of pharmacy schools, I'm not really interested in it. Maybe I should've elaborate more on my research experience in the essay?🙄

 

[catchsomezz]

spharmn
what schools are you looking to apply?
im looking to do to pharmaceutical research too. possibly clinical research.

 

[SPharmN]

I want to go to UCSF, USC, or UCSD, since I came from california.

Btw, I said I'm not interested in doing pharmaceutical research

 

[catchsomezz]

then what do you want to be?

also. totally off topic. i have 2 LOR already. can i first apply and then update a third LOR?

 

[SPharmN]

Clinic or industry pharmacist.

Umm, I think you can (but I'm not sure!) PharmCAS won't process it anyways, b/c it's "incomplete."

 

[catchsomezz]

i dont get it. PharmCas requires 3 LORs?

 

[SPharmN]

O, you're right. PharmCAS website says "PharmCAS will begin to forward your references to your designated pharmacy schools once your file is complete. PharmCAS will NOT hold your application for missing references." On another instruction page, it lists 3 things to be considered "complete"---submitted, transcripts, and fees received. So my understanding is once you've done all 3 things on the checklist, they'll forward your applications, even if your recommendations are not there yet.

 

[CaliCPhT]

O, you're right. PharmCAS website says "PharmCAS will begin to forward your references to your designated pharmacy schools once your file is complete. PharmCAS will NOT hold your application for missing references." On another instruction page, it lists 3 things to be considered "complete"---submitted, transcripts, and fees received. So my understanding is once you've done all 3 things on the checklist, they'll forward your applications, even if your recommendations are not there yet.

This is correct. I emailed PharmCAS since one of my references seems to be dragging his feet. They said absolutely not to wait until all of your references are in. If they are, then they'll all be sent with the packet. Otherwise, they will forward them to your designated schools once received. They do not enforce the schools' application deadlines, so you have to stay on your reference(s) to complete in time.