University of Texas at Austin

[Manque26]

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I'm trying! Also, I realize that I'm driving everyone around me (here and in real life) insane. One professor I know well starts saying "Did you get in? Did you get in? Huh? Huh? What about now?" every time he sees me.

It's nice that pretty much everyone here is so supportive, so you all deserve a break from me.

You know whats really bad and super embarassing is I work in a hospital and the pharmacists there keep asking about school and the pharm app process...I know I'm probably not even gonna get a late interview..how embarassing is that!! I WANT TO CRAWL UNDER A ROCK!!!🙁🙁

 

[Manque26]

I keep wishing that I could go back to the start of the interview and redo it. Then I wish that, while I'm going back, I could go back a whole year. Two years. Ten years, to when I finished high school.

I didn't understand stuff like financial aid and loans when I graduated from high school. My parents, who barely graduated high school, knew little about college. They had this idea that I would get some massive scholarship to cover *every* expense because I was the salutatorian of my class. Well, I didn't, so I wound up going to a community college for a semester before dropping out to work for several years. If I understood things back then, I would have done loans and such and I would have used the "top 10% rule" to go to UT.

Then again, if I had gone to UT long ago, I wouldn't have been in school now and I would not have learned about pharmacy.

Man Knickerbocker I hear you!! I had no idea at all what I was doing when I started my pre-reqs it took me 3 years (I've been goin part time school + full time work) to figure it all out. Man if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't be in the position I'm in...🙁🙁

 

[Manque26]

Well, there's always the general questions:

1) Tell me about yourself. Why did you choose Pharmacy?
2) What is the role of a pharmacist?
3) What is the future of Pharmacy?
4) What changes do you see occurring in Pharmacy?

These may seem pretty straight forward, but trust me, when you're actually in the interview, they're much harder to answer b/c of nerves, timing, do I have something stuck in my teeth?, etc. So my advice would be to practice practice practice rehearsing some well-thought out answers to these questions. Provide enough information and support to speak for more than just a few sentences. Show how you think--how you came to your conclusions, what has influenced you, and expand on any technical knowledge you have that you can relate to the question.

They will also ask specific questions about leadership, problem solving, and ethics. You can find examples of these in the interview feedback section on SDN.

Thanks Happy I really appreciate it!!😀

 

[Happy Hounds]

Speaking of "if I had know then what I know now"--I also had a very roundabout way into prepharmacy. I majored in business/accounting, went out an worked for 4 years, was insanely miserable, had a major nervous breakdown, and decided something needed to change.

It took about 6 months or so for me to come to a decision (which is better in my opinion than making one really fast,) and I knew when I started the prereqs for pharmacy that i was putting most of my eggs in one basket. But, I also had contingency plans for not getting in the 1st or 2nd try, as in I would continue working in the pharmacy as a tech until I could shift into teaching technician programs. I made the contingency plan b/c even though I 100% wanted to be a pharmacist, I needed to have some sort of plan if the admissions board didn't agree. (Note: If I had been rejected, I'd be beyond depressed for a while, but then I'd have to regroup and try to move forward and reapply or do something else.) The funny thing is that if I had been doing this 8-9 years ago when I was in college the first time, I wouldn't have any other plans--it would be Pharmacy or my world would crumble! I think having experienced what I have has given me a smidgen of perspective that I didn't have when I was 20.

But looking back, I absolutely know that I would NEVER have chosen Pharmacy when I was in school the first time and know I couldn't have handled the pressure of prerequisites or been nearly as focused. I really needed to mature to find out what I really wanted to do in life (as opposed to what my parents wanted me to do!) I'm sure many of you feel this way.

SO, GOOD NEWS!!! The adcoms love to hear about your past experience and how that transitioned you into Pharmacy, especially technical experience, leadership, general life experience. I have a lot of respect for people who already know what they want to do with their lives and are focused enough to make it happen at 18-20 years of age, but don't discount yourself for making a decision later in life. Your experience and determination, not to mention the inherent risk of dropping everything to pursue a new degree, also count in the interview. 😉

 

[Happy Hounds]

Well I guess if I don't get in this year I'll have a whole year to get more experience. I was planning on trying to get a job as a pharm tech. Plus I'd like to take some fun classes at school that I haven't had a chance to do because I've been doing nothing but pre-reqs. Would that look bad for me? I want to take piano lessons, maybe also take a painting or photography class.

Good for you for wanting to have some time not dedicated to science and math!!! 😀 A good option for piano, painting, etc. are informal classes (if you're in Austin, they offer then every semester, but they are usually at every university)--you don't get credit, but you can have fun and it costs a LOT less than tuition.

 

[tharper14]

Thanks so much for the responses Happy Hounds. As always, you're a wealth of knowledge and caring enough to take the time to give advice to us hopefuls. It's easy to see why you got in!

 

[RNtoPharmacy]

Speaking of "if I had know then what I know now"--I also had a very roundabout way into prepharmacy. I majored in business/accounting, went out an worked for 4 years,... But, I also had contingency plans for not getting in the 1st or 2nd try, as in I would continue working in the pharmacy as a tech until I could shift into teaching technician programs...Your experience and determination, not to mention the inherent risk of dropping everything to pursue a new degree, also count in the interview. 😉

Hey thanks Happy Hounds. I hope that the adcoms will see it this way. This is my 2nd time applying for UT and I hope that I made enough changes for them to see how much I am pursuing pharmacy. By the way, how old are you? If you don't mind sharing that is. I'm 26, turning 27 this March. Like you, I have been working for four years before I made the decision. Although it wasn't too much of a jump to go from nursing to pharmacy since they are both rooted in health care. This is my second time applying and I'm trying to come up with a plan to strengthen my application in case I don't get in this year. How do you go about teaching technician programs?

 

[Happy Hounds]

Thanks so much for the responses Happy Hounds. As always, you're a wealth of knowledge and caring enough to take the time to give advice to us hopefuls. It's easy to see why you got in!

Thanks for the complement--it's flattering, but in reality, I was just as stressed out as all of you before I was accepted--in fact, I hadn't really accepted it fully until this weekend (I still found myself worrying about whether or not I'd be accepted by May and when my next interview was and so on--careful with the worrying, because you REALLY get into the habit of it even after your situation changes!) Now that I'm more relaxed, it's easy for me to offer advice! 😛 Some might even see it as hypocritical, but really I'm only trying to help, because I know what it feels like to be riding that wave of anxiety! (Look back through this thread at some of my posts, and you'll see what I mean!)

 

[Happy Hounds]

Hey thanks Happy Hounds. I hope that the adcoms will see it this way. This is my 2nd time applying for UT and I hope that I made enough changes for them to see how much I am pursuing pharmacy. By the way, how old are you? If you don't mind sharing that is. I'm 26, turning 27 this March. Like you, I have been working for four years before I made the decision. Although it wasn't too much of a jump to go from nursing to pharmacy since they are both rooted in health care. This is my second time applying and I'm trying to come up with a plan to strengthen my application in case I don't get in this year. How do you go about teaching technician programs?

I turned 27 in Feb. Looks like we're both returning students, though you have 4 years of nursing, which I'd see as a huge plus! I know several people who are applying for their second time, and the major change for their applications has been adding pharmacy work experience and volunteering activities related to pharmacy and the health professions. If you've done some of these things this past year, it should help you tremendously. UT will always have lots of applicants who are just starting out and haven't worked in the field yet--unfortunately, as qualified as those applicants are (high GPAs, lots of extracurriculars and volunteer work,) they can get overlooked simply because they don't have pharmacy experience. It all boils down to proving to the adcoms that you have a good idea of what you're getting into.

As far as teaching, if you are a CPhT with some experience, you can look into part or full-time teaching positions at places like Southwest Technical Institute and other technical schools that train students to become CPhTs. There are also courses for medical assistants and some types of nurses (I don't know which--the ones without 4yr degrees I guess.) You don't necessarily need a teaching certificate or masters either. It depends on the school and what they need.

 

[nehe87]

I got my interview invite!!!
The nerves are setting in now...

 

[Knickerbocker]

UT will always have lots of applicants who are just starting out and haven't worked in the field yet--unfortunately, as qualified as those applicants are (high GPAs, lots of extracurriculars and volunteer work,) they can get overlooked simply because they don't have pharmacy experience. It all boils down to proving to the adcoms that you have a good idea of what you're getting into.

When you say work, do you mean paid work, or do you just mean experience in a pharmacy?

I don't have any paid work in pharmacy, but I have well over 100 hours volunteering in a hospital pharmacy. I also have a number of other volunteering activities that are mostly related to helping the youth in the area.

 

[bamobrien]

i think they'd look at paid and unpaid in a similar way. it is the experience they are looking for after all.

 

[everglow21]

OH MY GOSH! My friend and I just got an interview invitation for UT Austin! We're soooo happy! We both go to UT, so I guess it's earlier than Friday. Is it better to get an interview the first day or second day?

 

[Knickerbocker]

OH MY GOSH! My friend and I just got an interview invitation for UT Austin! We're soooo happy! We both go to UT, so I guess it's earlier than Friday. Is it better to get an interview the first day or second day?

I'm thinking that it doesn't matter. From information for this year and last year, it seems like the order in which we are reviewed does not match when your interview occurred.

 

[mudfish512]

OH MY GOSH! My friend and I just got an interview invitation for UT Austin! We're soooo happy! We both go to UT, so I guess it's earlier than Friday. Is it better to get an interview the first day or second day?

congrats!
quick question: so what days exactly are the interviews? are they March 7 and 8th for sure?

 

[tharper14]

omg... I got an interview invite! I'm too stunned to be happy or excited. I'm shaking and my heart is beating really fast... I'm scared I'm going to blow it

 

[Knickerbocker]

omg... I got an interview invite! I'm too stunned to be happy or excited. I'm shaking and my heart is beating really fast... I'm scared I'm going to blow it

You are going to walk in with a very good idea of what to expect, so there shouldn't be a problem. 👍

 

[tharper14]

You are going to walk in with a very good idea of what to expect, so there shouldn't be a problem. 👍

True... I feel like I have an advantage over you 1st round interviewees but I am soooo scared now that this is really happening. I hope I can pull myself together between now and the interview! Besides, even though I pretty much know what questions they will ask me, it's totally different answering the questions in front of a mirror and answering the questions in the real interview, especially when you want it soooo bad.

 

[tharper14]

I have a question about interview questions...

When they ask you to tell them about yourself, what do you tell them? I mean, how personal do you get? Do they want you to tell them about your background, what you like doing on weekends, what you do in a typical week? Should I tell them personal details about my life, like martial status, how my friends/family would describe me, my strengths/weaknesses? I really don't know what to say. Please help! I just want a general idea of what they are really asking when they say, so tell me a bit about yourself?

 

[RNtoPharmacy]

omg... I got an interview invite! I'm too stunned to be happy or excited. I'm shaking and my heart is beating really fast... I'm scared I'm going to blow it

did you get it in the mail? congrats tharper14!

 

[tharper14]

did you get in in the mail?

I got an email with the subject title "UT Pharmacy Interview Invitation." It says a letter is on the way.‏

Oh, and thanks. Did you check to see if you got one?

 

[RNtoPharmacy]

i think they'd look at paid and unpaid in a similar way. it is the experience they are looking for after all.

hey bamobrien, did you get an interview invite today as well? I guess it's not too late until Friday, but i'm getting nervous here. 😱

 

[tharper14]

For those that have interviewed already, when do you think is the best time to interview, earlier rather than later in the day, friday or saturday, or does it really not matter at all?

I just picked a time (I'm so impatient)... I just picked the date and time that works best for me. I'm hoping it doesn't matter what day/time you interview.

 

[bamobrien]

i did not. but i vaguely remember from last year that the emails come out over two days or so. if i have nothing on friday i will hit the panic button. emailing wilcox tomorrow; you can bet i will post what i find out for your benefit.

 

[tharper14]

hey bamobrien, did you get an interview invite today as well? I guess it's not too late until Friday, but i'm getting nervous here. 😱

i did not. but i vaguely remember from last year that the emails come out over two days or so. if i have nothing on friday i will hit the panic button. emailing wilcox tomorrow; you can bet i will post what i find out for your benefit.

I wouldn't worry too much. If I remember correctly, you both had pretty good stats, and believe me, I am far from amazing, so if I got an interview invite I'm sure you'll both be getting one too. Good luck!

 

[Knickerbocker]

i did not. but i vaguely remember from last year that the emails come out over two days or so. if i have nothing on friday i will hit the panic button. emailing wilcox tomorrow; you can bet i will post what i find out for your benefit.

You were interviewed last year, and you have significantly improved your application, so, short of a felony, you should be fine.

 

[Ethyl Methyl]

I have a question about interview questions...

When they ask you to tell them about yourself, what do you tell them? I mean, how personal do you get? Do they want you to tell them about your background, what you like doing on weekends, what you do in a typical week? Should I tell them personal details about my life, like martial status, how my friends/family would describe me, my strengths/weaknesses? I really don't know what to say. Please help! I just want a general idea of what they are really asking when they say, so tell me a bit about yourself?

To prepare for that question, I googled "tell me about yourself" and got plenty of tips from the web. Of course, you'll have to do some adjusting to make it pharmacy related.

 

[tharper14]

To prepare for that question, I googled "tell me about yourself" and got plenty of tips from the web. Of course, you'll have to do some adjusting to make it pharmacy related.

Ok, I'll check it out. Thanks for your help.

 

[Knickerbocker]

I will say that, while it initially felt good to be interviewed in the first round, I envy those of you walking in next week with a little more information than I had.

 

[DoughGirlx88]

OMG I got an interview too!! no way this is so weird because i did not think i was a good candidate.. maybe i talk myself down too much or something ... i was not even expecting this at all! i'm so nervous.. how many rounds have there been?!

 

[tharper14]

I will say that, while it initially felt good to be interviewed in the first round, I envy those of you walking in next week with a little more information than I had.

Yeah, I agree. I envied you guys to begin with but I'm definitely happier to be in the 2nd round interviews now! Still, I'll have to do AMAZING in the interview to compete with you guys 😳

 

[Happy Hounds]

Whoa, looks like I missed a lot! Congrats to all of you!

Knickerbocker, when I said work experience, I meant any pharmacy experience (shadowing or paid.)

Tharper, regarding the "tell me about yourself" question, it's best to provide some info about your background, experience, overview of current projects, and any notable hobbies or talents. Steer clear of marital status, children, ethnicity (unless you're at a bilingual advantage,) and age.

Best of luck to you all!

 

[tharper14]

Thanks Ethyl Methyl and Happy Hounds! I think I understand the dreaded "so, tell me about yourself" question now 👍

 

[pharmhopeful22]

does anyone know if UT reviews applicants in the order they are received or if there is another method? Basically I guess if you apply late are you guaranteed a late interview, or would good stats get you an earlier spot?

 

[RNtoPharmacy]

does anyone know if UT reviews applicants in the order they are received or if there is another method? Basically I guess if you apply late are you guaranteed a late interview, or would good stats get you an earlier spot?

not sure, but it's starting to look that way to me since I didn't get done with my app until the week before. If all the invites went out already then I guess that means I might not get one until April. 😕 Or maybe none at all.

 

[tharper14]

I don't know about reapplicants because I'm a first time applicant, but I sent in my application pretty late (Jan 15). However, they didn't get my pcat scores until early this week (I took it first time in Jan) and I got my interview this week. They must have some kind of system, like everyone with a gpa > 3.75 and pcat > 90, get interviews 1st, everyone with a gpa > 3.5 and pcat > 80 get interview 2nd, and everyone with gpa > 3.25 and pcat > 70 get interviewed last. I don't know though. I'm just guessing.

 

[Happy Hounds]

I don't know about reapplicants because I'm a first time applicant, but I sent in my application pretty late (Jan 15). However, they didn't get my pcat scores until early this week (I took it first time in Jan) and I got my interview this week. They must have some kind of system, like everyone with a gpa > 3.75 and pcat > 90, get interviews 1st, everyone with a gpa > 3.5 and pcat > 80 get interview 2nd, and everyone with gpa > 3.25 and pcat > 70 get interviewed last. I don't know though. I'm just guessing.

I don't think that really applies, at least not to me. I got interviewed in the first round with >90 PCAT and a 3.38 GPA. I'm thinking maybe they are switching to a truly "rolling" admissions based on when they receive the applications (I sent mine in the last week of November) since some people didn't get in the second round who got their apps in near the deadline. I dunno. Theories, anyone?

 

[tharper14]

I don't think that really applies, at least not to me. I got interviewed in the first round with >90 PCAT and a 3.38 GPA. I'm thinking maybe they are switching to a truly "rolling" admissions based on when they receive the applications (I sent mine in the last week of November) since some people didn't get in the second round who got their apps in near the deadline. I dunno. Theories, anyone?

Well that just threw my theory right out! I have NO IDEA how they select applicants then, because like I said, I did my app pretty much last minute.

 

[Manque26]

Congratulations to all yall with interviews next week thats great!!! I'm sure everyone will do fine....So I'm assuming this is the last set of interviews?

 

[txpharmD2b]

I don't know how it is this year.... but when I applied last year, I submitted everything the day of the due date (2/1) and got a second round invite.

 

[Knickerbocker]

Congratulations to all yall with interviews next week thats great!!! I'm sure everyone will do fine....So I'm assuming this is the last set of interviews?

There will be one more round of interviews in early April.

 

[nehe87]

Honestly, I turned in the last part of my application (a LOR) and 1/31, and I got a second round invite, as did my roommate. I have no idea how they do these things. Maybe they look at UT students first? I know that sounds bad, but it's a possible explanation.

 

[Knickerbocker]

Honestly, I turned in the last part of my application (a LOR) and 1/31, and I got a second round invite, as did my roommate. I have no idea how they do these things. Maybe they look at UT students first? I know that sounds bad, but it's a possible explanation.

I got a first round interview, and I'm not a UT student. They do seem to prefer UT students overall, though. However, that may simply be due to more UT students applying.

I'm really in need of a miracle, so you guys don't have to worry about me taking your spot. Not only am I worried about a less-than-stellar interview, but I've been told by a few faculty members that nobody from my school has made it into UT in a long time. Things were good in the early 90s, but they have been dismal for a long time now. They need to let me in so that more areas of the state can be represented.

 

[nehe87]

Looking at their statistics, I wouldn't say that they necessarily show UT students preference in final admissions decisions--I think they might just give us a few perks, like possibly looking at our applications earlier. But your guess is as good as mine--I have no idea what the adcom does, and I don't think anyone else has much of a clue either. lol🙂

 

[RNtoPharmacy]

well...i have to stay positive. Whatever reason they may have for not getting around to me the second time, I still believe that I am a good candidate. And it's not over until the rejection letter says it is. 😛

 

[redley]

great attitude, RNtoPharmacy!

are the invitations that are coming today for the interview next weekend or for the interview in April?

 

[RNtoPharmacy]

great attitude, RNtoPharmacy!

are the invitations that are coming today for the interview next weekend or for the interview in April?

It's for next weekend, March 7th & 8th.

 

[kaseyrenee2012]

Hey interviewees.... i interviewed first round, and i saved the word document where i typed up/practiced everything i was going to say. i went over a lot of it with a few pharmacists, so it should be pretty good stuff. and i didn't have that fabulous of stats and i still got in, so hopefully it should help!!

if ya'll are interested just message me... i don't check this that often but i get notifications if i get a message.

good luck guys!

 

[Manque26]

Hey interviewees.... i interviewed first round, and i saved the word document where i typed up/practiced everything i was going to say. i went over a lot of it with a few pharmacists, so it should be pretty good stuff. and i didn't have that fabulous of stats and i still got in, so hopefully it should help!!

if ya'll are interested just message me... i don't check this that often but i get notifications if i get a message.

good luck guys!

Yea I'm interested kaseyrene!

 

[Knickerbocker]

Does anyone know if interviewers are present during admissions deliberations? Obviously, those on the admissions committee who gave interviews will be there, but what about interviewers who aren't directly associated with UT?