USC 2009-2010 Applicants

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sungieality

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I thought I'd start this thread for all USC applicants this cycle since I already have some questions about USC's supplemental application, though it just came up today.

There's a section at the end of the Part 1 graduate admission for USC that asks for the statement of intent/personal statement. This is before even reaching the supplemental application for the PharmD program. Am I supposed to write a totally unique essay from both the PharmCAS and the supplemental essay? I'm confused about what this is supposed to include.

Some links for USC applicants:
Graduate Admissions (Part 1)
Instructions on completing supp app
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I'm not 100percent sure but somewhere it should say pharmacy students do not need to do the essay for grad admission, but you will need to submit one later on through the pharmacy admission page. Correct me if I'm wrong

Good luck with usc apps. I had to go through the process twice to get in :D. I can answer questions you guys have
 
koercive said:
I'm not 100percent sure but somewhere it should say pharmacy students do not need to do the essay for grad admission, but you will need to submit one later on through the pharmacy admission page. Correct me if I'm wrong

Good luck with usc apps. I had to go through the process twice to get in :D. I can answer questions you guys have
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Oh gosh, I'm so dumb. It says right there on the instructions page that it's not required. >_< Thanks for your help!
 
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Hopefully we'll keep some of the incoming class on here to help out. I know Lebow will probably pop in on occasion, and I seem addicted to USC threads;).
 
From my experience, early application completion makes a world of difference with USC. I would shoot to have apps completed no later than early August


a little off topic, but:

UCSF, UCSD on the other hand, does not consider early application submission as a factor (finish USC apps first!)
 
I have a question, will Genetics and Cell biology fall under this category?

Molecular or Cell Biology(for science majors-one upper division course)
 
Okay, I know I'm a little behind in terms of turning in the USC supplemental, but I'm having a bit of trouble. It seems laughable, but for some reason when I try to save my essay it cuts off the last two characters! So it looks like I just didn't proofread or something when in reality, it's the system that keeps cutting it. I know I'm not over because it tells me I have 2 characters left even when I add in the missing characters and 4 when they're missing. Is anyone else experiencing this??
 
sungieality said:
Okay, I know I'm a little behind in terms of turning in the USC supplemental, but I'm having a bit of trouble. It seems laughable, but for some reason when I try to save my essay it cuts off the last two characters! So it looks like I just didn't proofread or something when in reality, it's the system that keeps cutting it. I know I'm not over because it tells me I have 2 characters left even when I add in the missing characters and 4 when they're missing. Is anyone else experiencing this??
Click to expand...

I remember having that problem.
 
I summitted the supplemental application for USC just now. So excited! Good luck everyone.
 
sungieality said:
Hey, have you finished the USC supp already?? I know you were quite on top of the PharmCAS app..
Click to expand...

I admit, I lagged on the USC Supp... I am going to finish it this weekend. USC is my third choice, and a distant third, so I'm embarassed to say I have been slowwwww on it.

I got my UCSF supplemental in the 2nd day it was available (17 July) and my UoP one in I think on the first day.
 
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Passion4Sci said:
I admit, I lagged on the USC Supp... I am going to finish it this weekend. USC is my third choice, and a distant third, so I'm embarassed to say I have been slowwwww on it.

I got my UCSF supplemental in the 2nd day it was available (17 July) and my UoP one in I think on the first day.
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Wow, that's amazing!! My gosh, I just signed up for a supplemental workshop for UCSF... I'm dreading tackling that one.

Good luck with your USC app, I'm sure you'll get interviews at all three. :)
 
sungieality said:
Wow, that's amazing!! My gosh, I just signed up for a supplemental workshop for UCSF... I'm dreading tackling that one.

Good luck with your USC app, I'm sure you'll get interviews at all three. :)
Click to expand...

LOL, thanks for the vote of confidence, but I am not so sure. Now I feel like I rushed everything and I am going to pay for it later! I guess we'll see. It's probably all going to be moot when my wife gets her acceptance to an east coast law school and I am screwed anyway! Fun, fun.

Why are you dreading the UCSF app? Just close your eyes and jump.
 
yay a usc thread :) i am waiting on one more LOR to submit my pharmcas...and currently writing the essays for the USC supplemental. my brain hurts :(
 
sungieality said:
Wow, that's amazing!! My gosh, I just signed up for a supplemental workshop for UCSF... I'm dreading tackling that one.

Good luck with your USC app, I'm sure you'll get interviews at all three. :)
Click to expand...

Hey if you need any help with the UCSF supplemental application you can ask me. I'm going to be a third year pharmacy student at UCSF coming this fall. Alright, good luck with everything!
 
I am having so much trouble with the supplementals...they only give you like 2 paragraphs to answer. How are you supposed to craft a well-written essay in TWO PARAGRAPHS?? I feel like its just word vomit.
 
socalgirlie said:
I am having so much trouble with the supplementals...they only give you like 2 paragraphs to answer. How are you supposed to craft a well-written essay in TWO PARAGRAPHS?? I feel like its just word vomit.
Click to expand...

That's the idea =-/

Just do the best you can. I THINK we'll have the opportunity to write more essays during the interview session. Perhaps they'll compare how we wrote our supp. "essays" to how we write them unprompted during the session? I dunno.
 
Passion4Sci said:
That's the idea =-/

Just do the best you can. I THINK we'll have the opportunity to write more essays during the interview session. Perhaps they'll compare how we wrote our supp. "essays" to how we write them unprompted during the session? I dunno.
Click to expand...

The interview essay is more of a "summary" exercise.

You get a short 10-15 sentence paragraph. You're allowed to read and take notes on it for 5 minutes (if i recall correctly). Then you get 10 minutes to rewrite the paragraph in your own words.

It's really easy.
 
Dysic said:
The interview essay is more of a "summary" exercise.

You get a short 10-15 sentence paragraph. You're allowed to read and take notes on it for 5 minutes (if i recall correctly). Then you get 10 minutes to rewrite the paragraph in your own words.

It's really easy.
Click to expand...

Oh is that how it is every year?

Doesn't sound too bad no... interesting.
 
Does USC send out confirmations that they rec'd our apps similar to how UOP does? I definitely send in my stuff to USC earlier than UOP and I have heard from UOP regarding it. I was just wondering if anyone knew.
 
One of the questions on the supplemental app asks "Please list all fellowships or other forms of support you have been awarded, or for which you have applied."

Does that mean I should list everything from my undergraduate Financial Aid that I accepted? (Cal grants, etc.) Or does it only apply towards scholarships?

Also, can someone post the question for the supplemental essay? It may take me awhile to submit the first part, so it'd be nice to have an idea. Thanks!
 
deee0984 said:
One of the questions on the supplemental app asks "Please list all fellowships or other forms of support you have been awarded, or for which you have applied."

Does that mean I should list everything from my undergraduate Financial Aid that I accepted? (Cal grants, etc.) Or does it only apply towards scholarships?

Also, can someone post the question for the supplemental essay? It may take me awhile to submit the first part, so it'd be nice to have an idea. Thanks!
Click to expand...
you have to write two essays
(required) 1. what have u done to prepare for the admission and pharmacy profession?
either one of the following
2. what are your unique characteristics that you will bring to contribute to your pharmacy career
(or)
3.
"If you believe that your college transcripts or your resume does not adequately portray your past performance or your future
promise as a pharmacist, please feel free to explain on a separate sheet the reasons for the disparity; for example, employment,​
extracurricular activities, personal characteristics or illness."
 
Thanks a bunch!


gamkaung said:
you have to write two essays
(required) 1. what have u done to prepare for the admission and pharmacy profession?
either one of the following
2. what are your unique characteristics that you will bring to contribute to your pharmacy career
(or)
3.
"If you believe that your college transcripts or your resume does not adequately portray your past performance or your future
promise as a pharmacist, please feel free to explain on a separate sheet the reasons for the disparity; for example, employment,​
extracurricular activities, personal characteristics or illness."
Click to expand...
 
Spinelli said:
did anyone receive conformation from USC that their Pharmcas was received??

i got an email about my supplemental but not Pharmcas. Pharmcas mailed out my app on 7.27.09
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The email I got told me that my application was received and it was complete. I sent out my supp earlier than my PharmCAS. Hmmm, Since in the email, it said my application is complete I just thought that meant they rec'd both my PharmCAS and Supp? Not sure...
 
Passion4Sci said:
I've heard absolutely nothing...

Sometimes, silence is worse than bad news =/
Click to expand...

Don't worry! Your application is rock-solid, I'm sure it's just because of random administrative organization.


Also, thanks for the info LoudSpeakers. I guess I have a while to wait since I submitted mine two weeks ago.
Although I am really bothered that I didn't even get confirmation that they received my supplemental.. bleh.
 
Hhhmm, to come and think about it, it probably wasn't the lack letter everyone talks about. It was just an email about my supp and if my application was completed and if anything was missing. It was checked off that my application is complete. I am not sure if that's the lack letter?
 
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LoudSpeakers said:
Hhhmm, to come and think about it, it probably wasn't the lack letter everyone talks about. It was just an email about my supp and if my application was completed and if anything was missing. It was checked off that my application is complete. I am not sure if that's the lack letter?
Click to expand...

The lack letter is a list of the courses you took and matched with the pre-reqs of USC's pharm school. They will indicate which courses you are lacking in and need to take. The letter you received was the checklist report to show that your application was complete.
 
Thanks for that, and I hope you're right. I consider myself to be a generally confident individual with a lot of intestinal fortitude and something about this pharmacy school admission process is really cutting to my core and challenging my perceptions of myself.

I've never really failed to get anthing I've strived for. When I've laid my eyes on something, I've put the effort our necessary to achieve it, and I've earned it. But this process has such a random component to it, that I can't sit and tell myself, "Self, you have a great GPA, great ECs, and an extensive work history and life story that amounts to a cool package" because hell, I could run up against some bad luck and not get into any of the 3 schools I applied to. What a kick in the nuts that'd be.


sungieality said:
Don't worry! Your application is rock-solid, I'm sure it's just because of random administrative organization.


Also, thanks for the info LoudSpeakers. I guess I have a while to wait since I submitted mine two weeks ago.
Although I am really bothered that I didn't even get confirmation that they received my supplemental.. bleh.
Click to expand...
 
Just got conformation that my application is complete pharmcas and supplemental.
 
Next is the "Lack" letter. A list of all the prereqs you're lacking. Be prepared to get one every time you update your transcripts or application.
 
It seems like it was only yesterday when i applied to pharmacy schools.
 
nevermind :)
 
Last edited:
I see you got your checklist 8/26 and then lack letter 9/2.. so about a week? I guess I still have a week to go before I get my lack letter then, since I just got the checklist 8/31.
 
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