What are My Chances With and W/O GPA adjustment?

[dcshw2]

Hello everyone, I'm rather new to this site and I love all of the information available. So, I've been a student at Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO for 3 years and am heading into my last year this fall. I decided that I'm going to pursue pharmacy, but I have a problem. I did absolutely terribly in Engineering Physics my Freshman year, repeated it, did terribly, switched to Biological Sciences as a major, repeated it to try and get it off the transcript and finally got a C. Now, I'm an A and B student. My cumulative GPA with Grade replacement is sitting at a 3.43, but without its about a 3.1. I'm not proud of this. I took the PCAT today without studying for it and got in the 78th percentile for the prelim. report with Biology-41, Chemistry-82, CR-91, and Quantitative-82. The Bio was a lot lower than I'd hoped for and I think I could probably double it and do a little better on the chemistry.

I have worked as a pharmacy shift supervisor for over a year now, logging approximately 1700 hours total. I have several on campus leadership roles including being an opening week mentor and a pre-registration orientation leader. I have worked in one lab for money on a research project involving metabolism and in another one voluntarily (on Cytokinetic processes). I'm in a fraternity and also part of a campus peer learning group. Also, I've directed a show on campus and been in 8 productions during my time here.

Is my GPA going to keep me from getting into a school like UMKC? It's really the only place I'm wanting to go because I have some family that is getting older that I'd like to keep an eye on.

I appreciate any and all help and if anyone has questions that I can also help with, let me know.

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[Wanderlust123]

Would it be possible for you to bring up your GPA after this fall semester? If you could, then I would wait to apply in January. Actually if I had your stats, I would apply to schools with lower average GPAs. UMKC average GPA is around 3.4-3.5. Your PCAT score is awesome though for someone who didn't study

 

[dcshw2]

@Wanderlust123
Doubtful as far as raising it. I'm 103 credit hours into a 130 credit hour degree. Yeah, I saw that about their average GPA. I guess I don't really want to go anywhere else and I'm hoping the PCAT can make up for it. I think with a little bit of studying I could probably get a 91 or so. I do think the GPA might go up a tenth of a point this fall, but that's pretty optimistic. Thanks for the input. Also, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the extracurricular activities and various honors will help because my University has notoriously low GPAs on average. I was a 32 ACT and 3rd in my graduating class with over a 4.0 in HS, but that's not really applicable now.

 

[ldiot]

Working as a shift supervisor really isn't pharmacy experience. You need to work in the actual pharmacy for it to really benefit you. They will look the the unadjusted GPA but if you can score a 90 PCAT and switch to pharmacy tech you will still be competitive.

Also one semester can make a big difference. Brining a 3.1 up to a 3.2 might not sound like much but it shows an upward trend in GPA which schools look for, and that .1 difference could be the difference of you being ahead of or behind several other applicants.

 

[dcshw2]

@ldiot Why is isn't working as a shift supervisor pharmacy experience? I fill scripts and have to do all the things technicians do as well on top of being responsible for the store workload. I'm not saying that to conflict with what you're saying, I'm just trying to understand where you're coming from. Also, do you really think that a 90 PCAT is necessary or are you just saying that for the extra mile sort of thing?

 

[ldiot]

@ldiot Why is isn't working as a shift supervisor pharmacy experience? I fill scripts and have to do all the things technicians do as well on top of being responsible for the store workload. I'm not saying that to conflict with what you're saying, I'm just trying to understand where you're coming from. Also, do you really think that a 90 PCAT is necessary or are you just saying that for the extra mile sort of thing?

Where I work a shift supervisor is in charge of the front store employees and doesn't work in the pharmacy, so you can disregard what I said about that.

I would shoot for a 90 PCAT just because your GPA is on the low side. I had a similar GPA, 90+ PCAT, and also had pharmacy experience and got accepted into several schools. You may be able to get away with a lower PCAT, in fact you'd probably get in with anything above a 70, but the PCAT is the best opportunity for you to make up for your GPA.

I'd say that a 90 would be "safe" as opposed to an "extra mile" soft of thing.

 

[dcshw2]

Really appreciate the input. Thank you.