Which route should I take?

[qwer010]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I'm a pre-pharm student currently studying at a private undergrad university. I transferred from a public university to a private university in hopes of opening more doors for my future. I wasn't 100% sure that I wanted to go to pharm school back then. However, I have now decided that I do want to go to pharm school.

I have a problem though. I do not know what I want to major in and what major would be the best for me. I could major in psychology and graduate in one and a half years. However, I would have to take the rest of my prerequisites at a community college at home. Another choice is that I could major in biology and graduate in 3 years. I love both majors, but I don't want to be in major debt after I graduate.

Any advice?

Thanks in advance.

 

[iZodliquify]

People will tell you "Major in something that you can use if you don't get into Pharmacy school." I will tell you to major in Psychology because you'll save more money by graduating early. Pharmacy school is expensive. Taking loans doesn't help either.

 

[DrDrugs2012]

Well, your thoughts are kinda all over the place, so here is what I suggest.

1) First decide if you *really* want to go into pharmacy. I am not trying to discourage you, but your interests seem to be all over the place between biology and psych and pharmacy. Make sure that your achievement in undergraduate has purpose or added value to your pharmacy degree should you definitely state that pharmacy is your future.

2) Next decide whether it is personally important for you to earn an undergraduate degree.
On one hand, many schools only require you to complete prerequisite coursework before applying (don't need a degree). On the other hand, the bachelor's degree may have special meaning to you. A lot of students may be the first person in their family to go to college and for sentimental reasons, they want that bachelors degree. If its the latter, I suggest asking your school if they would accept graduate coursework in pharmacy school in lieu of some undergraduate coursework. This way you can have the best of both worlds - walk with your class in undergraduate and enroll in pharmacy school one or two years early saving you that time and money.

3) Decide what courses you need to take in order to enter pharmacy school. Unfortunately for you and all pharmacy applicants, every school has their own list of prerequisites and other than general biology, chemistry and organic, there is not nearly as much overlap in requirements as one would hope. So with an eye for the future you have chosen based on your answers to #1 and #2, figure out what classes you need to apply to the schools you want to apply to and how long it will take to complete them.