Will C's and D's kill your chance for pharmacy school?

[kochun]

How bad will C's and D's look on your transcript? I struggled one whole year w/ gpa below 2.0. I have a total of about three D's and 4-5 C's during my time at UCSD as a pharm chem major. Then i came back the following year with gpa over 3.5. I would like to hear from someone with such experience and how successful their application went.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[skp]

yes, it will hurt you...but not kill you. one year isn't so bad but you will have to make up for it. also, your 4 yr. degree will help.

get your cum. gpa above 3.0 (pref. 3.2+) to be competitive

assume your talking about your frosh and soph years-
1.8 (?) 1st year
+3.5 second year

=5.3 / 2
=2.65 current cum. gpa

to get this up to a competitive level you would need approx. 3.35 for your final two years to be at 3.0 cum, or a 4.0 your final 2 years to achieve a ~3.33 cum.
A tall order - but positive trends are good. Rock the pcat too! Apply broadly.
Good luck,
skp

*I was able to bring a 3.1-3.2 cum (3 years w/ a semester around 2.0) up to a 3.5-3.6 cum (after another 3. years) so I guess this would be a similar case to yours.

 

[pharm13oy]

How bad will C's and D's look on your transcript? I struggled one whole year w/ gpa below 2.0. I have a total of about three D's and 4-5 C's during my time at UCSD as a pharm chem major. Then i came back the following year with gpa over 3.5. I would like to hear from someone with such experience and how successful their application went.

C's & D's aren't good, but I had C's and D's when I applied to pharmacy 10 years ago. However, during the interview...when they asked about my low marks...I was truthful with them. I told them that the classes were hard, and that I struggled with them. The interviewers seemed sympathetic to my honesty. Be able to explain exactly what happened. Interviews are a chance for the schools to get to know you as a person, rather than what's on paper. Good Luck to you!!!

 

[b*rizzle]

C's & D's aren't good, but I had C's and D's when I applied to pharmacy 10 years ago. However, during the interview...when they asked about my low marks...I was truthful with them. I told them that the classes were hard, and that I struggled with them. The interviewers seemed sympathetic to my honesty. Be able to explain exactly what happened. Interviews are a chance for the schools to get to know you as a person, rather than what's on paper. Good Luck to you!!!

Amen! Just make sure you're a package deal -- experience, good recs, etc. Like pharm3oy said, be prepared to explain your low grades, but just be honest about it...you honestly can redeem yourself here. I had a friend with 65% on the PCAT and a 3.1 GPA (a whole smattering of C's), but she had good recs, some experience, and was able to explain her grades. She got into Carolina's pharmacy school this year, and I have no doubt she'd make a stellar pharmacist.

Good luck!

 

[kochun]

Amen! Just make sure you're a package deal -- experience, good recs, etc. Like pharm3oy said, be prepared to explain your low grades, but just be honest about it...you honestly can redeem yourself here. I had a friend with 65% on the PCAT and a 3.1 GPA (a whole smattering of C's), but she had good recs, some experience, and was able to explain her grades. She got into Carolina's pharmacy school this year, and I have no doubt she'd make a stellar pharmacist.

Good luck!

I would need to be granted an interview first to play my game. I've applied to UCSD, USC, and Western...so far nothing, no school has called.

 

[Minghoo]

I would need to be granted an interview first to play my game. I've applied to UCSD, USC, and Western...so far nothing, no school has called.

I had 4 Cs. My recomendation is that you ned to retake those classes at a JC(junior college), at least the ones you got Ds in because no pharmacy school will take grades below a C. I had one C- in general bio and i retook it at a JC and got an A. Yes JCs are easier but who cares. The point is you want to show them that you are committed to improvement.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but if you haven't heard back from USC, you won't hear from them at all because their last interview date is this weekend. UCSD has also done their interviews too back in late Jan and late Feb. I got rejected there.

The point is be competitive. If your grades are weak, do lots of extra curricular activities and have leadership experiences. Work also helps. You don't necessarily need to work in a pharmacy field. Have good letters of rec and be yourself at the interview. Good luck!

 

[crest29]

i goto ucsd too. i had 4 Cs on my transcript. mostly in pre req classes.. hmm lets see in O Chem, Genetics, Structural Biochem and Cell Bio.. now, kochun you prolly know those are hardcore classes here! its tough! to even get a C! ... i 'm sure admissions committees knows that UCSD is a hard school very competitive in the sciences and they'll take that into account. i made up for my C's in my first three years of school by getting straight A s for all my classes during my senoir year. I think that, with some extra currics helped me get into some schools so hopefully you'll hear back!. Schools always like to see improvement

 

[imperial frog]

I had 3 Fs, a C and 20+ Ws. Didn't seem to hurt my chances.

 

[crazyrice610]

hey ... ucsd pal
of course it'll have a little effect, but it also depends on when you got them and what classes they were for.
but if u do hv c's, d's, or f's .. usually it's better if it's 1) towards the beginning, 2) all cluttered in one year or so, 3) if you have retaken the class and got at least a B or better (perferrably an A).. and of course, if you can, really explain to them why u got those grades.
for me, i have gotten 1W (Bio 2), 1C- (bio2), 1C (biochem - 2nd quarter), 1C+ (ochem lab - first one). for me i had an excuse for bio 2 and ochem cuz so much was goin on in personal life. but biochem was totally cuz i cannot accept the prof's style of teaching and testing
but to be able to get to an interview, make ur application shine.
personal statement: catching, conscise, to the point... and importantly clean of grammatic errors. personally i am horrible in grammar so i had a couple friends that i trust read over my personal statement and have them correct it until it's spotless.
have a lot of e.c. activities. work exp, vol exp. everything is a plus to ur applics. don't worry...

 

[PJ1120]

I had 3 Fs, a C and 20+ Ws. Didn't seem to hurt my chances.

Yah right...u serious?

 

[Glycerin]

Yah right...u serious?

Yes, he's serious. He's currently in pharmacy school.

 

[bananaface]

He is probably the exception though, not the rule. I think that there has to be a time lapse or a set of extenuating circumstances to get in with a poor academic record. Also, you need to have shown them in the last little while that you have pulled yourself up and gotten better grades. I got C's in physics. I had one W. But, overall, I had a 3.6 gpa. Probably more important is what courses you had the low grades in. If you have your bachelor's and they are in the general ed requirements, it's not going to matter as much as if you got D's in general or organic chemistry. If you got D's in those courses, you need to retake, plain and simple. Upper level chem they may not care quite as much about. But, if you start showing D's in pharm related classes, they may worry. It's really hard to assess any individial's situation, because there are 80+ adcoms you are potentially dealing with, all of which will react differently to your situation. But, those are my feelings on the topic.

 

[Glycerin]

He is probably the exception though, not the rule. I think that there has to be a time lapse or a set of extenuating circumstances to get in with a poor academic record. Also, you need to have shown them in the last little while that you have pulled yourself up and gotten better grades.

That goes without saying.

 

[bananaface]

That goes without saying.

Not when you are advising, it doesn't. If the OP knew this, he/she would not be asking.

 

[endlesslove]

If you have your bachelor's and they are in the general ed requirements, it's not going to matter as much as if you got D's in general or organic chemistry. If you got D's in those courses, you need to retake, plain and simple. Upper level chem they may not care quite as much about. But, if you start showing D's in pharm related classes, they may worry.

Kochun, bananaface is right. Cs and Ds in non-pharmacy classes, I wouldn't worry too much about (only thing is it may bring your overall GPA down). 1 C in a pre-pharmacy class, I also wouldn't worry too much about. More than 1C in a pre-pharm class, worry, especially if they are Ds! Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but as someone mentinoed somehwere (I don't know if it was in this thread) seriously, why the heck should the AdCom admit people with a lot of Cs and Ds in their pre-pharm classes when there are already THOUSANDS of competitive applicants to choose from (i.e. the LONG list of "active consideration" people at USC)?? Don't you think that's pretty unfair to people who DO have good grades and all the other nice jazz that comes with an appplicant having a good package? Sorry, but unless they are really special (i.e. extenuating circumstances), they just don't deserve to be admitted, IMO, and I sure hope the AdCom agrees with me. Furthermore, because the pre-pharmacy courses are supposed to be indicators of their level of performance in the actual pharmacy courses in the Pharm.D. program, if they're already getting Cs and Ds in UNDERGRAD, I HIGHLY doubt the Pharm.D. program will get any easier. As a couple of current pharmacy students have stated in several other threads, GPA in pharmacy school will go down by a couple of a tenths in comparison to undergrad. So, let's see. I believe a C is a 2.0 and a D is a 1.3 (I'm guessing on the last part since most of us never got this grade and had to calculate a GPA based on this). Thus in Pharmacy School, an expected GPA would probably be like a 1.6, not a very good GPA, but more importantly, the big picture is that this is not someone I would trust dispensing my medication that will affect MY health.

On a more positive note, I am aware that AdComs like to see improvements. So retaking some of those classes with bad grades would be a good decision and just hang in there b/c things will always work out in the end.

Best of luck!

 

[cheapdate]

How bad will C's and D's look on your transcript? I struggled one whole year w/ gpa below 2.0. I have a total of about three D's and 4-5 C's during my time at UCSD as a pharm chem major. Then i came back the following year with gpa over 3.5. I would like to hear from someone with such experience and how successful their application went.

Yes

 

[imperial frog]

He is probably the exception though, not the rule.

I like to think of myself as the rule.

 

[Tyrol]

I like to think of myself as the rule.

Mr. Frog is living proof that one can make a monumental and highly effective shift in academic performance. After a sub-par undergrad, he then went on to earn an MBA. The adcom must have been truly blown away by the fact that somebody would have the perseverance and self-belief to put in the amazing amount of effort it takes to complete all the pharm prereqs. Especially given such a rough background and on mere faith that it could be successfully overcome. Hat off to him.

Mark

 

[endlesslove]

Mr. Frog is living proof that one can make a monumental and highly effective shift in academic performance. After a sub-par undergrad, he then went on to earn an MBA. The adcom must have been truly blown away by the fact that somebody would have the perseverance and self-belief to put in the amazing amount of effort it takes to complete all the pharm prereqs. Especially given such a rough background and on mere faith that it could be successfully overcome. Hat off to him.

Mark

wow, he is the king of all frogs. bravo

 

[jbvdhp]

UCSD, as i have found, brain washes you like a mo fo. who the fuh-uck cares if you have c's and d's man? yer frikken human. they have to look at other things too...so don't hang out with them cats at UCSD that are ALL worried about getting a frikken 4.577585853646 GPA so they can get into med/pharm/dental school. they can suck dese nuts for all i care. that's what UCSD did to me, and it shouldn't do that to anyone else. it's not the end of the world. face it: people fuch-"h"+"k" up all the time. there are those frikken brainiacs, but who cares? look at that dood with like 20+ W's. i bet he didn't give a damn about anything and HE STILL GOT IN TO SOME profesh-in-al school. take life his way and just stop being scared of making mistakes in life. UCSD made me sick.

 

[jbvdhp]

I had 3 Fs, a C and 20+ Ws. Didn't seem to hurt my chances.

...ya damn right. that's what i'm talkin bout. people need to grow some damn huevos like him, say "fuhck it", and slap the biotches that make gettin all A's their lives. ya damn right....

 

[Tuck]

I too had around 20 Ws and grades that were not all that great initially. I went back to school though to do all the pharmacy pre-reqs and essentially had straight A's for the 2 years it took me to get through them. I specifically made a point to mention why I had such crappy grades and so many Ws and I think it actually helped my chances of getting into pharmacy school.

 

[daretodream]

I too had around 20 Ws and grades that were not all that great initially. I went back to school though to do all the pharmacy pre-reqs and essentially had straight A's for the 2 years it took me to get through them. I specifically made a point to mention why I had such crappy grades and so many Ws and I think it actually helped my chances of getting into pharmacy school.

This question is for imperial frog and tuck and others in a similar situation. How did you overcome a subpar undergraduate performance? Did you major in science or something else? tuck, specifically, what was your explanation for your poor grades and numerous W's?

I started my undergrad as a science major, but was an incredibly poor student (ditched probably more than half of my classes). I had several F's, D's and W's, and I finally decided there was no way I'd ever be accepted into a professional school, so I changed my major to business and graduated. However, reading all of the success stories here on SDN has inspired me to consider going back to school to retake the pharmacy pre-reqs. Has anyone else done this?

my apologies to kochun. my intent is not to steal this thread, but i thought my questions were somewhat related.

 

[missa]

How bad will C's and D's look on your transcript? I struggled one whole year w/ gpa below 2.0. I have a total of about three D's and 4-5 C's during my time at UCSD as a pharm chem major. Then i came back the following year with gpa over 3.5. I would like to hear from someone with such experience and how successful their application went.

Adcom's consider many things when admitting students, they are not just looking for book smarts. Every person has a story. UCSD is a very difficult school and I know that from personal experience. And it seems many others on this thread also agree! Have you ever considered retaking some of those courses at a jc? That could boost your pre-req gpa and give you a competitive edge. In addition, you should increase the amount of extra-curricular stuff, like volunteering, or working at pharmacy. You could also compensate by scoring well on PCAT.
I would also consider applying in other states.

Best of Luck to you Kochun.

 

[kochun]

Adcom's consider many things when admitting students, they are not just looking for book smarts. Every person has a story. UCSD is a very difficult school and I know that from personal experience. And it seems many others on this thread also agree! Have you ever considered retaking some of those courses at a jc? That could boost your pre-req gpa and give you a competitive edge. In addition, you should increase the amount of extra-curricular stuff, like volunteering, or working at pharmacy. You could also compensate by scoring well on PCAT.
I would also consider applying in other states.

Best of Luck to you Kochun.

Well, the D's i got were in last quarter of ochem, retook it and ended up wit a B+; the other two D's were from repeating genetics twice... for some reason i liked that class but couldnt seem to be able to pass it( the third time i got a B). All these bad marks concentrated during my junior year, there were some stuff going on in my life at that time. Other than that, I did fine. I guess the only class that I need to make up is econ in which i got a C in, but other than that i dont kno what classes i can make up to boost my gpa.
what year are u at UCSD, missa?

 

[Tuck]

In response,

a big part of why I missed so much and withdrew was because I partied way too much. This most likely would not have been a huge issue, but I have Chron's disease and alcohol tends to exacerbate the condition. While I could have gone to class and done ok, I really just did not care enough to do so, and as a result I ended up having a few surgeries. I eventually moved and quit school for a bit since I was just wasting my time. I essentially explained this in my personal statement and indicated that I had become a much more mature person over the past couple of years and that my grades reflected it. At any rate, hope that helps, but be sure to mention any issues regarding poor grades in your personal statement somehow as it will really help in gaining an interview.