3.1 GPA - What are my chances?

Question:
I have not taken the pcat yet, I plan to this summer.
That being said I will be applying for schools next year and as of now my gpa is around a 3.1...so not phenomenal, but it is at an academically challenging liberal arts institution (i don't know if that is put into consideration at all).
I don't have pharmacy experience, but I do volunteer a decent amount. I also have undergraduate research experience in microbiology dealing with bacteria, of which I presented at a small university conference and was published in a minor journal.
I am curious how I would fair in the process and what I could do to help insure my success in applying?


Answer: A GPA of 3.1 is good enough to get you an interview at a lot of schools - where do you plan to apply? Obviously, you should spend as much time as possible preparing for the PCAT as this can help you tremendously. Although significant experience is not required, I would encourage you to at least get some experience shadowing a pharmacist. This will help you when you write your personal statement and supplemental essays as well and give you talking points during a pharmacy school interview.

I imagine you will be a strong candidate, but there are many variables involved so it's hard for me offer anything confidently. I wish you the best and I hope that you will consider contributing your thoughts and experiences on the application process to others via the forum.