Should I be worried about applying to pharmacy schools that are not fully accredited?

Question:
So I want to send in 2 applications and the schools are Pre Candidate and Candidate status. Should this be a worry? Obviously they aren't accredited yet but I want to know what you recommend. Should I avoid these schools and stick with safer choices even if they aren't my top choices?


Answer:
My feeling is that the risk is more perceived than real and I would not discourage anyone from applying to a school that is not fully accredited. If you find that a candidate school, for example, is the best "fit" for you, I would encourage you to visit and consider admission. Don't let the status be the determining factor in your decision.

Below is an explanation of each from ACPE:

Preaccreditation - A newly instituted Doctor of Pharmacy program of a College or School of Pharmacy maybe granted one of two preaccreditation statuses, depending upon its stage of development. In the instance of a newly founded College or School of Pharmacy, the program progresses through both statuses. The standards are the same as those employed for accredited status, however, preaccreditation involves, in large measure, planning in accord with standards and provision of reasonable assurances for a quality outcome.

Precandidate A new program that has no students enrolled but that meets the eligibility criteria for accreditation may be granted Precandidate accreditation status. The granting of Precandidate status indicates that a college or school’s planning for the Doctor of Pharmacy program has taken into account ACPE standards and guidelines and suggests reasonable assurances of moving to the next step, that of Candidate status. Granting of Precandidate status brings no rights or privileges of accreditation. Full public disclosure by the college or school of pharmacy of the terms and conditions of this accreditation status is required.

Candidate Following achievement of Precandidate status, and once students have enrolled in a new program, but the program has not had a graduating class, the program may be granted Candidate status. The granting of Candidate status denotes a developmental program that is expected to mature in accord with stated plans and within a defined time period. Reasonable assurances are expected to be provided that the program may become accredited as programmatic experiences are gained, generally, by the time the first class has graduated. Graduates of a class designated as having Candidate status have the same rights and privileges as graduates of an accredited program.

Full Status - The professional degree program of a college or school of pharmacy is granted initial or full accreditation if it has been demonstrated to the satisfaction of ACPE that the program complies with accreditation standards, including the appropriateness of the program’s mission and goals, the adequacy of resources and organization to meet the mission and goals, outcomes which indicate that the mission and goals are being met, and the reasonable assurance of the continued compliance with standards.

Full Accreditation with Probation - A professional program of a College or School of Pharmacy that has been granted accreditation and is subsequently determined to be in non-compliance with a standard or standards will be given the accreditation status of probation. Due notice of this action, indication of the area(s) of non-compliance, and the time period within which the program is expected to bring itself into compliance with standards (not to exceed two years) are given. Graduates of a program in a probationary status retain all the rights and privileges associated with an accredited program. Probation is not an adverse accreditation action.

Major life problems impacted my grades, but will a bad year spoil my chances of getting into pharmacy school?

Question:
So in a pivotal semester I had a lot of family issues come up. My family got unemployed and we lost our home and I was forced to take up a 40 hr/week job at the last minute. Needless to say I failed a semester with an F in Organic + Lab, Statistics, PreCalculus, and a B in Biology and C in Biology lab.

Obviously this is going to nuke my GPA but I'm retaking these courses this semester. If I leave this semester with an A/B in the classes I got a F in would that semester be overlooked? Since PharmCAS averages those F classes into my GPA will schools look to see why the science and overall GPA was lower or would they throw it out by default?

I'm going to complete a degree in Biology so I'll be taking some of the higher level courses like immunology, biochemistry, endocrinology, cell biology, genetics, and etc. so I'm hoping that those courses will show that I'm capable of handling higher level content before going to school.

Do they place higher weight on the pre-req classes compared to other relevant science classes? For example, I know that having an F then a B in orgo isn't the best but if I get an A/B in Biochem afterwards would that hold equal weight to the organic class?

Sorry I know there are a lot of questions but I don't want a bad year to spoil my chances of getting into my first, second, or even third choice school, ya know? I'm handling everything else like work experience and LOR just fine but this year really screwed a lot of things up.

Thanks a ton for the help!


Answer:
Doing well in your advanced coursework will help you. Explaining the events that caused the poor grades is an absolute must. If you have an advisor or mentor who can attest to family issues as the reason for academic difficulties, having them do so in a letter of recommendation would benefit you tremendously.

Every cycle there we review the files of a handful of applicants who have some pretty significant extenuating circumstances which caused major hardships that affected their transcripts.  When an applicant does an exemplary job of explaining the reasons for this in their statement and interview, I think AdComs are often impressed with the applicant's perseverance and give them the benefit of the doubt.  The onus is on the applicant, however, because without a suitable explanation such an application is often disregarded as unworthy of admission.

I wish you the best.

Does taking only 13 credits per semester hurt my chances of getting into pharmacy school?

Question:
Thank you so much for you blog. It has been very helpful as I am preparing for pharmacy school applications. I was just curious what AdComs' opinions are on course load. I've been a full time student (at least 13 units) every semester but how do they view me taking 13 units as opposed to someone who takes 15 or 16 units? I only had one semester of 13 units and the rest varied from 15-18. However, on some of those semesters, I got 4 units from working on a research project with a professor instead of actually taking classes. Is that unfavorable for AdComs?


Answer:
We like to see applicants take (and succeed) in as many credits as possible. This shows us that he/she can withstand the rigors of a pharmacy school curriculum where 18 hours is the norm in many semesters. I don't know that any AdCom is going to frown upon you for taking 13 credit hours when that is enough to be considered a full time student. If most of your semesters were 15-18 credits, you are in good shape and I wouldn't worry or feel as though you need to address a semester with less than that. Getting some research experience can probably only help you (although don't count on it helping much)


Good luck.

Is there a benefit to applying early in the pharmacy school admission cycle?

Question:

From your experience, does applying early decision to a school increase the chances of admission or make an applicant more favorable to admissions committees? Could it possibly also be more difficult?

Thank you!

Answer:
If you are applying to a very competitive school, get your application in as early as possible. These schools have the "pick of the litter" and typically they are going to fill their classes quickly with little attrition once they make their offers of admissions.

However, if you are applying to less competitive schools (and those with rolling admissions), I think there is some advantage to applying later in the cycle. The notion is that these schools ultimately lose committed applicants who end up getting into better schools. When this happens, spots open up later in the cycle which must be filled and it's often students who have applied later and not yet made decisions who benefit from the process.

Good luck.

I failed an elective undergraduate course - should I retake it or not?

Question: 
I am a returning college student who has been out of school for almost 10 years. I've been an assistant store manager at a retail supercenter the whole time, and last year I decided to switch careers and get into pharmacy because the field is very challenging, rewarding, and has a better work/life balance. The courses I took back then are all valid and I got very good grades. The only thing haunting me is an "F" I got in a computer programming course.

After starting back in school last spring, I've been getting straight A's ever since while working 50 hours a week. I've now managed to raise my overall GPA to a 3.35 and my math/science GPA to a 3.5--even with the F on my transcript. I've registered for the PCAT this October and will obviously do everything I can to do well on it. I'm confident I can round out the rest of my prerequisites with A's, which would take my GPA up to a 3.62 by next spring. I am also going to be stepping down as a manager soon and working in our pharmacy as a tech.

My question is, is this "F" in an elective completely unrelated to the field of pharmacy going to kill my chances at admission? Should I retake this class, or since it is has nothing to do with pharmacy would taking an elective that is more aligned with the health field be better?


Answer:
There are times when I might suggest retaking a failed elective, but yours in not one of them. Failing a course that long ago in a field unrelated to your ability to succeed in pharmacy school shouldn't have much of a negative impact on your chances other than the obvious effect on your GPA.

My experience is that any AdCom will quickly look past your work from 10 years ago and focus on what you have accomplished since you re-dedicated yourself to the pursuit of a profession in pharmacy.

Good luck.

Should I confront a pharmacist who I found wrote out wrote a negative letter of recommendation ?

Question:

I am really upset and not sure how to handle this. When interviewing I was asked several questions that were very specific to what one of my reviewers wrote. I answered them the best I could, but didn't really understand the line of questioning. One of the last questions asked at the interview was why I thought this recommendation writer would have reservations about me being admitted to pharmacy school. I was totally stunned that the pharmacist wrote that and I wonder if I should confront him about it. I am really worried that this could keep me out of pharmacy school.

Help please.  

Answer:

First of all, I am sorry you encountered this.  Personally, I think it's unprofessional for the interviewer to put your co-worker / reviewer in such a bad situation when that information really should be confidential.  

My experience is that an LOR offering negative commentary can be very damning in the eyes of the committee, particularly since it came from a pharmacist that you worked with in some capacity. It is unfortunate that this occurred and I hope that you are given the benefit of the doubt by a committee after your interview.

If you are not admitted, I would encourage you to contact the school(s) directly and ask how to improve your application. Obviously, you know that your LORs were a concern, but see if they give you any other advice. Applicants often think they know why they were not admitted, but they are mistaken. For example, a student may have a marginal PCAT score and assume they didn't get in for that reason. They work and prepare to do better on the PCAT, when in fact the committee didn't feel he/she was admittable because of a bad LOR, for example. Or vice versa. 

Asking the pharmacist who wrote the letter if there is something you can do to improve your skills would be one way to tactfully get to the point.  Stating that you know he wrote a less than flattering LOR won't improve your chances and might cause friction at work.  If you feel that a different pharmacist might be able to write a more positive review, asking him/her to do so and submitting an addendum to your application might be helpful.

Good luck.

When should I start studying for the 2014 PCAT?

Question:
I plan on taking the PCAT next July, but I am having trouble understanding when I should begin studying for the exam. I have been told by relatives who are pharmacists that Christmas break would be a great time to hit the books (it usually lasts 6 weeks), but I plan on using that time to work as a tech and get a pesky physics class out of the way. My advisor suggested that I begin studying around the spring time, but I know my course-load will be pretty hectic by then. I'm the type of person who needs plenty of time to do well on exams, but I don't want to begin studying too early( if that's even possible). Also, I'm not sure how to study. Should I study on my own or would getting into a prep class like Kaplan be more beneficial? I want to do well on my first try so that I can make the early decision deadline. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. 

Answer: 
All students have different study techniques that work for them so I can't offer much in terms of how much time you will need, but I personally wouldn't overdo it. If you are in school now, much of the Bio and Chem subset should be familiar information. You should complete the online practice exams to see how the Reading and Verbal areas are tested.

I usually don't recommend classes like Kaplan due to the cost although I think there is probably some benefit to them for non-traditional students who have not been in a school setting recently

Good luck.

What should I do if I haven't heard back from a pharmacy school that I applied to?

Question: 
What does it mean when you don't hear from schools for a long time (without an interview invite)? Is it a rejection or am waitlisted?

Thank you

Answer:
Upon submitting the necessary paperwork or PharmCas application, were you notified that the school had received everything they needed?  If so, good.  If not, there certainly could have been an issue in transmission which you would need to call and speak with someone directly as soon as possible. If you were informed that they had received your application and supplemental (if necessary), I think it would be acceptable to send them an email or make a phone call to the Admissions Office to check the status of the application. Some schools that do not have rolling admissions will wait until late in the process and have a single interview day, so it's not impossible that they are still reviewing applications.

I hope that helps. Good luck and please keep us informed.

Should I complete by Bachelors degree before applying to pharmacy school?

Question:
I graduated with and AA degree four years ago. But I’ve been wanting to go back to school for a more stable career, so I’ve been researching the requirements for a pharmacist. So basically my question is should I go back to a CC to fulfill my prerequisites and try to get in or just go for my Bachelors and then try to get into a pharmacy school?

The only reason this is an issue is because I am married so the shortest route would be ideal, but again, if I go the first route it seems like I would be putting all my eggs in one basket.

Any advice would help!
Thank you!

Answer:

You ask a couple of good questions. My answer probably depends on what your Associate's degree is in and how many prereqs you need to complete. If you are using your degree in some type of health care field and gaining some relevant work experience, it may not be necessary to to pursue your Bachelor's degree. If your degree is completely unrelated to pharmacy (ie, culinary arts), obtaining your Bachelor's degree would be advisable.

In either case, however, understand that you can apply to a school once you have fulfilled the prereqs. You do not need a BA/BS, but having one does improve your chances. Additionally, as I advise everyone, I would encourage you to apply to more than one school. I understand there may be circumstances that do not allow you to move, for example, but I have seen many applicants paint themselves into a corner by only applying to one pharmacy school. Just something to consider.

Good luck.

Can I apply to pharmacy school and dental school at the same university?

Question:

I am wondering if applying to the same school for both pharmacy school and dental school would negatively impact my chances of getting accepted?

 

Answer:

I would advise against doing so. A part of any pharmacy AdCom's decision making process is trying to ascertain an applicant's motivation to the profession. Applying to more than one professional school at the same institution would raise eyebrows and probably red flags among many commitee members. Professionally speaking, I would encourage you to spend as much time as you have available to shadow both professions so that you can devote your energy to being admitted to the program that you feel is the best fit for you.

 

Good luck.