How much do pharmacy school AdComs value volunteer work?

Question:  I'm interested in volunteering an a hospital, and for a number of reasons, one of which I've had great experiences volunteering back in high school and I know I'd enjoy doing it again. Ideally, I'd like to volunteer with the pharmacy staff, but the hospitals I'm interested in have more formalized programs and don't offer positions close to pharmacy and they don't offer shadowing positions. My strategy is to network and hopefully create the pharmacy volunteering opportunity or at least make a connection for shadowing.

But in the worst case that this doesn't materialize, I'm still interested in volunteering. My question is, how do admissions committees value this type of experience? I know that an experience like this will be rewarding nonetheless, and I think I can leverage those experience in putting together my application. And the fact that these are highly-acclaimed hospitals doesn't hurt either =) But I also need to make sure that I'm fully optimizing my free time. Any thoughts? Thanks!

Note - I work full time and am still applying for prehealth-studies programs


Answer:  I can only speak for myself on this, although I've sat in on enough meetings to have an opinion beyond my own. It has been my experience that any type of volunteering can be beneficial. It shows character and a willingness to give of oneself to help others - something every pharmacy school wants of it's students and graduates.

Having said that, volunteering at the animal shelter or something unrelated to health care won't gain you very much when a decision is being made. If you can show volunteer work at a hospital somewhere other than the pharmacy, I think it would help if you had a letter of recommendation from someone who supervised you. Otherwise, it's just something on the application that probably won't contribute much. Ideally, some pharmacy experience would be preferred if it is possible.

Ultimately, whether you have documented volunteerism or not will have very little say in the final analysis of your application. Good to have some? Sure. Better off using that time studying for the PCAT? Perhaps.

Hope that helps. Good luck.

Why is the Dean of the pharmacy school reviewing my application?

Question: I have a question on the general steps taken by an adcom to decide on someone. I called my top choice school today, where i interviewed in early october. Most of the people from the "batch" got their acceptance letters last week. I called to ask whether they had mailed out my decision letter and was told that my file is still in the dean's office. I thought that the dean only signs off the decisions already made by the committee, so why would someone's file be held up with the dean?


Answer:  Hmmmm, very interesting question. Why would the dean be reviewing your file? At our institution (and all I am aware of), the dean ultimately has the final say. However, it is rare for the dean to be involved at all unless he/she has a desire to see a particular applicant admitted. That might be because the applicant belongs to an under-represented minority or because the dean knows the applicant or someone called him directly on the applicant's behalf. Another thought might be that the dean needs to review the applications of those that the school will offer scholarships too. Too difficult to tell, I am sorry to say.

I wouldn't call back to ask at this point, but I would encourage you to ask what it means to have the application in the dean's office if it ever comes up again. If they can tell you, they will.

Good luck.

Are there some pharmacy school applicants who have no chance at all?

Question: When reviewing pharmacy school applications, is there often any apps that make you scratch your head, wondering perhaps "why did they bother?" Do you ever scan through a low gpa and low pcat and make a decision to ignore the letters of recommendation, personal and supplemental apps to save time? This isn't a question of mere curiosity, nor is it meant to dissuade anyone or be offensive. A lot of the schools I applied to accept only around 1/8 applicants (200 accepted - 1600 applicants etc). I want to get an idea how long it takes to go through all the applications and what portion of those applicants I am really competing against. Thank you! 


Answer: Yes, there are some applications where it is immediately apparent that we cannot admit the student. This is usually due to a very poor composite PCAT - say, less than 30. Or a single PCAT subset score may eliminate an applicant (ie, PCAT Chem = 5). If an applicant's overall GPA < 2.0, that will probably do it too. Every school has different criteria, of course, but I believe we all have some method of thinning out those applications that just do not have a realistic chance of being admitted. I would guess than 10-20% of applications have no legitimate shot.

Thanks for your question.

Should I bother applying to a school that has an undergraduate college where most students hail from?

Question: I am applying to a private school of pharmacy that has an undergraduate college as well. I did not attend this particular school for my undergraduate studies. Do you have any idea if the school of pharmacy at this school would give preference to those applicants who also attended the undergraduate college? Are a certain number of seats set aside for them? All things being equal, I assume their undergrads would be preferred - right?

Answer: It is my understanding as well that schools of pharmacy with undergraduate "feeder" schools typically give some preference to applicants from that school. However, I don't think this should change your approach when applying at such an institution or discourage you from applying at one of these schools. While many of the pharmacy school spots will be filled by their own undergraduates, it won't be anywhere near 100%, so you definitely still have a chance.

Good luck.

What are my chances of getting into pharmacy school? Need advice

Question: I'm a 25-year-old who needs a bit of advice. I have about 115 credit hours under my belt, but they consist of various classes that can't be applied to the same bachelors degree. The truth is, I took me a while to figure out what to do, and this "trial and error" shows in my grades. Right now I have a 2.4 cumulative GPA and a 3.4 math/science GPA. I've been taking one class or two at a time for the last 2 years, but am now going full-time to take a shot at a 3.0. I have not yet taken the PCAT and have about 20 credits of pre-pharm classes left.

I desperately want to go to pharmacy school. The reasons for such are numerous, but all of them are founded on my deep attachment to the profession. My full-time job (in an unrelated field which I've had for the last 5 years) has consisted of working with a pharmacy program, so I'm pretty familiar with the faculty and staff at my school.

My question is... Do you have any recommendations given my circumstance to increase my chances? I have retaken all failed classes from 8 years ago to hopefully show the AdCom that my study habits are different now, but I now wonder if this was at all beneficial since the cumulative GPA I believe shows my previous attempts.

Thanks for any advice you can provide!

Answer: My first reaction to your question is to recommend that you sit down with someone in the Admissions office, particularly if you have an existing relationship with them. Assuming that you have a positive relationship, you need to use this to your advantage. As you noted, your overall GPA is marginal at best. However, it looks like your science and math GPA are quite respectable. A strong PCAT would help immensely.

I am certain that they will accept your grades from classes retaken, but understand that those will likley not replace existing grades on your transcript. That is a common misconception among applicants.

In the end, it is up to you to show the AdComs that your study habits are different and than you have the ability to be successful in their program. Undeniably, you have the desire to attend this program and I think if you are able to channel your efforts, you can make a legitimate case. However, I would strongly encourage you to make an appointment with someone and discuss all the items you mentioned above.

Good luck!

Is it important where I complete my prereqs for pharmacy school?

Question: How important is the school where the prereq classes were taken? Someone I work with has almost a 4.0 from a subpar school, whereas I have a 3.3 or so from a pretty rigorous 4 year university and I had to work damn hard for my grades. I would hate to think that a committee wouldn't realize the differences between the schools and just look at the GPA which might hurt my chances.


Answer: In my opinion, this is the most difficult element when reviewing applications. It is virtually impossible for a committee to really have an idea of how rigorous a specific undergraduate programs really is. The "rank" of a school or program is one way for us to try and measure it obviously.  I will admit that I have been a part of some pretty heated conflicts on this topic. I've seen committee members discount community colleges or lesser ranked institutions. I have seen lesser students from elite schools afforded some breaks as well. Those examples are rare, but they exist. Understand, committees are made up of human beings who have preferences and opinions and this is a very subjective matter. When I don't know how to compare schools, I look at the PCAT scores and LORs for a gauge of what kind of student the applicant is.

But the simplest (and least-PC) answer to your question is, that yes - in some cases it does matter where you completed your prereqs.

Is age a factor when AdComs review pharmacy school applications?

Question: As a member of an adcom, would you say that age plays a role? Do adcoms tend to have preferences based on, well, I can think of various criteria that could be considered, such as young and single (as in no family) and more apt to succeed with studies because of more time/less responsibilities. Or maybe on the other hand, could an older applicant be viewed as more responsible and goal oriented? What about the fact that you already got a degree in your younger years in something science unrelated. Sometimes I feel like adcoms can be apprehensive towards someone who decided toward a particular field, and now wants to chance...I have a BS in teaching. Generally it is a good thing to have a degree but I'm wondering whether that's a plus or a minus to a pharm adcom. I was asked this question in my first interview, and while having my reasons for deciding to change, I feel a bit challenged in providing an answer that they would like. I'm also 29 and have a child. They didn't ask about that though, which I was happy because I thought they could see that as a barrier for keeping up with a pharm school curriculum. A friend of mine who's also a mom, and already in the program told me she lied about not having kids.


Answer: 
Age may play a minor role in my perception of a applicant. I probably give a younger student, say one applying after 2 years of undergrad, a break if he/she doesn't have pharmacy experience, for example, simply because they've had less time to get it compared to a 30 year old applicant looking for a career change.

In your case, I would think that having some type of pharmacy experience would be very helpful to your chances. That is, when asked what made you want to switch careers, you could indicate that you had spent a great deal of time and effort into procuring a decision and that your time spent in the pharmacy reinforced that pharmacy was what you wanted to do.

I will point out that a number of AdComs do give "credit" to those with degrees (in any field) as well as those who have dedicated the time necessary to take the necessary courses to apply to pharmacy school while working full time and having family and parental responsibilities. I think it is illegal for us to ask about families. marriage status, and children. We can ask if there is anything that might prove to be difficult for student when they are in school, but not, "how many kids do you have and what will you do with them while you're in school".

In summation, issues surrounding an applicant's age / maturity, are things we might consider.  It is rare however, that I have seen this keep a student out of pharmacy school.

Good luck.

Question: My preferred school only accepts one letter of recommendation.  My choice is between my chem. teacher and the lead pharmacist at a state mental hospital. My chem. teacher and I have kept in touch and he has had an opportunity to get to know how great I truly am. The pharmacist is from a my hometown area. She was very supportive and offered exceptional insight. She is the type of pharmacist I'd like to become. Which LOR would be better for this application?


Answer:  Tough question. I would say if you have actual work experience with the pharmacist, a letter of recommendation from her would probably carry more weight with a committee. She could speak to the specific attributes that would make you an excellent pharmacist having witnessed your work in the pharmacy. To me, that is probably what I would most like to see as a reviewer.

If the pharmacist is simply a friend/advisor, I think the LOR needs to come from your chemistry teacher.

Best of luck.

How do pharmacy school AdComs view cases of academic dishonesty?

Question: How does the committee view cases of academic dishonesty such as plagiarism.  I understand pharmacy is a discipline with firm roots in trust and honesty.  How would you like such cases to be presented to the admissions committee?

Answer: Well, it wouldn't be looked upon favorably.  Are you referring to the PCAT question on the topic of academic probation, misconduct, etc or specifically about a question asked on a supplemental or during an interview?  Or has this not yet been addressed and you are seeking advice?

I would imagine if it was an isolated event, a committee might be lenient.  Particularly, if there was a seemingly valid excuse.  My alibi would be that I simply forgot to cite a reference and see how it went.  If an applicant plagiarized an entire paper, on the other hand, that case is certainly more difficult to argue. Now that PharmCas screens essays and statements for copied material, it is more difficult to pass something off as your own.

At my institution, if there was a concern about the student's veracity in explaining the issue, I believe a member of the committee would probably contact the school and speak with the professor or dean responsible for the misconduct penalty.  Of course, we would prefer an applicant be forthcoming with a (hopefully) appropriate explanation, but contacting the school would be one way the committee might proceed.

To be clear, a transcript with misconduct is a red flag for all AdComs and that alone could keep someone out of pharmacy school.

Please read: An Update from Admissions

To the readers of this blog and the members of our forum,

Three years ago we started this blog along with our discussion forum with the goal of demystifying the pharmacy school application process and helping prospective students achieve their career goals. I sincerely appreciate the many visitors and users and I want to to express my sincere appreciate to the site moderators - current pharmacy students - who have assisted others through this process by sharing their advice and guidance.

As some of you may have noticed, I have spent less time on the forum answering questions in recent months than I did previously. I apologize to those of you who have asked me to review personal statements and essays if I have not provided you an adequate response. I have had an increase in my current responsibilities, both personal and professional, and my free time has been reduced to the point where I have to make a decision on the future of this forum

I have made the very difficult decision to place the forum on indefinite hiatus. I will retain the site domain in the event that I am able to re-dedicate the time and resources to it. More importantly, I will continue to provide answers to emails, so I hope you will continue to share them with me and allow me to post them here to help guide other pharmacy school applicants.

My email address is posted below. I will personally respond to your question as best that I can. I hope that you will pass along this blog to your friends, classmates and colleagues.

Best-
Admissions
pharmacyschooladmissions@gmail.com