<p>Hey guys, this site helped me a lot when I was searching for colleges, and I thought I would return the favor. I'm current a student at Rutgers enrolled in the Pharmacy program, so I'm willing to answer all questions you have relating to the program, employment (my father is a pharmacist), the teachers and courses, and social/living at Rutgers. </p>
<p>Ask away!</p>
<p>Oh wow...this is exactly what I was hoping for! lol..thanks in advance!</p>
<p>Is it true that the program only accepts 8 ap credits? If so, what should I use my credits on? I got a 4 on ap bio so I'm assuming that itself is 8 credits...right? This year I'm in ap chem so I don't know what I'll get on that ap exam...but does this mean my credits for psychology/english/statistics are basically useless?</p>
<p>What would be the best place to dorm for pharmacy students? I've heard Busch has the majority of pharmacy classes once we reach 3rd and 4th year.</p>
<p>In general, how are your classes like--as in are they big/small, the professors, etc. </p>
<p>LOL i realize I just asked a lot but I'm really curious/excited haha. Thank you for helping us newcomers out lol</p>
<p>Yes, its true that the Rutgers Phramacy program only accepts 8 AP credits. Yah, i know it sucks, I had a ton of credits, but I ended up using 8 credits in Biology. I've heard that Bio was a huge weed out course for premed students and that it was hell, basically. USing AP credit on it was probably the best thing I could have done for my freshman year bercause psychology is significantly easier. </p>
<p>There is no best place to dorm as a freshman because your classes will be all over the place. I would suggest Busch or College Ave since they have the best dorms. Avoid Cook/Douglass because of the busing problems. And yes, ist true that when you hit 3rd/4th year, most students live on busch because its more convenient. </p>
<p>Most of the classes are pretty big lecture classes since they're introduction classes. The writing classes are generally a lot smaller, which is nice. The professors at Rutgers range from bad to good. I have yet to meet an excellent professor, and a lot of the introduction science professors are pretty bad to be honest</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Yeah I was hoping to take my ap statistics/english language exams this year along with chem but seeing as that would be completely pointless I will only take chemistry (just in case I decide to use those credits over bio--probably wont though. thanks for the input on bio)</p>
<p>I'm going to try and stay away from college ave lol so i'll probably try to get a dorm at Busch.</p>
<p>Yup, heard the science department at Rutgers sucks lol.</p>
<p>For now I don't have any more questions but I probably will later on so thanks again.</p>
<p>Lurker, here are my questions
I just got into the pharmacy program and although I want to be a doctor, I want to have pharmacy as a backup.
Who knows what my gpa will be like, and I dont want to give up the acceptance at the pharmacy school because I hear it's much harder to transfer.
Would it be possible to start off as pharmacy and if my gpa turns out high after 2 semesters, transfer to SAS to continue as premed.
Or is the curriculum not similar enough?
I was also told that Bio is hard at rutgers, so should I take the ap credit?
But then the ap test was in may last year so its almost been a year after that, and I have to take MCATs so I would have to know the stuff. Would it be possible to do an audit for the class ?</p>
<p>Idk i'm just really undecided.</p>
<p>Yes, Pharmacy is a great back up. You will be taking the same classes as pre-med students, so it would make a lot of sense to enroll in the Pharmacy program for the first two years, see if you end up with a high GPA, and then either transfer out into SAS or stick with it. There is a program that you apply to in your sophmore year second semester that is an accelerated med peogram (7 yrs) with UMDNJ or Robert Woodward Johnson. </p>
<p>If it turns out your GPA isn't that great, just stick with the pharmacy program! Biology at Rutgers is definitely challenging. It is up to you to decide whether or not to take the AP Credit, but MCAT material is definitely something you can study for without the class. If I were you, I would take the AP credit to keep my GPA as high as possible (which is important for both Pharmacy and Med) and if you happen to have a high enough GPA for med school apps, then it shouldn't be difficult to just relearn/review bio for a standardized exam.</p>
<p>Thank you so much. But med schools dont take AP classes. They require a year of bio anyway. so I would have to take the upper level bio. Im more worried about chemistry because I learned very little chemistry and need to prepare. I do have the AP chemistry book from my school. What would you suggest for studying ? Or should I take chemistry at cc before I start at Rutgers</p>
<p>-Lurker-, do you feel like you're a lot busier this semester?<br>
Also, what do you think about pharmacy frats?</p>
<p>SuperMarioJ, we do take a pre-med/liberal arts curriculum our first two years, but my pre-med friends have some /extra/ classes. I don't know whether it is because they're specialized or chose a specific field but they have to take genetics, some molecular bio waksman thing, physics 2, etc. They also take biochem earlier. And as part of SAS requirements, they have to minor, while we're not allowed to.</p>
<p>I know the seven year med program at Rutgers has requirements that are very very similar to Pharmacy requirements. Catalog</a> Navigator : Articulated B.A./M.D. Program (Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School)</p>
<p>No, I'm not busier this semester and I think rushing for pharmacy frats is alright, but I don't see a point in joining them until I'm actually in pharmacy school</p>
<p>Hey Lurker what year are you in for pharmacy school?</p>
<p>How difficult is General Chem freshman year because I'm in AP Chemistry and it isn't easy and I know that General Chem has a lot of AP Chemistry material in it so hopefully (I'm hoping) that even if I do bad now I will do better in college learning it for a second time. I will most likely use my AP credits on Bio though...a 4 will get me out of both semesters, right?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>AP Chemistry varies by high school, so I can't comment. I felt that Gen. Chem was about the same difficulty as the AP Chem offered at my high school (I got a 4 on the exam). And yes, a 4 in bio gets you out of both semesters.</p>
<p>:( I think taking 3 of my required electives this semester is making my semester suck, but it's actually easy compared to future semesters.</p>
<p>I agree with the frats. I won't feel right until I'm actually in the pharm classes. I think I'll consider it spring semester of my third year.</p>
<p>fire91, I find Gen Chem easy because I took AP Chem. </p>
<p>So, are you dorming? commuting? Do you think Busch is best? Apt or suite?</p>
<p>Ok thanks guys!</p>
<p>I plan on taking the AP Chem exam this year, even though I won't be able to use the credits, because I want to make sure I know the material and hopefully find Gen. Chem easier. At our high school, the AP Chem teacher is brilliant, but she makes it difficult so I rather do bad now in high school when it isn't as crucial, and hopefully do really well in college. </p>
<p>What year do you take Statistics and Psychology? (both courses I should be getting out of but will be forced to retake unfortunately..)</p>
<p>Statistics: second semester sophmore year
psychology: first semester freshman yr if you skip gen bio</p>
<p>I don't know what it will be for future classes. I believe they're changing it from a 6 year program to a 7 year one in the near future (if they haven't already).</p>
<p>You can take psychology whenever you want. I took Chinese instead of psych my first semester freshman year, and I'm taking psych now. My roommate is going to take it in the summer. </p>
<p>If you AP out, you have to write down what class you want instead of bio on the sheet you send back. Most kids get put into psych (some on the saturdays), but others were put into sociology or social analysis...</p>
<p>I didn't take my AP stat exam either.</p>
<p>A 7 year program would be scary, plus, if you want to do research, then it's 8 years o.o</p>
<p>Thanks for the link. I was looking at the classes we have to take and felt a little nervous haha...my sister graduated RU Pharm in '08 so quite recently...she said the hardest class or the one she nearly failed was Infectious Diseases (which is of course in the 4th year...the hardest year supposedly).</p>
<p>Geez, if they make it a 7-year program that will suck...might as well go to med school then lol.</p>
<p>Yeah I'm not sure if I'll take psych first semester I might just because I have a better chance of remembering it (took AP in junior year). But I do want to take a cool language like Arabic..haha.</p>
<p>Hey, today I got a letter from Rutgers about the Honors program for Pharmacy and how you can apply for it after second year if you have a 3.5 and all, but I was just curious as to what you guys have heard about it (or if you're in it...how is it?). Does it make college-life harder with more studying/researching? And what exactly differs it from regular Pharm?</p>
<p>You get to do research with a professor and have the opportunity to be published. Its a resume booster and it gives you a great recommendation and puts you ahead of other pharmacy students at the cost of a lot of time. If you can get in, I guess you can handle research in addition the pharmacy courseload. If not you're in for a lotta failin</p>
<p>I'm also a pharmacy student at Rutgers, and there are other research opportunities besides the honors program.</p>
<p>lol thanks. I wasn't planning on doing research but I can't really say that now since I haven't even started and seen what I like.</p>