<p>Hi. I'm a HS junior from New York, and just got my SAT scores back. They were:
Critical Reading 640
Math 630
Writing 590
Multiple Choice 62 (score range: 20-80)<br>
Essay 7 (score range: 2-12)</p>
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<p>I'm pretty disappointed with my performance; I didn't properly prepare for the exam and it showed. I plan on taking an SAT course and studying more vigorously to retake it in the Fall. I'm aiming for at least 700 in each section.</p>
<p>So I want to be a pharmacist in the future, and I'm really confused on which college I should go/apply to. As of now, I have 2 schools in mind: Northeastern University and the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. I like Northeastern University's co-op program, and the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is impressive because it specializes in my preferred field. However, I come from a small school, and the ACPHS is small and I fear it would feel like more of the same. I want a new and refreshing experience with college and want to meet new people and new personalities, but I don't want to risk going to the wrong college just because it's large. The ACPHS is also nice because they offered my older brother a $40k scholarship to go there (he didn't), and I performed nearly as well as he did on the SAT, so I think I can get a great financial aid package from this school as well.</p>
<p>What are other good colleges I can go to become a pharmacist? It would be much appreciated if I can get suggestions of colleges both in and out of my reach. Thank you!</p>
<p>edit: If it matters, I'm Asian (Cambodian-American). I remember hearing that colleges discriminate against Asians nowadays, which sucks, but hopefully that doesn't keep me out of a good college. :(</p>
<p>Thanks for answering! I just read a bit on St. John’s and it seems like a great program! Are there certain criteria I should use to decide which PharmD program is “the best?”</p>
<p>Also, I’ve heard the PharmD curriculum is very rigid. Would I be able to study pharmacy as well as business/marketing (I feel like this would help me open a private practice in the future)?</p>
<p>I would go with Northeastern because of their co-op. All you have to do is increase the writing score to around 620. Everything else looks good. </p>
<p>Also, Look at SUNY Stony Brook and Binghamton.</p>
<p>p.s. it does not matter where you go, just get in and do good pass the state exam and you will find a job no problem! it is one of those fields that you can always find a job with a nice salary.</p>
<p>the only SUNY school with a pharmacy program is University of Buffalo…I have heard that campus is awful but then again the cost is much less than the privates. Northeastern is over $60,000!</p>
<p>I had a similar problem when selecting what college to attend, because I looked at the same colleges and had the same criteria in mind. Sorry this is so long, but I want to help you out as much as possible!</p>
<p>I am a P1 (third year) student at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS). </p>
<p>Although the campus and community of ACPHS seem small, you have the opportunity to meet new people every day because of all the clubs and organizations (around 36 of them) and there are so many class years to interact with. You have your courses that everyone in your class takes together, but you will be able to meet different people through electives and labs. I’ve made many friends through experiences like this!
As you mentioned, ACPHS is very specific. This is perfect for a health care professional. You get to make great connections with students and professors. Many faculty members have pharmacy degrees themselves and will allow you to shadow them to help you gauge interest for what type of pharmacist you want to be. These types of interactions are very valuable for the future when applying for a residency, fellowship or job. </p>
<p>Going along more with the specificity, your roommate will always have the same major as you. This is great because they are a great resource if you missed something in your notes or don’t understand something in class. They are also taking the same classes that you are, so will be studying when you are and have free time when you do. This is one of the reasons why I chose ACPHS over other colleges.</p>
<p>ACPHS is awesome because you are guaranteed entrance into the third year of the program as long as you meet certain requirements (a 3.0 GPA, pass a faculty interview and get above the 25th percentile on the PCAT examination). This isn’t the case at many pharmacy schools. For many, you have to re-apply to the school for your third year, but this is not a concern at ACPHS!</p>
<p>Also, this is not listed in your criteria, but I just want to mention that we have amazing dorms here. There is housing available for each year that you attend ACPHS. You are required to live on campus for the first two years, but after that you can move off. As a first year student you have a room with heat/air conditioning that you control yourself, a bathroom with a shower for you and your roommates, a microwave and fridge (no need to rent or buy these), and free laundry. These are really great commodities and make adjusting to college a lot easier.</p>
<p>I hope this helps with some of your concerns!</p>
<p>Also, you mentioned being able to study PharmD and marketing. At ACPHS we have a joint program with Union College where you can get an MBA (Masters of Business Administration) so you will graduate with both degrees. This is very unique of ACPHS and I did not encounter any other colleges where this opportunity was available.</p>