<p>I got into Yale (early) and St. John's University's 0-6 Pharmacy program.</p>
<p>I have decided that i want to be a pharmacist. But Yale has the name...more prestige. But if I go to Yale then Ill have to do 8 years of studying to get the PharmD which I could get in 6 years though St. Johns. </p>
<p>So is 2 extra years worth going to Yale?</p>
<p>I need advice.</p>
<p>dude, you got into Yale (congrats!). Isn’t it worth 2 extra years to get an prestigious education if you can afford it?</p>
<p>I don’t know. I really don’t think it’s worth it when you look at it from a practical perspective. I’ll end up getting a PharmD either case. And if I go to Yale Ill have to pay the full price for 4 yeas of Pharm. Unlike at St. John’s where Ill pay full for just the 2 grad years.</p>
<p>What if you change your mind about pharmacy? People do, you know. Then you would have given up an opportunity to attend one of the finest schools in the world.</p>
<p>Yes, some people change their minds. But my mind is set up for pharmacy.</p>
<p>I actually spent one whole YEAR (about) researching about whether I want to take the Med or pharm road. I decided on Pharm.</p>
<p>Since you’re so set, you should take the pharmacy program then. You pay less and get out quicker. St. John’s is also prestigious, isn’t it? Also depends if Yale can give you the education that you want it to. Name isn’t everything.</p>
<p>What’s your financial situation? Is there any chance you’d change your mind?</p>
<p>I’d say Yale either way. I know it’s 2 extra years but I’m sure the prestige of a Yale degree will be worth it.</p>
<p>
Didn’t consider anything else than medicine and pharmacy? You may find in college you want to pursue something entirely different. **This is coming from someone who was completely set on medicine (neurosurgery) since 7th grade through last summer.
Personally, I hate the idea of locking myself into a career path before college. College is a time to explore.</p>
<p>A pharmacy career is a worthwhile goal, but if you’re accomplished enough to be admitted at Yale, it’s clearly not the only goal in your life. If you’re going to college for the full scope of personal and career development, there will be a distinct qualitative difference with Yale.</p>
<p>Yale isn’t just about contacts and grad school preparation and career networks. It’s primarily about developing your own gifts - and if you got into Yale your gifts are considerable - in order to live the fullest, most significant, most enjoyable life that you can. That’s ultimately what undergraduate education is about. Grad school is discipline- and career-focused, but undergrad is focused on you. The majority of the most talented students in the country and many of the world’s best and brightest apply to Yale each year, and the university only has room to invite 8% of them. You’re in that 8% - you’ve earned the right to be dazzled and inspired by your peers for four years.</p>
<p>Yale, at the top of the applicant food chain, gets something close to right of first refusal on the most talented, motivated, and interesting applicants from around the globe. They handpick a class that is multinational, ethnically diverse, brilliant, breathtakingly talented, engaging, etc. Then they set resources in front of them (world-famous speakers, faculty who are leaders in their fields, well-connected advisors, live-in faculty House masters and tutors), and turn them loose. And then for many students, its financial aid program makes it cheaper than many other private schools.</p>
<p>I concur with gadad. While it’s nice to be desirous of a Pharm career at this point, you’re also facing the prospect of being among ~5000 undergrads who are at their apex in intellectual exploration and dynamism. I suspect that the entering class of Pharm students at St Johns just will be considerably different. </p>
<p>But if you’re set – then that’s fine. You won’t find too many people exerting extra effort to convince you otherwise – given that your “golden ticket” will be gobbled up by someone else gladly.</p>
<p>One last thing: I know a few Pharmacists at my church. They’ve expressed* boredom* since most of their work is automated – they really find themselves acting as technicians with little intellectual stimulation. Have you spoken with actual working professionals (and not admissions people)?</p>
<p>Best of luck to you/</p>
<p>Is this basketball St. John’s or Great Books St. John’s?</p>
<p>If you have to borrow a ton of money to go to Yale, then don’t do it! Otherwise, you should grab the opportunity. Spend a couple of years expanding your mind and allowing yourself to be open to a variety of career paths. If pharmacy is what you still want to do, then great! But you will meanwhile have learned a whole lot about fields that right now you don’t know anything about. If, on the other hand, your exploration leads you to believe that you would be happier doing something else with your life, then the “extra” time is very well spent. Two years, when you’re young, getting a broad exposure to all sorts of intellectual endeavor in the company of other wonderful students can be a very, very exciting prospect. You will have decades to concentrate on your career goals.</p>
<p>On the other hand, if the idea of going to one of the best schools in America and studying a whole lot of interesting things doesn’t thrill you, maybe you’re not cut out for a broad education and should go the more vocational route.</p>
<p>I’m both a huge fan of Yale and the spouse of a pharmacist, so I’m torn on this one. Part of me agrees with the 'What an incredible opportunity, go to Yale" crowd, but another part of me wants to emphasize to you that pharmacy isn’t about undergraduate prestige AT ALL.</p>
<p>If you’re confident that your professional goals won’t change, maybe skip Yale. The Yale UG degree won’t matter one bit in your career, and the St. Johns route will save you a lot of time and money.</p>
<p>On the other hand…</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>It seems like you’re pretty sure that you want to be a pharmacist, so I think you should just go with St. John’s offer and do the 6 year PharmD program. Yes, Yale has the prestige and connections, but that’s not necessary (plus more expensive) if you’re aiming for a Pharm degree. For pharmacy, it doesn’t matter where you go, as long as you got the degree. Maybe I’ll see you there at St. John’s (I got in for the 6 year too :D)</p>
<p>How did you get into Yale early? I remember you were an early Columbia applicant?</p>
<p>@stalker mama: I’m using my friends account. This was just a quick question.</p>
<p>Thank you guys for your answers. The ones who were in support of me to go to Yale talked about exploring my career options. But as I said before, I truly am set on Pharmacy. I researched about it for a year, and it’s what I wish to become. </p>
<p>And some people talked about how I’ll get a prestigious degree from Yale UG. Absolutely true. But when it comes to pharmacy, it doesn’t matter one bit. 0-6 pharm programs, for example, don’t get a Bachelors, since it is absolutely useless in pharm.</p>
<p>It might seem that I have my mind set from the beginning, but I wanted to see if there were other reasons that I might not know of.</p>
<p>Did you apply to Rutgers? One of the best Pharm schools in the country.
I suggest you go to Yale, mainly because that’s where I’m going.</p>
<p>No. I applied to St. Johns</p>
<p>Yes, this will be a very hard decision for you. From your posts it seems you have made the decision. My D is junior and we have lot of discussions on direct pharmd or direct 7 year md or ivy path. </p>
<p>One quesiton : do you exactly which path of pharmd are you interested? i.e. research, retail etc.? </p>
<p>From what we have been hearing from recent graduates, pharmacy jobs are getting saturated. I do know two people who found their dream jobs in pharma companies after doing pharmd (6 years) + 2 years of fellowship.</p>
<p>If money is not a problem at all for you, than Yale is best. But if money is somewhat problem, than it really makes sense to go for shorter direct program that will not cost you much. If you stay as one of the best students, I am sure lot of career doors will open for you.</p>
<p>All the best with your decision. It is a hard decision.</p>