Just got accepted to..

<p>St. Louis College of Pharmacy, but I don't know if I want to go. It has a 6 year program as opposed to 8, and only 250 spots for freshman admission. I got in with a 3.2, no EC's, and an 1890 SAT. I'm from India, and I feel as if this is affirmative action.. am I right? Also, is this a high ranking college? It seems odd because I can't find information on it anywhere.. help please, I would be instate and I could live with my parents which sounds nice, otherwise I could also go to Purdue for pharmacy but its OOS.. help</p>

<p><a href="http://www.stlcop.edu/aboutstlcop/aboutstlcop.asp%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.stlcop.edu/aboutstlcop/aboutstlcop.asp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Congrats and do some serious looking.......cutting time off the program is nice. Purdue just added time to theirs. Look at the details.</p>

<p>Yea I understand it's a nice school, but my parents are worried if it's a prestigious school or not.. I actually got admitted into Purdue's engineering program which would cost overall around $120k for 4 years, opposed to St.Louis' $100k for 6 years pharmacy program. Is it worth doing pharmacy, and at that school? It's private and not ranked so I really don't know..</p>

<p>You are comparing engineering and pharmacy......you seem undecided. What do you lose if you try St Louis and find out for yourself? I mean I don't see that it matters.</p>

<p>
[quote]
**Average assessment
score (5.0 = highest)
1. University of California--San Francisco 4.6
2. University of Texas--Austin 4.4
3. University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill 4.2
4. Purdue University (IN) 4.1
University of Arizona 4.1
University of Michigan--Ann Arbor 4.1
University of Minnesota--Twin Cities 4.1
8. University of Illinois--Chicago 4.0
University of Kentucky 4.0
University of Maryland--Baltimore 4.0
11. Ohio State University 3.9
University of Florida 3.9
University of Wisconsin--Madison 3.9
14. University of Southern California 3.8
University of Utah 3.8
University of Washington 3.8
17. University at Buffalo--SUNY 3.7
University of Iowa 3.7
University of Kansas 3.7
University of Tennessee--Memphis 3.7
21. Virginia Commonwealth University 3.6
22. University of Georgia 3.5
23. University of Colorado--Denver and Health Sciences Center 3.4
University of Pittsburgh 3.4
25. Auburn University--Main Campus (Harrison) (AL) 3.2
Rutgers State University--New Brunswick (Mario) (NJ) 3.2
27. Medical Universtiy of South Carolina 3.1
Univ of the Sciences in Philadelphia-Philadelphia Col of Pharmacy & Sci 3.1
University of Nebraska Medical Center 3.1
30. Mercer University-Southern School of Pharmacy (GA) 3.0
University of Mississippi 3.0
32. St. Louis College of Pharmacy 2.9
University of Cincinnati 2.9
University of Connecticut 2.9
University of Missouri--Kansas City 2.9
University of Oklahoma 2.9
Washington State University 2.9
Wayne State University (Applebaum) (MI) 2.9
West Virginia University 2.9
40. Duquesne University- Mylan School of Pharmacy (PA)

[/quote]
**</p>

<p>I am more inclined towards Pharmacy for the better pay and better job outlook, but I just don't understand how it's ranked. That is perhaps the most important thing to me right now.. I know Purdue's pharmacy is high, but I doubt I can transfer now, and it's rather expensive OOS for an 8 year education at Purdue.. so basically I just want to know rankings.</p>

<p>Did we cross post or do you not know that I just gave you the current USNWR ranking?</p>

<p>Yea I was posting while you were hehe. This doesn't look good. Ohio state is higher ranked.. I got accepted there also, but not for pharmacy. Is that an 8 year program also?</p>

<p>If you are into all of these schools you either care about funding or not, care about the years required or not and what type of campus you are on. Those criteria would have to be ranked by your personally. You seem to not really have done so much research on this. I'd calculate cost, opportunity cost and time first.</p>

<p>"I am more inclined towards Pharmacy for the better pay and better job outlook, but I just don't understand how it's ranked."</p>

<p>That is honestly one of the most ridiculous things I have read in this forum, what is with International Asians, do you guys not understand that you go into the field that you LIKE TO PURSUE, and that you ENJOY, and it's not suppose to be about prestige or how much money a certain career ends up making, it's an absolutly absurd false obession of money. Find out what you what to do in your life first (pharmacy, engineering, or something else..), before you start deciding between which college you want to go to. In terms of engineering 'prestige', Purdue is ranked fairly high and has an excellent program, however I do not know any information on the pharm school you applied too.</p>

<p>Cultural bias there? Remember that for many students and their families it is all about prestige or the job and money one can earn. I think your statements were quite biased. As for it being about money........who may I ask is driving the global economy??</p>

<p>As an "International Asian" I object to the stereotype. Some of us DO understand that we go into the field that we "LIKE TO PURUSE, and that [we] ENJOY" and are able to do so, with our parents' blessing (and yes, their money to mostly finance our education). Others are not able to do so, and must bend to the parents' bidding. This isn't a cultural thing, either. One of the alumni interviewers on the CC forum remarked on interviewing a student who was uninterested in the school, the program, was a poor intellectual fit, but was clearly pushed in the direction by his/her parents. </p>

<p>In order to receive a scholarship/loan from one my home country's goverment fundings, I would have to have high enough scores (IB/A Levels/STPM - national exam) and have an acceptance in hand from one university/college. (They prefer universities, with the big-wig research publicity, though yes, I know liberal arts colleges are also great in research. They don't, though.) However, I'd have to declare a major, check to see if the school I received the acceptance to is actually recognized by my government for the major before I even apply, and then I'm bound to that major for the next four years. I only hope I have enough passion for my intended major to last four years, and that I'll be able to do a minor/double major if I find myself intrigued by something else.</p>

<p>Uhh.. I live in Missouri, and I've been in America since before I could speak.. I'm not driven by my parents either. Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy both have applicable jobs everywhere, but I basically just want to know which is most sensible. I've heard bad things about people losing their jobs frequently doing engineering, but the job prospects look amazing for pharmacy. Basicaly, here's how its weighing out:
Purdue
Chemical Engineering, B.S. is my major
Average job prospects
Salary is usually less than $100000
$120,000 for 4 years
Away from parents
Possibly the hardest engineering major
Prestigious school
Major program is ranked 13th in the nation</p>

<p>St. Louis College of Pharmacy
Pharmacy Degree is my major
Excellent job prospects
Salary is very possible to go over $100000
$100,000 for 6 years
Close to parents
Pretty difficult major
Private, non prestigious school
Major program ranked 32 in the nation</p>

<p>I am very interested in both majors (I love chemistry, math, biology). Assuming I like them equally, which is, in your guys' opinion, better? I won't make my actual decision off of this but it would give me a better idea.. thanks for you time.</p>

<p>Okay, your OP was a tad misleading, so own up to that. You are basically an AMerican. But whatever</p>

<p>That being said, do you want to distribute drugs, work in a drug store, do research or what? Do you want to design building, do inspections, or what?</p>

<p>The are different fields, and me personally, if you really have no passion or real interest in either, both of which, if you aren't "into" the job can cause deaths. I am not being silly here, this is serious business and to do a job just becuase of money will cause much unhappiness.</p>

<p>And your last post does not match up with your previous ones, sorry, to suddenly say, oh by the way, I like this stuff, initially it was all money and prestige.</p>

<p>If you are taking a job, pharmecy, that involves taking care of people, be REALLY sure its what you care about, cause otherwise is pretty scary</p>

<p>i dont really think the prestige of the school matters for pharmacy.</p>

<p>Well I didn't mean for my first post to be like that, but regardless, here are some of my views.
I understand that pharmacy is about helping people, and I'm alright with that. Even though I don't help people much right now, given the opportunities, I'm pretty sure I would. Forgive me for saying this, but I'm a greedy bastard when it comes to food and trivial things, but when another person's life is on the line, I'm a completely different person. I've always attributed myself that way. If something trivial comes up, such as food, then I'm greedy, but if it deals with something serious, like pharmacy, I am a very helpful person. It would be my job, of course I would help. Most likely I would want to distribute drugs or work in a drug store. I doubt most people who go into a freshman program know a lot about their major or have a "passion" by that time, but I doubt I would abhor my major so much as to quit it. The only other majors that slightly interest me are astronomy, which I had given up on a long time ago. I most definitely plan on getting an MBA after my Pharmacy degree, and that's it. It's not all money and prestige for me; that's the basis on what college I would've chosen. The prestige deals with the college, but the money itself deals with the major. I don't see myself every "enjoying" any job, but I'm pretty sure I would do something that interests me. I also don't understand how it can be "taking care of people"; isn't that a doctors job? If I'm a distributor, I do what the prescription says.. correct me if I'm wrong, but this is what it sounds like, to be a pharmacist.</p>

<p>
[quote]
i dont really think the prestige of the school matters for pharmacy.

[/quote]

I was actually thinking about this. Since pharmacy is such a good major, prestige shouldn't matter when applying for a job. However, for me, the prestige is more of a personal thing.</p>

<p>Pharmacy... where are the jobs? If 80% in CVS or Walmart as pharmasist then you can bet there will be downward pressure on salary before long. With only a couple chains controling 80%+ (guessing here) of the retail drug market they effectively have a monopoly and will be able to set salaries to a lower level.</p>

<p>Besides, what does a pharmasisst do in CVS anyway, just counting pills and dealing with insurance. Sounds kinda boring.</p>

<p>Now research? Yes much more interesting but that job can be outsourced overseas just like engineering. It's starting for medical trials and will just gather steam.</p>

<p>Probably best return for the investment is being an Auto Mechanic.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Pharmacy... where are the jobs? If 80% in CVS or Walmart as pharmasist then you can bet there will be downward pressure on salary before long. With only a couple chains controling 80%+ (guessing here) of the retail drug market they effectively have a monopoly and will be able to set salaries to a lower level.</p>

<p>Besides, what does a pharmasisst do in CVS anyway, just counting pills and dealing with insurance. Sounds kinda boring.</p>

<p>Now research? Yes much more interesting but that job can be outsourced overseas just like engineering. It's starting for medical trials and will just gather steam.</p>

<p>Probably best return for the investment is being an Auto Mechanic.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I don't understand if your logic is correct, but I don't know much about the industry myself so I have no space to argue. You have to understand that just like doctors, pharmacy is being demanded more with new medicines, new chemicals, etc etc. I personally don't think your assumption is right because there are many pharmacists that work by themselves, in clinics, in factories, etc. I've read from a lot of places that job prospects are good though.</p>

<p>my friend is aiming to be a pharmacist. she says the good pay is only in retail. for research, you get paid far less.</p>

<p>people are just quick to jump on the american dream, this is the place to do it, let them be, let them make their six figures, it's not like you guys don't want it, let him do what he wants</p>