Last minute switch into another school [advice, help, anything D:]

Colleges and Universities A-Z Rutgers University
1

<p>Yesterday, which I believe was the last day to make any decisions, was the day I found out I was accepted into Rutgers Pharmacy. I was waitlisted back in February and had pretty much just committed myself to SAS.</p>

<p>Yesterday was when I received an updated financial aid packet e-mail for both SAS and Pharm, and I found out for the first time that Pharmacy was an option. I checked the status of my application again, realized I was accepted, and switched my enrollment to school of Pharmacy nearly then and there. That was May 1st. My status still says I'm enrolled in SAS because it takes three days before it updates.</p>

<p>I have an appointment scheduled with SAS for APA day this Saturday.</p>

<p>Should I cancel my APA day as soon as possible? What notices should I expect to come from Pharmacy now? Am I too late for any tests or such? I took the general Rutgers placement exams (took math and foreign language; I was exempt from English), but I don't know how this might affect my new chosen school.</p>

<p>I feel like I've done the best possible thing for the worst possible reasons at the last possible minute. I'm shaken; my parents both wanted me to go into Pharmacy from the beginning, but I feel like they don't even know what I've been doing - I'm the first person in my family to attend college. Everything from the application process down to the FAFSA was done mostly on my own.</p>

<p>...oh, somebody, tell me please... what do I do? D:</p>

2

<p>Call them.</p>

3

<p>What do you mean?</p>

4

<p>It’s not really clear what you are asking. You wanted to get into Pharmacy and you did. I don’t know what the “worst possible reasons” part means.</p>

<p>Call the Pharmacy school and talk to someone about any questions you have.</p>

5

<p>@rualum: I don’t know how to explain it, except that I have next to no clue what I just accepted. My reasons are as bad as they could possibly get - all I need to do it throw “chasing unrequited crush into <em>their</em> dream school” and I’d be a perfect guide on reasons not to pick a college.</p>

<p>When I found that I’d been accepted, it was late at night and I was on the verge of falling asleep on my desk. My parents had been trying to convince me to go for a while now, but I’d waved away their advice to the point that I didn’t even bother to send my mid-year report (even though I’m getting straight A’s in just about all my classes) after I’d been waitlisted. I didn’t even check what the school offered. But thought of attending “just” SAS had been eating at me for months now, too. Since I had enrolled in SAS, I’d been ashamed to so much as divulge my decision to my friends and favorite teachers - I knew everyone was probably expecting more from me, that all the <em>other</em> students in my class level were attending high-tier schools. I was someone who was placed into AP courses not because she fought for it, but because it appeared on her schedule the morning of her first homeroom (although, in hindsight, that probably sums up everything that’s wrong with me), and who in those classes still topped the rest of her classmates! I was being unfair, but I could not help wonder if all my hard work and talents had been wasted. But then, all of a sudden, I could say that I had been accepted into this somewhat-more-selective-and-more-prodigious school. It’s hard to get into Pharmacy, right?</p>

<p>So there, without even searching into the school or my possible future career, with my only motivation to stop my parents’ pleading and satisfy my thirst for glory, aided by judgement clouded by sleepiness… I thought, what the hell, threw all of the plans and understanding I had for my immediate future out the window, and switched.</p>

<p>In short, I chose Pharmacy because it’s hard to get into, and because mom and dad said so. Not because of anything actually related to pharmacy.</p>

<p>If my academics were as bad as my judgement, I would flunk out so fast you don’t even know.</p>

<p>[…]</p>

<p>The main thing I want to know is what I have to do now to finalize my enrollment in Pharmacy; I’m assuming there will be an APA day (or it’s equivalent) that I’ll have to attend. I’m panicking because I don’t know what’s required of me at this point, and I’m worried that I may be too late for certain things due to my late decision.</p>

6

<p>Well I think you know the ‘right’ answer. If you don’t really want to be in pharmacy school, now is the time to let them know. It’s a hard road even if you really want to do it. I went to Rutgers Pharmacy too because I didn’t really know what to do. (Actually I had other ideas, but my parents liked pharmacy school). I did graduate, but I wonder how things would have turned out if I did what I wanted to do at the time.</p>

<p>No sense in panicking, ever. About anything. You’re admitted, so maybe try it for a year and see what you think. You can always switch out into SAS, but it would be harder to switch in. But if you really think you made a mistake, now is the time to call and tell them that. At this point you could probably reclaim your SAS package but I would decide by tonight.</p>

7

<p>@rualum:</p>

<p>): Thank you for your quick and kind advice. Everything I wrote above was what I was thinking inside, but I’m too afraid to tell people I know in fear of getting exasperated but ultimately unhelpful cliched input.</p>

<p>The thing is, I’m actually surprised - very, very surprised - at how much I like the prospect now. At first I didn’t want to go into Pharmacy because I imagined it was just going to end in a career path as a… legal dispenser of drugs at Walgreens or something. I imagined memorizing drug names and bottling pills. What I really wanted to do was go into the medical field and be a doctor, or a researcher… and a doctor. I’m fascinated with viruses and the microscopic functions of the body, see - and I want to help create cures for known diseases and such. That’s what I want to do, and that’s what I’m willing to dedicate my life to. But pharmacy translated to pills.</p>

<p>I’m still not entirely sure what the school offers, but is it safe to assume that I’ll be able to do some of the stuff I listed above?</p>

<p>And thank you for reminding me about that. I was kind of in shock; I don’t like not knowing what I have to do, especially if it’s soon, so I guess that kind of freaked me. I’ll be calm as soon as I know how to finish my enrollment.</p>

8

<p>Arrange to speak to an adviser at both schools. I agree that it is easier to transfer into SAS than the other way around. See if you can take classes that can transfer into SAS-premed program. The road to medical school is hard and very long, my son is doing it now. He studies all the times and has no social life at all. And to get into medical school is very competitive and stressful. I’m not trying to change your mind but giving you advise. If you are really passionate about medicine, then you should switch now. Maybe you should talk to your parents as well. Good luck</p>

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<p><a href=“https://pharm.rutgers.edu/content/pharmd_program_overview[/url]”>https://pharm.rutgers.edu/content/pharmd_program_overview&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

10

<p>My Rutger’s status has me officially enrolling in Pharmacy now. I was searching around, and it appears there is no APA day? Will there be an orientation or such?</p>

11

<p>APA is for SAS incoming freshmen only. One of my friends who’s enrolling at SOE next year said that he got a sheet that he filled out for his electives. Pharm might be different, though.</p>

<p>Orientation is mandatory for all incoming freshmen, and is two days in the summer on different weekends.</p>

12

<p>@AltoSaxPlayer: Ah, alright. Thanks a bunch. I’ll just sit tight until then, I suppose.</p>