Rutgers Pharmacy Program

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Okay, so two questions before I start my desperation essay. What are my chances, and who can tell me a lot between the 2+4 program and the +6 program offers at Rutgers? I’m still a little confused about it, and for those in the 2+4 program, how is it?

I’m a high school junior entering senior year (it is currently summer), and I really want to go to the pharmacy school Rutgers University offers. Unfortunately, I’m not in good conditions for their program, so for the sake of time, I’m just going to list a couple things about it.

Instate, 1/2 Puerto Rican and 1/2 Filipino, GPA (according to school’s transcript) 3.4 UW 4.4 W, Top 12% give or take 1%, 90+ volunteer hours at hospital, 3 years Academic Decathlon, 2 years Chemistry Olympics, and Physics tutor. I won a some awards from Academic Decathlon (3rd place essay and 3rd place science one year). Then there are the dreaded S.A.T’s…They aren’t good

I’m going to be completely honest here. My S.A.T. scores are no where near Rutger’s stats for Pharmacy. 500 CR 650 M 510 W (8 essay), and neither is my A.C.T. (25 composite), yet I’m studying the A.C.T. much more since I think that the S.A.T. is too much for me. In terms of standardized test scores, I’m a goner.

Now my classes. I don’t think they are the most competitive classes, but here goes. I attended a private middle school and then a public high school, and they would not let me take any honors classes since I was new to the public school system, but halfway into freshman year I transferred out of my regular english and history classes since I really wanted to be challenged and the classes weren’t challenging at all

Freshman Year:

Algebra I, Architecture to Robotics (didn’t like it, steered away from Engineering immediately), Physics, Personal Finance, Spanish I, World His Honors, Gym, World Lit Honors

Sophomore Year:

Geometry, Algebra 2 Honors, Chemistry Honors, U.S. Hist I Honors, American Lit I Honors, Gym, AP Physics, Spanish 2

Junior Year:

Spanish III Honors, Pre-Calc Honors, AP Lang, Bio Honors (my school switched when you take Bio and Physics), Gym, AP Chem, Dynamics of Health Care/Health and Wellness, U.S. Hist 2 Honors

Senior Year, I will take AP Lit, AP Calc, AP Bio, Anatomy and Physiology, Med Term, Digital Photography (requirement)

Any advice on standardized testing? I took two S.A.T II’s, Math I and Chem, but I found out that the schools I’m looking at don’t take them seriously and only view them as a minor plus, so I didn’t take it that seriously (except Chem. Chem, my teacher is crazy) 670 Chem and 610 Math I (Yeah I know, but it was amongst the stress of junior year -_-)

So what do you guys think? Advice? Criticism? I know I’m probably going to get rejected, but it’s worth trying, right? Other schools I’m looking at are Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, USciences, and Fairleigh Dickinson, but other than those other three, I’m still going to visit some other colleges. Any help please? Please be brutally honest.

2

I think the main thing that will prevent you from getting in to the Rutgers program would be your scores. They will look at your scores as an example of your test taking ability, rather than your intelligence. In a program that has an insanely high drop out rate (around 30% if I remember correctly), tests are key and they will never allow you to enroll if they don’t think you will be able to pass your courses. I had a friend apply last year who had a great application except for his scores, unfortunately he was denied. On the other hand, my twin, who had a good (but not perfect) application was accepted because he had a sweet 34 ACT score for the cherry on top of his app. Pull up those scores and you’ve got a shot. I wish you luck!

3

Thank you so much for helping me out. I’m trying to study the ACT much more than SAT, but I’m still going to try and take both just for the heck of it. Does anyone else have any advice for me?

4

Anyone know anything about the other colleges I listed? What about Northeastern University? I heard they were near the playing field of Rutgers

5

honestly the pharmacy field is soooo overcrowded & saturated thet new grads especially in NJ are having a very tough & CAHLLENGING time getting jobs, hence many are going for residencies to get some form of income. The pharmacy ship has come & gone as a good career choice since sooo many schools have opened & saturated the field in the past 15 years. If you dont believe this do an internet search on this specific problem this profession is struggling with right now, ITS A HUGE PROBLEM. The PharmD degree, the pharmacy residencies, Pgy-1 & Pgy-2 jobs,etc are creating all different levels & competition for pharmacists thereby creating a situation where you can never be done & make the income you thought you eventually would. There is always somebody out of work or getting more & more residencies under their belt due to no jobs avail… & HOSPITAL JOBS are few & very far between, especially for the old 5 yr BS pharmacy degree which I have for 26 years now. They profession never offered us to be grandfatherhered into a Pharm as a 1 extra post grad year to become a pharmD so we can all be at the same level. It’s all online & 2 !!! years extra & $30,000… I’d definitely not do it over again nor would I ever suggest it any family or friends for MANY MANY reasons…Don’t believe me though just do the research… On job satisfacton & job availability… Put your efforts where it will benefit you, don’t stress over not getting into a school for this degree. :frowning:

6

Yea I know. I’ve done some research, and I realized that becoming a pharmacist is not for me anymore. I really want to do something else in the medical field instead, but thank you all for helping me out!

7

Don’t worry… Pharmacy is still a good profession. Right now we are in a transitional phase; not doom and gloom. You think pharmacy joblessness is bad? Look at engineering, law, optometry, even nurse anesthesia; all of those are also saturated. What pharmacists are experiencing right now is what should have happened to our profession many years ago-- being hired by actual talent and expertise instead of having a pulse and a diploma. What you don’t want to be in pharmacy is just having a BS Pharm degree. I went back to school and got my PharmD and it was well worth it. 20 years plus of experience, plus a new acquired PharmD made me very competitive in the market. I landed a very good job as a clinical pharmacist for a major hospital. Now, about the future: It is going to be great profession! We are very close to getting provider status ( that means that we will be able to charge for our knowledge). Our hospital COO told us that when provider status comes, they are going to double the amount of clinical pharmacists on staff. Since the new laws that have been enacted in health care, we are more like clinical analysts then just drug dispensers. With a PharmD degree you can do more than pharmacy. You can work in research, as a medical liaison or as consultant for law firms. I have two daughters entering pharmacy school and I am mentoring them into the pathway of clinical pharmacy. About your chances of getting in, the secret is keeping 17 to 18 hours EVERY semester of science courses. That is the most important metric to judge a candidate. They would rather take a student that has a 3.2 with 18 credit hours per semester than a 4.0 with 12 hours per semester.