Pharmacy School Admissions

Vin in Bentonville, Arkansas said: Comments by people changing careers and going into pharmacy school later in life is very inspiring. I'm 35 and am going back to school beginning in May to work on my remaining pre-pharmacy courses (I have 1 year to do this, mostly the chemistry, biology, and physics courses), then take the PCAT and apply for pharmacy school. I'm an I.T. professional who's been working in the I.T. field for over 9 years. All these years I've been thinking about getting my Pharm.D. degree and did think about taking pre-pharmacy classes part-time while working full-time. However, I've put it off for years now, and suddenly decided to do this full-time.

I'm sure it's going to be tough and will require a lot of hard work. Also, at the same time, I've been applying at local pharmacies for a pharmacy tech job in order to get experience (and hopefully help me while applying for pharmacy school). Of course it's a bit scary, considering that I'm leaving my full-time I.T. job to pursue a totally different career. I might do some I.T. work on the side to supplement my income, but still depends on how classes go. I understand the importance of keeping a good GPA and preparing for PCAT, so my time would be spent mostly on those priorities.

Being 35, I actually thought that I'm a bit too old to be doing a huge career change. But after reading several posts, I don't feel too old anymore :-) I guess it's all in how you look at it and the attitude.

To my fellow career shifters beyond their 20's--more power to you!

You are making a smart move. you are still young. 35? is the right age to start thinking about a career in pharmacy. Adcom prefer mature students; because of their discipline and determination to succeed. And almost all mature students do well in pharmacy school.Imagine at your local pharmacy will you prefer speaking to a matured pharmacist or a younger one? this is some of the reason why pharmacy schools like to admit matured ap

Hello,
I do have a PhD in Biochemistry with 4 years of post-doctoral experience. I graduated about 4 years ago. I do want to complete a pharmacy degree. Does anyone know if my chemistry, biology, maths and physics taken during my undergraduate studies can still meet the pre-req requirements?

Thanks so much for your input and good luck to everybody.

Hello all. I am currently 24 years old and graduated two years ago with a Bachelor's degreee in business administration. I truly regret my undegrad major and cannot see myself working miserably on wall street as a bond trader. I have a passion for health care and lately feel highly motivated to get my PharmD.
Now I am in a predicament because I have not taken science classes since highschool and every school requires bio, chem etc. as a pre-requisite. I figure i have half of the pre-requisits covered between my calculus, english, history and ecnomics classes i had taken in college. If anyone has any suggestions where to go from here, it would be greatly appreciated. Should i enter a 0-6 program and hope my classes from Fordham Transfer? I am too a little concerned about being 24 and entering school again, most 0-6 programs are for high school graduates. Regardless, I am going to make this happen :)

Why do ppl always talk of their age when they think of going to a pharmacy school? If you think your age will undermind you from getting into a pharmacy school, then you better look somewhere else. As it has consistantly been addressed here; age isn't a factor in the admission process. Having said that, however, the more mature you are the better your chances. Maturity doesn't always come with age. You might be old and immature or you might be young and very mature.

Check out www.drugschools.com. So far the best information on pharmacy schools, tuition rates, and interesting articles. The best part is...they have walk-scores for each school to see how close commercial areas are from where you go to school.

I am 41 years old have 5 children ages 5 to 15. I homeschool four of my children, however, because of this recession, we are going through an economic crisis and I am considering taking the steps to get into pharmacy school. And yes the potential income has a lot to do with this decision. I worked as Pharmacy Technician before, I was married, for about 9 years so I know the dynamics of the retail pharmacy and I was a biochemistry major 14 years ago then made a change to Business Finance. I had complete almost all of the prerequisites for pharmacy school then except for Microbiology and molecular biology. As a business major, I almost graduated until I had complications with my third child. Finally, I am about to finish my bachelors in Business this August 2010 through the University of Phoenix online will a 3.7 GPA. According to Western University in Pomona, CA there is no date to how far back the prerequisites are counted. My question is since I will have my bachelors in business, what are my chances to getting into pharmacy school? My lifestyle will change since I will have to put my children in public school. Those of you that have children, how have you handled the balancing act of being a mom and pursuing a career in pharmacy? Do you think that I would have a chance to be accepted to pharmacy school with 3.7 GPA in Business degree and at least a B average in some pre pharmacyprerequisites?

Does anyone believe that a person can get into a pharmacy school with a BS in chemistry, a 2.3 overall gpa, 90% PCAT and 3 years working as a Pharm tech. I have been out of school for 3 years working at a retail pharmacy and would like to go and get my PharmD degree. I didn't do so hot during school but I fared well on the PCAT and I can say that I have grown up quite a bit over the last 4 years. Will I have to retake the pre-req's again?

I am 28 and after having to work when my husband was out of a job, different ministry volunteering taking a lot of time, and working while my husband went back to college, and having two kids, I am going back to college and hoping to persue Pharmacy in the long run. You can do what you put your mind to do.

steve in Mesquite, Texas said: Even if I am 50yrs old and offered an opportunity to enroll in a pharmacy school, I surely won't turn that opportunity down. Is a profession that you can only work for twenty years and have a decent retirement package, as well as ample amount of money to live on while enjoying your retirement. JUST FORGET ABOUT AGE GUYS AND DO IT. WE WILL NEVER REGRETT FOR GRADUATING FROM PHARMACY SCHOOL AT THE AGE 50.

I am glad to see I am not the only one who felt that graduating at age 48-50 is too old...I was thinking in my mind that no one would want to hire me. After seeing this comment about only working 20 years anyway it will definitely work for me. I am presently working in the health field.

MilesSan in Hickory, North Carolina said: Does anyone believe that a person can get into a pharmacy school with a BS in chemistry, a 2.3 overall gpa, 90% PCAT and 3 years working as a Pharm tech. I have been out of school for 3 years working at a retail pharmacy and would like to go and get my PharmD degree. I didn't do so hot during school but I fared well on the PCAT and I can say that I have grown up quite a bit over the last 4 years. Will I have to retake the pre-req's again?

I got into pharmacy school with a 2.6 GPA and a 95% PCAT without ever stepping into a pharmacy until three months into my first year. And this was at the University of Kentucky, where we were led to believe a 3.5 cume GPA was essential. So...you could do it. If you can get to an interview, you probably have a better chance because of your inside knowledge of the profession.

I am 48 years old and have a Bachelor of Music(of all things). I played in a Symphony Orchestra for 15 years until I had to go on disability due to rheumatoid arthritis. I have always had an interest in medical fields and have taken classes at the local community college now and then hoping I might be able to find another career and go back to work. This past year three things happened: I started on a new medication(Enbrel)that dramatically improved my RA, I had reconstruction surgery on my feet so that I can walk without pain, and a few months ago my 55 year old husband of 18 years left me for a 23 year old. I am really interested in becoming a pharmacist. I understand that it is very competitive(so is being a concert violinist!)and I am willing to work really hard. What worries me is that I won't have any work experience and I don't see how I will be able to get it and go to school at he same time. The other problem is that I need to continue to draw disability(especially for the insurance: Enbrel costs $1700 a month!) so even if I was able to find the time to work, I can't lose my benefits until I "real" job with benefits. Do people ever volunteer to get experience? There must be some way to make this work.

pharma in Denver, Colorado said: Steve, how old are you? 47 here and applying for pharmacy school this fall. In my third semester back to school with a 4.0 (full load) and taking the PCAT in a few months. Don't even ask how many children I have.

I'm not a future pharmacist, but you inspire me. I'm 41 and thinking about going back to school to get a Bachelor's in Vocal Performance. I am feeling older AND a little greedy, because I've already earned a BA in Literature and a Master's in Writing....but a nagging voice inside has always told me I should have studied music (I've sung professionally)! I don't want to regret not doing it for the rest of my life. So it's heartening to see a peer going for it, even if it's a different field.

I would like to know how many kids you have, please! I am 42 and have 5 kids between the ages for 15 to 5, and I am considering going to Pharmacy School. I was Pharmacy Tech way back 1990 and then changed careers. I was a biochemistry major and then switch to Business Finance have a degree with a 3.7 GPA and now I want to start taking my prerequisites for pharmacy. I am considering online courses through UNE but I realize it limits me to certain Pharmacy schools that would take accept these course. I home school my children and I would like to know how many children you have and how you deal with the fact of going to school and being a parent. Any advice?

jbarph in Winnetka, Illinois said: I got into pharmacy school with a 2.6 GPA and a 95% PCAT without ever stepping into a pharmacy until three months into my first year. And this was at the University of Kentucky, where we were led to believe a 3.5 cume GPA was essential. So...you could do it. If you can get to an interview, you probably have a better chance because of your inside knowledge of the profession.

Wow! great test score. My strength is getting good grades in courses but I fear that I will not succeed in the PCAT. I have on occasion looked and practice exams at the book store and all I think about is that I don't stand a chance of getting a good score. How did you prepare for the exam and what do you think that helped you get that score in spite of low GPA?

Any body have any feed back on doing Kaplan for PCAT? I started it, but ran out of time to finish it. I have all the course materials. I was just thinking I could study it on my own. I did take the Kaplan for my NCLEX. I did the on line program and the questions you are supposed to do to succeed. I succeeded big time and this was very well worth it. I was taking the test as the same time as pharmacists who have finished their program here at UT, so I was asking questions about their program.
Definitely I will work on PCAT and try for the October test date, and go for the best I can do.
I had to wait for the kids (5 out of the 6) to go back to school so it won't be so noisy and distracting, and I will be able to concentrate.

Also I am retaking Organic 2 so it will be fresh, I redid Organic I last year and got an A in lab and lecture. Meanwhile I will spend most of the next year either studying for another round of PCAT if needed in January, or working as a nurse to save up some money. I passed my NCLEX in July, but haven't found a job yet. That nursing shortage is GONE. 1000 applicants for "no spots" at Saint David's, and 1000 applicants for 80 spots at Seton. That leaves most of 2000 qualified people with no work, And it is only going to get worse much quicker with lots more schools going in here. Wish someone told me that BEFORE I started . However, I was hoping that the Nursing Degree and the experience in patient care should count for something. You have to really know a lot about the medication and side effects, and parameters of health condition to safely use, and have good judgment to know when things are borderline or inadvisable to use. Also have good judgment about side effects becoming a problem, potential allergies or drug reactions. All these decisions have to be make in a split second, and so you really have to KNOW exactly what you are doing without depending on the computer to tell you everything.
Wish I knew that only 5% of nursing class will have job. I did ask the pharmacy students taking their NAPLEX how many of them got jobs, and it sounded like they all did. So that is a positive.

Hi im a senior at cactus shadows high school in Cave Creek Arizona and am going to begin my pursue to being a pharmacist.I have many questions that need answers and could use all the help. If im correct i understand i must meet pre-pharmacy course requirements. The best PharmD program in my area is at University of Arizona but unfortunately i cant afford to attend there for all my courses just yet. Their requirements are 72 units of college coursework. (See table below)So my questions are, can i take my pre-pharmacy course requirements at Paradise Valley Community college at a more affordable rate and then enter my PharmD program at University of Arizona once i have completed the 72 units. My other question is, is the demand for pharmicists going to drop by the time i may be ready.
The University of Arizona Prepharmacy Course Guide
Course Units
ENGL 101 - Freshman Composition 3
ENGL 102 - Freshman Composition 3
MATH 113 (or 124, 125) - Math (Calculus) 3
TRAD - Traditions and Cultures option* 3
TRAD - Traditions and Cultures option* 3
INDV - Individuals and Societies option** 3
INDV - Individuals and Societies option** 3
ECON 200, 201A or 201B - Economics 3
Fine Arts or Literature option 3

CHEM 151 - General Chemistry 1 4
CHEM 152 - General Chemistry 2 4
CHEM 241A and 243A - Lectures in Organic Chemistry & Lab 4
CHEM 241B and 243B - Lectures in Organic Chemistry & Lab 4
MCB 181R and 181L - Introductory General Biology 1 & Lab 4
ECOL 182 R and 182L - Introductory General Biology 2 & Lab 4
MICR 205A and 205L - General Microbiology & Lab 4
PHYS 102, 181 - Introductory Physics I & Lab 4
PSIO 201 - Human Anatomy and Physiology 1 (lab included) 4
PSIO 202 - Human Anatomy and Physiology 2 (lab included) 4
Additional Science with lab*** 3-4

CHEM 151 - General Chemistry 1 4
CHEM 152 - General Chemistry 2 4
CHEM 241A and 243A - Lectures in Organic Chemistry & Lab 4
CHEM 241B and 243B - Lectures in Organic Chemistry & Lab 4
MCB 181R and 181L - Introductory General Biology 1 & Lab 4
ECOL 182 R and 182L - Introductory General Biology 2 & Lab 4
MICR 205A and 205L - General Microbiology & Lab 4
PHYS 102, 181 - Introductory Physics I & Lab 4
PSIO 201 - Human Anatomy and Physiology 1 (lab included) 4
PSIO 202 - Human Anatomy and Physiology 2 (lab included) 4
Additional Science with lab*

you are still young to worry about the number of classes required to enter pharmacy school. With your age and career vision I will strongly encourage you to focus on attaining a bachelors in one of the sciences, to broaden your chances of getting into pharmacy school. I wish I had such vision like you; the best thing I would have done was to get my bachelors in either biology or biochemistry***. Getting one of those degree will broaden your chances and your knowledge about the sciences. If you think those pre-requisite are difficult or too much then pharmacy school isn't for you. It is not a joke in pharmacy school. The pre-requisite isn't going to lay the foundation for you to succeed in pharmacy shool. You will need to take more than the required pre-requisite. ppl who struggle in pharmacy schools are mostly the ones who got in with just the basic pre-requisite. Good luck.

reply to: Barbara in Pflugerville, Texas

the market for pharmacists is becoming more saturated every month. The latest entry on www.drugschools.com shows you that each year, the demand for pharmacists are decreasing due to expansion of pharmacy schools and class sizes. As a nurse, there will always be a market for them because of the high turnover rate due to stress...taking care of patients is really hard and I give nurses a lot of respect. The increase in the number of nurses will increase competition, which will drive down salary rates. If you want to make good money, get your RN, and then go for your nurse anesthetist masters degree. They make a lot more than a pharmacist

Reply to: Alexg in Phoenix, Arizona

Hi Alexg,
thanks for your post. I'm going to to divulge what I did, and maybe it'll help you out. I went to a state college and took most of my prereq's there. However, I took some others at a community college and actually did better. Maybe community college courses are easier, who knows, but an "A" sure looks good on your transcript wherever you obtain it. Not only that, community college courses are cheaper, so I saved a chunk of change. Go here to check out some schools in Arizona:
www.drugschools.com/arizona/
Every college has their own requirements. Heck, Campbell university in north carolina ( a baptist institution) requires a prerequisite of a divinity course! As for pharmacy demand by the time you get out of college, yes, it may get worse, but understand that pharmacy work in most places have high-turnover rates. Working in retail and hospitals can be stressful. Getting yelled out by customers, nurses, and doctors may take a toll on your self-esteem after while, and working with limited staff in a busy environment will eventually burn you out. If you want to finish school faster in order to get a job when the market is ripe, finishing a year early at an accelerated 3 -year program may be a good idea. Check these programs out here: www.drugschools.com/2010/06/three-year-pharmd-programs/

[QUOTE who="Roger, Rph in Bethesda, to check out some schools in Arizona:
www.drugschools.com/arizona/
Every college has their own requirements. Heck, Campbell university in north carolina ( a baptist institution) requires a prerequisite of a divinity course! As for pharmacy demand by the time you get out of college, yes, it may get worse, but understand that pharmacy work in most places have high-turnover rates. Working in retail and hospitals can be stressful. Getting yelled out by customers, nurses, and doctors may take a toll on your self-esteem after while, and working with limited staff in a busy environment will eventually burn you out. If you want to finish school faster in order to get a job when the market is ripe, finishing a year early at an accelerated 3 -year program may be a good idea. Check these programs out here: www.drugschools.com/2010/06/three-year-pharmd-programs/

What most ppl still don't get about pharmacy is that a pharmacist has a broad range of options to choose from concerning career path. A pharmacist is not confined to the retail aspect of filling and refilling prescriptions. The roles of pharmacists have changed tremendously in the past few years. As a pharmacist will have the opportunity to work as nuclear pharmacist,sterile pharmacist,psycho dynamic pharmacist, closed door pharmacist, research pharmacist, clinical consultant pharmacist, retail pharmacist, and many more. The field of pharmacy will be much more diverse in next few years, and will require well educated and dedicated pharmacists. pharmacists have less turnout rate as compared to other health occupations. And they are much more satisfy and respected than nurse anesthesiologist.

Hi, I am a 22 year old college student getting ready to actually have to pick (and stick with) a major for my education. When I first started college, I declared Biology as my major because I love science. However, my financial aid requires I only take classes applying directly towards my major, so I've had to change my major a few times to check out other branches of science to see what was best for me. Anyways, I have always kind of been fascinated with Pharmacy and wanted to look into possibly having it as a major. There's just one problem. In a year I am going to have to move out of state for family reasons and the schools in the state where I am going do not offer a bachelors degree in pharmacy or biochem. The closest thing I can find is a B.S. Biological Sciences. I can't seem to find anything that says what kind of degree Pharmacy schools look for when considering applicants. Most I see just say a bachelors of science, does that mean any science? I guess the question I'm taking the scenic route to get to is will a bachelors in biological sciences allow me to have a chance at getting into a pharmacy school? I am also going to start, in a month or so, training to get a Pharmacy technician certification so I can have some practical experience in the field as well.
Also, I don't have a strong background in science classes from highschool as I received a GED instead. I see alot of talk about needing to prepare for being a Pharmacist as early as possible and I'm hoping that a sophmore in college isn't too late.
Any advice or recommendations are welcomed and greatly appreciated! I look forward to hearing from other science nerds ;)

there isn't any specific under graduate major required prior to entering a pharmacy school or a medical school. However, pharmacy is compost of science and math; so, having a degree in one of the sciences will do you a great deal of favor in pharmacy school. Your competent level in areas such as science and math will surpass most of your companions who hold other under grad degrees. Majoring in biochem before entering pharmacy school is the best option. It gives you a good foundation in research and how to write a good report. Those are the essential recipe for success in pharmacy school. Don't care too much about your age. Fellow your heart not your mind and be patientl. You are never too old for any profession. stay focused.

i an an RN of 3 yrs and also have a bachelors in chemistry from another country. i have been thinking of pharmacy school for a while now, but what discourages me is the cost. i am 30 with 3 kids. i am not sure if i would take a shorter time to do the pre reqs since i have taken classess like anatomy and physio and microbio. is it worth going through 6 years of school and student loans when i could just stay with what i am doing now?
i would appreciate some input

MilesSan in Hickory, North Carolina said: Does anyone believe that a person can get into a pharmacy school with a BS in chemistry, a 2.3 overall gpa, 90% PCAT and 3 years working as a Pharm tech. I have been out of school for 3 years working at a retail pharmacy and would like to go and get my PharmD degree. I didn't do so hot during school but I fared well on the PCAT and I can say that I have grown up quite a bit over the last 4 years. Will I have to retake the pre-req's again?

most schools require a minimum GPA of 2.5 so if it meets the minimum GPA requirements then you definitely stand a chance of getting admitted. 90% on your pcat with that GPA is astonishing. I won't be surprised if all the schools you will apply to; call you for an interview. They will most likely want to know how come your GPA is low but you have a top notch PCAT score. Be prepared to answer such question if you are looking into a pharmacy school. GPA and pcat are the sure determinant of success in a pharmacy school 95% of the time. Except in some few instances where one will flaws for some reasons.

nurse in Indianapolis, Indiana said: i an an RN of 3 yrs and also have a bachelors in chemistry from another country. i have been thinking of pharmacy school for a while now, but what discourages me is the cost. i am 30 with 3 kids. i am not sure if i would take a shorter time to do the pre reqs since i have taken classess like anatomy and physio and microbio. is it worth going through 6 years of school and student loans when i could just stay with what i am doing now?
i would appreciate some input

do you like what your a doing as a nurse? if the income is what influencing you to be a pharmacist then I will encourge you to go for it. 30 is not old, but you have family to take care of. Money isn't everything and I hope you know that. After God family comes first before anything else. You have a nice good as a nurse. Yes, it is worth the six years of schooling. you decide.

adams in Mesquite, Texas said: do you like what your a doing as a nurse? if the income is what influencing you to be a pharmacist then I will encourge you to go for it. 30 is not old, but you have family to take care of. Money isn't everything and I hope you know that. After God family comes first before anything else. You have a nice good as a nurse. Yes, it is worth the six years of schooling. you decide.

I would advise you to evaluate what is your passion. Both field are very lucrative. Since you are a RN already,you can specialize in what ever field that you are interested in. A CRNA gets pay here in florida approx. $160,000- $190,000. Much more than a pharmacies. Also, it may not take you four to six years to complete the program. Some programs provides you a bridge program from ASN to MSN. But even if there is no bridge as the CRNA, obtaining your BSN in the case that you have a ASN can probably take 1 year. Plus the one year in ICU and the two years in the MSN program. There are many alternative.

persistent in Miami, Florida said:

persistent in Miami, Florida you and I have the same story. I went straight into college after high school. I was racing to finish my pre-req and completed them w/t in less than 1 1/2, while working full time and living on my own. I got deny in 07. Took some more classes for other schools. Got deny again in 08. At the time I was in a serious relation w/t my current husband and relocating was not the most logical idea. I felt so down when I got my second denial letter in 08. Specially because I seen how some students cheated their way in class and then when on to pharmacy school with no problem. Also the thought that most of my classmates were in their 2nd and 3rd year of school was depressing. But life keeps going on and now I am marry and a mother of a healthy 16 month old. Now that I think about it being a pharmacies is not my only love. I re-evaluated my career path and decided to pursue becoming a RN. My goal is to continue my education and specialize in CRNA. I'm truely glad that all these events happen because it gave me time to grow and learn my self.

Hi, I'm currently attending a community college right now, and I'm working towards my AA Dgree. When I started college, I did not know what I wanted to major in, but now I'm interested in Pharmacy. The university that I'm interested states that students interested in Pharmacy must complete a BA or BS Degree, or 3-years college coursework. I'm currently not taking Organic Chemistry, Public Speaking, and other two General Chemistry courses, and Biology courses required for PharmD intrance at UW. I was just wondering if I should just earn my AA degree, and transfer to UW. That way, I can just choose an undergraduate degree before I enter into the PharmD program.

hey where dod you find these statistics?
Thank you

Mkorn2315 in New York, New York said: Hello all. I am currently 24 years old and graduated two years ago with a Bachelor's degreee in business administration. I truly regret my undegrad major and cannot see myself working miserably on wall street as a bond trader. I have a passion for health care and lately feel highly motivated to get my PharmD.
Now I am in a predicament because I have not taken science classes since highschool and every school requires bio, chem etc. as a pre-requisite. I figure i have half of the pre-requisits covered between my calculus, english, history and ecnomics classes i had taken in college. If anyone has any suggestions where to go from here, it would be greatly appreciated. Should i enter a 0-6 program and hope my classes from Fordham Transfer? I am too a little concerned about being 24 and entering school again, most 0-6 programs are for high school graduates. Regardless, I am going to make this happen :)

Mark, I am in the same predicament - I am 27 and graduated with a BA from Fordham in COmputer Sci in 2005 - I worked as a pharm tech for 5 years now, full time, and part time, and I want to apply to pharmacy school - I have taken hardly any science classes and am wondering if it is better to take the 10 or so Pre-Reqs I need at a cheaper community college, or just apply to a 0-6 program from scratch? Did you pursue this any further? Thanks.,

pharma in Denver, Colorado said: Steve, how old are you? 47 here and applying for pharmacy school this fall. In my third semester back to school with a 4.0 (full load) and taking the PCAT in a few months. Don't even ask how many children I have.

Hi Pharma,

Kudos to you...we are almost on the same boat...The only thing is I've been doing research and looking at articles and forums and you are bombarded with a lot of negativity about the future of pharmacy mostly posted by current pharmacists all pharmacy students. What is you take on that?

ya of course your too old. i'm 21 with a pharmacy degree.

I graduated back in 2008 from CSUEB thinking that I would pursue a career in Nursing. After 3 years, I realized that my career lies in Pharmacy. I'm currently awaiting my pharm tech license and realized that Pharmacy clicked with me easier than Nursing did. Because of financial issues, I haven't been able to go back to school and have been working on getting myself to go back to school. I haven't taken any type of prereqs for Pharmacy Schools and have been researching aacp.org and saw that there are 6 yr programs that contain pre-pharmacy classes which are basically the prereqs that majority of the schools are asking for. Is it worth taking classes at junior colleges to apply to these 6 yr programs? I really don't know where to start with these prereqs because I'm trying to take these prereqs at junior colleges but the prereqs have prereqs as well.

Hey guys, some of your posts are very inspiring indeed. I am thirty years old. I have a bachelor degree of fine arts. Then I could not find a job in art field, so I became a 18-wheeler truck driver to support my family. I worked for about two years, which exhausted me, and drained the life out of me. I got fired at the end. But when I was like 20 years old I wanted to do Pharmacy, but was very discouraged by many counselors and people. Now I am thirty and I am back in college doing the prerequizites, my GPA is 4.0. My age is certainly a great attribution to my academic success. When you are 30 it is much easier to study than when you are 20. Go for IT.

jbarph in Winnetka, Illinois said: I got into pharmacy school with a 2.6 GPA and a 95% PCAT without ever stepping into a pharmacy until three months into my first year. And this was at the University of Kentucky, where we were led to believe a 3.5 cume GPA was essential. So...you could do it. If you can get to an interview, you probably have a better chance because of your inside knowledge of the profession.

Wow, you really got an amazing score on your PCAT. I have the same GPA as you and really would like to get into Pharmacy School. I've started studying for my PCAT kinda, could you give me advice as to how you prepared for you PCAT. I'll be attending Kaplan PCAT for extra study help, but if I could get study strategy it would be great.

Hey guys I am only sixteen, but I need to start figuring out where i'm going in life and ive actually thought about being a "pharmasist" for a couple of years now.. so I was just wondering.. where do I start is there any high school classes I could take now to just get started? And how many years does it take to actually get the degree and find a job? please let me know thank you!

Considerin Pharm in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania said: I too am in my early 30s and have plans in place to go back to college this fall to complete my pre-reqs for pharmacy school.
However recetly I am starting to think it's not such a good idea.

Years ago all people talked about was how there was a shortage of pharmacists and you could get a job anywhere with a huge salary coming right out of pharm school. Latest indication Im seeing from many sources is that the market is becoming saturated with pharmacists thanks to not just the recession, but the increasing amount of pharmacy schools opening up in the past several years. I've read from many people who just graduated pharm school who can't find jobs anywhere and they will soon have to start repaying close to 200k in school debt. Many sources online indicate that the past shortage of pharmacists will change to a definite country-wide surplus by the year 2015.

At first I thought this just might be a congregation of new pharmacists spreading gloom and doom, but if you look at current lists of high demand jobs, pharmacist is no longer there.

With all the talk I had originally been hearing about pharmacist jobs and the profession in general, I thought it would be the best move, job security and salary wise. But now all the information Im reading is telling me I might want to reconsider to something like a Physician Assistant where the demand will definitely be there 10 yrs from now, the salary seems fairly close (maybe closer if pharmacist salarys go down like some predict) and you only need 2 yrs of PA schooling vs 4 of pharm.

Any other career changers hear about this? Quite frankly its got me scrambling for a plan B. I welcome your thoughts.

I am curious about your plan-B choice? I think PA-C is best choice at the moment. I have been seeing about 15-30 job applicants per pharmacist job in the Seattle area.

Now i'm 30 yrs old and i have one kid of 6.i have a small business too on-which we(my wife and me)are busy also but i want to join in bachelor in computer information system.i think when i will join in collage i couldn't give more time in my business and it would be hampered so i haven't come any idea about it that i join or not.if anybody had already experienced on same my case plz kindly suggest me for my further carrier.

toshiba in Mesquite, Texas said: CHEM 151 - General Chemistry 1 4
CHEM 152 - General Chemistry 2 4
CHEM 241A and 243A - Lectures in Organic Chemistry & Lab 4
CHEM 241B and 243B - Lectures in Organic Chemistry & Lab 4
MCB 181R and 181L - Introductory General Biology 1 & Lab 4
ECOL 182 R and 182L - Introductory General Biology 2 & Lab 4
MICR 205A and 205L - General Microbiology & Lab 4
PHYS 102, 181 - Introductory Physics I & Lab 4
PSIO 201 - Human Anatomy and Physiology 1 (lab included) 4
PSIO 202 - Human Anatomy and Physiology 2 (lab included) 4
Additional Science with lab*

you are still young to worry about the number of classes required to enter pharmacy school. With your age and career vision I will strongly encourage you to focus on attaining a bachelors in one of the sciences, to broaden your chances of getting into pharmacy school. I wish I had such vision like you; the best thing I would have done was to get my bachelors in either biology or biochemistry***. Getting one of those degree will broaden your chances and your knowledge about the sciences. If you think those pre-requisite are difficult or too much then pharmacy school isn't for you. It is not a joke in pharmacy school. The pre-requisite isn't going to lay the foundation for you to succeed in pharmacy shool. You will need to take more than the required pre-requisite. ppl who struggle in pharmacy schools are mostly the ones who got in with just the basic pre-requisite. Good luck.

Dont they re-teach it in pharmacy school. they re-teach it all. as long as you pay attention

nina in Columbus, Ohio said: am a student of high school and my major is pharmacist. my problem is that i don't know the best pharmacist school in ohio. please i need help to choose the best pharmacist school

a couple good schools in ohio for pharmacy are: UC and Ohio Northern, i was told that ohio northern is really goos for pharmacy. Or you might try UK in kentucky they have an awesome pharmacy program!

Pharmacy is saturated get out while you can (the earlier the better) go to pa or nursing school.

Is Pharmacy really saturated? I live near Shands of Gainesville and Shands of Jacksonville. One of the best hospitals in Florida. I have debated on whether doing PA or Pharmacy. I see nursing positions all the time. I just completed my Pharmacy Technician certification at UF and was planning on doing that for a few years and then doing pre-reqs followed by applying to Pharmacy school. If its really saturated thats depressing.

Hi everyone, I am currently 32 yrs. old and am a High School Teacher. The career was not gone into by choice but more so out of necessity because of the recession. I originally wanted to teach at University but have changed my mind and want to go for a Pharm. D. It may take a few years to save up the money and also pay off some additional debt that I have but I really feel that this is the path for me. What do you think? Any suggestions, comments? All are welcome to give me some feedback. Thanks, Mike

Mike in Warren, Ohio said: Hi everyone, I am currently 32 yrs. old and am a High School Teacher. The career was not gone into by choice but more so out of necessity because of the recession. I originally wanted to teach at University but have changed my mind and want to go for a Pharm. D. It may take a few years to save up the money and also pay off some additional debt that I have but I really feel that this is the path for me. What do you think? Any suggestions, comments? All are welcome to give me some feedback. Thanks, Mike

Hey Mike, I am a 31 year old Pharm.D. student due to graduate in May 2013. I would advise you not to go into pharmacy right now UNLESS you know or have have a relative already in pharmacy (as in a currently practicing pharmacist) this way when it comes to finding jobs post-graduation, you will be okay. If anything, I would suggest working for a couple of years as a pharmacy techncian then go into pharmacy school. Bottom line: it's up to you and I would say follow your dreams, but please, please do your due diligence and research the Pharm.D. option carefully before making the financial commitment with student loans.

Hi Mike,

I am 40 years old and first year pharmacy student. make sure this is something you really want to do. I understand that money is definitely a factor here but believe me there is more to it than just money. I am not sure how much you know about a career in pharmacy but take your time and do your research and talk to some pharmacists. Once you r sure this is for you then it is never too late to start. All I can tell you is that if you want to get into this field just for the money..that is definitely a wrong reason.

I'm 23, and I chose pharmacy for my major. So far i have completed my prequisites in Economics, Sociology and Statistics but... I didn't get a high grade in Statistics. I passed with a D. And i know i have to retake because the college i want to attend doesnt accept such a low grade. It goes from A to C only.Truthfully I'm not very good at math. I feel discouraged by this fact. Im not sure what could strengthen this problem ,but besides that

The current college I m attending , im discouraged because I've failed important prerequisites courses,
I took calculus first without taking algebra first instead.

So I failed calculus, human physiology, and well
Biology 101.

This hasn't been my year. And I feel that touro college in ny would not take a second look at my transcript because of all those failures :/

The other classes I took were required by my college like acting class

I'm not sure what the pharmacy school focuses on more, but I tend to take classes that interest me a lot like French class, Hispanic literature, Japanese literature, and Japanese language

And recently I would like to take a film minor but I feel that takin so many unrelated classes to my major due to my multiple interests will affect my chances of ever getting accepted to pharmacy in addition to the failed grades.

And the pharmacy school requires me to choose a bachlors degree, they said it could be anything.
My thoughts on this was east asian studies/ linguistics(teach English) or psycology
I also need to do volunteer work in a pharmacy
What does the college really look at? Opinions please?

Hi all!
Thank you so much for these comments. I'm glad that I came here to read all these.
I was little bit worried about my age also. But now I know that I still have to try! Take pre-requisite and apply to Pharm D program.

Thank you so much!

May His goodness and love follow you all the days of your life.
Victory in God.

kindness in Plano, Texas said: You are making a smart move. you are still young. 35? is the right age to start thinking about a career in pharmacy. Adcom prefer mature students; because of their discipline and determination to succeed. And almost all mature students do well in pharmacy school.Imagine at your local pharmacy will you prefer speaking to a matured pharmacist or a younger one? this is some of the reason why pharmacy schools like to admit matured ap

I'm 35 also and I plan on starting pre-pharmacy classes at the local community college. I wish you the best. I have been a food service cashier on a ferry boat for the past five years and studied business for a few years and I am ready for a change.