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can i get into pharmacy school?
So ive been a good student for all my life pretty much with the exceptions of a few Cs, but last yr i effed up and got a lot of cs and a D. Im gonna be a junior next year and i was wondering, if i work really hard the next few years could i get into pharmacy school? I havent been in any extracurricular activities cause for one i have anxiety about that and two, i didnt have a ride..but maybe i could start doing things or because a pharmatech or something when i turn 18 but do you think this is possible for me? And what do i have to expect I'm pharmacy school? What should i start studying? Any school councellors, pharmacists or students or anyone who knows anything about this please help me! Thank you!!
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Hi! First of all, which country are you in? I'm going to answer your question for both the United States and the United Kingdom cause I'm having a hard time guessing. If you're not from either, please still read my answer because I have some tips that may still help you.
To begin with, you might want to ask yourself why you got C's and D's. For example, was it because you had unusually bad family circumstances that year, or was it because you were procrastinating all the time and undisciplined? I personally experienced both when I was a sophomore in high school, along with bad anxiety/depression. When I got my terrible grades, I asked myself what was wrong. I got counselling and anxiety meds for my depression from the NHS. THe meds didn't work but the counselling did, and I began to ask myself if I was willing to completely change the next year and work my butt off. I decided it would be worth it, and the next year I was brutally disciplined. I spent 2 hours studying by myself for every hour of lesson time. I kept up with the material and asked my teachers for extra help when I needed it- they usually had lunchtime help sessions anyways. I exercised a lot to keep my mood up (zumba dvds and classes are fun!) and joined a great church, where I made some encouraging friends. I volunteered at my local Oxfam charity shop, and learned how to use a cash register and greet customers without feeling anxious. I worked at a fast food shop over the summer to get money and experience. Dealing with a mixture of awesome people, ex-criminals and also shop-lifters motivated me to go to university even more. My family bought an adorable puppy and she became my best friend. I managed to get straight A's in my science exams as a junior and senior in high school.
If you're willing to give yourself a chance by working as hard as possible and start reaching out to people, you can definitely make it to pharmacy school. Pharmacy school is hard but rewarding.
If you're in the UK, I really recommend looking at the entry requirements for the Uni's you want to go too. I personally recommend taking 2 preferably 3 science A-levels. So do Biology, Chemistry and Math or Physics or Psychology A-levels. If you don't like these subjects, you should consider other great career options. If you fail your A-levels or want to take different subjects, you could take an Access to Science Course at your local community college after secondary school. That will give you a second shot at pharmacy school. Really. I know someone who got into Pharmacy school at the University of Reading that way. She got the highest grades in her first year and got some kind of dean's scholarship.
If you're in the USA, you don't have to worry about what subjects you do. Just do well in whatever subjects you're taking and really try to start extracurriculars. If you're an introvert, I really recommend reading Dale Carnegie's How to Make Friends and Influence People and Susan Cain's Quiet for tips on how to self help for social anxiety, if that is one of your issues.
For general ideas on becoming a good student, no matter what country you're in, I really recommend Isa Adney's Community College Success. She teaches you how to network with other people and find opportunities when you don't have any previous connections in any given career field. Incidentally, if you're considering US Community College, her book should be your bible. (Look them up on Amazon to see if they're you're thing). Do well in your SAT's and read a lot of books. Find a good university that fits your budget and personality (I recommend the Fiske Guide to start your search, and your high school counsellor). Focus on a good science bachelor's. You can't do pharmacy school until you hit graduate school anyway in the US.
If you're considering being a pharmacist or pharmacy technician, I think you should try to get work experience at a retail pharmacy or hospital pharmacy. It's never to early to start! Make sure you can explain to them why you want work experience. Google volunteer programs at your local hospital pharmacy. I personally went to about 40 local and chain retail pharmacies and asked the head pharmacist for work experience. Only one of them said yes. He was really kind and I got 1 month of pharmacy work experience filing prescriptions, using the cash register and finally dispensing prescriptions. If anyone in your school/ family/ your friends know someone who is a pharmacist/ pharmacy tech, ask them for help.
I hope some of this information was useful. Good luck! Believe in yourself :) you're awesome.
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