Updated: 1 semester down, only 7 to go at the UofA College of Pharmacy...

[PeteRock]

Many are aware of my layoff a few years ago and subsequent return to an undergraduate program to complete the necessary coursework to apply to pharmacy school.  Well, after two long years of rigorous study, limited gaming, countless volunteer hours, and making sure to leave lasting impressions on all faculty I encounter (may not always bet a good lasting impression, but it'll certainly last  ), I submitted my very first pharmacy school application this afternoon to my preferred institution, The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy.  

I have done absolutely all I can to embody a competitive applicant with 80+ hours of volunteer work in a hospital pharmacy, over 50 hours of general community service, a 4.0 science GPA (average of accepted students is 3.57), a 4.0 cumulative GPA (average of accepted students is 3.63), a PCAT composite score of 74 (average for accepted students last year was 68), stellar recommendations, and hopefully a series of unique short-answer responses that may help me to stand apart from other applicants (not sure if it'll be in a positive way, but I should at least stand out).  I took some liberties in how I approached each question, answering the way I wanted to rather than how I thought they want me to.  Either this will work in my favor or I'll at least go down in a blaze of glory in my own manner.  

For the final question asking for something personal, instead of rambling on about personal desires or academic successes, I went a different route.  I told the story of how I was chased from a tent while clad in just a pair of boxers and a ski cap by an Arctic Wolf while doing a six-week paleoclimatology field season at the North Pole.  It was certainly illustrative, hopefully entertaining, and fairly amusing.  My wife is of the opinion that even if I don't get in, they may call me in for an interview just to hear more about my run-in with what I first thought was a giant dog.  If anything, I doubt there are many other applicants with a similar personal story.    

Now that I've clicked "submit" I feel like I'm going to throw up.  Two long years of some of the hardest academic work I've faced, all culminating in a few application pages that fall far short of expressing my potential and professional desire.  Now it's in their hands.

Time for a beer.

[Roman]

Congrats Pete! Awesome journey that is just getting started - here's to big things coming your way!
See you tonight for some MW3?

Roman

[Isgrimnur]

Go, Pete!  You'd be the best Wildcat they got! Best of luck.

[TK-421]

I just wanted to say good luck. We're all counting on you.

[JayDee]

Time for a beer.

You deserve more than A beer. Have a few.

[CeeKay]

Time for a beer.

You deserve more than A beer. Have a few.

I'll have a Yuengling or three for you Pete!

[Jancelot]

Congrats!

[Gratch]

I just wanted to say good luck. We're all counting on you.

[leo8877]

I just wanted to say good luck. We're all counting on you.

[JayDee]

I just wanted to say good luck. We're all counting on you.

[hepcat]

Good luck! 

...now...about that medicinal marijuana request.  what's the turnaround after you g'aduate?

[rickfc]

Good luck Paste-Pot-Pete!

[naednek]

whooo hooo drunken MW3 night 

[USMC Kato]

whooo hooo drunken MW3 night 

Good luck Pete, I 99% promise I won't shoot you in the face in Modern Warfare....

[Destructor]

I just wanted to say good luck. We're all counting on you.

EDIT: That said, as a pharmacy tech, I wish you the best of luck getting in. Of course, once you do, that's half the challenge. It's not easy.

[PR_GMR]

Best of luck to you with the application, Pete! Hope you get in! 

[PR_GMR]

whooo hooo drunken MW3 night 

Good luck Pete, I 99% promise I won't shoot you in the face in Modern Warfare....

Just shoot him in the groin. 

[Moliere]

Tebow is praying for the success of your application.

[The Grue]

I got accepted into pharmacy school once...can't be all that hard.

[PeteRock]

I got accepted into pharmacy school once...can't be all that hard.

While getting into a school would be acceptable, I'm trying to get into the school, or at least one of them, as the University of Arizona has the 9th ranked program in the country.  This year they have just over 400 applicants, all vying for 100 slots.  While I'm confident I may be accepted at Midwestern or perhaps Creighton, I want to go to U of A. 

Tebow is praying for the success of your application.

We have actually begun using "Praise be to Tebow" for almost everything.  We even had a Thanksgiving prayer before dinner.  Rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub, yay Tebow. 

Hopefully my "father, son, holy Tebow" sign of the option play will aid in my chances. 

I appreciate all of the well wishes.  It has been a tough two years, not just in terms of academics, but financial sacrifice (do you know how hard it is to maintain my visage on a budget?), social sacrifice (I've even had to give up pool temporarily), and gaming time sacrifice.  And things aren't going to get any easier with four more years of graduate education, but my dream is one small step closer. 

Depending on how much uglier this Eagles game gets I may force myself to take a study break to shoot Kato in the eye.  The good one.   

[Tokek]

Best of luck Pete, hope it all works out!

[Ironrod]

Congrats. We're all looking forward to free drugs.

[Pyperkub]

Good luck Pete!

Epic 4g/Tapatalk

[USMC Kato]

Depending on how much uglier this Eagles game gets I may force myself to take a study break to shoot Kato in the eye.  The good one.   

not likely.... when angry, my good eye will jump out of it's socket, put on a 49er jersey, and kick you in the nuts....while bunny hopping

[Bullwinkle]

Best of luck, Pete.

[Purge]

Depending on how much uglier this Eagles game gets I may force myself to take a study break to shoot Kato in the eye.  The good one.   

not likely.... when angry, my good eye will jump out of it's socket, put on a 49er jersey, and kick you in the nuts....while bunny hopping

Like this?

[Scuzz]

Good luck Pete...hopefully they don't know about this site.

[PeteRock]

After visiting my application status page every single day, numerous times a day, since submitting my application, today the first round of interview invites went out to 70 students.

AND I RECEIVED ONE!   

My interview is January 20th and I've already begun preparation. 

[Isgrimnur]

Congrats, Pete. I'm sure you'll knock me dead.

[The Grue]

After visiting my application status page every single day, numerous times a day, since submitting my application, today the first round of interview invites went out to 70 students.

AND I RECEIVED ONE!   

My interview is January 20th and I've already begun preparation. 

Don't start the interview off asking if you can score some drugs.  You have to wait a bit for that.  Anway, congrats!

[Bullwinkle]

After visiting my application status page every single day, numerous times a day, since submitting my application, today the first round of interview invites went out to 70 students.

AND I RECEIVED ONE!   

My interview is January 20th and I've already begun preparation. 

Wear something fabulous

Congrats!

[Shinjin]

Awesome.

Congrats, Pete. I'm sure you'll knock me dead.

Is that the pharmacy school equivalent of "break a leg"?

[Devil]

Go get 'em, Petesy-Pie!

[Dreamshadow]

Congrats Pete!

[PeteRock]

My interview is January 20th and I've already begun preparation. 

Today's the day.  I leave for Tucson in about two hours to arrive well before the 2:15pm sign-in deadline.  I have a binder compiled with all of my preparation for the interview, a favorite pen for the 20-minute impromptu essay, a series of poignant questions to cover when asked, "Do you have any questions of your own," my suit has been cleaned and pressed, a new pair of much-needed dress shoes have been procured and polished, and all potential interview questions have been researched, discussed, and practiced with the help of online databases, forums, and preparation guidelines. 

All I can do now is remain calm, incorporate the key points I feel need to be mentioned during my interview, demonstrate my knowledge of the College of Pharmacy, research opportunities, faculty, career goals, and rotation opportunities, speak confidently (but not pretentiously) about my accomplishments, knowledge, and skill set, convincingly present the very real reasons for pursuing a professional degree in pharmacy, clearly discuss my preferred fields of interest (clinical oncology, community, managed care, and veterinary), and then wait patiently while the University determines their final selection of the 100 students to be admitted as the Class of 2016.  Final word is expected to be released in early February.

In other words:

 

[rickfc]

My interview is January 20th and I've already begun preparation. 

Today's the day.  I leave for Tucson in about two hours to arrive well before the 2:15pm sign-in deadline.  I have a binder compiled with all of my preparation for the interview, a favorite pen for the 20-minute impromptu essay, a series of poignant questions to cover when asked, "Do you have any questions of your own," my suit has been cleaned and pressed, a new pair of much-needed dress shoes have been procured and polished, and all potential interview questions have been researched, discussed, and practiced with the help of online databases, forums, and preparation guidelines. 

All I can do now is remain calm, incorporate the key points I feel need to be mentioned during my interview, demonstrate my knowledge of the College of Pharmacy, research opportunities, faculty, career goals, and rotation opportunities, speak confidently (but not pretentiously) about my accomplishments, knowledge, and skill set, convincingly present the very real reasons for pursuing a professional degree in pharmacy, clearly discuss my preferred fields of interest (clinical oncology, community, managed care, and veterinary), and then wait patiently while the University determines their final selection of the 100 students to be admitted as the Class of 2016.  Final word is expected to be released in early February.

In other words:

 

Good luck Pete!

[Purge]

Pete, you'll rock it like this guy:

Spoiler for the confidense bilden:

[Scuzz]

I have a binder compiled with all of my preparation for the interview, a favorite pen for the 20-minute impromptu essay,

So, someone let you know about the impromptu essay eh.....cheeky basstrud.

Good luck Pete. We are all counting on you.

[PeteRock]

I have a binder compiled with all of my preparation for the interview, a favorite pen for the 20-minute impromptu essay,

So, someone let you know about the impromptu essay eh.....cheeky basstrud.

Actually, the "Application Interview Instructions" document forwarded to all candidates mentions the essay, but no information is available about what the essay may be about.  Guess that ensures it being "impromptu." 

The only advice I've been able to find is to organize my thoughts, present my ideas in a clear, concise, and formatted manner (introduction, key points, conclusion), and maintain quality penmanship.  Students have actually been denied admission solely for poor handwriting. 

Leaving the post-interview reception early also results in automatic denial.  Perhaps "happy hour only goes until 6pm" is a poor reason to do so.   

[Destructor]

The only advice I've been able to find is to organize my thoughts, present my ideas in a clear, concise, and formatted manner (introduction, key points, conclusion), and maintain quality penmanship.  Students have actually been denied admission solely for poor handwriting. 

I wish I could tell customers to go back to their doctors for poorly written scripts. It's like an entirely new language sometimes.