22 Jan 2006 08:33 pm
Questions from someone who wants to transfer
I got an email from someone who found my MCPHS section, and I thought I'd post his questions with my answers.
Hi, basically i read your website about MCPHS, and i feel you give pretty honest/practical answers.
I am a freshman at UCLA, trying to transfer into the first year of the 6 year program (basically applying as a freshman), mainly because its faster and I'll be guranteed to a PharmD program. You say they try and force people out and half the class drops out. Is this because they accept many underqualified students to make money or because the classes are just hard? Also how is the pace of the curriculum? Do you know how many transfers like me get accepted? What makes you dislike it so much? Any tips on what they like to hear in essays/interviews?
Thanks,
Roger
1.) You say they try and force people out and half the class drops out. Is this because they accept many underqualified students to make money or because the classes are just hard?
Well, I can't answer that question with a definite answer one way or the other. I have my opinions, of course. In general, though, colleges accept many more students than they are accredited to graduate. Unless you're attending an Ivy League school, the attrition rate for college in general stands at around 50% — most of these students drop somewhere during or just after their freshman year.
I don't know whether students are "underqualified" per se. I'm not in the admissions department, so I can't exactly go look at GPAs and SAT scores. I have met a fair share of smart people, and a fair share of not-so-smart people. Just like any other college for the most part. Anyway, intelligence only roughly correlates to GPA anyway.
Going back to the first part, MCP is a bit different than "most" colleges. Most of the students don't wash out during the first or even the second year. They generally wash out somewhere in their third or fourth years. This is because the classes get harder all the way up to fourth year on a geometric curve. This leaves these students in a precarious situation: figure they're taking out, on average, $30,000/year in loans, and they're $90-120,000 in the hole when they
wash out during third or fourth year.
Ouch.
This is why so many students get extremely irritated at MCP as they progress. There's no safety net, and coupled with the fact that the program can only graduate 270 students a year – well you can see why this would be frustrating to someone who's doing their best, but is $100K in the hole, and they're barely hanging by a thread.
2.) Also how is the pace of the curriculum?
Geometric, as I explained above.
3.) Do you know how many transfers like me get accepted?
Sorry, no. If you're going to be a freshman transfer (like I was), you have a much better shot of getting in than you do if you try to transfer into third year like most people with their bachelors do. MCP accepts far more freshman than they do transfers.* If you got into UCLA, you probably won't have a problem getting into MCP.
*Again this is probably due to the geometric nature of the curriculum.
4.) What makes you dislike it so much?
I have many personal reasons for disliking the school. I don't care for the administration, by and large, and I don't like the fact that the school continues to make it harder for their students to pass. Last year's fourth year students had an easier curriculum than this year's students, for example. I don't think this is fair or acceptable.
I do like the faculty and staff, though. Because MCPHS is a relatively small school, most of the professors are here because they actually want to teach.
5.) Any tips on what they like to hear in essays/interviews?
No idea. Never did an interview, and I have no idea what I wrote for an essay. I'm sure it sounded good, whatever it was. I'm good at bullshit, so your mileage may vary. Sound intelligent, and don't pile it too high are usually good places to start, though. If you've got a friend who's a wordsmith, have him or her look it over before you send it. You can even send it to me, if you want, and I'll give you my thoughts on it.
6.) If you get bad grades say 4th year, do you just fall behind a year, or are you kicked out?
You fall behind a year. I believe that if you fail the same professional course twice (see the "professional courses" listed on the MCPHS website under the degree programs for what those are), you might get booted out of the program. Same if your GPA goes too low. It's quite easy to say "oh that won't happen," but I can't tell you the number of times I've seen people who are straight-A students for the first three years be perfectly happy with merely getting Cs in some of the professional classes during fourth year.
7.) Do you know anything about the 15k scholarships for 1st years, and how many people get them. How many are out of state students?
I don't know that there's a limit to the number of scholarships given out. There are a shitload of them, I believe. I think that if you fit the requirements, you automatically get it. I could be wrong, though. You could email financial aid and ask, if you wanted.
MCPHS isn't a state school, so it doesn't matter where you're from when it comes to financial aid.
on 25 Jan 2006 at 9:10 am 1.rianjs.net » Another MCPHS article said …
[...] I got a comment from someone on a post about a week ago asking me to email them because they had questions about transferring to MCP. So, I did. I turned the resulting dialog into a mini-feature in my MCPHS section. Questions from someone who wants to transfer [...]
on 24 Jul 2006 at 7:46 am 2.Anonymous said …
Hi..
I wanted to know how feasible is it to work on campus or offcampus in mcphs and keeping the grades high at the same time? Since I got the 15k scholarship, i dont want to lose it and i also have to cover atleast 85-90% of the rest of the cost by doing the jobs.
P.S. i am an international freshman
Take care,
Bye
on 24 Jul 2006 at 8:26 pm 3.Rian said …
Hello there.
While I am glad you have decided a career in pharmacy is good for you, I cannot in good conscience answer your question. I no longer attend MCP, and if I could give you any advice it would be "DEAR GOD RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!!" when it comes to being an MCP student.
That said, your best bet is to probably take out a few thousand dollars in loans and ease up on your non-school-related workload. The reduced stress while in school will more than make up for the pennies that you'll have to pay back when it's all said and done when you're making phat bank as a pharmacist.
You'll only have a tiny amount in loans compared to most people graduating from MCP because of your scholarship. Nice going.
on 11 Apr 2008 at 11:22 am 4.Anonymous said …
Hi there!
I applied for the PharmD program at MCPHS, but due to the 'record sized application pool', I was rejected, and offered alternate majors. Of those alternates, I chose Health Psychology with the intention of applying to Medical School after my 4 years at MCPHS, but I honestly don't have the money or brainpower for 4 more years of studying at a Medical School.
So, I was wondering, how hard is it to switch into the PharmD program? Is it similar to transfering in?
Thanks in advance. ;D
on 10 Aug 2008 at 9:13 pm 5.Dr. MCPHS Alumni said …
Rian,
As an alumni of MCPHS-Boston, I absolutely disagree with your unjust and ridiculous comments about MCPHS and the administration. In terms of administration, President Monahan has met tremendous milestones and has expanded the college like no other. In terms of education, its is top quality. Being the oldest college in the city of Boston, being located on Longwood and having graduated AMAZING alumni who continue to climb to top-notch positions in all sectors of healthcare, this college is really something to be proud of. It amazes me how year after year, people who fail continue to blame the college. The cause if failure IS THE STUDENT, not the college. In fact, the college goes above and beyond trying to accomadate even those who partied way too much and then blame the school for their failure or those who just are NOT cut out for the medical/pharmacy field.
In terms of admissions, it is very selective and every year, both freshmen and transfers have A averages and impressive stats. It is not the colleges fault that some of these folks are not able to handle an advanced scientific/clinical curriculum. Given the support structure, if one fails, they do so because of their own fault/lack of aptitude for those courses, NOT because of the college administration.
Speaking as a succesful alumni, MCPHS-Boston allowed for such a high quality education that I actually got accepted to the #1 clinical residency program in the US and the #1 fellowship program. I currently hold a great position, with phenomenal pay and continue to only climb up and IT IS ALL THANKS TO MCPHS for giving me the chance to take advantage of their amazing curriculum, longwood avenue resources and their dedication to my success. Yes, alot had to do with my dedication but just as important was the preperation from MCPHS in terms of academic and leadership skills. I have nothing but great memories and to everyone who reads this post, if you are TRULY cut out for the medical field, there is NO BETTER place to be. MCPHS and Longwood Medical and Academic area is the Medical Mecca of the world, and if you have the right skills, you will only go up!
Rian, I really believe that you hold a personal grudge and if you were among the succesful candidates, you would not write the things you did. It is quite sad to see that students like you dont appreciate whats in front of you and obviously dont take advantage of the resources to enhance your future. With that attitude, you wont be going to far. I suggest you start looking at your reality in a better light or you will never be succesful, at anything you do.
on 10 Aug 2008 at 9:46 pm 6.Rian said …
1) I disliked MCP from my freshman year.
2) Most of the alumni I know did not enjoy their time at MCP.
3) None of the alumni I know will donate to MCP and take great pleasure in throwing away the requests to donate.
4) What year did you graduate?
5) Your comment reads like a corporate drone's response.
6) You're not a doctor. You're a pharmacist.
Thanks for posting. I do (believe it or not) like having alternate opinions expressed here.