University Of Minnesota Application Thread

[ionou]

Sparkly09, I think we met at the interview. You said you didn't apply to any schools in CA. During the info session at the end, I sat in the 2nd or 3rd row. I'm also from CA.

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[SparkLy09]

Sparkly09, I think we met at the interview. You said you didn't apply to any schools in CA. During the info session at the end, I sat in the 2nd or 3rd row. I'm also from CA.

Haha yep, that was probably me
I just read the packet and it says that we'll get a decision shortly after Nov 15th (today!). Hope we all get some good news!!

 

[ionou]

I got in at TC!!!

 

[SparkLy09]

I got in at TC!!!

Yaaayy! Congratsss
I got in at TC as well

But now I'm totally unsure between Colorado & Minnesota

Are you accepting?

 

[pinksparkly]

I'll be joining you in the Twin Cities!

I totally was not expecting an email. I about fell out of my chair.

 

[heatheld]

I also got the acceptance email for the tc campus this morning!!!

Now I just have to make the tough decision between minnesota and michigan. Argh I like both schools so much, I don't know what to do.

 

[ionou]

I'm accepting. The only school I would reconsider is UCSF, but since I haven't had the interview and everything, I don't really mind and I'm tired of CA too. I might go to interview at UCSF just to see, but for me, it's better if I go to UMN because I won't have to take any more pre-reqs.

If I were you, I'd be confused too. I heard that CO has really good clinical opportunities and that it's much cheaper. Also, it's not that cold out there.

There are many of us from CA who got accepted.

Yaaayy! Congratsss
I got in at TC as well

But now I'm totally unsure between Colorado & Minnesota

Are you accepting?

 

[ionou]

Did anyone get the Dean's Nonresident scholarship?

 

[SparkLy09]

I also got the acceptance email for the tc campus this morning!!!

Now I just have to make the tough decision between minnesota and michigan. Argh I like both schools so much, I don't know what to do.

Yaaayy!

I was deciding between Mich and Colorado last week... although I guess my Mich isn't official? I have absolutely no idea what exactly all the emails mean and was slowly getting unimpressed with my status I guess... and then somewhat set my heart on Colorado since they admitted me so early on. I was absolutely amazed when I was at CO and already started to figure out housing and stuff.. & tuition wise, I can get in-state in a year and so it becomes SOOOO much cheaper!, but I really REALLY liked Minnesota too and totally wasn't expecting to get in either. Uuggghhh, this kinda sucks haha.

Congrats to everyone though!!

 

[shhortstuf]

you all found out through email? i thought they said on interview day it would all be by snail mail now...

haven't heard anything yet...hope that's not bad news haha

 

[SparkLy09]

you all found out through email? i thought they said on interview day it would all be by snail mail now...

haven't heard anything yet...hope that's not bad news haha

Yeah, I was expecting snail mail too... but mine was through e-mail. It seemed more of an email to let you know that there was a packet on the way lol since they only gave me til the end of the month to submit the deposit.

 

[rxlove]

wow congrats everyone on getting accepted! you can take a load off now! let me know if you have any questions about TC! i'm a PD1 and love it so far!~

 

[pinksparkly]

Yeah, I was expecting snail mail too... but mine was through e-mail. It seemed more of an email to let you know that there was a packet on the way lol since they only gave me til the end of the month to submit the deposit.

I am guessing that they sent acceptances via email, but waitlists and rejections snail mail.

 

[SparkLy09]

I am guessing that they sent acceptances via email, but waitlists and rejections snail mail.

It's weird because this entire time, I was under the impression that it was the other way around! It's a relief to not have to sit and wait for snail mail though!

 

[daniellegene]

Wow congrats to everyone on getting accepted! I hope I get as lucky towards the end of the application period. I was placed on the waiting list when I interviewed.

 

[Bowler11]

Congrats everyone! Please let me know if there are ANY questions about the program or anything that is on your mind. I am a PD3 on the Twin Cities and would love to see everyone here in Minneapolis. The time I have had here has been one of the best decisions of my life. Good luck!

 

[pinksparkly]

Wow congrats to everyone on getting accepted! I hope I get as lucky towards the end of the application period. I was placed on the waiting list when I interviewed.

You will! The odds are with you. The pre-professional advisor at Metro told me that we have a good rate of acceptance

 

[daniellegene]

Thanks! Hoping for the best.

You will! The odds are with you. The pre-professional advisor at Metro told me that we have a good rate of acceptance

 

[nightshade869]

I just got invited to the December 10th interview after submitting my supplemental 8 days ago!! For those of you already in, do you have any tips for the interview?

 

[SparkLy09]

I just got invited to the December 10th interview after submitting my supplemental 8 days ago!! For those of you already in, do you have any tips for the interview?

Drink some water before I had my interview right after the tour and the interview was an hour long for me and by the end, I really just wanted a glass of water. Review the questions on the interview feedback, for the most part, it was very accurate.

Don't ramble, and make sure you're answering the question and not going off on a tangent. Don't be scared to verify what they're asking, speak as clearly as possible and just make sure you strongly express why you want to attend and why you would be a great pharmacist.

I remember walking into the room and as soon as I sat down, my interviewer asked me if I minded if he recorded the interview. I dunno why that threw me off but it made me so nervous since I knew he could always go back and laugh at how stupid my answers were or something hahaha. But yeah, just go along with it and don't let your nerves get to you too much. Be yourself!

Oh, and not all my questions were pharmacy related... some were really random, and I mean random like, whats your favorite color? type of thing. Really, it turned out to be just a really good conversation.

 

[BH07]

October 2010
Chemistry 69
Biology 45
Reading 11
Verbal 50
Math 67
Composite 45

August 2010
Chemistry 32
Biology 51
Reading 45
Verball 45
Math 75
Composite 45

Other facts
cum GPA: 3.7
sci GPA: 3.65
pharmacy tech experience: 3 years
pharmacy volunteer experience: 500 hours
getting bachelor degree in Summer 2011
no grade less than a B
organic 1, physics 1, calc 1 in progress
organic 2, physics 2, calc 2 for spring
2 withdrawals none in pharmacy required courses
good recommendations
i think good essays (reviewed by 2 english professors)

should i bother to apply

Thanks in advance

 

[heatheld]

Drink some water before I had my interview right after the tour and the interview was an hour long for me and by the end, I really just wanted a glass of water. Review the questions on the interview feedback, for the most part, it was very accurate.

Don't ramble, and make sure you're answering the question and not going off on a tangent. Don't be scared to verify what they're asking, speak as clearly as possible and just make sure you strongly express why you want to attend and why you would be a great pharmacist.

I remember walking into the room and as soon as I sat down, my interviewer asked me if I minded if he recorded the interview. I dunno why that threw me off but it made me so nervous since I knew he could always go back and laugh at how stupid my answers were or something hahaha. But yeah, just go along with it and don't let your nerves get to you too much. Be yourself!

Oh, and not all my questions were pharmacy related... some were really random, and I mean random like, whats your favorite color? type of thing. Really, it turned out to be just a really good conversation.

you should have gotten a bottle of water from the vending machine before the interviews like i did

but yes the interview was long and i definitely needed my water or else i would have been extremely hoarse by the end of the interview (especially since i seem to talk loud and quite often haha).

other than that basically all of what sparkly said, definitely be prepared for anything. My interview was much more conversation like rather than drilling me with questions. We talked about everything from the basic ethics questions in the interview feedback to fashion to random off the wall questions to an intense discussion of my major (she even had one of my old text books on her shelf but alas i had forgotten much of that class ) to what I though of their school website and what my favorite section of it was. There was basically no limit to the vast array of questions and topics we covered.

My tips would be look over the interview feedback thread (be prepared for some of the ethics questions but dont study it too hard). Also, know your supplemental questions and your personal statement...be prepared to talk about anything you may have mentioned in there. Just go in, have fun, and be yourself.

Good Luck!!!

 

[nightshade869]

you should have gotten a bottle of water from the vending machine before the interviews like i did

but yes the interview was long and i definitely needed my water or else i would have been extremely hoarse by the end of the interview (especially since i seem to talk loud and quite often haha).

other than that basically all of what sparkly said, definitely be prepared for anything. My interview was much more conversation like rather than drilling me with questions. We talked about everything from the basic ethics questions in the interview feedback to fashion to random off the wall questions to an intense discussion of my major (she even had one of my old text books on her shelf but alas i had forgotten much of that class ) to what I though of their school website and what my favorite section of it was. There was basically no limit to the vast array of questions and topics we covered.

My tips would be look over the interview feedback thread (be prepared for some of the ethics questions but dont study it too hard). Also, know your supplemental questions and your personal statement...be prepared to talk about anything you may have mentioned in there. Just go in, have fun, and be yourself.

Good Luck!!!

Thanks to both of you for your support!! How long after you emailed your confirmation for your interview date did they give you more detailed information? I sort of want to get my plane ticket planned...

 

[nightshade869]

Also, I am really new to this forum. Where is the link for the interview feedback? I didn't see it "stickied" with other topics under pre pharmacy.

 

[SparkLy09]

Also, I am really new to this forum. Where is the link for the interview feedback? I didn't see it "stickied" with other topics under pre pharmacy.

http://www.studentdoctor.net/schools/?view=pharmacy

That leads you to the list of pharmacy schools. Just go down to find Minnesota.

I was given confirmation within 24 hours. I actually replied back to them fairly late but still had no problems Good luck!!

 

[heatheld]

Thanks to both of you for your support!! How long after you emailed your confirmation for your interview date did they give you more detailed information? I sort of want to get my plane ticket planned...

I received conformation within 24hrs as well. However, when they confirmed it Stacy let me know that the lady who provides the schedule and itinerary for the day was out until the following week and if it would be okay to wait until then before I received the exact schedule. So for me the exact info wasnt received until approx 5 days after I confirmed (Stacy did however give me rough estimates of what time they were planning on starting and ending the day)

 

[pinksparkly]

October 2010
Chemistry 69
Biology 45
Reading 11
Verbal 50
Math 67
Composite 45

August 2010
Chemistry 32
Biology 51
Reading 45
Verball 45
Math 75
Composite 45

Other facts
cum GPA: 3.7
sci GPA: 3.65
pharmacy tech experience: 3 years
pharmacy volunteer experience: 500 hours
getting bachelor degree in Summer 2011
no grade less than a B
organic 1, physics 1, calc 1 in progress
organic 2, physics 2, calc 2 for spring
2 withdrawals none in pharmacy required courses
good recommendations
i think good essays (reviewed by 2 english professors)

should i bother to apply

Thanks in advance

I don't think that they have a minimum PCAT. One thing that you might consider would be to talk to one of the admissions people - they are really helpful, and I think they would give you an honest answer. Your PCAT is just one of many things that they look at, and most of us probably have no idea how much they weigh any given item.

 

[SparkLy09]

I don't think that they have a minimum PCAT. One thing that you might consider would be to talk to one of the admissions people - they are really helpful, and I think they would give you an honest answer. Your PCAT is just one of many things that they look at, and most of us probably have no idea how much they weigh any given item.

I just wanna second that. I honestly don't think it should deter you from applying as long as you really want to attend the school. My GPA was waaaay below their average GPA and I almost didn't apply because of that.. but there were several reasons why I wanted to attend and I didn't want to pass that up. A small chance is always better than no chance at all.

I also used the optional component of the supplemental to explain the shortcomings of my GPA. Make sure to include what you have learned from it, why your score is low and convince them that it isn't going to hinder you as a student and pharmacist in the future.

I also strongly believe that the interview is probably weighed a good amount here. I didn't really have anything outstanding about my application besides a relatively high PCAT score & a degree (which most people had anyway). I did spend a considerable amount of time on my personal statement and supplemental however. & a lot of time with heatheld freaking out about interview answers and such

 

[Sophomore]

Hey guys I am a high schooler from Wisconsin and have started looking at career paths- especially pharmacy. I am wondering if any of you who applied to Minnesota/were accepted are from Wisconsin. Does the pharmacy school have any bias as to in state/out of state? Also, do Wi residents receive in state tuition rates or out state rates? I do know that Wi and Minnesota have some sort of college tuition agreement in place, I'm just wondering if it applies here.

Thanks.

 

[nightshade869]

Has anyone gotten to tour both the Duluth and the TC campuses? Has anyone been accepted to Duluth? I have spent my undergrad at the University of Washington in Seattle and I'm not sure which campus would suit me best. I am from Spokane, WA, but that isn't small by any means lol 500,000 people or so. There are times when I love and hate Seattle, but for the most part the school feels like its own isolated community. Does the TC campus have that feel to it? Like it is its own city?

Also, at the interview, is there an impromptu writing response they have you do?

 

[heatheld]

Has anyone gotten to tour both the Duluth and the TC campuses? Has anyone been accepted to Duluth? I have spent my undergrad at the University of Washington in Seattle and I'm not sure which campus would suit me best. I am from Spokane, WA, but that isn't small by any means lol 500,000 people or so. There are times when I love and hate Seattle, but for the most part the school feels like its own isolated community. Does the TC campus have that feel to it? Like it is its own city?

Also, at the interview, is there an impromptu writing response they have you do?

there is no writing response at the interview.

sorry i cant help you much with your other question. I only toured the twin cities campus and from the tour I felt that it seemed like its own community. I very much liked what I saw of both the city and the school. I am from Los Angeles, so am used to a big city.

 

[pinksparkly]

Has anyone gotten to tour both the Duluth and the TC campuses? Has anyone been accepted to Duluth? I have spent my undergrad at the University of Washington in Seattle and I'm not sure which campus would suit me best.

I have only toured the Twin Cities, but I feel like they did a really good job trying to give you a feel for the differences between campuses on the interview day. It probably helped that my tour guide was actually from the Duluth campus (she was doing a rotation on the TC campus). The pharmacy school on the TC campus is all in one building (might technically be two, but they are connected). The pharmacy school in Duluth is all on one floor of one building (my tour guide compared it to elementary school vs high school in size). She said that there was a difference in how the students interacted - Duluth seems more close-knit and family-like, where as on the TC campus people tend to split up into groups. She talked a lot about the extracurriculars on the Duluth campus - people seem to do a lot of the cold-weather sports together.

The Twin Cities campus itself seems like a city within the greater city of Minneapolis. It is big and has a river dividing it into two different sections. My understanding is that the Duluth campus itself is smaller.

There is a difference in the logistics of living in the Twin Cities vs. Duluth. Apparently it is totally possible and easy to drive into the Duluth campus, but cost-prohibitive to do so on the TC campus. Cost-of-living is higher in the Twin cities, but there are more "amenities" - downtown, lots of museums, restaurants, things to do.

 

[atpsynthase]

I have completed 5 years of undergrad at the Duluth campus and have taken some classes with the pharmacy students and research in their facilities so I know the campus well. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I'll do my best to answer questions to the best of my ability.

 

[nightshade869]

Is anyone here also interviewing on the 10th?

 

[nihao]

I got in Duluth, interviewed Nov 12 at Duluth

 

[Pharm001]

I have got an interview invite on 01/28.. twin cities(minneapolis). i'm little nervous but i hope to do well. Anyone else going to interview same date?

 

[nightshade869]

I have got an interview invite on 01/28.. twin cities(minneapolis). i'm little nervous but i hope to do well. Anyone else going to interview same date?

Don't be too nervous. I had my interview today at Duluth and it was a great experience. A little mentally exhausting overall, but I had a great interview and was very impressed b y the program. As long as you know why you want to be a pharmacist and are honest with yourself and the interviewer you will be fine. Make sure you know information about the program so that they know you are actually really interested in the program and make sure you have questions ready to ask. Best of luck!!

 

[pinksparkly]

Don't be too nervous. I had my interview today at Duluth and it was a great experience. A little mentally exhausting overall, but I had a great interview and was very impressed b y the program. As long as you know why you want to be a pharmacist and are honest with yourself and the interviewer you will be fine. Make sure you know information about the program so that they know you are actually really interested in the program and make sure you have questions ready to ask. Best of luck!!

I totally agree with this. The interview was nice - conversational. They want to sell you on the program as much as you want to sell yourself. It does help to know about the school and why you want this particular school.
Good luck!

 

[Pharm001]

Don't be too nervous. I had my interview today at Duluth and it was a great experience. A little mentally exhausting overall, but I had a great interview and was very impressed b y the program. As long as you know why you want to be a pharmacist and are honest with yourself and the interviewer you will be fine. Make sure you know information about the program so that they know you are actually really interested in the program and make sure you have questions ready to ask. Best of luck!!

Thanks nightshade869 for the info. I'm currently a student at the UofMN, so am little bit familiar with their program. is there any essay writing? did they focused more on questions regarding there program? any challenging questions?

 

[SparkLy09]

Thanks nightshade869 for the info. I'm currently a student at the UofMN, so am little bit familiar with their program. is there any essay writing? did they focused more on questions regarding there program? any challenging questions?

There wasn't a writing portion, and I think the only question they asked me about their program was Why UMN... everything else focused more on ethical/situational scenarios, past experiences, why pharmacy, what I want to study/go into etc. Nothing was challenging, mostly expected questions (check SDN feedback). Wait, one question that did throw me off was "if you were a super hero, what power would you have?" But even that was fine, and put me more at ease after we had a good laugh at my answer

 

[ionou]

How is the weather there? I read that the U of M is closing due to snow. I'm wondering if it's common there to do that.

 

[Pharm001]

How is the weather there? I read that the U of M is closing due to snow. I'm wondering if it's common there to do that.

Well, it happens sometimes, but not that often. Today is just crazy here in Minnesota, the snowfall hit the records. Most of the highways and flights are shut down due to the weather, as well as the school.

 

[FinnPharmer]

The U has only shut down for a school day a handful of times in its history, but today is its own beast. Lots of snow + lots of wind = hard to move + low visibility = shut down. This is pretty unusual this early, but MN weather is unpredictable, which is why layers are your friend.

 

[nightshade869]

Thanks nightshade869 for the info. I'm currently a student at the UofMN, so am little bit familiar with their program. is there any essay writing? did they focused more on questions regarding there program? any challenging questions?

Mosty why UMN over other programs that I applied to...etc. I focussed on what I found unique about the program and how I believed their curriculum matched the trend of the pharmacy field as a whole (which is honestly what I think and why I applied in the first place). Make sure you don't tell them answers you think they want to hear. Be honest, it is the best thing you can do. They can tell if you are giving some lame answer just to impress them. They want to know you, so be respectful, but be yourself.

 

[Skrishna]

I will submit my supplemental application by the end of this week.

PLEASE let me know about how many seats left???????

I heard the video of Ms Sara regarding information of admission that there is very few spots left after feb????

Is that true??????

What are my chances to get interview call on Jan or Feb if I submit my application on jan1st

 

[nightshade869]

I was told we would hear back from the December 10th interview on Jan 19th!! I am so anxious to know lol, the wait has been so long...dumb winter break lol.

 

[txs171]

So I just got an invitation to interview and I am going to be attended the session at Minneapolis in February. I was wondering if anyone here could elaborate the whole "2 campus" system and the pros/cons of each...Im having a difficult time deciding on the two since the school's website is not entirely accurate of what I've heard from other people...Much appreciated

 

[pharmschooler]

So I just got an invitation to interview and I am going to be attended the session at Minneapolis in February. I was wondering if anyone here could elaborate the whole "2 campus" system and the pros/cons of each...Im having a difficult time deciding on the two since the school's website is not entirely accurate of what I've heard from other people...Much appreciated

Honestly, if you can, go visit each city and check out the school. This will give you a much better sense of where you want to spend 4 years of your life than a message board. You already know the basics - Minneapolis is a big city, Duluth is a smaller city. You can't get a real feel for anywhere until you visit, however.

 

[txs171]

Honestly, if you can, go visit each city and check out the school. This will give you a much better sense of where you want to spend 4 years of your life than a message board. You already know the basics - Minneapolis is a big city, Duluth is a smaller city. You can't get a real feel for anywhere until you visit, however.

I agree that a visit to both campuses would be best. However, my decision goes beyond location and population. I have heard that the teaching methods (although claimed as the exact same) are different. The distance between campuses is over a 3 hour drive (im from California by the way), and I would have to make the decision ON INTERVIEW DAY so I need to weigh everything prior to this date. Not to mention a full time job and interviews elsewhere in the country...

I just need some elaboration/clarification

 

[pinksparkly]

I agree that a visit to both campuses would be best. However, my decision goes beyond location and population. I have heard that the teaching methods (although claimed as the exact same) are different. The distance between campuses is over a 3 hour drive (im from California by the way), and I would have to make the decision ON INTERVIEW DAY so I need to weigh everything prior to this date. Not to mention a full time job and interviews elsewhere in the country...

I just need some elaboration/clarification

I'm not sure how the teaching methods could be different - the lectures are done via iTV, so both schools hear/see the same lecture at the same time. Sometimes the faculty member is at TC, sometimes Duluth. I suppose the labs and the faculty interactions could differ, but the lectures are the same.