r/PrePharmacy

I’m seriously considering doing a pharmacy degree but i keep hearing that the profession is oversaturated, pay isn’t great compared with the time/cost of the degree, and job satisfaction is poor. For those already working as pharmacists or studying pharmacy, would you say the degree is still worth it in 2026? How are the salary, career progression, workload and job opportunities realistically? I’m also considering optometry, so if anyone has experience with both or has compared the two careers, I’d really appreciate some honest advice. I’m trying to make a decision based on the actual career prospects rather than just what universites advertise.

Hello everyone! This is for you to post what schools you are applying to and whether/when you are accepted, waitlisted or denied! Feel free to put your stats down as well! I hope this can be helpful to anyone looking to apply this cycle or for future cycles!

Here is a template that you can feel free to use!

Age:
Major: 
GPA:
Science GPA:
Awards/Honors:
Volunteer Hours:
Shadowing Hours:
Pharmacy Experience:
Other Experience/Extracurriculars:
Research:
Schools Applied To:

Well this is a bust, I graduated since 22’ and looking to change my career. I contacted some past professors who basically said they don’t remember me and won’t write a recommendation for me. Kinda feel at a loss right now. I have a supervisor to ask but I wanted to know who else to ask for it to look “valid”

I am a current applicant and was wondering if anyone has started to hear back about interviews for the 2026-27 PharmCas Cycle. I applied to UofSC, PC, UNC, and UTHSC (Tennessee and hoping for Knoxville) but haven’t heard anything and don’t know whether to apply to more or keep waiting?

I’m seriously considering doing a pharmacy degree but i keep hearing that the profession is oversaturated, pay isn’t great compared with the time/cost of the degree, and job satisfaction is poor. For those already working as pharmacists or studying pharmacy, would you say the degree is still worth it in 2026? How are the salary, career progression, workload and job opportunities realistically? I’m also considering optometry, so if anyone has experience with both or has compared the two careers, I’d really appreciate some honest advice. I’m trying to make a decision based on the actual career prospects rather than just what universites advertise.

Hi! I am applying this cycle, and I was really struggling between WesternU and UCSD. Here's my pros and cons list for both, and I was hoping for more internal insight about the program or opinions in general!! Thank you :D

UCSD

Pros:

- cheaper

- great location

- good naplex

-#6 in the nation and good prestige/name in general

- ive done a pharmacy internship in sd and so i have connections w people already

- i get to rent and live near friends!! ( socially, a pro)

Cons:

- would have to rent (financially, a con)

- P2 consists of med school classes T-T

- 4 year program (nothing wrong with it, i just want to finish early lol)

- i have to take a human physio lab... (western not required)

Western

Pros:

-commute from home (financially, a pro)

-3.5 year program and block schedule (i love this)

- good naplex

Cons:

-living at home, i would get distracted, and i've started to prefer to live away from my family

-more expensive

- not as well ranked??

Hey everyone. I am currently a rising junior in college. I am studying biology, and I was up until last semester an aspiring premed. But I realized I enjoy pharmacy a lot and the physician path isn’t really for me.

As a basic background, I currently have a 3.85 gpa, and have worked as an EMT for a year and am currently doing immunology research. I just started last month as a pharmacy technician at CVS.

My current aspiration is to go to pharmacy school, do a fellowship (and residency), and then enter the industry. However, while doing research about this field, I hear people warning me constantly not to enter this field, that’s there’s no demand for pharmacists, becoming one is too easy, etc. I’ve even been called foolish and “wasting my life” for not wanting medical school given my stats + experience. I would just like some advice from those who have more life experience and knowledge than me. Thank you in advance.

hi everyone! i’m currently applying to pharmacy schools this cycle. i was looking mainly at schools in california since i’m a ca resident. one of the things i am taking into account is the cost of attendance, especially with the new federal loan cap.

how much should i have saved up before starting to not be absolutely miserable? i plan on taking out a majority of loans (as expected these days) but also wanted to have a good enough cushion of my own savings to fall back on.

Okay I'm gonna start by saying this NOT a troll post this is someone asking for serious advice. My undergrad is in Biochem and my GPA is a 2.6 (not good I know). I am looking to apply to some 3 year programs that have a minimum 2.5. I was wondering is anyone around the same GPA as me has applied to 2.5 cutoffs and if they actually got in. I do not have any pharm tech experience more MA and phlebotomy. Any advice? Wanted to take the GRE or pCAT but its not required

EDIT* also is PHARMCAS like CASPA where your retakes don't count? How does the GPA calculator work on that platform

I’m taking a gap year, took the DAT, and I’m applying to dental school for next year’s intake. I want to have a backup in case I don’t get in, so I’m thinking of applying to both dental hygiene and pharmacy at the same time (I have all the pre-reqs for both).
I’m really stuck between the two.

Dental hygiene: I actually like pretty much everything about it. I’m fine with the teeth stuff. I also really like that it’s hands on and allows me to interact with others. My biggest concern is the back/neck problems and musculoskeletal issues that can come with hygiene. I already sometimes get mild lower back pain, so that makes me even more worried about developing serious back problems later on. I don’t want to have to leave the career early and retrain for a completely different job after already doing the schooling.

Pharmacy: I don’t really have that concern of back issues. It seems like a career I could physically do long term, but I’m worried I’d find it boring. I know I prefer hands on work, and pharmacy just doesn’t seem as interesting or satisfying to me as hygiene.
So I’m basically torn between something I think I’d enjoy but could potentially take a toll on my body, vs something that seems safer long term but I might not enjoy as much.

What made you decide pharmacy was the right choice for you? If you were in my position, which would you choose as a backup to dentistry? Honestly just thinking I apply to both and make a decision then.

I’m a pharmacy student and we have a mandatory lab where a rat is anesthetized and killed. The rat is given an overdose of pentobarbital through the stomach, and once it no longer shows active reflexes, its abdomen is opened and some of its organs are removed and used in experiments with different drugs.

I’m strongly against animal testing and honestly feel horrible knowing that an animal has to die for a lab I’m required to participate in. I understand the purpose of the experiment, but ethically this is really affecting me and making me question my entire degree.

I can’t just drop out of the program either. I genuinely feel like I have no choice but to stay. Becoming a pharmacist was never really my dream in the first place, but I ended up here because there isn’t anything else I know I want to become. Now I honestly don’t even know what to do anymore.

Edit: I’m in Sweden if that matters

i’m trying to switch from optometry to going into pharm because i didn’t get into optometry after applying twice. idk if im making the right decision with this switch. optometry was my dream but i didn’t get in and i don’t want to waste time. is pharmacy easier to get into? i’ve also never worked with a pharmacist or shadowed. any advice is appreciated because im feeling lost and defeated :( thank you

Hey! I officially applied for the 2027-2028 school year, only applied to Wayne PharmD. I currently stand at a 3.67 gpa and have hundreds of hours in shadowing, volunteering, club organizations, and pharmtech experience. I have yet to take microbio or biochem, so there’s a chance my gpa can inflate or deflate. I feel confident in my extracurriculars, yet my gpa is the only thing leaving me hesitant. i’m hoping for a little reassurance, do you think i’m a competitive candidate?

So my dream is to go to medical school well things got a tiny bit different and i might not make to to medical school and if if if i don't make it which one should i choose pharmacy or dental school

I have alot of people in medical field in my family and they're saying pharmacy i honestly don't know and i just want medicine but if things doesn't go well and I don't get accepted which one should i choose ( i don't know of this community is just for doctors or whole medical field)

Hii I'm hopefully going to start pharmacy school this year and I just wanted to talk to some clinical pharmacists to learn more about their experiences.

I think clinical pharmacy is really cool since you get to be involved in patient care. If someone works as a clinical pharmacist could you tell me what your average day-to-day looks like?

I'd love to hear about your experience!

Hey all,

I just entered my program and am on my second week. I worked hard to get here and have been super happy so far. I thought all was going well until I got an email recommending me for math tutoring after the results of my baseline math exam. I will admit, I have struggled with math but went through great lengths to try to remedy my shortcomings and even met with multiple tutors along the way. Before this, I went a number of years without touching a math class seeing as my bachelor's degree was in humanities. I'm 25, older than a lot of my classmates, but I am starting to wonder if I have made a mistake here. I want to fight for this, more than anything, but what if I am just not cut out for pharmacy? Has anyone else been in this situation? Any advice would be great.

i’m a 22 female going for an in person interview soon on the east coast. should I be wearing business casual or business professional? I just don’t feel like a suit matches me or the vibe of the school (very coastal). I was thinking a nice blouse and slacks but idk if that’s professional enough?

I just got a University of Florida interview and am super excited since that’s one of my tops but I was wondering if anyone knew the types of questions they ask?

For this upcoming cycle when its asking for the pre requisites part when applying to each school, let’s say I received a D in one of the sciences that are required, do I include that grade in that section? I did apply it on the transcript area but not sure if I’m supposed to include that here due to the intro saying “C-,D, F will not be accepted. In this case I did retake the course with a better grade which i’m including already.

*this also includes if I tried to take a science course but withdrew it (no grade)

I need some advice on if I am a competitive applicant! My dream school is UT Austin, but I don’t feel like I’m a competitive applicant rn since it’s a top 10 school. I am also interested in UH, A&M, and UT Tyler. I’d greatly appreciate advice on how my stats look right now. 

I also am deciding if I should apply by the early or regular deadline. I  just started volunteering with the food bank and a local hospital, but don’t have substantial hours with either of those yet. Should I hold off to apply for the regular deadline to develop my hours* with volunteering/shadowing/maybe a pharm tech job? Or should I go ahead and apply now since I really just want to get it over with? 

Stats:
3.9 GPA (3.92 science+math)

Chemistry + Math Tutor at my university (480 hours)

Personal Tutor for elementary-high school students in math, science, and english (160 hours)

Officer of a pre-pharmacy organization at my university

3 LOR: one from prof. I’ve taken 2x and was a TA for, one from prof. I’ve taken 3x, and the last one from my supervisor at my university job. 

*Will begin volunteering at a local hospital starting in September: will get at minimum 100 hours by December

*I have just begun volunteering at my local food bank. I hope to have around 40 hours before the early deadline

*I will begin to shadow one pharmacist next month. 

*I have my PTCB certification, but no job/experience :( It’s been hard finding a job b/c everyone says they want experience!

Any and all advice on schools/chances/when I should apply are greatly appreciated, TYIA!