How hard is it to get into Pharmacy School?

Is there any university that has lower standards then Waterloo and U of t and accepts a lot of students.

I've heard Alberta pharmacy program accepts even students from college.

I'm fearful for my future because of the the lack of a career in only a biology degree.

Everyone says you need low 80's to high to be competitive for waterloo's or uft's program isn't there any pharmacy program in Canada where 70's are good?

At Waterloo the minimum average is 75%, however keep in mind that is the MINIMUM. Many of the students surpass that average.
I don't think Alberta accepts students from college, you may want to check that out.

It is very competitive to get into pharmacy school. You need to have excellent grades, as well as experience working or volunteering with a pharmacist in most cases.

Here is some information on UAlberta's pharmacy program:
http://www.pharm.ualbert...iveStudentFactSheet.pdf

When you have heard that UAlberta accepts college students, I think you are a bit confused. In Alberta, some of their "colleges" offer essentially the same courses that you take at university. In Edmonton, for example, some students do the first two years of their degree at a "college" (taking university-level courses) and then transfer to UAlberta for the last two years of their degree. So while they have attended a "college", they have taken university-level courses the entire time. You will still need very high marks to get into pharmacy, anywhere in the country.

Well, I know a lot of medical school hopefuls who apply to pharmacy as a back-up. These individuals typically have GPAs that are 3.8 or higher. I even know people with GPAs in the 3.8x range who have been rejected from pharmacy, but they probably didn't do well with their letter of intent, with the PCAT, at their interview, or they had something else missing from their application. So you need to have the "whole package" so to speak. But the higher your GPA, the better your chance of getting an interview.

I'm not saying it is doom and gloom. I'm saying it is a competitive program to get into, and it is.

Check out the admission stats from U of Sask. Note that those with the lower averages will be outstanding in some other area to gain admission:
http://explore.usask.ca/...ams/nondirect/ph/#stats

Look at UAlberta:
http://www.pharm.ualbert..._BSC_Pharm_Program.aspx
They say: "Applicants are ranked primarily on academic achievement in the prerequisite courses. Other factors considered in ranking include overall academic achievement (emphasizing recent academic performance), a demonstrated ability to perform well in a consecutive Fall/Winter session of full-time study (preferably *30 units), and a Letter of Intent. The Letter of Intent provides an opportunity for the applicant to convey career goals, knowledge of the profession, employment or volunteer experience, and other personal attributes that might be relevant for consideration by the Admissions Committee. You will find further detail regarding the Letter of Intent below."

and here:
http://www.pharm.ualbert...ly_Asked_Questions.aspx
"What is the GPA "cutoff" for applying to Pharmacy?
Competitive applicants normally have an overall minimum GPA of approximately 3.5 out of 4.0."

Note that 3.5 is the MINIMUM. That means most competitive applicants will have a higher GPA.

U of Toronto:
http://www.pharmacy.utor...Academic%20Requirements
"8. What average must I have at the university level to gain admission?

There is no average that can guarantee admission. It is possible that an applicant with a high "A" average may fail to gain admission, whereas another who achieved a ‘B’ average could be successful. This occurs because applicants must meet minimum standards in both academic (university performance and PCAT) and non-academic (interview) criteria to gain consideration in final selections. Although 70% (equivalent to a B- at U of T) is the published minimum university average required to be included in the initial pool of eligible applicants, the average required for consideration in the final selections may be higher. In recent years the vast majority of candidates offered admission have presented averages in the B+ or above range."

Again, B+ is the minimum, and most successful applicants will have a higher average, and those on the lower end with be outstanding in some other area (PCAT, interview).

Waterloo:
https://uwaterloo.ca/pha...s/academic-requirements
"Minimum overall University average of 75%

The grade achieved in every university course you have taken since entering university will be included in the overall average calculation. The average is not limited to the required courses only. This average must be at least 75%."

Again, 75% is the minimum, and most successful applicants will have a higher average.

Read what they say here:
https://uwaterloo.ca/pha...ic-Requirements-section

"The 'Academic requirements' section indicates that a minimum cumulative university average of 75% is required for the application to receive consideration. Since there are far more applicants than spaces available is it actually necessary to have an 'A' average to be competitive and gain admission?

Although 75% is the published minimum university average required to be included in the initial pool of eligible applicants, the average required for consideration in the final selections may be higher than that. However, the University of Waterloo program is focused on attracting students who perform sufficiently well academically while also demonstrating passion and aptitude for the profession of Pharmacy. Thus, students with superior academic performance may be denied admission if the rest of their application is weak, and conversely, applicants that just meet the minimum GPA may be offered admission if the balance of their application is very strong. There is no grade which will guarantee admission. Admission is granted based on a number of factors including your GPA, Admission Information Form, Letter of Reference, Interview and Reading comprehension/Writing test."

The less popular provinces' pharmacy schools tend to be fairly easy to get into if you're from that province. UBC, U of A, Waterloo, and U of T are the only schools that don't put that much emphasis on your residency. At U of A, with all other things being equal, an Alberta student will always get picked over, say, an Ontario student, so out-of-province students have to be more than just "competitive."

U of A is quite truthful in saying that a 3.5 GPA is the minimum to be considered competitive, with "competitive" actually meaning that you could get in with a 3.5 GPA, but the rest of your application would have to be solid, and you likely wouldn't be able to get in after just two years of undergrad with a 3.5.

Marks-wise U of A probably is the toughest pharmacy school to get into in Canada; that is because the emphasis is on marks. They don't require the PCAT and also don't do interviews.

I have a couple friends from Western who got into Waterloo and U of T, and they didn't have great GPAs (probably 3.3ish). However, they scored well on the PCAT and probably did really well on their interviews.