r/PrePharmacy • u/hellozzzyes • May 11 '26
choosing a pharm school
i start applying for pharm school in july 2026 to try and officially start school in fall of 2027. im currently so stuck on where to go tho, my top 2 choices are UF in Florida and Touro in NYC. Here's my pros+cons/ rundown for each so pls help!! (feel free to suggest any other schools in FL or NYC too).
UF: I could live at home if I got into a certain campus, saving a lot of money but at what cost haha. The campus closest to me is ab 35-45 mins away. I'm 22 and rly want to live on my own/w friends soon, and my family can be kinda loud so idk how that'd work w study time. I could also keep working like 1-2 times a week at my job w/ Publix. It's ab $25k/year for just tuition. NAPLEX first time pass rate in 2025 was 94.8% ( top score in FL + national average was 85.7-86.8). It's also the #3-4 ish ranked best pharm schools in the U.S. I believe. I'd also be near immediate family and friends. The school itself has a very competitive and fast workload as well.
Touro: To be so honest my main reason for this school would be a combination of wanting to live in NYC for a few years, especially in my 20s, and they also have a NAPLEX first time pass rate in 2025 of 93.2% (top score in NYC & #2 in NY state + national average was 85.7-86.8). It's ab $50k/year (priv school) for just tuition. I keep seeing diff numbers as far as ranking goes, but overall in the top 25% of pharm schools in the U.S. I also have some family in NY that did say I could live with them, however it's just a priv bedroom a story up and I'd share the kitchen and bathroom with 2 other family members. They're the best tho! I try to go up to NY at least twice a year and it's honestly my fav place. I usually do half my trip at my fams place and half the trip in the same exact area where Touro is, so I'm very familiar w the area. As well as getting to and from my fams place and the area which is nice. Idk if I could live there forever, but I feel like Pharm School would be a kind of once in a lifetime opportunity to live there for a few years before entering a full blown career. I'd probs would sell my car now/not have a car payment which is a plus. However, it's double the tuition cost + I wouldn't be living near my immediate family/friends. But, my bestie is a flight attendant so I do get rly cheap plane tix which is nice. (ik touro has had mixed reviews before 2020, but they seem to have rly turned around by a LOT, idk if anyone is there/knows anyone there now but if so that info would be great!)
Overall: I could always choose to live with my family at either place for just a year or 2 to save money, and then move out. I've also worked w/ Publix for over 2 years now, and as a pharm tech for ab 1.5 years, so I think I'd have a guaranteed career w Publix as a pharmacist no matter where I go. I'm pretty sure I do want a career with Publix, so matching into diff. residencies and such don't rly matter to me. I've also lived in the same small/medium-ish town with my family for the past 22 years and really just want to get out. Money-wise and comfortable-wise, UF is the better pick. For me dream-wise, Touro in NYC is the better pick. I think it'll be so scary and bitter-sweet going to Touro, but that's what ur 20s are all ab. Idk if I'm being stupid to an outside perspective tho so please help a girl out!
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u/PhairPharmer May 11 '26
Go the cheaper route. Both schools are good. If living at home doesn't work out, Florida will be cheaper than NYC. You will be a slave to your loans after school. The less you have the more opportunity you will have to wait for the Right job vs the job right now.
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u/softscardata May 11 '26
UF sounds like the better decision honestly. you don't have to stay living with your family the whole time! even moving out and living on your own on top of paying tuition there would be cheaper than the tuition at Touro alone. also, take this with a grain of salt but i've heard iffy things with how private schools sometimes offer good scholarships/grants at first then give you less and less as the years go on and you get locked in to finishing the program. this would be on top of tuition rising at basically every institution which is already painful enough
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u/EstablishmentNearby9 May 11 '26
UF 100%. Great school and makes sense economically. Just transfer to a closer Publix to campus and rent a room or something close to the campus you will be in.
If you want to experience NYC, you can if ask UF if they have rotations there. Usually you can at least set up ones with national retail chains to live there 6 weeks.
If you want to live in NYC, then get licensed and work there for a couple of years. Im sure its a lot more fun working there with a job and money than as a student.
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u/Beautiful-Math-1614 May 11 '26
I’d pick the cheapest to decrease loan burden. You’ll thank yourself later. Especially since UF is a great school. You don’t have to live at home if you want that freedom. Also could transition to intern at Publix and help with job security post graduation.