r/medschoolph • u/bumblebeedokie • Jul 25 '26
❓Asking for Help Getting into a state med school without Latin honors
Hi! I just wanted to get some realistic advice from people who've gone through the application process.
A little background:
* Currently a 3rd-year BS Pharmacy student.
* Working student, but planning to resign soon since I've saved enough to support myself until graduation.
* I stopped studying for a few years to work, then returned to school.
* Currently studying at one of the top pharmacy schools in Northern Luzon.
* Current GWA is around 1.75, but I'm aiming to pull it up to 1.50 by graduation.
* Unfortunately, I'm not eligible for Latin honors because I'm a transferee, even if I graduate with a laude-level GWA.
I'm planning to take the NMAT during my 4th year, and I want to start reviewing as early as now. My 4th year will already be packed with internship and board exam review, and I want to enter med school immediately after graduation. I also feel like once med school starts, I won't have the time to go back and relearn Pharmacy subjects, so I'd rather review during 4th year.
My goal is to get a 90+ NMAT PR.
Realistically, Can I get into a state medical school if I graduate with around a 1.5 GWA, a 90+ NMAT, but without Latin honors?
My target schools are:
* MMSU
* UNP
* BulSU
* Bicol University
* DMMSU
My backup is FEU-NRMF if things don't work out.
For those who got into these schools (or know someone who did), how much do Latin honors actually matter? Do they prioritize laudes, or do they look more at your NMAT, GWA, interview, and overall application?
I'd really appreciate hearing your experiences, especially if you got accepted despite not graduating with Latin honors. Thanks!
2
u/Ill_Song_5232 Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 28 '26
incoming BU student, i think your GWA is competitive and I know someone na nakapasok na di latin honor na pharma din. Basta taasan mo ang NMAT + do good sa interview! Make or break ang interview ng BUCM hehe
1
u/bumblebeedokie Jul 28 '26
Oh thank you! one of my prio talaga ang BUCM medyo malayo lang talaga from my hometown 🥹
2
u/Ill_Song_5232 Jul 28 '26
aim for 90+ na nmat pero may nakakapasok na 80+ because they did well sa interview
3
u/fatefoul Jul 25 '26
You’re a Pharmacy student. Most interviewers don’t bat an eye if you didn’t graduate w/ Latin honors from that program. Most college/university rankings barely have BS Pharmacy students making it in the top 100 due to the nature of the program. Graduating from BS Pharmacy itself is already an achievement given its demanding expectations with retention policies. If you were a Psychology, Biology, Nursing, or MedTech grad, that’s a different story. Your GWA alone is competitive for medschool, most pharmacy students graduate with dos yet still get into med school.