Choosing the right pharmacy school is a deeply personal journey, shaped by factors like cost, location, faculty, and career aspirations. For many students, the decision is more than just academics—it’s about finding a place where they can thrive. In this story, Ben Grosso, shares how he navigated the overwhelming list of pharmacy programs, narrowed down his choices, and ultimately found the perfect fit at Shenandoah University School of Pharmacy. His journey highlights the importance of research, self-reflection, and the unexpected moments that make all the difference.

How did you choose your pharmacy school/college or graduate program? 

For me, I started with every single pharmacy program in the United States and worked my way through it. Slowly but surely, I eliminated schools based off my preferences such as distance, cost, length, and requirements. I narrowed it down to 7 schools, so I applied to all of them and waited to see what happened. I got interview invitations from all of them, so the next step was to attend the interviews and just be myself. I interviewed with 3 schools first, Shenandoah University, the University of Toledo, and the University of Charleston. I liked all three schools, the people I interviewed with were very warm and friendly, the campuses were all great, and they were all within my cost range. I was at a crossroads, hoping the decisions these colleges made about my admission would help me pick which college I'd attend. After a few days, however, I came to find out that I had been accepted into all three schools, which was a blessing and a curse. I canceled all my other interviews, so I wouldn't have to possibly make my decision harder. The thing that made me choose Shenandoah though was the faculty. They offered to show me a tour of the campus on their own winter break, and when I came down, they gave me a lovely tour and offered me an extra scholarship (which only helped seal the deal even more). Shenandoah has a great pharmacy program, and the professors here are nothing short of amazing.

Why did you decide to pursue your career?

I am a people person. Not in the sense that I need to be meeting new people all the time, but in the sense that I love people. I enjoy seeing how positive interactions with others can affect their lives. I enjoy making friendships and learning more about people who have different or similar life journeys to mine. Humans are very complex beings, and no one person is identical to another. I believe that bringing people together, and seeing how they can positively change each other's lives by solely interacting with one another is one of the most beautiful things in the world. I knew in high school that I wanted to do something in healthcare, I just didn't know what. Being able to help people physically, then being able to create a possible bond with that person to potentially heal them on the inside, intrigued my interest heavily. With the help of my mom, I did research on all the different fields of healthcare, but when I came across pharmacy and really looked into it, I stopped looking. Being the most accessible healthcare worker available to the average person, along with being a master of medicine, was a dream for me. If I'm being honest, I think my real career goal is to be a professional friend, but there are a lot of careers that could allow me to be that. Pharmacy allows me to be that friend to others and also heal people through the power of medicine. That is why I chose pharmacy.

Who has helped you as you explored possible career paths?

My mom has been my biggest supporter and fan throughout my whole life. She's just so amazing. When I wasn't sure what area of healthcare I wanted to pursue, she stayed with me every step of the way. She went out of her way to find articles, career surveys, and even job opportunities to help me figure out what I wanted to do. I wouldn't be anywhere near as successful as I am now without my mom. She's my main inspiration.

What is your favorite part of pharmacy school/college or graduate education?

It's hard to pick a favorite, but I'd have to say the people I've met. I was a little nervous when I first came down to Shenandoah, considering I was a 20-year-old kid from New Jersey heading to graduate school away from home. However, despite my worries, I made some amazing friends relatively quickly. Now I can say I have a home away from home with the friends I've made, both classmates and faculty. A close second for a favorite would be the classes themselves. I have a love/hate relationship with them at times, but when it comes down to it, learning the material taught in pharmacy school is so much better than any other education you'll get, in my opinion. The feeling of learning things you'll use and apply daily is pretty nice.

What do you find most challenging about pharmacy or graduate school?

Easy question, the classes. Don't get me wrong, these classes are interesting, and I like attending them, but they can gang up on you sometimes. It's not so much the difficulty of the classes (there are some though, looking at you BioMed II), it's the quantity of classes. Managing all the courses at once and trying to figure out how much time to put into each can be a bit much. However, the professors at Shenandoah know what they're doing, and give you the tools to succeed. The schedule isn't brutal, but you have got to be able to put in appropriate study time for your classes. If you are a possible pharmacy student and are worried about the course load because of what I said, don't be. The professors in pharmacy school want you to succeed, and will offer help if you need it. Not to mention, if I'm doing good in pharmacy school, you'll probably be great.

What advice would you give to students interested in attending pharmacy or graduate school?

Do not doubt your abilities. If you are able to get decent grades throughout high school and college, you will succeed in pharmacy school. You will not succeed if you begin to doubt yourself. Also, if you don't already, value friendships and the connections you make with others heavily. Even if you aren't a "people" person, making connections with others is a great skill to have when it comes to the outside world.

What do you wish you had known before applying to pharmacy or graduate school?

If you're looking to get a jump start on your pharmacy knowledge early, I highly recommend getting a job as a pharmacy technician. You'll get a ton of knowledge from the job, you'll get paid, and your pharmacist will make a great professional reference for your pharmacy application. One other thing you could do is start to study your top 300 drugs, but the retail pharmacy technician job will do so much more for you. The job isn't a requirement, so don't feel obligated, but it is a very powerful resource to strengthen your knowledge base and application.