How many colleges should we have backed up?

Question

I know we always need to have a backup for colleges in case our first choice did not get us in. How many should we have at least?

I am actually a Freshman in high school right now, but I have been interested in becoming a pharmacist (since 4th grade) at Butler for a long time, and my backup is Purdue University and Kentucky University. Would this probably be good enough if I am certain I am well-prepared?

I just wanted to say thanks to all your responses. I am actually hoping to do my best all through high school such as I did in jr. high, but of course, the challenge is greater. I am willing to take the risk of Purdue and Butler even though it is very competitive. As long as I am doing it because I enjoy learning science and math including my wish to fulfill my dreams, I know I can do it!

Answer 1

Most pharmacy schools do not accept students directly from high school. Midwestern 6 year programs, which I know of, are Drake, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, and Ohio Northern University. You need to have stellar grades and ACT scores to be accepted.
Purdue and Kentucky are 4 year programs, and you can't be accepted until you've completed at least 2 years of college.
Other local 4 year colleges: Toledo, OSU (requires bachelors), University of Illinois at Chicago, Midwestern, Southern Illinois U Edwardsville, University of Wisconsin at Madison, and University of Iowa.

Answer 2

It depends on wheather you want to go to a state school or a private school. I wanted to go to a public school (which I got into my first choice) but I also applied to 3 other private schools incase my first choice fell through, and I also applied to 3 state schools incase I could not get into any private schools because state schools have generally lower admittance standards.

Places like Purdue and Kentucky have admittance quotas to meet that are very very high. If you do well in high school, you probabally could at very least get into those schools. Butler is a really good school to shoot for. I feel as though you have everything figured out OK. Your 1st pick looks solid and you have two good backups. I think you will be fine. On the other hand, you should apply to maybe 2 other state schools just incase your top three fall through. Those two schools should be ones that you know you could get into. I knew I could get into Bowling Green, Youngstown State, and Akron U. I did not want to go to those schools, but I did not want to sit around for a semester waiting to apply to another college because I did not get accepted to any.

By the way, I got accepted to all 7 of the schools that I applied too. My advice to you, expand your backup plan just incase something weird happens and you find yourself without a college to go too.

Answer 3

I'd add UIC to your list. Purdue's pharmacy program is extremely competitive, so you may want a school that is a tier down. University of Illinois - Chicago has a great pharmacy program, but since it is not the flagship Illinois campus, it's a little easier to be admitted to the school.