Prospective Pharm. D. Student

Admissions & Application Information

The PharmD program is offered full-time, day-time only and admission is highly competitive. To be considered for admission, students must:

1. Complete (or be in the process of completing) an undergraduate pre-pharmacy curriculum that is equivalent to UC's pre-pharmacy curriculum. The minimum cumulative college GPA considered is 3.0.
   
   
2. Complete the PharmCAS application at www.pharmcas.org.
   
   
3. Take the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT).
   
   
4. Complete the University of Cincinnati application online. There is a $50 application fee for the University of Cincinnati application. All applicants, including UC undergraduate students, must submit the application online by midnight on December 3, 2012. This application will be available online on July 1, 2012 .
   
   

Please note: If you wish to apply to the University of Cincinnati as a pre-pharmacy student, you must apply to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (link to http://www.uc.edu/admit.html).

PharmCAS

The James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy participates in PharmCAS, a centralized application service for students applying to colleges of pharmacy. By midnight on December 3, 2012, you must e-submit your PharmCAS application and arrange for PharmCAS to receive all official college transcripts. PharmCAS will not release applicant information to the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy until all transcripts, from each and every institution attended, are received and verified by PharmCAS. Your transcripts do not need to arrive to PharmCAS by December 3; however it is highly recommended that you have arranged for PharmCAS to receive transcripts by December 3. From the time PharmCAS receives your college transcripts, it can take up to 5 weeks to process and release your application to The James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy. We suggest e-submitting your PharmCAS application by November 1.

It is the applicant's responsibility to follow all PharmCAS application instructions, the PharmCAS Applicant Code of Conduct and to provide information as requested.

Reapplicants: If you submitted and paid for the PharmCAS application last admission cycle, you are eligible to have your application information imported to the new cycle. Please click the reapplicant link on the PharmCAS login page to proceed with creating a reapplicant account.

PCAT

The Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) is a specialized test that helps identify qualified applicants to pharmacy colleges. It measures general academic ability and scientific knowledge necessary for the commencement of pharmaceutical education. The PCAT is constructed specifically for colleges of pharmacy.

Students typically take the PCAT after completing the first year of the pre-pharmacy curriculum. Scores should be submitted directly to PharmCAS (code: 104) and cannot have been taken prior to January 2011. Students applying for fall 2013 are allowed to take the January 2013 PCAT exam to be considered for admission, even if it is the first attempt. Students must submit the preliminary score report received on the January 2013 test date to The James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy via fax or e-mail. Any admission decision made using January 2013 PCAT scores will be subject to verification upon arrival of official test scores from PharmCAS.

Students cannot take the PCAT more than five times.

The James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy does not have a minimum PCAT score requirement; however, the average composite score for admitted students is between the 65th and 70th percentiles. If a student submits more than one PCAT score, the best composite score will be used for admission purposes, although all test attempts are reviewed in the admission process.

For more information and to register for the PCAT, visit www.pcatweb.info.

International Applicants

International applicants must have foreign transcripts evaluated by World Education Services (WES) (WES) and arrange for the evaluation to arrive to PharmCAS before December 3, 2012. International students who are non-native English speakers must demonstrate English proficiency by submitting a TOEFL or IELTS score to PharmCAS before December 3, 2012. To be considered for admission, international students must achieve a TOEFL score of 250 (computer-based) or 100 (internet-based); or an IELTS score of 7. International students may also demonstrate English proficiency by earning a degree (bachelor's or master's) from an accredited college or university in an English speaking country.

International students who are admitted to the University will be contacted after admission with instructions on obtaining an I-20. Contact UC's International Student Services Office only after you are admitted. Do not contact them before you receive an admission letter.

Admissions Timeline

Selection Process

All applications that are complete and received by the December 3 deadline will be carefully reviewed for admission consideration. To be considered a qualified candidate, applicants should have a strong academic background (as demonstrated by cumulative college GPA and PCAT scores); a demonstrated history of leadership and involvement in community service, student affairs, and professional affairs; strong essays and personal statement; and a broad knowledge of the pharmacy profession. Qualified candidates will be invited to campus for an interview.

Interviews

Interviews are invitation-only and are conducted by two College of Pharmacy faculty members. Interviews are usually 30-45 minutes in length and are followed with an Information Session and a student-guided tour of the Academic Health Center. The applicant assumes all expenses for attending the interview. While we make reasonable efforts to schedule the interview at a convenient time, applicants are expected to make themselves available to participate in the interview.

University of Cincinnati students who have a 3.5 cumulative college GPA or above (as calculated by PharmCAS) and score a 70 or better on the PCAT and a C or better in core required courses will be guaranteed an interview.

Notification of Admission

Notifications of admission will be e-mailed between February - May. It is the applicant's responsibility to be sure that the e-mail address provided on the PharmCAS application is current and up to date. Students will receive one of three decisions: selected for admission (admitted), not selected for admission (denied), or placed on the alternate list. Please do not call the College of Pharmacy for information regarding your admission status.

Alternate List

Students who are placed on the alternate (waiting) list will be assigned a number which represents the place they are on the alternate list if they are in the first tier of the alternate list. Students placed in the second tier of the alternate list will not receive a number. If, before classes begin, an accepted student decides not to attend the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, we replace them with the next available student on the alternate list. Students who are placed on the alternate list are encouraged to make alternate plans for the academic year, in the event they are not admitted into the PharmD program.

Once classes begin, applications for students who remained on the alternate list are cancelled. The alternate list is for the current admission cycle only. If a student wishes to re-apply in subsequent years, they must complete and submit their entire application again.

Tips for Applicants

• Check your PharmCAS account often to follow the progress of your application materials.
• Be aware of deadlines and be sure to complete your application by the deadline.
• Take the essays seriously. Answer the questions thoroughly and concisely. Type essay responses and answer the questions thoroughly and concisely. Be sure to have someone review your essays before submitting them.
• Ask your references to document information in support of your application which is not demonstrated by items such as GPA and PCAT scores.
• Begin your PharmCAS application early and submit it on or around November 1 to avoid missing the December 3 deadline.