Pharmacy school acceptance rates in the US have been trending upwards in recent years, although the number of applicants has been dropping off. Even though pharmacy school acceptance rates are generally more favourable than US med schools admission statistics, pharmacy is still a competitive graduate program to get into. Doing research on pharmacy school admission statistics and admission requirements is the first step to completing your application. In this blog, we’ll look at an overview of US pharmacy school acceptance rates and tips for improving your chances of getting into the program of your choice.
Please note: although we have made every effort to provide the most accurate information, admissions information changes frequently. Therefore, we encourage you to verify these details with the official university admissions office. You are responsible for your own results. BeMo does not endorse nor affiliate with any official universities, colleges, or test administrators and vice versa.
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Pharmacy School Acceptance Rates
Overall pharmacy school acceptance rates in the US have been trending upwards in recent years. Right now, it’s reached a record of 89% average acceptance rate across US pharmacy school programs. Compared to medical school acceptance rates, this is quite encouraging. However, getting into pharmacy school in the US can still be quite competitive due to the low number of seats in each program and the rigorous admission requirements. Many schools will not consider applicants who don’t meet the minimum GPA requirements or who don’t submit high enough admission test scores. For non-US students, the steps to gain admission can be even more selective.
If you’re interested in knowing how to study in the US as an international student, or you’re an international medical graduate (IMG) interested in studying pharmacy in the US, think about hiring an international student advisor to help you with your admissions. Not all US pharmacy schools will accept international students, but many will with some extra conditions and requirements. For instance, international applicants will need to take a language proficiency test in English and will need to check that their pre-requisite coursework or undergraduate degree is recognized by US institutions.
Average pharmacy school acceptance rate
Aside from your academic transcripts and pre-requisite coursework, US pharmacy schools also ask for 2 to 4 pharmacy school letters of recommendation, a personal statement or letter of intent and a CV or pharmacist resume. The application package can be quite comprehensive, and applying to a graduate pharmacy program in the US means many years of study beforehand.
Below you can find some admissions statistics and requirements for US pharmacy schools.
Pharmacy School Acceptance Rates
How to Improve Your Chances of Getting into Pharmacy School
Applying to pharmacy school takes quite a bit of preparation and crafting a competitive application package relies on presenting a strong overall candidacy. US pharmacy programs have fairly selective requirements, and you’ll need to meet at least the minimum to be considered. To set yourself apart as a competitive applicant, it’s a good idea to focus on the areas that are most heavily weighted by the admission committee. For pharmacy programs, this means submitting as high a GPA as possible, acing the pharmacy school interview and gathering excellent letters of recommendation. To round out your application, write a good personal statement and complete the admissions tests for pharmacy school or graduate school, even if they are optional. Work experience or experience working in a clinical setting with patients is also a huge bonus on your application, so start putting together a pharmacist CV as well.
The majority of pharmacy schools in the US recommend a GPA of 3.0 or higher to be considered a competitive applicant. For most programs, your academic performance counts for a large percentage of your overall application. Some schools will consider applicants with lower GPAs, if you want to into grad school with a low GPA, but there may be additional recommendations. For example, if your test scores or grades are not above average, it’s strongly recommended to submit excellent letters of recommendation, a pharmacy school personal statement or letter of intent. It’s better to address the weaknesses in your application head on and provide context for the admissions committee.
Working on a pharmacy school personal statement? Check out these tips.
![pharmacy school personal statement](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 500 850"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Conclusion
Pharmacy school acceptance rates in the US have been increasing in recent years, which is a good sign for applicants. However, the admissions requirements remain very selective and it can still be tough to get into competitive pharmacy schools in the US, especially with very limited spots available. You can increase your likelihood of being accepted to any pharmacy program by submitting a strong overall application. Focus on the aspects of your application that stand out most to admissions committees, including an above average GPA, excellent letters of recommendation and a strong performance for the pharmacy school interview.
FAQs
1. How competitive is pharmacy school in the US?
Pharmacy schools in the US are generally easier to get into than medical school, but they tend to have very limited spots in each program, so for top-tier programs it can get very competitive.
2. What is the average acceptance rate for pharmacy school?
The average acceptance rate for pharmacy schools in the US sits around 82.7%, which is quite a bit higher than the acceptance rates for medical school.
3. Is it hard for international students to get into pharmacy school in the US?
It is generally more difficult for international students to get into pharmacy school in the US because students may need to complete additional requirements. Some US pharmacy schools do accept international students, but you will need to make sure your pre-requisite courses are recognized by the institution you’re applying to. If not, you’ll need to complete some coursework at a US university before applying to a Pharm D program.
4. What is a good GPA for pharmacy school?
Most schools set a minimum GPA requirement which you will need to meet in order to be considered. The minimum for most pharmacy schools is a 2.5 to 3.0 GPA.
5. Who should I ask to write a letter of recommendation for pharmacy school?
Pharmacy schools will require two or more recommendation letters. Typically they ask for a recommendation letter from a science faculty member and one letter from a health care provider such as a licensed pharmacist.
6. How can I improve my chances of getting into pharmacy school?
To improve your chances of getting into pharmacy school, gain some clinical experience or shadowing experience with a licensed pharmacist or health care provider. If you have experience working with patients, this will be a plus on your application. You should also choose your referees for recommendation letters carefully and submit as high a GPA and PCAT test score as possible.
7. Is CASPer required for pharmacy school?
Some pharmacy schools may ask students to complete the CASPer or accept CASPer test scores as part of your application, but in general it is not a common requirement to get into pharmacy school.
8. What do I need to get into pharmacy school?
For your best chances to get into pharmacy school, you should aim to earn at least a 3.0 GPA, submit two recommendation letters, complete the pre-requisite courses and undergraduate requirements, take the PCAT or CASPer if needed, and gain some hands-on, clinical experience.
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Your friends at BeMo