Pharmacy School Requirements

Pharmacy school requirements are very similar at each of the accredited colleges and schools of pharmacy in the United States. But while all of the colleges and schools of pharmacy have some basic pharmacy school requirements in common, many also have unique admissions requirements that are specific to their respective programs. The following are some basic pharmacy school requirements that are generally required by all accredited pharmacy education programs.  

1. General education courses in a broad range of areas including mathematics, the natural sciences, the social sciences and the humanities are pharmacy school requirements. The specific number of distribution of courses will vary depending on the school you are applying to. Check with the schools you are applying to for their exact requirements.  
2. Specific courses in mathematics and the natural sciences, such as calculus, biology, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, general chemistry, biochemistry, organic chemistry and physics may be pharmacy school requirements for some pharmacy education programs. Again, check with the school you are applying to.  
3. A solid grade point average (GPA), especially in math and science classes, is a pharmacy school requirement. Strive for a minimum GPA of 3.0.
4. Strong letters of reference are common pharmacy school requirements. Letters from pharmacists are especially impressive to admissions committees. 
5. Taking the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) is a pharmacy school requirement for the vast majority of U.S. colleges of pharmacy.  Thoroughly prepare for the test so you can achieve a competitive score.
6. An admission interview is a pharmacy school requirement at most accredited U.S. pharmacy schools.  Participating in mock interviews can help you prepare for rigorous pharmacy school admission interviews.
7. Either an individual application or an application through the Pharmacy College Application Service (PHARMCAS), a centralized application service provided by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) is a pharmacy school requirement for admission. Please note that even schools who accept applications through PHARMCAS may also have additional supplementary requirements.  
8. Most colleges of pharmacy charge an application fee as a pharmacy school requirement for processing applications. Application fees can be substantial, so start putting away money for your application fees early.
9. All accredited pharmacy schools require candidates for admission to apply by their admission deadline. Deadlines can range from October to May. A few programs have rolling application deadlines.