Applying to Pharmacy School Resources
- Student Doctor Network is a great place to start learning about applying to pharmacy school. It is a community of other students who are trying to become pharmacists. They have articles and interviews from different healthcare providers including pharmacists. What I found most useful was the pharmacy forum and reading the various posts relating to the application process.
- U.S.News Pharmacy School Rankings can give you an idea of the quality and reputation of a school. Many argue these rankings are meaningless and are not valuable for making your decision on what school to attend. I believe these rankings still have some subconscious value to hiring managers. Example: Candidate 1 is from University of California – San Francisco Pharmacy School (#1 Ranked School) vs. Candidate 2 from a brand new unheard of Pharmacy School. Both Candidates interviewed well and pharmacy experience is the same. Who would you hire?
- American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) – Admissions FAQ. This is a great place to start learning the basics about applying to Pharmacy School.
- PharmCAS is a online application that is utilized by majority of pharmacy schools. Once you fill out the application it can be used for multiple schools that you may be considering. The process is quite tedious and can take a significant amount of time to do. I recommend to start filling this out a 6 months to a year in advance.
- Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) is a standardized exam for pharmacy school candidates. Majority of schools will require the PCAT as part of the application process. From my experience it is similar to the SAT exam but is more focused on the sciences. It includes a significant portion on chemistry and biology.
- Visit the prospective Pharmacy School websites that you are considering to apply. Study the website and read everything! There is very good information in each of these websites. This is where you can find contact information, events, deadlines, application details, and other resources that can help you get accepted to the Pharmacy Program.