Preparing to Apply to Pharmacy School
Admissions
Prerequisite Coursework
Tuition / Financial Assistance
General Questions about the PharmD & BS Pharm/Tox Programs
Q: Who is a “pre-pharmacy” student?
A: A pre-School of Pharmacy student is a student who is taking the courses necessary to be considered for admission to the professional Pharm.D. program or the B.S. Pharmacology & Toxicology program at the UW-Madison School of Pharmacy. Admission to both programs is selective and competitive.
At UW-Madison, pre-School of Pharmacy students usually enroll in the College of Letters and Science. They receive academic advising from a UW-Madison Pre-School of Pharmacy advisor. Students at other colleges and universities receive academic advising from the designated pre-pharmacy or pre-health/professional advisors at their campus but are strongly encouraged to initiate and maintain contact with pre-pharmacy advising staff at our School of Pharmacy.
If you are a current pre-pharmacy student, please submit your name, mailing address, email address, and phone number to Student & Academic Affairs.
Q: Can I be admitted to the School of Pharmacy directly upon graduating from high school?
A: No. Students interested in either UW-Madison School of Pharmacy degree program must complete the pre-School of Pharmacy course requirements, which can be completed in two to four years, depending on mathematics placement in college and personal academic choices. Completion of prerequisite coursework does not guarantee admission to a School of Pharmacy program.
Q: What are the required pre-School of Pharmacy courses?
A: The pre-School of Pharmacy course work has been carefully selected to give you the foundation needed for success in the School of Pharmacy.
Click here to view information regarding the prerequisite coursework for the Pharm.D. program
Click here to view information regarding the prerequisite coursework for the B.S. Pharmcology & Toxicology program
Q: Where can I complete the pre-pharmacy requirements?
A: Pre-school of Pharmacy courses may be completed at accredited colleges and universities. Please review our equivalency tables for many Wisconsin and some out of state colleges and universities.
If your college or university is not listed, please contact a pre-School of Pharmacy advisor at 262-6234 for additional information. Never make the assumption that a course will meet the requirements.
Q: Is pre-pharmacy a major or classification?
A: No, pre-pharmacy is not a major, it is an intention. Admission to our programs is both selective and competitive. The successful student prepares for contingencies. If you encounter difficulties, discuss your problems with your advisor or with another university resource person. Rather than becoming discouraged, take steps to assess and improve your situation. In recent years, the School of Pharmacy has increased the Pharm.D. class size to accommodate more students. However, the competitive admission situation means that some applicants will not be able to gain admission to the School of Pharmacy. Therefore, it is advisable for all pre-School of Pharmacy students to research and work toward possible “parallel plans” which might include applying to Pharm.D. programs at several schools of pharmacy and/or considering alternate undergraduate majors. Pre-School of Pharmacy course requirements are appropriate for majors in biology, chemistry, other health care fields, many other sciences, and applied scientific fields. Your pre-pharmacy advisor can offer resources and referrals to other programs and services to help you develop contingency plans.
Q: How can I get more information about your program and/or when can I meet with an academic advisor?
A: Prospective students are encouraged to meet with our Pre-School of Pharmacy advisor to learn more about the School of Pharmacy’s academic programs and requirements, career opportunities, curricula, admission criteria, and application procedures. Please contact our Student & Academic Affairs Office to set up an advising appointment via email or phone: (608) 262-6234.
Q: How many students are admitted to the School of Pharmacy programs each year?
A: Approximately 130 students are admitted annually to the Pharm.D. program. The B.S. Pharmacology & Toxicology program has the capacity to admit approximately 20 new students each year.
• More Pharm.D. admissions statistics (average GPA’s of admitted students, number of applicants etc.)
• More Pharm/Tox admissions statistics (average GPA’s of admitted students, number of applicants etc.)
Is preference for admission given to students who complete their pre-pharmacy coursework at UW-Madison?
No. All applicants are reviewed based upon program specific selection criteria:
• Selection criteria used for the Pharm.D. program
• Selection criteria used for the B.S. Pharmacology & Toxicology program
Q: What GPA do you require for admission?
A: For the Pharm.D. program, a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or 3.20 over the most recent 60 semester credits is required. We encourage students to aim for grades of B or better in all math/science prerequisite coursework. Students are strongly encouraged to repeat any of these courses in which a grade of C or below was earned. Grades in repeated courses will be averaged with all other coursework, meaning that the repeated grade does NOT replace the original grade earned in the course.
Q: How is the GPA calculated?
A: The cumulative GPA includes all postsecondary courses, including repeated courses. Applicants must submit all collegiate level transcripts directly to our School of Pharmacy including military, technical or community college transcripts. Applicants who do not submit all college level transcripts will be disqualified from the admissions process. Grades earned for all courses (even if they are not related to pre-pharmacy coursework), are averaged together to determine a cumulative GPA. We also determine a math/science GPA which includes grades earned in the prerequisite math/science coursework (Calculus, Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Physics).
Q: Do you use PharmCAS?
A: The application deadline has passed for the Fall 2010 admission cycle. The University of Wisconsin-Madison will be participating in PharmCAS for the Fall 2011 admission cycle.
Q: Do you have a rolling admissions process?
A: No, all applications submitted by the application deadline will receive full consideration.
Q: What are the application procedures?
A: Please visit the links below to learn more about how to apply:
• Information about the Pharm.D. application process
• Information about the B.S. Pharmacology & Toxicology application process
Q: Do you accept out of state students?
A: Yes, nonresident students are eligible for admission to our programs. Please note, however, that preference for admission to our Pharm.D. program is given to qualified Wisconsin residents. In recent years, approximately 85 - 90% of admitted students have been Wisconsin residents.
Q: How can I establish residency if I am an out of state student?
A: The UW-Madison, Office of the Registrar determines the residency status of students. More information about residency including frequently asked questions can be found on the Office of the Registrar's site.
Q: Do you accept international students?
A: Yes. International students need to complete all prerequisite coursework. All international coursework must be evaluated by ECE or WES evaluation services.
Q: Can I transfer into the Pharm.D. program?
A: On extremely rare occasions, transfer students from other Pharm.D. programs have been admitted to the UW-Madison School of Pharmacy’s Pharm.D. program. Additional information about our policies and procedures regarding advance standing transfer can be found at http://www.pharmacy.wisc.edu/admissions/pharmd/transfer.cfm.
Q: If I am not admitted to the program of my choice, may I reapply the following year?
A: Students are welcome and encouraged to reapply to either of our programs. All application cycles are self contained, meaning that you would need to resubmit all application materials for consideration for the next year. If you are not admitted, please consider making at appointment with us to discuss contributing factors that may have led to your not being accepted. We can discuss areas which admissions committee members felt needed improvement and offer suggestions and for how to strengthen your application in subsequent years. More information about the reapplication process to the Pharm.D. program can be found here: https://www.pharmacy.wisc.edu/admissions/pharmd/reapplication.cfm.
Notice of Pharm.D. Reapplication Limit: Effective for first-time Pharm.D. applicants for the Fall 2011 term, a maximum of three (3) application attempts will be allowed. Students not accepted after their third application attempt will have to wait three (3) years to reapply.
Q: Will I lose any credits (from my university) if I decide to transfer to UW-Madison to complete my pre-School of Pharmacy course requirements?
A: In general, credits earned at most accredited colleges and universities will transfer to the School of Pharmacy. Some courses from technical colleges and skills courses do not transfer to the School of Pharmacy. Retroactive foreign language credits transfer only if awarded in accordance with UW-Madison policies. Retroactive credits for math courses do not transfer. Credits awarded by a college for its own placement tests do not transfer.
Q: What if I already have a degree and want to pursue a pharmacy degree?
A: Those applicants already possessing an undergraduate or graduate degree must fulfill all UW-Madison pre-School of Pharmacy requirements in order to be considered for admission. The Admissions Committee is concerned about math and science course work that may have been taken more than ten years ago. Pre-School of Pharmacy advisors can assess individual cases and make recommendations. Regardless of any previous degree earned, the Pharm.D. curriculum requires four years of study.
Q: What if I have a bachelor of pharmacy degree from another country? Can I apply to the Pharm.D. program?
A: All applicants to the Pharm.D. program must complete the Pharm.D. prerequisite courses to be eligible for admission. While courses completed in a foreign bachelor of pharmacy program may fulfill some of the Pharm.D. prerequisites, it is extremely uncommon for previous coursework to fulfill all of the requirements.
Q: Do you require the PCAT?
A: Yes. Applicants interested in the Pharm.D. program must take the PCAT no later than the October test date for the fall term in which they are applying. More information about the PCAT including test dates and registration deadlines can be found at: www.pcatweb.info. PCAT scores older than January 2008 are not acceptable for Fall 2011 admission.
Q: Do you recommend any type of preparation for the PCAT?
A: Although we strongly encourage students to prepare for the PCAT, we do not endorse any particular study method. Many students have used study guides which can be purchased at local bookstores or on-line. Students also review course notes and textbooks.
Q: Can I take the PCAT more than once?
A: Yes. Our School of Pharmacy will receive scores for each PCAT examination you take and will consider the highest composite and associated sub scores for decisions regarding admission. There is no penalty for taking the PCAT multiple times.
Q: What high school courses will prepare me for pre-School of Pharmacy courses in college?
A: High school preparation should include four years each of English (including grammar and composition), mathematics, and science (including biology, chemistry, and math based physics). In addition, courses which improve communication skills (including speech) are helpful. Some universities, including UW-Madison, require foreign language for admission. Remember that you will need to meet the admission requirements for the pre-pharmacy college of your choice. Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), accelerated, and honors courses also good choices that, in general, prepare you well for college.
Q: Are prerequisites accepted if they are from a combination of two or more colleges?
A: We recommend that sequence courses (General Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry) be completed at one institution. You may take your prerequisites at different schools; however, you need to be careful plan accordingly. If you begin a science series at one school and finish at another, it is possible that all of the required components of the course descriptions may not be met adequately. If you have questions about course sequence completion, please contact our Pre-School of Pharmacy advising staff.
Q: I took some of my prerequisite courses ten or more years ago. Does this matter?
A: The admissions committee is concerned with any required math and/or science coursework taken more than ten years ago. Upon transcript review, you may be advised to retake courses completed ten or more years ago.
Q: Do all pre-pharmacy requirements need to be completed at the time of application?
A: No. Pre-pharmacy requirements can be “in progress” at the time of application but would need to be completed by the time of entrance into the School of Pharmacy. Students may use the summer prior to enrollment to complete required work. Please note, however, that applicants who will not have completed calculus and/or first semester organic chemistry by the end of the fall term during which they are applying may be at a disadvantage for admission.
Q: Can I take required science courses for admission online?
A: No. All prerequisite science courses must be taken in a classroom setting.
Q: Is there a foreign language requirement for the UW-Madison School of Pharmacy?
A: Although our School of Pharmacy does NOT have its own foreign language requirement, there is a UW-Madison campus wide undergraduate foreign language admission requirement for students who graduated from high school after December 1990. UW-Madison pre-pharmacy students are subject to this requirement as are B.S. Pharmacology & Toxicology students. The UW-Madison admission requirement consists of two years of one foreign language in high school, or two semesters of one foreign language in college, or one year of foreign language in high school and one semester of the same language in college. There is NO foreign language requirement for Pharm.D. students.
Q: What courses satisfy the ethnic (diversity) studies requirement?
A: Courses that satisfy the ethnic studies requirement must provide evidence that a majority of the course material:
Many students take a Cultural Anthropology course to satisfy this requirement, however, there are many other acceptable courses (sometimes they are cross listed in several departments including anthropology, sociology, history etc.). Students should review their course catalog to determine which courses they think will address these topics and then send us the course name and number and we can verify if it will work. A review of the course description often provides enough information for us to make a determination, however, a course syllabus may also be requested.
Q: Does your School of Pharmacy accept AP and IB scores?
A: Credit will be granted according to UW-Madison “credit by exam” policies. For more information on these policies, please visit http://www.pharmacy.wisc.edu/saa/creditbyexam.cfm.
Q: Do I need to comple te the Pharm.D. graduation requirements (history and humanities) prior to my enrollment in the Pharm.D. program?
A: No. However, students are encouraged to take these courses prior to enrollment in the School of Pharmacy if they have time and space. If these requirements are not met prior to enrollment, students will be required to complete these courses prior to graduation from the Pharm.D. program.
Q: What are the humanities and which courses satisfy humanities requirements?
A: Humanities is an area of study concerned with human beings and their values and achievements. Humanities include philosophy, literature, music, dance, theatre, ancient and medieval history, and courses in the fine arts. The School of Pharmacy also counts foreign language courses as humanities.
Q: Are there courses I can take to help lighten my School of Pharmacy credit load?
A: School of Pharmacy faculty expended considerable effort to design the Pharm.D. curriculum to be a coherent, sequential whole, with all courses being completed at UW-Madison, and with the course experiences being interdependent. In that light, and to provide an optimal educational experience for students, it has been decided that all courses specifically required in the Pharm.D. curriculum must be completed at UW-Madison.
Q: What is the tuition for the School of Pharmacy?
A: Information regarding the Pharm.D. tuition can be found here: http://www.pharmacy.wisc.edu/admissions/pharmd/tuition.cfm
Information regarding the B.S. Pharmacology & Toxicology tuition can be found at: http://www.pharmacy.wisc.edu/admissions/pharmtox/tuition.cfm
Q: What financial assistance is available for your accepted students?
A: Information regarding financial assistance for Pharm.D. students can be found at: http://www.pharmacy.wisc.edu/admissions/pharmd/finaid.cfm
Information regarding financial assistance for B.S. Pharmacology & Toxicology students can be found at: http://www.pharmacy.wisc.edu/admissions/pharmtox/finaid.cfm
Q: Does the School of Pharmacy offer any scholarships?
A: Yes! Thanks to the generosity of alumni, friends and various organizations/ corporations, the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy is able to award more than 100 scholarships every year. Additional information regarding School of Pharmacy scholarship opportunities can be found here:
https://www.pharmacy.wisc.edu/students/scholarships/index.cfm
Q: If admitted to one of your programs, can I take courses in the evening and/or on a part-time basis?
A: No. Our programs are designed for full-time students with the vast majority of courses (including all required courses) occurring between 8 AM and 6 PM.
Q: If I am admitted to the Pharm.D. program, where will my education take place?
A: The didactic course work in the first three years of the Pharm.D. program takes place on the UW-Madison campus. The clinical Pharm.D. course work takes place at clinical clerkship sites which are located throughout the state of Wisconsin. For the entire fourth year, students are assigned to various clinical “hubs”, located in various parts of Wisconsin. Students are responsible for their room, board, tuition, and transportation during the fourth year.
Q: How long is the Pharm.D. program?
A: The Pharm.D. program is a full-time, four year program.
Q: Where can I find information about housing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison?
A: Information about University housing options can be found at:
http://www.housing.wisc.edu/
Additional campus area housing information can be found at:
http://campusareahousing.wisc.edu/