<p>What are some good pharmacy schools? I just recently started looking at them and have no idea which ones are considered "top". Also, along with the name of the school, could you please describe how hard it is to get in? ( In relation to other schools like Harvard or BU, etc )</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Top Pharmacy schools according to US News</p>
<p>University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill
University of Minnesota
University of Texas–Austin
Ohio State University
University of Kentucky
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
University of Washington
Purdue University
University of Arizona
University of Florida
University of Illinois–Chicago
University of Maryland–Baltimore
University of Wisconsin–Madison</p>
<p>We have a wonderful pharmacy school here in New Orleans called Xavier University. Offers excellent training during school. Lots of on the job training in real pharmacies while in school. My father had an old fashioned corner drugstore until his death, and he hosted/taught many Xavier students. There is a very diverse student body there. Although it is locally known as a black college, there are many orientals, whites, and many of Daddy’s students were from such countries as Kenya, Nigeria, and other African countries.</p>
<p>University of the Pacific has accelerated pre-pharmacy programs that allow students to advance into its pharmacy school in as little as two years:
[Pre</a> Pharmacy - University of the Pacific](<a href=“http://web.pacific.edu/x9454.xml]Pre”>http://web.pacific.edu/x9454.xml)
[Thomas</a> J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences - University of the Pacific](<a href=“http://pharmacy.pacific.edu/]Thomas”>http://pharmacy.pacific.edu/)</p>
<p>^^^When I was in college, this was the case everywhere. People took the pre pharm required courses during their first two years and began the pharmd program in their third. I understand that this is less common now (but still definitely exists).</p>
<p>I don’t know why/how but pierre0913 left out University of California, San Francisco which is the top pharmacy program in the nation.</p>
<p>I was just recently accepted into Univ. of Southern California’s Pharm.D. program after 4 years of undergrad. I was accepted into the Univ. of Pacific 2+4 program, but I declined (I’m glad I did- didn’t want to spend 6 years of my life at the same school).</p>
<p>A few things to note:
-Not all schools require the PCAT (standardized test for pharmD programs, ex: all California schools do not require it)
-Admission into these pharmacy programs is dependent on many factors : gpa / pcat (if required) / ECs / leadership / pharmacy experience / supplemental essays / interview performance / course load (units/qtr) / and some others</p>
<p>I was a reapplicant, and I must say that the top schools do in fact weigh your supplemental essays very heavily. The first time around, I must admit my essays were pretty bad. As a reapplicant, I wrote a stellar essay that I spent months on which led to interviews and acceptance at top schools. I am currently on the waitlist at UCSF but will attend USC. I know people who got into UCSF with less than average GPAs but with awesome essays/experience. Generally speaking, you want to aim for at least a 3.5 at a university (you can still take community college classes on the side, but I do not recommend only taking classes at CC - most schools do require or heavily favor those with bachelor’s degrees although there is that rare student who gets in with just pre-reqs). </p>
<p>From my experience, UCSF/UCSD are very tough to get into followed by USC then UOP in the state of California. (I only applied in CA)</p>
<p>If you have more questions, feel free to ask</p>
<p>Apologies for a very basic question, but where is there a list of the general core required pre-pharm courses? I have found lists for specific schools, but wondered if there was a general list similar to the premed courses. DS is taking premed courses and is a Chemistry major. He is interested in pharmacy or possibly pharmacology. He seems to be on track with all the chem, bio, calculus, physics, etc course requirements. He’s also taking psychopharmacology next year. Any other thoughts??</p>
<p>jym - There isn’t a single list of course requirements. You’ll find many of the same courses on most schools’ prereq list, such as calculus and organic chem, but there is also a wide disparity among the requirements. You will find that some schools require biochem, anatomy, calculus- based physics, etc. Some schools require speech or religion classes, and others do not. Some want macroeconomics, and some want microeconomics. Some want two semesters of physics or organic, and some only want one semester. </p>
<p>This is also like hitting a moving target, since the prereqs also change. SUNY, for example, is in the process of adding some new prereqs to its program.</p>
<p>The best DS can do is prepare a spreadsheet of the prereqs for the schools that he is considering, and then check them off as he goes along. Many schools will also let you take a final prereq over the summer before being admitted, which is helpful.</p>
<p>Thanks, neonzeus.
He just finished his freshman year, and is still taking his university’s core courses/requirements and premed stuff. I will definitely pass along yoru suggestion.</p>
<p>jym - We found statistics and microbiology or anatomy & physiology to be common requirements as well - probably more require a&p than micro (though I think SUNY now requires both!).</p>
<p>hey jym: this table lists requirements for each school on a table. they are not exact requirements (make sure to double check your classes count as pre-reqs):</p>
<p><a href=“http://pharmapplicants.com/2009-2010_Pharmacy_School_Prerequisite_List.pdf[/url]”>http://pharmapplicants.com/2009-2010_Pharmacy_School_Prerequisite_List.pdf</a></p>
<p>sk8trmom and pharm,
Thank you THANK YOU… ESPECIALLY for that wonderful table, pharm!! Where isit from???</p>
<p>table is from aacp</p>
<p>pharmapplicants is a pharmacy school database site for applicants. i put the table on the site because aacp tends to move their links around (a lot of table links go dead and you have to go look for them again)</p>
<p>here: is my profile - </p>
<p>[PharmApplicants.com</a> - Pharmacy School Applicant Database](<a href=“http://www.pharmapplicants.com/view_profile.php?username=john]PharmApplicants.com”>http://www.pharmapplicants.com/view_profile.php?username=john)</p>
<p>glad that helped :)</p>
<p>Thank you, pharm! I will pass this along to my s.</p>
<p>no problemo</p>
<p>here’s an application guide with more useful links and tables :)</p>
<p>[PharmApplicants.com</a> - Pharmacy School Applicant Database](<a href=“http://pharmapplicants.com/pharmacy_school_application_guide.php]PharmApplicants.com”>http://pharmapplicants.com/pharmacy_school_application_guide.php)</p>
<p>I hope he hangs onto the link. He is just a rising college sophomore!</p>