Admission Requirements

Listed below are application requirements for the School of Pharmacy. For more information, contact Larry Shattuck, director of admissions for the School of Pharmacy, at 410-532-5551 or e-mail lshattuck@ndm.edu.

Requirements for Applicants Seeking Admission

To be considered for admission to the School of Pharmacy, an applicant must:

1. Have completed or be in the process of completing 72 semester hours or 105 quarter hours of non-remedial, prerequisite coursework from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university. The student must earn a grade of C (not C minus) or better in each pre-requisite course.
2. International applicants must complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of non-remedial pre-requisite coursework from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States. Of the 30 semester hours, 15 hours must be in the sciences, six hours in non-remedial English composition, and three hours in speech/public speaking. This additional requirement is waived for applicants who completed their pre-requisite coursework at a post-secondary Canadian institution that uses English as its primary language of instruction and documentation.
3. All pre-pharmacy coursework requirements must be completed by the end of summer session I prior to matriculation to the School of Pharmacy.
4. Earn a minimum cumulative grade point average and science grade point average of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale. PharmCAS calculates the overall and science grade point average. Grades from all non-remedial courses completed post-high school are used to calculate the grade point average.
5. Submit scores from the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) directly to PharmCAS using PCAT code 104.
   Note: Only PCAT test scores earned within two years of the planned matriculation year will be accepted.
6. Possess a people/service orientation as demonstrated through community service or extracurricular activities.
7. Possess the proper motivation for and commitment to the pharmacy profession as demonstrated by previous work, volunteer, or other life experiences.
8. Possess the oral and written communication skills necessary to interact with patients and colleagues.
9. Complete the School of Pharmacy’s on-campus interview process (by invitation only).
10. Pass the School of Pharmacy criminal background check.
11. Abide by College of Notre Dame of Maryland Substance Abuse Policy.

Pre-Requisite Courses (students completing coursework at other colleges of higher learning)

^Students taking science courses at community colleges should check with the School Office of Admissions to determine if the course will meet the pre-requisite requirement. It is unlikely that Anatomy and Physiology and Microbiology at community colleges will meet the pre-requisite requirement and applicants must take the course at a 4 year institution.

*Science, math, physical education, health care courses will not satisfy the general education requirement.

Note 1: The Admissions Committee will pay special attention to pre-pharmacy math and science coursework that were taken more than five years ago. Science and math coursework that were taken within five years are preferred.

Pre-Pharmacy Curriculum to Be Followed at College of Notre Dame

College of Notre Dame of Maryland reserves the right to revise the curriculum at any time when deemed necessary and to apply such revisions to registered and accepted students and to new admissions.

*Students enrolled in the Women’s College in fall 2008 and who at the time of admission received 8 transfer credits of anatomy & physiology may use these credits to satisfy the School of Pharmacy pre-requisite requirement when applying to the School of Pharmacy. Students who did not receive transfer credits at the time of admission and all students matriculating in the Women’s College fall 2009 and thereafter cannot use credits for anatomy & physiology received from community colleges to satisfy the School of Pharmacy pre-requisite requirement. Additionally, such students are required to take 8 credits of anatomy and physiology at College of Notre Dame should they wish to apply to the School of Pharmacy.

‡Students entering fall 2010 will be required to take BIO 313 Microbiology.

†Students who have taken BIO 309 Genetics prior to fall 2009 will satisfy this requirement.

The following elective courses are recommended for pre-pharmacy students:

Application Process

The School of Pharmacy uses a two-step application process. The applicant must submit both a completed PharmCAS application and a School supplemental application and meet both the PharmCAS application deadline and the School supplemental application deadline.

1. PharmCAS Application:
   Applicants must apply via the PharmCAS application (www.pharmcas.org) which is available usually in June of the academic year preceding the year in which they plan to matriculate. Applicants must send transcripts directly to the offices of PharmCAS. Applicants who have taken coursework and/or earned a degree from a foreign institution must also submit to PharmCAS an evaluation of their transcripts from one of the following approved foreign transcript evaluation services:
   • Education Credential Evaluators (ECE): 414-289-3400, www.ece.org
   • World Education Service (WES): 212-966-6311, www.wes.org
   • Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.: 305-273-1616, www.jsliny.com

   The deadline for submitting the PharmCAS application is February 1. In addition to the on-line application and application fee, applicants are strongly encouraged to also forward official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended to PharmCAS by the February 1st date. PharmCAS will not consider an application complete and will not begin the verification process until all official transcripts are received. The School will only receive complete applications from PharmCAS.

   Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT):
   Arrange for scores from the Pharmacy College Admissions Test to be sent directly to PharmCAS using PCAT code 104. This exam is offered by Harcourt Assessment (www.pcatweb.info). The School of Pharmacy will only accept test scores received directly from PharmCAS. (See Admission Requirements for more details). PCAT scores sent directly to the Office of Admissions will not be accepted. Only test scores earned within two years of the planned matriculation year will be accepted.

   *Note: It is highly recommended that applicants take the June, August, or October PCAT exams in the year prior to which they are seeking entry. For first time test takers, January PCAT exams taken in the year in which an applicant seeks entry will not be accepted. Please check with Harcourt Assessment for more details regarding exam dates.

   Letters of Reference:
   The applicant must request letters of reference from three individuals to be submitted directly to PharmCAS. The School of Pharmacy will only accept letters received directly from PharmCAS. One letter must be from a college professor who has actually taught the applicant in a science course and the other two letters may be from a pre-health advisor/committee, science or other college professor that taught the applicant, an employer who had direct supervisory responsibilities for the applicant or a health professional who knows the applicant well. Letters of reference must be received by the PharmCAS deadline date of February 1.

   Supplemental Application:
   After receiving an applicant’s processed information from PharmCAS, the School of Pharmacy Office of Admissions will electronically send instructions to applicants who meet the minimum cumulative GPA and science GPA requirement of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale for completion of a Supplemental Application. The deadline for submitting the College supplemental application along with the required fee to the Office of Admissions is on or before March 1.

   Note: A complete application consisting of the PharmCAS application, verification of transcripts by PharmCAS, PCAT scores (as reported to PharmCAS), three letters of reference (submitted to PharmCAS), and School of Pharmacy Supplemental Application with the application fee must be received in the Office of Admissions on or before March 1, 2010. Only completed applications received by the Office of Admissions on or before the deadline date will be reviewed for potential entrance into the program.

   Applicants are also responsible for notifying the Office of Admissions of any changes in their mailing address or e-mail address. It is important that the Office of Admissions has accurate and current contact information for applicants. Applicants may forfeit their interview invitation or offer of admission if they do not provide current contact information.

   On-Campus Interview:
   Once an applicant's file is complete, the Director of Admissions and the Admissions Committee review an applicant’s GPA and PCAT scores to determine the applicant’s interview eligibility. If they consider the applicant eligible for an on-campus interview, an invitation will be sent to the applicant. All interviews are scheduled on a first-call/first-scheduled basis. No interviews will be granted until an individual's application process is complete.

   During the interview process, the applicant will meet with an interview panel consisting of pharmacy faculty members and pharmacists. Panel members will evaluate the applicant’s professional motivation and preparedness, personal qualities, communication skills, and decision-making ability by rating the applicant on a standardized evaluation scale. The interview panel members will also review each interviewee's PharmCAS and School of Pharmacy Supplemental applications to facilitate the interview process. After reviewing the applicant’s completed application and interview evaluation, the Admissions Committee can recommend accepting, denying, or placing the applicant on an alternate list. This recommendation is then forwarded to the Dean for final approval.

   Applications to the School of Pharmacy are processed and reviewed during regular intervals in the admissions cycle until the class is filled.

   Note: An applicant who has been accepted for a given year must matriculate during that year. No admission deferments are allowed. If a student fails to matriculate, the student must reapply the following year if he/she wishes to be admitted to the School.

   Reapplication Process
   Applicants who are denied admission may re-apply to the School the following academic year. It is strongly recommended that applicants seek guidance from the Office of Admissions for strengthening their application. If an applicant wishes to re-apply, a new application must be submitted to PharmCAS and the application will be processed in the same manner as any other application.

   Transfer Admission From Another Pharmacy School

   The School of Pharmacy may accept transfer students from other ACPE-accredited pharmacy schools or colleges as long as these students are in good academic and disciplinary standing and have legitimate reasons for seeking a transfer. All requests for transfer information should be referred to the Office of Admissions so that the potential transfer applicant can be counseled prior to submitting an application. To be considered for transfer, a student must meet the School of Pharmacy’s general requirements for admission. He/she must also submit the following documents by March 15, 2011:

   1. A letter to the Director of Admissions indicating why he/she wishes to transfer and explaining any difficulties encountered at his/her current institution;
   2. A completed School of Pharmacy transfer application;
   3. Official transcripts from all schools attended—undergraduate, graduate, and professional;
   4. A catalog and a detailed pharmacy syllabus for any courses for which advanced standing consideration is requested;
   5. A letter from the dean of the college of pharmacy in which the student is enrolled. The letter must indicate the student's current academic and disciplinary status and/or terms of withdrawal/dismissal;
   6. One letter of recommendation from a faculty member at the current college of pharmacy;
   7. Additional documents or letters of recommendation as determined necessary by the Director of Admissions or Dean of the School of Pharmacy.

   The office of admissions will collect and forward the student's portfolio to the office of the dean, School of Pharmacy for review. If the review is positive, the dean or her designee will invite the transferring student for an interview. If the transferring student is admitted and requests advanced standing, the dean's office will forward the student's request to the appropriate faculty. No advanced standing credit will be awarded for professional pharmacy coursework completed at a foreign college or school of pharmacy.