Admissions Policies Admission Criteria: Admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program is a selective process that considers a variety of factors critical to success as a student and pharmacist. As admission to the program is competitive, completion of pre-pharmacy requirements does not guarantee admission to the College of Pharmacy. The office of the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Assessment, in conjunction with the College of Pharmacy Admissions Committee (CPAC), establishes and continually re-assesses the criteria for admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program. Admission criteria include markers of the student’s ability to meet the rigors of the professional curriculum as well as the evolving, patient-centered practice of pharmacy. Principle areas evaluated in the admission process include academic performance in required pre-pharmacy courses, performance on the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) and an on-site interview. The CPAC considers the following components of a student’s application: - Academic achievement in required pre-pharmacy courses as reflected in GPA for individual course sequences, as well as overall;
- Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) (Note: Although composite score is important, the CPAC reserves the right to deny admission due to poor performance on any single subcomponent of the PCAT);
- Results of an in-person interview, including verbal and written components (e.g. communication skills, understanding of the profession, leadership qualities, etc.);
- College of Pharmacy Technical Standards for Admission (soon to be available);
- Course load (e.g. average number of hours/semester, repeats, withdrawals); and
- Supplemental Application information as requested by CPAC.
- Results of a criminal background check that demonstrates the applicant does not have convictions identified inMichigan Public Acts 27, 28, and 29; or those which preclude a significant number of College of Pharmacy experiential assignments (See Section: Criminal Background Check below). NOTE: This is a condition of final acceptance to the program and will be conducted after initial screening of applicants and invitations to the program are extended. A criminal background check is not required as part of the online application process; however, applicants must make a disclosure as outlined in the application.
Although the Doctor of Pharmacy program is academically rigorous, there is no simple “formula” for admission and success. The office of the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Assessment, and the CPAC continues to modify the criteria used in admissions with careful evaluation of the criteria outlined above. All applicants should complete the necessary pre-pharmacy courses and additional requirements to the best of their ability, and with the greatest degree of focus and determination. Final criteria and weightings are determined by the Office of the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Assessment and the CPAC, and are subject to change without notice. Students who are interested in applying to the College of Pharmacy can consult the “average” GPA’s and PCAT scores. However, care should be taken to understand that these are only averages from previously admitted classes. Advanced Placement: Advanced Placement (AP)/CLEP credits in science and math courses will not be applied toward the requirements for admission to the College of Pharmacy. Age Limit on Courses: Science and math courses over five years old are not considered and must be retaken. Examples include: - For Fall 2010 entering class = Fall 2004 last semester accepted
- For Fall 2011 entering class = Fall 2005 last semester accepted
Application Deadline: The application deadline is December 15th of the year prior to desired admission. The College of Pharmacy application, Supplemental Application, and PCAT scores must be submitted by this date. Applicants must request official academic transcripts be mailed directly to the College of Pharmacy by December 15th. All transcripts must be received by January 15th. Submitted transcripts must include all coursework, including fall semester.
Applicants should complete approximately three-fourth of the pre-pharmacy requirements by the end of the Fall semester preceding the year they wish to enter the program. Students may apply to the College of Pharmacy after successfully completing (by the end of the Fall semester preceding the beginning of the academic year of the desired start date): 1) All general chemistry; general biology; and calculus requirements; and 2) At least one semester of organic chemistry including lab (if concurrent); and 3) At least one semester of the anatomy/physiology including lab (if concurrent). Applicants should ascertain the availability of remaining prerequisites prior to application to ensure all of the required pre-pharmacy coursework can be completed prior to entry into the Doctor of Pharmacy program (if granted). Admissions are extended for only one class and cannot be deferred to a later year if pre-requisite courses are not completed prior to admission.
On-Site Interview:
An in-person interview is required for admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program. Successful completion of the pre-pharmacy requirements does not guarantee that an invitation for interview will be extended. Further, an interview does not guarantee admission to the program. Interview invitations will be based on an initial screening and ranking of the applicant pool’s qualifications and performance as outlined above in the section “Admission Criteria”. Interviews will be scheduled on-campus or at one of the College’s off-campus instructional sites and will begin after November 1st of the year prior to admission. All travel-related expenses are the responsibility of the applicant. Failure to complete the interviews as assigned by the College of Pharmacy will result in disqualification for admission. Please note that independent of other admission criteria and performance, an applicant may be denied admission based solely on poor performance in the on-site interview. Early Applicant Review: Applications for the Doctor of Pharmacy Program will be accepted as early as August 1st of the year prior to admission. Review of applications meeting the criteria above (in section “Application Deadline”) will begin November 1st. Select applicants may be extended an invitation for interview based on academic record and PCAT scores after November 1st. The College of Pharmacy may begin to extend invitations for admission prior to the application deadline. As such, selected applicants may gain conditional admission to the program before all applicant interviews are completed. Applicants that are reviewed and interviewed prior to the deadline will receive notification of conditional admission (invitation to the program the following Fall semester); denial (denied admission to the program); or pending decision. Notification of pending decision means that a final determination will be made after the deadline and after all interviews are completed. Admission decisions are final and may not be appealed, except as noted below under the section Criminal Background Check. Foreign Academic Credits: Foreign academic credits (except Canadian Academic Institutions) cannot be used to meet the pre-pharmacy requirements. Course equivalency evaluations and OAC credits from Canada are not acceptable. Evaluations from agencies that assess foreign transcripts are not considered. General Education: Applicants who have earned, or will earn prior to admissions into the professional program, a BS degree, may have some of the General Education requirements waived. These include English, Speech, and Cultural Enrichment coursework. However, students are encouraged to complete these courses within the pre-Pharmacy curriculum to better prepare for the professional program. Honors Program Assurance: The College of Pharmacy assures students in the Ferris State University Honors Program an admission interview for the Doctor of Pharmacy program in the second year of pre-Pharmacy studies providing all conditions for that program are met. Minimum Application Requirements:
In order to be considered for admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program for the following Fall semester, an applicant must complete and submit the following before the deadlines as specified in the “Application Deadline” section: - The Doctor of Pharmacy Application (on-line): By December 15th of the year prior.
- The Supplemental Application: This will be automatically emailed to you when upon completion of the online application. Due By December 15th of the year prior.
- Official transcripts of previously completed college/university coursework must be submitted by January 15th of year applying for. Please request official transcripts be sent to: College of Pharmacy, Attn: Tara Lee, 220 Ferris Drive, Big Rapids MI 49307. Applicants should complete approximately three-fourth of the pre-pharmacy requirements by the end of the Fall semester preceding the year they wish to enter the program. Applicants may apply to the College of Pharmacy after successfully completing (by the end of the Fall semester preceding the beginning of the academic year of the desired start date): 1) All general chemistry; general biology; and calculus requirements; and 2) At least one semester of organic chemistry including lab (if concurrent); and 3) At least one semester of the anatomy/physiology including lab (if concurrent). Students should ascertain the availability of remaining Pre-Pharmacy coursework, which need to be completed prior to next fall. All Pre-pharmacy courses must be completed at an accredited college or university.
- Applicants are required to take the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT). The last acceptable PCAT testing date is in October in the year prior to admission. Students may take the PCAT as many times as they wish without incurring a penalty. The highest composite score will be utilized in the admissions process. Students must have taken the PCAT exam in June 2007 or later, due to recently added components.
- International Students: Please contact Linda Hayes in the International Center at 231-591-3915 for information on additionally items needed to complete the application process.
Minimum GPA/PCAT: For an application to be considered for admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program, the applicant must have a cumulative pre-pharmacy required course GPA of no less than 2.5 and a PCAT composite score which ranks them at no less than a 50th percentile. Re-Applications: Students who do not receive an offer of admission and wish to re-apply to the program in subsequent years, must complete a new application in its entirety and fulfill any new pre-pharmacy or admission requirements that apply. Doctor of Pharmacy Student Transfer Policy: A student who has attended, or is currently attending, another College of Pharmacy may be considered for advance standing in the doctor of pharmacy program based on availability of seats in the appropriate class. In addition, the candidate must: (1) be in good academic standing at the college of origin and able to continue, (2) submit transcripts of all college courses from all institutions attended, and (3) provide a letter of recommendation from the Dean of the previous college attended. The letter should be sent directly to the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Assessment with a copy to the College of Pharmacy Admissions Committee. Criminal Background Check: Admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program is conditional on a number of factors including a criminal background check (CBC). The CBC must be conducted through the agency identified by the College within a defined period of time following conditional acceptance to the program. No other results will be accepted. All costs associated with the CBC will be incurred by the applicant. Applicants invited to the upcoming class will receive written instructions and cost estimates as part of the conditional notification of admission packet sent by the College. Components of the CBC include, but are not limited to: - Michigan Statewide Criminal Records
- Residency History (covering past 7 years, with additional counties within the U.S. searched)
- Nationwide Sexual Offender Registry
- Nationwide Healthcare Fraud and Abuse Scan:
- Medicare & Medicaid Sanctioned Excluded Individuals
- Office of Research Integrity (ORI)
- Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA)
- State Exclusion List
- FDA Debarment Check
- Office of Inspector General (OIG) – List of Excluded Individuals/Entities
- General Services Administration (GSA) – Excluded Parties List
Once the CBC is conducted, College and/or University officials will examine the results and determine eligibility for admission using the criteria specified in Michigan Public Acts 27, 28, and 29. The prohibited offenses, relevant time periods, and legal citations for the offenses can be located in each of the relevant Public Acts or in the Criminal Background Check Legal Guide which can be accessed at www.miltcpartnership.com. Applicants with CBC results that indicate any criminal conviction(s) may be required to provide legal documents pertaining to the conviction(s) for further review by College and/or University officials. A request for legal documents does not imply that an applicant will be granted admission. The presence of criminal convictions deemed relevant to the Public Acts cited above; or which conflict with affiliation agreements between Ferris State University and its experiential sites will be grounds for revocation of the conditional acceptance to the upcoming Fall class. Failure to submit a CBC by the assigned deadline in the invitation packet will also be grounds for revocation. If an applicant is denied admission to the program (or have their conditional admittance revoked) based on the CBC, they will be informed of this in writing and be given the opportunity to: 1) Review the report (if they do not already have it); 2) Respond in writing with any further clarification or explanation of the event; and 3) Receive review of their explanation by the College of Pharmacy Admission Committee and Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Assessment. Admission to the college may be granted despite previous criminal convictions if, based on a thorough evaluation by the College and University, the severity of the crime or the period of time since the crime occurred supports admission. However, such students may have limited experiential options and/or delayed graduation. The College does not guarantee the opportunity to complete all experiential components, and therefore graduation, if an applicant is admitted with a criminal conviction(s). Additionally, the College reserves the right to require students to disclose his/her CBC results to all assigned experiential sites for further review and approval at any time.
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