Admission: CPG

Counselor and student Admissions Requirements
Technical Standards
Application Process
Professionalism
Reapplication Process
Transfer Admission
Readmission after Dismissal
Matriculation Process

Admissions
Midwestern University, College of Pharmacy - Glendale (MWU-CPG) considers for admission those applicants who possess the academic and professional promise necessary to become outstanding members of the pharmacy profession. The admissions process is highly selective; approximately 2,220 applications were received for the 2007 entering class. The next application deadlines are December 1, 2008 for the PharmCAS application and January 15, 2009 for the MWU-CPG supplemental application (see the Application Process section); however, applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early in the process as the majority of the class is expected to be filled by January 1st.

Evaluation of completed applications will begin in July 2008 and continue until all seats in the class are filled. This initial evaluation will determine which applicants are eligible for an on-campus interview; a final evaluation will determine which applicants are eligible for acceptance. Given the competitive admissions environment, multiple criteria are used to select the most qualified candidates from an applicant pool that exceeds the number of seats available. Grade point averages, PCAT scores, letters of evaluation, professional preparedness and motivation, personal qualities, communication skills, ability to be a team player and decision making will all be considered when reviewing an applicant’s file.

Admission Requirements for Applicants Seeking June 2009 Date
To be considered for admission to MWU–CPG, an applicant must:

  1. 1. Have completed or be in the process of completing 62 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of non-remedial, prerequisite coursework from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university, or recognized post secondary Canadian institution that uses English as its primary language of instruction and documentation. The student must earn a grade of C (not C-) or better in each prerequisite course.
  2. All pre-pharmacy coursework requirements must be completed by the end of spring semester or spring quarter prior to matriculation to MWU–CPG.

Course(s) Semester Hours Quarter Hours
English (composition) 6 9
Biology (with laboratory) 8 12
Anatomy, human or vertebrate 3 4
General Chemistry (with laboratory) (for majors) 8 12
Organic Chemistry (with laboratory) (for majors) 8 12
Physics (mechanics, heat, force, and motion must be included in the course) 3 4
Statistics 3 4
Calculus 3 4
Speech (public speaking) 3 4
Economics (micro, macro, or general) 3 4
Social Sciences (divided among psychology, sociology, anthropology, or political sciences) 6 9
General Education Electives (divided among the social and behavioral sciences, humanities, fine arts, foreign language, business, or computer sciences) (Science, math, physical education and health care courses are NOT acceptable) 8 12
Total Credit Hours 62 90

  1. 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.
  2. Submit scores from the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) directly to PharmCAS (see Application Process Section). Note: Only test scores earned in June 2005 or more recently will be accepted.
  3. Reflect a people/service orientation through community service or extracurricular activities.
  4. Reflect proper motivation for and commitment to the pharmacy profession as demonstrated by previous work, volunteer, or other life experiences.
  5. Possess the oral and written communication skills necessary to interact with patients and colleagues.
  6. Complete MWU–CPG’s on-campus interview process (by invitation only).
  7. Pass the Midwestern University criminal background check.
  8. Abide by Midwestern University Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy.

International Applicants:
If an applicant has completed coursework at a foreign college or university, or a recognized post secondary Canadian institution that does not use English as its primary language of instruction and documentation, the student must submit an official, detailed course-by-course evaluation of this coursework. The student must obtain this evaluation from one of the following services:

• Education Credential Evaluators (ECE): 414-289-3400 (www.ece.org, e-mail: info@ece.org)
• Josef Silny & Associates International Education Consultants: 305-273-1616 ( www.jsilny.com, e-mail: info@jsilny.com)
• World Education Services (WES): 212/966-6311 (www.wes.org, e-mail: info@wes.org)

Foreign transcript evaluations should be sent directly to PharmCAS (see Application Process section).

International applicants must also complete at least 30 semester hours of his/her prerequisite coursework (including at least 15 semester hours in the sciences, 6 hours in non-remedial English composition, and 3 hours of speech/public speaking) at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States, or from a recognized post secondary Canadian institution that uses English as its primary language of instruction and documentation.

Technical Standards for Admission
The technical standards for admission set forth by CPG outline the nonacademic abilities considered essential for students to achieve the level of competence required by the faculty and by the ACPE, the pharmacy-accrediting agency, in order to obtain the Pharm.D. degree.

A candidate must have abilities and skills in five areas: 1) observation; 2) communication; 3) motor; 4) intellectual, conceptual, integrative, and quantitative; and 5) behavioral and social. Technological compensation can be made for some limitation in certain of these areas, but a candidate should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner.
  1. Observation: The candidate must be able to accurately make observations at a distance and close at hand. Observation necessitates the functional use of the sense of vision and somatic sensation and is enhanced by the functional use of all of the other senses.
  2. Communication: The candidate must be able to communicate effectively, efficiently and sensitively in both oral and written form and be able to perceive nonverbal communication.
  3. Motor: Candidates must be able to coordinate both gross and fine muscular movements, maintain equilibrium and have functional use of the senses of touch and vision. The candidate must possess sufficient postural control, neuromuscular control and eye-to-hand coordination to perform profession-specific skills and tasks.
  4. Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities: The candidate must be able to problem solve, measure, calculate, reason, analyze, record and synthesize large amounts of information in a timely manner. The candidate must be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and understand spatial relationships.
  5. Behavioral and Social Attributes: The candidate must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of his/her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment and the consistent, prompt completion of all responsibilities and the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships. Candidates must be able to tolerate physically, mentally and emotionally taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. The candidate must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, effective interpersonal skills, willingness and ability to function as an effective team player, interest and motivation to learn are all personal qualities required during the educational process.

Candidates must provide certification that they understand the technical standards upon their acceptance. Candidates who may not meet the technical standards are encouraged to contact the Director of Admissions to discuss and identify what accommodations, if any, MWU–CPG would need to make in order that the candidate might be able to meet the standards.

Application Process
MWU-CPG uses a two-step application process. The applicant must submit both a completed PharmCAS application and a College supplemental application and meet both the PharmCAS application deadline and the MWU-CPG supplemental application deadline.

  1. PharmCAS Application:
    Applicants must apply via the Web-based 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 an approved foreign transcript evaluation service (See Admission Requirements).

    The deadline for submitting the PharmCAS application is December 1, 2008. 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 December 1st date. PharmCAS will not consider an application complete and will not begin the verification process until all official transcripts are received.
  2. 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 (also known as Pearson,1-800-622-3231, www.pcatweb.info). MWU-CPG 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 in June 2005 or more recently 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 the exam dates.
  3. Letters of Evaluation:
    The applicant must request letters of evaluation from two professionals to be submitted directly to PharmCAS. MWU-CPG will only accept letters received directly from PharmCAS. It is preferred that one letter be from a college professor who has actually taught the applicant or a pre-health advisor/committee, science professor, or a health professional who knows the applicant well. The deadline for submission of the letters of evaluation is January 15, 2009.
  4. Supplemental Application:
    After receiving an applicant’s processed information from PharmCAS, the Midwestern University Office of Admissions will send a supplemental application form to applicants who meet the minimum cumulative GPA requirement of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale. The deadline for submitting the College supplemental application to the Office of Admissions is on or before January 15, 2009.

    Note: All application materials, the PharmCAS application, verification of transcripts by PharmCAS, PCAT scores (as reported to PharmCAS), two letters of evaluation (submitted to PharmCAS), and MWU-CPG supplemental application with the application fee must be received in the Office of Admissions on or before January 15, 2009. 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 responsible for tracking the receipt of their application materials and verifying the status of their application on the University website. The Office of Admissions will send qualified applicants instructions for creating an Interact Now account along with the supplemental application. Applicants must create and utilize their Interact Now account to track and check their application status on-line.

    Applicants are also responsible for notifying the Office of Admissions of any changes in their mailing address or e-mail address.
  5. 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. Interview invitations are typically extended from September through February.
During the interview process, the applicant will meet with an interview panel consisting of pharmacy faculty members, pharmacists and/or pharmacy students. 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 MWU-CPG supplemental application 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 MWU-CPG 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 College.

The PharmD program at MWU-CPG is rigorous and challenging. In light of this, the Admissions Committee will assess the quality and rigor of the pre-pharmacy academic records presented by each applicant. When assessing an applicant's pre-pharmacy academic record, the Admissions Committee will:
  1. View applicants with cumulative and science grade point averages below 2.75 on a 4.00 scale with particular concern. While 2.50 on a 4.00 scale is the minimum overall and science grade point average for consideration, to be competitive for admission, a higher overall grade point average is recommended. The average overall and science grade point averages of applicants admitted in 2007 were 3.45 and 3.41, respectively, on a 4.00 scale.
  2. View component and composite PCAT scores below the 50th percentile with particular concern. While there are no minimum PCAT scores, the average composite PCAT score of applicants admitted in 2007 was in the 85th percentile.
  3. Pay special attention to applicants that include pre-pharmacy math and science coursework that was completed more than 10 years ago. It is preferred that applicants have recent (within five years) pre-pharmacy math and science coursework.
  4. Consider the institution where coursework was taken, the extent to which science prerequisites have been completed, the credit load per term, the difficulty of coursework taken, and trends in grades as factors when evaluating the quality and rigor of an applicant’s pre-pharmacy academic record.

Professionalism
Pharmacy applicants are expected to act professionally in all of their dealings with Admissions Office staff and College personnel. Applicants are expected to follow instructions properly and meet deadlines. Responsible behavior, respect for others, good judgment, and cooperation are qualities valued by the pharmacy profession. Applicants should demonstrate these qualities beginning with the application process.

Reapplication Process
After receiving either a denial or end-of-cycle letter, an applicant may reapply to MWU–CPG for the next academic year. Before reapplying, however, the applicant should seek the advice of an admissions counselor.

To initiate the reapplication process, the applicant must submit a new application to PharmCAS. The application is then processed in the same manner as any other application.

Transfer Admission From Another Pharmacy School
MWU–CPG may accept transfer students from other ACPE-accredited pharmacy schools or colleges as long as these students are in good academic standing and have legitimate reasons for seeking a transfer.

All requests for transfer information should be referred to the Office of the Dean, MWU–CPG so that the potential transfer applicant can be counseled prior to submitting an application.

To be considered for transfer, a student must meet MWU-CPG’s general requirements for admission. He/she must also submit the following documents by January 15, 2009:

  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 MWU-CPG 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 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 MWU–CPG.
The Office of Admissions will collect and forward the student’s portfolio to the Office of the Dean, MWU-CPG for review. If the review is positive, the Dean will instruct the Admissions Committee to interview the transfer student applicant. The Admissions Committee will provide its recommendation to the Dean. 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 of pharmacy.

 Readmission After Dismissal for Poor Academic Performance
Students dismissed for poor academic performance may reapply for admission to MWU–CPG if they:
  1. Seek academic counseling from the Dean’s Office prior to enrolling in the required advanced pre-pharmacy curriculum;
  2. Complete at least two semesters or three quarters of full-time study (i.e., at least 15 credit hours per semester or quarter) of a curriculum at the advanced pre-pharmacy level or higher at a regionally accredited U. S. college or university;
  3. Earn a grade of at least C (not C–) in all courses taken; and
  4. Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or greater.

Students fulfilling these requirements will be permitted to reapply to the University and MWU-CPG. The student should obtain the application from the Dean’s Office and not through PharmCAS. A completed readmission application must be submitted by January 15, 2009 to the Dean's Office. The completed application of a reapplying PS-1 student will be forwarded to the Admissions Committee for review and recommendation. The completed application of a reapplying PS-2 or PS-3 student will be forwarded by the Dean’s Office to the Student Promotion and Graduation Committee for review and recommendation. The respective committees will review the application for evidence of improved academic potential. Each committee’s recommendations are forwarded to the Dean for action.

No guarantee of admission is implied, and questions related to advanced standing and similar issues will be addressed as they are for any new applicant. Readmission can only be granted once.

Matriculation Process
The matriculation process begins after a student receives notification of his/her acceptance. The student must return his/her signed matriculation agreement. The student must also do the following:

  1. Submit deposit monies by the dates designated in his/her matriculation agreement. The entire amount is applied toward the student’s first quarter’s tuition.
  2. Submit official final transcripts from all colleges attended post-high school by the deadline of two weeks (14 calendar days) prior to the first day of classes. For students who are accepted to MWU less than one month prior to the first day of classes, they will have 30 calendar days from the date of their acceptance to submit all official transcripts to the Office of Admissions. Any special circumstances or requests for exceptions to this policy must be made by the Office of the Dean of the college. If students fail to submit all official final transcripts by the stated deadline, then their acceptance or continued enrollment in the College may be jeopardized.

    Note:PharmCAS does not forward transcripts to MWU-CPG.
  3. Complete a medical file as requested by the Office of Student Services.
  4. Submit proof of medical and disability insurance coverage. The student may select either a plan offered by an MWU-approved outside carrier or a comparable plan offered by an outside carrier of the student’s choice.
  5. Non-U.S. citizens/nonpermanent residents must provide documentation verifying that sufficient funds have been deposited in a U.S. bank to cover all expenses while attending MWU–CPG (for non-U.S. citizens/temporary residents who hold a student visa only).
  6. Sign an authorization form allowing for a criminal background check.
  7. Sign a Midwestern University Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy statement.
  8. Complete a physical exam and submit the appropriate form.
  9. Sign a Credit Policy Statement.
  10. Provide documentation that any additional coursework or service requirements stipulated by the Admissions Committee have been completed.
  11. Submit additional documents as requested by the Office of Admissions.
  12. Satisfy Technical Standards for the Program.

If a student either fails to satisfy the above matriculation requirements or omits/falsifies information required on official admissions documents, the student automatically forfeits his/her seat at MWU–CPG. The student receives no further notification from MWU–CPG relative to this forfeiture.

Pharmacy College Admissions Test

PharmCAS