CPDG considers for admission applicants who possess the academic and professional promise necessary for development as outstanding members of the pharmacy profession. The CPDG admissions environment is highly selective.

Applications received on or before the application deadline are reviewed to determine applicant eligibility for an on-campus interview or virtual interview. Within its competitive admissions framework, CPDG uses multiple criteria to select the most qualified candidates. Cumulative grade point average (GPA), science GPA, letters of recommendation, written communication skills, verbal communication skills, health care experience, knowledge of the profession, and motivation for choosing pharmacy careers are considered when reviewing an applicant's file.

Admission Requirements

Students seeking admission to CPDG must submit the following documented evidence:

1. Completion of 62 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of nonremedial, prerequisite coursework from regionally accredited U.S. colleges or universities, or recognized postsecondary Canadian institutions that use English as its primary language of instruction and documentation.
   • Preferred minimum cumulative GPA and science GPA of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale
   • Grades of "C" or better for prerequisite courses (grades of C- are not accepted)
2. No Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) score is required for admission. However, if an applicant's cumulative and science GPAs are below 2.75, then the submission of PCAT scores is preferred to enhance the application.
   • Scores may be submitted to the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) using PCAT code 104
   • PCAT exams are offered multiple times per year by Harcourt Assessment, Inc., (also known as Pearson), 800/622-3231 or www.pcatweb.info
   • Applicants currently applying to another college within Midwestern University may have scores from the MCAT, DAT, OAT, or GRE transferred, if their cumulative and science GPAs are below 2.75
   • Current MWU students wishing to apply to the college of pharmacy may have scores from the MCAT, DAT, OAT, or GRE transferred, if their cumulative and science GPAs are below 2.75
   • Only scores earned from the test offered in 2019 or more recently are acceptable
3. Demonstration of a people or service orientation as evidenced by community service or extracurricular activities
4. Motivation for and commitment to the pharmacy profession or general health profession as demonstrated by previous work, volunteer work, or other life experiences
5. Oral and written communication skills necessary to interact with patients and colleagues
6. Completion of the CPDG on-campus interview process (by invitation only). If necessary, virtual interviews may take place
7. Satisfactory Midwestern University criminal background check
8. Commitment to abide by the Midwestern University Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy

The Pharm.D. Program at CPDG is rigorous and challenging. The CPDG Admissions Committee will therefore assess the quality and rigor of the prepharmacy academic records presented by applicants. When assessing the prepharmacy academic records of applicants, the Admissions Committee will:

1. View applicants with cumulative GPAs below 2.75 on a 4.00 scale with particular concern. Although 2.50 on a 4.00 scale is the preferred minimum cumulative GPA for admission consideration, higher cumulative GPAs are more competitive and recommended.
   • The average cumulative GPA of applicants admitted for Summer 2022 was 3.22 on a 4.00 scale
2. When submitted, view component and composite PCAT scores below average with particular concern, although there are no minimum PCAT scores, and a PCAT score is not required for admission. 
3. View with concern applicants whose prepharmacy math and science coursework was completed longer than 10 years ago.
   • More recent (within four years) prepharmacy math and science coursework is preferred
4. Consider the reputation for quality and rigor of the institutions where applicants have taken previous coursework, the extent of completion of science prerequisites, the credit load carried per term, the difficulty level of previous coursework, and trends in applicant grades.

Prerequisite Courses