Admissions process
Students are admitted only at the start of the academic year. The Admissions Committee
will begin reviewing applications for Early Decision in August. All complete
applications for Early Decision will be reviewed and decisions will be made by the
end of October. Since applications are reviewed in the order in which they are received,
it is advantageous to submit your application materials as early as possible, provided
you have completed at least one year of college course work. It is not necessary
to have taken the PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission
Test) before you submit your application, however the Admissions Committee could
wait to make a decision on your application until your PCAT scores have been received.
Applicants must have earned a creditable average ("C" or better) overall,
and specifically in the prerequisite courses, to meet minimum academic requirements
for admission. Proficiency in chemistry, math and the biological sciences is especially
valued.
Early Decision Applicants
Applicants exercising the Early Decision option for admission to the VCU School
of Pharmacy must submit the electronic application and official transcripts from
all postsecondary institutions ever attended to PharmCAS
by September 3, 2007. Applicants whose materials are not received,
or whose applications are incomplete, by this deadline will be ineligible for the
Early Decision option, and will be deferred to regular admission status. Applicants
exercising the Early Decision option are expected to make a commitment to attend
the VCU School of Pharmacy if accepted. If an acceptance offer is not made
under the Early Decision option, the applicant would then be moved to regular admission
status and the application would continue to be evaluated for admission during the
remainder of the admission cycle. The applicant would also then be free to
apply to other schools of pharmacy under the regular admission procedure.
All Other “Regular Admission” Applicants
Applicants who are not pursuing the Early Decision option for admission to the VCU
School of Pharmacy must submit the electronic application, letters of reference
and transcripts to PharmCAS by March 3,
2008. Applicants who do not meet these PharmCAS deadlines will be ineligible
for Fall 2008 admission to the VCU Doctor of Pharmacy degree program.
Personal References
Three letters of references are required. Applicants are strongly encouraged to
submit letters of reference to PharmCAS directly. Please visit the VCU School of
Pharmacy page on PharmCAS for information on acceptable sources of reference letters.
Transcripts
An official transcript from every college or university attended must be submitted
directly to PharmCAS. You will not need to
send official transcripts to the VCU School of Pharmacy until you are accepted into
the Doctor of Pharmacy program. If you are offered admission, instructions for submitting
transcripts to VCU will be provided with the acceptance letter.
Test Scores
PCAT Scores
The Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) results must be submitted to PharmCAS (use PharmCAS Code 104) before a final decision can be made on
a candidate's application. It is recommended that applicants take the PCAT in October
of the year preceding intended enrollment in the School of Pharmacy. If necessary,
this test can then be retaken in November and/or January to improve test scores.
You may register for the PCAT online by visiting the web site.
Psychological Corporation
PSE Customer Relations - PCAT
19500 Bulverde Road
San Antonio, TX 78259
Telephone: 1-800-622-3231 or 210-339-8710
Fax: 1-888-211-8276
Web Site: www.pcatweb.info
A free PCAT practice test can be found at http://www.testprepreview.com/pcat_practice.htm.
TOEFL/TSE Scores
Applicants who have a language other than English as their first language and who
have resided in the United States less than ten years OR who show a deficiency in
English must submit acceptable scores on the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign
Language) and the TSE (Test of Spoken English) to PharmCAS (Use PharmCAS Code 8246
for both TOEFL and TSE test results). Minimum suggested scores for the TOEFL and
TSE are 550 (or 213 if you took the computer-based TOEFL) and 55, respectively.
Interviews
An invitation to interview will be offered only at the discretion of the Admissions
Committee. Interviews for selected candidates under the Early Decision option will
be arranged before the end of October. Candidates for regular admission who are
invited for an interview will be asked to select an interview date from a schedule
of dates throughout the spring semester, with sessions being held from 1:00 –
5:00 P.M. on selected Saturdays.
The interview session consists of a formal interview with faculty, students and
alumni. In addition, the applicant will write an extemporaneous essay on an assigned
topic, and a tour of the School and of the Medical College of Virginia campus will
be provided. An on-campus interview is mandatory for admission consideration.
