Admissions

Chicago College of Pharmacy

CCP considers for admission applicants who possess the academic and professional promise necessary for development as outstanding members of the pharmacy profession. The CCP admissions environment is highly selective; approximately 1,500 applications were received in 2012.

Completed applications received on or before the application deadline are reviewed to determine applicant eligibility for on-campus Mandatory Candidate Visits. Within its competitive admissions framework, CCP uses multiple criteria to select the most qualified candidates. Cumulative grade point average (GPA), science GPA, Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) scores, letters of recommendation, written 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 CCP 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
   • Minimum cumulative GPAs and science GPAs of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale
   • Grades of "C" or better for prerequisite courses (grades of C- are not acceptable)
2. Direct submission of scores from the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) 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
   • Only scores earned from the test offered in 2009 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 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 CCP on-campus interview process (by invitation only)
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 CCP is rigorous and challenging. The CCP 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 minimum cumulative GPA for admission consideration, higher cumulative GPAs are more competitive and recommended.
   • The average cumulative GPA of applicants admitted for Fall 2012 was 3.22 on a 4.00 scale
2. View component and composite PCAT scores below the 50th percentile with particular concern, although there are no minimum PCAT scores
   • The average composite PCAT score of applicants admitted for Fall 2012 was in the 61st percentile
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