Review the following to get answers for your questions about:

Admission Criteria
Applicant Interview

Admission Criteria

Does USC require a background check for admission of applicants with legal issues?
The USC School of Pharmacy does not require a background check or a drug test for admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program. However, all admitted students to the Doctor of Pharmacy program are required to be fingerprinted for criminal background checks by the California Board of Pharmacy as a requirement of licensure. Students must obtain a license from the Board of Pharmacy to participate in the clinical portions of the Doctor of Pharmacy Program. In addition, many of the clinical facilities affiliated with USC may require additional background checks and/or drug test for student placements.

What are the criteria for admission?
Our admission criteria include academic strength, motivation to pursue pharmacy, maturity, communication skills, special talents, achievements and the unique contribution we expect you to make to the profession. For more information see our Admission Requirements.

What is the School's GPA requirement?
Our minimum GPA requirement for both the cumulative and the pre-pharmacy courses is 3.0. The average GPA of admitted students is about 3.5 for both.

Do I need to send in my transcripts to USC?
Yes, you need to send in an official copy of all your transcripts to both PharmCAS and USC School of Pharmacy. Your application cannot be evaluated without your transcripts. Please send your transcripts (no cover page required) to the School of Pharmacy Admisisons Office. Do not send transcripts to the USC Graduate School. The School of Pharmacy will forward a copy of your transcripts to the Graduate School.

When do I need to complete my pre-pharmacy courses?
You must complete all pre-pharmacy courses before entering our Pharm.D. program. The Orientation for Pharm.D. program starts around mid-August, a week before school begins. You must complete all pre-reqs including final exams before orientation starts. It is recommended that you complete all pre-reqs before summer, or as soon as possible.

Where should I send my letters of recommendation?
Letters of recommendation need to be submitted online through PharmCAS. Two letters of recommendation are required, at least one letter from a faculty member and the second from a person who can best describe your capabilities and fitness for a pharmacy education and career. Re-applicants only need to send in one new letter of recommendation.

How many students are accepted each year?
We receive approximately 1300-1600 applications each year, and interview 400 to 500 applicants. We matriculate 185 students.

Is preference given to California residents?
No. We use the same criteria to evaluate out-of-state applicants as we do California residents.

Do California residents pay less tuition than out-of-state students?
USC is a private university; therefore, tuition and fees are the same for all students regardless of state or country of residence.

Is a bachelor's degree required?
Yes, a bachelor's degree is required.

Do I need to take the PCAT, TOEFL or any other standardized tests?
No. We do not require any standardized tests.

Can I enter in the spring semester?
No. We admit in the fall semester only.

Do you accept transfer students?
Yes. Transfer students are considered on a seat available basis. Currently the program is impacted.

Can I enter with advanced standing status?
If vacancies exist, the School of Pharmacy accepts a limited number of applicants who hold a recently conferred baccalaureate degree in pharmacy from a college of pharmacy accredited by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education. Such applicants may not be required to meet all pre-pharmacy requirements in order to qualify for admission. If admitted to the Pharm.D. program, these students may be accepted at an advanced level for a minimum of two years (72 semester units) of full-time study.

When is the application due?
November 1st every year, for both PharmCAS and USC Supplemental Applications.

How do I know if my application is received?
You will receive an email confirmation once you submit your application successfully. When both your PharmCAS application and USC Supplemental Application arrive, the Office of Admisison and Student Affairs at the School of Pharmacy will verify all your applications and required documents (transcripts, etc.), and email you a check list about your application status.

Do you ever waive the application fee?
Only continuing USC students and alumni are exempt from the application fee. All other applicants are required to pay the $85 application fee. If you select the fee waiver option due to financial difficulty, you will be asked to provide supporting documents. This may delay the evaluation of your application.

Do you have rolling admission?
Yes. It is advisable to submit your application as early as possible.

Can I submit my application package materials separately?
Yes. You must first submit your application through PharmCAS. You may then submit your supplemental application. You must also submit updated transcripts to our office at the close of each subsequent term.

Do you give preference to any major?
No. We do not give preference to any major. However, most of our applicants are science majors. The most common majors are biology, chemistry, biochemistry, psychobiology, etc.

I already have a bachelor's degree. Do I still need to complete all the pre-reqs?
Yes, all the applicants regardless of degree or major must complete all the pre-pharmacy required courses before they enter our Pharm.D. program in the fall semester.

Where do I take the pre-pharmacy courses? How do I know if my classes have met your pre-pharmacy requirements?
You may take your pre-pharmacy courses at any accredited institution in the United States, except vocational or technical schools. All pre-pharmacy coursework must be completed for a letter grade. Consult Course Equivalencies for equivalent courses. It contains lists of equivalent courses for schools within California and a limited number of schools outside of California.

For schools not listed, course descriptions will be required. The course descriptions must meet USC transfer requirements. You may contact our office if you have questions.

Do you accept On-line/distance-learning courses?
No. We do not accept distance-learning or on-line coursework.

Can I meet with a counselor to go over my transcripts and application?
We offer a Pharm.D. Information Session at our school for prospective applicants. It gives you an opportunity to visit our campus and its facilities, meet with our admission staff, students, and learn about our programs and the application process. Your coursework/transcripts will be evaluated once your application is submitted.

Can I change my proposed course schedule for the pre-pharmacy requirements?
Yes. Please submit updated schedule of courses in writing. Make sure you are taking equivalent courses as listed on the Course Equivalency website.

Can I submit my application before I complete my prerequisites?
Yes. You should have completed most of your pre-pharmacy coursework by the time you submit your application. You must indicate on your application when and where you will be taking the remaining prerequisites. You must complete all your pre-pharmacy requirements by mid-August before Orientation starts. It is highly recommended that you complete all math and science courses during the regular spring or fall semesters.

Do you accept international transcripts?
Yes. Your original international transcripts and course descriptions must be sent directly to the USC School of Pharmacy from the institution(s) you attended. You must also submit to PharmCAS official transcripts and an evaluation completed by one of the foreign transcript evaluation services recommended by PharmCAS.

Holders of international degrees are required to complete the following courses in the USA at an accredited four year degree granting college or university: mammalian physiology, molecular biology, biochemistry and microbiology. English and interpersonal communication must also be completed in the USA, but may be completed at a two year college.

Please note: English and communication courses taken in a foreign country will be accepted only from countries whose native language is English (e.g., Great Britain, English-speaking Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the British West Indies). Students from any other foreign country must take English and communication courses in the United States.

Applicant Interview

Do I need an interview?
You will need to be interviewed, in order to get accepted into our Pharm.D. program. However, not all applicants will be interviewed. In general, we interview 30% - 35% of all applicants.

Is there a minimum grade point average required for an interview?
Competitive applicants who meet a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average and above, possess strong communication and interpersonal skills, and have a general knowledge of the field of pharmacy are the most sought-after candidates. Unfortunately, we are not able to interview all qualified applicants.

How do I know if I am selected for an interview?
If you are selected, you will receive an invitation two to three weeks prior to the interview date. Please click here for Interview Session dates.

What shall I expect for the interview?
The interview consists of two parts: the oral interview and a writing test. The purpose of the interview is to assess your oral communication skills, writing skills, leadership ability, and your motivation or potential to be a pharmacist.

Can I reschedule my interview appointment?
No. Occasionally, rare circumstances are considered by the Admission Committee. We do not guarantee that rescheduling is possible. If you miss your assigned interview or arrive late, your application will be canceled.

How should I dress for the interview?
Professional attire is recommended.

When will I be notified of my admission status?
All applicants will be notified by mail or email about four weeks after the interview date. Status updates will be mailed to you about four weeks after each interview session or as soon as decisions are made. We do not release status information over the telephone.

What if I have a change of address?
You should e-mail our office at pharmadm@usc.edu of all changes of mailing and e-mail addresses, as well as your phone numbers.

How do I withdraw my application? Do I need to notify PharmCAS?
You should send an e-mail the School of Pharmacy Admission Office at pharmadm@usc.edu as soon as possible to notify us of your decision to withdraw. An explanation and/or information about what school you choose to attend is appreciated for our statistics. You do not need to notify PharmCAS about your decision to withdraw.

May I apply again if I am denied the first time?
Yes. Each year, we receive about 200 applicants who have previously applied. Re-applicants need to submit the same PharmCAS and USC Supplemental applicaitons like all applicants. However, you need to send in only one new letter of recommendation, and new or updated transcripts/grades that you didn't send us before.