Prospective Pharm. D. Student

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many students apply? How many enroll?
  We usually receive between 500-600 applications each year. We enroll approximately 96 students each year.
• Are freshman students admitted directly into the Pharmacy program?
  No. Students must complete two years of pre-pharmacy curriculum before enrolling in the Pharmacy program. Completion of the pre-pharmacy curriculum, however, does not guarantee admission to the Pharmacy program.
• What are the minimum GPA and PCAT requirements for admission?
  Students must have at least a 3.0 cumulative college GPA to be considered for admission. There is no minimum score requirement for PCAT. Click here to see the average GPA and PCAT score for the most recently enrolled class.
• Do all pre-pharmacy courses have to be completed before I can apply?
  No. The pre-pharmacy courses do not have to be completed before you apply, but they must be completed before you enroll in the Pharmacy program.
• Do I have to complete the pre-pharmacy courses at the University of Cincinnati?
  No. All or part of the pre-pharmacy courses can be completed at the University of Cincinnati or at another accredited college or university. The College recommends, though, that you complete the pre-pharmacy curriculum at a 4-year college or university.
• Is it a requirement to work in a pharmacy setting to be admitted?
  We strongly encourage students to work in a pharmacy setting or engage in a pharmacy shadowing experience before applying. This will allow students to explore the career and will provide a knowledge base of the profession, which will be advantageous through the application process. Previous pharmacy work experience, however, is not a requirement.
• Do you require letters of recommendation? How many?
  Yes. We require three letters of recommendation to be submitted through PharmCAS. We suggest that the letters come from your employer (hopefully a pharmacist), an academic instructor, and/or someone of your choosing. We will not accept letters of recommendation from politicians, friends, family members, co-workers or clergy.
• I'm not taking the pre-pharmacy courses at the University of Cincinnati. How do I ensure that they count towards the pre-pharmacy requirement?
  Students who are not completing the pre-pharmacy curriculum at the University of Cincinnati are encouraged to consult the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy (pharmacy@uc.edu) for guidance on what courses to take. Students completing the pre-pharmacy curriculum at select colleges or universities in Ohio or Kentucky can use the u.select Web site to determine which courses are equivalent to UC's pre-pharmacy curriculum.
• Who should I send my college transcripts to? What about PCAT scores?
  All official college transcripts and PCAT scores must be submitted directly to PharmCAS from the institution or testing service. Not doing so will delay your PharmCAS application. You should only send your transcripts directly to the College of Pharmacy if you've been requested by the College to do so.
• Can I take the PCAT more than once?
  Yes. The Winkle College of Pharmacy will receive scores for each PCAT exam you take. We will consider the highest composite and the associated sub-scores; we do not take the highest sub-scores and create a new composite score. PCAT allows students to take the exam up to five times.
• How can I check on the status of my application?
  You can check the status of your PharmCAS application by logging into your PharmCAS application. After we've received your PharmCAS application, we will e-mail you informing you of your application status at UC. Or, contact us at pharmacy@uc.edu or (513) 558-3784. You will be notified of your admission status via e-mail or postal mail only. The College will not inform you of your admission status over the phone.