Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences general questions and answers section. Each year we update the answers to reflect the latest changes in our Frequently Asked Questions. These questions and answers came from prospective students like you. We hope you find them helpful and informative.
Please let us know if you encounter any problems or have suggestions. To send a comment click here or go to Contact Us link within the Resources section.
If you don't find the answer to your question, please call our toll-free line at 1-800-44-DRAKE ext. 3018
General Admissions Information
University Departments
Programs of Study
Academic Advising
Student Opportunities
High School Students: The Application and Admission Process
Transfer Students: The Application and Admission Process
High School Students: Preparing to enter Drake's Pharmacy Program
Residencies
Surviving the Midyear and The Residency Matching Process
Financial Aid
Pharmacy Profession
High School Students: Drake's Guarantee for Admission to the Professional PharmD Program
Transfer Students: Preparing to enter Drake Professional PharmD Program
Transfer Students: PCAT
Transfer Students: Class Composition and Admission Statistics
Transfer Students: Foreign Education Standards
Current Drake Students: Applying for Admisison to the PharmD Program
General Admissions Information
1. How long does it take to earn a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree and become a licensed pharmacist and why?
2. Would you suggest taking a year or two of pre-pharmacy courses at a community college and then transferring to Drake?
3. What if I already have a bachelor’s degree? Can I earn the PharmD in two years?
4. Is it possible to earn a degree by taking evening/ weekend or on-line courses?
5. Do you offer admission to the PharmD program in the spring semester?
6. I’m looking for a master’s degree and PhD degree in a pharmacy field. Is the PhD the same as the PharmD? Does Drake offer these programs?
7. What Financial Aid is available for pharmacy students?
University Departments
1. Is there any way to graduate in less than 6 years?
Programs of Study
1. How do I log into blueView?
2. How do I search on blueView to Look-up Classes to Add?
3. How do I access my Degree Audit?
4. What are the listing of general campus resources?
5. What are the general registration times/information?
Academic Advising
1. Click here for a list of all Advanced Credit and Placement Information
2. Click here for a variety of questions relating to academic advising.
3. How do I access my transcript?
Student Opportunities
1. What procedures should graduating students complete to register for the Boards?
2. I'm interested in faculty research within the pharmacy program, but I can't seem to find any information on the website. Can you tell me some of the faculty and their projects (and how I could become involved with their research)?
High School Students: The Application and Admission Process
1. How do I apply for admission?
2. What is the application deadline?
3. Does Drake admit all students directly to the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences or to a pre-pharmacy program in the arts and sciences college like most universities?
4. What kinds of grades and test scores do I need to get in?
5. What if I’m not directly admitted to the CPHS? Can I still come to Drake? What are my options?
Transfer Students: The Application and Admission Process
1. How do I apply for admission?
2. What is PharmCAS? How will I know that my application was sent to Drake? Could I still send my application directly to Drake?
3. What is the application deadline?
4. What are the minimum requirements? What if I don’t meet the minimum requirements? Is there anything I can do?
5. Is an interview required? Are all applicants invited to campus for an interview? Can I interview by telephone if I live far away?
6. How and when do I apply for one of the joint programs (PharmD plus MBA, MPA, Law)?
High School Students: Preparing to enter Drake's pharmacy program
1. What courses should I take in high school to enter a pharmacy program?
2. Is it possible for a high school student to complete the pre-pharmacy and professional degree programs in five years instead of six?
3. As a high school student, I have the opportunity to take some courses at a community college. What courses should I take if I want to enter a pharmacy program?
4. I’m planning to apply for admission in the fall semester of my senior year. Will it really matter what classes I take in my senior year?
5. I have enough credits to graduate in the middle of my senior year. Is that recommended? Wouldn’t it be a good idea then to take some courses at a local college before entering Drake?
Residencies
1. What is a residency?
2. What is a fellowship?
3. What can I expect during a residency?
4. What is the accreditation for residencies?
5. What is the Residency Showcase?
6. What is "The Match"?
7. What is the Personal Placement Service (PPS)?
8. What do residency directors look for in a resident?
9. What are some suggestions/tips when applying/interviewing for a residency?
10. How do I select a residency that is right for me?
11. Are there some additional sources of information?
Surviving the Midyear and The Residency Matching Process
1. What is the first thing I should do when I get to the Midyear?
2. Can you explain what is involved in the Personnel Placement Service (PPS)? Do I need to contact anyone prior to the midyear?
3. What should I bring to the residency showcase for the brief interview?
4. What components should be included in a curriculum vitae?
5. What is the best way to prepare for the interview?
6. How should I dress?
7. What questions should I ask?
8. What questions will the interviewers ask?
9. What should I do when the interview is concluded?
10. Is the residency showcase the only place I can interview for residencies at the midyear?
11. How do preceptors chose a resident? Is it from the CV and the interview alone? Do the preceptors do this or does the decision depend on the matching program administrators?
12. What are some common questions that I should be prepared for?
13. What meetings or forums should students focus on during the week?
14. What should I do when I return from the midyear?
Financial Aid Information
1. What types of residencies are available?
The Pharmacy Profession
1. What can I do with a pharmacy degree?
2. What’s the job market like?
3. What is Drake’s placement rate for graduates of the program?
4. Would I have to practice pharmacy in Iowa if I go to Drake and take the state licensing examination in Iowa?
5. What is the Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (BSPS) and how does it differ from a PharmD? Can I be a licensed pharmacist with the BSPS degree?
6. I’m interested in one of Drake’s joint degree programs (MBA, MPA, Law). Do I apply for that program at the same time as I apply for admission to the pharmacy program?
High School Students: Drake's guarantee for admission to the professional PharmD program
1. What is the Drake PharmD Difference?
2. What skills should I have?
Transfer Students: Preparing to enter Drake's professional PharmD program
1. Do I have to take physics to be considered for admission?
2. What are Drake’s prerequisite courses for applying for admission to the PharmD program?
3. Do I have to actually complete all the prerequisite courses before applying for admission?
4. How can I know if my previous or current coursework meets Drake’s requirements and can be transferred? Can Drake evaluate my transcripts?
5. What if I’m missing some of the prerequisite courses? Can I come to Drake and complete them? Will I be given special consideration for admission to the professional program if I’m already at Drake?
6. Will Drake accept a course if credits were earned through an equivalency exam?
7. Do I have to take physics to be considered for admission?
8. I already have a bachelor’s degree. What do I need to know?
9. I took my science courses in college a long time ago. Should I retake them as a refresher before applying to the PharmD program?
10. How do I know if my courses transfer from a local Community College?
Transfer Students: PCAT
1. If I take the PCAT more than once, which score does Drake use?
2. Do you require the PCAT for admission consideration?
3. What exactly is the PCAT, and why is it important to take it?
4. What happens if I don't meet the Drake PharmD Difference requirements?
5. What is the minimum overall score Drake requires for admission consideration?
6. When should I take the PCAT?
7. How do I register to take it?
8. I live overseas, and the PCAT is not regularly offered. What should I do?
9. Where should my scores be sent?
10. Are there any test preparation materials or courses?
11. I’ve taken the MCAT. Can I substitute that score for the PCAT? What about the GRE?
Transfer Students: Class composition and admission statistics
1. How many students are accepted in your professional pharmacy program each year?
2. How many in-state students are accepted?
3. How many applications do you receive, and what are my chances for getting into the PharmD program?
Transfer Students: Foreign Educational Standards
1. I have foreign credentials. What information do I need to know?
2. What are your requirements and tuition costs for international students?
3. Does Drake accept international students? Is there a quota?
Current Drake Students: Applying for Admission to the PharmD Program
1. I am a current Drake student and want to enter the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (CPHS). When should I apply for admission?
2. How do I apply for admission?
3. What courses should I take at Drake to be considered for admission to the CPHS?
4. What should I major in?
5. What are Drake's admission requirements to enter the CPHS?
6. What is the average GPA of students who are accepted? What is the average PCAT score of students who are accepted?
7. Is it difficult to be admitted to the PharmD program at Drake?
8. How many students are accepted to the PharmD program at Drake each year?
9. Are my chances greater of being admitted to the CPHS if I am a current Drake student?
10. Should I still attend Drake if I wasn't admitted into the CPHS pre-pharmacy program?
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