Information for Applicants Seeking Admission to the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences for the CLASS ENTERING 2009

The Office of Student Affairs and Admissions staff looks forward to working with you. Your application is important to us. We realize that sometimes admissions requirements can become complicated and the paperwork can seem endless. This document will explain our policies and perhaps respond to some issues that may affect your situation. We sincerely appreciate your interest in attending Mercer University and will assist you in any way possible. Do not hesitate to call or e-mail our office should you need further clarification.

Application Process

PharmCAS All applicants are required to submit the PharmCAS application via the PharmCAS web site (http://www.pharmcas.org). You will need to go to this web site and fill out the web application and submit PharmCAS application fees, official transcripts and PCAT scores to PharmCAS.

Supplemental Application You will also need to complete our Supplemental Application online and submit the Supplemental Application Fee ($25) to our office. The Supplemental Application is available on our web site. We do not accept hard copy supplemental applications. The $25 fee is required to complete the Supplemental Application.

References Letters of reference must be sent to PharmCAS. On your PharmCAS application, you will fill out a section titled “References” with information about the people who will be submitting your references – either electronically or in paper form. A minimum of two letters of reference must be sent to PharmCAS. 

Timeline / Deadlines

A Note About Rolling Admissions Please note that "rolling admissions" means that we accept students on a continual basis after interviews have begun in September until the class is filled rather than receiving all applications and then making decisions. "Rolling admissions" does not mean that we do not have an application deadline. It will be January 5. No exceptions to the application deadline will be made.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early. Delaying until the deadline will place consideration of an application during the most competitive segment of the process. Many positions in the class will already be filled, and personal interview spaces will become limited.

Correspondence / Contact

Professional Behavior  Pharmacy is a profession directly affecting health and human life. The Pharm.D. is a professional degree, and professional behavior is expected. The behavior of a student who is applying to the Doctor of Pharmacy degree program is observed during contact with our office.

Changes of Applicant Information  If any changes to your information (including address changes) need to be made during the admissions process, please make sure you contact PharmCAS with the changes. In the event of relocation to a new address, please notify us as well. If the preferred address (present or permanent) should be changed for correspondence, please notify us. Otherwise, important information about the application will fail to reach the applicant. This is especially critical as the application and materials deadlines approach.

Indicating Interest  We kindly request that an applicant keep us apprised of his or her interest in attending the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. By submitting a PharmCAS application form and fee, the application process is initiated. It is not complete until we have received the Supplemental Application, $25 fee, and two letters of reference via PharmCAS. The applicant may simply notify us if he or she does not intend to follow through and submit the remaining required items in order to be considered for admission. At that point, we will withdraw the application from consideration.

Application File Completion  Official transcripts and PCAT scores must be forwarded directly to PharmCAS. The Supplemental Application and $25 fee need to be submitted directly to the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. We no longer accept paper Supplemental Application forms. Contact both PharmCAS and the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences to determine what may be needed to complete your file. An incomplete application file cannot be reviewed and considered.

Submitting Materials  The complete mailing address provided in our application materials must be utilized when submitting any item to our office. Failure to do so may result in delays or may cause the application file to be withdrawn from consideration if required materials do not arrive. We can only confirm that items have been received in our office. We cannot trace items that are sent without a complete or correct address and therefore arrive in other offices on the Atlanta campus or on the Macon campus.

Applicant Inquiries  When an applicant has an inquiry about his or her application file, it is imperative that he or she makes every effort to contact us personally. We will discuss an application file only with the applicant. We will not discuss an application file with a parent, relative, friend, or employer.

Personal Interview  When an applicant is scheduled for a personal interview, the applicant must contact our office to confirm his or her attendance at the interview appointment. If we have not received confirmation from the applicant, we will assume that he or she does not plan to appear for the interview. This may result in withdrawal of the application from consideration for admission.

Previous Names  Our filing system is organized in alpha order. If your transcripts or other materials are referenced under a surname other than the "last name" you list on your application form, we may not match these items up with your application! Kindly indicate on your Supplemental Application any other last names under which your academic records may be issued. This will help us process your application accurately.

Status of Application

Incomplete Status  Once all required documentation is received by PharmCAS, they will verify the information, calculate standardized GPAs and then electronically forward your application file to us. You will be able to verify the status of their application on-line via PharmCAS. After we receive your PharmCAS application, your application file will not be considered complete until all additional required documentation is provided to our office. You can contact our office if you need to find out if your file is incomplete.

Final Decisions  A final decision by the Admissions Committee will be communicated to the applicant in written correspondence and may not be obtained via telephone. An applicant who has attended the personal interview will receive written correspondence regarding his or her status following the next Admissions Committee meeting after the interview date and may not obtain this information via telephone. We will make every effort to inform the candidate for admission when a final decision may be expected.

Patience, Please  We welcome phone calls, e-mail messages, and letters; we want applicants to keep in touch with our office. However, please be aware that the process of reviewing hundreds of applications is a time-consuming endeavor demanding care and accuracy. Each applicant deserves individual attention, and the ultimate decision concerning admission involves numerous factors and close examination of all criteria. Patience is appreciated, particularly when awaiting a decision that may take longer than one would like. We understand that applicants are anxious to know the outcome; we regret that some delays in reaching decisions are unavoidable.

Competitive Qualifications

Admissions Criteria  As we review applicant files, we are attempting to compare the most recent academic averages, test scores, and interview standards to those students seeking admission. An applicant's evaluation has a great deal to do with how his or her potential to succeed in pharmacy school and in the profession is measured. While the numerical data is a primary basis for consideration, we place emphasis upon considering as many criteria as possible. Applicants should realize that a good academic record is the best foundation; poor grades place the applicant at an immediate disadvantage.

Scope of Competition  We have received over 1,800 applications for the class entering in August 2008. We enroll a class size of 145 new students each August.

Academic Record  The competitive GPA needed in order to qualify for a required personal interview will be determined by the overall strength of the applicant pool. Grades for all undergraduate coursework attempted are included in this calculation. The average GPA for students accepted in recent years has been between 3.4 and 3.6.

PCAT  All applicants to Mercer's College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences are required to take the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT). Applicants will need to have all of their PCAT scores sent to PharmCAS (school code 104). We recommend taking the PCAT in June and October. A composite percentile score above 80 is preferred. The average composite percentile score for those accepted into the class entering in August 2007 was 85.

Letters of Reference  Letters of reference are extremely important criteria as well. We suggest selecting individuals who are well acquainted with the applicant in an academic or employment setting. These would include: pharmacist(s) (if the applicant has work experience); pre-professional advisor; or professor(s) with whom the applicant has taken classes. Use of the PharmCAS electronic letters of reference (eLOR) system is required. If a pre-professional committee submits a “composite evaluation”, or if a committee or office on behalf of the applicant submits a “compilation” of evaluation letters, these are counted only as one evaluation.

Pharmacy Experience  Pharmacy work experience is encouraged. A student who has chosen a career path without investigating the environment and characteristics of the vocation, may be perceived to lack interest and initiative. A student who has volunteered or worked in a pharmacy has gained invaluable knowledge about his or her future profession and has observed role models who have likely influenced the career decision. Over 90 percent of matriculants in recent years have had work experience.

Personal Interview  Finally, the personal interview is a crucial factor in the decision-making process. Pharmacy is a "people" profession that demands superior communication skills (written and verbal) and outstanding interpersonal skills. The interview forum provides several venues for judgment of the applicant's suitability for the study and practice of pharmacy. The applicant interview should be approached with attitude and dress appropriate for a job interview. Commitment and dedication are fundamental elements for the Pharm.D. candidate.

Fees and Deposits

The $25 Supplemental Application fee cannot be waived under any circumstances and is non-refundable.

A $250 tuition deposit, which is requested upon notification of acceptance, is non-refundable. This is stated in the letter of acceptance.

A second non-refundable $250 tuition deposit is due on June 1.

Thank you for reviewing this information. We appreciate your time and help in making the process of applying to the Mercer University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences as smooth as possible.

Questions?

Call us:   (678) 547-6232
E-mail us:    PharmD@mercer.edu

Updated April 22, 2008