FALL 2008

STATEMENT
The Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University accepts approximately 200 students each Fall semester to the professional Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) Program. The professional program is very competitive and offers no guarantee of admission. Selection is based on several factors that include, but are not limited to, grade point average; test scores; personal statement; letters of recommendation; and interview.

Information provided on this page is intended for professional (year 3) candidates only.  If you are seeking admission for the pre-pharmacy program (years 1 & 2) then you should consult the Undergraduate Bulletin and the Fall 2008 Pharmacy Guidelines Booklet for application instructions.


Changes to the application process
Beginning Fall 2008 all internal LIU students (including pre-pharmacy) and external transfer applicants applying to the professional (year 3) program are required to apply through the Pharmacy College Admission Service (PharmCAS) for consideration.  All required documentation is to be submitted directly to them for processing.

Below we have listed our application requirements for Fall 2008. Please read through it carefully. Completion of these requirements, whether you are a current LIU student or an external new transfer applicant, does not guarantee admission.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

1. Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) - PharmCAS is an electronic application service operated by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). All professional (year 3) applications, including current LIU students, should be processed through this service. There is a separate non-negotiable fee required. To complete the application and receive further information please visit their web site at www.pharmcas.org.

Application deadline:  February 1, 2008 for the Fall 2008 entering class.  The application, transcripts, and supporting materials must be received by PharmCAS by this date. 

2. Supplemental Application - In addition to the PharmCAS application you must submit a supplemental application (undergraduate transfer application) for the Pharm.D. Program (not required for current LIU students). Applications can be obtained from the Admissions Office at (718) 488-1011. For your convenience our free online application is available at www.brooklyn.liu.edu. The deadline for submission to the Admissions Office is February 1, 2008.

3. Transcripts - Submit official transcripts from every college or university previously attended directly to PharmCAS. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and 3.0 science GPA is required for consideration. Before entry into the Pharm. D. program, in addition to other requirements, satisfactory completion of all pre-professional coursework is required by the end of Summer 2008. Also, provide a list of current coursework in progress and future courses; i.e. Fall 2007, Spring 2008, and Summer 2008.

*Students with credentials from abroad should submit evaluations and translations for university work, also sent directly to PharmCAS. Please refer to our website or the Fall 2008 Pharmacy Guidelines Booklet to obtain the list of acceptable agencies.

4. Personal Statement - Part of the PharmCAS application is a personal essay, approximately one page in length, addressing why you selected Pharmacy as a career and how the Doctor of Pharmacy degree relates to your immediate and long-term professional goals. You should explain why you want to be a pharmacist, and support this information with autobiographical details including pharmacy, health care, work or volunteer experiences, related extracurricular activities, leadership roles, or any other important information.

5. Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) scores - This test measures the student’s knowledge in Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Ability, Chemistry, Biology and Writing. Scores must be submitted for consideration into the professional program for Fall 2008 and should be sent directly to PharmCAS. First consideration will be given to those candidates who have completed the test prior to February 1, 2008.   

*Pre-registration for the exam is required.  Please find the available testing dates listed on their website at www.PCATweb.info.  PCAT scores should not be older than 3 years.

6. Letters of Recommendation - Two letters of recommendation are required. These letters can be from an employer, professor, supervisors of a community service project, etc.; however they may not come from a family member, teaching assistant, co-worker or friend. You will need to designate your evaluators as part of your PharmCAS application. Electronic submission of letters of reference is preferred but paper references are accepted. Paper references must accompany the PharmCAS reference form (available on the PharmCAS web site) in the same envelope.

7. Interviews - Personal interviews will be required for selected candidates only. Notification to interviewees will be posted to the individual PharmCAS accounts with an additional letter sent through federal mail. Interviews are scheduled to begin in March 2008.

8.  Additional Information - Information such as criminal background checks and drug screening will be required but should not be completed until asked by the university.

Note: The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences requires criminal background checks and drug screenings for applicants invited to interview.

OTHER HELPFUL INFORMATION

Information Packets
Information regarding pre-requisite courses, course descriptions, and complete program information is available in our Pharmacy Bulletin, Undergraduate Bulletin, and the Fall 2008 Pharmacy Guidelines Booklet, which can also be seen by clicking on the individual links. You may also contact the Admissions Office at (718) 488-1011 to receive a packet. Note: Information on this page can also be viewed in the Fall 2008 Pharmacy Guidelines Booklet.

Communications
Status checks - Applicants should log into their accounts on the PharmCAS website to retrieve information. All activity in reference to file completion, interviews, decisions, etc. will be posted there. In addition, the Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University uses federal mail as the primary means of communicating with applicants and all admitted applicants should receive correspondence in the form of a letter.

Tuition Deposits
ADMITTED candidates to the College of Pharmacy will be required to submit a non-refundable $500 tuition deposit to hold their seats [does not apply to current LIU students]. The deadline for the tuition deposit will be included in the letter of admission. If the deposit is not received by the listed deadline then the seat will be considered forfeited and granted to a candidate on the wait list; there are no exceptions. Once received, the tuition deposit will be credited to the first semester tuition upon enrollment into the College of Pharmacy. All late deposits will be returned.

Financial Aid
Applicants to the College of Pharmacy who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens should submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Scholarships and grants – Academic scholarships and grants are available to entering students who meet our academic guidelines [please refer to the Financial Aid section within the Admissions website for scholarship and grant information]. However, those applicants who have obtained a Bachelor’s Degree (4 year) from a regionally accredited college or university are not eligible to receive scholarship awards. Recipients of scholarships and grants are required to maintain a minimum required GPA and complete the (FAFSA) each year to maintain eligibility.

Note: Academic Scholarships are only applicable to the undergraduate portion of the Pharm.D. Program. This means if, upon entry to the university, an applicant receives an academic scholarship; once they have reached the 5th year of the program they are considered a graduate student and the scholarship will no longer be applied. However, there are other awards available, through the Financial Services Office, to assist students whose status has changed from undergraduate to graduate.