More and more pharmacists are required in the US to cater to the healthcare needs of the Baby Boom generation who are aging rapidly.
The increase in pharmacy courses has resulted in many colleges lowering their standards. Â This is good for people who want to find the easiest pharmacy schools to get into but it isn’t ideal for the profession as some schools couple lower entry requirements with lower standards of tuition.
Before we start: We are trying to put together a series of affordable schools via state.
Listed below are the states we have so far, please let us know in the comments below if you wish us to research your state.
and now.
Notoriously hard schools to enter . . .Â
Where to avoid?
Anywhere in California.
Each year there are around 3,000 – 3,500 applicants for each school. Â Out of this, only 10% will get interviews. So to get onto a pharmacy course here is going to require a stellar GPA.
If you are under 3.3 you are at a disadvantage. The majority of those accepted at any school, let alone in California, is going to be  3.3+
Quick rule to find easy schools . . .
The obvious schools to look at are your state schools and pretty much any recently opened school that doesn’t have a proven track record of success. State schools have the added bonus of saving you $100K in student debt if you study there. This can push up competitiveness, but the flipside is that more places are often reserved for in-state candidates.
Private schools, where money talks, are also easier to obtain entry into. Â There are minimum academic requirements but often these are lower than they would normally be, as the aim is to bring in wealthier, but not as academically gifted students.
Here is some information on how to fund pharmacy school.
A Quora user also had this piece of advice to offer:
Look for 3-year programs at private institutions. These programs tend to feature large class sizes, be more expensive than state schools, not require the PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test) and feature a lower GPA entrance requirement. Make sure that the school is accredited!Â
A few examples of GPA’s requiredÂ
These figures are taken from the excellent forums at: Studentdoctor.net
-Touro (3.3 GPA avg)/California Northstate (3.2 GPA average)
-UOP (putting this higher than the next two because they seem to accept a lot of people early in the cycle though in the end it probably evens out) (~3.4 GPA average)
-Western and Loma Linda (~3.4 GPA averages)
-USC (3.5 average GPA)
-UCSD (3.7 average GPA)/UCSF (3.6 GPA average)
Five to try to enter . . .
South College School of Pharmacy
South College School of Pharmacy is located Knoxville, Tennessee. It provides the only 3 yr institution in Tennessee. It is a small school so getting around the campus is very easy. Most of the teachers are part-time so classes require you to attend in person with no video lectures or slide notes. Students have reported that this is a great school if you are very self-driven.
There were 100 students accepted into the school last year.
Admission requirements include:Â
- An Interview
- PCAT
Min GPA Considered: 2.7
Min Pre-Requisite GPA Considered: 2.75
Cost of tution:Â
In-State $45,300
Out-of-State $45,300
Texas Southern University
TSU has the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Students can study for a Doctor in Pharmacy or a Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Studies. TSU accepts students from around the United States as well as international students. The process of applying for pharmaceutical school at TSU is not as hard as at many colleges because only a good GPA score is required. Plus an interview. If an individual has a strong GPA he should be accepted into pharmacy school at TSU.
There were 125 people accepted into the school last year.
Admission requirements include:Â
- An Interview
- PCAT
Min GPA Considered: 2.75
Min Pre-Requisite GPA Considered: 2.75
Cost of tution:Â
In-State $13,467
Out-of-State $16,811
South Dakota State University
South Dakota State University is the largest university in the state. As the state has a relatively low population, the admissions process is easier than in other more populated areas of the country.
SDSU has the College of Pharmacy which focuses on Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacy Practice. Unlike some universities, SDSU only requires an individual to provide his/her PCAT score. For individuals who did well on the PCAT but have a lower than expected GPA, South Dakota offers the opportunity to attend a quality school for pharmaceutical studies.
There were 240 people who applied for SDSU with an acceptance rate of 33.3%
Admission requirements include:Â
- An Interview
- PCAT
Min GPA Considered: 2.7
Cost of Tuition:
In-State $16,761
Out-of-State $26,443
Oregon State University
OSU is one of the leading research universities in the country.  The School of Pharmacy was established over 100 years ago and provides students with a quality education. Oregon state offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral pharmacy degrees. Students are required to provide their GPA, but not, PCAT, scores during application.
There were 720 people who applied for SDSU with an acceptance rate of 11.8%
Admission requirements include:Â
- An Interview
- PCAT
Min GPA Considered: 2.75
Min Pre-Requisite GPA Considered:Â 2.9
Cost of Tuition:
In-State $14,256
Out-of-State $24,552
Purdue University
Purdue University is consistently ranked in the Top 20 schools in the US. In order to apply for the pharmacy program, a student must have completed a four-year undergraduate degree while maintaining a strong GPA. You’re also required to have taken the GRE. Purdue University is an ideal for any graduate student with high grades seeking to earn a pharmacy degree.
There were 570 people who applied for SDSU with an acceptance rate of 26.3%
Admission requirements include:Â
- Interview
- PharmCAS
- Supplemental Application
Min GPA Considered:Â 3.3
Cost of Tuition:
In-State $22,026
Out-of-State $40,286
Don’t forget the University of Toledo. Only 120 people applied and 86% got in.