People often ask, “Which pharmacy schools are the best?” or “How are they ranked?” But the truth is, there’s no simple answer. Every student has different goals, interests, and needs, so what works best for one person might not be the same for another.
Also, the usual factors people consider—like location, professors, community, and so on—are pretty personal and don’t get fully covered in the popular school rankings. In fact, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) doesn’t officially rank pharmacy schools or endorse any ranking lists.
What you can be sure about is that every pharmacy school in the U.S. has to go through a tough accreditation process to make sure they meet high standards.
If you’re a student who already has some college credits and want to figure out which pharmacy school fits you best, here’s a simple 3-step way to do that:
Step 1: Make a comparison spreadsheet
Pharmacy schools often ask for similar classes but describe their requirements differently, both in PharmCAS (the centralized application system) and on their websites. To organize this, create a spreadsheet listing these types of classes:
- Chemistry (including inorganic and organic chemistry)
- Biology (including advanced classes like biochemistry)
- Math (statistics and calculus)
- Communication (written and oral, like composition and speech)
- Social sciences (economics, psychology, etc.)
- Humanities (if required)
- Any other classes that don’t fit in the above categories
Step 2: Check the school’s PharmCAS listing and website
Look up the school’s information on PharmCAS and then on the school’s own site to see what prerequisites they require. Sometimes the info in these two places doesn’t match up perfectly, or the requirements are vague, like “1 or 2 courses” without saying how many credit hours.
Step 3: Compare and verify the prerequisites
Put all the info from PharmCAS into your spreadsheet first. Then double-check it with the school’s official site to catch any differences or exceptions. Talking to a local pre-pharmacy advisor can also help—they often know the quirks of each school’s requirements. Sometimes, what narrows down your options the most is whether you can finish the required courses before applying.
Also Read : Top 10 Pharmacy Programs in Canada
