2. Admissions: The Changing Landscape
Andrea Wall, Associate Dean for Pharmacy Student and Alumni Affairs University of Cincinnati
Thomas TenHoeve, Associate Dean for Student Affairs University of Illinois at Chicago
February 28, 2017

3. Background
The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy 2013‐2015 Special Committee on Admissions was charged to:
examine current admissions practices used by pharmacy schools
evaluate innovative practices used by other health professions
make recommendations as to how schools may holistically assess at admissions the types of learners who will become the confident practice‐ready graduates and future leaders/innovators the profession needs
The committee was encouraged to examine pre‐pharmacy requirements, recruitment strategies, admissions requirements and strategic admissions practices, and support for evaluating and admitting non‐traditional and international applicants.

4. Outcome of Special Committee on Admissions
White Paper on Pharmacy Admissions: Developing a Diverse Work Force to Meet the Health-Care Needs of an Increasingly Diverse Society
Andrea L. Wall, Alex Aljets, Steve C. Ellis, Daniel J. Hansen, W. Mark Moore, Heather M.W. Petrelli, Marilyn K. Speedie, Tom TenHoeve, Cynthia Watchmaker, Janeen S. Winnike, and Stephanie D. Wurth
American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, :7
Recommendation to Schools and Colleges, AACP and ACPE

5. Recommendations of Special Committee on Admissions
Recruitment
Holistic Admissions
Cooperative Admissions Guidelines (CAG) – “traffic rules”
Research and Publication

6. Part I – Recruitment
AACP Strategic Plan incorporated the recommendations.
Mission Driven Priorities
Strategic Priority 1: Enriching the Applicant Pipeline
Pipeline expansion
Applicant Pool
Increase Diversity
Pharmacy is Right for Me National Campaign

8. PharmCAS Applications 2016-2017
Applications – 12,491 (as of Feb 3, 2017) Last Application deadline - March 1, 2017

9. Part II: Holistic Admissions
AACP Holistic Admissions Institute - January 23-25
Collaborate with other health education associations in development of admissions resources and training
Provide on-going admissions training

10. Part III: Cooperative Admissions Guidelines (CAG)
Also known as “traffic rules”
Guidance document for schools to work together with the common goal of admitting a diverse well rounded academically strong student body
Provides the schools/colleges a standard approach for timing of admissions decisions and financial considerations
Provides the students standard dates and deadlines so they can make the best decision for their pharmacy education
Other professional and health professions school guidelines: AACOM, ADEA, AAMC, ACAPT, AALS, ASCO

11. Cooperative Admissions Guidelines (CAG)
AACP Board approved the following at its November meeting:
“The AACP Board of Directors endorses the proposed Cooperative Admissions Guidelines  (attached) and encourages its adoption by colleges and schools of pharmacy over the next three years. AACP will monitor adoption and evaluate the results on an annual basis.”
Adoption/Implementation target

12. CAG Highlights
Benefits to Students – multiple interviews with less financial burden, time for decision regarding best fit for their education, March 1 for decision
Benefits to Schools- knowledge of acceptances earlier, market program, less “melt”, lessen issues regarding competition for smaller applicant pool
Best Practices – mission driven, education and training of staff and faculty, research and scholarship

13. CAG Highlights Before March 1: After March 1:
Applicants may hold multiple offers
Applicants may be required to pay deposit of up to $200 per acceptance which may be non-refundable
After March 1:
Applicants may hold only one acceptance
Schools may require a second deposit
Schools can make offers after March 1 but applicant can only hold one acceptance
Responsibility for applicants clearly stated in PharmCAS and school directions to applicant

14. Implications
How are admissions applications fees used at your institution?
How are deposits used?
Are funds handled through university?
Through college/school of pharmacy?
Early decision – will there be increased costs associated with increased number of schools participating and applicants accepted?
What changes/enhancements may need to be made to admissions office?

15. Part III: Cooperative Admissions Guidelines Implementation An Example
University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)
College of Pharmacy

16. UIC Old Model Rolling Admissions
Early Decision Admissions Interviews – September through October
Regular Admissions Interviews – October through March
Admission Offers – September through August
Deposit - $1,000 due within two weeks of offer
On-going Scholarship Consideration

17. UIC New Model Rolling Admissions
Early Decision Admission Interviews – September through October
Regular Admissions Interviews – September through March
Admission Offers - September through August
New Deposit Structure
New Scholarship Structure

18. New Deposit Structure
Early Decision Admission Offers
        Full acceptance deposit ($1000) – due two weeks after offer
Regular Admission Offers
before March 15
        Initial acceptance deposit ($200) – due two weeks after offer
           Final acceptance deposit ($800) – due March 15
after March 15

19. New Scholarship Structure
Applicants receive scholarship information
when they are notified that the admissions committee is reviewing their file
when the interview invitation is sent.
Priority Scholarship Application Deadline: Feb 15
Scholarship Notification: March 1 – 7 (at least a week ahead of the final deposit deadline)

20. Goals
To be more applicant friendly by allowing them more time to consider all of their options to promote making the best decision for themselves.
To get applicants to consider UIC COP.
To get applicants to apply earlier in the cycle.
To give UIC COP more time to market/promote program – open the gates of communication.
To move a good percentage of the melt into March rather than during the summer months.

21. 2015
Acceptances Data
2016 92
Declined Interviews 49
Interviews by Month
September 25 43
October 85 21
November 55
December 3 64
Total Fall Interviews
168 60
January 91 52
February 73
March
35 (scheduled so far) 19
April

22. Total Fall Offers Accepted
2015
Offers Data
2016 58
Total Fall Offers Accepted
147
172
Total Offers Accepted
221*
Initial and Final Deposit Paid
111* 34
Total Offers Declined
32* 19
Reneged on Offer Accepted
14*
190
Target Acceptances
* to date

23. Contemplations
110 Applicants haven’t paid final deposit (65 of them are out-of-state)
Two weeks left before final deposit is due
How high do you “stack the deck” during the cycle?
How long do you hold offers after interviews while you’re waiting to see if outstanding offers come back accepted?
Waitlist?

24. Conclusions This will be a new process for everyone.
People want answers about how this is going to work. Unfortunately, I don’t have the answers!
We’ll all have to use the trial and error process the first year or two, just like we did when we moved to rolling admissions.