Dual Acceptance Program (IL)

If you are a high school senior or first-year college freshman and are motivated to become a pharmacist, then our Dual Acceptance Program (DAP) may be ideal for you.

Program Description

The Dual Acceptance Program (DAP) offers high school seniors or first-year college freshmen the opportunity to gain an early acceptance into ³ûÄñÊÓƵ’s College of Pharmacy and complete prerequisite courses at an affiliated school in a two-year timeframe. 


IL Pharmacy Duel Acceptance Program Flier 2024-25
 

If you fulfill all program requirements, then you may enjoy these benefits:

  • Your seat at ³ûÄñÊÓƵ College of Pharmacy is assured in our three-year pharmacy curriculum
    • With two years of pre-pharmacy coursework, plus three years of pharmacy education, you could earn a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree in just five years
  • Choice of campus to attend: Downers Grove, IL or Glendale, AZ
  • Interview completed during the initial admissions process
  • Ongoing support from a dedicated faculty mentor during pre-pharmacy coursework
  • Free abbreviated PharmCAS application required in the fall prior to transfer into MWU 
  • Letters of Recommendation are not required
  • Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) is not required

For details, go to Eligibility & Application Instructions section.

³ûÄñÊÓƵ College of Pharmacy offers a three-year, year-round curriculum that begins in June each year, with an eventual May graduation date. This curriculum provides the high quality pharmacy and experiential education that ³ûÄñÊÓƵ is long known for, in an efficient timeframe for the benefit of our students. 

Affiliated Schools

We have affiliation agreements with the following schools for the completion of your prerequisite courses. Please contact your campus advisor for current course offering to satisfy the prerequisites at the respective schools.

Four-Year Institutions:

  • Benedictine University - Lisle, IL
  • Dominican University - River Forest, IL
  • Elmhurst University - Elmhurst, IL
  • Hebrew Theological College - Skokie, IL
  • Illinois Institute of Technology - Chicago, IL
  • Lewis University - Romeoville, IL
  • Loyola University Chicago - Chicago, IL
  • Rockford University - Rockford, IL
  • University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne, IN
  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee - Milwaukee, WI

Community Colleges:

  • College of DuPage - Glen Ellyn, IL
  • Moraine Valley Community College - Palos Hills, IL
  • Prairie State College - Chicago Heights, IL

Eligibility and Application Instructions

Track 1:

  • Must be a senior in high school at the time of application
  • Must have a weighted cumulative high school GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
  • Apply to one or more of the affiliate schools listed above and later gain acceptance (choose one school to attend)
  • At the same time, apply to ³ûÄñÊÓƵ College of Pharmacy via the free Track 1 application link in the Applications & Admissions Process tab below
  • Completed application and official high school transcripts are due to ³ûÄñÊÓƵ on the following dates:
  • Early Application: November 1st
  • Regular Application: February 15th
  • All pre-pharmacy coursework must be completed within two years at the chosen affiliate school.

Track 2:

  • Must be a full-time first-year student (freshman) already attending one of the affiliate schools (listed above) at the time of application
  • Must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
  • Apply to ³ûÄñÊÓƵ College of Pharmacy via the free Track 2 application link in the Applications & Admissions Process section below
  • Completed application and official affiliate school transcripts are due on June 6th. Transcripts must reflect two semesters of full-time coursework at the affiliate school.
  • All pre-pharmacy coursework must be completed within two years at the affiliate school from the time of acceptance into the Dual Acceptance Program. (Please note: classes begin each summer at ³ûÄñÊÓƵ; mid-year transfers are not available.)

Applications for both programs and tracks are free and available in the Applications & Admissions Process tab below. Applicants should additionally reflect a motivation for and commitment to the pharmacy profession. Upon review of completed applications and submitted transcripts, invitations for participation in Interview Day will be extended, after which conditional admission decisions are rendered.

Participation in the Dual Acceptance Program is not a binding decision to attend ³ûÄñÊÓƵ upon completion of prerequisite courses.

 

GPA Requirements

All grade-point averages (GPAs) shown are based on a 4.0 scale.

Pre-Pharmacy Course Work Track/Applicant TypeRequired for Admission into Dual Acceptance ProgramRequired for Transfer into MWU-College of Pharmacy 3
Four-Year SchoolsTrack 1 | high school applicants
Track 2 | affiliate school freshmen
3.0

3.0 2
3.0

3.0
Community CollegesTrack 1 | high school applicants
Track 2 | affiliate school freshmen
3.0

3.0 2
3.0

3.0

1  Weighted cumulative high school GPA
2  From two semesters of full-time college coursework at the affiliate school
3  A minimum 2.5 GPA in science courses must also be achieved in addition to other program requirements for Dual Acceptance Program transfer into ³ûÄñÊÓƵ’s College of Pharmacy. 

 

Your Fast Track to Becoming a Pharmacist

To learn more about the Dual Acceptance Program please contact your affiliate school or the MWU Office of Admissions. To complete an interest form and connect directly with the office of admissions regarding this program please click on the link below.

Additional Information

Application
For both Track 1 and Track 2, you may access the application via this link:

Track 1 Applicants: Deadline: November 1st (early application) or February 15th (regular application). To apply to affiliate schools for the pre-pharmacy coursework, please contact the institution(s) directly. If you are applying to more than one affiliate school, this can be designated in the application.

Track 2 Applicants: Deadline: June 6th
 

Transcripts
For both Tracks, official transcripts should be forwarded to the campus that you anticipate attending for your Pharm.D. program:

Illinois
³ûÄñÊÓƵ
Office of Admissions
555 31st Street
Downers Grove, IL 60515

Arizona
³ûÄñÊÓƵ
Office of Admissions
19555 North 59th Avenue
Glendale, AZ 85308

Please note: Transcripts for Track 2 applicants should reflect two semesters of full-time course work at the affiliate school.


Interviews
After the ³ûÄñÊÓƵ Office of Admissions receives all completed application materials, applicant files are reviewed to determine which applicants merit invitations to participate in the interview process.

During the interview process, candidates will:

  • Participate in individual interviews, which will be used to evaluate verbal communication skills, understanding of the pharmacy profession, commitment to patient care, and other elements as determined by faculty. 
  • Participate in a writing sample exercise.
  • Learn more about the pharmacy program and student services.

Applicants may additionally tour the ³ûÄñÊÓƵ campus, which will include pharmacy education facilities.

Following applicant interviews, files are forwarded to the Admissions Committee for review. The committee may recommend to accept or to deny a student's conditional admission. These recommendations are then forwarded to the Dean for final approval. The Dean—via the Office of Admissions—notifies applicants of their status within two weeks of their interviews. Conditionally accepted applicants will be ensured a seat at ³ûÄñÊÓƵ College of Pharmacy upon successful completion of the program requirements.

All five of the following academic conditions must be met to retain admission to the College of Pharmacy for the respective summer quarter. If any conditions are not met, then the student will be encouraged to apply to the College of Pharmacy via the traditional application process (i.e. complete a full PharmCAS application, interview again, etc.).
 

Condition #1  
All pre-pharmacy prerequisite courses must be completed at the affiliated college or university within a two-year period for Track 1 students, and within two years upon acceptance into the Dual Acceptance Program for Track 2 students. (All courses must be completed by end of spring semester just before transition into the College of Pharmacy.) Please refer to the appropriate required coursework for a particular affiliated college or university.

  • Students cannot take summer classes at another college or university, even if that school is a DAP affiliate school.
  • Note that some affiliated colleges or universities require placement exams and have special requirements for students who earn advanced placement credit.
  • Some exceptions to the "affiliate college or university only" rule may apply.  
  • For example: Recognized AP credit granted for work completed prior to beginning at the affiliated college or university. If the institution recognizes and grants a student credit and the credit appears on that student's transcript, then that credit will be accepted.

Condition #2
A 3.0 minimum cumulative grade point average (GPAs) must be achieved and maintained to remain in the program.

Only courses taken at the affiliated college or university are used in the final cumulative GPA calculation.

Condition #3
A minimum pre-pharmacy science grade point average (GPA) of 2.50 must be also achieved and maintained.

Condition #4
Student must earn a grade of C or higher in all required prerequisite courses.

Condition #5
In the first year of the program, students may repeat one course for a higher grade one time. Both attempts will be included in the cumulative GPA calculation.

 

In addition to meeting these academic conditions, Dual Acceptance Program students must:

  • Upon acceptance, submit a signed Letter of Understanding to the ³ûÄñÊÓƵ Admissions Office.
  • At the conclusion of the summer term after the first full year of pre-pharmacy coursework at the affiliate school, complete a free abbreviated PharmCAS application. Only certain portions will be required and will not require letters of recommendation and other pre-determined sections. Instructions will be emailed from the Office of Admissions at that time, along with a PharmCAS code for the free application.
  • Sign and return a College of Pharmacy Matriculation Agreement and Technical Standards Certification Form. Both of these agreements will be sent to qualified students in the fall before their completion of their pre-pharmacy coursework in the following spring. The Matriculation Agreement will outline deposit requirements, transcript submission, proof of immunization, proof of insurance, and mandatory health testing requirements.
  • Submit required matriculation deposit fee (amount and deadline date will be designated in Matriculation Agreement.)
     

In order to enhance their performance when later attending College of Pharmacy, students should consider these additional experiences:

  • Involvement in extracurricular/leadership activities in the community or affiliated college or university.
  • Volunteer or paid healthcare experiences (pharmacy, if possible)

Progress Checks
Program students should meet with their affiliated college or university's assigned academic advisor every semester. The advisor monitors the progress of students and will advise the College of Pharmacy of any students failing to meet the requirements.

A review of academic status by the College of Pharmacy will take place at the conclusion of the summer term after the first full year of pre-pharmacy coursework at the affiliate school. The submission of transcripts will take place via the abbreviated PharmCAS application, which will be free to program participants. Upon review of these transcripts/PharmCAS applications, formal decisions of acceptance into the College of Pharmacy will be rendered by the Dean's Office, and matriculation documents will be forwarded to those who have successfully met program requirements.

Any student who fails to meet the program requirements will be encouraged to apply to the College of Pharmacy via the traditional route (submit full PharmCAS application, interview again, etc.). NOTE, the traditional application process is competitive, hence former Dual Acceptance Program students must compete for available seats and are not guaranteed admission via this route.

The following agreements are not associated with the Dual Acceptance Program (DAP). These are additional early assurance opportunities during the application process.


Benedictine University’s MSIP Program Applicants
If you are currently enrolled in Benedictine University's Master of Science in Integrative Physiology (MSlP) program, you may be eligible for a guaranteed interview as an applicant to ³ûÄñÊÓƵ's College of Pharmacy's Pharm.D. program. To qualify for a guaranteed interview as part of the application process, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Meet all traditional admission requirements of ³ûÄñÊÓƵ's pharmacy program.
  • Apply for admission to ³ûÄñÊÓƵ using PharmCAS by the May 1st deadline for
  • Summer enrollment at ³ûÄñÊÓƵ immediately following the completion of the MSlP at Benedictine.
  • Have an MSlP program GPA of 3.5 or higher at the time of application to ³ûÄñÊÓƵ.
  • No final course grade less than a "C" in Benedictine University's MSlP program.
  • Have a Cumulative Overall GPA of 3.2 or higher, including courses taken in Benedictine University's MSlP program.
  • Be recommended by the Director of the MSlP program with an additional letter from a professional or academic reference.
  • Patient contact experience is highly recommended, particularly to demonstrate a discernment process to enter the pharmacy profession.
  • All applicants must meet ³ûÄñÊÓƵ's technical standards, which is essential to delineate the psychomotor, cognitive and affective skills needed for matriculation into, continuation in, and graduation from the educational program.
  • If accepted into the program, must meet all other enrollment requirements including but not limited to medical, criminal background, and substance abuse clearance.

Arizona Christian University Applicants
If you are currently enrolled in Arizona Christian University, you may be eligible for a guaranteed interview as an applicant to ³ûÄñÊÓƵ's College of Pharmacy's Pharm.D. program. To qualify for a guaranteed interview as part of the application process, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Achieve a minimum of a 3.25 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate coursework (with a 3.25 cumulative grade point average in sciences);
  • Have completed the minimum number of the prerequisite courses (as stated in the ³ûÄñÊÓƵ Catalog) in the prescribed subject areas at a regionally accredited college or university with a grade of C or better before the program begins;
  • Have the ability to successfully fulfill all technical standards for the respective College;
  • Receive satisfactory scores at the interview with the MWU Admissions Committee members on the day of the admissions interview;
  • Demonstrate a good understanding of and a sincere interest in pharmacy, including shadowing at least one pharmacy professional prior to admission;
  • Personal integrity and sound moral character;
  • Reflect a people/service orientation through community service or extracurricular activities;
  • Abide by the ³ûÄñÊÓƵ Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy;
  • Pass a criminal background check; and
  • Meet all other requirements set forth by MWU, including requirements documented in the catalog and student handbook.