To:       Pre-School of Pharmacy Students 

From:  Larry Mindel, School of Pharmacy Admissions

            Lynn Maki, School of Pharmacy Admissions

            Pam Palmer, Pre-School of Pharmacy Advising

 Date:    July 28, 2004

Important Information for Applicants for Admission to the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) Program

 1.  Information about the 2004 – 2005 Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT)

 a.  Candidate Information Booklet 2004 - 2005: Information about the 2004 – 2005 PCAT, including the Candidate  Information Booklet 2004 – 2005, is available at the PCAT web site:  www.pcatweb.info

b.  Content: The content of the 2004 – 2005 PCAT differs from the content of earlier PCAT’s. Limited information about the newly revised test content is listed on Pages 21 and 22 of the PCAT Candidate Information Booklet 2004 – 2005.  Our School of Pharmacy has no information about whether review courses and/or published study guides for the 2004 – 2005 PCAT reflect the recent changes in content. 

c.  Registration for the PCAT:  Individuals registering for the PCAT now have their choice of on-line or paper-based registration.  Please check the PCAT web site listed above for registration information, fees, and deadlines.

 d.  PCAT On-line Practice Test: A representative of Harcourt Assessment, Inc., the company which creates and administers the PCAT, informed us that an on-line practice test is scheduled to be released in September 2004.   Please check the PCAT web site for up-to-date information on this new feature.  Harcourt Assessment, Inc. will charge a fee for the on-line practice test.           

2.  Important Change:  January 22, 2005 PCAT scores acceptable for Pharm.D. applicants seeking Fall 2005 admission 

Previously, two PCAT test dates, October 23, 2004 and November 20, 2004, were listed by our School of Pharmacy as acceptable for Pharm.D. applicants seeking Fall 2005 admission.

Now, a third test date, January 22, 2005, has been added to our list of acceptable PCAT test dates. 

Hence, applicants seeking Pharm.D. admission for Fall 2005 may submit scores from any of the following PCAT test dates: October 23, 2004; November 20, 2004; January 22, 2005.

                                                Pharm.D. applicants must submit one set of PCAT scores.  If a Pharm.D. applicant submits two or more sets of PCAT scores, the Admissions Committee will view both/all sets of PCAT scores but will use the higher/highest set when considering the applicant for admission. 

3.  Special Note to Applicants with Scores from PCAT’s Taken Prior to October 2004: 

The Admissions Committee recommends that all Pharm.D. applicants seeking Fall 2005 admission submit scores from the October 2004, November 2004, or January 2005 PCAT test, any of which will present the newly revised content.  Note:  The Admissions Committee will accept scores from PCAT testing dates earlier than October 23, 2004 for Fall 2005 Pharm.D. admission only.  Pharm.D. applicants seeking admission for Fall 2006 or thereafter must submit scores from a PCAT taken on or after October 23, 2004.  In other words, for Pharm.D. admission for Fall 2006 and thereafter, we will not accept scores from PCAT’s taken prior to October 23, 2004.

 4.  The Application Deadline for all Pharm.D. applicants seeking Fall 2005 admission is November 15, 2004.

            There will be no early decision process for Pharm.D. applicants seeking admission for Fall 2005.  All Pharm.D. application materials (except for PCAT score reports) must be postmarked by November 15, 2004.  In addition, applicants who will be enrolled in academic course work in Fall 2004 will be required to submit an official transcript (to include final grades for Fall 2004 courses) as soon as possible but no later than January 20, 2005.  Academic course work taken in Fall 2004 will be included in the admission review.   Admission decisions are made in March/April.

 

Best wishes for success in your studies!

 

Larry Mindel                            Lynn Maki                             Pam Palmer

Admissions                               Admissions                            Pre-School of Pharmacy Advising

(608) 262-2120                (608) 265-6715                           (608) 262-6234