Top 10 Pharmacy Schools With Low GPA Requirements

Do you want to pursue your career in pharmacy, but you are worried about your grades? If this is the problem, you can take admission into a pharmacy school which has low GPA requirements.Listen things happen, but the worst thing you can do is give up. We have a success story where something happened to a student and they still pushed forward to get into Pharmacy School and you can see what happened below. Don’t give up.

In this post, we will talk about pharmacy schools that are less competitive and have low grades requirements.

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Pharmacy Schools with Low GPA Requirements

These are the schools with low GPA requirements:

1. Appalachian College of Pharmacy

The college is at Oakwood Virginia. The average admitted GPA score of Appalachian College of Pharmacy is 3.0. The NAPLEX pass rate of this pharmacy school is 99.2%. It is one of the less competitive colleges for PharmD.

2. South College

South College in Knoxville Tennesse also has comparatively low GPA requirements. The average GPA is 3.0. Its NAPLEX rate is 95.7%. The pharmacy program of South College is very small. The number of faculty members is only 38 and total admitted students are around 100.

3. Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

The school is located at Suwanee, Georgia. PCOM Pharmacy school is in three pharmacy practice areas: acute care pharmacy, ambulatory care pharmacy, and managed care pharmacy. Its acceptance rate is 15.2% and the average GPA score is 3.0.

4. Saint Joseph’s University

Saint Joseph University for Doctor of Pharmacy is located at Hartford, Connecticut. The pharmacy program at SJU can go on to work in clinical research, medical sales, pharmacology, product/process development, etc. The average GPA of students admitted at this pharmacy school is 3.1.

5. Regis University

Regis University is at Denver, Colorado. The acceptance rate at this pharmacy school is around 27.4%. The average GPA of students admitted to the Doctor of Pharmacy at Regis University is 3.1. Also, this pharmacy school considers students with a 2.5 GPA score.

6. Chicago State University

Chicago State University for pharmacy is located at Chicago, Illinois. The average GPA of students takes admission at Chicago State University is 3.1. And, the acceptance rate at this university is around 35.6%.

7. Notre Dame of Maryland University

This is another one of the least competitive pharmacy school in the United States. It is located at Baltimore, Maryland. The acceptance rate at this pharmacy school is 32.5% and the average GPA score of students admitted to this school is 3.15.

8. University of New England

The University of New England for pharmacy is at Portland Maine. Its average GPA score for admitted students is 3.15. The good thing about this college is it charges the same fees for both in-state and out-of-state students.

9. Marshall University

Marshall University is at Huntington, West Virginia. This school for pharmacy is not just least competitive, but it is also one of the cheapest pharmacy schools. The average GPA of students admitted for the Pharm D program at Marshall University is 3.18.

10. Northeast Ohio Medical University

This pharmacy college is at Rootstown, Ohio. At Northeast Ohio Medical Univeristy, you have more chances of getting admission, because its acceptance rate is 42.2%. Talking about GPA, the average GPA of students admitted at Northeast Ohio Medical University is 3.19.

How Can I Get Into Pharmacy School With A Low GPA?

One of the essential things for getting into a pharmacy school is having a decent GPA score. The GPA is one of the factors which determines your chances of getting admission into the pharmacy school.

Apart from the GPA score, pharmacy schools consider other factors such as student’s work history, experiences, etc. Hence, if you have got a low GPA, still there’s a hope that you will get admission to any pharmacy school.

You can get into the pharmacy school by highlighting your other accomplishments apart from grades. By enrolling in classes such as chemistry and microbiology, you can increase your chances of getting the admission.

Another available option is becoming a pharmacy technician. You can complete a pharmacy technician program in around 6 months or less and get some work experience. With your experience as a pharmacy technician, you can get into a pharmacy school with a low GPA.

Can I Get into Pharmacy School With A 2.7 GPA?

With a 2.7 GPA score, you will not be able to get the admission into your dream pharmacy school. The majority of pharmacy schools out there require a minimum GPA of 3.0 for the application.

However, you can get into a lower-ranked pharmacy school with your 2.7 GPA score. If your GPA is low, but your PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test) score is good, the chances for getting admission increases.

The students’ GPA requirements differ from one pharmacy college to another. Some colleges require students to have a minimum of 3.0 GPA, some require a minimum of 2.7 GPA, while some colleges accept applications of students with any GPA score.

If you have got a 2.7 GPA, your experiences and work history will help you get into a pharmacy school.

What is the Average GPA For Pharmacy School?

The minimum GPA requirement and the average GPA for pharmacy school will differ from one school to another.

Some pharmacy schools have a minimum GPA requirement of 3.0, some have 2.7, while some pharmacy schools take applications of all students with any GPA score. Most of the pharmacy schools require a GPA of at least 3.0.

Talking about the average GPA, this also differs from one college to another. It usually ranges between 3.0 and 3.5 GPA. Depending on the pharmacy school you select, it can get higher than 3.5.

Success Stories Low GPA Getting Into Pharmacy School

Below is a story that we curated off a Pharmacist forum from a student that went through some hardships and still got into Pharmacy School. As stated the worst thing you can do is give up and not try.

Wilson’s Success Story

Hi all,

I wanted to share my story with any future applicants to show that even in the most unfavorable scenario, it is possible to get admission offers. Last cycle I was a nervous wreck and I scoured these forums for any insight into my chances. I was certain that it was impossible for me to even get an interview. Being a reserved person, I am embarrassed to share this even anonymously (haha) because I know how pathetic my stats were. But I hope this can serve as anecdotal inspiration to keep working towards your goal even if you doubt yourself, cause I sure as hell did.

My background:
My undergrad GPA was around 2.12. I switched majors several times in college and never found my passion. Several of these majors were in the engineering field, thus many of my F’s and D’s were in high-level math and science coursework. But toward the end I had lost motivation entirely and was performing poorly on just about everything. I didn’t like any of my classes, I was always absent, and I felt very disconnected from school.

I ended up graduating in 5 years with a bachelors degree in biology. I worked serving jobs for a couple years, and then got a job in a retail pharmacy as a tech. It was during this time that I came to love pharmacy and decided to apply. While working full-time, I re-took many of the math & science pre-reqs I had done poorly in…about a year’s worth of classes… at my local community college. I got mostly A’s and a few B’s on these (my post-grad GPA was 3.6), but with how many credits I had already taken it didn’t even put a dent in my cGPA.

About a year before I applied, I had a personal situation arise that left me and my family devastated. Without going into too much detail, I did not handle the stress properly and made an extremely poor decision that led to me being charged with a misdemeanor. The judge granted me deferred judgment and 12 months probation. It was my first criminal offense and I was so angry with myself that I could let something like that happen.

As you can imagine, at this point it seemed almost a joke to want to apply. I was already worried about my poor GPA, but a recent criminal charge on top of that? I read EVERY possible post and discussion and I believed I was doomed. The only redeeming factors of my application were my work experience (3+ years as a tech at the time I applied) and my PCAT score (98th percentile). I also believe I had a solid personal statement. Between that and the section to explain my criminal record, I was extremely trite about my past failures and the lessons I had learned. In my application I also focused on the many valuable experiences I had gained from being a tech.

I applied to 6 schools and got interview offers from 4. I was offered admission from every school I interviewed at, including my first choice. So… it is possible. Not everyone’s situation is the same, but I just wanted to share my story for anyone possibly freaking out… whatever you do, please don’t give up just like that. I wish all of you the best of luck with applications!

ICE Phoenix Low GPA Success Story

I am a first year pharmacy student. Like a lot of you, I was incredibly scared and very nervous to apply. I graduated undergrad with a non science degree and a 2.2GPA. I figured my dreams where shot. I decided to take some classes, but because I already had 200+ credits, 4.0 semesters meant minuscule improvements in GPA for me. I took the PCAT and got a 64 my first time around. But I didn’t quit and didn’t give up. I took more classes, got my GPA up to a 2.55 which, after PharmCAS, was reduced to a 2.45. I retook the PCAT and got a 91. I only applied to 4 schools, and got interviews for 2, and was accepted to my top choice.

I realize this is not typical. But don’t let people tell you that because you don’t have a 3.5 GPA you are hopeless. You are not! There are many schools that take you with a 2.5 minimum, some will even work with you if you meet other criteria. Do not be discouraged! Try your best! If you want it you can do it!

I attached my list from last year of schools that required a 2.5 minimum. It’s obviously not been updated, but I hope it helps you! Keep in mind, doing other things to strengthen your application is good as well. When I applied, I had 6 years experience as a pharm tech in retail concurrent with 1 year of experience in hospital pharmacy. I had awesome LORs, and a great PCAT score. Compensate elsewhere.

Good luck!

Final Thoughts

If you have got a low GPA, you can still get into a pharmacy school. Your experiences and work history can play a great role.

In this post, we have shared the list of top 10 pharmacy schools with low GPA requirements. These are the best and low competitive pharmacy schools in the United States.

Don’t sell yourself short apply too many different schools. If something happened make sure you are ready to explain yourself and maybe send in an additional letter with your application or have a reference to someone who can explain it whether it be a teacher or other role model that has had your back through the years.

There are many schools and options out there so you may need to be lenient on your location. There is also distance learning available these days that open up other doors. If you are very concerned just apply to 6-8 different Pharmacy Schools on this list and take any additional steps you can when it comes to experience and community service.