Students enrolled in the GPA Program receive exclusive benefits, including:

• Notification of acceptance into the Pharm.D. Program two years earlier than standard admissions processes
• Assured acceptance into the Pharm.D. Program pending completion of all maintenance requirements
• Exemption from the required Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT)
• Ability to better prepare for the rigors of the Pharm.D. Program by focusing on pharmacy prerequisite courses instead of the admissions process
• Professional, pharmacy, and leadership skill-building experiences through completion of the PreParE Certificate
• Eligibility for membership on select College of Pharmacy Committees
• All advantages provided to traditional pathway pre-pharmacy students

Qualifications
To receive an invitation to apply for the Gamecock Pharmacy Assurance (GPA) Program, students must:

• Indicate B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Pre-Pharmacy) as their first or second major
• Earn a minimum cumulative high school grade point average of 3.5

Application Process

Students invited to apply for the Gamecock Pharmacy Assurance (GPA) Program must complete the following steps: 

1. Complete the GPA Program application (in addition to the USC undergraduate application) by specified deadline(s)
2. Upon extended invitation, complete the interview process. Interviews will take place during the Spring semester.
3. Receipt of letters of recommendation (additional details and instructions can be found in the GPA Program application)

Students who are extended an invitation to apply to the GPA Program are encouraged to submit application materials as soon as possible. Interview seats are limited and will be issued on a rolling basis.

The Gamecock Pharmacy Assurance (GPA) Program consists of required didactic classes, laboratories, extracurricular activities, and out-of-the-classroom experiences. The structure of the program allows students to fully explore the profession of pharmacy, while strengthening knowledge and skills needed to be successful in the Pharm.D. Program.

GPA Program students are encouraged to engage in abundant opportunities that are offered at the College of Pharmacy and throughout the university campus to form lasting friendships and acclimate themselves to college life.

Didactic and Laboratory Curriculum

GPA students will complete 66 credit hours of pharmacy prerequisite courses in general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, calculus, statistics, general biology, microbiology, English composition, English literature, public speaking, economics, psychology, human anatomy & physiology, and liberal arts electives.

These courses are taught at the undergraduate level by faculty in various colleges throughout the university. Course enrollment will include individuals from various majors thereby encouraging and promoting collaboration amongst a diverse student body.

Upon entering the Pharm.D. program, GPA students transition to professional Pharm.D. students and join a small cohort of around 100 students. Didactic courses expose students to skills in pharmacy mathematics, science of drugs, evidence-based treatment, and laws and regulations. Laboratories allow students to learn and practice skills necessary for various fields of pharmacy. Pharmacy practice experiences encourage students to investigate various fields of pharmacy through working alongside pharmacists and other healthcare professionals to provide hands-on, actual patient care. Almost one-third of the USC College of Pharmacy Pharm.D. curriculum is composed of pharmacy practice experiences.

Co-Curricular Activities

In order to ensure preparedness for the rigors of the Pharm.D. curriculum and eventual practice in the profession of pharmacy, GPA students must complete the Pre-Pharmacy Education (PreParE) certificate requirements.

Components include, but are not limited to: 

• Exposure to the pharmacy profession through shadowing, volunteering, or working in a pharmacy 
• Required reading that culminates with critical thinking and discussion with current pharmacy students 
• Training on research rules and policies 
• Professional development workshops
• Active participation in the Carolina Association of Pre-Pharmacy Students (CAPPS) 
• Community service 

Tuition

Though pre-pharmacy students are advised by individuals within the College of Pharmacy, courses for pre-pharmacy students are taught by multiple departments throughout the university.

As such, tuition for freshman and sophomore years in the GPA program will be at the rates established for the general undergraduate population at South Carolina.

Information regarding tuition, scholarships, and estimated costs of education is available from the Bursar's Office and Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.

Program Fees

In order to continuously create and maintain the highest quality experiences for GPA program students, a program fee of $350 per semester will be required of every student during the two years of prerequisite coursework. This program fee includes the $100 per semester advisement fee that is required of all USC pre-pharmacy students.

Prior to matriculation into the Pharm.D. Program, all GPA Program students will be required to submit an application to our national application system, PharmCAS, which costs approximately $160 and a supplemental USC College of Pharmacy application, which is currently discounted to $65.

Cost Benefits

Students enrolled in the GPA Program may benefit from various cost savings mechanisms, including:

• The transfer of remaining years of USC scholarships towards Pharm.D. tuition rates, if applicable
• The transfer of remaining years of State of South Carolina scholarships towards Pharm.D. tuition rates, if applicable
• A savings of approximately $500 due to PCAT exam exemption
• The elimination of the need to apply to multiple Pharm.D. programs, avoiding unnecessary application costs