Are you a high school student who is interested in becoming a pharmacist?
The Early Assurance Program (EAP) is for high achieving, prospective first-year students interested in becoming licensed pharmacists.
Acceptance to the EAP program guarantees admission to our Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program if EAP requirements are met by graduation. EAP students also have access to a variety of benefits on campus through their residence in Pharmacy House during their first year.
Benefits of EAP:
- Guaranteed admissions. Being accepted into the EAP program guarantees admission into the PharmD program (if all program requirements are met).
* Please note: EAP students must maintain all program requirements and have course requirements met to be admitted to the PharmD program. Non-EAP students must maintain GPA requirements and go through the competitive admissions process. - Graduate sooner. Follow the BSPS/PharmD Combined Degree pathway and graduate with a bachelor's and PharmD degree in seven years, not eight!
- Non-Binding. If you decide to change your mind, that is okay! We continue to work with students to help them on whatever career path they choose.
We encourage students to apply to the BSPS program by November 1st to ensure they receive their invitation to apply to the EAP Program. Students who are admitted to the Columbus Campus and BSPS will receive an invitation to apply to EAP in early December through January.
EAP application invitations will be sent out in December, and the deadline to apply is March 31, 2023. All materials must be received by this date to be considered for the program. Applicants must have a completed EAP application by the stated deadline above.
Please contact Tyler Swanson, Program Director of Undergraduate Studies if you have any additional questions at COP-BSPSInfo@osu.edu.
- Must have a strong interest in a career in pharmacy.
- Must be admitted to the Columbus campus and declare BSPS as your major.
- Must complete the EAP form sent directly to you after admissions to the Columbus campus.
This policy describes the requirements which EAP students must meet to be eligible for matriculation into the PharmD program and is subject to changes since it is reviewed on an annual basis.
1. Undergraduate Major: Ohio State EAP students are required to follow the Healthcare Professions Pathway within the Bachelor of Science in the Pharmaceutical Sciences (BSPS) degree.
2. Prerequisite Coursework: All EAP students should consult Ohio State’s College of Pharmacy advisors about the prerequisite courses for the PharmD. Ohio State EAP students are required to complete PHR 2510 or PHR 2511H, Introduction to Pharmacy.
3. Pharmacy House: Ohio State EAP students are required to live in the Pharmacy House learning community for one academic year and are expected to participate in at least 50% of EAP programming. Exceptions may be granted for students who demonstrate a compelling need to live in a different environment, which may include a medical need to live in another setting, a need to live in another learning community, and students who commute. Students who are granted this approval are still expected to participate in EAP programming.
4. GPA Requirement: EAP students must meet the 2.7 cumulative undergraduate GPA requirement by the start of the semester for which they intend to matriculate to the PharmD. For EAP students admitted to the university AU 18 and beyond, this calculation includes grades for all coursework taken at other institutions as well as Post-Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) and OSU Academy credits. For EAP students admitted to the university prior to AU 18, the GPA calculation is based off coursework only completed at Ohio State.
5. PCAT: EAP students are not required to take the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT).
6. EAP Admission Deferral: Should the university approve the deferral of an incoming, first-year EAP student due to extenuating circumstances, the student must notify COP-admissions@osu.edu so that the EAP admission may also be deferred.
7. International EAP students: International EAP students must successfully complete a financial review before being able to matriculate into the PharmD program.
Once students are admitted to The Ohio State University and the EAP program, they will be guaranteed a spot in the PharmD program assuming all matriculation criteria is met.
EAP students will have the option of choosing to complete their BSPS degree (four years) prior to beginning their PharmD (four years) on the traditional path, or they may choose to complete the combined BSPS/PharmD program (seven year path). Due to the lock-step nature of the seven year combined degree path, EAP students must decide if they want to opt-in by November 1 of their third year in the BSPS program.
The combined degree program is meant only to serve as an option and not limit a student’s educational experience in any way. For example, if an EAP student prefers to complete their undergraduate degree in the traditional four years in order to take advantage of study abroad, internships, or minor/double major program opportunities, that student would be encouraged to do so.