Achieving Enrollment Outcomes by Aligning Applicant Recruitment and Selection with Unique Organizational Niches

• Published in: American journal of pharmaceutical education Vol. 85; no. 4; pp. 248 - 250
• Main Authors: Hughes, Jeremy A., Park, Helen C., Christensen-Grant, Dustin, Fuentes, David G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Alexandria Elsevier Inc 01.04.2021; American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy; Elsevier Limited; American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education
• Subjects: Academic achievement; Academic readiness; Achievement tests; admissions; application; Candidates; College admissions; College applications; College attendance; College students; Community colleges; Curricula; Education; Educational Environment; Evaluation; Experiential Learning; holistic; Interviews; Learning; Learning Strategies; matriculation; Methods; Pharmacy; progression; Schools; Self awareness; Standardized Tests; Student Experience; Student retention; Study and teaching; Undergraduate Study; United States; United States > US; progression; holistic; admissions; matriculation; application
• ISSN: 0002-9459; 1553-6467
• DOI: 10.5688/ajpe7743

Several Doctor of Pharmacy programs have rescinded their requirement for applicants to complete the Pharmacy College Admissions Test, modified their requirements for prerequisite coursework, and reduced the minimum grade point average required for admission. As schools and colleges of pharmacy begin to use these and other more holistic approaches to recruitment and admission, the quantity and quality of students in the applicant pool will continue to shift. In alignment with their unique mission, values, and vision statements, pharmacy programs have also expanded aspects of their application and review process to increasingly focus on applicants’ leadership skills, community service, teamwork, collaboration skills, and paid and volunteer work. These aspects allow them to look beyond a candidate’s academic performance and instead emphasize skills and affective domain areas that are aligned with the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education standards and Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education outcomes. Ways in which pharmacy schools and colleges can refine their recruitment and admissions processes to better align with their unique curricular and programmatic niche areas are discussed.