Supplemental Applications

It's never too early to work on your personal statement, and it's never too early to take a look at supplemental applications.  Unfortunately, most of the schools send out invitations to submit supplemental applications, and so it's not possible for me to take a look.  But there are two California schools that have easy access to sample supplemental apps.

You can find the sample supplemental application for UCSF here.  The essays will require a lot of thought.  The questions on form B are below.  But of course it's important to take a look at the actual form to see how much space is allotted to for each response.  You might want to take a look at form D as well.

B1. EXTRACURRICULAR, LEADERSHIP, VOLUNTEER, COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES & WORK EXPERIENCE.  UCSF prepares students to be leaders in pharmacy.  Expand upon one of the outside activities you listed in your PharmCAS application by discussing how your participation demonstrates your motivation and ability to be a leader in the pharmacy profession.

B2. PROFESSIONAL ACUMEN AND CULTURAL AWARENESS.  Explain how your educational, employment or other extracurricular experiences have provided you an opportunity to actively address issues of diversity and/or health disparities.  How will these experiences help you to succeed in our Doctor of Pharmacy program and in the pharmacy profession?

B3. PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE.  How have your personal experiences informed your understanding of the human condition?

B4. OTHER INFORMATION (OPTIONAL).  You may use the space below to tell us anything else you would like us to know about you.  Reapplicants should use this space to summarize the steps taken in the past year to further develop their qualifications.

B5. UCSF CANDIDATE’S STATEMENT.  In a class of 122 highly qualified students, which of your personal characteristics will make you stand out as an individual?  In contrast to the PharmCAS application and statement, which asks you to describe your skills, accomplishments, and future goals, we ask that you discuss your personal uniqueness.

The sample application form for WesternU can be found here.  The Personal Questionnaire Form has a very different set of questions than UCSF.

1.  Why do you feel the need to obtain the PharmD degree at this point in your career?  Is there an area of practice that particularly interest you?

2.  If you are a re-applicant, explain what you have done in the past year to enhance your application.

3.  Aside from becoming a pharmacist, what other professional and personal goals do you have?  How do you plan to achieve them?

4.  Identify one social problem in the United States OR your country of origin that is of concern to you.  What do you believe are some possible solutions?

5.  Name an individual whom you admire greatly.  Why?

6.  What are your strongest and weakest personal characteristics?  How have these strength(s) and weakness(s) helped or hindered you in the achievement of your goals?

7.  Describe your participation in extra-curricular activities (campus and/or community) that you feel may enhance your application.  Include all offices and other leadership positions held.  If you have no participated, indicate why.

8.  Describe some of your non-academic interests (e.g., recreational or athletic activities, hobbies, club participation etc.)

9.  Have you had any academic difficulties that may appear on your transcripts that you would like to explain?

10.  Please use space below to make any additional personal comments that you think will strengthen your application.

Now I said two, but maybe this is a third?  If I had to guess, I'd say that the link was removed when the deadline passed, but there is at least a glimpse into what UCSD is looking for on their supplemental application here.