Trojan Admission Pre-Pharmacy Program (TAP)

A special program for incoming freshmen and current undergraduates

The Trojan Admission Pre-Pharmacy (TAP) program provides talented USC undergraduates with priority admission to the School of Pharmacy's four-year Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program.

TAP Program

TAP students complete their pre-pharmacy coursework while earning their bachelors' degree at USC. To remain eligible for the TAP program, students must maintain a cumulative 3.2 GPA, and all pre-pharmacy courses must be taken for letter grades. TAP students are provided with individual advisement, membership to the USC Pre-Pharmacy Society and access to the School of Pharmacy Student Affairs Office. All TAP students are required to earn a bachelor's degree before entering the PharmD program.

Application

New Student Application: To be eligible for the TAP program, you must first apply for undergraduate admission to the University of Southern California Office of Admission and be admitted to a USC undergraduate program. A separate TAP application must be submitted to the School of Pharmacy.

Continuing Student Application: USC undergraduates may also apply to the TAP program after completing one to five semesters at USC. A minimum cumulative 3.2 GPA is required for admission to the TAP program. Effective Fall 2013, transfer students are not eligible to participate in the TAP program.

Required Application Items

1. 2013 TAP Application

2. Two Letters of Recommendation:

  • One recommendation letter is required from an individual who can speak on your potential as a pharmacist.
  • The second recommendation letter is required from an individual who can speak on your past academic success and potential for future academic success.
  • Each recommendation letter must be enclosed in a sealed, taped envelope with the signature of the letter writer across the back seal. Please address letters to the “Admission Committee, USC School of Pharmacy” and make sure that your recommendation writers include your full name and social security number (or USC ID number) on each page.

3. Résumé of activities and achievements: On a separate sheet, please submit a résumé listing your activities and achievements. Please include dates of participation, average number of hours per month, positions and responsibilities.
4. Response to the application issues: Please respond to all three of the application issues in no more than two pages total. Your response may be single or double spaced with a 10 font or larger.

Timeline

USC Undergraduate Application Deadline: December 1, 2012 (for scholarship consideration); January 10, 2013 (regular admission consideration)

TAP Program Application Deadline: February 15, 2013
TAP Program Admission Decision: Freshman applicants will be informed of their TAP admission decision after notification from the USC Office of Admission on their undergraduate application. Current USC students will be notified in June or early July.

Suggested TAP Program Course Planner

First Year
Fall Semester:

  • General Biology, BISC-120Lg, or Advanced General Biology, BISC-121Lg
  • General Chemistry, CHEM-105aLg, or Advanced General Chemistry, CHEM-115aLg
  • Writing and Critical Reasoning, WRIT-140
  • Social Issues, GE Category VI

Spring Semester:

  • General Biology, BISC-220L, or Advanced General Biology, BISC-221L
  • General Chemistry, CHEM-105bL, or Advanced General Chemistry, CHEM-115bL
  • Arts and Letters 100, GE Category V
  • Elective or foreign language or major requirement

Second Year
Fall Semester:

  • Organic Chemistry, CHEM-322aL or CHEM-325aL
  • Molecular Biology, BISC-320L
  • Calculus I, MATH-125; or Statistics I, PSYC 274; or Introduction to Statistics for Biologists, BISC 305; or Health Behavior Statistical Methods, HP 340L; or Statistical Methods in Biomedical Engineering, BME 423
  • Elective or foreign language or major requirement

Spring Semester:

  • Organic Chemistry, CHEM-322bL or CHEM 325bL
  • Biochemistry, BISC-330L; or General Physiology, BISC 307L
  • Elementary Probability & Statistics, MATH-208x; or Health Behavior Statistical Methods, HP-340L
  • Cultures and Civilizations, GE Category I (with Diversity)

Third Year
Fall Semester:

  • Physics for the Life Sciences, PHYS-135aL, or Fundamentals of Physics, PHYS-151Lg
  • Principles of Microeconomics, ECON-203
  • Advanced Writing and Critical Reasoning, WRIT-340
  • Elective or foreign language or major requirement

Spring Semester:

  • Introduction to Microbiology, BISC-300L; or Biochemistry, BISC 330L
  • Cultures and Civilizations, GE Category II
  • Introduction to Psychology, PSYC 100; or Introduction to Sociology, SOCI 200m
  • Elective or foreign language or major requirement

Fourth Year
Fall Semester:

  • Investigations in Science, GE Category IV
  • Elective or foreign language or major requirement
  • Elective or foreign language or major requirement
  • Elective or foreign language or major requirement

Spring Semester:

  • General Physiology, BISC 307L
  • Elective or foreign language or major requirement
  • Elective or foreign language or major requirement
  • Elective or foreign language or major requirement

Please note: Lower division courses (course numbered 100-299) may be taken in the summer and transferred to USC. Non-science courses may be rearranged into other semesters.