Early Entry Pharmacy Program

Secure your seat in our professional pharmacy program while in high school!

Student holding diploma at graduation.

The Ultimate Pharmacy Experience

The Early Entry Pharmacy Program prioritizes seats in the professional pharmacy program to highly qualified high school seniors upon completing two years of pre-pharmacy coursework. This avoids the competitive selection process for traditional entry admission that normally occurs during a pre-pharmacy major’s sophomore year of college.

Early-entry students enjoy far more than simply early acceptance into the professional pharmacy program. They receive the benefits of the Early Entry Experience, which is unlike any other on campus. It features specialized tutoring, professional advancement opportunities, and the chance to be part of the Living-Learning Community. From the first day of freshman year until the first day of the professional program, Early Entry students truly become a close-knit “phamily” through several specially designed program initiatives.

Application Process

Below are the steps necessary to earn your seat in the Early Entry Program.

Early Entry Application Process

Step 1: Apply to Ole Miss and be Admitted to the University.

Step 2: Apply to the Early Entry Pharmacy Program on the Competitive Academic Programs Application. Students are also encouraged to complete the Freshman Scholarship Application.

*Deadline is January 10th.

Step 3: Attend an Admitted Student Day.

*Interview Days for the Early Entry Pharmacy Program will be held on Admitted Student Days. (Admitted Student Day dates will be released in early January.)

Step 4: Apply for Housing

Step 5: Sign up for Orientation

To be eligible for the Early Entry Program, a student must meet these admissions requirements:

  • Attend an Ole Miss Admitted Student Day, during which Early Entry Pharmacy interviews will be conducted.
  • Declare Pharmaceutical Sciences as your major.
  • Earn a 24 or higher on the ACT (math section) or equivalent SAT math score by your selected orientation date.
  • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. A Social Security Number (SSN) is required by the start of Year 1 in pharmacy school to obtain a Mississippi pharmacy intern license.
  • Take all required science courses in person at the University of Mississippi.
  • Maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA and earn at least a grade of C in all required coursework.

If a student does not meet these requirements, please reach out to Lindsey Cooper, Coordinator of Admissions, at lindsey@olemiss.edu for more assistance on how to enter the program. 

To maintain status in the Early Entry Program, a student must:

  • Take all science courses in person at the University of Mississippi. A student must complete the requirements for the B.S.P.S. degree by the end of their fourth year of college.
  • Achieve at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA on “non-elective” courses by the end of EE1 spring, and maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA on all “non-elective” courses attempted by the end of the EE2 year.
  • Early Entry students who have less than a 3.00 cumulative GPA on required, non-elective courses, but above/at a 2.75 have the opportunity to take part in the “Early Entry Academic Achievement Program” the next school semester, giving such students an additional semester on “probation” to achieve the cumulative 3.0 as mentioned above.
  • Receive no semester grades below C in any courses.

Often, students who are unable to complete the Early Entry Program transfer to pre-pharmacy student status and gain admission to the professional degree program through the traditional entry admission process.

August 1st

Ole Miss Admissions Opens

Mid-October

Competitive Academic Programs Application Opens to Apply for Early Entry Pharmacy Program

January 10th 

The deadline for both the Ole Miss and the Competitive Academic Programs Application closes.

Admitted Students Day/Early Entry Program Interview Days

In collaboration with Ole Miss Admissions, we are thrilled to offer you a unique opportunity to complete your Early Entry Pharmacy Program interview during one of the Admitted Student Days this spring.

Pre-Pharmacy Curriculum

First Year

WRIT 100 or 101 First-Year WritingWRIT 102 or LIBA 102 First-Year Writing II
CHEM 105 Chemistry I, CHEM LAB 115CHEM 106 Chemistry II, CHEM LAB 116
BISC 160 Biology I, BISC LAB 161BISC 162 Biology II, BISC LAB 163
MATH 261 Calculus IMATH 115 Elementary Statistics

PHCY 100 Intro to Pharmacy (Early Entry Student Requirement Only)

Elective (Social Science)

Second Year

CHEM 221 Organic Chemistry I, CHEM LAB 225CHEM 222 Organic Chemistry II, CHEM LAB 226
BMS 321 Medical MicrobiologyBMS 344 Human Physiology
BMS 345 Human AnatomySPCH 102 or 105 Speech
Elective (Humanities)Elective (Humanities)
Elective (Fine Arts Appreciation)Elective (Social Science)
Burns Hall at the University of Mississippi.

Prioritized Housing

If admitted to the Early Entry Program, first-year students will receive prioritized housing in the contemporary dorm of Burns Hall. This amazing hall comes with private restrooms and many study spaces. Did we mention it's located near the Student Union?

Early Entry student climbing the rock wall.

Welcome Week Events

The weekend before fall classes begin, new EEs and their families come together in the School of Pharmacy to hear from a host of our faculty and staff to help ensure new students are set up for a great first semester of college all while providing new students with opportunities to get to know other EEs. We also host a variety of different welcome week events for our new Phamily members. 

A pharmacy student helping another student study.

Mentoring and Tutoring

Shortly after being admitted to the program, new early entry students are paired with mentors. These mentors are older pharmacy students who completed the Early Entry Program, having shared the same experience the new EEs will go through in their first year of the program. EE students will also have special tutoring offered on a weekly basis for many core curriculum classes.

Student holding their painting that says rebs.

Monthly Meetings

Early entry students come together each month during the school year for meetings in the School of Pharmacy. In addition to hearing from guest speakers on various topics, students meet as a group and as individual classes to discuss essential happenings in the program.

Pill bottles on a table.

In-House Advising

Our in-house advisor advises early-entry students from semester to semester. This in-house advising helps guarantee that each student stays on track to obtain the necessary prerequisites for pharmacy school.

Students studying abroad in Italy.

Study Abroad

Join a faculty member studying abroad to learn more about pharmacy in different countries. Whether its learning at the oldest pharmacy in Italy to exploring Dublin's pharmacy schools these trips are packed full of good food, fun events, and great experiences.

My Early Entry Journey

Want to know more about our EE program? Meet our student ambassadors.

Jay Everett

Jay Everett

  • Greek Life
  • Service and Community Engagement

Why did I do Early Entry?

See Jay’s Answer
Nazli Staten

Nazli Staten

  • Service and Community Engagement

Did you like Burns Hall?

See Nazli’s Answer
Kelly Caston

Kelly Caston

Did you make friends in Early Entry?

See Kelly’s Answer
Lindsey Nell Cooper

Need Help?

Welcome! I am the admissions coordinator for the School of Pharmacy and am here to help you with whatever you may need. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any assistance.

Lindsey Nell Cooper

Coordinator of Admissions