Minnesota Pharmacy School Interview: Format, Dates and Questions
What happens at the University of Minnesota pharmacy school interview, how you get one, and how it decides your offer.
At Minnesota, PharmD applicants have two one-on-one interviews in a standard situational format, each with one interviewer, during an Interview Day that also has information sessions. For 2027 entry, interviews are offered in person and virtually. The final deadline is March 1, 2027. The priority deadline was October 1, 2026 and has passed, and priority applicants must interview by the December Interview Day to keep that status. The interview report then feeds a holistic review.
Key facts (2027 entry)
- Format
- Two one-on-one interviews, each with one interviewer, in a standard situational interview format. Minnesota does not publish their length.
- Deadlines
- Final March 1, 2027. The priority deadline was October 1, 2026 and has passed. Priority applicants must interview by the December Interview Day.
- Online or in person
- Both are offered for fall 2027 admission.
- The day
- The interviews plus sessions on the PharmD program and the University of Minnesota.
- What it assesses
- Communication skills, your understanding of and motivation for pharmacy, your experiences and skills, and other attributes.
- Who is interviewed
- No minimum GPA or test. Invitations often come within a few business days, and you have one week to respond.
- Class size
- 127 seats were filled in the last entering class, across the Twin Cities and Duluth campuses.
What happens on the interview day
Interviews take place at Interview Day events, which also include sessions about the PharmD program and the University of Minnesota.
- Two one-on-one interviews. Each is with a single interviewer and uses a standard situational interview format.
- In person or virtual. Both are offered for fall 2027 admission.
- An interview report. The committee uses it to judge your communication skills, your understanding of and motivation for pharmacy, and your experiences, skills and other attributes.
- Not published. Minnesota does not publish how long each interview lasts, who the interviewers are, or its Interview Day dates.
What situational means. Situational questions usually ask what you would do, or what you did, in a specific scenario. Answer with a real example or a clear step-by-step plan.
How offers are decided
After the interview, the admissions committee finishes a holistic review of your academics, experiences, skills and attributes.
- Rolling admission. Minnesota uses rolling admissions, so offers go out through the cycle.
- Campus preference. You give your campus preference, Duluth or the Twin Cities, after Interview Day.
- Holding your seat. Admitted students send paperwork within two weeks and pay a $500 nonrefundable tuition deposit by March 1, 2027.
How you get an interview
Minnesota has no academic minimums. It looks at the whole application and wants applicants to show their own skills and attributes in their essays and interview.
- No minimum GPA. Minnesota has no minimum GPA or prerequisite GPA to be considered.
- Experience preferred. Pharmacy or health care experience is not required but is preferred. The average is about 15 months.
- Degrees count. Preference goes to applicants who will have a bachelor's degree, and to those with advanced degrees.
- Two evaluations. Two letters of recommendation are required through PharmCAS, and up to four are accepted.
- No test or extra fee. No standardized test is required. Minnesota's supplemental questions sit inside PharmCAS, with no separate fee.
Skills the committee looks for
Minnesota names communication, ethics, teamwork, leadership and critical thinking among the skills and attributes to show in your application and interview.
Dates and other details
Minnesota's priority deadline only counts if you interview early enough.
Dates for 2027 entry
- October 1, 2026. Priority deadline, now passed. It brings priority scholarship consideration, and applicants who met it must interview on or before the December Interview Day to stay eligible.
- March 1, 2027. Final application deadline, and the tuition deposit deadline.
Other routes and the program
One college runs the PharmD on two campuses, Duluth and the Twin Cities. Minnesota also offers Early Assurance and dual degrees with an MBA, MPH or MSHI.
How to prepare
Two separate one-on-one interviews mean two first impressions, so prepare to tell your story twice with the same energy.
- Practice scenarios. Work through pharmacy situations out loud: a safety error, an upset patient, a privacy problem.
- Match the skills list. Have a real example for each skill Minnesota names: communication, ethics, teamwork, leadership and critical thinking.
- Explain your motivation. The interview report covers your understanding of and motivation for pharmacy. Know what pharmacists do day to day.
- Think about campus. You state a campus preference after the day, so learn what Duluth and the Twin Cities each offer.
Interview early. If you applied by October 1, book a slot no later than the December Interview Day to keep priority status.
Practice questions
Questions in the style of a Two one-on-one interviews station, written for applicants to University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). They are practice questions, not the school's own. Open one for what a strong answer does.
You are a pharmacy intern. You realize a children's antibiotic suspension you mixed earlier was made with the wrong volume of water, and a coworker is handing it to the parent at the drive-thru right now. What do you do?
Stop the handoff first, then own the mistake honestly with the pharmacist and the parent.
You are a pharmacy intern in a small town, and your uncle asks you to look up what his neighbor was prescribed, just to make sure it's nothing contagious. What do you tell him?
Say no clearly and kindly, explain patient privacy, and keep the relationship intact.
A parent asks for something over the counter for their baby's fever, which has lasted four days, and now there's a strange new rash. How do you handle this?
Recognize the red flags and send them to urgent medical care rather than selling a product.
You are a pharmacy student on rotation. A resident sighs when you call about an illegible prescription and tells you to just fill it for amoxicillin. What do you do?
Stay professional, confirm the order properly, and put patient safety ahead of speed.
Tell me about a time you led a group through a disagreement. What did you do, and what happened?
Use one specific story, show what you did yourself, and say what you learned.
Of everything a pharmacist does, which part explains why you want to become a pharmacist?
Pick one concrete task and connect it to something you have seen or done.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Minnesota pharmacy interview format?
Two one-on-one interviews, each with one interviewer, in a standard situational interview format, held during an Interview Day with information sessions.
Is the Minnesota PharmD interview virtual?
Both options exist. Minnesota offers interviews in person and virtually for fall 2027 admission.
What is the December interview rule at Minnesota?
If you applied by the October 1, 2026 priority deadline, which has passed, you must interview on or before the December Interview Day to stay eligible for it.
Does Minnesota have a minimum GPA for pharmacy?
No. Minnesota has no academic minimums. It reviews applications holistically.
Do I need pharmacy experience for Minnesota?
It is not required but is preferred. The average is about 15 months of pharmacy or health care experience.
Sources
Official pages only, read on the date shown. Schools change their process every year, so check the school's own page before you apply.
- PharmCAS: University of Minnesota program profile (2027 entering class) · read October 26, 2026
- University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy: How to Apply · read October 26, 2026
- University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy: Selection Criteria · read October 24, 2026
- University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy: PharmD Admissions Overview · read October 24, 2026
- University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy: Campus Preference and Assignment · read October 24, 2026
- University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy: Evaluations Overview · read October 24, 2026