FAQs
- When did the program begin? The first AAP cohort began their journey in Fall 2022.
- Who is eligible? Incoming and current students.
- How many students will be accepted? Our long-term goal is to accept 10 students each year. UNC accepted 8 students into our first EAP Scholars Cohort; 5 current students and 3 incoming students. For the 2025 cohort, five students were accepted
- If I'm accepted into the EAP, does that mean I'm accepted into the UNC Eshelman PharmD program? It's a conditional acceptance, so you will need to maintain a certain GPA, participate in EAP programming, and complete additional application requirements the year prior to starting the PharmD program.
- Will there be a specific application to be considered for the AAP program? Yes, UNC Eshelman SOP has developed an ESOP Early Assurance Program Application, and it will be available in Fall 2025. You can learn about the information that will be included in the application by using this link.
- When will the application be available? The application will be available in Fall 2025.
- What criteria will be used in the admissions process? Knowledge of the profession, academic preparation, leadership, service orientation will be factors in our holistic admissions process.
- What are the steps in the admissions process? Apply/Admitted/Enrolled to the university, complete the EAP application, review by ASU AAP committee, interview at UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy (late March).
- Do I have to major in a certain discipline? You can major in any discipline but do have to complete the science and math pre-requisites that Eshelman requires. The Biology, Chemistry, and Exercise Science degrees have the courses embedded in the major, as interdisciplinary courses, or as elective credit.
- Do I have to graduate from Appalachian before starting the PharmD program? Not necessarily. We anticipate many students will spend three years at Appalachian before heading to UNC to begin their PharmD degree. There will also be an opportunity for students to reverse transfer PharmD coursework back to Appalachian to complete their bachelor's degree.
- Are you hosting any EAP Information Sessions before the Application deadline? We will host our 2026 Information Session in September 2025. Our slidedeck from last year is available for your viewing.