CUW-SOP Interview Prep Guide (2025-2026)

Concordia University Wisconsin School of Pharmacy (CUW-SOP) offers a faith-influenced, service-oriented PharmD program with a supportive "pharmacy family" culture cuw.edu. This guide synthesizes key insights about the program and its admissions interview: it covers the interview format (a traditional one-on-one style with a panel), the school’s mission of developing servant-leader pharmacists, notable program features and outcomes, relevant pharmacy policy topics (from Wisconsin’s healthcare context to national issues), the holistic non-academic criteria valued in applicants, and the competency frameworks underlying the curriculum. It also reviews common themes from past interview questions and outlines the timeline for the 2025–26 application cycle. Each section connects these findings to interview preparation, helping candidates understand what to expect and how the program’s values and priorities might surface during the interview.

The CUW-SOP interview is conducted in a traditional format rather than an MMI. Candidates typically have a single interview session lasting about 20–30 minutes, usually with a small panel of interviewers (often three people) asking questions studentdoctor.net studentdoctor.net. The style is conversational and closed-file, meaning interviewers generally do not review the applicant’s academic file beforehand studentdoctor.net. Interview Day is a half-day experience: applicants meet faculty, staff, and current students, complete a brief writing sample exercise, and then participate in a face-to-face interview with one or two faculty members or practicing pharmacists pharmcas.org. In recent cycles, virtual interviews have been common or available as an option pharmcas.org studentdoctor.net, but on-campus interviews (often including a school tour) are also typical when possible.

While official post-interview acceptance statistics are not published, being offered an interview is a positive indicator. Concordia’s relatively small entering class (~43 students in the recent cohort) pharmcas.org suggests that the school screens applicants carefully, and a significant proportion of those interviewed ultimately receive an offer of admission. The admissions committee makes decisions shortly after interviews, and all interviewed applicants are notified of acceptance, waitlist, or denial via email cuw.edu. Thus, candidates should approach the interview as a key opportunity to demonstrate fit with the program, knowing that the interview performance is a crucial factor in the final admission decision.

CUW-SOP’s mission centers on developing pharmacists as servant leaders who provide value-based, patient-centered care to improve the health of diverse communities cuw.edu. The program emphasizes service to others, leadership grounded in ethics, and excellence in teaching, research, and practice. For example, Concordia integrates a servant leadership philosophy into student training, aligning with its Lutheran heritage and the ethos of the pharmacy profession cuw.edu. Within the first semester, students begin leadership self-development (using tools like StrengthsFinder) and engage in service-learning projects, reflecting the school’s commitment to producing caring, community-focused pharmacists cuw.edu cuw.edu. This strong values orientation often comes through during interviews – the school may explore how candidates resonate with concepts like serving underserved populations or acting as a compassionate leader. Being mindful of Concordia’s values and mission can help candidates articulate their personal alignment and motivation in a way that fits the school’s culture.

Concordia’s PharmD is a four-year doctoral program that combines rigorous coursework with extensive hands-on training. Students prepare through patient care labs, compounding practice, and rotations in diverse healthcare settings, all while supported by a close-knit academic community cuw.edu. The program is known for fostering a collaborative environment – it is described as a "pharmacy family" where faculty and peers support each student’s growth as a caring, skilled pharmacist cuw.edu. Leadership development is woven into the curriculum in keeping with the school’s mission (with dedicated initiatives for servant leadership training), and there are targeted opportunities to serve underserved populations locally and even abroad as part of learning experiences cuw.edu.

• Mission-driven education: The program prioritizes service and leadership development alongside clinical knowledge. Students are given opportunities to volunteer in the community and abroad, aligning with the school’s focus on servant leadership and patient-centered care cuw.edu cuw.edu.
• Supportive, personal learning: With roughly 43 students per class pharmcas.org and about a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio, Concordia offers an intimate learning environment. Faculty know students by name, mentorship is strong, and the community is tight-knit and highly supportive cuw.edu.
• Strong outcomes: Concordia’s educational quality is reflected in its results. For example, the Class of 2023 achieved a 91.7% NAPLEX first-time pass rate (second-highest in the region) cuw.edu. Graduates also secure post-graduate residencies at an impressive rate (around 80% match for PGY1, placing Concordia in the top 25% of schools nationally for residency placement) cuw.edu cuw.edu. Student satisfaction is high as well – surveys show Concordia outpacing the national average by 12% in the number of graduates who would choose the same pharmacy school again cuw.edu.
• Comprehensive training: The curriculum balances science, practice, and soft skills. Students engage in cutting-edge research opportunities and interprofessional education, gain practical experience through rotations across various pharmacy settings, and hone their communication skills through presentations and a required writing Capstone. Modern facilities (including state-of-the-art labs and simulation equipment) support experiential learning, and global mission trips or community health outreach clinics further enrich the educational experience cuw.edu.

These distinctive features of Concordia’s program can serve as great talking points during an interview. Interviewers often appreciate when candidates demonstrate knowledge of the program, so one might ask thoughtful questions about, for instance, the school’s service outreach (e.g., “What kind of community service or international mission opportunities can students participate in?") or its residency preparation (e.g., “How does Concordia support students in preparing for residencies?"). Showing curiosity about such program specifics not only yields valuable information but also reinforces your genuine interest in what makes CUW’s PharmD unique.

Being aware of current healthcare and pharmacy policy issues is important, as interview conversations (or even questions) may touch on the broader context in which pharmacists practice. Concordia’s mission to serve both rural and urban communities hints at regional healthcare challenges – for example, rural areas in Wisconsin face provider shortages, and pharmacists are increasingly recognized as vital healthcare access points. In fact, Wisconsin state policy has evolved to empower pharmacists: in 2021, the state granted pharmacist provider status under Medicaid (Wisconsin Act 98), allowing pharmacists to be reimbursed for clinical services and play a larger role in care delivery pharmacy.wisc.edu. This change mirrors a nationwide trend of expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice and integration into primary care teams.

Another timely state-level topic is a bipartisan proposal to allow pharmacists in Wisconsin to prescribe hormonal birth control, aimed at improving convenient access to contraception. In 2025, the Wisconsin Assembly passed a bill to authorize pharmacist-prescribed birth control, reflecting a push to utilize pharmacists to address public health needs (though final enactment depends on the state Senate and governor) spectrumnews1.com. On the national stage, pharmacy professionals are engaged in discussions about value-based care (shifting healthcare toward quality and outcomes), the ongoing opioid crisis (and measures like making naloxone available over-the-counter), and the expansion of pharmacist immunization and testing authority seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. These policy topics underscore the evolving role of pharmacists and may come up in interviews – candidates might be asked their perspective on a current healthcare issue or how pharmacists can contribute to such challenges. It’s wise to be conversant about how changes in law and healthcare policy (local or national) impact pharmacy practice, especially as Concordia emphasizes preparing pharmacists who will lead and advocate in their communities.

Like many pharmacy schools, Concordia evaluates applicants holistically, meaning that in addition to academic metrics (GPA and prerequisites), they carefully consider personal qualities, experiences, and attributes that predict success in the program and profession cuw.edu. The admissions committee is looking for well-rounded future pharmacists who not only can handle the coursework but also embody the school’s values and possess strong professional potential. Several key non-academic criteria are emphasized in Concordia’s admissions process:

• Communication skills: Pharmacists must communicate clearly with patients and healthcare teams. Concordia looks for evidence of strong written and verbal communication in applicants. Personal statements and the interview (and even the on-site writing sample) are used to assess how well candidates can express complex ideas and interact interpersonally cuw.edu.
• Pharmacy exposure: Having first-hand experience or observation in pharmacy settings is important. Whether it’s working as a pharmacy technician, volunteering/shadowing in a pharmacy, or interviewing pharmacists, applicants should understand the profession beyond the classroom. This understanding is evaluated through the PharmCAS application and references, and applicants are often asked about their pharmacy experiences during the interview cuw.edu.
• Motivation & professional insight: Concordia seeks students who are genuinely motivated to pursue pharmacy and who grasp the role of pharmacists in healthcare. Interviewers will gauge an applicant’s understanding of the profession (for example, asking about the roles of a pharmacist or current pharmacy issues) and their commitment to patient care. The school explicitly values those who "fit the mission of developing pharmacists who are servant leaders," so demonstrating alignment with that purpose – in your journey to pharmacy and future goals – is key cuw.edu.
• Service and leadership: True to its mission, CUW-SOP values applicants who have shown dedication to serving others and developing leadership. This could be through volunteering, involvement in community or faith-based organizations, leadership roles in clubs, or other extracurricular service. The admissions team looks for significant, recent engagement that reflects a "servant leader" mindset cuw.edu. Be prepared to discuss your personal experiences in service and teamwork, as the interview is likely to explore how you have made a positive impact on others and what you learned from those activities.

Notably, Concordia does not require the PCAT exam, focusing instead on the above holistic factors. Throughout the interview and application review, the school will assess these non-academic qualities alongside academics. Therefore, candidates should be ready to provide examples that illustrate their communication abilities, ethical character, leadership, and commitment to service. The goal is to identify students who will thrive in Concordia’s interactive, service-focused learning environment and ultimately excel as caring pharmacists.

The PharmD curriculum at Concordia is guided by national standards and competency frameworks that shape pharmacy education. Foremost, the program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), which ensures that all essential domains of pharmacy training are covered cuw.edu. ACPE standards require PharmD programs to cultivate not just knowledge, but also practical skills, professional attitudes, and values in their students pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. This means that Concordia’s coursework and assessments are aligned with producing graduates who are practice-ready and well-rounded – capable in clinical reasoning, patient care processes, communication, ethics, and leadership.

One important framework underlying many PharmD programs (including Concordia’s) is the CAPE Educational Outcomes developed by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. These outcomes outline the competencies pharmacy graduates should have, spanning areas like patient care, medication systems management, health advocacy, interprofessional collaboration, and personal and professional development. Concordia’s emphasis on servant leadership, for example, dovetails with the CAPE domain of personal and professional development (which includes elements of leadership and self-awareness), and the focus on patient-centered care reflects CAPE’s patient care outcomes. In practice, this alignment is seen through Concordia’s curriculum and co-curricular activities: students practice the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process in their clinical courses, engage in teamwork simulations with other healthcare professional students, and reflect on their growth in professionalism each year. Understanding that the program is built on these standards can help in an interview – it signals that the school is systematically training students to meet nationally recognized competencies, which is reassuring for students and something interviewers may implicitly expect candidates to appreciate. (For instance, when asked about the role of a pharmacist or the importance of communication, a well-informed candidate might frame their answer in terms of these professional competencies.)

Interviewees at Concordia can expect a range of question types, mostly traditional in format, aimed at understanding the individual’s motivations, experiences, and alignment with the pharmacy profession and the school. Based on reports from previous candidates, many questions are personal and behavioral. For example, it’s common to be asked, “Tell me about yourself.” studentdoctor.net This open-ended prompt allows you to highlight your background and journey to pharmacy. Questions about your experiences and traits are also typical, such as “What achievement or experience are you most proud of?” studentdoctor.net or “What are your weaknesses?” studentdoctor.net. These invite reflection on personal growth, self-awareness, and resilience. Interviewers want to see that you can evaluate yourself honestly and have learned from past experiences.

Applicants should also anticipate profession-related questions that gauge their understanding of pharmacy and healthcare. A frequently cited example is, “What are the roles of a pharmacist?” studentdoctor.net, which examines whether you grasp the breadth of contemporary pharmacy practice (beyond just dispensing, including patient counseling, clinical decision-making, public health, etc.). Another example might be discussing challenges you expect in pharmacy school or in the profession, e.g., “What do you foresee as your biggest challenge in pharmacy school?” studentdoctor.net, to assess your preparedness and insight. Given Concordia’s identity, some interviews have incorporated questions about values and fit, such as being asked “How does faith play into your life?” studentdoctor.net. This reflects the school’s Christian ethos and indicates they are interested in how students will mesh with the campus culture of service and integrity (note that not every candidate will get a faith-related question, but it has been mentioned by past interviewees).

Overall, the interview questions tend to revolve around a few broad themes: motivation for pharmacy, personal qualities (strengths, weaknesses, leadership, etc.), ethical or value-oriented scenarios, and knowledge of the profession or healthcare topics. It’s relatively rare for Concordia interviews to include intense scientific or clinical grilling; the tone is more about getting to know you and evaluating how you think and communicate. Candidates have described the interview atmosphere as friendly and the faculty as welcoming studentdoctor.net, so the key is to respond genuinely and thoughtfully. Being ready with examples from your own life (for leadership, teamwork, overcoming challenges) and having an understanding of current pharmacy issues will help you feel confident with whatever questions come your way.

For those applying in the 2025–2026 cycle (to begin the PharmD program in Fall 2026), it’s important to keep track of Concordia’s admissions timeline. The School of Pharmacy uses a rolling admissions process, meaning interview invitations and admissions decisions occur continuously as applications are reviewed. The general timeline is as follows:

• Mid-July 2025 – PharmCAS application opens for Fall 2026 entry (applicants may start and submit their application) cuw.edu.
• September 2025 to June 2026 – Interviews conducted by invitation. Concordia reviews applications and invites selected candidates for interviews throughout this period (earlier applicants may have earlier interview dates). Interviews can be attended in-person or virtually, and spots in the class may fill on a rolling basis cuw.edu.
• June 1, 2026 – Application deadline. This is the final date by which the PharmCAS application must be submitted for Concordia (the PharmCAS portal typically closes to new submissions on this date) cuw.edu. It is recommended not to wait until the last minute, as PharmCAS processing can take a few weeks.
• Mid-August 2026 – New student orientation and classes begin. Admitted students will matriculate and start the PharmD program in mid-August cuw.edu (exact orientation dates will be provided upon acceptance).

Throughout this cycle, it’s advantageous to apply earlier rather than later. Concordia doesn’t have an “early decision” deadline, but submitting in the fall or winter gives you a better chance at earlier interview slots (and possibly first consideration for scholarships or seat availability). After interviewing, admissions decisions are usually communicated promptly via email cuw.edu, and accepted students typically have to submit a deposit and complete certain post-acceptance steps (such as a background check, immunization records, etc.) within a specified timeframe cuw.edu. Make sure to closely follow all instructions in your admission packet if you are accepted.

In summary, thorough preparation for the CUW School of Pharmacy interview involves understanding the program’s character and expectations. By familiarizing yourself with the interview format and what it entails, reflecting on how your own values and experiences align with Concordia’s mission of service and leadership, and staying informed about trends in pharmacy practice and education, you will be well-positioned to make a strong impression. Remember that the interview is as much about showing your fit for Concordia as it is about the school making a case to you – it’s a two-way street. Approach the day with confidence, genuine curiosity, and the intent to demonstrate who you are beyond your grades. Concordia’s process is designed to find students who will thrive in its supportive, community-focused environment and go on to become compassionate, forward-thinking pharmacists. Good luck with your interview!