Hawaii has been granted pre-candidate status by the ACPE to allow it to enroll its first class of students. It simply signifies that the program now has a Dean, and that it's following ACPE guidelines for the establishment of a Pharm.D. program. Candidate status implies that the school has not yet graduated its first class, and that students who graduate from a school with candidate status have all the rights and privaleges that other accredited school's graduates have. Full accreditation is usually granted after the first class has graduated. By then, the school will have had several onsite visits from ACPE (during candidate status) and will have been given input by them on the program's progress.
Nevada College of Pharmacy just received full accreditation from the ACPE. Currently, ACPE is granting full accreditation to new schools for two years with review and potential for renewal after four years. Thereafter, schools go on an every 6 year cycle.
The deposit you cited was the same amount NVCP asked for the past few years...when you're a new school (ie, not just a new department in an established university, but a "brand spanking new school"), and you know that a good percentage of students who are accepted into the program will not matriculate, you're probably gonna ask for a bigger deposit. How many schools have you applied to? I can't tell you that you should do it or not, since NVCP is no longer a "sure thing" as it was a few years back. Dr. Harry Rosenberg, who now has had success starting up Western's pharmacy program and NVCP, is a consultant on the Hawaii project. Given his track record, I wouldn't be too concerned about the program's development. But, realize that being a member of a charter or founding class means you'll be exposed to the "warts" of a new program. You just might have some "crappilly taught" classes, an occasional "crappy" instructor, apparent disorganization, suboptimal facilities, etc. At least, that was the case according to some students at another program...I'm sure South is doing fine, right South2006?
On the upside, charter classes seem to have an easier time getting through...less attrition, I suppose they need your money!
I don't know what to tell you about the deposit, but if this is the only other school you applied to this application cycle, and you want to go to pharmacy school next year, you just might have to bite the bullet and do it.
