3 Proven Ways Your College Can Stand Out in a Competitive Academic Pharmacy Market
Across the country, colleges of pharmacy are facing a growing challenge: attracting and enrolling students in an increasingly competitive and saturated market. This has led to college closures and significant number of incoming year one classes with less than 40 students. Recruitment is now more complex—and more critical—than ever.
In this environment, the solution isn't just more marketing. It’s leadership that inspires clarity, alignment, and distinctiveness. The colleges that thrive will be the ones with a clear value promise and messaging that speaks directly to their WHY as well as the needs and aspirations of today’s prospective students.
Here are three proven strategies that can help your college stand out—and succeed—in a changing landscape.
1. Clarify and Communicate Your Unique Value Promise
Most pharmacy colleges describe their programs with the same language: rigorous academics, experiential learning, career readiness. In fact, a personal audit of the home pages of all colleges of pharmacy revealed that fewer than 20% present a distinctive message. It shouldn't be that hard to see what truly sets your program apart?
Leaders must take the lead in identifying and communicating a clear, compelling value promise—a statement that captures why students should choose your college over others.
💡 Leadership Action:
Complete a person audit of your website. Facilitate a strategic session with faculty, students, and marketing staff to distill your program’s core strengths.
Develop messaging that goes beyond generalities. For example:
Instead of: “We prepare students for a wide range of careers,”
Try: “We specialize in preparing pharmacists to lead in ambulatory care and community health—where demand and impact are growing fastest.”
💡 Example: A college focused on rural health initiatives highlights partnerships with underserved communities and pathways into public health roles—creating differentiation that resonates with mission-driven students.
2. Align Faculty and Staff as Brand Ambassadors
Recruitment is not just the admissions team's job—it’s everyone’s. Faculty and staff interactions, presentations at national meetings, preceptor engagement, and even hallway conversations can reinforce (or muddy) the college’s message.
💡 Leadership Action:
Host a faculty development session to share your value promise and talking points.
Equip all stakeholders—faculty, alumni, preceptors—with tools to share consistent, compelling messages.
Encourage storytelling: Ask faculty and students to share real examples of impact, innovation, or transformation.
💡 Example: A department chair shares a student’s capstone project during a national webinar, illustrating the college’s commitment to health equity and community engagement—sparking interest from preceptors and prospective applicants alike.
3. Build Experiences That Speak for Themselves
Your message matters—but so does the experience. The most effective recruitment strategy is one that allows students to feel your value promise in action.
💡 Leadership Action:
Invite prospective students to immersive events: virtual patient simulations, “Day in the Life” sessions with current students, or alumni career panels.
Ensure the student experience from inquiry to interview is welcoming, responsive, and authentic.
Involve faculty early in the recruitment funnel—not just during interviews, but in outreach and mentorship.
💡 Example: A college launches a virtual “Innovation in Pharmacy” mini-series, hosted by faculty, where prospective students explore hot topics like AI, pharmacogenomics, or digital health—building engagement and showcasing the program’s future-forward focus.
Final Thoughts: Lead with Purpose, Message with Clarity
In a competitive recruitment climate, what sets your college apart isn’t just the quality of your program—it’s how clearly and confidently you communicate its value. Leaders who champion a focused message, activate their teams, and create meaningful prospective student experiences will shape not just better enrollment numbers—but stronger cohorts aligned with their mission.
So, ask yourself:
If a prospective student asked, “Why your program?”—would your entire college have a unified, inspiring answer?
Need Support Crafting Your Value Promise?
If you’re ready to refine your college’s messaging, align your leadership team, and
boost recruitment strategy, let’s talk.