First Year Student Application Process

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all required documents are sent by the appropriate deadlines:

Undergraduate Programs (all majors except pre-pharmacy)
March 1 is the priority deadline to submit your application and supporting materials. Applications received after the March 1 priority deadline will be considered on a space-available basis.

Pre-pharmacy
December 1 is the deadline to apply to the pre-pharmacy program. Applications and all supporting materials must be postmarked by December 1 and reach Drake by December 10.

Applicants have three choices on how to apply to Drake; we give equal consideration to all three methods:

Submit the Drake University online application (fee waived)
-or-
Mail the Drake University paper application ($25 U.S. fee)
-or-
Complete the Common Application.

Students who are applying to the pre-pharmacy program should follow the special admission requirements there.

Drake University will evaluate your academic transcripts in the admission process. Send your official high school transcript for review; if you have taken any college classes for credit, submit your college transcript as well. If you are using the Common Application, Drake will accept transcripts sent through the Common Application process.

Faxed transcripts, scanned documents and transcripts photocopied without a fresh seal are not considered official records.

Have an official copy of your ACT or SAT test scores sent to the Office of Admission from the appropriate testing agency.

• Drake University ACT school code: 1302
• Drake University SAT school code: 6168

An essay or personal statement is required of all applicants. You can use one of the essay prompts provided in the Drake application, or write on a topic of your choice. Please do not submit a paper you wrote for a school assignment. The admission committee would rather read something more personal.

In addition to your essay, the admission committee gives applicants the chance to submit an optional video statement. This is your chance to get creative and let our admission committee see what makes you, you. Videos can be uploaded onto YouTube, or another easily accessible site, and the URL can be submitted in your application. Remember, the video is optional and does not replace the personal essay.

All applicants must submit the High School Report & Counselor Recommendation supplement, which is included with the Drake University application for admission. If you are applying through the Common Application, the High School Report and Counselor Recommendation form is available as well. If you apply through the Common Application, you are required to complete the Drake University supplement.

Additional letters of recommendation are not required, but will be considered if you send them.

Drake University sends admission decisions through the mail:

Applicants of all undergraduate majors (except pre-pharmacy) will be notified of an admission decision on a rolling basis beginning October 15. Notification after October 15 typically takes 4-6 weeks after your file becomes complete. 

Applicants of the pre-pharmacy program are notified of an admission decision in mid-January of their senior year.

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all required documents are sent by the appropriate deadlines:

Undergraduate Programs (all majors except pre-pharmacy)
March 1 is the priority deadline to submit your application and supporting materials. Applications received after the March 1 priority deadline will be considered on a space-available basis.

Pre-pharmacy
December 1 is the deadline to apply to the pre-pharmacy program. Applications and all supporting materials must be postmarked by December 1 and reach Drake by December 10.

Applicants have three choices on how to apply to Drake; we give equal consideration to all three methods:

Submit the Drake University online application (fee waived)
-or-
Mail the Drake University paper application ($25 U.S. fee)
-or-
Complete the Common Application.

Students who are applying to the pre-pharmacy program should follow the special admission requirements there.

Drake University will evaluate your academic transcripts in the admission process. Send your official high school transcript for review; if you have taken any college classes for credit, submit your college transcript as well. If you are using the Common Application, Drake will accept transcripts sent through the Common Application process.

Faxed transcripts, scanned documents and transcripts photocopied without a fresh seal are not considered official records.

Have an official copy of your ACT or SAT test scores sent to the Office of Admission from the appropriate testing agency.

• Drake University ACT school code: 1302
• Drake University SAT school code: 6168

An essay or personal statement is required of all applicants. You can use one of the essay prompts provided in the Drake application, or write on a topic of your choice. Please do not submit a paper you wrote for a school assignment. The admission committee would rather read something more personal.

In addition to your essay, the admission committee gives applicants the chance to submit an optional video statement. This is your chance to get creative and let our admission committee see what makes you, you. Videos can be uploaded onto YouTube, or another easily accessible site, and the URL can be submitted in your application. Remember, the video is optional and does not replace the personal essay.

All applicants must submit the High School Report & Counselor Recommendation supplement, which is included with the Drake University application for admission. If you are applying through the Common Application, the High School Report and Counselor Recommendation form is available as well. If you apply through the Common Application, you are required to complete the Drake University supplement.

Additional letters of recommendation are not required, but will be considered if you send them.

Drake University sends admission decisions through the mail:

Applicants of all undergraduate majors (except pre-pharmacy) will be notified of an admission decision on a rolling basis beginning October 15. Notification after October 15 typically takes 4-6 weeks after your file becomes complete. 

Applicants of the pre-pharmacy program are notified of an admission decision in mid-January of their senior year.