Health Professions Advising: Timeline
Primary Applications
Some physician’s assistant programs use a centralized application system, often referred to as the primary application. The central application is available on the CASPA website. This website contains detailed instructions on filling out the application.
The primary application typically becomes first available in April. APPLY EARLY!!
The main elements of the centralized application are as follows:
Personal Statement
The application will contain a prompt (asking for what interested you in medicine and why you believe that you would make a good health professional) and a space for the submission of the personal statement. If your statement exceeds the character limit (approximately 5000 characters – please see the application for the exact number), you will not be allowed to submit it. Please see the Personal Statements page for advice on writing your statement.
List of Extracurriculars/Actities/Research
The application will contain a space to enter significant extracurricular/activity/research experiences.
Your Grades and a Copy of Your Transcript
There will be a page on the application where you will be required to enter the individual names, numbers and grades for each course you have taken (at all institutions you have attended, even if for just one course). You will also be required to have the University Registrar send the central application service a copy of your transcript. Once the central application service has received the transcript and your submitted application, they will verify that the grades entered into the application match the transcript, and then they will forward your application to your selected schools (see below). The application services calculate your GPA as follows:
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How to Calculate Your GPA
Key:
| Grade | Value |
|---|
| A+, A | 4.0 |
| A- | 3.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 |
| B | 3.0 |
| B- | 2.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 |
| C | 2.0 |
| C- | 1.7 |
| D+ | 1.3 |
| D | 1.0 |
| D- | 0.7 |
| F | 0 |
Formulas:
Credit Hours x Grade Value = Quality Points
Quality Points / Credit Hours = GPA
Example:
| Course | Grade | Value | CrHrs | QPoints |
|---|
| 1 | A- | 3.7 | 3 | 11.1 |
| 2 | B+ | 3.3 | 4 | 13.2 |
| 3 | A | 4.0 | 3 | 12.0 |
| 4 | A | 4.0 | 2 | 8.0 |
| 5 | B | 3.0 | 4 | 12.0 |
| totals | 16 | 56.3 |
|---|
Quality Points / Credit Hours = GPA
56.3 / 16 = 3.52 GPA
NOTES:
- Your application GPA includes all courses, all grades, all colleges attended, including college courses taken during high school.
- Your science GPA includes only and all grades from courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics. (BCPM)
- The ratio of semester hours to quarter hours is 3:5.
List of Schools
The application will contain a space for entering the schools you would like your application sent to. Be sure to only add schools that you are interested in (see Choosing Schools), because there is a fee associated with adding more schools onto the list. Please note that there will be some schools that do not participate in the centralized application service. Please check the websites of the schools you are interested for information on their usage of a centralized application.
Secondary Applications
After receiving a primary application, most schools will send the applicant a secondary application. Some schools will send it immediately upon receiving the primary application, some will wait until the transcript has been verified by the central application service, while others will look over the application and then decide whether or not to send a secondary application. It is highly recommended that these secondary applications be returned to the schools after less than two weeks of receiving them. This ensures that the application is complete as soon as possible (to increase chances of an interview invite), and shows that school that the applicant is interested in them.