Pete Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Does anyone know if PA schools look at your actual transcripts to evaluate sciences? I just got my CASPA verified and am devastated by my GPA. They incorporate every class you've ever taken and appear to give you a lifetime GPA. This seems incredibly unfair especially if you're a non-traditional student like myself who found their true passion late in life. I struggled for a few years in community college with benign subjects such as college algebra (which I eventually passed), but when I decided to become a PA I put my nose to the grindstone, hammered out some very difficult semesters stacking Bio and Anatomy simultaneously and achieving a 3.6 overall GPA specific to sciences. I also recently graduated with my Bachelors with a 3.47 Program GPA. But now CASPA shows me with a cum undergrad GPA of 2.66!!! I see that they do show me with a 3.47 GPA as a senior but isolates my sciences and groups them together under "other" or biology/zoology, what about Micro? or Anatomy? It generalizes and not in a good way. So just wondered if PA schools look beyond the CASPA "table of contents" with regards to GPA and/or individual course grades? Also, has anyone heard of any applicants that were successful in challenging CASPA's GPA calculations or verification? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgaboria Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 I also had a question about CASPA GPA in regards to undergrad vs. post-bacc... are these combined to be a cumulative GPA when submitted? I know my official undergrad science GPA is 2.95 but my post-bacc GPA is a 4.0 with all science classes taken since graduation (I think 16 credits). I am just wondering about schools that auto-reject... would this be me or do they combine undergrad + post-bacc to get my overall science GPA? My cumulative GPA is a 3.4 Thanks for the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegro Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 CASPA doesn't calculate one GPA, it does a whole bunch. They show you exactly how they do it and what it looks like here: https://portal.caspaonline.org/caspaHelpPages/frequently-asked-questions/processing-your-application/grade-point-average-gpa-calculations/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgaboria Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 For repeated courses... CASPA says to enter grades/credits exactly as they appear. My first attempt at the class is showing as 0 credits with a C+... the second time taking the class shows as 4.0 credits and a B+. For repeat classes, would I calculate my GPA as 4.0 credits with a combined B average? I am trying to calculate my GPA myself before submitting my CASPA so I can have a good idea of what it will be. I know they can see both grades but on my transcript, I have 4.0 credits. So would CASPA calculate the average of the 2 grades with 4 credits or count both as separate courses as "8 credits" even though my transcript only shows 4 credits? I'm a little confused on how repeated courses are handled. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timon Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 They are going to calculate the number of credits attempted. So it may show 0 credits as a grade replacement but when CASPA calculates it, they will include the number of credits attempted. So list it as 8 credits. Two separate courses each with their own individual grade. There is no averaging. Its a running total of every unit you ever took and was awarded a letter grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgaboria Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Thank you for the reply Timon. So when I calculate my own GPA, I will use 4 credits each and count the classes separately. But in regards to my transcript, I do have to list the 1st attempt as 0 credits because that is what is printed on my transcript and I don't want to get it rejected by CASPA because I entered something wrong. Thanks for the clarification! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timon Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 No worries, CASPA will review your transcript and will make corrections too. Sometimes the corrections are incorrect. Like I had a class that I got a C in and they put it as 3 credits but it was a 4 unit class. So I was honest and included it in a list of corrections as some of my courses they listed as science that weren't and vice versa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTPAAPPLICANT2018 Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 If you withdraw from a class before the deadline, and on your transcript it shows a W, does that count towards your GPA for CAPSA? Would it be weighed as an F or just a regular W without any significance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timon Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 It does not count towards your GPA. However, it does show on your transcript. Too many will raise red flags with an adcom. Be ready to explain any Ws or blemishes that appear on your transcript when you are preparing for any upcoming interviews. Remember to take accountability for anything that happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roosh17 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I had a question about my CASPA calculated GPA. It shows the post bacc GPA and undergrad GPA but a few rows below, the overall GPA is the same as the undergrad GPA in all three categories (science, non-science, total). It's as if they didn't actually combine the two postbacc and undergrad GPAs together. Is this normal or should I contact CASPA to possibly correct that? Thanks for any help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegro Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Your "undergrad" GPA already includes the post-bacc, because its undergraduate level work. Your "Total" (the GPA the row below Senior) is your freshman-senior work. Then it lists post-bacc, then undergraduate, which is total plus post-bacc. The "Overall" GPA will always be the same as your undergrad GPA unless you took graduate work. That's confusing to write out, but I hope it makes sense. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roosh17 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Ok! Now I understand how to read the columns. Allegro, your explanation did make sense! Total+Postbacc=Cum undergrad and also Cum undergrad=Overall. Thanks so much for the clarification! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegro Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 You're welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curry11 Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Hello All, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cm7sus4 Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Hey everyone! This is my first post on the forum, however I have been trolling the site for quite some time. I have recently started the journey to becoming a PA and am now starting to get nervous the more I read about CASPA's gpa policy. The best thing you can do is to start talking with admissions departments - don't screen yourself out based on numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shenanigans Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 I just calculate my science GPa and its a 2.9!!!!!!!!!! I'm soooo sad. Some moral support needed here. I received one F in chemistry, early on in my academics and my advisor for some insane reason advised me to take orgo 2!! it was such a bad idea because that professor was known for failing students. I received a C in lecture and an A in lab. These two grades are screwing up my GPa. Everything else, I have A, B+ and B. Science courses i've taken include: Biochem (B+) Physics (B) Med Micro (B+) Micro Lec & Lab (B+ and B) A&P 1& 2 (B+ and B) Bio 1&2 (A- and B) Chem 1&2 (A and B) Orgo 1&2 (B and B in orgo 1 and C and A in orgo 2) Doesn't look too bad....but i guess its not great for my goal? Should I take Botany to boost my GPa or Bioinformatics? I don't see bioinformatics listed anywhere. If I pull an A or a B+ i fall in the 3.0 range. is that good enough if I apply early?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timon Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Lots of classes you can still take to raise your GPA. Genetics, nutrition, lifespan development, histology, pathophysiology, bioethics, biostats, geology, land / water / air pollution, just to name a few. Don't sweat it if you don't get in or aren't able to apply. Find something fast that you can take online if you needed. Your grades look fine. Just remember, it can always be worse, you could have had a 2.3 undergrad cGPA and no healthcare experience when you decided to be a PA. Just some perspective. =o) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shenanigans Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Lots of classes you can still take to raise your GPA. Genetics, nutrition, lifespan development, histology, pathophysiology, bioethics, biostats, geology, land / water / air pollution, just to name a few. Don't sweat it if you don't get in or aren't able to apply. Find something fast that you can take online if you needed. Your grades look fine. Just remember, it can always be worse, you could have had a 2.3 undergrad cGPA and no healthcare experience when you decided to be a PA. Just some perspective. =o) Im taking a few more science classes over the summer, hopefully my cGPa will be 3.5. Do you think that's good enough? My science GPa, as it will be calculated by Caspa is my concern. As per my calculations, it comes to 3.0. If I take Genetics + Bioinformatics, I can raise it to barely a 3.1. Orgo2+Physics+the failed Chem is bringing my GPa down. Without those classes, its at least a 3.3. And that's just science. I don't know why i took orgo 2 and physics. and I don't know why i had a brain fart and stopped attended Chem without dropping it. I was so stupid back then. ugh! Ecology Counts? I took Health and Human Ecology. I got an A in that!!! And I'm currently enrolled in Biostatistics for my Health and nutrition major. Will that also count as a science? If so, I will make sure to get an A and nothing less! I'm doing very well in the class so far. (Just checked, Biostat counts as a math. I actually have an A- in Calc and B in pre-calc). ETA: I'm not as screwed as I thought I was. If I go by the classes that are considered science, I can pull a high GPa in science. But my science GPa in HARDCORE science classes (listed above) remains a 3.0. Do schools recalculate the GPa once they receive the application? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timon Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Im taking a few more science classes over the summer, hopefully my cGPa will be 3.5. Do you think that's good enough? My science GPa, as it will be calculated by Caspa is my concern. As per my calculations, it comes to 3.0. If I take Genetics + Bioinformatics, I can raise it to barely a 3.1. Orgo2+Physics+the failed Chem is bringing my GPa down. Without those classes, its at least a 3.3. And that's just science. I don't know why i took orgo 2 and physics. and I don't know why i had a brain fart and stopped attended Chem without dropping it. I was so stupid back then. ugh! Ecology Counts? I took Health and Human Ecology. I got an A in that!!! And I'm currently enrolled in Biostatistics for my Health and nutrition major. Will that also count as a science? If so, I will make sure to get an A and nothing less! I'm doing very well in the class so far. (Just checked, Biostat counts as a math. I actually have an A- in Calc and B in pre-calc). ETA: I'm not as screwed as I thought I was. If I go by the classes that are considered science, I can pull a high GPa in science. But my science GPa in HARDCORE science classes (listed above) remains a 3.0. Do schools recalculate the GPa once they receive the application? Schools typically do not recalculate CASPA GPAs when they receive your application. Keep in mind that not all schools are apart of the CASPA system. And there is at least 1 school I'm aware of that does their own calculations because they honor grade replacements. All the biology, zoology, physics, biochem, inorganic chem, and o chem are counted as science. Even classes like bioethics, engineering, computer programming, acupuncture, animal behavior, first aid, gerontology, epidemiology, electronics, marine bio, natural resources, phlebotomy, plant sciences, and public health classes all count as sciences. If you're unsure, then click on this CASPA link and look it up: https://portal.caspaonline.org/caspaHelpPages/frequently-asked-questions/academic-history/course-subjects/ Take a moment and slow down a bit and set some goals and then evaluate your next step with these set goals. In your case, you want to have a 3.0 sGPA to apply. So ask yourself, which classes can I take that will give me enough units at a 4.0 to raise my sGPA to a 3.0 in the SHORTEST amount of time? If that means taking a couple 6 week online classes at University of Phoenix or University of New England, then you should consider that just so you can apply early this CASPA application cycle. Once you finish that, then continue to raise your GPA by taking all of the other classes you mentioned which can include retaking O. Chem. You can even go as so far as mentioning that in your personal statement that you are retaking classes or taking more classes to and that you have taken classes to raise your GPA. You can address any questions regarding grades / academic performance, simply by stating what your most recent work has been and by mentioning what you learned and did different than when you got your bad grade. The important thing to remember is that schools look at the whole applicant and not just GPAs. If you're applying to a school that only cares about 1 stat, then maybe that should not be the school you should attend. The good news is that there are schools out there in which you can apply to that you meet their admission criteria right now regardless of raising that sGPA to a 3.0. So just food for thought. I would do my best to submit my CASPA & complete any secondary applications before the end of July, especially if schools are on rolling admissions. So it may be worth it to apply to a few select schools this time while taking more classes and then if you don't get in, you can apply more broadly next time as you would have had significant improvement of your sGPA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shenanigans Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 @ Timon Thank you for this sound advice. I calculated my GPa with the health science classes and it comes out to a 3.2152. Courses I've included in the calculations are: Ecology, Principles of Health, Epidemiology, Fundamentals of Nutr, Community Health Service, Womens Health (does this count-i couldn't tell from the list), Health Communication (again, couldn't tell if this is included), psych aspects of health (again, does this count as science?), health disparities, Life Cycle Nutrition. It seems the larger the pool of classes is, the harder it is to raise the GPa. Without the health science classes, its a 3.0. This is still not good enough. I'm trying to calculate now to see how many more classes do I need to take to get a 3.4. Which is JUST average. I imagine I would have to take approx 5 classes and get ALL A's. Is the University of Pheonix a reputable institution to take classes at? I registered for Genetics at Empire State College online..$1240 for a 4 credit class. Is the Pheonix institution cheaper? Can I enroll in 4 courses at once? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timon Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Regarding online classes, its really hit or miss with people and their opinions of them. So I'm going to differ the answer to that at the discretion of the program and interviewer. I took 4 of my prerequisites online at University of Phoenix (all of which did not require any lab credits) and I was accepted and had other interviews when I applied. If I had a 3.0 sGPA and my cGPA was a 3.0 then I would apply and let the admission committee make the decision if its good enough or not. In regards to CASPA: just browse their FAQs and you can find a list of classes and what is considered a science class and what isn't considered one. Typically psychology classes are not considered science classes (per the CASPA website). You can always call or email CASPA and get an answer if you cannot locate it on their website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cynwash Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Hello - New to this forum and have a question about Pass/Fail Grades as calculated by Caspa. I know that a Pass grade is not counted toward the GPA at all. Does anyone know how Caspa handles a Fail in this type of class? It is difficult to suss out from the FAQ. I have a significant blemish on my academic record, which is partial completion of a graduate program in Naturopathic Medicine almost 20 years ago (I'm an older student) during which I was going through some major personal issues and did absolutely horribly. I didn't finish the program and I wasn't kicked out, but in hindsight looking at my transcript I really can't see why they didn't put me on probation and prevent me from continuing. I should have withdrawn long before I did and my grades reflect this. Most coursework at my school was pass/no-pass, which could be to my benefit, however a no-pass in this type of class (and unfortunately I got several of them) appears on my transcript as an F, and there is no obvious indication on the transcript that it was a pass/no-pass type of class. If Caspa treats no-passes the same as passes and omits them from the GPA calculation, my combination of average undergrad GPAs (3.0 overall, 3.2 science) and good (and recent) post-bacc work (3.7/3.7) does an ok job of overcoming the poor grad school performance and keeps me hovering just above 3.0 / 3.0; not competitive, but at least not below minimums at most schools. If, however, no-passes are treated the same as an F and counted toward the overall GPA, the list of programs I would qualify for on GPA alone becomes much smaller. I know there are other ways to shine besides just GPA and I'll be making every effort to focus on my strengths and address my awful grad school performance in my personal statement. I also know that the answer to how they'll treat these grades will eventually make itself clear once my application is complete and I see how they've done the GPA calculation, but I guess I'm hoping someone may have a more definitive answer I can use to either relax a little or prepare myself for impending bad news. Many thanks to anyone who has some insight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickstartle Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Hi guys, I have a quick question, Caspa just verified my application and I'm rather upset about how they calculated my gpa. I have a Health Science degree from OSU, and from the looks of it they're not counting a huge chunk of my actual health science courses into my science gpa. Are they just counting specific science courses (biology, chemistry, anatomy, etc)? Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patobe123 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Hi guys, I have a quick question, Caspa just verified my application and I'm rather upset about how they calculated my gpa. I have a Health Science degree from OSU, and from the looks of it they're not counting a huge chunk of my actual health science courses into my science gpa. Are they just counting specific science courses (biology, chemistry, anatomy, etc)? Thank you. Check this out: https://portal.caspaonline.org/caspaHelpPages/frequently-asked-questions/academic-history/course-subjects/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatStudentGalVal Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Hi All, Not sure if this will help others but it sure made my life easy- attached is a GPA calculator excel file (in Google Drive, you'll have to download a copy to your system locally) that will spit out your overall and your science GPA. All you have to do is fill out the name of each course, the type of course (Q for quarter/S for semester), the credit hours the class offered, the grade you received, and whether or not you are logging it as a science class (Y or N). It will spit out your calculated GPA (assuming that CASPA logs all the science courses the same way you choose to): https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By3yy6sZlX1AR1locWF3VUNvRkE/view?usp=sharing Good luck on applications all! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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