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non-college level courses (3.61 cGPA to 3.11)


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I might have one of the most interesting issues with CASPA. I'll first say that my cGPA went from a 3.61 to a 3.11. 

 

I began college with no PERT, ACT, SAT, or CPT (I am hoping you know the general idea of these tests). Therefore, I was placed in courses that were not college level, but prepared me to take college level. After a year of these courses, I realized I had my ACT scores and I just used that to place me into college level courses. 

 

To give an example, Reading I course was REA 0001 and Elementary Algebra was MAT 0001. This is compared to College algebra MAC 1105 (significant course number difference). 

 

CASPA is incorporating non-college level courses into my GPA. For most people, this would boost your GPA, but I withdrew and stopped attending to take care of my grandmother. The withdrawal did not go through, but I was told, because they are a non college level course, I would not be effected by it. I was not effect by it through my community college, nor my college where I graduated with my Bachelors– of course since it is not considered college level. It is now effecting my GPA for CASPA. From a 3.61 GPA to a 3.11cGPA, although I still have a 3.62sGPA. Many schools that I applied to rejected me, because of my cGPA.

 

 

I have attempted to contact CASPA, they told me to contact PAEA. I contacted PAEA, but they said they would bring it up in a meeting, if others have this issue. CASPA states that they break down the GPA by college level. Florida statutes states that any course below 1000 is not a college level course. 

 

My questions is, what is my next step? I did not work hard, just to see my GPA get degraded. 

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I am not sure what you really mean by withdrawal didn't go through. If you withdrew and it was after the withdrawal period, most schools would count that as WF, which is same as F in terms of calculating GPA.

 

As far as anything under 1000 being not a college course, I think it means that courses below 1000 level do not go towards your degree, but I think it is still considered a college level course since you are taking it at a college. I may be wrong, but that is just the way I look at it.  The best thing for you to do is wait for the response from PAEA.

 

Having said that, if the decision is not in your favor, I would take some more upper level courses and bring that cumulative cGPA up (at least a 3.3), but it is hard to evaluate without looking at your overall application. How much patient care, shadowing experience do you have? With that GPA, I would at least have 3000 hours of direct patient care experience, shadow PAs in various specialties, and apply broadly.  Good Luck!

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I am not sure what you really mean by withdrawal didn't go through. If you withdrew and it was after the withdrawal period, most schools would count that as WF, which is same as F in terms of calculating GPA.

 

As far as anything under 1000 being not a college course, I think it means that courses below 1000 level do not go towards your degree, but I think it is still considered a college level course since you are taking it at a college. I may be wrong, but that is just the way I look at it.  The best thing for you to do is wait for the response from PAEA.

 

Having said that, if the decision is not in your favor, I would take some more upper level courses and bring that cumulative cGPA up (at least a 3.3), but it is hard to evaluate without looking at your overall application. How much patient care, shadowing experience do you have? With that GPA, I would at least have 3000 hours of direct patient care experience, shadow PAs in various specialties, and apply broadly.  Good Luck!

 

 

Because I was 18 year old at the time, I might have missed something or the community college made an error (which is not uncommon). The courses numbers were consistent with BLS and other cert courses. I attempted to find some rules/regulation to CASPA other than stating they are only county college courses. 

 

My PCE hour is about 5k and still acquiring. I am not able to raise my GPA, because I am about 170 credits in. 36 credits consisting of non-college level. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest kennypowers

"As far as anything under 1000 being not a college course, I think it means that courses below 1000 level do not go towards your degree, but I think it is still considered a college level course since you are taking it at a college. I may be wrong, but that is just the way I look at it."

 

I can understand this viewpoint. They were not college level in terms of difficulty, but they were taken at a college and counted for credit. It may not count toward your degree, but it still gets factored into your CASPA GPA (just as post-bacc non-degree credits do).

 

Perhaps, you could have your college send an official letter on your behalf?

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