Evaluations and classes in progress

[mjl194]

Can you add more evaluations (as long as it's no more than five) after you have submitted your application?

 

My girlfriend is needing to submit her application for a school that starts in January that only requires three evaluations and none from a PA. She is concerned that if she later wants to apply to a school that requires a PA that she wouldnt be able to add a new evaluation.

 

What is the method of adding a class in progress that you plan to take before the PA school starts but haven't decided which school to take it from yet? Can you edit which school you take a class from? For example you say that you are taking the class at school A but then decide to take it at school B. Can you change the school on your application once it's subbmitted? It's just medical terminology.

 

Thanks in advance.

[mcdaad]

Honestly I think you should contact your schools of choice and ask them about your second question. As far as I know once your CASPA application is submitted changes can not be made. As for your first question, one of the recommendation letters should have been from a PA, MD, or DO before applying to CASPA (a lot of schools are different but it's highly suggested to get at least one typed from a doctor). Most schools usually already list these requirements on their website. Usually if you need to update your info they request it or tell you to bring it during the interview.

[AliB]

Both of the questions are best answered by CASPA, not by anyone on this forum.  Prior year applicants (like me) don't have any experience with the new CASPA system, and current year applicants don't have enough!  

 

FWIW, I didn't have an evaluation from a PA (had an MD, NP, and Ph.D./professor).  It's a nice feature that CASPA has added to accept additional LORs to meet more schools reqs.  In the past, if a school wanted a different ref letter, you had to have it sent separately (e.g., one school wanted a letter from a former supervisor so I had to have it sent directly).  

 

For future, in progress, coursework, I expect you enter plans to the best of your knowledge.  Plans can change and schools know that.  I couldn't get into the O.Chem II class I'd planned for a future semester, so I ended up taking something else instead.  The only point where it got confusing was for the school where I ultimately enrolled -- they did have the planned school in their list of schools for which they were expecting official transcripts for finalizing my admission.  Once I explained that plans changed and I didn't attend that class at that school that semester, they corrected it and it was a non-issue.  I know with the new application you can update grades for courses that were initially entered as in-process, but I don't know that you can change the course info, or the school (I suspect not).  

[mcdaad]

But the recommendation letter question, you should contact your schools of choice about that. I wouldn't ask CASPA about that because it's about what the school prefers. It's 2015 not years ago, which means the applicant pool is highly competitive now. If your girlfriend wants to apply to the programs that requires a recommendation from a PA, I suggest she gets in those shadowing hours in now before she applies. I would never apply to a school that requires a recommendation from a PA and I know I don't have one/didn't shadow a PA, just because it's their requirement. You can add no more than 5 evaluations as long as they don't exceed 5 MB.

 

For the most accurate information, please go to CASPA's website scroll down below and click on Instructions and FAQs. It helps you out a lot about the application process.

[cop to pa]

So, I'm verified, submitted and done with applying this cycle. I just checked on my CASPA, and I can still add an evaluation request. I completed everything short of submit without a problem, so that answers that one.

 

As to AliB, her advice about planned courses syncs up with what CASPA staff had said during their information sessions and the virtual fair from the other month. Plans change and programs know that. Just complete the information about your future plans to the best of your abilities.

[AliB]

But the recommendation letter question, you should contact your schools of choice about that. I wouldn't ask CASPA about that because it's about what the school prefers. It's 2015 not years ago, which means the applicant pool is highly competitive now. If your girlfriend wants to apply to the programs that requires a recommendation from a PA, I suggest she gets in those shadowing hours in now before she applies. I would never apply to a school that requires a recommendation from a PA and I know I don't have one/didn't shadow a PA, just because it's their requirement. You can add no more than 5 evaluations as long as they don't exceed 5 MB.

 

For the most accurate information, please go to CASPA's website scroll down below and click on Instructions and FAQs. It helps you out a lot about the application process.

 

Agree - the schools of choice are the appropriate source of information re who should be providing your evaluations.  That wasn't the OP's question; it was "Can you add more evaluations (as long as it's no more than five) after you have submitted your application?  My girlfriend is needing to submit her application for a school that starts in January that only requires three evaluations and none from a PA. She is concerned that if she later wants to apply to a school that requires a PA that she wouldn't be able to add a new evaluation.".  That IS a question for CASPA, not the program(s). 

 

Agree, too - the FAQs are most often best source of clarification!

[mjl194]

Thanks for the responses everyone.  I asked here because I saw where a rep from CASPA has answered other questions on here and we were wondering/stressing about it after hours last night.

 

My girlfriend just got off the phone with CASPA.  Just to let anyone know who wants the answers:

 

1.  You can add an evaluation at a later date, after submission.

2.  You cannot edit a class in progress.  You have to contact the school directly for that.

 

Thanks again for all of your help.

[mcdaad]

For AliB, On CASPA's FAQ section it does state "......However you may want to contact the schools to which you are applying in acquire as to whether they will accept an additional or substitute letter. If so, you would send this additional letter directly to them". The FAQs really do help out though. Of course you can still switch/add to your CASPA application now but once March 1, 2016 comes around you can't.

 

For mjl194, no problem and best of luck to your girlfriend!:)