CASPA and application timing

[GoPackGo]

Hello,

I'm planning to apply to PA schools this summer. However, I'm also planning to strengthen my application by taking Microbiology and Medical Terminology classes this summer, and continuing to work as a CNA. These classes are not required in all of the programs I want to apply to.

Since I'm working and taking summer classes, my application is evolving. As weeks go by I am accumulating more direct patient care hours. In May my credentials will qualify me to apply to a number of schools, but after taking the summer classes and continuing to work as a CNA, I will qualify to apply to even more schools in August.

Should I apply after this spring semester or wait until August when I have medical terminology, microbiology, and more hours completed? With CASPA, can you apply to schools, then a few months later, update your CASPA profile and apply to more schools?

[crystaltide]

Once you submit your CASPA, it's done. You don't get to modify it, except for contact info. You can, though, add more schools later on. It's a lot of work, but you may want to submit early to all the schools you want to apply to, but have on your application that classes and hours are pending (for pending hours, don't include them in the total, but mention that you will continue gaining hours in the duties section). Then you'll have to send updated transcripts and hour information to all the schools that you applied to after you've finished the classes/hours. You can find all of the details in CASPA's FAQs: https://portal.caspaonline.org/applicants2012/faq/FAQs_Directory.htm

[GoPackGo]

Thanks for the advice!

[dschelar]

I've got a quick question about timing. I'll be finishing a few last prereqs (pathophys, anatomy lab, phys lab) this spring term. If I wait to send my transcript to CASPA until those grades are on my transcript, I wait until it's received by them then e-submit my application. It gets processed and sent out then correct? If my transcript isn't ready until May 15th or so will my application still be getting to schools pretty early?

[wisemakl]

Yes.. I would for sure wait. I took a summer class in may/june and the DAY my grade was posted I had my school send CASPA my transcript. I was still able to submit by July 14th which is pretty early!

 

To GOPACKGO: I would decide what schools you are MOST interested in. You might gain something by waiting and having those final grades and hours, but you will also be farther back in the pack if your program does rolling admissions. Decide which programs are more important to you and try to determine if waiting will significantly help. You can also ask the adcom committee if you could submit updated hours after your CASPA. I know that Western (CA) wanted us to email our admissions rep with any additional grades, hours, etc and they would include it in your file. If you have any schools what allow you to do that you would want to submit early and then update!

[greenmood]

I've got a quick question about timing. I'll be finishing a few last prereqs (pathophys, anatomy lab, phys lab) this spring term. If I wait to send my transcript to CASPA until those grades are on my transcript, I wait until it's received by them then e-submit my application. It gets processed and sent out then correct? If my transcript isn't ready until May 15th or so will my application still be getting to schools pretty early?

I would wait. Complete everything else in the application so that the release is only pending receipt of transcripts. May/June is nice and early.

[Timon]

Just some advice. Don't be in too much of a hurry to turn in your application. Submit a strong application and take your time. You'll need to verify this but I believe the first application deadline is 9/1/2012. Yes it is great to apply early but do not sacrafice you application by doing so.

 

Take your microbiology, medical terminology and lab classes. Get your A's and have them on your transcripts. Update your CNA hours of experience. Maybe take some of these alphabet certifications (PALS, NRP, ACLS & etc) to help strengthen your understanding of what you may expect as part of a team within the context of codes. Possibly take a pharmacology class (since I hear it's one of the hardest courses) or maybe learn spanish at the local YMCA or at a JC. Maybe throw in some more community service and volunteer experience between all of that and apply before that september deadline. Maybe get some additional shadowing experience and really work on getting that initial or additional letter of rec from a PA (hopefully from a school you are applying to).

 

Try your best to show your dedication and qualifications on your CASPA application and make sure you continually update each school as you are still pending a decision.

 

I turned in my first application in September for the schools in my area. Had I turned in my application in May I wouldn't of had 75% of the application I ended up turning in come September. Some schools have deadlines in March. So just know that once you hit complete application that's all she wrote for the CASPA until next application cycle. After that you'll have to send emails / transcripts / email updates to each individual school to suppliment any updates while you are waiting to hear back.

 

I hope this helps.

[crystaltide]

I've got a quick question about timing. I'll be finishing a few last prereqs (pathophys, anatomy lab, phys lab) this spring term. If I wait to send my transcript to CASPA until those grades are on my transcript, I wait until it's received by them then e-submit my application. It gets processed and sent out then correct? If my transcript isn't ready until May 15th or so will my application still be getting to schools pretty early?

 

The first time CASPA mails out applications isn't until June anyway, so don't worry if you can't submit until May 15th. That shouldn't affect the timing of your application being received by schools at all.

 

And maybe what Timon is saying worked for them, but any school that has rolling admissions has told me to apply early (as in June/July).

[greenmood]

Yeah, I would have been nervous applying in September. Just as an example, my school hosts it's first interview session at the end of August and the second at the end of September. If you submit in September you need to account for the back-up in CASPA, which might delay the release by weeks at that point. You would have no chance of being invited for either of the first two interview sessions, and a very questionable shot at the third in October, since it would have likely been filled with earlier applicants already. We had the class of 2014 filled by the new year - the last 2 interview sessions in January and February were for spots on the wait list.

 

It's true that applying in early summer means that you'll have to update the schools on your summertime activities. But hey, it's nice to have something of substance to say in an interview... and honestly, if your application is so weak that three months of work/class/whatever is going to break it, you should consider waiting a year anyway.

[GatorRRT]

It's typically in your best interest to submit early. However, it's not impossible to get into a program as a late applicant. I submitted to the school I'm attending (May start date) in October and didn't have my letters of rec finished until December (school had specific LOR writter qualifications).....ymmv

[Allegro]

The first deadline is actually in June. Anyone who wants a good shot should be applying in the Js (June/July). September is way too late.

[dkwee]

The first time CASPA mails out applications isn't until June anyway.

 

Wait, how did you find that out? I've been searching all over CASPA for the first mailing date! (And I also heard that processing for the 1st mail date can take 2-4 weeks!)

[crystaltide]

Other people on the forum have mentioned it. The processing time is shorter if you submit early than if you submit later.

[Allegro]

It's right in the CASPA FAQ under "Before Applying" which everyone should read before they even create an account after CASPA posts the updated version for the 2013 cycle (currently the 2012 one is posted which will be obsolete once the cycle begins).

 

 

• "Q: How early should I start the application process?
   
  A: APPLY EARLY! Submitting your materials early will ensure timely processing and help avoid delays. Depending on volume, it can take up to 10 business days for items such as transcripts or money order payments to be marked as received by CASPA from the date they are mailed. To ensure your application is mailed on time, ALL MATERIALS should arrive at CASPA to complete your application at least four weeks prior to your earliest deadline. Once your application is considered COMPLETE, it can take up to FOUR WEEKS for it to be processed and mailed to your programs. Please note that CASPA mailings do not begin until JUNE of each application cycle. Applications completed and verified during April and May will not be sent to schools until the mailings start in June. After that, applications are mailed once a week."
  

Generally, you can tell when the "busy season" is by looking at the school deadlines. Most schools have a deadline of Aug 1, Sept 1, Oct 1 and Nov 1, so the busy season clusters around those deadlines. Applying before that season hits is in every applicant's benefit as many PA programs start reviewing apps right away and offer seats to applicants before their deadline even hits. Some PA programs fill their class prior to their posted deadline as well, at which point, you're just applying for the waiting list.

 

"Some PA programs fill their classes prior to their posted deadline. CASPA strongly encourages ALL applicants to contact the programs to which they are applying and ensure seats are still available BEFORE submitting their CASPA application. CASPA can NOT give a refund if a school you have selected has already filled its class, nor can we transfer the payment to another designation."

[GoPackGo]

Hey all,

I'm bumping my thread back up because I am close to submitting. All of my transcripts and letters of rec have been received by CASPA.

My GPA and Science GPA's are between 3.7 and 3.8. My paid HCE hours are at 335 hrs.

I'm taking Microbiology and Medical Terminology and continuing to work as a CNA this summer. My grades for these classes won't be posted until early August.

I believe I will have greater than 500 paid hours of HCE by mid July.

If you were me would you apply now with the amount of hours I have? Or would you wait until mid July when I have greater than 500 paid HCE hours?

[mackjacks]

I respectfully disagree with those who said you should wait to submit. You should submit as soon as possible, and update schools with additional information. I'd submit with your current HCE hours, and at the end of your job descriptions/volunteering descriptions/anything you will continue to do, have a sentence saying "I plan to continue working __ hours per week at this position until I matriculate into PA school." The school will probably project your total hours out into the future to see how many you'll have by their deadline or their program start date, whichever they go by for an hours cutoff. Even still, you should update them with an email every 2-4 months. I always updated them whenever I had something else significant to add along with it, like final grades or starting a new volunteer endeavor. Also, are microbiology and medical terminology listed as "In Progress" on CASPA, or not listed at all? If they are listed in progress, you don't need to do anything. If they are not listed at all, after you submit CASPA, you'll hear from schools that they have received your app (this means they open an applicant file for you) so at that time, e-mail the school and say you'd like to update them with the info that you are enrolled in those classes and will send final transcripts when they are available. This is a good time to ask where to send the transcript so you'll know later.

 

When I filled out CASPA, I wrote "With the increase in my time available to work due to graduation, I plan to work 45 hours each week at this position." Then it ended up I was actually working more like 55 so after a few months I let the schools know my new total hours and that my weekly had increased, at this time I also told them that I currently had A's in both of the classes I was taking and expected final grades of A. I also asked where to send the transcripts when they were available. Then at the end of the summer I sent another e-mail with my final grades, new hours (if it seemed appropriate, some of the schools had mentioned very clearly that hours were projected until the time we'd enroll and that I didn't need to keep sending updated hours) and informing them that official transcripts were on the way. It was also nice that I mentioned in the first update email about the transcripts, because a few schools told me not to bother with official transcripts unless I ended up attending and that for now just e-mailing was fine.

 

The ONLY reason you should consider waiting to submit is if you are sure that all of the schools you are applying to do not do rolling admissions. For example, 2 of the schools I applied to do not look at anyone's application until after the deadline, and they don't even look at the apps in the order they came in. In that case, yeah wait and have the best possible CASPA so you don't have to spend as much time updating them on stuff. If even one school does rolling admissions, submit CASPA ASAP and do the updates for all the schools. Obviously if you get wait listed anywhere or interview then are waiting to hear back for a long time, make sure to keep sending updates! (Just not annoyingly often :) ) Hope this helped! ...sorry it got so long...

[GoPackGo]

Thanks mackjacks. I'm going to go for it!