CASPA DO'S AND DON'TS

CASPA season is amongst us! For some, this may  be your second, or third, or even fourth time applying— and that’s okay! It is a testament to show how dedicated and passionate you  are about becoming a PA. Do not be discouraged; instead, see this as a chance to grow, reflect and further prepare yourself before beginning this next chapter in your life! For others, this may be your first cycle applying and we are so excited for you to begin this process. CASPA can seem intimidating and stressful at first, but we are here to help walk you through it with some Do’s and Don’ts!

Do’s:

• DO open your CASPA account early and enter basic demographic information

• DO order your official transcripts as soon as possible (it may take awhile for CASPA to receive your transcript)

• DO input your academic history first so you can focus on the more important details in your application

• DO reach out to your references by January-March* for your letters of recommendation

  • Send a hand-written thank you note after to show your appreciation!

• DO start the first draft for your personal statement by January to allow yourself more time for peer reviews and multiple drafts

• DO write your personal statement drafts on separate documents or tabs so you can always go back to your first draft if you ever need to

• DO make your personal statement and supplemental essays unique to YOU

• DO make bullet points in your notes app ahead of time on why you want to be a PA (this can also be resourceful for when you begin interviewing!)

• DO your research! Every program has different prerequisites, deadlines, and considerations. Make note if your programs of interest are rolling admissions to give yourself your best shot

• DO send your GRE scores/Supplemental essays directly to the program if they require you to do so (again DO YOUR RESEARCH)

• DO try to find common themes among your top schools through their missions to highlight why you would be the perfect fit 

• DO refer to the CASPA Applicant Guide and CASPA chat feature for a better understanding of what to include in your application

• DO set deadlines for yourself— your greatest accountability partner is yourself

Don’ts:

• DON’T PROCRASTINATE; it can take up to 6 weeks for your application to be verified

• DON'T hesitate to ask for help or advice

  • Ask your peers to review your drafts

  • Find a PA-C or PA-S could review your draft as well!

• DON’T double dip your hours. When debating on which category to put a specific experience under, review your duties and assign them accordingly. Do not hesitate to “split” hours if your experience falls under multiple categories (i.e. leadership as lead scribe vs. scribing)

• DON’T miscategorize your hours. Do not give programs a chance to question your candidacy and honesty if there are discrepancies.

• DON’T just list out your duties in experience descriptions. Write in complete sentences and explain how these experiences will help shape you as a future PA-S and PA-C

• DON’T use complex formatting such as indentations, italicization, etc. as these do not save when submitting

• DON’T say “no” when asked to waive your rights to view the LORs. This shows how confident you are in your LORs

• DON’T apply to random schools. Make sure you are applying to programs that match your qualifications and average statistics to have a higher chance of admission

• DON’T apply if you are not ready! DON’T waste the time or money if you do not meet the minimum requirements or you do not feel confident in your application. Instead, use this time to strengthen your application and get better experience for becoming a PA

As you take this first big step in your PA journey, do not forget to allow yourself time to relax and recharge — you won’t get much of that after you get accepted! This process may feel a bit overwhelming at times but you will get through it. Utilize all the resources you have (such as GAPPA), books, workshops and especially your peers! We are all in this together and we will get accepted to PA school!

Best of luck, 

GAPPA’s Resource Committee 2025-2026