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Liaison

Disputing and Correcting CASPA Course Subjects and GPAs

Disputing Course Subject Assignments

Course subjects are assigned to categories based on the titles and department prefixes listed on your official transcripts, not the course content itself. Since your physician assistant programs determine and use the standardized CASPA Course Subjects list, they will not consider dispute requests for course subject assignments that are clearly indicated on this list. Additionally, CASPA will not accept documentation (i.e., letters, course descriptions, unofficial transcripts) in an attempt to prove a course's content differed from that indicated by the title and prefix.

The following correction requests must be submitted in writing via email.

Correcting an Incorrect Course Subject Assignment

If, during verification, a course subject is incorrectly assigned to the wrong category, CASPA can re-review the course title and prefix and make appropriate changes. For example, if your course is titled Inorganic Chemistry I, but was incorrectly categorized as Organic Chemistry, CASPA can update this coursework after verification. To update course subjects that were categorized incorrectly, email customer service at support@caspa.myliaison.com with the subject line Course Subject Correction and indicate the requested change.

Correcting a Vague Course Subject Assignment

On some occasions courses may have questionable or vague titles. If a verified course subject assignment is correct by CASPA standards, but you feel that you can provide a course description that indicates it should reflect a different category, you can request that CASPA provide this information to your programs. To request an admissions notification for a questionable or vague title, email customer service at support@caspa.myliaison.com with the subject line Course Subject Correction and support your argument by providing the following:

  • Indicate the course in question and what you believe it should be categorized as.
  • Copy and paste the official course description from your course catalog. Additionally, provide a link to the description's source (do not simply link to a course catalog - provide a link to the exact location of the description).

If, upon review, CASPA feels that the provided information supports a valid argument for your requested course subject assignment, we will notify your programs through an admissions note; however, we will not change the verified course subject assignment and we will not update your GPA calculations.

If CASPA feels that the provided information does not support a valid argument for your requested course subject assignment, we will not honor your request. If you still wish to dispute your course subject assignment, contact your programs directly.

Disputing Your GPA Calculations

During verification, CASPA uses the information you entered on the Transcript Entry page to calculate several GPAs. Incorrect GPA calculations – which rarely occur – are most often a result of an error in your entered coursework.

If you believe a GPA was calculated incorrectly, you should first:

  1. Note that:
    • CASPA GPAs are not the same as the GPAs found on your transcripts.
    • A common mistake applicants make is to add GPAs from each academic year of undergraduate study and then divide by 4 to obtain an overall undergraduate GPA. This calculation represents an average GPA, which is different from an overall GPA.
  2. Review Calculating Your CASPA GPAs.
  3. Identify the area you believe is causing the incorrect calculation (e.g., Post-Baccalaureate Science GPA) and calculate the GPA yourself using the GPA calculator.

If, after calculating the GPA, you still believe there is an error, email customer service at support@caspa.myliaison.com with the subject line Verification: GPA inquiry and:

  • Indicate the problematic area.
  • Provide your calculations.

CASPA does not accept GPA review requests by phone.

 

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