Updating Your PTACAS Application (Academic Update)

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Overview

Updating Your Coursework and Transcripts

What is Academic Update?

Am I Eligible for Academic Update?

You are eligible for Academic Update if you have at least one program in the Verified status by August 30, 2024. You can find your application status under the Check Status tab. Updates are available within the following timeframe:

December 15, 2023 and February 15, 2024
May 3, 2024 and August 30, 2024

You will receive a notification within PTACAS when the Academic Update period is open and available.

What Happens When I Update My Coursework?

Academic Update helps ensure your programs have the most up-to-date information about your coursework. If you update your coursework during the  Academic Update window, PTACAS verifies your new courses, calculates updated PTACAS GPAs, and sends this information to your programs.

Since updated coursework will be verified, you must arrange for your updated official transcripts to be sent directly to PTACAS as soon as you receive an email confirmation from PTACAS confirming that your Academic Update was successfully submitted. Do not request that transcripts be sent to PTACAS beforehand; they will not qualify for Academic Update and will need to be resubmitted.

Once your new transcripts are received, your new coursework is placed in line to be verified. Verifications occur in chronological order and can take up to 10 business days to complete. You will receive an email when your Academic Update is verified.

Note that your application status will remain as Verified throughout the Academic Update process.

Which Courses Should I Update?

You can update any coursework you initially marked as in-progress or planned, as well as add courses that are planned for the next term. You cannot update terms that are already verified or add terms from previous years (e.g., you forgot to add a term from 2020). If you are updating coursework as a re-applicant, review Use an Existing PTACAS Account to Re-apply.

Note that you can only update your grades once during the Academic Update period. For example, if you've listed fall coursework as in-progress or planned, wait until that term is completed and you’ve received your final grades before you submit your Academic Update. Be mindful of the Academic Update deadline and submit before it closes.

How Do I Complete the Academic Update Process?

Academic Update is a three-step process:

Update Your Coursework

Ensure your application's status is Verified on the Check Status tab.
Navigate to the Academic History section.
Click Transcript Entry.
Click Edit under the school you are updating.
Click the blue pencil next to the term you are updating (if you need to add a new term, click Add Term).
Change the In Progress/Planned box to Completed.
Update your courses, credits, and grades.
Click Save All.

Submit Your Application

Click Submit My Updates to send the updated information to your programs no later than 11:59 PM ET on August 30, 2024.

Send Your Updated, Official Transcripts to PTACAS

We must receive your official transcripts by September 6, 2024. Arrange for your updated official transcripts to be sent directly to PTACAS as soon as they are available.

Updating Other Application Sections

Once you submit your application, most sections are locked to prevent edits. Updates you can make include:

Editing your contact information.
Editing your profile information (username, password, etc.).
Adding programs with deadlines that have not yet passed.
Adding new evaluations (if you have not yet requested the maximum number of evaluations).
Editing or deleting evaluations that remain incomplete.
Adding new entries to certain areas of the Academic History, Supporting Information, and Program Materials sections (e.g., test scores, optional documents, etc.), where applicable (you are unable to edit or delete existing entries).
Editing program materials for programs you have not yet submitted to.
Adding optional documents to programs that you already submitted to (all other sections will be locked).

After making your updates, click Update my application to send the changes to your programs. If you have updates for other sections of your application, submit these updates directly to your programs.