PSYCAS Program User Guide

Cycle Timeframes

Applicant Portal

The Applicant Portal opens in early September and closes in late August. You can view the specific cycle dates, including final processing dates (e.g., last date to submit transcripts, last date to request letters of recommendation, etc.), on the PSYCAS Application Cycle Dates page.

Configuration Portal

Between mid-June and early September, configurations are entered in the prelaunch environment. The Account Manager, Client Success Manager, and APA review submitted configurations in September.

WebAdMIT

You can view new applicants and initiate a transfer settings shortly after the new cycle opens in early September.

Program Participation Requirements

APA requires all programs to designate two contacts at your institution who will receive all communication from APA and PSYCAS, including the configuration, application, and WebAdMIT launch notifications.

Applicant Portal

The first three sections of the PSYCAS application (i.e., Personal Information, Academic History, and Supporting Information) compose the core application. They contain questions that are commonly asked of applicants across all participating programs, such as an applicant's biographic information, standardized test scores, and experiences. The fourth section of the application is Program Materials, which is customized by you through the Configuration Portal (discussed in the next section).

You can access the PSYCAS application and PSYCAS Applicant Help Center to review the applicant experience. You can also create a test application in the Applicant Portal; we recommend creating a new account and adding "test" to your name (e.g., TestJohn TestDoe).

For a general overview of the applicant experience, review the following documents:

Applicant Processing Reference Guide: learn how applicants move through the application and Liaison processes applicant materials, such as transcripts and official test scores.
Application Statuses Reference Guide: review what each application status means and how you can interact with applicants at different stages.
- Requirements for the PSYCAS Complete application status can be found here.
PSYCAS Quick Start Guide and FAQs: a suggested timeline for completing and submitting the application, links to important pages including cycle dates and fees, and a FAQs section.

You can direct any applicant inquiries related to the application to PSYCAS Customer Service.

Configuration Portal

Use the Configuration Portal Quick Start Guide to make sure you configure your program(s) efficiently and completely in the prelaunch environment. Be sure to check out your CAS's configuration options and review the best practices found throughout. If any optional sections of the application are required for your program (e.g., experiences, test scores, etc.), you'll want to note this on your program home page.

Once you've configured your program, you'll need to have it approved by the Account Manager, Client Success Manager, and APA before it is available to applicants. If your program is reviewed after the cycle launches, APA will approve it.

WebAdMIT

Review the WebAdMIT Manual for any questions related to working in WebAdMIT. The Documentation and Reference Guides and WebAdMIT Training and Support sections are additional resources as you configure WebAdMIT for your needs. Documents commonly requested include:

API Overview: learn how to set up an API and schedule automatic data exports from WebAdMIT into your SIS/ERP.
Application Coupons Reference Guide: learn how to request coupons to offset application fees and disperse them to applicants. View the PSYCAS Coupon Codes FAQs for additional information. To purchase coupons, use the Coupon Code Payment Gateway.
Custom Export Field Layout: a comprehensive list of all fields available in the Export Manager, including associated lookup tables.
Deferring Applicants via Transfer Settings: learn how to transfer deferred applicants from one cycle to the next.
Invitation Codes Reference Guide: learn how to offer individual deadline extensions directly to applicants.
Manual Designations: learn how to add additional programs (i.e., designations) to an application in WebAdMIT.
Master College Code List: a comprehensive list of all college names and their respective Liaison, MDB, CEEB, FICE, and/or IPED codes.
Requesting Official GRE CAS Codes: a guide on how to create CAS-specific codes in order to receive official GRE scores in WebAdMIT.
- To apply for a PSYCAS GRE code, complete this form.
Social Security Number (SSN) Documents Reference Guide: a guide on how to configure a PGP key to receive an encrypted file that contains the applicant's CAS ID and SSN.
Transfer Settings Guide: a review of how programs and templates built in WebAdMIT are carried forward each cycle.

The Release Notes feature new enhancements in the Applicant Portal, Configuration Portal, and WebAdMIT, in addition to upcoming training opportunities.

For any questions, contact the Client Support Specialist Team.

Cycle Enhancements

2022-2023

The table below contains enhancements for PSYCAS for the cycle timeframes noted at the top of this page. Note that some sections have multiple enhancements. If an action is required by participating programs to use the enhancement, click the links under Enhancement Details to learn more. Additional enhancements may have been automatically released; review the Release Notes to learn more.

Portal	Section	Enhancement Details	Implementation	Availability
Applicant Portal	Academic History – Colleges Attended	If an applicant selects Unlisted French Speaking Canadian or Other Foreign Institution, they must complete a new required field for the college’s country. If you created exports to pull a college's country data, you must edit and select the new college country fields. Review the Country Field for Manually Entered Foreign Institutions release note for more information.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Chatbot	Liaison has partnered with Ada to offer an AI chatbot. The chatbot, nicknamed Cassie, leverages an API with CXone Expert, which hosts the CAS-specific Applicant Help Centers. Applicants can access this chatbot once they are logged in to the application. The chatbot responds with information and links to the CAS-specific Applicant Help Center and, if needed, directs the applicant to live support with customer service.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	GDPR Question	The GDPR question asks users located in a European Union country, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland to choose if they want to opt into our policies when creating an account.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Other Information	The Program Plans question, which asked the applicant when they intended to apply, was moved to the Other Information section.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Supporting Information – Evaluations	Applicants must request at least three letters of evaluation and can request a maximum of five. Previously, applicants could only request a maximum of three letters of evaluation.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Configuration Portal	Organization Details	Instead of rebuilding your program in the prelaunch environment, you can import your program from a previous cycle's production environment into the prelaunch environment. You can access the Import from Previous Cycle button in the Configuration Portal prelaunch environment. Visit the Import Your Programs page for more information.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available now
Configuration Portal	Program Details	You can edit the Program Code program attribute, which may be useful for importing program data into your Student Information System (SIS).	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available now
WebAdMIT	Applicant Details Page	You can view TOEFL MyBest scores in the Standardized Tests panel of the Applicant Details page. Additionally, you can view scores in the Full Application PDF under the Documents panel of the Applicant Details page. All TOEFL iBT score reports sent after August 1, 2019, will include the applicant's MyBest scores as well as the individual scores from each test date.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Clipboard	You can now add multiple applicants to your Clipboard by uploading a CSV file of their CAS IDs. Review the Using the Clipboard page for more information.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Export Manager PDF Manager	If you create a list that searches for applicants based on any field in the Designations field grouping (e.g., Designation, Application Status, etc.), you can now extract exports and full application PDFs that adhere to your list's criteria. For more information, see the Export Manager and PDF Manager pages.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	In Progress Applicants Search Page	CASs can now create a custom Program Plans question and answer values that are available in: The In Progress Applicant search page as a filter. Pre-configured exports for application statuses that you have partial viewing rights to. The Applicant Header, List Manager, and Export Manager.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch

2021-2022

The table below contains enhancements for PSYCAS for the cycle timeframes noted at the top of this page. Note that some sections have multiple enhancements. If an action is required by participating programs to use the enhancement, click the links under Enhancement Details to learn more. Additional enhancements may have been automatically released; review the Release Notes to learn more.

Portal	Section	Enhancement Details	Implementation	Availability
Applicant Portal	Coupon Codes	You can offer organization-specific coupon codes to applicants. Applicants can only use the coupon for a program at your organization.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Biographic Information	New Preferred Name, Gender Identity, and Pronouns questions were added.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Test Submitted Email Template	A new Test Submitted email template will notify applicants when PSYCAS receives official GRE or TOEFL scores.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Page Footer	A link to the Liaison Privacy Policy was added to the page footer.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Configuration Portal	Kira Talent Assessment	Kira Talent offers on-demand, timed video and timed written assignments that can be combined with the standard admissions process. You can link your Kira assessment to your program in the application by selecting Kira Assessment.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available now
Configuration Portal	Question Rules	You can choose to request or require a document upload based on an applicant’s response to an Extended Profile or program-level question using the Show Document Question Rule.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available now
Configuration Portal	Question Rules	You can choose to show or hide your programs based on an applicant’s response to an Extended Profile or program-level question using the Program Availability Question Rule.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available now
Configuration Portal	Organizations and Programs	Association users can batch activate or reset programs to draft in the Configuration Portal. A new Organization column is added so association users can filter by organization and perform these batch actions more easily.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available now
Letters by Liaison	Account	Evaluators can now submit their evaluations as a guest, without creating a Letters by Liaison account. Guest users can create an account at any time while working in Letters by Liaison, and evaluators who already have an account can also complete an evaluation as a guest.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Applicant Details Page	You can now view which applicants reapplied from a previous cycle in WebAdMIT. The Applicant Previously Applied to Organization field tracks this information and populates as Yes or No.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Transfer Settings	You can now defer applicants to the next cycle via the transfer settings process.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	GPA Overview	You can now view GPAs by school in the GPA Overview by School subpanel.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch

2020-2021

The table below contains enhancements for PSYCAS for the cycle timeframes noted at the top of this page. Note that some sections have multiple enhancements. If an action is required by participating programs to use the enhancement, click the links under Enhancement Details to learn more. Additional enhancements may have been automatically released; review the Release Notes to learn more.

Portal	Section	Enhancement Details	Implementation	Availability
Applicant Portal	Add Program Page	Applicants can skip the Add Program page after creating their account.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Fee Waiver Page Personal Information – Fee Waiver Acknowledgement	To promote fee waivers and clarify eligibility, fee waiver information is added to the login page and Submit Application page. Additionally, a new section, Fee Waiver Acknowledgement, is added to the Personal Information section. Applicants must confirm that they read the fee waiver standards and eligibility.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Submit Application Page	The Submit Application page lists the term on each program’s tile. Previously, applicants needed to click the additional information icon to view the program’s term.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Configuration Portal	Organization Details	You can offer applicants a deep link to the application's Add Program page with your programs pre-filtered. This allows applicants to quickly access your programs without needing to set their own filters. If an applicant has not yet created an account, the deep link will first instruct them to create an account, and then will take them to the pre-filtered Add Program page.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Configuration Portal	Questions	You can configure both organization- and program-level questions for your programs. This allows you to configure one set of questions that are asked by all programs in that organization for the CAS and cycle, and another set of questions that are asked by individual programs, as needed. Additionally, when you create a question in the Configuration Portal, you can choose to hide the question in the full application PDF in WebAdMIT. These questions will still display on the Applicant Details page in WebAdMIT and be available in the List Manager and Export Manager.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available now
WebAdMIT	Applicant Details Page	You can quickly identify if an applicant has chosen to use the Professional Transcript Entry (PTE) service, where a PTE specialist enters the applicant’s completed coursework for an additional fee. The PTE Status field appears for all applicants under the Applicant Header on the Applicant Details page; it won’t appear in the full application PDF. It can be used in the List Manager, Export Manager, and Email Templates as a merge field. The possible values for this field include: TE-Awaiting Transcripts: the applicant has not submitted all required, official transcripts to the CAS. TE-Ready for Work: the applicant is in queue to have their coursework entered by a PTE specialist. TE-Pending Approval: the applicant must approve the entered coursework before their application is given a Complete date and placed in line for verification. Note that the applicant may have to meet additional CAS requirements, such as a minimum number of evaluations completed, before being given a Complete date. TE-Approved: the applicant has approved the entered coursework. If an applicant did not elect to use the PTE service, their PTE status is blank.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Report Manager	A new Applicant-based report is available: Local Status History. This report includes the applicant’s: CAS ID Name Designation Designation WebAdMIT Label Local Status Local Status Changed Date Local Status Changed By Decision Code Decision Code Changed Date Decision Code Changed By Every Local Status change for an applicant is listed on one row. If an applicant has multiple Local Status changes, the report will include multiple rows with this information. This information can still be accessed under the History panel on the Applicant Details page.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	SSN Document	You can now download an encrypted SSN Document to extract applicant social security numbers (SSN). Review the Social Security Number (SSN) Documents Reference Guide to learn how to configure a PGP key to receive an encrypted file that contains the applicant's CAS ID and SSN.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch