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Liaison

PTACAS Program User Guide

This guide provides you with documentation, reference guides, and direct links that answer common admissions questions about the PTACAS Applicant Portal, Configuration Portal, and WebAdMIT. It also contains resources that may help you work more efficiently throughout your admissions process. If you have additional questions or need further assistance, please contact a member of your account team.

Cycle Timeframes

Applicant Portal

The Applicant Portal opens in mid-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 PTACAS Application Cycle Dates page.

Configuration Portal

Between mid-May and early August, configurations are entered into the prelaunch environment. The account team and APTA review submitted configurations in August.

WebAdMIT

You can view new applicants shortly after the new cycle opens in mid-September.

Program Participation Requirements

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

Applicant Portal

The first three sections of the PTACAS 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 PTACAS application and PTACAS 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:

You can direct any applicant inquiries related to the application to PTACAS 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 team and APTA before it is available to applicants. If your program is reviewed after the cycle launches, APTA will approve it.

Review the Program Transcript and Coursework Requirements and Application Statuses table below to learn how your transcript and coursework requirements affect the applicant's Application Status and the GPAs provided to you.

Program Transcript and Coursework Requirements and Application Statuses

This table is from the PTACAS Applicant Help Center. All links below will redirect you to that help center.

If your program requires...

(Note: see the Colleges Attended & Transcript Entry sections for more information on transcript and coursework requirements.)

...then WebAdMIT does the following with GPAs...

... and your application's final status is...

Official Transcripts + Full Coursework Entry

Calculates three GPAs and makes them available to your programs:

Verified

Official Transcripts + Prerequisite Entry Only

Provides your programs with per transcript and overall GPAs.

Verified

Official Transcripts + No Coursework Entry

Provides your programs with per transcript and overall GPAs.

Verified

Unofficial Transcripts + Prerequisite Entry Only

Does not calculate or provide GPAs to programs.

Complete

Unofficial Transcripts + No Coursework Entry

Does not calculate or provide GPAs to programs.

Complete

No Transcripts + No Coursework Entry

Does not calculate or provide GPAs to programs.

Complete

WebAdMIT

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

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

For any questions, contact the Client Support Specialist Team.

Cycle Enhancements

2023-2024

The table below contains enhancements for PTACAS 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

Personal Information – Release Statement

New release statements were added:

  • Pre-Submission Release of Information
  • Total Cost of Education Acknowledgement

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Personal Information – Economic/Educational/Environmental Factors

A new Did you receive or were you eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant at any time? question was added to the Family Information section.

New questions were also added to the High School Information section:

  • Did you participate in a HOSA-Future Health Professional during high school?
  • Were you a member of the National Society for High School Scholars (NSHSS) during High School?

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Personal Information – Other Information

New questions were added to the Previous Health Profession Education section:

  • Have you previously or are you currently applying to a health professional school other than a Doctor of Physical Therapy program?
  • Have you ever matriculated in or attended any medical school or health profession as a candidate for a professional degree?

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Supporting Information – Observation Hours

New questions were added:

  • Experience Type
  • Role of person(s) shadowed

An Other Settings: Non-clinical Settings section was added to the Setting and Hours of Experience question.

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Supporting Information – Experiences

Applicants can edit in progress experiences after they submit their application.

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Configuration Portal

Program Details

You can edit your program's deadline.

Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.

Available now

WebAdMIT

Applicant Details Page

Applicants' licenses and certifications data is now located under the Licenses and Certification panel on the Applicant Details page. Previously, it was listed under the Achievements panel.

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

2022-2023

The table below contains enhancements for PTACAS 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

Fee Waivers

If an applicant is eligible for a fee waiver but the fee waiver fund is depleted, then applicants can be alerted that they qualified for the fee waiver even though they could not be awarded one.

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Extended Profile

A new Extended Profile feature was added, which are question(s) an applicant must answer after they create their application and before they can select programs or complete any part of the application.

The Extended Profile includes the Program Plan/Intent to Apply question.

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Personal Information – Biographic Information

The Sex question was updated to Legal Sex.

Additionally, a Preferred Pronouns question was added.

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Personal Information – Other Information

The Felony question was removed.

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Personal Information – Release Statement

The release statement was updated to reflect current application behavior.

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Supporting Information – Experiences

Applicants can edit in progress experiences after they submit their application.

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 now

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

Configuration Portal

College Transcripts

You can select different requirements for domestic transcripts and foreign transcripts or evaluations.

Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.

Available now

Configuration Portal

Organization Details and Program Details

You can preview your programs in the application using the Preview feature and continue making edits as necessary.

Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.

Available now

Configuration Portal

Organization Details

You can only access the Add Program and Copy Program buttons in the Configuration Portal prelaunch environment.

Additionally, 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

Liaison Letters

Evaluation Form

The Relationship and Physical Therapy Information sections were combined into one section.

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

WebAdMIT

Applicant Details Page

List Manager

Export Manager

You can view the observation hours facility's Address 2 field under the Experiences panel. This field is also available in the List Manager and Export Manager.

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

Decision Codes

A new Deferral Decision Code is available that you can use to carry forward applicants from one cycle to the next. Review the Deferring Applicants via Transfer Settings page for more information. 

Additionally, the Withdrew After Offer Made - Deposit Forfeited Decision Code was renamed to Withdrew After Offer Accepted - Deposit Forfeited.

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:

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

WebAdMIT

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 the full application PDFs that adhere to your list's criteria. For more information, see the PDF Manager page.

Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

WebAdMIT

Export Manager

List Manager

The Applicant Gateway and Evaluator Address field groupings and associated fields were removed. Be sure to review your existing lists and exports to review and update your criteria, if applicable.

Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

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