ADMISSIONS - The Application Process
Admission to any physician assistant program is a highly competitive process.
Augsburg College’s graduate program in Physician Assistant Studies
receives approximately 250 applications for each entering class of 28 students. 
The Augsburg Physician Assistant Studies program has a two-step application process – applying through CASPA and to Augsburg’s PA Studies program.
The Augsburg PA Program participates in the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA), which is sponsored by the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA). All applications to the PA Program for the entering class must be processed through CASPA, following all guidelines and regulations set forth by CASPA. Application forms with detailed instructions can be obtained online.
Your CASPA application is DUE SEPTEMBER 1, 2008 and your Augsburg PA Studies Supplemental Application is DUE SEPTEMBER 15, 2008. You will be an eligible applicant if: you have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (as officially calculated by CASPA), if you have completed or will complete your undergraduate degree prior to the start date of the program, and if you have completed or will complete your prerequisite courses within the timeline specified for your situation.
A supplemental application can be downloaded here. It is important for the applicant to determine whether he or she is in fact eligible to apply to the PA Studies Program, as the $25 supplemental application fee is non-refundable. You are an eligible applicant if you meet the criteria detailed above. You will be required to print and sign the supplemental application and mail it to the program by the application deadline of September 15.
Since all incoming students begin the course of study in late May, the application is thus made approximately a year before matriculation.
A NOTE TO STUDENTS UNSURE OF THEIR ELIGIBILITY
For applicants who are uncertain of their prerequisite status and eligibility, the PA Studies Program will complete an unofficial evaluation of applicants’ transcripts before initiation of application to CASPA. In order to obtain a preliminary evaluation, send the PA Program one envelope containing the following: (1) cover letter stating name, address, and reason for desiring a preliminary evaluation; and (2) all transcripts to be evaluated (copies are acceptable).
For an unofficial evaluation of your transcripts, call or fax the Augsburg College Physician Assistant Studies Program:
Physician Assistant Studies
Augsburg College
Telephone: 612-330-1399
Fax: 612-330-1757
Once an applicant has determined he or she will apply, he or she must follow all guidelines and rules of the process, including submission of a CASPA application. A preliminary evaluation of transcripts may take two to three weeks, and its results are subject to re-evaluation based on the official documents and information received by CASPA.
A NOTE TO NON-NATIVE SPEAKERS OF ENGLISH
If your primary (first) language is a language other than English, you may be required to submit results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The TOEFL scores must be submitted to CASPA along with the rest of your application materials.
To get started you will need to order the TOEFL Information Bulletin for either the computerized test or the paper-based test. The Information Bulletin is a free publication. It contains registration information, test center locations and schedules, identification requirements, sample questions, information about test scores, and more. While some of this information is available on the TOEFL website, it is important that you obtain the bulletin appropriate for your country or area. Read it thoroughly so you are prepared when you arrive at the test center.
To contact the Educational Testing Service for information about the TOEFL centers; to inquire about times the test is offered; to find out cost, study tools, and testing facilities near you, or to inquire about results of a past test, go to <www.toefl.org>.