Tarleton Physician Assistant Admissions FAQs

An applicant will not be considered if their Overall and or Prerequisite GPA does not meet minimum standards, regardless of their U60 GPA. All GPA calculations are based on how CASPA calculates them.

You may list a commanding officer who is familiar with your experience and is willing to attest to it.

Beginning with the 2026–2027 application cycle, interviews and admissions decisions will occur on a rolling basis. Interviews will begin in July and continue until the class is fully seated. Applicants are encouraged to apply early, as both interview seats and admissions will be offered on an ongoing basis.

All interviews will be conducted in person on the Stephenville campus.

• Interviews will be conducted on a Friday during the day, and notification of status with the program will be provided within 14 days of the interview.
• Please note: To ensure fairness and allow for a holistic review of all applicants, those placed on the waitlist/ alternate list will be re-evaluated with each interview until all seats are filled. This process may extend up to two weeks before the cohort start date.

No. Organic Chemistry is not accepted as a substitute for Biochemistry. We specifically require Biochemistry as a prerequisite because it better prepares students for Pharmacology and other coursework in PA school compared to Organic Chemistry.

All healthcare/ patient care experience hours must be entered and reflected on your application at the time you submit it. Any hours added after submission will not be considered by the admissions committee.

An applicant may submit their application with up to one prerequisite course in progress, as long as that course is planned to be completed by December 31st of the year prior to matriculation. Applicants with one prerequisite in progress may still be invited for interviews and may receive a contingent offer of admission. However, any offer will be contingent upon successful completion of the prerequisite by the December 3st deadline. If the course is not completed by the required deadline, the applicant will forfeit their seat, and the offer of admission will be rescinded.

• Once submitted, CASPA will not automatically re-verify new information (i.e., completion of final prerequisite or completed bachelor’s degree). You must:
  • o Once CASPA confirms receipt of transcripts, wait 24 hours to provide time for the system to update, then email pamadmissions@tarleton.edu so our admissions team can review your updates.
  • Submit updated transcripts to CASPA and ensure your electronic transcript on CASPA reflects completed courses, grades, and credit hours.
    • For a bachelor’s degree in progress: Updated transcripts must clearly state that the degree has been awarded.
    • For prerequisite coursework: Updated transcripts must clearly state the course completed, grade received, and credits received.
    • Additional HCE/PCE hours will not be accepted after submission of application.

Hours completed during a Tarleton-affiliated medical internship will be counted as healthcare experience. This does not include Tarleton nursing clerkships. An example of an accepted internship is the Laboratory for Wellness and Motor Behavior at Tarleton. Internships not completed through/ with Tarleton are not accepted.

Yes. Hours completed while scribing will be accepted and will count toward the 500-hour minimum requirement. Up to 100 hours of shadowing a physician assistant may also be applied toward the 500-hour minimum. Shadowing any other health professional will not count toward this requirement. Only shadowing a physician assistant may be included, and no more than 100 hours of shadowing may be applied toward the 500 total required hours.

• Yes. Medical mission experiences are accepted and encouraged as they provide invaluable healthcare exposure. Examples of organizations that offer opportunities include:
  • Community Healthcare Network Nigeria
  • Village Mountain Missions Project
  • Doctors Without Borders
• Note: These organizations are not affiliated with Tarleton’s PA Medicine Program

Please contact the Division of Health Sciences Academic Resource Hub at Tarleton State University for assistance. Be prepared to provide your course name and catalog description.

Yes. Prerequisites may be completed at either a junior college or a four-year university, as long as the institution is regionally accredited. Courses are accepted both online and in person.

• Grade reconsideration will only be granted to applicants who met all minimum admissions standards at the time they submitted their application. This means the applicant must have had a minimum 3.0 in their overall GPA, their U60 GPA, and their prerequisite GPA at the time of submission.
• Applicants may apply with up to one prerequisite in progress, which also includes retaking a prerequisite in which the applicant did not earn a grade of C or higher. In this case, the prerequisite being retaken is considered the one prerequisite in progress. The course must be completed by the December 31st deadline.

• No. At this time, the program is not considering applicants who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement of 3.0 for overall GPA, prerequisite GPA, and U60 GPA (last 60 hours of academic credit at any level).
• All three GPA categories must meet or exceed 3.0.

Applicants should notify the program of completion of their final remaining prerequisites or a bachelor’s degree.

Updates made after application submission will not be considered unless they involve the completion of the final prerequisite course or the completion of a bachelor’s degree. These updates must be submitted by the December 31 cutoff in order to be reviewed.

Yes, an applicant may apply with a bachelor’s degree in progress or with up to one prerequisite course in progress. Their application will receive full consideration for an interview and potential acceptance into the program. If they are accepted, their offer will be contingent upon successful completion of the remaining requirement by December 31 of the year prior to matriculation. If the requirement is not fulfilled by that deadline, the applicant’s seat will be forfeited, and their offer of acceptance will be rescinded.

Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis, which means that an applicant may be offered an interview at any point during the cycle. Once all interview seats for a given interview day are filled, applicants will then be notified of the specific date and time of the interview they are being offered.