PROGRAM MANUAL - AOTA/media/Corporate/Files/Education...AOTA and Liaison International look forward to working with an OTCAS Advisory Group for the 2014-2015 application cycle. OT

Version 2 (5.6.14)

1

PROGRAM MANUAL 2014-2015 ADMISSIONS CYCLE

Version 2 (5.6.14)

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OTCAS OVERVIEW…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….3

CONTACTS……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3-4

OTCAS ADVISORY GROUP…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4

BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….4

APPLICANT RESPONSIBILITIES……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………5

PROGRAM WEBSITE TEMPLATE………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..6

APPLICATION…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7-9

APPLICATION MATERIALS……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....10

TRANSCRIPTS………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….12

REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………13

FEES………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..14

TRANSCRIPT VERIFICATION………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..15-20

WebAdMIT……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..21

Version 2 (5.6.14)

3

OTCAS OVERVIEW OTCAS is the nation’s only centralized application service for students applying to graduate-level occupational therapy programs. Through OTCAS, prospective students may apply to various master’s and doctoral programs offered by participating schools. Students pay a fee to use this service, which reduces the burden of applying to multiple schools of occupational therapy by eliminating duplicate application data, letters of reference, transcripts and other admissions materials. Students can check the status of their application in real time from any computer with Internet access, or by using a mobile portal on a Smartphone. Occupational therapy school applicants also have access to dedicated customer service support and guidance throughout the application process. OTCAS is the centralized application service for occupational therapy schools that launched in August 2010 and is administered by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and their technology partner, Liaison International, located in Watertown, Massachusetts. Applicants who apply through OTCAS submit a completed web-based application comprised of biographical data, secondary (high) school and colleges attended, academic course history, professional experience and a personal statement. It is the applicant’s responsibility to read and follow all OTCAS and institution-specific instructions. CONTACTS OTCAS customer support is available to applicants Monday through Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm ET. In addition to the customer support staff, OTCAS programs may access real-time applicant information via WebAdMIT. For Applicants OTCAS [email protected] P.O. Box 9120 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OTCASApp Watertown, MA 02471 Twitter: https://twitter.com/OTCASApp (617) 612 - 2860 For OT Programs Faculty and staff are welcome to contact AOTA and OTCAS staff with any question regarding this service. Please do not share the contact information below with students or applicants.

QUESTIONS ABOUT PARTICULAR APPLICANTS OR THE APPLICATION

Jessica L. Salefski Kate Owen Director of Application Services CAS Coordinator Liaison International Liaison International (617) 612-2083 (617) 612-2086 [email protected] [email protected]

Version 2 (5.6.14)

4

FOR POLICY, PROGRAM QUESTIONS AND ENHANCEMENT ISSUES

Valeta Njoroge Education Operations Coordinator Academic & Scientific Affairs Division American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) 301-652-2682 Extension #2932 [email protected] FOR WebAdMIT SUPPORT (716) 636-7777, option 7 [email protected]

OTCAS ADVISORY GROUP AOTA is currently soliciting volunteers to form an OTCAS Advisory Group. This group will work closely with Liaison International on the development and promotion of OTCAS. The Group will be responsible to assist with the following:

• Creation of a centralized application service designed to meet the needs of OT academically and for prospective students entering the profession;

• Promotion of OTCAS to AOTA member institutions, prospective applicants, health professions advisors and other related organizations;

• Evaluation of system performance and recommendations for enhancements

AOTA and Liaison International look forward to working with an OTCAS Advisory Group for the 2014-2015 application cycle. OT schools may contact AOTA directly to suggest an issue, policy or enhancement. If a member of your program would like to be considered to sit on the OTCAS Advisory Group, please contact the AOTA.

BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION

• Offer schools a platform to promote OT programs locally and nationally at no cost. • Increases exposure to a larger applicant pool, which will help schools meet diversity goals by providing access to

future students from minority, rural and disadvantaged populations. • Provides schools with a free web-based application management software, designed exclusively to meet the

needs of OT programs. • Give admissions officers secure, online access to track the progress of their applicants and view application

details in real-time. • Provide verified and standardized applicant information to schools for easier review, which cuts down

significantly on tedious administrative functions. • Allows schools to sort and customize the information received from applicants. • Provides Web and dedicated phone support to admissions staff and applicants.

Version 2 (5.6.14)

5

APPLICANT RESPONSIBLITIES

Applicants are responsible for properly completing their application, sending supporting documentation and fees to OTCAS on time, and regularly checking the status of their file online by logging onto their OTCAS web application. OTCAS applicants agree to abide by certain rules and requirements.

OTCAS applicants will:

• Be responsible for learning the application procedures and admission prerequisites of each designated OT program;

• Arrange for official transcripts from all U.S. postsecondary institutions attended to arrive at the OTCAS office by the school’s application deadline;

• Provide ALL required information on the OTCAS application accurately and in a timely manner; • Abide by the OTCAS school’s application deadline; • Arrange for OTCAS to receive a course-by-course Transcript Evaluation Report for all international institutions

attended, if required by the applicant’s designated OT schools; • Respond immediately to ALL notices and questions received from OTCAS and each school to which they apply

(Applicants are responsible for checking their personal email and OTCAS accounts for these important notices and questions);

• Print a copy of the completed OTCAS application before e-submitting the form to OTCAS. • Agree to submit the correct OTCAS application fee and any additional school supplemental fees that may be

required on time; • Use the OTCAS Payment Form to submit money order fee payments to OTCAS (credit card payments preferred); • Respond promptly to colleges and schools, either to accept or to decline interview invitations and offers of

admission; • Check application status online by logging onto the OTCAS web application; • Contact OT programs directly regarding questions about admission decisions, school-specific admissions criteria,

and other program-specific information; and • Log off the OTCAS web application after the completion of each entry or review session to protect against

unauthorized access of application information submitted to the Service.

Version 2 (5.6.14)

6

PROGRAM WEBSITE TEMPLATE

Participating OT programs are encouraged to utilize the following template for their program website. This information is meant to be used as a guide to communicate accurate and relevant OTCAS information and instructions to OTCAS applicants. Admission Requirements

Application Deadline: [Insert deadline]

[Your school/program name] uses the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS).

Please visit https://portal.otcas.org/ to create your OTCAS account.

All official transcripts should be sent directly to OTCAS:

Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS) P.O. Box 9120 Watertown, MA 02471 Phone: 617–612–2860 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.otcas.org/

Where to Send Your Application: OTCAS must receive the application, references, and transcripts by [program deadline date]. Once your application is complete, OTCAS will verify your documents before releasing them to [your school name]. Please note that [your school name] cannot access unverified applications. Applicants should confirm their status as verified with OTCAS.

• For any questions about the receipt, processing, and verification of your application, please contact OTCAS Customer Service at 617-612-2860, [email protected].

• For other questions, please contact the [your school name] OT Office at [email address] or [phone number].

Please note:

• OTCAS does not accept GRE scores at this time. • OTCAS does not accept paper references. Letters of recommendation are submitted electronically through the

OTCAS system.

NOTICE TO OT PROGRAMS: If your program uses a supplemental application or any supplemental materials in addition to OTCAS, it is imperative that you include a link and/or further information on your website regarding additional requirements.

Version 2 (5.6.14)

7

APPLICATION

OTCAS applicants submit a complete Web-based application. Applicants login through a secure server to complete their personal application and update their coursework section as often as they need to even after they have submitted their application. Applicants can access their application from any computer with Internet access and appropriate browser. Browser Requirements- Information for Applicants

For the optimal browsing of this site, please use Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.0, Mozilla Firefox 3.0, or Apple.

* Internet Access

* JavaScript is enabled (default setting for IE and Firefox)

* Cookies are enabled (default setting for IE and Firefox)

* Pop-up windows are used, so pop-up disablers should be disabled (default setting for IE and Firefox)

* 800 x 600 screen resolution (1024 x 768 or larger is preferred)

* It is recommended that the browser window be maximized to take up the entire screen

If a disability prevents you from accessing the web application, please contact OTCAS at (617) 612 – 2860 or [email protected].

Navigating the Application

Once you enter the application form, use the internal navigation bars, hotlinks, and options in the Status menu at the right of the application screen. Do not refresh pages or you will be logged out of the application.

Security- Information for Applicants

Security is a priority at OTCAS. We are committed to protecting the security and confidentiality of your information. We use a combination of state-of-the-art technology and methods to help ensure that online sessions are secure.

Internet Security

Any personal information you send us is scrambled. This technology, called Secure Socket Layers (SSL), protects information you submit or receive through this site. In addition, any sensitive personal information that you send to our Web site is held in a secured environment, protected by tools such as firewalls and/or database field encryption. The technology is designed to make using your personal data and credit card information on the Internet as safe as possible. OTCAS protects the privacy of your credit card information, name, address, e-mail and all other information you provide us via the online payment process.

Version 2 (5.6.14)

8

Deadlines for Materials

OTCAS does NOT enforce deadlines for transcripts, references or any other materials. All materials are forwarded to the designated programs even if they arrive late. Programs can determine the date in which materials were received by OTCAS by logging into WebAdMIT. The OTCAS application instructions strongly encourage applicants to e-submit all of their application materials far in advance to ensure that they meet the program deadline. OTCAS “Complete” Date

The “COMPLETE DATE” indicates the date in which all materials required by OTCAS were submitted:

• Completed application • All official U.S. college and university transcripts have been received • Correct OTCAS fee payment

OTCAS does not hold back application files for other missing materials required by individual programs. Once an application is completed at OTCAS, the application then is ready for verification. Most materials received at OTCAS are scanned and matched to the applicant by the next business day; however, programs should allow up to 5 business days for transcripts to be received and posted in WebAdMIT. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION – Firm Deadline

Q. My program has a FIRM deadline. Why do we continue to receive applications after our deadline has passed?

A. OTCAS does not penalize applicants who submit late materials (e.g., transcripts), as long as the applicant e-submitted the OTCAS application by a program's firm deadline date. The Service processes these files normally. As these applications become "complete" in OTCAS, they are added to the verification queue. Login into your WebAdMIT Admissions Software to find out the complete date which indicates when U.S. transcripts, application and fee were received.

You are not obligated to consider applicants who submit late materials.

Deadline Extensions

Participating programs may request a deadline extension for the entire applicant pool or individual applicants.

• Extensions for Individuals: Programs that request a deadline extension for an individual applicant must provide the name of the applicant, OTCAS ID Number, and revised deadline date (not past the cycle close date). Programs can only grant deadline extension to individual applicants who have already created an OTCAS account. Once OTCAS notifies the applicant about the extension, the applicant has until the new deadline date

Version 2 (5.6.14)

9

to e-submit the application. If the applicant fails to e-submit by the new deadline date, the applicant must ask the OT program to grant a second extension.

• Extensions for Full Pool: Programs that wish to extend their application deadline for ALL applicants are encouraged to change this prior to the deadline passing. Please contact the OTCAS Director or Coordinator to process this request. A blast email will be sent to the entire pool of applicants notifying them of a deadline change.

Editable Sections after an Applicant E-Submits to OTCAS

Most sections of the application become locked to any changes after an applicant has initially e-submitted their application to OTCAS. Only the following sections can be altered in any way after they have submitted their OTCAS application:

1. My Profile: They can change their e-mail, name, security question and password at any time. 2. References: If the applicant has not yet reached the maximum of five references on their OTCAS application,

then they are able to add a reference to their application. If a listed reference has a Status of “New” or “In Progress” they will be able to delete this entry.

Please remember to instruct applicants to “Update My Application” after re-editing any of the above mentioned sections.

Version 2 (5.6.14)

10

APPLICATION MATERIALS

This section describes what materials are required and accepted by OTCAS.

Materials Required by OTCAS OTCAS considers an application complete and ready to enter the verification queue once the following materials are received:

• Complete OTCAS application, • Official transcripts from every regionally accredited U.S. institution attended, • Correct OTCAS application fee.

OTCAS does not “hold” an application for missing references, foreign transcript evaluation reports, or other materials because not all programs require these items in the admissions process.

Checking Status of Application Materials OTCAS will send an automated email to applicants for the following reasons:

• Applicant creates a new OTCAS application account. • Applicant submits an OTCAS application. • Applicant’s file has been processed and the GPAs are available for review. • There are problems with the applicant’s “Coursework” and/or “Colleges and Universities” sections.

To view the real-time status of their materials, applicants must login to their OTCAS application and select any of the sections within “Status “on the right-hand side of the screen. OTCAS is not responsible for any materials lost in the mail or for delays caused by a registrar's office. Applicants are responsible for monitoring the status of their applications, as well as the receipt of their documents.

Version 2 (5.6.14)

11

NOT REQUIRED APPLICATION MATERIALS

Applicants are instructed to submit only required documents to OTCAS. Any other documents received are considered miscellaneous materials. OTCAS does NOT mail any such materials back to the applicant, nor forward the documents to the OT programs. Examples of such documents include original or copies of foreign transcripts (with the exception of Canadian), resumes, photographs, writing samples, and certificates. OTCAS holds all miscellaneous materials until the close of the cycle.

Returning Selected Not Required Documents Only important original documents such as birth certificates, naturalization papers, and foreign documents (which are generally harder to obtain) may be returned to the applicant. OTCAS makes a copy of the document to be returned and holds the copy until the close of the application cycle.

Not Required Letters of Reference OTCAS accepts up to five letters of reference per applicant. All references must be submitted electronically though the OTCAS application. Any additional references should go directly to the school that is requiring it.

Foreign Transcripts International transcripts are NOT accepted by OTCAS.

OTCAS only accepts foreign transcript evaluations from the following agencies:

World Education Services, Inc P.O. Box 5087 New York, NY 10274–5087 Phone: 212–966–6311 Fax: 212–739–6100 www.wes.org

Josef Silny & Associates, Inc 7101 SW 102 Ave Miami, Florida 33173 Phone: 305–273–1616 Fax: 305–273–1338 www.jsilny.com

International Education Research Foundation, Inc. P.O. Box 3665 Culver City, CA 90231–3665 Phone: 310–258–9451 Fax: 310–342–7086 www.ierf.org

Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. P.O. Box 514070 Milwaukee, WI 53203–3470 (414) 289–3400 www.ece.org

American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) Foreign Education Credential Services One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 520 Washington DC 20036–1135 (202) 296–3359 www.aacrao.org/credential

Note: Applicants are made aware that they should check their OT program to ensure they accept foreign evaluations from the agency they have selected.

Version 2 (5.6.14)

12

U.S. TRANSCRIPTS

Applicants must arrange for OTCAS to receive a sealed official transcript directly from EVERY regionally accredited U.S. institution they have attended. OTCAS does not accept student-issued transcripts or faxed copies. OTCAS considers all application files “incomplete” and does not begin transcript verification until the correct fee and all expected U.S. transcripts are received. Verification of Transcript Authenticity OTCAS verifies the authenticity of transcripts by asking the following questions:

• Does the postmark location on the envelope match the location of the institution? • Does the envelope have a pre-printed return address versus no return address or one that is handwritten? • Does it appear the envelope was previously opened and resealed? • Does the transcript include a raised seal or a seal consistent with transcripts from this institution? • Is the transcript printed on security paper? • Does the transcript look like other transcripts from the same institution? • If not, did the transcript include a letter from the registrar explaining any deviations (out of standard paper,

transitioning to new record keeping software, etc)? • Are there any misspellings, suspicious formatting, or marks on the transcript?

OTCAS will contact the applicant and the institution register regarding any suspicious transcripts.

Transcript Request Form Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit the OTCAS transcript request form for every regionally accredited U.S. institution attended. The applicant’s name, OTCAS ID number, and the name of the college/university attended automatically appear on the bar-coded form. Applicants should verify they are submitting the correct transcript request form to the appropriate college or university. This bar-coded form helps OTCAS to properly match the applicant’s official transcripts to the appropriate OTCAS application. Applicants should advise the Registrar’s Office to enclose the OTCAS Transcript Request Form with the official sealed transcript and mail it directly to OTCAS. OTCAS accepts transcripts that arrive without the form. If the applicant’s current name differs from the name listed on the transcript, the applicant is instructed to include both names on the transcript request form.

Transcript Deadlines OTCAS instructs applicants to arrange for OTCAS to RECEIVE all official transcripts by the earliest application deadline date set by their designated programs. OTCAS does NOT enforce transcript deadlines. The service accepts transcripts received after the institutional deadline has passed. The WebAdMIT Admissions software indicates the date in which each transcript was received in the OTCAS office. Programs can use the transcript-received date to determine whether an applicant met the program-specific deadline and is eligible for admission. Allow up to 5-business days for the transcript received date to appear online. Mail may not be scanned into the system on the same day it arrives. If the applicant fails to meet a program deadline, the program must decide whether to still consider the applicant for admission.

Version 2 (5.6.14)

13

REFERENCES

Evaluators must submit ONLY electronic references directly to OTCAS. Paper references are not accepted. Program Reference Requirements Applicants may enter up to five (5) evaluator names on the OTCAS application. Applicants are instructed to send any additional references directly to their designated programs and are warned that programs may not consider extra references. Electronic References (eLORs) Applicants should alert evaluators to watch for an automated email from OTCAS with the subject "OTCAS Reference Request". Some email filters may interpret OTCAS emails as "spam" and automatically delete or route them to a “junk” or “spam” folder. If the evaluator is unresponsive, then the applicant can delete the particular evaluator from the Reference section and request a new reference by entering a new evaluator on the application.

Editing List of References If one or more of the applicant’s evaluators is unresponsive or declines an invitation to submit a letter of reference, the applicant may edit the list of evaluators on the OTCAS application before or after it is e-submitted to OTCAS. Applicants cannot make edits to an evaluator’s information once the reference is received.

References in WebAdMIT OTCAS posts a PDF version of a reference received on the program’s Admissions Portal once the application file is e-submitted. OTCAS does NOT hold an application in processing for missing references since not all programs require references in the admissions process. The electronic references are available to designated programs via WedAdMIT.

Reference Investigations OTCAS does not verify an evaluator's identity. If an OT program suspects an evaluation is falsified, the program must contact the applicant or evaluator to investigate.

Version 2 (5.6.14)

14

FEES

The guiding principle for establishing the OTCAS application fees is to cover the operational and administrative expenses associated with the CAS and to minimize the financial burden on applicants.

OTCAS Fee

• Base fee for one OTCAS application: $125 • For each additional OTCAS designation: $45 OTCAS Processing of Fee Payments Applicants are encouraged to pay the application fee on-line by credit card as part of the OTCAS Web application. OTCAS accepts VISA and MASTERCARD credit cards. OTCAS accepts credit card payments via the on-line application only, and not by mail, phone or fax. Some applicants may choose, however, to mail a money order payment. Applicants who pay by mail are instructed to use the “OTCAS Payment Form” to facilitate the matching of the payment to the correct OTCAS ID. OTCAS does not begin to verify the application until the correct application fee amount is received.

Version 2 (5.6.14)

15

TRANSCRIPT VERIFICATION

OTCAS performs course-by-course verification once it receives all official U.S. transcripts, a completed application, and correct payment. Applicants are sorted based on the date the file becomes complete, as defined by OTCAS, rather than the date the application was e-submitted. Verification refers to the matching of courses on the official transcripts to the completed courses entered on the “Coursework” section of the OTCAS application. The OTCAS verification staff ensures that applicant-reported coursework matches the course history on the corresponding U.S. transcript, including any possible coursework that appears on the reverse side of the transcript. OTCAS does not verify foreign courses or transcripts. Participating programs can view scanned images of official U.S. transcripts received for their applicants with verified status by logging into the WebAdMIT Admissions Software.

Overview Staff performs the following tasks to ensure accurate academic data is reported to the designated programs. • To maintain a communications log for each applicant. ALL email correspondence and phone conversations between the verifier and the applicants are recorded within the database.

• Cross-reference transcripts in each applicant’s file with the colleges reported on the coursework section of the application. Verify that OTCAS has received an original transcript for all transfer courses reported on each transcript. If there is a transcript missing from an applicant’s file, send an email to inform the applicant that one or more transcripts were not received. A blast email is sent to all in-progress applicants letting them know that an application deadline is approaching and one or more documents are still missing. It is not the responsibility of OTCAS staff to notify an individual about a missing transcript. Applicants are responsible for ensuring all application materials, including transcripts, are sent to OTCAS in a proper and timely manner.

• Verify that all applicant-reported courses reported on the application are reported exactly as they appear on the transcript. Verify that all courses that appear on the transcript are properly reported on the application.

• Once all of the applicant's coursework is verified, confirm that the OTCAS GPAs for each program attended matches or is close to the institutional GPAs reported on the transcript. The institutional GPA generated by OTCAS may differ from the transcript GPA due to the grade standardization process and policies regarding repeated or failed coursework.

• Record any notes in the “Comments” section that would be useful information for OTCAS staff when communicating with the applicant in the future. Enter your initials and the date for each comment recorded. These comments are for use by OTCAS staff only and are not visible to the designated programs.

Course-by-Course Transcript Verification The verification staff ensures that the applicant properly entered all coursework that appears on every regionally accredited U.S. transcript. Below is a description of the verification rules and procedures by each course field: NAME OF COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY Applicants can select the school at which the coursework was taken from the drop-down in the Colleges and Universities Attended Section of the application. Only the schools that the applicant has added to their Colleges and Universities Attended section will appear in this menu.

Version 2 (5.6.14)

16

ACADEMIC STATUS Applicants can select from: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, Graduate, Technical/Vocational, Professional, Remedial or Post Baccalaureate from the drop-down menu in the coursework section of the application. The Session’s Academic Status will determine which GPA the coursework will affect. Coursework entered into a Technical/Vocational Session will not be calculated into any GPAs. Applicants should only designate a term as Technical/Vocational if it contains only Technical/Vocational coursework and was not taken while enrolled at the school in a degree-granting program. TERM OTCAS verifies that the proper term was selected: winter, interim, spring, summer, summer 1, summer 2, or fall. OTCAS verifies that the correct term was selected. If the applicant selected the wrong term, OTCAS staff select the correct term from the list. OTCAS edits to the term field are not apparent in any reports.

TERM TYPE OTCAS verifies that the proper term type was selected: quarter, semester, trimester, or unit. OTCAS verifiers refer to the transcript key located either on the front or back of the transcript for indication of the correct term type. OTCAS edits to the term type field are not apparent in any reports.

YEAR OTCAS verifies that the applicant properly entered the year the course began. If the applicant selected the wrong year, OTCAS selects the correct year from the list. OTCAS edits to the year are not apparent in any reports.

COURSE TITLE Applicants are instructed to enter the title of each course exactly as it appears on the transcript. If the applicant abbreviates the course name or does not properly enter the course title, OTCAS attempts to enter the full course title in the field. Programs may use course title to help determine if course fulfills a particular prerequisite. OTCAS edits to the course title field are not apparent in any reports.

COURSE PREFIX AND NUMBER OTCAS verifies the correct prefix and number (e.g. PHYS 101) were entered exactly how they appear on the official transcript. OTCAS edits to this field are not apparent in any reports.

COURSE SUBJECT Applicants can select from: English, Math, Natural Sciences, Other Courses, or Social Sciences from the drop-down in the coursework section of the application. Be sure to use the Course Subject list to determine which Course Subjects to assign to your coursework.

NUMBER OF CREDIT HOURS Applicants will need to select the appropriate Credit value for the course in terms of Credit Hours (e.g. 1 Credit = 4 Semester hours). In most cases the official transcript will display credit in terms of Credit Hours, but if the transcript indicates 1 Credit or Unit for each course, check the back of the transcript for conversion information. Applicants will need to enter the number of credit hours attempted, not the number earned.

GRADE TYPE Applicants need to make sure that they are selecting the grade type that they were awarded for each course. Letter refers to A, A-, B+ etc. If the institution uses a Numeric grading system, applicants can enter the grade as it appears on their transcript and then select the equivalent letter grade from the Transcript Grade section.

Version 2 (5.6.14)

17

GRADE USING OTCAS CONVERSION This field will populate automatically once the applicant enters a letter grade. Below you will find the OTCAS conversion table:

OTCAS Weight 4 3.7 3.5 3.3 3 2.7 2.5 2.3 2 1.7 1.5 1.3 1 0.7 0

OTCAS Grade A A- AB B+ B B- BC C+ C C- CD D+ D D- F

NUMERIC VALUE OF OTCAS GRADE This information will populate automatically once the applicant has listed their grade. Due to the standardization of OTCAS grades, the numeric value of the OTCAS grade may vary from the value of the grade as indicated on the transcript.

SPECIAL CLASSIFICATION

Special Classification for each course according to the following guidelines:

• Not Applicable: Use this to mark credit that does not require a special classification. • *Advanced Placement: Use this to mark credit listed on your transcript for an AP® exam. • Honors: Use this to mark a course for which you received Honors credit. • Distance Learning: Use this to mark credit for online courses. • Repeated: Use this to mark the final attempt at a course that was repeated to improve a grade. Refer to the

Repeated Courses section below for more detailed instructions. • *Study Abroad: Use this to mark a course that you took as part of a Study Abroad program. Refer to the Study

Abroad section below for more detailed instructions. • *CLEP: Use this to mark credit listed on your transcript for a College Level Examination Program® exam. Use this

to mark credit listed on your transcript for a Regents® Exam • *International Baccalaureate: Use this to mark credit from an International Baccalaureate program. • *Institutional/Departmental Exam: Use this to mark credit granted by the institution for a placement or

equivalency exam. • *Incomplete: Please use this to mark classes listed as “Incomplete” on your official transcript.

*Courses marked with this special classification will not be included in any GPA calculations.

OTCAS will verify the course information reported in the application against the official transcripts and report any discrepancies to the selected schools. If there are major errors or omissions in the coursework entry, OTCAS will consider the application incomplete and will reopen the application to the applicant to make the necessary corrections. OTCAS will also leave an admissions comment for the school which can be found in the notes section of WebAdMIT.

Version 2 (5.6.14)

18

OTCAS is not responsible for delays due to incorrectly entered coursework. It is the applicant’s responsibility to monitor the application online after it has been e-submitted to insure that all information was entered correctly and no further action is required.

Professional Coursework

Be advised that if an applicant classifies an Academic Status as ‘Professional,’ the courses will not be calculated into the final GPA. However, this information will be used by the programs in the evaluation process. Upon request from a program, the applicant may be required to provide them with a transcript for the professional coursework.

Graduate Coursework

OTCAS defines graduate coursework as any coursework taken that has is/was applied towards a Master’s or Post-Master’s Degree.

Post-baccalaureate Coursework

Post-baccalaureate work consists of academic study undertaken after earning a bachelor’s degree. It can be defined as coursework taken, toward certification in some specialty, or coursework that does not result in a certificate or a degree.

Study Abroad Coursework

Study abroad is identified by OTCAS as courses that are taken through a foreign institution while the student is enrolled at a U.S. Institution.

If an applicant has attended a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. institution and all courses, hours, and grades appear on the U.S. transcripts as regular itemized credit, they must list those courses in the coursework section, set “Study Abroad” as their Special Classification, and make sure that OTCAS receives the official transcript for the school that granted official (not transfer) credit for these courses. If all courses and/or grades do not appear on the home institution transcript, or if these courses are listed as transfer credit, the applicant must have a transcript sent from the foreign institution where they attended the classes and they must list that institution in your Colleges and Universities Attended page. If applicant is required to send a non-US transcript for Study Abroad coursework, they are not required to enter the individual courses onto the Coursework page.

Version 2 (5.6.14)

19

International (Foreign) Coursework

Participating schools may have differing requirements for the evaluation of foreign coursework. Please instruct applicants to refer to the school specific instructions in determining which documentation should be submitted.

Overseas U.S. Institution Coursework

If an applicant attended an OTCAS-recognized overseas U.S. institution, they must list all courses attempted and credits earned in this section. OTCAS will consider coursework from an overseas U.S. institution in the same manner as U.S. coursework written in English. For a list of overseas U.S. institutions, review the transcript instructions within the FAQs.

Repeated Coursework

If an applicant repeated a course at the same institution, enter both courses into the coursework section. They need to include the hours and grades received for each and enter “Repeat” as the course type for both courses. Even if a school offers a forgiveness policy, OTCAS will calculate both grades into the GPA.

Course Subjects

Applicants’ coursework is categorized into one of five course subjects:

• Humanities • Math • Natural Sciences • Social Sciences • Other Course

OTCAS GPA Includes:

• All undergraduate coursework • All post-baccalaureate coursework • All graduate coursework • All repeated coursework

OTCAS GPA does NOT Include:

• Professional coursework • Foreign Coursework • Advanced Placement • Pass/fail • Exempt • CLEP/Regents • International Baccalaureate • Study Abroad • Institutional/Departmental Exam • Incomplete • Withdrawal • Pass/no pass

Version 2 (5.6.14)

20

How OTCAS GPAs are calculated:

OTCAS will calculate numerous GPA’s. The GPA’s and hours will be summarized by academic level within undergraduate, post-baccalaureate and graduate work. There will be a running total GPA for each academic year that will add all coursework together for an overall total GPA. For example, if an applicant has taken several courses after their bachelor’s degree but not for a graduate degree, these courses would be listed as post-baccalaureate courses and would be added to the applicants overall GPA, but would still have a separate post-baccalaureate GPA. In addition to calculating the applicants GPA based on their academic status, OTCAS will also calculate a subject-by-subject breakdown of their coursework, including Humanities, Math, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and Other Courses GPA. Below is how it will appear to you in WebAdMIT:

The example below is by year:

By subject:

Version 2 (5.6.14)

21

WebAdMIT Admissions Software

The WebAdMIT Admissions Software is a dynamic tool that allows you to manage your applicant information, import data, and manage applicant status, personal information and applicant pool analysis. OT programs may use the Admissions Software to view, search, and print data on applicants that selected the institution. WebAdMIT allows programs to drill down to detailed application and status information for those applicants. As a benefit of OTCAS participation, WebAdMIT Admissions software is available to all programs in OTCAS free of charge. There are no set-up, maintenance, or customer support fees for WebAdMIT.

Login Information OTCAS will send you a link to your portal, a username and a password.

OTCAS Application Status Guide:

What does each status mean?

- Applicant has selected your designation, but has yet to submit their application. To locate In Progress applicants, click on “Potential Applicants” on the “Applicant” Dashboard on the left hand side. (You will only be able to view their basic contact info.)

- Applicant has selected your designation and submitted their application, but is still missing either all official transcripts and/or application payment.

- The application is Complete, meaning the applicant has submitted their application, the fee has been processed and all official transcripts have been posted. The applicant is now in line for verification.

- The application has been verified meaning the coursework that has been entered is correct and the GPA calculations are now available.

- The application has been placed “On Hold,” due to the applicant withdrawing their application or because they created duplicate accounts by mistake.

- During the verification process an error was found and the application was sent back to the applicant for corrections to be made. To locate undelivered applicants, click on “Undelivered Applicants” on the “Applicant” Dashboard on the left hand side. (You will only be able to view their basic contact info.) In the “Notes” section will be the explanation of why the application was undelivered. Note: You will not be able to find In Progress or Undelivered applicants through your regular search options. You can only find these applicants by clicking on the specific status.