Tiffany: So Adri, I you something? when you first started seriously looking at programs, what was the thing that made you and think, oooh, I have work do?
Adrienne: my goodness, this was the very beginning of my pre AA journey. First discovering the certified anesthesiologist assistant profession. I pulled up a program page and I started looking at all of the prerequisites required and I started doing the math on like timelines of
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: ⁓ what do I have? Which was basically nothing. I had to start from scratch. And what would ⁓ be from my old classes, like some of the basic English requirements and things. ⁓ And I to this realization ⁓ of this is going to take time and ⁓ OK.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: What about for you?
Tiffany: Yeah, same. I think a lot of non-traditional applicants, people who've in healthcare for years like you, people who know the OR or have had
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: real clinical prerequisites can feel like the one thing that puts you literally right back at square one. ⁓ I felt like the journey ahead was so far ⁓ and that it was very discouraging. Like, did I want pursue the profession if I had to start all ⁓
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Right, right. And that's so real and important to know that, if it's worth it to you, you're gonna dive into it. And it's also not the whole story. let's set the for anyone listening. ⁓ Tiffany, can you people through what we're actually talking about we say the prerequisites for anesthesiologist assistant school?
Tiffany: prerequisites are these specific courses that programs require you to have completed before you can be considered for any admission to an AA program. ⁓ So talking very science heavy classes, ⁓ biology, ⁓ organic biochemistry, physics, anatomy, physiology, statistics. ⁓ The list varies per program, ⁓ but core sciences show up across almost all of them.
Adrienne: that is not arbitrary. From what I've observed, CAAs are managing pharmacology, physiology, hemodynamics, ⁓ all real time. And the science isn't just like, learn it once and forget it. It's ⁓ background knowledge for the job that you use every single day.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm. Which is why this early. So pre-AAs, classes are just a checklist. They're actual preparation to preparing you to the best future CAA that you can be.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: here's where real If you've been in healthcare for years, whether as a tech, an MA, an SLP, a respiratory therapist, whatever your background is, you may have had some of courses already, but you may also have taken them long time ago.
Adrienne: age of courses matters. many programs do have requirements. So they want these science prerequisites completed within a certain number of years. And that window varies by program. So some programs are ⁓ very strict about it, like within the last years, and then some ⁓ are less so.
Tiffany: Yeah, so you could have had A in biochemistry from 10 years ago, but still need to retake it for certain programs.
Adrienne: Yes, and for someone who's been working full time in healthcare for a decade, that's a real gut punch. Like we're not going to gloss over that. That is something that you're like, ⁓ this is a pill I've got to swallow.
Tiffany: Yes, ⁓ definitely felt that dread in our stomach looking at our transcripts and having see, know, what is current, what's not, how much do I have to spend now again to retake these classes.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm I think separating that feeling of dread with ⁓ the like, okay, these are the steps I need to take and I'm getting older anyways as a non-traditional applicant. So yeah, why not start now, right?
Tiffany: Yes. Right. So right now, Adri, let's kind dive into the inventory. Let's talk about what really counts, because not every science course is equal in eyes
Adrienne: Yeah, there's a difference between a general biology course taken as part of a general education requirement ⁓ ⁓ rigorous upper division biology course with a lab that's made for, pre-med students, pre-nursing, pre-science. Programs are looking at the level of the course and not just the subject itself.
Tiffany: Ooh, yes, and labs are a big one. programs specifically will require lab components alongside the lecture courses. So that's little nuanced because ⁓ there some online-only chemistry courses that you can take with extension programs, but they don't a lab, so
Adrienne: Mm-hmm Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: that may not fill that program's requirement.
Adrienne: yes. And that can trip people up. for me, working full time, looked at taking classes at my local college or the college near me, and could not attend them during midweek when I'm treating patients. ⁓ So had to take these online courses and had to be very, very particular with which courses had labs that were maybe at home labs I will say once again, that excludes me from applying to the programs that require in-person labs as well, prefers, substantially prefers in-person prerequisites. And that's just something that
Tiffany: Right.
Adrienne: have to take into account when I am considering which programs to apply to
Tiffany: that can feel very to a lot of people because, you know, we want to pursue our dreams, but we're also non-traditional applicants who have families and jobs and in this economy, we have to feed ourselves. requirement, that really, you think, trips people up a
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. So one requirement that can mess with pre-AAs, I think, is the anatomy and physiology or the physiology requirements. So some programs accept a combined anatomy and physiology I and anatomy and physiology II sequence. And others just require standalone anatomy class and then a standalone physiology class as separate courses.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: they're not the same thing. So if you enroll in the wrong sequence for programs that you're targeting, you've just spent a semester tuition on a course that doesn't necessarily check the box. there are some programs that require a physics course that a higher level of ⁓ mathematics. not just algebra, but it is more trigonometry, calculus based and that's preferred. ⁓ Whereas other are like, hey, yeah, you can take just your generic. algebra-based physics one and two and that will suffice. So it really is specific to the program that you are interested in. And you want to spend too much money or on a course that doesn't serve your needs.
Tiffany: Right. Yeah, this is definitely where we strongly, strongly you to read each program's actual prerequisite page, not Reddit, what someone told you, the program's website, that is where you'll find the most current version of it. There's lot of those common mistakes that we see in Pre-AA communities where course may sound interchangeable, the program requirements very specific. So before register for anything, definitely confirm which format your target actually require.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Definitely. Like, did you take an entry level statistics course when an advanced statistics course is required? may be wasting some money if you're like, OK, well, either I can apply to the program that doesn't require it or I can optimize my chances by more money to take this course to further my learning and to apply to a program that may be a better fit with that advanced prerequisite course.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm Mm-hmm. Yeah, same goes for transfer credit, you know, before you enroll in any of these courses, especially a community college or online ⁓
Adrienne: Right. Mm-hmm. yeah, there so many so University California San Diego, UC Berkeley extensions, both are online. Barton Community College has online courses. Arizona State University has online courses. University of New England, there are many, many colleges that offer online classes. as long as it's regionally accredited, can be accepted for programs. ⁓ But the equivalency is different, right? So a five minute check of, does transfer credit of my prerequisites, say for example, I had calculus completed prior, it was so old, I needed to retake the calculus course.
Tiffany: Yes.
Adrienne: but I needed to prove to the online college that I could just dive into that level of math be able to do it. And it takes time, but it's worth it.
Tiffany: Yeah, and if you're ever unsure, reach out to that program's admissions ⁓ email just it by them. Do that really quick verification before you ever have to pay tuition.
Adrienne: so say, that someone is listening to this and they're doing the math and they've got some or quite few prerequisites Maybe they're missing quite a few of others. Maybe some are too old. What actually should they do with that information?
Tiffany: First, make a real document, not a mental list. What did was I copied my transcript onto my iPad. That way I could cross things out. list every the programs that you're considering require. I know some people do a Excel sheet. See whether you have that course, when took it, and what grade you I cannot stress enough how different it looks like paper versus in your head. Also as a pre-AA, you have many things in your anyways. You will find things that you forgot or gaps
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. You will see that you may have credit for this class for one program, but you really need to refresh it for another. So you might be than you actually think and you might be further away than you actually think. But either way, prepping in that way, you're,
Tiffany: that you didn't know were there.
Adrienne: pre-planning, you're preparing yourself for success. And it takes away that vague sense of dread of, my gosh, I have so many prerequisites to do to an actionable plan that can push you forward towards a goal.
Tiffany: then it becomes a sequencing question. you some courses prerequisites of their own. You can't take organic without general chemistry. Some are only offered in certain places. So having that list in front you tells you the order of your plan,
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm And for many programs, So community colleges are also a legitimate option if they're accredited. Some programs, however, do prefer that prerequisites come from, a standard four year university instead of a community college. you gotta confirm, you gotta double check. matters is that you're actually learning the material. it's the rigor of the course and the grade you earn, not necessarily the name of the institution. Like if you take a class from Stanford University, it's still gonna meet the requirement if you took that class, say, at UCSD extension or things like that, but not portage learning. ⁓
Tiffany: Mm-hmm. Yeah, that. I was about to say, that being said, check with the programs that you're applying to because some of them specify what they will or will not accept. Which school didn't take portage?
Adrienne: Emory University says, mm-mm, no way. I'm pretty sure Case specifically said that as well. if ⁓ it's not accepted like, are you, ⁓
Tiffany: it's... ⁓
Adrienne: Are you really gonna learn the material, right?
Tiffany: Right, I think a lot of it is making that you have structured lectures actual there you.
Adrienne: So be wary if a course is completely asynchronous and does not have a live professor. Like if it's something that's like, ⁓ just you go through these modules. ⁓ you really gonna learn what you need? ⁓ you. ⁓
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: need sometimes that guidance. So, if you're just trying to ⁓ get through it as fast as you can, well, you're not doing a favor to your future If you don't really understand the foundations of biochemistry, the anatomy, the physiology, etc. you're going to be further behind before you even start your graduate program and you don't want to do a disservice to yourself.
Tiffany: Yeah, and ⁓ if you're looking at a significant number of prerequisites to complete full year or more of science courses, do offer post-baccalaureate programs. That's another worth knowing about and looking into. I'm actually taking one right now. with the University of Florida. We're going to cover post-bacc programs in detail in a future episode, but for now, know that they exist as a structured path for career changers who complete a full science prerequisite sequence. ⁓
Adrienne: Yeah, and sometimes that may work for some. you still got to be picky about those prereqs for each program that you are interested in,
Tiffany: Yeah, and Adrienne, you've actually documented a lot of your journey on your website,
Adrienne: Mm hmm. Yes, yes, I have. I've been writing course reviews and university reviews of the courses I take online at my website, www.slptocaa.com. I have a very detailed little mini reports after every prerequisite class I've taken, which is pretty much every single one. I've documented it. So you could see a snapshot in time of what the cost was when I took it. is fairly recent, though costs this ⁓ this summer of 2026 are actually bumping up across the universities that I've been attending. And I also identify if there is a lab with it and it was like and if it was meaningful for me and how much I learned, how much I felt like I actually took away from it. And I've reviewed three online institutions that I've used so far, Barton Community College, University of San Diego Extension, and the University of New England online. They're very different depending on your professor and the topic and your own strengths and weaknesses. But they're all flexible These are not the only universities that you can take courses online with. I want to mention that. But those are ones that I found for me, particularly Barton Community College, because that one seemed to be one of the most affordable options.
Tiffany: Yeah. That's the kind of information I feel like it's really to find anywhere else or at least that amount of concise detail. but let's talk a little bit more about grades. This is a lot of anxiety lives, not only for pre-AAs, but also for me. I am on lower end of the GPA spectrum, so that's why doing a Post Bacc What is the honest Adri? ⁓
Adrienne: Yeah. Mm-hmm. So I say ⁓ we mentioned this in one of our other episodes when we talk about GPAs and calculating it and how cumulative versus GPA, et cetera. You can go back and listen to that episode. It will be in the show notes, but really,
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: the in courses matter they're a part of that science GPA that programs really, really look at specifically.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: from our understanding. So a C in organic chemistry technically fills a requirement because took the class you technically passed. It's not a failing grade, ⁓ but it's not necessarily competitive, And do you think competitiveness changes at all?
Tiffany: Right. Yeah. Oh, for sure. "competitive" in itself gives me trauma, but it is so nuanced. It varies by program, per cycle, per applicant pool. There obviously is no universal magic number or even range. anyone giving you one is kind of doing an educated guess off of previous applicant pools. If you're trying to gauge kind of level of competitiveness, we strongly you to go to CRIscore.org. Our friends over there created the CAA Readiness Index, which essentially gives you score based off of their matriculant data. they've acquired
Adrienne: from discord app from accepted applicant data as well ⁓ if you on their website, you can see exactly how they did it and how they calculate it but it's amazing how you can see like ⁓ I'm in the 25th percentile and I need to work on improving the science GPA or I'm in the ⁓ 50th percentile of like maybe I'm of in that middle bell curve it's not perfect, but it is much more
Tiffany: Yes. Right.
Adrienne: which I personally, I love that the CAA readiness index, they're awesome. ⁓
Tiffany: Yeah, and some programs also ⁓ publish average GPAs for accepted applicants and that's also where they're finding their data as well. So very useful data point, a general ⁓ number.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. And they update it very frequently. So it's going to be the most up to date because we do know on average trends ⁓ have generally increased over the last
Tiffany: Yes. Yeah.
Adrienne: years. And, if there's a grade that isn't who you are anymore, you were 18 years old. You were first time first generation college student. You had no idea how to study for college courses because it's so different from high school and you totally failed your first semester. That's going to have a huge impact on your overall cumulative GPA. And so when you come back as a non-traditional student or maybe even if you're a traditional pre and you're taking classes later in your undergraduate career, those grades don't disappear, It doesn't have to also be the headline for your application
Tiffany: For me, what I've heard is I am taking a graduate certificate, which is master's level training.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: that is what I'm hoping to show them that I know the rigorous coursework of CAA school. Yeah.
Adrienne: Exactly, exactly. Yeah, graduate level courses obviously have a different level of difficulty and I'm sure you're experiencing that now. It's very different than undergraduate courses. Tiffany, can you explain what are some other, honest straight up barriers that other Pre-AAs to know about before they embark on this prerequisite journey?
Tiffany: Yes. Yes, the two most prized things that we don't have enough of, time and money. are very, very barriers for most of people listening to this, to us. working full time, taking these very hard classes.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: studying the It's hard.
Adrienne: I will say it will take longer than you think. I can tell you straight up right now, I had a plan to finish all my prerequisites, I still need to take ⁓ quite a few classes. And even though I'm trying to apply this season and...
Tiffany: Yeah.
Adrienne: when I learned about the CAA profession and started to map this out, my fastest timeline was two straight years and I would have been done by March of this year. And the answer is it's May of this year and I still have three to four classes because life happens and that's okay. taking things one step a time, if you're working full time, if you have kids, you, have other life commitments.
Tiffany: Yeah Right.
Adrienne: and you need to take one class at a time, sometimes that's just what you have to do. maybe you can take two or three classes while working full time, but just know you are burning yourself out before get to grad school in which you will be emotionally burnt out. it's a fine balance of knowing and being honest with yourself of what. you're willing to take knowing that quality important
Tiffany: there's no to your prerequisites. You can be strategic about pacing, ⁓ about what courses you'll take together, about when your ⁓ lifetime you squeeze in heavier courses at the same time, that work itself will take time
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: you have to put that time on top of your time to do life. And that is so difficult. Adri, I had the same thing. I was thinking, I'm gonna take the MCAT last year in June. And lo and behold, it took me another whole year to take it.
Adrienne: Yes. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: Again, ⁓ it as long as it takes
Adrienne: if you listen to the live interview of Emily Mycyck, the AAAA president talks about her non-traditional journey and how it took her years, to be able to take all these prerequisites while before she entered AA school.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: that length of time, you I feel like we put this intrinsic pressure on ourselves to do things as quick as possible, with the best grade as possible, as fast as possible, because you want to get there, you want to get into a program, you want to be a CAA as soon as possible. but part the quality is, that joy the journey, that realization of like for Tiffany,
Tiffany: ⁓ 100%.
Adrienne: if speaking speaking as you, you could have taken the MCAT last year and really facing that honest ⁓ reality of I'm not and want to take more So many positive things have changed you have grown so much in ways that, you know, you wouldn't have had had you applied and gotten into a program last year. And so sometimes that time is actually a good thing, even though it may not seem like it.
Tiffany: Definitely. right with you. yeah, ⁓ I told you, Adri, when decided not to apply last cycle, I had a whole moment of grieving ⁓ that was the deadline that I on myself and grieving ⁓ I thought I would be ⁓ a year then. the person that I actually am year from is someone even...
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: couldn't even imagine ⁓ being who I am today and growing to this extent. ⁓ I now I am even ready to go to AA school.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. so you're feeling more prepared, having gone for you, you went to AAAA two years in a row, right? And that's another thing too, My plan is to apply this year, I'm not exactly sure on when that will but I am not gonna be heartbroken if I don't get in the first try because... I know that that will give me even another year of like, Hey, like I'm taking the GRE because of how swamped I am with these prerequisite courses. maybe if I fail this year, then I could study for the MCAT for next year. I could do additional work on, working with the non-traditional pre-AA student club online. there's so many options to continue to develop and grow yourself. So there are pros and cons to both. And, ⁓ the path that you end up in is the path where you need to be
Tiffany: yeah, enjoy beauty of becoming.
Adrienne: it's a reminder of there is joy in the journey of the difficulty of being pre-AA,
Tiffany: Okay, few things to take with you. specific courses programs will require you to take before admission. ⁓ The exact list varies by program. Read each program's page directly. Do not assume that one will transfer over to other program.
Adrienne: the course ages matter. If there's a lab component required or not, it matters. Course level matters. remember a C could fulfill a requirement some programs, but it's maybe not competitive. whether it's competitive for that program is a different question.
Tiffany: Check your target want combined A&P or anatomy and physiology. Confirm transfer credit, course equivalency before you pay any type of not after you already have grade. Email admissions, if you ever have any specific
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: course
Adrienne: Mm hmm. Double check that, the math underlying of those physics prerequisites as well. if this episode made you realize you have more ground to cover, that's not a bad thing. just information and that is information that you can plan from.
Tiffany: Yes. So one thing to do right now after this episode, pull up the prerequisite page for one program that you are genuinely interested in. Just one. Go through that list, what you have, what you don't, and when you took it. ⁓ is your starting point.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. So, next episode, we'll be talking about clinical experience. We are going to discuss what we think programs actually prefer, how to get your foot in the door to get that patient care experience or healthcare experience, because there is a slight difference. and how to document what
Tiffany: Hmm.
Adrienne: you've already built on your path.
Tiffany: Yeah. this is Pre-AA Pathways.
Adrienne: see you next time.
Adrienne: my goodness, this was the very beginning of my pre AA journey. First discovering the certified anesthesiologist assistant profession. I pulled up a program page and I started looking at all of the prerequisites required and I started doing the math on like timelines of
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: ⁓ what do I have? Which was basically nothing. I had to start from scratch. And what would ⁓ be from my old classes, like some of the basic English requirements and things. ⁓ And I to this realization ⁓ of this is going to take time and ⁓ OK.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: What about for you?
Tiffany: Yeah, same. I think a lot of non-traditional applicants, people who've in healthcare for years like you, people who know the OR or have had
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: real clinical prerequisites can feel like the one thing that puts you literally right back at square one. ⁓ I felt like the journey ahead was so far ⁓ and that it was very discouraging. Like, did I want pursue the profession if I had to start all ⁓
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Right, right. And that's so real and important to know that, if it's worth it to you, you're gonna dive into it. And it's also not the whole story. let's set the for anyone listening. ⁓ Tiffany, can you people through what we're actually talking about we say the prerequisites for anesthesiologist assistant school?
Tiffany: prerequisites are these specific courses that programs require you to have completed before you can be considered for any admission to an AA program. ⁓ So talking very science heavy classes, ⁓ biology, ⁓ organic biochemistry, physics, anatomy, physiology, statistics. ⁓ The list varies per program, ⁓ but core sciences show up across almost all of them.
Adrienne: that is not arbitrary. From what I've observed, CAAs are managing pharmacology, physiology, hemodynamics, ⁓ all real time. And the science isn't just like, learn it once and forget it. It's ⁓ background knowledge for the job that you use every single day.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm. Which is why this early. So pre-AAs, classes are just a checklist. They're actual preparation to preparing you to the best future CAA that you can be.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: here's where real If you've been in healthcare for years, whether as a tech, an MA, an SLP, a respiratory therapist, whatever your background is, you may have had some of courses already, but you may also have taken them long time ago.
Adrienne: age of courses matters. many programs do have requirements. So they want these science prerequisites completed within a certain number of years. And that window varies by program. So some programs are ⁓ very strict about it, like within the last years, and then some ⁓ are less so.
Tiffany: Yeah, so you could have had A in biochemistry from 10 years ago, but still need to retake it for certain programs.
Adrienne: Yes, and for someone who's been working full time in healthcare for a decade, that's a real gut punch. Like we're not going to gloss over that. That is something that you're like, ⁓ this is a pill I've got to swallow.
Tiffany: Yes, ⁓ definitely felt that dread in our stomach looking at our transcripts and having see, know, what is current, what's not, how much do I have to spend now again to retake these classes.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm I think separating that feeling of dread with ⁓ the like, okay, these are the steps I need to take and I'm getting older anyways as a non-traditional applicant. So yeah, why not start now, right?
Tiffany: Yes. Right. So right now, Adri, let's kind dive into the inventory. Let's talk about what really counts, because not every science course is equal in eyes
Adrienne: Yeah, there's a difference between a general biology course taken as part of a general education requirement ⁓ ⁓ rigorous upper division biology course with a lab that's made for, pre-med students, pre-nursing, pre-science. Programs are looking at the level of the course and not just the subject itself.
Tiffany: Ooh, yes, and labs are a big one. programs specifically will require lab components alongside the lecture courses. So that's little nuanced because ⁓ there some online-only chemistry courses that you can take with extension programs, but they don't a lab, so
Adrienne: Mm-hmm Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: that may not fill that program's requirement.
Adrienne: yes. And that can trip people up. for me, working full time, looked at taking classes at my local college or the college near me, and could not attend them during midweek when I'm treating patients. ⁓ So had to take these online courses and had to be very, very particular with which courses had labs that were maybe at home labs I will say once again, that excludes me from applying to the programs that require in-person labs as well, prefers, substantially prefers in-person prerequisites. And that's just something that
Tiffany: Right.
Adrienne: have to take into account when I am considering which programs to apply to
Tiffany: that can feel very to a lot of people because, you know, we want to pursue our dreams, but we're also non-traditional applicants who have families and jobs and in this economy, we have to feed ourselves. requirement, that really, you think, trips people up a
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. So one requirement that can mess with pre-AAs, I think, is the anatomy and physiology or the physiology requirements. So some programs accept a combined anatomy and physiology I and anatomy and physiology II sequence. And others just require standalone anatomy class and then a standalone physiology class as separate courses.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: they're not the same thing. So if you enroll in the wrong sequence for programs that you're targeting, you've just spent a semester tuition on a course that doesn't necessarily check the box. there are some programs that require a physics course that a higher level of ⁓ mathematics. not just algebra, but it is more trigonometry, calculus based and that's preferred. ⁓ Whereas other are like, hey, yeah, you can take just your generic. algebra-based physics one and two and that will suffice. So it really is specific to the program that you are interested in. And you want to spend too much money or on a course that doesn't serve your needs.
Tiffany: Right. Yeah, this is definitely where we strongly, strongly you to read each program's actual prerequisite page, not Reddit, what someone told you, the program's website, that is where you'll find the most current version of it. There's lot of those common mistakes that we see in Pre-AA communities where course may sound interchangeable, the program requirements very specific. So before register for anything, definitely confirm which format your target actually require.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Definitely. Like, did you take an entry level statistics course when an advanced statistics course is required? may be wasting some money if you're like, OK, well, either I can apply to the program that doesn't require it or I can optimize my chances by more money to take this course to further my learning and to apply to a program that may be a better fit with that advanced prerequisite course.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm Mm-hmm. Yeah, same goes for transfer credit, you know, before you enroll in any of these courses, especially a community college or online ⁓
Adrienne: Right. Mm-hmm. yeah, there so many so University California San Diego, UC Berkeley extensions, both are online. Barton Community College has online courses. Arizona State University has online courses. University of New England, there are many, many colleges that offer online classes. as long as it's regionally accredited, can be accepted for programs. ⁓ But the equivalency is different, right? So a five minute check of, does transfer credit of my prerequisites, say for example, I had calculus completed prior, it was so old, I needed to retake the calculus course.
Tiffany: Yes.
Adrienne: but I needed to prove to the online college that I could just dive into that level of math be able to do it. And it takes time, but it's worth it.
Tiffany: Yeah, and if you're ever unsure, reach out to that program's admissions ⁓ email just it by them. Do that really quick verification before you ever have to pay tuition.
Adrienne: so say, that someone is listening to this and they're doing the math and they've got some or quite few prerequisites Maybe they're missing quite a few of others. Maybe some are too old. What actually should they do with that information?
Tiffany: First, make a real document, not a mental list. What did was I copied my transcript onto my iPad. That way I could cross things out. list every the programs that you're considering require. I know some people do a Excel sheet. See whether you have that course, when took it, and what grade you I cannot stress enough how different it looks like paper versus in your head. Also as a pre-AA, you have many things in your anyways. You will find things that you forgot or gaps
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. You will see that you may have credit for this class for one program, but you really need to refresh it for another. So you might be than you actually think and you might be further away than you actually think. But either way, prepping in that way, you're,
Tiffany: that you didn't know were there.
Adrienne: pre-planning, you're preparing yourself for success. And it takes away that vague sense of dread of, my gosh, I have so many prerequisites to do to an actionable plan that can push you forward towards a goal.
Tiffany: then it becomes a sequencing question. you some courses prerequisites of their own. You can't take organic without general chemistry. Some are only offered in certain places. So having that list in front you tells you the order of your plan,
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm And for many programs, So community colleges are also a legitimate option if they're accredited. Some programs, however, do prefer that prerequisites come from, a standard four year university instead of a community college. you gotta confirm, you gotta double check. matters is that you're actually learning the material. it's the rigor of the course and the grade you earn, not necessarily the name of the institution. Like if you take a class from Stanford University, it's still gonna meet the requirement if you took that class, say, at UCSD extension or things like that, but not portage learning. ⁓
Tiffany: Mm-hmm. Yeah, that. I was about to say, that being said, check with the programs that you're applying to because some of them specify what they will or will not accept. Which school didn't take portage?
Adrienne: Emory University says, mm-mm, no way. I'm pretty sure Case specifically said that as well. if ⁓ it's not accepted like, are you, ⁓
Tiffany: it's... ⁓
Adrienne: Are you really gonna learn the material, right?
Tiffany: Right, I think a lot of it is making that you have structured lectures actual there you.
Adrienne: So be wary if a course is completely asynchronous and does not have a live professor. Like if it's something that's like, ⁓ just you go through these modules. ⁓ you really gonna learn what you need? ⁓ you. ⁓
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: need sometimes that guidance. So, if you're just trying to ⁓ get through it as fast as you can, well, you're not doing a favor to your future If you don't really understand the foundations of biochemistry, the anatomy, the physiology, etc. you're going to be further behind before you even start your graduate program and you don't want to do a disservice to yourself.
Tiffany: Yeah, and ⁓ if you're looking at a significant number of prerequisites to complete full year or more of science courses, do offer post-baccalaureate programs. That's another worth knowing about and looking into. I'm actually taking one right now. with the University of Florida. We're going to cover post-bacc programs in detail in a future episode, but for now, know that they exist as a structured path for career changers who complete a full science prerequisite sequence. ⁓
Adrienne: Yeah, and sometimes that may work for some. you still got to be picky about those prereqs for each program that you are interested in,
Tiffany: Yeah, and Adrienne, you've actually documented a lot of your journey on your website,
Adrienne: Mm hmm. Yes, yes, I have. I've been writing course reviews and university reviews of the courses I take online at my website, www.slptocaa.com. I have a very detailed little mini reports after every prerequisite class I've taken, which is pretty much every single one. I've documented it. So you could see a snapshot in time of what the cost was when I took it. is fairly recent, though costs this ⁓ this summer of 2026 are actually bumping up across the universities that I've been attending. And I also identify if there is a lab with it and it was like and if it was meaningful for me and how much I learned, how much I felt like I actually took away from it. And I've reviewed three online institutions that I've used so far, Barton Community College, University of San Diego Extension, and the University of New England online. They're very different depending on your professor and the topic and your own strengths and weaknesses. But they're all flexible These are not the only universities that you can take courses online with. I want to mention that. But those are ones that I found for me, particularly Barton Community College, because that one seemed to be one of the most affordable options.
Tiffany: Yeah. That's the kind of information I feel like it's really to find anywhere else or at least that amount of concise detail. but let's talk a little bit more about grades. This is a lot of anxiety lives, not only for pre-AAs, but also for me. I am on lower end of the GPA spectrum, so that's why doing a Post Bacc What is the honest Adri? ⁓
Adrienne: Yeah. Mm-hmm. So I say ⁓ we mentioned this in one of our other episodes when we talk about GPAs and calculating it and how cumulative versus GPA, et cetera. You can go back and listen to that episode. It will be in the show notes, but really,
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: the in courses matter they're a part of that science GPA that programs really, really look at specifically.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: from our understanding. So a C in organic chemistry technically fills a requirement because took the class you technically passed. It's not a failing grade, ⁓ but it's not necessarily competitive, And do you think competitiveness changes at all?
Tiffany: Right. Yeah. Oh, for sure. "competitive" in itself gives me trauma, but it is so nuanced. It varies by program, per cycle, per applicant pool. There obviously is no universal magic number or even range. anyone giving you one is kind of doing an educated guess off of previous applicant pools. If you're trying to gauge kind of level of competitiveness, we strongly you to go to CRIscore.org. Our friends over there created the CAA Readiness Index, which essentially gives you score based off of their matriculant data. they've acquired
Adrienne: from discord app from accepted applicant data as well ⁓ if you on their website, you can see exactly how they did it and how they calculate it but it's amazing how you can see like ⁓ I'm in the 25th percentile and I need to work on improving the science GPA or I'm in the ⁓ 50th percentile of like maybe I'm of in that middle bell curve it's not perfect, but it is much more
Tiffany: Yes. Right.
Adrienne: which I personally, I love that the CAA readiness index, they're awesome. ⁓
Tiffany: Yeah, and some programs also ⁓ publish average GPAs for accepted applicants and that's also where they're finding their data as well. So very useful data point, a general ⁓ number.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. And they update it very frequently. So it's going to be the most up to date because we do know on average trends ⁓ have generally increased over the last
Tiffany: Yes. Yeah.
Adrienne: years. And, if there's a grade that isn't who you are anymore, you were 18 years old. You were first time first generation college student. You had no idea how to study for college courses because it's so different from high school and you totally failed your first semester. That's going to have a huge impact on your overall cumulative GPA. And so when you come back as a non-traditional student or maybe even if you're a traditional pre and you're taking classes later in your undergraduate career, those grades don't disappear, It doesn't have to also be the headline for your application
Tiffany: For me, what I've heard is I am taking a graduate certificate, which is master's level training.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: that is what I'm hoping to show them that I know the rigorous coursework of CAA school. Yeah.
Adrienne: Exactly, exactly. Yeah, graduate level courses obviously have a different level of difficulty and I'm sure you're experiencing that now. It's very different than undergraduate courses. Tiffany, can you explain what are some other, honest straight up barriers that other Pre-AAs to know about before they embark on this prerequisite journey?
Tiffany: Yes. Yes, the two most prized things that we don't have enough of, time and money. are very, very barriers for most of people listening to this, to us. working full time, taking these very hard classes.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: studying the It's hard.
Adrienne: I will say it will take longer than you think. I can tell you straight up right now, I had a plan to finish all my prerequisites, I still need to take ⁓ quite a few classes. And even though I'm trying to apply this season and...
Tiffany: Yeah.
Adrienne: when I learned about the CAA profession and started to map this out, my fastest timeline was two straight years and I would have been done by March of this year. And the answer is it's May of this year and I still have three to four classes because life happens and that's okay. taking things one step a time, if you're working full time, if you have kids, you, have other life commitments.
Tiffany: Yeah Right.
Adrienne: and you need to take one class at a time, sometimes that's just what you have to do. maybe you can take two or three classes while working full time, but just know you are burning yourself out before get to grad school in which you will be emotionally burnt out. it's a fine balance of knowing and being honest with yourself of what. you're willing to take knowing that quality important
Tiffany: there's no to your prerequisites. You can be strategic about pacing, ⁓ about what courses you'll take together, about when your ⁓ lifetime you squeeze in heavier courses at the same time, that work itself will take time
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: you have to put that time on top of your time to do life. And that is so difficult. Adri, I had the same thing. I was thinking, I'm gonna take the MCAT last year in June. And lo and behold, it took me another whole year to take it.
Adrienne: Yes. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: Again, ⁓ it as long as it takes
Adrienne: if you listen to the live interview of Emily Mycyck, the AAAA president talks about her non-traditional journey and how it took her years, to be able to take all these prerequisites while before she entered AA school.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: that length of time, you I feel like we put this intrinsic pressure on ourselves to do things as quick as possible, with the best grade as possible, as fast as possible, because you want to get there, you want to get into a program, you want to be a CAA as soon as possible. but part the quality is, that joy the journey, that realization of like for Tiffany,
Tiffany: ⁓ 100%.
Adrienne: if speaking speaking as you, you could have taken the MCAT last year and really facing that honest ⁓ reality of I'm not and want to take more So many positive things have changed you have grown so much in ways that, you know, you wouldn't have had had you applied and gotten into a program last year. And so sometimes that time is actually a good thing, even though it may not seem like it.
Tiffany: Definitely. right with you. yeah, ⁓ I told you, Adri, when decided not to apply last cycle, I had a whole moment of grieving ⁓ that was the deadline that I on myself and grieving ⁓ I thought I would be ⁓ a year then. the person that I actually am year from is someone even...
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: couldn't even imagine ⁓ being who I am today and growing to this extent. ⁓ I now I am even ready to go to AA school.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. so you're feeling more prepared, having gone for you, you went to AAAA two years in a row, right? And that's another thing too, My plan is to apply this year, I'm not exactly sure on when that will but I am not gonna be heartbroken if I don't get in the first try because... I know that that will give me even another year of like, Hey, like I'm taking the GRE because of how swamped I am with these prerequisite courses. maybe if I fail this year, then I could study for the MCAT for next year. I could do additional work on, working with the non-traditional pre-AA student club online. there's so many options to continue to develop and grow yourself. So there are pros and cons to both. And, ⁓ the path that you end up in is the path where you need to be
Tiffany: yeah, enjoy beauty of becoming.
Adrienne: it's a reminder of there is joy in the journey of the difficulty of being pre-AA,
Tiffany: Okay, few things to take with you. specific courses programs will require you to take before admission. ⁓ The exact list varies by program. Read each program's page directly. Do not assume that one will transfer over to other program.
Adrienne: the course ages matter. If there's a lab component required or not, it matters. Course level matters. remember a C could fulfill a requirement some programs, but it's maybe not competitive. whether it's competitive for that program is a different question.
Tiffany: Check your target want combined A&P or anatomy and physiology. Confirm transfer credit, course equivalency before you pay any type of not after you already have grade. Email admissions, if you ever have any specific
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: course
Adrienne: Mm hmm. Double check that, the math underlying of those physics prerequisites as well. if this episode made you realize you have more ground to cover, that's not a bad thing. just information and that is information that you can plan from.
Tiffany: Yes. So one thing to do right now after this episode, pull up the prerequisite page for one program that you are genuinely interested in. Just one. Go through that list, what you have, what you don't, and when you took it. ⁓ is your starting point.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. So, next episode, we'll be talking about clinical experience. We are going to discuss what we think programs actually prefer, how to get your foot in the door to get that patient care experience or healthcare experience, because there is a slight difference. and how to document what
Tiffany: Hmm.
Adrienne: you've already built on your path.
Tiffany: Yeah. this is Pre-AA Pathways.
Adrienne: see you next time.
