Online General Chemistry I & II with Lab: PA School Acceptance- what CASPA programs actually require, how online labs are evaluated, and the fastest path to clear this prerequisite
If you’re missing General Chemistry on your PA school application, you’re in the position the majority of CASPA applicants find themselves in at some point in their journey. Gen Chem I and II with lab is required by the overwhelming majority of physician assistant programs — and it’s the single course sequence that most often holds career-changers, working healthcare professionals, and non-science majors back from submitting a competitive application.
The good news: online General Chemistry I & II with lab is now accepted at most PA programs, and an accelerated, self-paced format can let you complete both semesters in well under a year. This guide walks through what programs actually require, how CASPA categorizes the course, the policies you need to verify before enrolling, and how PrereqCourses.com delivers the sequence in partnership with Upper Iowa University, a regionally accredited four-year institution.
| QUICK FACTS• Required by the majority of CASPA-listed PA programs (typically 2 semesters with lab) |
| AT A GLANCE• Typical requirement: 2 semesters (8 credits total) with lab• Lab format: Online labs now accepted at most programs (post-2020 policy shift)• Minimum grade: Usually C or better; some programs require B• Recency: 5–10 years at most programs (varies)• Accreditation: Must be from a regionally accredited institution |
Most CASPA programs require two semesters of General Chemistry, each with a lab component, totaling roughly 8 semester credits. But the specifics vary more than applicants expect, and getting the variant wrong can mean a course doesn’t transfer.
This is the dominant requirement. Kansas State University’s PA program, for example, requires two semesters of General Chemistry with lab and explicitly notes that the second semester may be substituted with Biochemistry or Organic Chemistry — but both semesters must include lab work. The University of New England and Tufts follow similar patterns. Expect this structure at roughly two-thirds of CASPA programs.
A growing minority of programs accept just one semester. Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s PA program requires only one semester of General Chemistry (3 semester hours) and notes that one semester of Organic Chemistry will also fulfill the requirement. George Fox University similarly lists General Chemistry with Lab as a single 4-credit course in its prerequisite table. If you’re targeting these programs, you may not need the full year sequence.
Some programs have moved toward requiring General Chemistry plus Organic Chemistry I plus Biochemistry as three separate prerequisites. CUNY School of Medicine’s PA program updated its requirements for the 2026–2027 admissions cycle to require Organic Chemistry I with lab and Biochemistry, with the explicit note that Organic Chemistry I & II will no longer substitute for General Chemistry I & II. If you’re applying to programs in this tier, you’ll need the full chemistry stack: General Chemistry I & II, Organic I, and Biochemistry.
Here’s how General Chemistry requirements vary across a sample of CASPA programs. Always verify the current requirements on each program’s official admissions page before enrolling — chemistry requirements in particular have been in flux as programs reorganize their prerequisite lists.
| Program | Gen Chem Requirement | Lab Required? | Online Labs Accepted? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas State University | 2 semesters with lab | Yes | Not specified — verify with program |
| George Fox University | 1 semester with lab (4 credits) | Yes | Yes — in-person labs no longer required |
| USC Keck | 1 year sequential with lab | Yes | Accepted but in-person preferred |
| Wake Forest | 1 semester (3+ credits) | Lab strongly encouraged | Yes |
| CUNY School of Medicine | Gen Chem I & II + Orgo I + Biochem | Yes (Gen Chem & Orgo) | Not specified — verify with program |
| Tufts University | Gen Chem required (within prereq GPA) | Yes | Not specified — verify with program |
| VERIFY BEFORE YOU ENROLLThis table samples a handful of programs to illustrate the range. CASPA lists more than 300 accredited PA programs, and chemistry requirements continue to evolve. Pull up the official admissions page for each of your target programs and read the current cycle’s prerequisite list before enrolling in any course. Requirements posted in CASPA’s program directory can lag the program’s own website by months. |
For years, the biggest obstacle to completing General Chemistry online was the lab. Most PA programs required an in-person, wet-bench lab component, which effectively meant evening or weekend community-college sessions for working applicants. That changed in 2020.
Pandemic-era closures forced PA programs across the country to accept online and virtual lab formats. Several programs have made that change permanent. George Fox University’s PA program now states explicitly that in-person laboratory components are no longer required and that prerequisite courses with lab components may be completed online or in person, provided they meet the program’s academic standards. This is the direction the field has moved.
Most programs now accept online General Chemistry labs as long as the course is delivered by a regionally accredited institution and the lab component is documented on the transcript. This is the default position for the majority of CASPA programs in the 2026–2027 cycle.
Some programs — USC Keck is a clear example — accept online labs but state a preference for in-person work. If you’re applying to programs in this category, your transcript will still be considered, but you should be prepared to address the lab format if asked at interview, and ideally pair the online prerequisite with relevant patient-care experience that demonstrates hands-on competency.
A small and declining number of programs still require in-person labs. If you have such a program on your target list, you’ll need to either complete the lab locally at a community college or remove the program from your list. The category is narrow enough in 2026 that for most applicants it doesn’t constrain the decision.
| THE PRACTICAL ANSWERFor an applicant targeting 8–15 CASPA programs (a normal application range), online General Chemistry I & II with lab from a regionally accredited institution will be accepted at the vast majority of your list. Build your applications around the programs that accept it, and exclude or substitute for the handful that don’t. |
The applicant who needs General Chemistry to apply to PA school is usually working full-time — often in healthcare as a medical assistant, EMT, scribe, CNA, or paramedic. The traditional academic calendar (16-week semester, fixed class times, in-person labs three nights a week) doesn’t match how that life works. Self-paced online General Chemistry lets you log in around shifts, complete modules in the time slots you actually have, and finish the sequence in 8–16 weeks per course rather than waiting on community college term schedules.
Self-paced online General Chemistry from a regionally accredited four-year university typically runs between $675 and $695 per course at PrereqCourses.com. A two-semester community college sequence with lab fees, parking, and the opportunity cost of fixed class times often runs $900–$1,500 once everything is included. University-based online programs and post-baccalaureate options can run $1,500–$3,000 per course and up. The price-to-acceptance ratio for self-paced online is favorable for most applicants.
CASPA categorizes coursework by the source institution. A General Chemistry credit appearing on an Upper Iowa University transcript — a four-year, regionally accredited university — reads differently in admissions review than the same credit from a community college, even though both meet the technical requirement. Some PA programs explicitly state a preference for four-year institution coursework on their prerequisite documentation pages. The PrereqCourses.com partnership with Upper Iowa University was built specifically around this distinction.
PrereqCourses.com offers General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II as fully self-paced courses, each carrying 4 semester credits including the lab component. Credits appear on an Upper Iowa University transcript, which means they’re issued by a four-year university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission — the same regional accreditation tier as most state flagships.
Covers atomic structure, periodic trends, chemical bonding, stoichiometry, gases, thermochemistry, and solution chemistry. The lab component is delivered through virtual simulations and at-home guided experiments where applicable. 4 semester credits, transferable as General Chemistry I at most receiving institutions. View course details.
Builds on Gen Chem I with chemical kinetics, equilibrium, acid-base chemistry, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, and an introduction to nuclear and organic chemistry. Lab work parallels lecture topics with quantitative analysis, titrations, and equilibrium simulations. 4 semester credits. View course details.
Before you commit to any online General Chemistry course — at PrereqCourses or anywhere else — confirm these five items for each of your target PA programs. Skipping this step is the single most common source of wasted tuition in the prereq market.
This is the foundational question. Most CASPA programs accept online coursework from regionally accredited four-year institutions. Some restrict prerequisites to four-year universities and exclude community colleges; almost none exclude regionally accredited four-year online programs in the 2026 cycle.
Read the program’s lab policy carefully. The phrase you want to see is something like ‘online or in-person labs accepted’ or ‘lab format not specified.’ The phrase that should prompt a follow-up email is ‘in-person lab required.’
Most programs require science prerequisites to be completed within 5 to 10 years of application. USC Keck uses a 10-year window. George Fox applies a similar policy: for the 2026 cycle, no prerequisites completed before 2016 are considered. If your General Chemistry credits are from 12+ years ago, you’ll likely need to retake the sequence regardless of where you originally took it.
C or better is the most common floor. Some competitive programs require B or better in all science prerequisites. Tufts, for example, requires a 3.0 minimum prerequisite GPA across the listed sciences. Plan your effort accordingly — passing isn’t always enough for the BCP (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) GPA that competitive programs scrutinize.
Most CASPA programs allow 1 to 3 prerequisites to be ‘in progress’ at the time of application submission, as long as they’re complete by a stated deadline (often September 1 or matriculation). This matters if you’re racing the clock: you can submit your application while General Chemistry II is still in progress, as long as Gen Chem I is complete and II finishes by the deadline.
CASPA categorizes General Chemistry under the Chemistry course classification within your BCP GPA — Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. The BCP GPA is the single most-scrutinized number on a PA application. Per CASPA’s documentation, competitive 2026 programs are looking for a BCP GPA of 3.5 or higher. A strong grade in General Chemistry I & II directly improves this number, especially for applicants whose original chemistry coursework dragged the average down.
| IMPORTANT: CASPA AVERAGES YOUR GRADESIf you took General Chemistry years ago and earned a C, then retake it online for an A, CASPA will average both grades. It does not honor grade-replacement policies even if your original institution does. The retake improves your transcript narrative and adds a recent A to the calculation — but the original C still factors in. Plan retakes around what’s possible to lift, not what you wish would disappear. |
Every transcript that contains coursework you list on CASPA must be sent directly from the issuing institution. CASPA does not accept transcripts from applicants. If you complete General Chemistry through PrereqCourses, you’ll request the transcript directly from Upper Iowa University, and UIU sends it to CASPA. Build 2–4 weeks of buffer into your timeline for transcript processing on top of course completion.
You almost certainly need both General Chemistry I and II with lab. Start with CHEM 151, then move to CHEM 152. Pair the sequence with the other foundational science prerequisites — General Biology, Anatomy & Physiology I & II, and Microbiology — and you’ll have built the science core most programs require in 12–18 months.
Check the recency policy at each of your target programs. If even one of them has a 10-year window (USC Keck, George Fox, and many others), you’ll need to retake the sequence. The good news: a recent strong grade in General Chemistry repositions the BCP GPA and signals to admissions committees that you’ve been actively engaged in science recently.
Retake at a regionally accredited four-year institution and aim for an A or B+. CASPA will still average the grades, but the recent strong grade dramatically improves your application narrative. This is a particularly common pattern for non-traditional applicants whose original chemistry grades reflect a different stage of life.
Take CHEM 151 alone. Some programs — Wake Forest, George Fox at the introductory level, and several others — require only one semester of General Chemistry. Confirm with each target program before deciding, and remember that taking the full sequence keeps more programs open if you later expand your application list.
CUNY’s PA program is the clearest example. You’ll need the full chemistry stack. Plan in this order: General Chemistry I → General Chemistry II → Organic Chemistry I → Biochemistry. PrereqCourses offers each of these as standalone self-paced courses. View the full chemistry sequence.
Online General Chemistry is one option among several. Here’s how the realistic paths compare for a PA applicant:
| Option | Typical Cost | Time to Complete | Schedule Flexibility | PA School Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-paced online (PrereqCourses / UIU) | $675–$695 per course | 8–16 weeks per course | Fully flexible | Accepted at most CASPA programs |
| Community college (in-person) | $450–$900 per course | 16 weeks per semester | Fixed class times | Some programs prefer 4-year institutions |
| State university (online) | $1,200–$2,500 per course | 16 weeks per semester | Term-based, some flexibility | Accepted at most CASPA programs |
| Post-baccalaureate program | $20,000–$50,000 total | 1–2 years | Cohort-based | Strong reputation; high cost |
Yes, in almost every case. CASPA distinguishes between General Chemistry and General Chemistry with lab, and PA programs that require the latter will not accept lecture-only credit. If a course doesn’t include an integrated lab on the transcript, plan for it to fail the requirement.
It depends entirely on the program. Wake Forest accepts one semester of Organic Chemistry in place of General Chemistry. Kansas State allows Organic or Biochemistry to substitute for the second semester of Gen Chem. CUNY explicitly disallows this substitution for the 2026–2027 cycle. Read each target program’s policy individually.
If your goal is to add the credit to an existing degree, transfer policies are set by your home institution. For PA school applications via CASPA, the question is different: CASPA accepts the course as long as it appears on a transcript from a regionally accredited institution, regardless of whether your undergraduate school would have accepted it for transfer.
A motivated full-time learner can complete Gen Chem I in 8–10 weeks and Gen Chem II in another 8–10 weeks, finishing the full sequence in roughly 4–5 months. Part-time learners balancing work typically complete the sequence in 6–9 months.
Most programs require C or better. Some competitive programs require B or better in all sciences. Beyond the minimum, every grade point above C improves your BCP GPA, which is the metric admissions committees weight most heavily for science prerequisites.
Technically yes — the prerequisite is conceptual readiness, not a calendar-year cutoff. But if you completed Gen Chem I a decade ago and feel rusty, plan to refresh atomic structure, stoichiometry, and bonding before starting Gen Chem II. Most programs assume you’ve retained the foundation.
If General Chemistry I & II with lab is on your prerequisite list — and for the vast majority of PA applicants it is — the path forward is straightforward:
| READY TO START?Browse the full General Chemistry sequence and other PA prerequisite courses at PrereqCourses.com, or speak with an academic advisor about building a custom prerequisite plan for your target PA programs. All courses are delivered in partnership with Upper Iowa University, a regionally accredited four-year institution, with credits transferable to PA programs nationwide via CASPA. |
View General Chemistry I (CHEM 151) | View General Chemistry II (CHEM 152) | All PA prerequisite courses | Contact an advisor
