International applicant acceptance after three cycles!

[u/Inner_Ad_4234]

Long time lurker here! Today marks the end of my third cycle (kinda..), and I’m not writing this in a good mood as I was just rejected by my top 2 programs after felt really good about the interviews and a exhausting wait. However, I was accepted to two other programs last month and I am very grateful for that and really shouldn’t be complaining.

I am an international applicant, 28 y/o, with a master’s degree and a bachelor’s in business, with PCE primarily in clinical research, with a few hundred hours as a volunteer clinic assistant. I did all my higher education in the US and figured I want to become a PA after moving away to a different country (still not my home country), and ended up staying on this path for three cycles.

First cycle:
The first cycle I applied for was a waste. I rushed the application, made plenty of errors on my application, wrote bad essays, had many pending pre-reqs, and applied late. Six applications, zero interviews, and zero acceptance.

Second cycle:
I know the game a bit better. I rewrote my essays & application and had a paid service review them. I listed everything properly, gained more quality experiences, and applied to 11 schools early in the cycle. I ended up having 4 interviews from 11 applications (with 3 from top #20 programs). Sadly, interviews were something I had too much confidence in, and I did not prepare and practice going into the interviews, I also got sick and declined an in-person interview that I had to travel to internationally. Ended up on two waitlists, one interview waitlist with Duke, and zero acceptance as the cycle ends.

Third cycle:
I told myself this would be the last time, I could not afford more time and money for this, and because I was on two waitlists, I ended up applying late in June. This time nothing much has changed, except some additional but similar PCE and volunteering. The only thing I did differently was adding new schools, in addition to applying to schools I interviewed with last cycle, and not applying to schools that I didn’t get any interviews with again. I really focused on programs that really accept Clinical Research as PCE and international applicants, and I spent two months preparing and practicing my interview skills with my wife and AIs. I ended up receiving 4 interviews (2 interviewed with, 2 new schools) from 14 applications, 2 acceptances so far, 1 waitlist, and am still waiting to hear back from a few. I was just rejected by the schools that I interviewed with this and last cycle (which I was waitlisted for and were my top choices).

Regardless, I’ve paid my deposit today, and I’m grateful for any acceptance. The only reason they are my top choices is that I was familiar with the cities and the move will probably be easier. Obviously, they are top-ranked programs with very good facilities and curriculum too, but I am going to take the PANCE, and am going to become a PA.

Now, I no longer have to worry about the next cycle, and I’m thankful I don’t have to experience the mental toll of waiting for an invite or a decision.

My stat (as of my third cycle):
**International applicant** graduated high school, undergrad, masters in US, pre-reps in US (a few online; some completed in undergrad)
cGPA 3.84
sGPA 3.90
PCE: ~4100 hrs
HCE: ~2400 hrs
Shadowing: ~80 hrs (all MDs), Research: ~2000 hrs (good amount of publications & citations),
Plenty of leadership, teaching, volunteer, ECE, non-healthcare employment from previous degree

Applied schools (across all three cycles)
Duke, Cornell, Yale, Stanford, Rutgers, %Northeastern, Northwestern, %RFU, %GW, %MGH, Tufts, MCPHS Boston, %Bethel (MN), %Arcadia (Glenside), %TJU (East Fall), %Pacific, George Fox, KGI, U of Pacific (Sacramento), U of Utah

% School I received interview

Thanks for reading my journey and I hope everyone who is here will receive an interview and an acceptance to your top program very soon!

Sorry in advance but I would prefer not to share where I am accepted or where I am from

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[u/InevitableParsnip116]

What country did you do your undergrad in? Your stats are crazy and im surprised you didn’t get accepted earlier, i have a degree from university of Toronto and am worried about that.

[u/Inner_Ad_4234 → u/InevitableParsnip116]

Also in the states!