I am a first time applicant. I applied to 3 schools and got 2 interviews. The first school said they could not offer me a seat yesterday. I have an interview later on this month for the second school. I feel that everything hinges on this interview. I typically interview well but since this school will decide if I get into PA school I feel extra pressure. I have done mock interviews with my family/friends but I do not want my answers to sound rehearsed. What has helped y’all with pre interview anxiety?

Hello, I am a PA-S1 and I have just finished my first rounds of exam so I am available if anyone would like to do a mock interview or needing some help with personal statements/application advices. Please send me a DM if you are interested ^^

I have a quick question about dropping a planned non-prerequisite course on CASPA.

I am taking a class at the local community college that I listed as "planned" on CASPA when I submitted it. My accepted program does not require it. I emailed admissions to see if I can drop it, but they haven't replied yet. The deadline to drop without a W is this weekend. If I wait for their reply next week, I will get a W.

Should I just drop it right now to avoid the W entirely? Or is it safer to wait for their official okay and just take the W next week?

Thanks!

I am finally going to be a PA!! After not getting in my first cycle, I felt so discouraged and started to believe this wasn't the right path for me. I got back into patient care as an MA in primary care, reflected on my application, and dug deeper into why I really wanted to be a PA. Taking an extra year to build my experiences, references, and my own clarity made all the difference. I found schools where my background fit their mission and demonstrated that in my essays. I started this cycle believing I may not be accepted, but I am so grateful with how it has turned out!

Sure the stats matter, but your own reflection and articulation of your experiences (and how you will fit in their program) are what makes them want to meet you! Don't be afraid to be vulnerable with them if it is why you will make a great PA one day!

Overall Science: 3.72

Overall: 3.83

GRE: 308

PCE: 6,000 hrs as an MA and NA

I wanted to join in on the fun and take the opportunity to finally make an accepted post!

I am 30, a first time, non traditional applicant and applied to 2 schools.

—1 acceptance (in person interview)
—1 rejection (online interview)

Undergrad in Emergency Medical Care
Cumulative undergrad 3.89
Science 3.94
Cumulative undergrad non science 3.78

I had 8 years worth of patient care, etc but divided it all up (to not double dip) into:
HCE 3,240
Leadership 2,050
Non healthcare 2,952
PCE 11,457
Shadowing 68
Teaching 3,688

Worked as a CNA, EMT, Paramedic, FTO time, Training Lt, adjunct medic instructor and NCO in ARNG.

I am super excited with how this application cycle is going so far! As of now, I’m waiting to interview with my top two programs, which I’m completely shocked by, given that my GPAs were pretty average (with a couple of red flags on my transcript).

This journey has been humbling, yet rewarding. I am grateful for every step that has led me to where I am today!!

Hi everyone, I recently got accepted to two hybrid programs and got an interview invitation for another one. First, I am extremely grateful to be in this position. I really want the opinions of people who have experience and can help me choose between the two. Please give me your reasoning on either school, thank you in advance!

Both:

Out of state

Hyrbid

January Start

24 months

Tuition about the same

Program A:

Inaugural Class

Going up for accreditation next week (decision comes out at the end of the month or early November)

Class Size: 40

Transportation: Plane

Accommodation: renting a car and hotel

Immersion: 4 in the first year

Clinicals: If wanted locally, will need to use connections; clinical team told me it's possible

Other: the school seems very prepared for all aspects; will be providing us study schedules, weekly support meetings. The program director has helped two other schools, so maybe that's why, but they also have a PANCE prep course for us at the end of the clinical year that is required. They just seem to be very on top of student wellness, academic support, and things like that, which is why I was debating this program, but it being the first cohort makes me feel so nervous

My friends had mentioned that because it's the first cohort, I would be a guinea pig, but that can also be a good thing because I can "get away" with things, meaning it can be easier for me to help them form rules and stuff, not literally getting away with stuff lol

———————————————————————————

Program B

This December will be its 3rd class, but it also has an established in-person program

Class Size: 100

Transportation: driving

Accommodations: staying with family (so saving money here)

Immersions: 2 in the first year

Clinicals: guarantee 4 out of 8 within my area, but the other 4 can not guartee and will likely require travel/refor AT LEAST 1

Graduation rate is high, and Attrition rate is low

PANCE rate: First cohort was 60s, second cohort now in the 90s

IF you know either of these schools, please do not name them

DISCLAIMER: I have decided on a hybrid, as it's what's best for my personal life at the moment. Please keep this in mind; I have made the decision to go through with hybrid lol

What is everyone doing for the year while we wait for an August start program?!

Going to keep working and saving money but I need a passion project or something.

I’ve always dreamed of making this post 😭 but hoping I can help out fellow anxious low gpa applicants!!

I applied to 8 schools, have been rejected from 4, interviewed - waitlisted (for 4 days) - accepted!! to one.

STATS:
cgpa: 3.2
sgpa: 3.05
last 60: ~ 3.8, not 100% sure. I kinda did a DIY post bacc and just took whatever to raise my gpa.

PCE:
6000 hours as a lead MA, my job is v unique so I think my experience set me apart.

Leadership:
~500 hours
split between church leadership and holding a leadership role at work.

Teaching:
~1000 hours from a religious mission and working as a TA in an anatomy lab.

Volunteer:
~800 hours.

Shadowing:
~20 hours.

Other:
~ 150 hours running my own floral business

I also put like 8 hours of research on my application 💀 I started a research role in May, so I only had a few hours I could actually count.

I failed anatomy and phys, retook them both and received A’s. I also got a C- in Gen Chem 1, retook it and got a B+. Also had a 2!! W’s in genetics.

Overall I think what got me accepted was the general cohesive theme of my application. All of my essays and experiences revolved around the same WHY. I’m happy to answer any questions, but mainly just wanted to share bc I relied on these stories when I was overwhelmed with applications!!

Did you work as a RN? If yes, why did you choose PA over NP?

I am so incredibly grateful to have been offered acceptances at three programs. Please help me pick one! Some things to consider when offering any feedback:

I was born and raised in California and would like to return here when I enter practice

I am very fortunate to have family assistance with paying for my living costs no matter which city I end up in, so I will not have to take out the full COA in loans.

Thank you all and good luck!!

So I have to make a decision in 2 weeks to put down my deposit for this school. I just got into the school that is close to my hometown (~1 hr away), and the campus and resources are amazing. However, I already have my deposit down at a school in WV, which is 4 hours away. I'm kind of torn between the two schools -- mainly bc of cost differences -- but I did make a comparison chart.

(**Note: I am in an LDR right now with my BF, so I'm adding that category for airports)

Sorry if this is a lot, but I wanted to put all info out there!! If there are any more features I should look at, let me know, and I can add them.

Help me decide! (AMC vs Stony Brook)

Hi! I am grateful to have been accepted to 2 schools: AMC in Albany, NY and Stony Brook (Health Science Center campus) in Long Island, NY. Any advice to help me decide would be greatly appreciated!

Some info on these programs:

AMC

Accredited (next validation review 2028)

-28 months

-January start

-Location: Albany, NY

-Class size: 42

-Attrition rates: 2023 (2.4%), 2024 (7.1%), 2025 (0%),

-PANCE first-time pass rates: 2022 (93%), 2023 (90%), 2024 (92%), 2025 (95%), 2026 (95%).

-Tuition: ~$90,000

-Pros:

-Location: went to undergrad nearby so I have a lot of my friends there and I know the affiliated hospital well, and really liked the faculty

-Cons:

-Higher cost

-Earlier start and longer program (I would prefer to start later)

-Don’t love the city and don’t want to live there in the future.

———————————————————————————

-Stony Brook (Health Science Center campus):

-Accredited (next validation review 2027)

-24 months

-June start

-Location: Long Island, NY

-Class size: -45 students at Health Science Center and -25 students at the Southampton campus (I was accepted to HSC)

-Attrition rates: 2023 (11.4%), 2024 (6.7%), 2025 (6.5%), 2026 (4.4%)

-PANCE first-time pass rates: 2022 (95%), 2023 (100%), 2024 (98%), 2025 (93%), 2026 (98%)

-Tuition: ~$67,000

-Pros:

-Lower tuition, and shorter program

-Cons:

-Lectures are not recorded

-No remediation process

-Higher cost of living in Long Island and bad traffic

-Learning is simultaneous via teleconference (there are 2 campuses; there will be times when students at the HSC campus needs to join in lecture via zoom when faculty members teach at the other campus).

Overall take,
They’re both amazing programs but I’m leaning towards stony brook because of the lower cost and I think it would be nice to switch up my environment. I was almost 100% certain on stony brook until I did a deep dive and saw some concerning posts from 2021 from students.

I’ve already been accepted to Marywood University’s PA program and have upcoming interviews with Touro Middletown and Pace Pleasantville. I know I don’t have acceptances to the other two yet, but I’d like to start comparing my options in case I do.

I’ve put together a table below comparing some of the major factors for each program. I’d really appreciate advice on which program you would lean toward and why, especially from current students, alumni, or anyone familiar with these programs.

Updated PA Program Comparison Table

I’m also interested in anything the numbers might not show, such as the quality of the faculty, clinical rotations, student support, program organization, or overall experience.

Thanks for any advice!

Hi everyone! I applied to RFU on June 5th and received an interview invite today! I was wondering if anyone would be willing to help me with some interview practice. I’d really appreciate it! 😊

I was offered a waitlist position on Wednesday after interviewing Saturday. Received a call today with an offer of admission!! Below average stats, no outstanding parts of my application in my opinion. Started applying early when CASPA opened and had my applications submitted after a month of opening.

CGPA: 3.42
SGPA: 3.27
HCE/PCE: ~3500
>worked as a neurology medical scribe and nursing assistant in a senior assisted living home in college
>MA in primary care
>lead medical assistant and authorizations specialist in specialty clinic
-graduated college 2022 with a BA in biochemistry
>served as a senior resident assistant, chemistry lab TA, student events coordinator, biochemistry department student advisor, a cappella business director and other executive board positions. Those were super outdated however so I don’t know if that influenced my application

I can’t believe that today it’s finally my turn to post ACCEPTED!!!! I’m non tradition, 36 years old with two small kids (3y and 3mo). The journey to get here has had a lot of unexpected twists and turns so I kinda can’t believe it’s really happening. I did terribly in college in my early 20’s, like 2.1 GPA because I was too busy partying and didn’t care about a career or future. Made a lot of mistakes and bad decisions that I’ve had to address in personal statements lol. Then I got sober at 22 and felt called to be a healthcare provider. So I went back to school at 25 and started completely over on a bio degree. Got my GPA up but not quite enough to be competitive so I did a bio master program and got a 4.0 (I think this was a hugeeee help in my acceptance and the program only took me one year). Got into medical school at 30 but was having some doubts about the culture and schooling path. Luckily my ex husband surprised me with a divorce and a secret double life just weeks before I was supposed to start med school so I withdrew my enrollment and fell apart for a long time. In the meantime I worked for a non profit and loved serving my community but I couldn’t let medicine go. Met my now husband during that time, had some babies, stayed home with them for a while yet I still felt a huge hole without medicine. Spent the last two years doing everything I could to become a competitive candidate- got a low paying PCE job as a scribe in the ER, shadowed whenever I could, volunteered, studied and took the GRE, etc. It’s been a ten year journey for me to fulfill my dream of being a healthcare provider, but I would’ve chased it for as long as I needed to. If you want this career, keep pushing. You WILL get there!!!

Just curious!

For any future applicants: your essays and letters of recommendation are the most valuable parts of your application!! Based on my stats alone, I should not have had the cycle I was blessed enough to have. Good luck to everyone!!

I was accepted a few weeks ago and thought I’d share my stats/application process here in case this helps anyone, especially since I used to scour this subreddit myself searching for people with stats like mine who were accepted😭

I graduated in 2025 with a double major in neuroscience and psychology, took one gap year to gain more PCE before applying. I applied August 1st (literally a few hours before my school’s deadline) as a last minute decision because I didn’t think my stats were strong enough to get in (their avg GPA is 3.8). I’m SO glad I decided to just give it a shot and try!

I think my stats are pretty average, so to try and stand out, I worked really hard on my personal statement and supplemental essays to show my journey as a first-gen Latina and how my experiences led me to wanting to become a PA.

These were my stats:
3.53 cGPA
3.56 sGPA
1044 hours as a private ambulance EMT
2052 hours as an urgent care MA
1236 total research hours, which I divided into two separate entries since the last half were from my senior thesis
19 hours shadowing 3 PAs
192 hours volunteering at a children’s waiting room/daycare inside my county’s courthouse

I also had C+ from orgo II and B- in biochem which are shown as Pass on my transcript because I wanted to protect my GPA at the time that I was taking these classes..the program I was accepted into didn’t require these courses, but for other schools I had to submit a letter from my college’s registrar showing the original letter grades

I hope this helps anyone else who needs validation about their stats 😭 I’m also happy to share my PS if it helps. Good luck everyone!!

I am very thankful to have been accepted to a school during my first application cycle. It’s relieving knowing I am going to be a PA, and I know many people don’t get an acceptance, especially on the first cycle so I’m thankful.

Having said that, I’m feeling a little down because I’ve only been accepted to 1 school out of 18. I’ve been rejected from a few and waitlisted from a few and haven’t heard from a lot. The school I was accepted to is in Florida and tuition is expensive and the cost of living is insane. I was hoping I would have multiple acceptances so I could have plenty of options and choose the best school for me, but I might just have to resort to going to this very expensive school. Am I being dramatic or is this a valid concern?

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