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Hello and Happy New Year to everyone! Caspa will be opening up in a couple of months and this application cycle will soon be underway!

 

I figured we could start a thread for hopeful and potential applicants for this program to get to know each other and possibly exchange and advice and information about what to expect!

 

AACC is among my top choices and I plan on applying for this program as soon as the Spring grades are in!

 

Best of luck to everyone!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Picking your program is important. Program stability is very important. The professional maturity of the teaching staff is of paramount importance. For all programs check and see what role physicains have in structuring content and instruction modalities. While PA's can be great instructors, it is my experience that PA's who are good instructors need to have many years of experience.

 

Also, to look at "Pass rate" for the boards is not a good way to evaluate a program. The best way is to talk with current and former students and to see what they feel/think. Those who you see during the interview process are NOT the ones that you need to talk to...the ones who are not there are the ones who can give you critical comments on the school.

 

Anne Arundel is going through huge changes with administration and curriculum as they change the institution from whom the students will get their master's degrees. Questions about what these changes are and how they intend to meet their goals is important.

 

This school has had significant turnover in instructors. Why?  And how are they addressing this issue.

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Mountaindoc,

 

Thank you for all of your insight, it is greatly appreciated. Being a resident of the county, this school is one of my top choices but I am aware that the curriculum is undergoing major changes. I saw that the University of Maryalnd Baltimore is now going to be the school in which students obtain their Master's degree. There is an informational session next Friday which I plan on attending because I am hoping that they will address all of these changes.

 

In your opninion, out of the students that graduate from the AACC and the CCBC Essex program, which are the better prepared for the PA profession?

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hello to all the AACC 2014 hopefuls!  I am a second-year student at AACC and would be happy to answer any questions you might have about the program.  Well, any of them that I know the answer to at least, lol.  Best of luck to all of you as you make your way through the application process!

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Hello to all the AACC 2014 hopefuls!  I am a second-year student at AACC and would be happy to answer any questions you might have about the program.  Well, any of them that I know the answer to at least, lol.  Best of luck to all of you as you make your way through the application process!

 

Thank you for offering your support! How do you like the program?

 

My main question is in regards to your stats when you applied. How was your GPA? What did you do for health care experience? What qualities do you think made you stand out as an applicant that ultimately led to you being accepted?

 

Your insight is much appreciated! we are only a couple of months away from the application cycle starting

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Hello RC - it's a pleasure to meet you (virtually speaking, lol).  I absolutely love the AACC program.  It is by far the most academically difficult thing I've ever done, but also the most rewarding.  The faculty is amazing- tough, but fair and supportive- and there is a sense of community that you will build with your classmates here that will make even the most challenging material fun.

 

When I applied, I had a 3.98 undergraduate GPA (BA in Psychology) and a 4.0 prerequisite GPA.  I had relatively little health care experience compared to most of my classmates, with just over 1500 hours.  My hours were from working as a rehabilitation tech and as a massage therapist.  I suspect that my acceptance rested heavily on my letters of recommendation, my grades, and the group interview.  Of course that is just speculation, as they don't really tell you afterwards what it was that got you in.  Don't get too stuck on GPA though, I have several classmates who got in with GPAs in the 3.2 - 3.5 range, based on the strength of their previous patient care experience.  As long as you have one or the other, you will have a decent shot.  My best advice is to write a killer personal statement, and if you get the interview invite, just relax, enjoy yourself, and be authentic.  The most important quality you can bring to the table as a prospective PA is a team-player attitude, (IMHO).

 

Best of luck to you and if you have any other questions, please feel free to ask!

 

Kate

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Hello RC - it's a pleasure to meet you (virtually speaking, lol).  I absolutely love the AACC program.  It is by far the most academically difficult thing I've ever done, but also the most rewarding.  The faculty is amazing- tough, but fair and supportive- and there is a sense of community that you will build with your classmates here that will make even the most challenging material fun.

 

When I applied, I had a 3.98 undergraduate GPA (BA in Psychology) and a 4.0 prerequisite GPA.  I had relatively little health care experience compared to most of my classmates, with just over 1500 hours.  My hours were from working as a rehabilitation tech and as a massage therapist.  I suspect that my acceptance rested heavily on my letters of recommendation, my grades, and the group interview.  Of course that is just speculation, as they don't really tell you afterwards what it was that got you in.  Don't get too stuck on GPA though, I have several classmates who got in with GPAs in the 3.2 - 3.5 range, based on the strength of their previous patient care experience.  As long as you have one or the other, you will have a decent shot.  My best advice is to write a killer personal statement, and if you get the interview invite, just relax, enjoy yourself, and be authentic.  The most important quality you can bring to the table as a prospective PA is a team-player attitude, (IMHO).

 

Best of luck to you and if you have any other questions, please feel free to ask!

 

Kate

Kate, I was accepted into the program and I have been reading on this site that some people are weary of the administration and the new UMD master's aspect. Can you shed any light on this?

 

Thank you!

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Kate, I was accepted into the program and I have been reading on this site that some people are weary of the administration and the new UMD master's aspect. Can you shed any light on this?

 

Thank you!

Hi GRC,

 

First off, congratulations on your acceptance!  It's no small thing to get into the program, so kudos to you.  

 

As for your questions- I can't really speak to the new UMD Master's program because our class is doing our Master's through Saint Francis University.  I will say that if given the option, I would have preferred to have a degree from UMD, not because I have any complaints about SFU, but simply because I think UMD is a better known school.  I'm not sure what you mean in terms of the administration.  Personally, my experience with the faculty has been positive overall.  Of course there have been moments here and there when things have rubbed me the wrong way, but I certainly don't think that's unique to any program.  I also know some folks who have had run ins with faculty for various reasons, but again, that's really an unavoidable part of any academic program regardless of major or school.  If you have specific concerns, please feel free to message me and I'll answer honestly to the best of my ability.

 

To me, the bottom-line most important thing is whether or not I'm adequately prepared for my clerkships, to pass the PANCE, and to carry my own weight when I start working after graduation.  I've been on sites with students from other schools in the area and I certainly think that AACC is doing an outstanding job of delivering the material you need to know to be successful.  I have yet to be on a site where I felt behind relative to students from other programs.  In fact, the general consensus of the preceptors I've worked with is that most AACC students tend to do very well in that regard.  Plus, with a 97% first-time PANCE pass rate, they must be doing something right!  This is all my own personal opinion, of course, and I would certainly encourage you to reach out to other students to get their unique perspectives.

 

Best of luck to you, and congratulations again on being accepted into the program!  If there's anything else I can answer for you, please feel free to ask.  

 

Kate

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GRC-

I am also a current second year student at AACC. Congratulations on being accepted! Hang on to that excitement as long as you can!

 

I am with Kate in regards to the Master's program, though to me where we get our Master's from doesn't much matter to me. I cared more about my clinical site placements. As a student from out of state who is not staying in Maryland after school, having good well known clinical sites was very important to me. That has been met throughout my clinical placements very well. I feel that AACC students have been well prepared to both pass the PANCE and enter the workforce as contributing members of the medical team. In many of my sites I have worked along side students from other programs in the area and feel that we are extremely well prepared to be in the clinical setting, maybe more so than others. Many of preceptors have commented on how much they enjoy having AACC students because we know our clinical skills and our academic knowledge well.

 

Like any academic program this are not always perfect all of the time. We have had our bumps in the road, but overall I have enjoyed learning from our faculty and preceptors. In our tenure in the program there have not been huge changes to the administration or faculty. I do believe that with a 97-100% first time pass rate on the PANCE the program knows what they are doing. I feel that I am well prepared to start the job that I have already accepted following graduation and to be a contributing member of the medical faculty at the institution I will be working at. I am not staying in the state of Maryland after school, but there were no questions during my 2 days of interviews as to the quality of education I was receiving here at AACC.

 

Please feel free to ask if you have other questions. I am more than happy to help in anyway that I can! Congratulations again!

 

Jen

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 5 weeks later...

Hello everyone,

 

I am extremely fortunate and excited that I stumbled upon this forum.  You all pose great questions and post great answers.  I plan on applying to AACC-UMD this year. 

 

I have a BS in Exercise Sports Science. I am currently working on my MS in Health Science (I will be finished this fall).

My overall GPA (including undergraduate and graduate school): 3.51

My science GPA: 3.32. I have taken Gen. Bio. (4 credits- A) , A+P I and II (4 credits-A, 4 credits- A), Chem I (4 credits-B), Chem II (Lecture 3 credits- C and Lab 2 credits- B), Micro (1st time-C and 2nd time-B)

GRE Verbal: 149 GRE Math: 147

I worked as a nutritional/health counselor for 2 years (full-time) and I currently work as a Dietetic Technician (full-time-6mos). While working as a counselor I also worked as a Research Assistant (part-time) at Johns Hopkins.  I work at a weight loss center and my direct supervisor is a Registered Dietitian. I explain different meal plans we offer, I make dietary suggestions based off of health condition (hypertension, kidney insufficiency, blood clotting), I informed patients of their recommended macro and micro nutrient intake based on their age, race, calorie needs, etc. and explain ways to get those nutrients. I do blood pressure/pulse rate, body measurements, metabolic testing (patient breath into a machine for about 8 minutes...I proctor it and calculate their calorie needs), I also perform and explain body analysis monthly (results outline the patients lean muscle mass, body fat mass, water weight, BMI, percent body fat, etc.).

 

Does this sound competitive? 

I'm interested in seeing the stats of other applicants for this cycle?  Of course, only post if you are comfortable. 

 

First of all, best of luck to you on your application process.  It's a lot of hoops to jump through, but definitely worth it!  I would say that your GPA stats are mid-range competitive, and that your patient care experiences are strong because you have patient education and counseling experience.  Be forewarned that PA school is incredibly competitive at the moment- I think our class had 700+ applications for 40 seats and I think it's only gotten more competitive since.  That said, a lot of people get in on their second application cycle, so if you don't get picked up the first time around, do not give up!  One of the very best things you can do to increase your likelihood of getting in is to take the 8-week EMT Basic course so you have some emergency medicine experience to add to your application.  

 

Best of luck to you!

 

Kate

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  • 3 weeks later...

Submitted my application to CASPA 6.1.14, verified 6.3.14 and I haven't heard from AACC yet. 

Does anyone know when the interview process begins?  From what I understand they do not have rolling admission but interviews are conducted before Sept. 1st.

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AACC notified me today that they received my application.  So, it only took three days after verification. 

I hear that we wont be notified about interviews until mid to late October.  Whew.

 

Good luck everyone! 

 

Family and friends keep asking if I've heard anything about PA school yet and I'm always like "It'll be around the holidays before I know anything." Good luck!

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Does anybody know if they are rolling admissions or not? I am hoping to submit my CASPA on Friday and I am taking my GRE on Friday so I won't have those scores to send until 12-15 business days... hoping that isn't too late to be considered if they review applications early!

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Admissions are not rolling, but as long as you have everything submitted before the deadline you're fine.  They have a very specific rubric for picking their interviewees and to the best of my knowledge, they don't factor in how early or late your app came in as long as it's before the deadline.  If memory serves, I think we got our interview invitations in late October or early November and the actual interview date was in early December.  Good luck everyone- I know that wait is nerve-wracking!

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