lavender19 Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 As a pre-pa I'm trying to figure out how many schools I should apply to. If you can, please include your stats for this would help me in determining how many PA schools to apply to. Any answer is appreciated, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny32311 Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I applied to 5 pretty late in the game. 1 of them being actually late, which is not good to get in, obviously. Got interviewed at 2 and accepted into 1. My advice: apply to as many as you can afford and be accepted to within reason. Make sure that app is in for the schools you want to get into the day that they start accepting them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinntsp Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 See the stickied stats threads in the pre-PA section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterallsummer Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 13 is a good safe number. I did 11 got into most (waste of money) but don't regret my decision because it was the safe thing to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beattie228 Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 It's not so much the number of schools you apply to but rather the number of schools where you'd be considered a competitive applicant. You can certainly just throw money at CASPA and cast a wide net, but you'd be doing yourself a huge favor by recognizing your strengths and applying to the schools looking for candidates such as yourself. During my interview experiences, I met applicants who applied to 4 or 5 like myself and I met applicants who applied to 20-30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marktheshark89 Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 It would probably be easier if you provided your stats to us. Based upon your competitiveness we could probably give you a better answer of how many would be a good number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 9, 2013 Moderator Share Posted April 9, 2013 first cycle: applied 2. rejected 1, "incomplete file"( a community college course I took in high school didn't sent a transcript), 1 2nd cycle: applied 1, accepted 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasip Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Applied to two, interviewed both, accepted one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 1 and done. My stats were pretty much custom fit for one school as a veteran and paramedic, HCE over 20+ years prior to admission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 9, 2013 Moderator Share Posted April 9, 2013 1 and done. My stats were pretty much custom fit for one school as a veteran and paramedic, HCE over 20+ years prior to admission. I thought I was a good fit there too. that was my one rejection. applying from CA probably hurt me more than anything. I had a good gpa and a BS in medical anthro, more than enough hce , etc and didn't even get an interview. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbphel4828 Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Applied to 9 where I thought I was a good fit. Got accepted to 2, wait listed at another, and turned down interviews to 2 other schools. Rejected from 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender19 Posted April 9, 2013 Author Share Posted April 9, 2013 Thanks for everyone's response. @marktheshark: Here is a previous thread I posted with my stats-- Hello everyone, I just decided that PA school sounds like a very good option for me. However, I am worried. First off, I am an Animal Science major (weird, I know since I should've picked something more relevant to studying humans). Anyhow, I have taken most my prereqs already at a community college with at least a B average or above. Does that look bad taking the prereqs for PA school at a community college? My overall GPA combined is a 3.50. My gpa at community college: 3.75 My gpa at the university I attend: 3.25 (very low, I go to Cornell which is insanely difficult and I took mostly science courses. Means in a lot of courses are a B-). I have one C+ on my transcript from Animal Reproduction and Development Prereq GPA: 3.60 (I still need to take Orgo and Medical Terminology). I have medical experience mostly with animals (private clinic, shelter, lab). However, I plan to take a CNA/EMT course and work for a year while finishing my prereqs. I also plan to shadow a PA. I have also done my own research, but it's not relevant to PA school. Should I mention this research? It's research on how corticosterone affects bird behavior in tropical savannah habitat. How worried should I be? I am looking to apply to University of Pittsburgh and Chatham University. I am also half hispanic, I'm not sure if being a minority makes me anymore competitive. Anyhow some classes I took at Cornell that may be somewhat relevant to PA school: Toxicology, Animal Nutrition, Domestic Animal Biology, Animal Reproduction, Animal Genetics, Immunology, Animal Growth/Development, Animals in Biomedical Research, Independent Study in Nutrition Management (for people with diabetes). -Most of these courses have involved studying the human to some extent. As an Animal Science major, I learned most animal systems and learned the human system as well. Also, does the admissions committee combine your overall gpa if you went to two different schools or look at overall gpa separately? My gpa is a lot lower at Cornell. Will most schools take into account that this is a hard school and the average gpa is very low for most majors? I would preferably want to go to the University of Pittsburgh or Chatham University so I can be close to my finace. My top choice is University of Pittsburgh because the tuition is cheaper than Chatham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marktheshark89 Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Thanks lavender19. With a year of direct patient contact, I think you will definitely be a competitive applicant. I think it looks great that you went to Cornell, but I'm not sure how much admissions committees take that into consideration as far as GPA. I went to a state school, and the average in most of my science courses was somewhere between a C and B- for the most part. Perhaps a B- at my school meant something different than it does at Cornell. I'm not sure, and I don't know if admissions committees would know either. That being said, I would apply to somewhere between 6-9 schools if I were you. Of the 6-9, I would choose around 3 schools that you exceed the averages across the boards in all categories (GPA, patient contact, etc) as your "safety" schools (I don't really think any school for anyone is a safety, but by safety I mean schools that you might be more likely to get an interview at). Obviously, if you are unwilling to relocate, then just apply to the local programs you mentioned and hope for the best. If you plan to only apply to a few schools, I would contact the admissions office early on and see if someone can evaluate your credentials and see what they would like you to improve on before you apply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender19 Posted April 10, 2013 Author Share Posted April 10, 2013 Thanks marktheshark. Do you think it would be a good idea to apply to the Cornell PA program? I'm not sure if the chances are better for someone who went to the same undergrad institution. I will meet with a few colleges to discuss what I need to work on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balsam88 Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Applied to only 2 schools, made sure I nailed all their requirements, got an interview with my top choice, got accepted, withdrew my other application. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 I thought I was a good fit there too. that was my one rejection. applying from CA probably hurt me more than anything. I had a good gpa and a BS in medical anthro, more than enough hce , etc and didn't even get an interview. It is the Cali clause...anyone south of Crescent City gets extra scrutiny...seriously though it seems really random how they select. I think you got a better deal/education though in the long run. The grind is wearing me down..ready for the ride to reach the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 10, 2013 Moderator Share Posted April 10, 2013 I think you got a better deal/education though in the long run. . My wife would have been a lot happier in the pnw than in philly....I got a lot of great electives that I don't know if I would have gotten elsewhere so it worked out ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marktheshark89 Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 @lavender19 - I have no idea if Cornell gives any preference to Cornell grads as far as admissions for the PA program. That being said, they have a reputable program and so if you think you are a good fit and that its somewhere you might like to be, then go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A1CAMERON Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Applied to 6- got interviews at 5. I took my first offer which was my first choice and cancelled the rest. I've been told 7 is a good number that shows you are not just casting a random catch-all net; rather you've put some thought into the process and found, through research, the appropriate choices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timon Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 First time I applied to 8, got 1 interview and rejected by all. 2nd time around I applied to 2 got accepted at 1 and rejected by the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briepm Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 I applied to 5, rejected from 2, accepted into 2 and turned down 1 interview. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoTheEvolution Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Applying to 33 schools for $1,600. No regrets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoTheEvolution Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Applying to 33 schools for $1,600. No regrets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoTheEvolution Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Applying to 33 schools for $1,600. No regrets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patachok Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 Applied to 5, rejected from 3, accepted to 1, turned down interview to the last one... No regrets, starting this summer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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