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Admissions with Low GPA - is there hope?


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You need to start looking in the South!! I went to college up north and have looked at schools up there. BUT the time I have spent researching programs, I have found that Southern schools specify that they would like to see an upward trend in the last 45-60 hours and are more gracious towards "oops years". Additionally, some of them have lower science GPA requirements - which suits me because my situation is very similar to yours. I have a low science GPA from some bad college years. If the school has a lower sGPA, they usually require that you have a much higher GPA in their specific list of required courses. But they take the time to recalculate your GPA by hand after picking and choosing classes from your transcript.

 

Some people are suggesting just increasing the number of schools you apply to. But that might not be a great use of your time and money. If you are NOT meeting the mimimum requirements, don't waste your time. Only apply where you are competitive. Look for schools with sGPA requirements of 2.75 and 2.8.

 

Try out this site:  http://physician-assistant-ed.com/

Go to the prospective students tab, perfect fit search! You can type in your specifics and see what schools come up!

 

Hope this helps!

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You are competitive and actually a pretty normal non traditional applicant who had a life before deciding to go to PA school. So you didn't have a 4.0 GPA. So what. As long as you have the minimum qualifications, focus on your OTHER strengths (one is your last 60 academic hours and another is your direct patient care. I'm sure there's more). One person posted a slew of NEW programs. Yes, odds of getting into a new unknown program are better. But just do your research, apply to programs that look at the whole person, and prepare for that interview. You'll get one and more.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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In my experience, the following schools look seriously at last-45/60 credit GPA:
Rutgers Uni

U of WI - Madison

Pacific Uni (These guys actually replace your cumulative with recent, completely.)

OHSU

DeSales Uni

Franklin Pierce (They'll replace your cGPA with recent ONLY if you meet their criteria.)  

 

There are probably others, but these are the ones I've found that seem to really value trend and at least calculate a recent GPA.  

 

What's your science GPA?  That's important too.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey Jekt,

 

Wow, I just wanted to say thanks for your post.  Your story is the most similar to mine that I have seen so far.  I am 37 years old and I have ALOT of classes and my GPA is like 2.9.  I have 4 years experience as a New York City EMT and almost 10 years working in the lab at Mt Sinai hospital as well as 5 years in the Air Force as admin for the medical field.  So like you we have a heavy emphasis on HCE.  I applied to like 7 programs and didn't even get an interview.  I have a mentor that I got to regularly for advice, (if you haven't gotten a mentor I think this is a good idea) He suggested that I focus on programs where I look good.  Apply only to programs where you are competitive.  I am working on refashioning my PS to reflect this as well as looking at programs that I hadn't considered before.  Im a inner city kid looking at inner city programs perhaps I should look at some rural places where I stand out.  Get the idea?  Hope this helps because your post helped me a lot.

 

Take care and good luck.

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  • 3 months later...

Thanks for this post! I am in a similar boat. 3.1 overall and 2.9 science from UG and have taken a few classes here and there since graduation 2 years ago. I cant seem to get an interview anywhere.. I have about 3000 hours of HCE as a phlebotomist and Patient care assistant. I am only 24 but applied twice already. Not sure what my next step should be...

 

Good luck to you all.

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Thanks for this post! I am in a similar boat. 3.1 overall and 2.9 science from UG and have taken a few classes here and there since graduation 2 years ago. I cant seem to get an interview anywhere.. I have about 3000 hours of HCE as a phlebotomist and Patient care assistant. I am only 24 but applied twice already. Not sure what my next step should be...

 

Good luck to you all.

Diversify your profile. There are lots of 3.6 phlebotomists applying. Find a tact, and get experience there: under served communities, alternative or complementary care, in patient such and such... Something direct patient with a little more variety and responsibility than blood draws. Maybe grad school (mph or just a year of a's sciences. Schools definitely accept low GPA candidates, but you must have outstanding HCE and a killer grade trend. Then write a killer ps. Also, make sure you're getting the best LORs you can. All that stuff adds up to bolster a lower cumulative average. Good luck.

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  • 2 years later...

You are competitive and actually a pretty normal non traditional applicant who had a life before deciding to go to PA school. So you didn't have a 4.0 GPA. So what. As long as you have the minimum qualifications, focus on your OTHER strengths (one is your last 60 academic hours and another is your direct patient care. I'm sure there's more). One person posted a slew of NEW programs. Yes, odds of getting into a new unknown program are better. But just do your research, apply to programs that look at the whole person, and prepare for that interview. You'll get one and more. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

what are the new programs you speak of?

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  • 2 months later...
On 7/23/2014 at 1:56 PM, pdjags said:

You need to start looking in the South!! I went to college up north and have looked at schools up there. BUT the time I have spent researching programs, I have found that Southern schools specify that they would like to see an upward trend in the last 45-60 hours and are more gracious towards "oops years". Additionally, some of them have lower science GPA requirements - which suits me because my situation is very similar to yours. I have a low science GPA from some bad college years. If the school has a lower sGPA, they usually require that you have a much higher GPA in their specific list of required courses. But they take the time to recalculate your GPA by hand after picking and choosing classes from your transcript.

 

Some people are suggesting just increasing the number of schools you apply to. But that might not be a great use of your time and money. If you are NOT meeting the mimimum requirements, don't waste your time. Only apply where you are competitive. Look for schools with sGPA requirements of 2.75 and 2.8.

 

Try out this site:  http://physician-assistant-ed.com/

Go to the prospective students tab, perfect fit search! You can type in your specifics and see what schools come up!

 

Hope this helps!

Man, so glad someone speaks in practical terms and in truth. Some people just throw out the old "every school is different and all schools are competitive" spiel.

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