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Do I really have a chance at getting into PA School? Low GPA


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Do you guys think I may have a chance or know someone who has gotten into PA school with a low Gpa? One of the schools I applied to says that a 3.0 is strongly recommended cumulative and science. My cGPA is a 2.993 and my my science gpa is a 3.105. I have HCE and patient care hours. I understand that it is a competitive process.

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So, I've been accepted with a 3.03 GPA. However, I have 11 years full time HCE.

If you are under the minimum threshold the answer is zero (2.99 with a 3.0 minimum is an auto reject). Beyond that, it's the strength of your application versus the strength of other applications, versus what the program is looking for.

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Take an online class in Med Term from UNE. You can complete it in under a month and you should be concerned if you don't get an A. That should get you over the 3.0 threshold. Also, many programs have a last 30 credit consideration so if you have been kicking ass that will work in your favor. Other than that make sure you have a charismatic and well rehearsed narrative. Once you hit the interview your chances go from 1/40 to 1/3 in some cases...

 

It might help if your HCE is unique compared to other applicants. Plenty of medics and MA's out there with GPA's well over 3.0

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Some programs have no minimum GPA. They are fair game for you. Please bear in mind that it comes down to your app versus everyone else in the pool. Programs typically invite 2 to 3 students to interview for every seat they have. So, for example, if there are 50 seats in a program, between 100 and 150 will interview. If the pool is 2000 applicants, you need to be in the top 5%-7.5% of the pool.

 

This is where the school's publication of its average matriculant's stats help you compare yourself to what is getting in. You do not have to meet or exceed every category, but if you are significantly below in several categories, you may have a difficult time getting an interview invite. And, that's all the application is for: getting an interview invite. After that, its on you to shine.

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Don't believe you will be better off applying to "new" programs.  From what I have seen they are not nearly as holistic generally speaking.  Older and established programs are the ones to go with.  If the rest of you app is good, then holistic schools like Penn state, Duke, Stonybrook etc etc etc will be your best bet but apply very early and broadly with a low GPA.  just get it up over a 3!  3.05 cGPA and accepted this time around here so YES you can get it if you want it.

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Are you already finished with your undergrad or do you still have time to raise the GPA up? What about all your pre-reqs? You could do post-bac to bump up your GPA if you're worried. New programs are not easier to get in. I got accepted to more than a few established programs, yet I didn't even get an interview to a new program that I also applied to.

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Apply where you fit the minimum required GPA and your stats aren't too far off the accepted student stats. I was accepted with a 2.93 cGPA (started with a 2.3 cGPA) and 414 hours of HCE when CASPA was submitted. I just graduated PA school yesterday and will sit for the PANCE in 2 weeks. Having gone through this whole process, don't underestimate what determination, a good personal essay, and rocking your interview can do. Just make sure you show your comitment on paper and improve all aspects of your applications, GPA is only 1 stat after everything is said and done.

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Yes I am done with my undergraduate studies. One school I applied to will accept you with 2 pre reqs remaining. I have 2 left that I didn't take in undergrad. Hopefully those will boost me up.

 

@Timon thanks for giving me inspiration. If I get an interview, I will give them all I got :). You guys are great help and insight

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There's a lower chance that new programs will accept you if anything. New programs have smaller classes and they only want the best due to the nature of new programs. You don't want high risk applicants for your first few classes. The first class needs to be the best applicants because their accreditation hinges on that first class. 

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UPDATE: So Caspa Verified my GPA and it's still low. I have a 3.0 cGPA, a 3.13 Non-Science GPA, and a 2.89 Science GPA. I know on my science GPA I had retaken some classes so those classes were averaged into the Science GPA

Ouch.  That's worse than what you initially projected, and probably poor enough you're not going to even get interviews.  CASPA is pretty clear they don't honor grade replacement, so that shouldn't have been a surprise.  That 0.2 sGPA difference, in the wrong direction, is a big deal at your GPA level, I'm afraid.

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you definitely can!

 

but i agree with what others have said about newer programs being more difficult (which i dont understand haha). My gpa was a 3.25 (but with some terrible academic mistakes like 2 W's, and one quarter where i only took one class because I ended up W'ing one and dropping another) and i got rejected from 8 schools? however, i did have a good academic "trend" and i was a biology major so i had a lot of upper division biology courses which i did do well in.

 

Most of the schools that straight up rejected me were the newer programs. i feel that the older programs are more likely to even CONSIDER whether other parts of your application demonstrate great potential.

 

I ended up only getting interviews from the older, more established programs like duke, drexel, GW, rutgers and only 2 from the newer schools (le moyne, pacific university).

 

im now starting school this 2016. so you can do it!! never give up and i wish you the best of luck!!!

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If I was in your situation, I would go for a Master's degree or take a lot of post-bac courses, so you can show an upward trend with your GPA and have a chance to improve your application in other ways (GRE, HCE, etc.). I wouldn't spend money applying until I had a plan and was absolutely confident in my application.  

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Also, I would look at programs that do a more holistic review and call them before applying to ask any questions about your application.

 

I had done this to a program to ask about prereqs, she ended up breaking down my application for me before I applied and it was very encouraging. I decided to try it and got the call for interview less than two weeks after submitting my application. 

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I got accepted this cycle with a CASPA 3.01 cGPA, and a 2.97sGPA. As others have pointed out, it depends on the strength of the rest of your file. I had very low grades my first attempt at undergrad, now I have a 3.91 since restarting, 25,000+ HCE, and a 320 GRE. With a good PS and evaluations, anything is possible.

 

PS

The only straight rejects were from new programs.

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