Guest cchen87 Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Great points lorezskyliine and tootie. This thread is uplifting, but I think as someone who falls into the category of having not so great GPA and maybe not so great HCE, I tend to look for posts like this that uplift my spirits...and then because my brain is wired to make me feel better rather than worse, I'll project my spirits too high. It's important to be very realistic. Unfortunately, there is no standardized site and no specific information on most sites on average and range of GPA and average HCE hours for each school. I have applied to several schools so far, and with this not so great GPA and maybe not so great HCE, I have so far gotten 2 official rejections 1 non-official rejection and no interview invites. I am stressed out of my mind and disappointed because I had been so expecting, based on everyone else getting invites, that I'd have some interviews by this point. My sci GPA is a 3.04 and overall 3.36 and around 2000 equivalent HCE hours (I may have sold myself to schools as this being non-equivalent HCE). I'll post back on this thread if I have something positive come by. Sorry to be such a downer :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbrsmurf Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 There are some excellent points that people brought up! Certainly, if I had just sat on my butt since I graduated college, I am sure I would not have gotten in any programs. After college, however, I realized what I wanted to do and pushed myself to acheive that goal. I ended up taking over 20 units a semester for over a year while working full-time at an oncology diagnostic lab, studied for the GRE's , volunteered a few hours every week at the local ER and also at other events when I had the time. Even though I got A's in all my postbacc classes except for one B, my overall GPA and HCE were still low. I was realistic and applied to many schools and got lucky. Having a low undergrad GPA is definately an anchor that makes the journey more difficult, but if you push yourself, an adcom or two may see that and give you a chance. For those people in a similar situation, don't give up if you really want it, but you definately have to put in the work and make the sacrifices to get there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
er_ Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 I love posts like these. Congrats and thank you for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angthom Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 I have less than average overall and science undergrad GPAs. I don't particularly agree with posting stats, good or bad, but if I did I know there would be people on this forum that would say "dream on, you're not getting in anywhere." Yet I was recently accepted by two great programs, including my top choice. I think the key here is to realize that if you're starting out with some skeletons in your undergrad closet you will have a much harder road. You will have to apply to more programs and prepare yourself for a lot of rejections. You may have to apply more than once. You will have to get more healthcare experience and make sure you have strong references. You may not get many interviews, so there will be more pressure on the ones you do. In other words, you will have to prove that you're a good candidate in spite of your past. It won't be easy, and there will be some schools that will never accept you. But it is possible, as several on this thread including myself can prove. Posts like this are really helpful and encouraging, IF you keep reading past the bad stats to see what those applicants have done to make up for it. Congrats smurf! Thanks for this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cchen87 Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 I said I would post back here when I got good news for those that are tracking this thread...well, I did! I got an interview invite at USC :) All hope is not lost! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pala2006 Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 I said I would post back here when I got good news for those that are tracking this thread...well, I did! I got an interview invite at USC :) All hope is not lost! Congrats!! I am still waiting to hear back from USC....when did they receive your supplemental? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marilynpac Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Your right your scores are low. You have bragging rights now but the study in pa school is going to be gut wrenching esp. with your low grades. The average PA student studies between 3-4 hours a night, you'll probably need five. On the other hand you may find this is your niche and not have a big struggle at all. Good luck, get your rest now, and say good bye to your old life. Your face is going to be constantly in a book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
er_ Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 My mother, a retired RN, did not do well in high school. Somehow she got into nursing school, and earned all A's once she got there. (Failed geometry in high school, had to repeat it, got an A the second time.) She was lucky to be given the chance without having "proven" herself beforehand. She earned all A's in nursing school and was appointed head pediatric nurse --at the hospital to which her nursing school belonged-- fairly quickly post-graduation. She knew what she wanted to do with her life, and excelled at it once she got there. I am not condoning bad grades or failing or being disinterested in high school. And I am aware that the 60s/70s were a different era. But this applies, sometimes, to anyone who has f'd up a semester, whether the reason was "legitimate" or not. Sometimes (not often) your recommenders and the program can just *tell* that you've got it in you. My mother was/is forever grateful for the opportunity--her academics no longer suffered once the subject matter was *relevant* to her. "Becoming a nurse" was a better motivator for her than "doing fantastically in high school." And... sometimes people just need encouragement when they are feeling down about their situation. Nothing wrong with giving people a little boost sometimes. Can't hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajohnson2 Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 well said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cchen87 Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Pala, I think I mailed my supp Nov 11th, so that they could get it by Nov 15th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acozadd Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 My mother, a retired RN, did not do well in high school. Somehow she got into nursing school, and earned all A's once she got there. (Failed geometry in high school, had to repeat it, got an A the second time.) She was lucky to be given the chance without having "proven" herself beforehand. She earned all A's in nursing school and was appointed head pediatric nurse --at the hospital to which her nursing school belonged-- fairly quickly post-graduation. She knew what she wanted to do with her life, and excelled at it once she got there. I am not condoning bad grades or failing or being disinterested in high school. And I am aware that the 60s/70s were a different era. But this applies, sometimes, to anyone who has f'd up a semester, whether the reason was "legitimate" or not. Sometimes (not often) your recommenders and the program can just *tell* that you've got it in you. My mother was/is forever grateful for the opportunity--her academics no longer suffered once the subject matter was *relevant* to her. "Becoming a nurse" was a better motivator for her than "doing fantastically in high school." And... sometimes people just need encouragement when they are feeling down about their situation. Nothing wrong with giving people a little boost sometimes. Can't hurt. Unfortunately, PA school is so competitive that one cannot "pick and choose" when they want to perform well and when they want to be motivated. It doesn't matter how much you may hate the course, or find the course irrelevent to your interests, the motivation must be there from the start -- or else you are in for an uphill battle. Sure, many capable individuals may miss out on the opportunity to attend PA school, but they really have nobody to blame but themselves in the end. This may sound harsh, but it is the truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
er_ Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Right--I'm not advocating "picking and choosing." But the schools will be sure to tell everyone whether they're up to par or not. Since that decision is not up to us, and we can only speculate (with educated guesses) I'm not against being supportive. What's the worst thing that could happen? They could get rejected even though we cheered them on. Not so terrible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pala2006 Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 Does anyone know if admissions take a winter break? So if I don't hear back before christmas, I will have to wait well after New Year's right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acozadd Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 It seems like a lot of people think that somehow those who did not do well GPA wise in undergrad do not belong in PA school. Or that they wouldn't want to be the patient being seen by someone who got a 2.5 in undergrad. I get a little offended as someone who had less than a 3.0 cum. for undergrad. It is true that some would not be able to handle the coursework in PA school if they put in 110% effort and still could not get a solid gpa. But there are some situations that can affect a person during school. Ultimately is it my own fault? I guess it is, but I'm SUCH a different person from 3 years ago that when I think back it seems as though my old self was an entirely different individual. People learn to deal with bad situations at different ages, and for me that unfortunately came after I graduated. Life is not fair and not everyone can deal with extreme stress and maintain focus on grades at an early age....not everyone has the same support etc... So I just wanted to make the point that undergrad GPA is *not* necessarily a measure of ability at all. Especially if one got their act together and got a decent post-bac gpa. And ultimately it is how you do in PA school that has a direct bearing on how successful you will be as a PA. If you pass the PANCE on the first try, that should be the main indicator of a patient's confidence in you, not undergrad GPA. Just frustrated that my GPA is following me around like a felony as far as admissions go. Even with a good post-bac gpa, my overall avg. did not move much and never will even if I re-take my entire bachelor's with a 4.0. I made a point of mentioning that the current situation could leave out many capable individuals, but it is the nature of the beast. When you have over 1000 applicants, with several hundred individuals more than meeting the requirements, it will be hard for someone with a deficiency in their resume (gpa, work experience, gre, etc.) to get looked at. It is likely that many personal stories which more than account for a lack of performance at any given time go unnoticed. If YOU were in the adcoms position, and you had 1000 applications to sort through, each person with their own story/strengths/weaknesses... how would you separate these out? It's a tough job... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkles9708 Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 I don't think advocating with bad stats was the intent of the OP. All of us are human and make mistakes from time to time. My GPA is low (around a 3.2) and I don't have alot of healthcare experience due to small town, bad economy, and I was still in college. Now I have graduated from college and I have an interview for a CNA position tomorrow actually. I also am on the wait list for one school because I think they atleast saw my passion for this career through my nervousness at the interview. I think some schools don't just completely look at the past and can recognize significant improvement in someone's GPA. I have alot of outside activities, as well as a paper that will hopefully soon be published. If I don't get in this year (I am still waiting to hear back from several schools) then I WILL reapply next year and it will be my third time. I believe in being realistic, but if you have a passion and a motivation for something, I believe that it will happen, just maybe not on the first try. Just my two cents :) I got really close atleast this application cycle to my dream and I would completely regret it if I didn't give this one more shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AAPrePA Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 I interviewed at Drexel but didn't hear anything yet. I interviewed at touro california mpas/mph program and got accepted the day after my interview. :D Congrats on your acceptance. Your post was very encouraging! I also applied to touro program at the end of Sept, but have not heard a word from them. Could you tell me when you applied? Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lucylives Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 Thank you OP! I hope people read these posts and are encouraged. Time and time again, I'm surprised by those who do get in, and those who don't. I know people who others said would never get accepted and did. And I've met others who I thought were shoe-ins that weren't accepted. I have a friend who almost didn't apply because someone told her she didn't have a chance. She would have wasted a year unnecessarily if she hadn't applied. Sometimes the advice some people give, especially those who have never had setbacks in their life, can end up costing you unnecessary years of your life. Everyone knows what you need to do if you have bad stats- more HCE, more science classes, volunteering, etc. There is nothing wrong with trying to apply, while you strengthen our app, as long as you don't mind possibly losing some $ if you don't get in. To me, it sounds like a small price to pay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest undergradat Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 Lucy well said. You couldn't have said it better! Thank you OP! I hope people read these posts and are encouraged. Time and time again, I'm surprised by those who do get in, and those who don't. I know people who others said would never get accepted and did. And I've met others who I thought were shoe-ins that weren't accepted. I have a friend who almost didn't apply because someone told her she didn't have a chance. She would have wasted a year unnecessarily if she hadn't applied. Sometimes the advice some people give, especially those who have never had setbacks in their life, can end up costing you unnecessary years of your life. Everyone knows what you need to do if you have bad stats- more HCE, more science classes, volunteering, etc. There is nothing wrong with trying to apply, while you strengthen our app, as long as you don't mind possibly losing some $ if you don't get in. To me, it sounds like a small price to pay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellyjay1 Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 Congrats but please don't be an advocate of bad grades or bad stats, rather encourage people to get good grades and get good HCE. i'd be very afraid as a patient knowing that my provider was not a stellar student or had minimal experience... just my 2cents How is this advocating bad grades? And why would a PA/Doctor/nurse be discussing their grades with patients anyway? Just because someone doesn't have a 4.0 and tons of great HCE doesn't make them any less bright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiesOutHere Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 I'd be interested to know how predictive these things are. For instance, do the applicants who were no-brainers to be admitted really do much better in the program than the applicants who were debatable? Just because you were a borderline admission, does it mean you'll be a borderline PA student? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cchen87 Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I'd be interested to know how predictive these things are. For instance, do the applicants who were no-brainers to be admitted really do much better in the program than the applicants who were debatable? Just because you were a borderline admission, does it mean you'll be a borderline PA student? I have heard that undergrad GPA is positively correlated with graduate GPA. I am not sure what the relationship is with GRE. There is either a significantly weaker correlation or none. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acozadd Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I have heard that undergrad GPA is positively correlated with graduate GPA. I am not sure what the relationship is with GRE. There is either a significantly weaker correlation or none. I think it is common sense (based on simple observation) that those with higher high school gpas do better in college, and those with better undergrad gpas do better in graduate school. A higher gpa will also show consistent effort and motivation by the student, which are desirable qualities. Just think of examples from your own life and it seems logical... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cchen87 Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I think it is common sense (based on simple observation) that those with higher high school gpas do better in college, and those with better undergrad gpas do better in graduate school. A higher gpa will also show consistent effort and motivation by the student, which are desirable qualities. Just think of examples from your own life and it seems logical... Yes, and this is also backed up from statistical research! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetserenity Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 I keep seeing HCE repeated, but i dont know what HCE is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acozadd Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 I keep seeing HCE repeated, but i dont know what HCE is? health care experience Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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