sockerkid9 Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Hi all! So I'm trying to figure out what else I can do to boost my application for when I do apply (again) to PA school. I have a ridiculously low GPA (overall:2.86, sgpa: 2.28) from college. I took time off and have done a master's in science (graduate this april) and will be graduating with a 3.9 GPA. Almost all of my classes were science classes from my master's program, except for a mandatory internship that we had to do. My new GPA will be over a 3.0 for cumulative, but a 2.656 for science. Obviously I know this is still low, but I've worked incredibly hard to try to bring it up. I've taken so many classes that an A doesn't really move my GPA all that much, especially since my undergrad was in Biology. I have strong LOR and have been working full time while getting my master's degree (I'm up to around 9,000+ hrs probably), my GRE was at least 300 (not sure of the exact number) and a 5/6 on writing. I will probably be retaking the GRE as I really didn't study the first time around, I was just in a rush to take it to get my applications in. My last 53 (post-bac.) credits will be a gpa of 3.56. Long story short, I'm just wondering what else I can do to try to improve my application? I need more volunteer hours, its just slightly difficult with working full time, school full time, and a young child. I've spoken to schools that I got rejected from before and everyone said that my only problem was my GPA. I didn't want to just retake classes to get an A to have them average out into my overall CASPA gpa, which is why I chose to do a master's program instead (plus the classes are all 6/700 level classes so I figured that would look better than retaking a 200 level biology course). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MT2PA Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Honestly, you need to reach out to programs. Many have a minimum GPA (science or cum?) of 3.0, some go as low as 2.75. If it is an automated filter, no one will ever see your app. Find programs with no minimums or ones you meet. You need to get your app in front of eyes to have a chance and even then, you are competing against tens of thousands of applicants with much better grades. Possibly programs that calculate last 60 credits would benefit you. But with a 2.6 sGPA, you are going to be a hard sell. You didn't list here your HCE, but it better be strong and you better have a lot of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sockerkid9 Posted January 29, 2016 Author Share Posted January 29, 2016 Hi! I have over 9,000hrs of HCE, and still building. I know many have that, I have a decent amount of connections with a few schools, so I know I could at least possibly get my application looked at. Everyone has said that all of the rest of my application was great, just my GPA was so low. I'm probably going to to try to get a few certifications before I put my application in, from a CMA to a certification in my master's degree if I can sit for the test. The biggest part is that an A in a class may move my gpa 0.01, and taking a million classes to try to compensate for 2 bad years of college just doesn't seem right. I'm highly knowledgeable in the field, my HCE includes almost anything that I can do without a professional degree (phlebotomy, casting, suture/staple removal, triage/nursing care, etc.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MT2PA Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 It's hard. Sometimes people with low grades would make great PAs and ones with awesome grades won't. With so many applicants each year, there has to be a way to filter and grades are easy to use. You're right, more A's won't make a huge difference but unfortunately there's no real way to compensate for that in the system of selection currently used. Definitely use your connections at programs - if you can bypass the GPA filter somehow, it sounds like you would be competitive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grundyjennifer Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Or I would consider DO if I was you as well since they do grade replacements. You'll find a way whatever you decide. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devod Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Some schools have minimums, but if you can put something in your personal statement that would convince them you're worth it, then maybe you can get to the interview phase. Maybe point out exactly what you explained here for us about how you're last program gpa was " xyz" . Good luck! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timon Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Your cGPA to sGPA seems to indicate the number of science units you have is relatively low.. That being said, I believe my sGPA was about a 1.96 when I started my prerequisites for PA school.. After 40 units at a 4.0 my sGPA was around a 3.5.. So my response to you is to add up every class you've taken.. Add the sGPA units and quality points up and then figure out from there how many units at a 4.0 will it take for you to hit a 3.0 science GPA and go from there.. Your cGPA will go up to a 3.0 naturally by the time your sGPA hits a 3.0 as well.. I've seen worse GPAs come back and get accepted into PA school.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sockerkid9 Posted February 2, 2016 Author Share Posted February 2, 2016 @timon its actually quite the opposite. For my master's degree, I've had about 30 credits of pure science classes, the other classes such as my internship and biostat classes do not count under "science" last time I checked caspa. The problem is that my science gpa within caspa includes my undergrad gpa, and my undergrad degree was a major in biology, so I have taken tons of science classes. I've taken just as many science classes as I have "non-science" as calculated by caspa, or they are pretty close in number. My master's gpa will show in my post-bac gpa and will be good, but when caspa calculates it, the science gpa is calculated one in the same from what I remember, unless things have changed. My science gpa and cumulative gpa above is with both my undergrad and science calculated together. Ive taken so many science classes that really, even though I get a's in them now, its only moving my GPA up 0.02 or so for each A. I've managed to bring it up from a 2.28 to a 2.6 with my master's degree and taking almost exclusively science based classes, but I'd probably have to get another bachelor's in 2 or 3 science programs to bring it up to "minimum" standards. @grundyjennifer - my father is actually a DO physician, and he's told me to go that route a number of times. I just really liked the interactions that PAs are able to have with patients. I guess as a physician you chose how you can establish yourself with patient's, just from working in medicine, I seem to see that a lot of patient's prefer how a PA is able to relate to them more. Thanks for all the suggestions though!! Hopefully I can get some volunteer hours in too to help build up my application. I'm going to re-do my personal statement and try to contact as many schools as I can before CASPA opens up again just to see what they suggest I do. Here's to hoping that I can get my foot in the door with an interview and nail it from there! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grundyjennifer Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 You can do it. Just keep fighting the good fight. You're not alone. We are rooting for you! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sockerkid9 Posted December 17, 2016 Author Share Posted December 17, 2016 Your cGPA to sGPA seems to indicate the number of science units you have is relatively low.. That being said, I believe my sGPA was about a 1.96 when I started my prerequisites for PA school.. After 40 units at a 4.0 my sGPA was around a 3.5.. So my response to you is to add up every class you've taken.. Add the sGPA units and quality points up and then figure out from there how many units at a 4.0 will it take for you to hit a 3.0 science GPA and go from there.. Your cGPA will go up to a 3.0 naturally by the time your sGPA hits a 3.0 as well.. I've seen worse GPAs come back and get accepted into PA school.. Finally have an interview!! So thankful at this point, any advice? I've been looking through the tips in the forum since I found out yesterday afternoon. I just don't want to sound like a robot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChasingTheDream Posted December 17, 2016 Share Posted December 17, 2016 Congrats @sockerkid9!! You give me hope for the future :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timon Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 Finally have an interview!! So thankful at this point, any advice? I've been looking through the tips in the forum since I found out yesterday afternoon. I just don't want to sound like a robot!I'll tell you what I tell others who are in your shoes. Congrats on the interview, you've already been accepted on paper, now don't give them a reason to not accept you! Everyone is equal at this point and they already have the basics of you from your application and personal statement. Now it's time they see that in person. Don't be awkward, don't be negative, and don't be cocky. Be humble, don't over talk and don't be too shy where you don't talk at all. Don't always stand in front of the group or in back of the group, move around and smile and be pleasant to everyone. Thank everyone you see for whatever it is they do on that day (ie give you a campus tour, talking with you, sharing financial resources from the school, etc). In the interview, smile and tell them your story. It's ok to be emotional, you struggled to get this point. Be honest but don't shoot yourself in the foot. When answering a question, use the STAR format. S-Situation T-Task A-Actions R-Results Like a sandwich, you have bread on top and bottom and meat in the middle. No one cares for the bread, they want the meat. So in this case when you're asked a question like "tell me a time you went above and beyond for a patient" you'll start be describing the situation or task that you were doing, then the actions you took during that situation, and then the results. The bread is the situation / task, the actions is the meat, and the results is the bottom slide of bread on the sandwich. Focus on the actions you did, the tools you used, the resources you utilized, and the steps you took to complete that tast and then summarize the results. It's ok to be nervous, feed on it. Think about the struggle to get to this point and use that emotion as motivation to go get your seat. At the end of the interview, smile, make good eye contact, strong hand shake and then go write a thank you card for each faculty and student you met that day. Mail it before you leave if you're coming from out of town. After your interview, go back and be motivated to keep improving your application while you're waiting to hear back and ready yourself for the next CASPA application because it's hard work, dedication, persistence and consistency that will eventually get you to where you want to be. Best of luck and go get your seat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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