futureVAPA Posted July 7, 2016 Hi! I'm currently about to be a senior in college and am soon to submit my application to CASPA on July 16th but am very nervous about my chances of getting in. I have a 3.9 GPA, have 650 hours of working as a CNA in multiple settings, am taking the GRE in one week but fairly confident that I will get at least above the 50% mark, and have shadowed 3 different PAs. I have 3 letters of recommendation from a nurse supervisor at a nursing home I work at, a professor, and a physician assistant that I shadowed. Am I looking competitive enough to get into schools with lower (200-500 hours) HCE requirements?
fflores98 Posted July 7, 2016 Your GPA is good. However even those programs that have lower HCE requirements you will be competing with applicants with thousands of hours and competitive GPAs. If you want to test waters this cycle go for it but don't beat yourself up if you don't get invited for an interview. With that said, if you keep working on that HCE and score over the 50% mark on the GRE, next cycle should be no problem lining up interviews. Best of luck to you!
newton9686 Posted July 8, 2016 The school I attend, Methodist University, selects a few kids every year with stats similar to yours. We have a couple kids that came straight out of undergrad.
MyNameWasUsed Posted July 11, 2016 Im a first year and there are 90 students in my class. I havnt met one that came directly from undergrad. There are, however, a good amount of us who got into the program after a gap year. Our youngest is 21 and she took a gap year as well
newton9686 Posted July 11, 2016 I truly believe we have the best PA program in the nation at Methodist. We are located in a little known town in North Carolina, but we have several professors that are truly invaluable. We're not the flashiest program, but in addition to the same medical education you will receive everywhere, we've really learned how to find the sick people. It sounds simple, but its an art determining which patients you can't ignore. And trust me its an art not every provider has mastered.
Petunia Posted July 11, 2016 If you are comfortable with the chances of spending $500 -$1000+ on applications and NOT getting in, then go for it this year as long as your GRE is fine! If you can't afford the risk, then wait till next year. You have a chance this year, but next year you will be much stronger. Good luck in whatever you decide
pa_2020 Posted July 17, 2016 What would my chances be of getting into Methodist if I have 1800 HCE but I made Cs in both of my Organic Chemistry classes? (As and mostly Bs in everything else)
newton9686 Posted July 17, 2016 Court. 1800 is probably par for most of our applications. I think I had 1200 myself. And while I don't claim to be an admissions expert, I would say it is worth applying if you haven't already. Methodist is not going to turn its head up at your application because your GPA isn't a 4.0. Obviously they want to make sure you can handle the work load, but they aren't looking for valedictorians necessarily. They care just as much about the quality of the person as the quality of ones GPA. If you have anymore questions you can always send me a message.
MT2PA Posted July 17, 2016 Know that coming straight from undergrad isn't necessarily an excuse for low HCE. All of the students in my program who started immediately after undergrad had competitive HCE hours rivaling those that took a gap year or two. There are probably schools out there but no guarantees. As someone else said, meeting the minimum is just that, meeting the minimum. Other applicants may still far surpass you.
futureVAPA Posted July 17, 2016 Author I also took my GRE yesterday and got a 318 (162 verbal and 56 quant) but I don't know if this adds to my competitiveness at all. Submitted yesterday so just crossing my fingers and seeing what happens!
1st Year PA-S Posted July 18, 2016 I also took my GRE yesterday and got a 318 (162 verbal and 56 quant) but I don't know if this adds to my competitiveness at all. Submitted yesterday so just crossing my fingers and seeing what happens! That's a really good score! I read that anything above a 310 is competitive, so I wouldn't worry about your GRE scores if I were you!
Bluemoon Posted September 6, 2016 Barbeabp- Yes, you certainly can get in directly from undergrad. I am graduating this December (semester early). I have already had 2 interviews and 2 offers. I have accepted the second offer. My GPA is a 3.64 and my GRE is a 320. I have about 850 HCE hours.
futureVAPA Posted September 6, 2016 Author Barbeabp- Yes, you certainly can get in directly from undergrad. I am graduating this December (semester early). I have already had 2 interviews and 2 offers. I have accepted the second offer. My GPA is a 3.64 and my GRE is a 320. I have about 850 HCE hours. That's great to hear, congrats!! I just had my first interview last week that I haven't heard back from yet and have four more coming up! Super excited, crossing my fingers!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Bluemoon Posted September 7, 2016 I applied to the University of South Carolina and North Greenville. I also applied to several others in North Carolina and South Carolina but won't pursue interviews with those. I will be attending South Carolina. Good luck to all of you!
twototango Posted September 7, 2016 It can definitely happen. I had a friend go straight into a PA program from undergrad. She hadn't taken the GRE and had very few HCE hours. She also had a 3.9 GPA. Off the top of my head I know she got an offer from Hofstra and is attending Thomas Jefferson. She interviewed at Western in CA as well. Like someone else said, don't beat yourself up if you don't get in your first time! I would definitely do good research of the program's you will apply to- look for a trend that's similar to you and your stats. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
futureVAPA Posted September 7, 2016 Author It can definitely happen. I had a friend go straight into a PA program from undergrad. She hadn't taken the GRE and had very few HCE hours. She also had a 3.9 GPA. Off the top of my head I know she got an offer from Hofstra and is attending Thomas Jefferson. She interviewed at Western in CA as well. Like someone else said, don't beat yourself up if you don't get in your first time! I would definitely do good research of the program's you will apply to- look for a trend that's similar to you and your stats. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Awesome! I will be interviewing with Thomas Jefferson on Monday so that definitely keeps me hopeful! Thanks for the input! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
futureVAPA Posted September 8, 2016 Author Just an update: received my first acceptance today and have many more interviews to come! Super exciting and goes to show that getting in right from undergrad is definitely possible for anyone considering it!
kgPA Posted September 21, 2016 Know that coming straight from undergrad isn't necessarily an excuse for low HCE. All of the students in my program who started immediately after undergrad had competitive HCE hours rivaling those that took a gap year or two. There are probably schools out there but no guarantees. As someone else said, meeting the minimum is just that, meeting the minimum. Other applicants may still far surpass you.
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