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Advice on if I can get in? Low GPA, but great experiences


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Hi there!  Looking for advice on if I have a chance at PA school, also recommended schools to apply.  Biggest problem is low GPA.  Here is a summary of my background.  New to this forum, thanks in advance for your feedback:

BS Biology-3.2 GPA with two Fs and a D (ouch!! had some tragic life circumstances and made poor choices not to withdraw), graduated 2010

GRE: verbal-156 (73rd percentile) / quant-155 (59th percentile) / analytical writing-4.0 (60th percentile)

Returned Peace Corps Volunteer with 4,000 volunteer hours of health and education service

HCE hours: 1200 as a clinical tech, direct patient care

MPH from Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University (top-tier school), graduate in May of this year, current GPA is 3.8 (big change from undergrad!)

Plan is to take A&P 1 and 2 this Fall and next Spring and start applying next Spring (2019).  Over the next year, after I graduate, I also hope to get over 100 hours of PA shadowing.  

Additional info: research experience with the CDC, UNICEF, and The Carter Center (all public health related , but not clinical).

Switching to PA because I have learned in grad school that I prefer to have direct contact with patients, public health is too behind the scenes, too much desk work, I need an active job helping people where I can see the impact on the patients I help, instead of seeing it in the epi trend lines.  :) 

 

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Welcome! Overall, your stats are good! You have a wide variety of experiences that can set you apart from other applicants which is great! Your peace corps experience is awesome. Like you mentioned, your GPA is on the lower side. Although, it is above a 3.0, so not terrible. Your MPH grades are solid so that helps!

Make sure that the D’s and F’s are not prereqs for programs because they will not accept them. They would need to be retaken if so.

GRE is >300 so good.

Recommendations: continue to get HCE with direct patient care! If you are not applying for over a year, try to accumulate another 1500-2000 hours (I realize you are still in school though). Get those shadowing hours like you plan to do and aim for A’s in A&P. Have solid letter of rec’s with at least one from a PA (I always recommend 1 from PA, a professor, and health care employer). Don’t put off writing your personal statement! It is a big component that sometimes gets overlooked. Start early and have a bunch of people give you feedback throughout writing it.

good luck! 

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Agree with @PA2O18. You have great experiences that will set you apart as a candidate. Get As in your A&P, or any other pre reqs. Retake those classes you got Fs, D on if they are a pre req class. Work on your PS. Don't let low undergrad GPA doubt yourself. You have shown you can handle Master level classes already. 

When it is time for application, select the schools that are going to look at your experiences and are willing to give you a shot even with that 3.2 GPA from 8 years ago. 

Again, you seem to be a good candidate. There are plenty of success stories with people with low GPAs. I myself am one of them. Browse through the forum here on that topic. You will find encouraging stories. 

Good luck. 

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