KG1995 Posted July 4, 2018 Author Share Posted July 4, 2018 Well, There's one school I'm finishing applying to that doesn't participate with CASPA so I will be changing this entire statement. Any ideas/suggestions on what to improve and change? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UGoLong Posted July 4, 2018 Share Posted July 4, 2018 First, if all of your schools haven’t hit their deadlines, why not update your essay?Second, rather than tell me a long story, tell me who you are and how you have gotten to be applying to PA school. Your essay can tell the reader who you are, which is nice in the blizzard of transcripts and having your grades cut 15 different ways. Let your essay make the reader want to meet you.Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KG1995 Posted July 4, 2018 Author Share Posted July 4, 2018 Once you submit on CASPA, your application is final so unfortunately I can't go back and edit the statement since it has been submitted. I can, however apply to more schools that don't go through CASPA and rewrite a new statement. I only have one on that list so far that I was originally applying to. I'm trying to find more, but many of the programs participate through CASPA And that application is already final for me unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitecoatrosegold Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 I think you stats are fine. Obviously the more PCE the better, but no number is ever "enough" from what I see. Someone could have 100 and be told they need 1,000, have 1,000 and be told they need 2,000. Just continue to build your PCE but generally I would say 1,000-2,000 is a good number so increasing will only strengthen your application further. I just want to chime in about the statement because no one mentioned that you also capitalized "physician assistant" which is not capitalized unless referring to a specific program. Just so you know for editing for the school you plant to submit to! I also agree that while the story is heartfelt, it does not answer the prompt and it takes far to long to get to the actual reason for the statement: PA! If rewriting, I advice you drastically cut down the story. I liked the hands quote from your Pop Pop, and feel that it is something important to you. But maybe just a paragraph touching on your grandfather's passing from cancer, that quote and the providers. I want to know WHY PA, WHY NOT, MD, Nurse, PT, Dietician, Police Officer, Fire Fighter (they all help people, right?), and I want to know WHAT you've done to get yourself there. So show, don't tell. You can tell me you are caring, or you can tell me how you went above and beyond in bringing a patient extra blankets they asked for while you were very busy. Don't let rejections get you down. They are a part of this process and almost everyone receives at least one. I have yet to find even the most qualified applicant who was not rejected to a school, even if they interview. All you can do is work to improve yourself and your application, because we should ALL always be working to improve ourselves, continue to gain PCE and remain optimistic. Or you can let these rejections run your life for the next few months, but I promise you that you will be just as crushed if you don't get in this cycle anyway so remaining pessimistic is only going to weather you down. Keep on keeping on, you've got this! It isn't ever a matter of when, but a matter of how hard you try to get to the when. Keep working hard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenBrule Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 Stats are average imo. Average doesn't get you much with programs like Rutgers. You've gotten a lot of accurate responses thus far but I'll echo a few things. It's likely that your personal statement/essay was well written, grammatically correct, all that good stuff bu just didn't wow anyone reading it. Your healthcare experience could use a bump as well--only to help you stand out. Like many have said your stats are fine. They're average but you are trying to stand out the sea of average applicants... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stargirl Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 Other people have pretty much said it all, but it was probably 1) the fact that Rutgers is a VERY competitive program to get into, and 2) your essay could use some work (I know that doesn't help you now that you've already submitted). Others have already commented on the capitalization and the "physician's assistant" faux pas, which doesn't sound like a big deal until you realize that it means that you don't even know the name of the career that you claim to be so dedicated to. But I think the main problem (as whitecoatrosegold mentioned) is that you didn't answer the prompt. They're not asking "Why do you want to help people?" or "Why do you want to work in health care?" They're specifically asking you "Why do you want to be a PA?" If you want to help people, you could become a nurse or a social worker. What is it about the PA field that draws you to it over the other noble fields that you could have chosen? And honestly, everyone applying to a health profession graduate program should know that the "I want to work in health care because I want to help people" line is really cliche (even if it's true for most people). Furthermore, I know that you got feedback from several people, but did you ever have an actual PA or PA student read your essay to see if it was interview material? English teachers can certainly help you with your grammar and syntax, but they don't know what PA programs are looking for (if they even knew what the prompt was). A PA does, and they definitely would have caught the several faux pas in your essay. I had two different PAs that I shadowed read my essay. Remember this the next time you apply. Keep in mind that the physician assistant process is more holistic than other fields. It sounds unfair until you remember that it takes more than being smart to be a great clinician. You don't need a 4.0 gpa to be a great PA but you do need good people skills and the ability to understand people who are different from you. I'm sure you've been around doctors that did everything right treatment-wise but had crappy people skills. PA schools are trying to keep people like that out of the field. I'm in PA school right now with a couple people with great grades who have lousy people skills, and I seriously worry about the type of clinician that they'll become one day. If you don't get in this cycle, definitely follow the advice of the people here about your essay and have an actual PA review it this time! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
applicant18 Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 dont lose hope! i have a lower science gpa got 3 rejections and two interview invites as of now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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