2019-2020 Application Cycle

[jlhuy260 6]

Hello everyone! Just wanted to start a forum for the current application cycle!  Good luck to everyone!

Submitted my CASPA on 5/17/19!

[okons212 11]

Can I ask how the BCP is calculated or are they wanting the whole BCP you have ever taken in your life or the last BCP taken in the 45 credit. I am so confused.

Thanks everyone. 

[mbartausky11 14]

On 6/4/2019 at 5:36 PM, okons212 said:

Can I ask how the BCP is calculated or are they wanting the whole BCP you have ever taken in your life or the last BCP taken in the 45 credit. I am so confused.

Thanks everyone. 

My understanding from attending the information night was that the BCP GPA and "last 45" GPA were two separate categories. So, they look at all of your BCP courses that you have ever taken for the BCP GPA, and the last 45 credit GPA is your GPA from the last 45 credits you have taken, regardless of their category.

Also, once you submit your application through CASPA and your application has been verified, you should be able to see your BCP GPA calculated out for you.

Hope that helps!

[Delanie 20]

Hi all! I am debating on sending in an application to this school due to a prereq I would have to take in the fall. Can anyone tell me what the supplemental application is like?

[MagdaCzajka 7]

On 6/19/2019 at 3:18 PM, Delanie said:

Hi all! I am debating on sending in an application to this school due to a prereq I would have to take in the fall. Can anyone tell me what the supplemental application is like?

Hi Delanie, 

Supplemental application asks the following essay questions:

In 500 words or less, please discuss why you have chosen to apply to the Pacific University School of Physician Assistant Studies and why our school is a good match for your current and future goals to become a Physician Assistant.

Pacific University requires a minimum of 1,000 hours of Patient Care Experience at the time of application. This will primarily be evaluated on the CASPA application as well as with the information you provide here. Please explain how your Patient Care Experience (the amount of hours and type of experience) has prepared you for PA training and will help you succeed as a future PA.

Please take advantage of this opportunity to state any additional pertinent information (academic, personal or application related) that you think the Admissions Committee should take into consideration while evaluating your application.

Good luck:)

[Cholie 0]

Does the probation status change your views on applying to Pacific University?

[ETfuturePA94 24]

7 hours ago, Cholie said:

Does the probation status change your views on applying to Pacific University?

I've considered not applying because of it, but haven't made a complete decision yet!

[TheJJSprocket 0]

Hey there! I applied this week but I wanted to ask if anyone else picked up on the fact that in June they were evaluated and now are on probation? They say they will be reevaluated in September. Did anyone else read this on their website, and how do you feel about it? I'm a little cautious, even if they invited me to the program I wouldn't accept until the accreditation in September. 

[mkimbe 30]

The school still has accreditation. Check the ARC-PA website and you'll see that Pacific is the only school to receive probation for ONE citation. The citation is based on guidelines that are being dropped in 2020, but once a school has been placed on probation it will remain on probation for a minimum of 2 years. 

[brookietay10 21]

On 6/27/2019 at 10:28 AM, Cholie said:

Does the probation status change your views on applying to Pacific University?

HI there! I am a current student at Pacific U and have some thoughts on this subject if you don't mind me putting in my opinions. 

Similar to you, last year when I was applying with CASPA I specifically chose schools that were not on probation and if I came across a school that was on probation, I dismissed their school in it's entirety. Likely, had pacific been on probation last year, I would have done the same. As a student here and now, serving as the VP of the class and in the mix of this probation conversation I can tell you a few things. The reason we were placed on probation was due to one mark from the ARC-PA{lots of schools have multiple marks, more than 10} which had to do with how they evaluated our preceptors during our clinical year. In short, the ARC-PA would have liked to see us training with pediatricians and general surgeons to satisfy our rotation requirements for pediatrics and surgery  instead of providers of family practice or specialty surgery [though they may in fact actually be more experienced and specialized in the field]. All current students and students to come are not in threat of meeting the requirements to graduate and/or sit for the PANCE boards. It is essentially something that they want us to work on. It is a small clause in the ARC-PA requirement and nuance of words that resulted in this change of status. I can assure you that the staff has worked tirelessly to make things right. Never have I seen a school rally around a cause with "all hands on deck" like I have seen this school do. The administration was transparent with the issue at hand and have kept us updated along the way. This school is proud of their program and this status is NOT a characterization or representation of the quality of education you will receive at this school. 

Now to the fun part. This school is AMAZING!!!!!! I got 8 interviews last year and this program was hands down the best in my opinion. If you want to attend a school where the staff will support you and care for you as a student, recognize you as a colleague from the start, challenge you beyond what you thought was capable, have access to TONS of resources, and be a part of a school that pays attention to each and every detail of the curriculum, then I would encourage you to still consider Pacific. This school is impressive and I could not be happier with my choice to attend school here. Please let me know if you, or any other future PA students have any questions. I would love to connect with you. Good luck with applications!!!!!!!

[sshheellbb 4]

15 hours ago, brookietay10 said:

HI there! I am a current student at Pacific U and have some thoughts on this subject if you don't mind me putting in my opinions. 

Similar to you, last year when I was applying with CASPA I specifically chose schools that were not on probation and if I came across a school that was on probation, I dismissed their school in it's entirety. Likely, had pacific been on probation last year, I would have done the same. As a student here and now, serving as the VP of the class and in the mix of this probation conversation I can tell you a few things. The reason we were placed on probation was due to one mark from the ARC-PA{lots of schools have multiple marks, more than 10} which had to do with how they evaluated our preceptors during our clinical year. In short, the ARC-PA would have liked to see us training with pediatricians and general surgeons to satisfy our rotation requirements for pediatrics and surgery  instead of providers of family practice or specialty surgery [though they may in fact actually be more experienced and specialized in the field]. All current students and students to come are not in threat of meeting the requirements to graduate and/or sit for the PANCE boards. It is essentially something that they want us to work on. It is a small clause in the ARC-PA requirement and nuance of words that resulted in this change of status. I can assure you that the staff has worked tirelessly to make things right. Never have I seen a school rally around a cause with "all hands on deck" like I have seen this school do. The administration was transparent with the issue at hand and have kept us updated along the way. This school is proud of their program and this status is NOT a characterization or representation of the quality of education you will receive at this school. 

Now to the fun part. This school is AMAZING!!!!!! I got 8 interviews last year and this program was hands down the best in my opinion. If you want to attend a school where the staff will support you and care for you as a student, recognize you as a colleague from the start, challenge you beyond what you thought was capable, have access to TONS of resources, and be a part of a school that pays attention to each and every detail of the curriculum, then I would encourage you to still consider Pacific. This school is impressive and I could not be happier with my choice to attend school here. Please let me know if you, or any other future PA students have any questions. I would love to connect with you. Good luck with applications!!!!!!!

This is great to hear!! Pacific U is definitely my first choice, and it’s good to hear they are so devoted to changing themselves. That being said, I am slightly confused about how the accreditation works. Is it possible that they can go back to their continuing accreditation before we would start in 2020? Or do they have to stay on probation for a certain amount of time?

Also, I hear that when selecting candidates for an interview Pacific pretty much only looks at GPA. Is there anything else that they look at, or any other ways to stand out as an applicant?

[brookietay10 21]

I am so glad to hear that Pacific is your top choice! It is a great school for sure. I would say that their mission statement is also taken very seriously. Pacific works hard to be a school that is involved with both global and local underserved communities, especially with regard to rural areas. Read over their mission statements and if something sticks out for you there for your reasoning for wanting to be a PA,  then definitely want to mention it. I believe the supplemental application is an opportunity to talk more about this. We have both a rural health care track and a global health care track for students interested in a career working with these types populations. Otherwise, I think showing a lot of volunteer work is also something they highly regard. 

With regards to the accreditation, unfortunately once they are placed on probation, the status stands for 2 years so it will be on "probation" until 2021. Thus, the school would be on probation for the 1st year of your education and assuming this status is overturned this upcoming September, the 2nd year of your clinical year the school will be back to continuing accreditation. Prior to this citation, the school was in the 10% of schools who received 10 years of continuing accreditation because the ARC-PA was impressed with our program. f Since then, nothing has changed with our program {and truly, it has been essentially the same since 1997] but as the new bylaws were written a few years ago, the change in verbiage is ultimately what cost our school. Side note, the clause in the accreditation status that our school was cited for actually was dismissed and is now not included for the by-laws for 2020. So we really got caught in this gray zone where the rule is still part of the ARC-PA requirement, however is on it's way of being excluded. Nonetheless, I can assure you that this accreditation status will not affect your ability to sit for the PANCE, stand in the way of you becoming a PA, cause issues with setting up rotations, nor is it concerning to the quality of education you will receive here. It truly is an administration issue that has to do with the wording of how our curriculum is set up and how ARC-PA interpreted it. 

Does that help? Good luck!

[Finntastic 5]

Has anyone applied with courses in progress? I found out late that the ochem class I took didn’t satisfy the prerequisites, and I’m taking a different one now. Not sure if that will impact interview chances.

[CashewCat 2]

7 hours ago, Finntastic said:

Has anyone applied with courses in progress? I found out late that the ochem class I took didn’t satisfy the prerequisites, and I’m taking a different one now. Not sure if that will impact interview chances.

I'm applying with two courses in progress (medical terminology and ethics). Pacific doesn't require them but some of the other PA schools I applied to do. I've already had an interview at another school so I don't think it impacts interview chances.

[LorielD 7]

12 hours ago, Finntastic said:

Has anyone applied with courses in progress? I found out late that the ochem class I took didn’t satisfy the prerequisites, and I’m taking a different one now. Not sure if that will impact interview chances.

It won't impact your chances!! I submitted my CASPA App with a statistics course in progress ( recently finished the course). I emailed them this past week cause  I already took stats in undergrad and I was retaking it for a better grade. They basically said that they won’t take into consideration any grades that where completed after your CASPA was verified. Since they do allow courses in progress, it won’t impact your admission decision.

[Finntastic 5]

51 minutes ago, LorielDavila said:

It won't impact your chances!! I submitted my CASPA App with a statistics course in progress ( recently finished the course). I emailed them this past week cause  I already took stats in undergrad and I was retaking it for a better grade. They basically said that they won’t take into consideration any grades that where completed after your CASPA was verified. Since they do allow courses in progress, it won’t impact your admission decision.

Thanks for the detailed response

[mdjc7594 12]

Hello everyone,

I am interested to know if anyone with similar stats has applied to Pacific U:

BCP GPA: 3.1

Last 45: 3.97 (essentially ALL upper-level science courses... I've taken SO many credits that it barely budged my science GPA)

PCE: ~10,000 (MA in primary care, MA in organ transplant, PCT in multisystem patient care unit, PCT in orthopedic trauma unit)

Volunteer: ~150

Research: ~600

Shadowing: ~150

I have glowing recommendations (PA, ARNP-manager for two years, MD, and Chemistry Professor).

I'm really nervous about my BCP GPA getting me screened out before they even look at my application.

[mbartausky11 14]

@mdjc7594 You have a lot going for you that makes you a very competitive applicant for many programs! Those stats are something to be proud of. However, from attending Pacific's Information Night, I gathered that GPA is their number one priority, which just means that Pacific might not be the "best fit" for you. Although they have a "hard" deadline of 3.0 total GPA, it sounds like they don't even review applications that have a total GPA under a 3.4...if you meet that minimum I don't think your application will be automatically disregarded without someone laying eyes on it. Regarding BCP and last 45 GPAs, they said that they weigh these equally and that these two numbers should average out to about a 3.6 to be considered a competitive applicant. Last year's averages were 3.67 for BCP and 3.87 for last 45, although they mentioned that these stats are increasing annually. That said, even if your BCP/last 45 GPA isn't the most competitive, you could potentially still make up for it by demonstrating your passion for the career and your other strengths in your personal statement and supplemental application...so as long as you meet that minimum of 3.4 total GPA I wouldn't say that all hope is lost! I hope that is helpful, and best of luck to you this cycle! 

@LaurenKS I would not say that being a first time applicant would work against you, or even that it is a rite of passage to not get accepted your first cycle. In general, programs are simply looking for competent applicants that fit their program mission and vision. While you can learn a ton from applying and not getting in your first cycle, there are plenty of applicants who are able to get in the first cycle. I have had a couple of interviews this cycle, and I would say that the majority of interviewees in both were first time applicants! I would not worry too much about this...if you are a competent applicant then the number of times you have applied should be irrelevant  Regarding your LORs, Pacific will only review two of them. They stated their preference was that both of these be from clinicians or supervisors in the medical field who know you well. This might not be your strongest area, but your GPA is very competitive and is definitely something that Pacific prioritizes! I hope that helps! Best of luck to you, too, this cycle!

[mdjc7594 12]

9 minutes ago, mbartausky11 said:

@mdjc7594 You have a lot going for you that makes you a very competitive applicant for many programs! Those stats are something to be proud of. However, from attending Pacific's Information Night, I gathered that GPA is their number one priority, which just means that Pacific might not be the "best fit" for you. Although they have a "hard" deadline of 3.0 total GPA, it sounds like they don't even review applications that have a total GPA under a 3.4...if you meet that minimum I don't think your application will be automatically disregarded without someone laying eyes on it. Regarding BCP and last 45 GPAs, they said that they weigh these equally and that these two numbers should average out to about a 3.6 to be considered a competitive applicant. Last year's averages were 3.67 for BCP and 3.87 for last 45, although they mentioned that these stats are increasing annually. That said, even if your BCP/last 45 GPA isn't the most competitive, you could potentially still make up for it by demonstrating your passion for the career and your other strengths in your personal statement and supplemental application...so as long as you meet that minimum of 3.4 total GPA I wouldn't say that all hope is lost! I hope that is helpful, and best of luck to you this cycle! 

@LaurenKS I would not say that being a first time applicant would work against you, or even that it is a rite of passage to not get accepted your first cycle. In general, programs are simply looking for competent applicants that fit their program mission and vision. While you can learn a ton from applying and not getting in your first cycle, there are plenty of applicants who are able to get in the first cycle. I have had a couple of interviews this cycle, and I would say that the majority of interviewees in both were first time applicants! I would not worry too much about this...if you are a competent applicant then the number of times you have applied should be irrelevant  Regarding your LORs, Pacific will only review two of them. They stated their preference was that both of these be from clinicians or supervisors in the medical field who know you well. This might not be your strongest area, but your GPA is very competitive and is definitely something that Pacific prioritizes! I hope that helps! Best of luck to you, too, this cycle!

Thank you so much for your detailed and thoughtful reply.

If you don’t mind me asking, what is considered the “total GPA” (3.4 minimum)? Is it the BCP and last 45 averaged out? If I’m understanding correctly, you mean that 3.6 is considered competitive, but as long as you’re above 3.4 for this GPA they will at least look at your application (most likely), correct?

Thank you in advance. So nervous!

[mbartausky11 14]

50 minutes ago, mdjc7594 said:

Thank you so much for your detailed and thoughtful reply.

If you don’t mind me asking, what is considered the “total GPA” (3.4 minimum)? Is it the BCP and last 45 averaged out? If I’m understanding correctly, you mean that 3.6 is considered competitive, but as long as you’re above 3.4 for this GPA they will at least look at your application (most likely), correct?

Thank you in advance. So nervous!

Oops! The right term is "cumulative GPA", not total! My mistake. So it is your GPA calculated from every class you have taken  The BCP/last 45 GPA is different from this, if I understood the presentation correctly.

[Chiyoko 2]

How do you calculate your last 45 GPA? I don't see this in CASPA.

[mbartausky11 14]

6 hours ago, Chiyoko said:

How do you calculate your last 45 GPA? I don't see this in CASPA.

If you look at your transcript, first determine your last (most recent) 45 credits taken. I then used a GPA calculator online to get this number.

[KThames 30]

On 8/27/2019 at 3:24 PM, Chiyoko said:

How do you calculate your last 45 GPA? I don't see this in CASPA.

CASPA does not calculate your most recent "X number" of credits, unfortunately. I had to do mine manually using an online GPA calculator and looking back at my transcripts. Just understand that online calculators are a good estimate but may not be exact.

[mdjc7594 12]

On 8/24/2019 at 1:02 AM, mbartausky11 said:

Oops! The right term is "cumulative GPA", not total! My mistake. So it is your GPA calculated from every class you have taken  The BCP/last 45 GPA is different from this, if I understood the presentation correctly.

Hi!

I just wanted to inform everyone that I called the school to confirm this “soft cutoff” thing. Leah says that they don’t really care about cumulative GPA. She said it is recommended that both BCP and last 45 GPAs are above 3.4. However, if one GPA is really high, the other can be lower. For example, if both GPAs are 3.1 admission is not realistic but if last 45 GPA is a 4.0, the other can be lower. 

Hope this helps!

[mbartausky11 14]

@mdjc7594 thank you for calling to clarify! That is very helpful!

Edited August 30, 2019 by mbartausky11