Feeling more than hopeless, spoke to an advisor.

[Hana339]

I wrote a thread last year on how being Canadian, I wasn't really privy to the GPA system as my school didn't do such thing. Basically I was finallllllllly super excited to apply to PA school last cycle thinking my GPA was fine (because there was an upward 4.0 trend with the courses I had repeated in first year). I remember applying super late around the third week of August thinking this is not gonna make the September 1st deadline for verification. Then you guys, God. I was verified in 36 hours. I was so ecstatic. Suddenly the next morning I was slammed with auto-reject after auto-reject thinking wtf is happening? I saw that my GPA was at a 2.76. This year I took it upon myself to enrol in 14 courses all of which I received an A to A+ (Canada lol). I have easily spent at least 60k on repeating courses, and taking extra science courses as our exchange rate is super shit. Not to mention applying last cycle (printing, faxing, course verification since I live in an igloo up north, and then submitting).

 

Fast forward to now, I finally completed my 14 courses April 30th. Burnt out ain't even the word you guys. I increased my GPA from a 2.76 to a 3.08. Over 0.3 points! Currently I have 2200 hours of direct PCE from overseas where my family is from. I spent every summer there with my grandmother. I have 4 amazing LORs: one doctor, PA (50 hours shadowing), supervisor and professor. I haven't done the GRE but I've currently applied to 6 schools in Cali, Penn, and one in Georgia. I also had a Yale PA student and Stony Brook student tell me my essay was amazing. I worked really hard all last summer just to hear those words y'all lol.

 

Suddenly, last night I had this weird feeling of depression come over me. I'll be 29 in a few weeks. I never thought being born in 1990 and not being in school (while everyone has jobs, or is where I want to be school-wise) I'd feel so freaking inadequate until my mom who is out of the country left a voice note for me last night telling me that basically if I don't get into school this year (since last cycle was a complete waste) that there's gonna be a problem. So I was like, maybe I'll start studying for my GRE and apply to more schools. My question is, if I start studying now, is there a point to even apply to schools that have later deadlines (Oct-Jan)? I say that because everyone's all like "YOU BETTER APPLY EARLY!!!" but just because their deadline is Jan. 2020, and I apply in say November, there legit might not be a point cause seats have possibly filled up or interviews have been given out as early as August.

 

To add insult to injury, I just got off the phone with one of those schools that require the GRE (Nova Southeastern). I asked her my GRE question above and suddenly she asks me point blank, "Honey, what's your GPA." I prefaced her, telling her everything is in my essay regarding why my GPA was so low in undergrad, but that I overloaded on courses and increased it by 0.32 points. She said that was super commendable, but then she's like "Now, I'm going to be honest, we are really looking for people that have a 3.4 GPA so I just don't see the point." So now I'm sitting on my bed crushed, writing this on a beautiful summer day thinking "wow, last night I was so determined to write that damn 4 hour test and now this lady is basically saying 'nah.'" Guys, if you could tell me where to go from here, that would be amazing. I legit am at a loss. I know there's miracle stories of people with low GPAs getting in. But someone just tell me what to do. Literally I thought I was doing right thinking "yeah, I'll buy all my GRE prep tomorrow. No worries!" Now it's tomorrow and I'm like wtf do I do after what she just told me ..

[MT2PA]

I can't tell you what to do.  The only way to know if taking the GRE will be worth it is by doing it and seeing what happens.

Remember that minimums, both for GPA, GRE, and HCE/PCE, are just that, minimums.  You are up against students with better grades, more HCE/PCE, have already taken the GRE, and also have amazing personal statements.

Only you can decide what is right for you.  While your effort is commendable, you are by no means a sure thing.  You could certainly keep working to get more HCE/PCE, take more classes and raise your GPA and get a good GRE score....but only you can decide if the time and money required to invest in that is worth it.

[roundabout]

I don't know all of the details surrounding Canadian academics and if all PA schools accept the coursework. However, there are over 250 PA schools in the US and many of those schools appreciate diverse applicants who have shown improvement after a few years of bad college. I've seen multiple people who have applied to PA school 3 or 4 times before getting accepted and if this is really what you want to do then you shouldn't let other people deter your from that. I will echo MT2PA in that what the schools ask for are minimums and with your academic background you'll likely have to really exceed the minimum of another criteria in order to standout. 

I am in a similar boat with a low cGPA, but I do have an average sGPA and almost triple the amount of PCE of other applicants. 

I visited all 260+ PA schools websites and went through it with a fine tooth comb to find out if I had any chance of being accepted there. Those are the schools I'm applying to. I would advise you to spend 3 or 4 days doing the same and find schools you are eligible to apply to and from the website appear to be a good fit for you. Be prepared to re-apply, its a hard thing to prepare for, but I'm doing the same. Best of luck.

Edited July 23, 2019 by johncfl