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Would you ever consider accepting an applicant with bipolar disorder? I have a 3.4 gpa, gre score 304, and have worked in healthcare for over five years. I am stable and in a leadership position at work where I perform competently and have the confidence of my supervisors and peers. I am nervous to apply because of the perception of this disorder and am feeling discouraged that some admissions committees might never look past my medical condition. How do you deal with it and how is it perceived if an applicant has a chronic medical illness?

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@ctstone1 Thank you for your question and hang in there! Sometimes it may have been that the applicant pool was more competitive than last year. Unfortunately, that situation happens every year. I think you're a very competitive applicant and would recommend you consider the following to prepare for the GRE:

- ETS has practice tests you can take on their website.

- Visit Amazon.com or used book stores to see if you can find GRE prep books. Kaplan and the Princeton Review have pretty good ones

- One of our students downloaded an app on her phone to get a word of the day...that helped her prepare for the vocab sections

- Consider a prep course. These tend to be expensive so the first 3 options may be better. You can check The Princeton Review website to see if free "boot camps" for taking the GRE are available in your zip code.

The cycle for next year opens on 4/17/2013 so apply early and make application to many programs that fit what you're looking for. I hope this helps and best wishes.

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@kdavis Thank you for your question. If you were applying to our program we would take your higher grade in the prerequisites so it would help you tremendously when you apply. However, check with the programs that interest you because some programs take the average of the two courses, which would be a "game changer" for how you proceed. I do think your current HCE is solid and shadow PAs and physicians if you're able to do that. I think it will help you a little bit more. Your GRE will be important as well-if programs weigh that and your prerequisite GPAs heavier. Thanks and best wishes!

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@kmoore Thank you fr your question. I believe any program would consider your application regardless of your disorder. What you want to demonstrate is the capability you have to be successful-In my opinion your leadership position should be a huge testament to how you handle yourself in a professional setting. You need to also demonstrate, through your interview, that you have your disorder under control and that you can handle stressful situations. These non-cognitive factors will be important for you to consider as you approach a difficult and demanding curriculum, but also make sure the committees know you'll be able to adjust and handle the stresses of PA school. I hope this helps and best wishes!

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Hi! I have a non traditional undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited school Thomas Edison state college. I completed my degree completely online through testing out clep and dsst. And therefore do not have a gpa, due to the fact they are pass and fail. I am enrolling into post bach pre med programs. I am studying my butt off for the GRE. Planning on shadowing pa and getting more than required patient hours. Do I have a chance since I do not have an undergraduate gpa??

Edited by vsantos316
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@vsantors316 Thank you for your questions. I can honestly say I don't know the answer to this question. I'm asuming this would be a decision each admissions committee would make to determine how you stack up versus others who have applied. My gut tells me that your post bach classes will be heavily evaluated along with your GRE and HCE. I would definitely contact the programs that interest you to see how they would view your situation. #stumped :)

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@afdezsatre Thank you for your questions and congrats on your interview. It depends on where NOVA is with how many seats they've filled and how you interview. I would make sure to inquire about if they have filled the class and are the interviewing for the waiting list or is there a possibility of acceptance. I usually tell any applicant if they are interviewing for an actual seat or the waiting list. Other programs have different policies.

The biggest advice is be yourself, understand and know how to communicate your understanding of the PA/physician relationship, be able to talk about yourself without rambling on, be up-to-date on the current state of health care and how PAs will help the system. Just a few pointers! Hope this helps and good luck!

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I know this is 6 months after you opened this thread, I hope you are still checking in with it.

My question is regarding reapplication:

I have reapplied to my fist choice program though CASPA, but have not submitted my supplementary yet. However, a problem has arisen, I submitted my application to another school this cycle with the same information I submitted to my first choice school, so now it is locked! I cannot change my personal statement, LOR's or update my volunteering experience. I'm worried my chances have been dropped considerably. What are your thoughts?

 

Background:

I had an interview last year with my first choice school, I had a lot of fun! I really want this PA program! I was declined because I didn't have a competitive application in regards to prereq completion. I asked for a application analysis, they said all was satisfactory but to be more competitive I should increase my GRE score (which is 293 but min is 291), finishing more pre-reqs (only had one finished but now are all completed), increasing my GPA (which was 3.4 cumulative, but pre-req was 3.0 being based on one pre-req, which is now 3.8)

 

Below is a cut & paste from my analysis given by my first choice school:

"On your written portion of your application the Admissions Committee responded favorably to your evidence of volunteer community service, your professional advancement and/or leadership roles, your letters of recommendation and your Personal Statement. The interview team responded favorably to your interview."

 

My question is this: The program states they found all the subjects provided by CASPA in favor, I cannot change them for update. Is this going to hurt my chances?

 

 

Hope this helps!

Edited by en1195
forgot some info.
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I know this is 6 months after you opened this thread, I hope you are still checking in with it.

My question is regarding reapplication:

I have reapplied to my fist choice program though CASPA, but have not submitted my supplementary yet. However, a problem has arisen, I submitted my application to another school this cycle with the same information I submitted to my first choice school, so now it is locked! I cannot change my personal statement, LOR's or update my volunteering experience. I'm worried my chances have been dropped considerably. What are your thoughts?

 

Background:

I had an interview last year with my first choice school, I had a lot of fun! I really want this PA program! I was declined because I didn't have a competitive application. I asked for a application analysis, they said all was satisfactory but to be more competitive I should increase my GRE score (which is 293 but min is 291), finishing more pre-reqs (only had one finished but now are all completed), increasing my GPA (which was 3.4 cumulative, but pre-req was 3.0 being based on one pre-req, which is now 3.8)

Hope this helps!

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Hello,

 

I am currently in my junior year of undergraduate studies pursuing a degree in Biochemistry at a engineering and sciences school. I really would like to know more about how I could make myself a better applicant for PA school. I go to a unique school which is actually a 4.5 year program due to a mandatory co-op job starting our freshmen year of school. We are also required to write a mandatory thesis to graduate. Due to this co-op I actually move between school and work every 3 months. One of the reasons I started looking at PA school, was due to this co-op job and realizing that I am really not suited for a life in industry/research and would really prefer working with children in a hospital setting.

 

Right now I am currently sitting with a GPA of 3.3, however, I know I can raise this. I just got done finishing up all of my calculus/physics/p.chem/organic chemistry courses and am now focusing on more of the upper level biology courses. One downside of my school however is I cannot get all of my pre-reqs finished by the time applications are due, because of the rotation system and working full time during work term. So I would actually have to wait till after I graduate in December 2014 to pursue filling any of those pre-req (Microbiology with lab and Anatomy and Physiology with lab) classes that my school does not offer. Also due to my co-op and school rotation I have only a week to move from school to home to work, and usually that is filled with doctor's appointments due to some health problems. So what would be your recommendation to get the HCE? I am trying to get involved with some local places near my work to get some volunteer hours in, but I have yet to hear back from anywhere.

 

Also before I graduate I will have also participated in undergraduate research work with my professors. I guess what I am trying to ask is overall what should I do to increase my chances of getting into PA school? I really would like to enter PA school in 2015, and would prefer not to have to delay it a year, but I understand I might have to do that if necessary. Any advice you could give me would be greatly appreciated!

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@en1195 Thank you for your questions. If your personal statement was not so program specific I think you should be ok as far as the other programs accepting it. The response you provided seems as if there were no issues regarding your information provided on your CASPA application. If you're not meeting the requirements for your LORs (meaning you don't have letters from the type of people they want to see letters from) I would contact the program and ask if you can submit additional letters outside of your application. I'm fairly confident most programs would allow at least 1 or 2 additional letters to be submitted.

I'm actually surprised to hear that your academic performance was the reasoning behind your rejection after your interview. In my opinion, I think an applicant's demonstration of successful academic performance should be one of the main factors in deciding whether or not an applicant receives an interview. However, other programs may view that completely different. If you are very interested in attending your first choice program, I would follow their advice about improving your academics and prepare for next year's cycle if you're not offered a seat in another program. I hope this helps and if I've missed your question please let me know.

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@shaf3516 Thank you for your questions. I think you working after you graduate is going to be your only option to finish up your coursework deficiencies and to gain quality HCE. The only way I can see that it would be possible for you to enroll right after your graduate would be if the program you're applying to doesn't require HCE (I'm not too familiar with those types of programs. If they do not require hours, most of them probably give preference to those who do have hours) and does allow you to be in progress or planning to complete your deficient coursework by the program's start date. It's important you pay close attention to the deadlines these programs have in place to determine whether or not you'll have to take time off after undegrad. Remember, applying and being prepared for PA school is a marathon, not a sprint. Hope this helps!

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I have asked about submitting more LORs, they said NO. My PS was not program specific, just stated my reasoning for wanting to be a PA, which hasn't changed, so I would change very little about my PS, I did want to put what I have been up to the last year, and explain one grade, which I have retaken and improved.

This program allows contingent applications, they said to be more competitive, most have completed more classes. Your right though, I was fully expected to be tossed in the NO pile, because I had only one class finished. I just wanted a critique to improve upon for the next cycle. So you can imagine my surprise when i was offered an interview. I have noticed however, that this schools REALLY like experience, community service, and good LORs, and I think places more importance on these aspects, grades being the last consideration...I could be wrong.

 

Only one of the points they suggested to improve...the GRE score...is the only point I did not do. Do you think this will result in my ultimate rejection?

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I have asked about submitting more LORs, they said NO. My PS was not program specific, just stated my reasoning for wanting to be a PA, which hasn't changed, so I would change very little about my PS, I did want to put what I have been up to the last year, and explain one grade, which I have retaken and improved.

This program allows contingent applications, they said to be more competitive, most have completed more classes. Your right though, I was fully expected to be tossed in the NO pile, because I had only one class finished. I just wanted a critique to improve upon for the next cycle. So you can imagine my surprise when i was offered an interview. I have noticed however, that this schools REALLY like experience, community service, and good LORs, and I think places more importance on these aspects, grades being the last consideration...I could be wrong.

 

Only one of the points they suggested to improve...the GRE score...is the only point I did not do. Do you think this will result in my ultimate rejection?

 

En1195,

 

IMO, if I were a program and was nice and thorough enough to give you a review of your application and tell you what you needed to improve on (i.e. your GRE), and then you didn't actually do it, I would take it as a slap to the face and it would lead me to question your commitment to that program.

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@en1195 If they've asked you to improve your GRE score and you're set on attending the program, you will need to do just that, improve your scores. Unfortunately, not every program will reflect how we view applications so the best advice I can give is to follow the advice given by the program. If PA school isn't an option this year you've got time to improve on the parts of the application that are critical in making you a competitive candidate for their program. Best wishes.

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En1195,

 

IMO, if I were a program and was nice and thorough enough to give you a review of your application and tell you what you needed to improve on (i.e. your GRE), and then you didn't actually do it, I would take it as a slap to the face and it would lead me to question your commitment to that program.

 

I did do the GRE last week, but with results that just flipped. I was low in math but high in verbal, it switched to be high in math and low in verbal, with a point lower. My writing went up considerably. I cannot submit this score unfortunately. So it may look like I did not fulfill their recommendations, but I did do 2 of the 3 recommendations.

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Hi,

 

I am an international student working on my pre-requisites for applying for Masters in PA studies. If and when I complete my studies and get my certification I would require an H1b visa to be able to work in US. My question to you is are there such students like me and how easy or difficult would it be to find an employer who would file for my visa ?

 

thanks.

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Hi paadmissions, I have a question regarding personal statement. In my personal statement, I want to include how my work experience inspired me pursuing PA profession, how I overcame academic difficulties to become a successful interpreter( majored in Chinese literature usually work as a teacher, secretary, or writer), how mu bilingual skill benefit my job in the U.S. what I learned about PA from PA shodowing. I had this essay reviewed by a current PA-C and was told I did not seel myself enough. I got super nervous about writing PS now. I have been stuck with this for weeks. Now I feel like my brain was drained up. I know that there are lots of things could be included in the PS, but how could a 600 words PS contain so much information? Firgive me if this question sounds stupid!

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