Should I apply to PA school this cycle or next cycle?

[amillionhearts]

Hello everyone, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology May 2023 and was lucky enough to land a medical assistant job right out of graduation. I have been working as a medical assistant for 3 months now and have around 500 hours of patient care experience. I decided last minute to start the CASPA application for two PA schools that do not require the GRE (that I have not taken) with 9/1/23 deadlines and wanted opinions on whether I should shoot my shot to apply with a high chance of not getting in or be patient and wait until next year. Here are my stats:

• Rheumatology medical assistant ~500 hours
• Hospital volunteer ~ 110 hours
• Overall GPA: 3.77 
• I also have a BLS certification and am a Certified Nurse Aide (no experience with CNA though)
• Awaiting evaluations (one professor, one physician assistant, volunteer coordinator)

I just have to revise my essay and await for my evaluations before I submit my CASPA application.

Should I go ahead and apply this cycle or should I wait it out? 

Any input is well appreciated! Thank you so much!

[UGoLong]

On 8/22/2023 at 10:45 PM, amillionhearts said:

Hello everyone, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology May 2023 and was lucky enough to land a medical assistant job right out of graduation. I have been working as a medical assistant for 3 months now and have around 500 hours of patient care experience. I decided last minute to start the CASPA application for two PA schools that do not require the GRE (that I have not taken) with 9/1/23 deadlines and wanted opinions on whether I should shoot my shot to apply with a high chance of not getting in or be patient and wait until next year. Here are my stats:

• Rheumatology medical assistant ~500 hours
• Hospital volunteer ~ 110 hours
• Overall GPA: 3.77 
• I also have a BLS certification and am a Certified Nurse Aide (no experience with CNA though)
• Awaiting evaluations (one professor, one physician assistant, volunteer coordinator)

I just have to revise my essay and await for my evaluations before I submit my CASPA application.

Should I go ahead and apply this cycle or should I wait it out? 

Any input is well appreciated! Thank you so much!

Assuming (1) you have the money for the applications and (2) would really be willing to go to any of the schools you would be applying to, there is probably no real downside to applying now. And saving a year might be important to you.

Clearly you would be a better applicant next year but you could always apply again if this doesn't work out. You will also learn something about the application process. And, of course, if you wait a year, you will have more patient care experience and can choose from a broader choice of schools. 

There is probably no right answer but hopefully these thoughts will give you something to think about. Good luck either way.

[amillionhearts]

On 8/24/2023 at 12:43 PM, UGoLong said:

Assuming (1) you have the money for the applications and (2) would really be willing to go to any of the schools you would be applying to, there is probably no real downside to applying now. And saving a year might be important to you.

Clearly you would be a better applicant next year but you could always apply again if this doesn't work out. You will also learn something about the application process. And, of course, if you wait a year, you will have more patient care experience and can choose from a broader choice of schools. 

There is probably no right answer but hopefully these thoughts will give you something to think about. Good luck either way.

Thank you so much, much appreciation !