Am I ready to apply this cycle or should I wait? Pls help!!

[hunanbeef]

Hi, I am trying to apply to PA schools this cycle, I'm not really picky on a specific school, I just want to get in and could use some advice.. I want to apply spring 2024 cycle but think it may be a stretch and that I should maybe wait until 2025 spring cycle with 2500+ direct patient care hours.

I just finished my BA in Human Physiology Dec 2023 with a 2nd language proficiency in spanish

My stats are

3.441 cumulative gpa, 3.3 science gpa 

coursework included: Genetics, Cell Biology, Pathology, Biochemistry, Statistics, Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2,  Abnormal Psychology, General Bio, General Chemistry, General Physics 1 and 2, O chem 1 and 2 w lab, Advanced cardiac physiology, nutrition, medical terminology, drugs in the us healthcare system

worst class grades were A&P and O chem, I am currently retaking A&P I and II this spring to get better grades and boost my science gpa to a 3.36, planning to retake microbio this summer (I got a B-) to get an A and boost my science gpa to a 3.38 total. I do have an upward trend in grades over time with about a 3.5 in the last 60 credits I'd say

BLS certification and a Phlebotomy certification

126 hours of shadowing PAs, a Surgical cardiac PA, a ENT children's PA, an Onc/Hem PA, a Bariatrics PA and a Cardiac Surgeon 

HCE - 800-1000 hours of Direct Paid Patient Care hours at time of application (working fulltime for 5-7 months since Jan) in a Clinic assistant job (rooming/discharging patients, drawing labs, injections, running labs, front desk at a clinic/endoscopy center, and assisting in infusion lab)

Non clinical experience: approx. 150 volunteer hours in an infusion lab directly working with patients, 25 volunteer hours for the special olympics, 37 volunteer hours for ballroom dance organization at my school

3 LORs, 1 from a supervisor, 1 from a PA, 1 from my anatomy professor/advisor on my research paper from university 

no gre/other testing

 

My HCE hours are minimal because I didn't know which post grad healthcare pathway I wanted to take until Junior year of undergrad (and because of COVID) but I've been working hard to accrue them since knowing I wanted to apply to PA school. I know my GPA isn't amazing but I'm working really hard to strengthen it by retaking prereq classes I didn't do well in (B- or lower)

I haven't written my personal statement yet but I have time... Wanting to apply to 5-10 schools but don't want to waste the money if the chances are too low... I don't know if applying and not getting in and reapplying would hurt me in the cycle as well... 

Pls give me advice!!! 

 

Edited January 24 by hunanbeef

[KalebPAS]

Your ability to succeed in the 2024 cycle is dependent on your school list. You could absolutely get into multiple programs with those stats, but you wont be hearing back from places like Stanford or Penn State. 

If you have a school list that matches you, then you will be doing well. You need to write a good PS. So don't be afraid to use a paid service to help with this, because even if you spend $50, you'll have a great PS. 

I spent a little over $1300 applying to 10 programs, but that included CASPER + GRE and sending it to programs. You can apply for <$1000, and I think it might be worth a try. You wont lose anything in trying. 

[hunanbeef]

@KalebPA

Hi!! 

Yes I am not trying to get into any prestigious top school by any means because I know that's out of reach so I'm trying to stay realistic! I appreciate your response a lot, but generally you think that my application has a shot at being successful at specific programs? I am young (21) but I am really ambitious and think that if I can get an interview I can get in.. I'm just worried about getting to the interview state and having a good enough application that I can get to the interview portion... thoughts? Will applying not getting in and reapplying a second cycle hurt me, should I wait until I'm absolutely confident or would applying right now hurt? Is it a bad choice?

Edited January 24 by hunanbeef

[SedRate]

11 hours ago, hunanbeef said:

Will applying not getting in and reapplying a second cycle hurt me,

Yes, you will need to show growth and what you did to improve upon your situation.

11 hours ago, hunanbeef said:

should I wait until I'm absolutely confident 

Apply when you're confident you want to go to PA school and that you are ready.

11 hours ago, hunanbeef said:

would applying right now hurt

I'll admit I'm outdated when it comes to applications given all the new schools that are out and rolling admissions. But if the above criteria are met, there are still some good schools with open seats and interviewing, and you wanna see what your chances are, go for it. I did this. I was a very similar applicant to you almost 15 years ago although I had a much better gpa. Looks like you took a couple more advanced classes than I did, have more medical/healthcare hours, and have more direct PCE. I applied to one school close to home to see what happened. I got an interview but didn't get in. The program director said I was too young and therefore couldn't know what I really wanted to do with my life. I did some research that next year and reapplied to multiple schools when the new cycle opened and received multiple interviews and offers. 

[68WEMTto65DPAC]

14 hours ago, hunanbeef said:

Hi, I am trying to apply to PA schools this cycle, I'm not really picky on a specific school, I just want to get in and could use some advice.. I want to apply spring 2024 cycle but think it may be a stretch and that I should maybe wait until 2025 spring cycle with 2500+ direct patient care hours.

I just finished my BA in Human Physiology Dec 2023 with a 2nd language proficiency in spanish

My stats are

3.441 cumulative gpa, 3.3 science gpa 

coursework included: Genetics, Cell Biology, Pathology, Biochemistry, Statistics, Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2,  Abnormal Psychology, General Bio, General Chemistry, General Physics 1 and 2, O chem 1 and 2 w lab, Advanced cardiac physiology, nutrition, medical terminology, drugs in the us healthcare system

worst class grades were A&P and O chem, I am currently retaking A&P I and II this spring to get better grades and boost my science gpa to a 3.36, planning to retake microbio this summer (I got a B-) to get an A and boost my science gpa to a 3.38 total. I do have an upward trend in grades over time with about a 3.5 in the last 60 credits I'd say

BLS certification and a Phlebotomy certification

126 hours of shadowing PAs, a Surgical cardiac PA, a ENT children's PA, an Onc/Hem PA, a Bariatrics PA and a Cardiac Surgeon 

HCE - 800-1000 hours of Direct Paid Patient Care hours at time of application (working fulltime for 5-7 months since Jan) in a Clinic assistant job (rooming/discharging patients, drawing labs, injections, running labs, front desk at a clinic/endoscopy center, and assisting in infusion lab)

Non clinical experience: approx. 150 volunteer hours in an infusion lab directly working with patients, 25 volunteer hours for the special olympics, 37 volunteer hours for ballroom dance organization at my school

3 LORs, 1 from a supervisor, 1 from a PA, 1 from my anatomy professor/advisor on my research paper from university 

no gre/other testing

 

My HCE hours are minimal because I didn't know which post grad healthcare pathway I wanted to take until Junior year of undergrad (and because of COVID) but I've been working hard to accrue them since knowing I wanted to apply to PA school. I know my GPA isn't amazing but I'm working really hard to strengthen it by retaking prereq classes I didn't do well in (B- or lower)

I haven't written my personal statement yet but I have time... Wanting to apply to 5-10 schools but don't want to waste the money if the chances are too low... I don't know if applying and not getting in and reapplying would hurt me in the cycle as well... 

Pls give me advice!!! 

 

I think you have great chances as long as you apply to schools that don't require the GRE (or if you take the GRE and score 310 or above), and schools that consider the last X amount of credits for GPA. Assuming a strong personal statement (this is your ticket for interviews), strong LORs, you seem like a qualified applicant.

For reference these are my stats and outcomes as a firs-time applicant:

So far this cycle, 12 applications, 3 interviews, 1 waitlist, 1 acceptance (LR), the other interview is next month, two schools waiting to hear back. My stats:

cGPA: 3.07
sGPA: 3.33
Significant upward trend, GPA for last 60 credits: ~3.70
Prerequisite GPA for LR: ~3.65
LORs: 3 PAs (two I worked with, 1 shadowed), clinical supervisor, college professor
PA-CAT: not taken
PCE: 3,200 hours at the time of application as a CMA and medic in the Army Guard
Volunteering: About 100 hours, 40 of those in a medical mission trip overseas, the rest at a community clinic
Military service: Yes
Shadowing: 40 hours shadowing PAs

[KalebPAS]

14 hours ago, hunanbeef said:

@KalebPA

Hi!! 

Yes I am not trying to get into any prestigious top school by any means because I know that's out of reach so I'm trying to stay realistic! I appreciate your response a lot, but generally you think that my application has a shot at being successful at specific programs? I am young (21) but I am really ambitious and think that if I can get an interview I can get in.. I'm just worried about getting to the interview state and having a good enough application that I can get to the interview portion... thoughts? Will applying not getting in and reapplying a second cycle hurt me, should I wait until I'm absolutely confident or would applying right now hurt? Is it a bad choice?

I do think you have a solid chance to get into PA school this cycle as long as you apply selectively and do your part to make sure your PS, activities section, and secondary essays are all well-written and tell your story well. 

You should feel like you can get in if you get an interview, that is a healthy level of confidence. You can only control certain factors at this point, so do your best to show your best with what you can control. The way to make up for low GPA is a good PS, high PCE, good volunteering hours, adequate shadowing, and good ECs. It seems like you are doing everything you can, now you have to decide if it is time to try.

My opinion: The worst you can do is try. Its a year of your life you are losing if you wait, and your application is not glaringly bad -- in fact I would argue it is just mildly below average.

I am a PAS-1 applied to 10 programs, received 10 interview invitations, 5 interviews accepted, 4 acceptances, 1 WL turned acceptance, and 5 interviews not attended. I had a 3.2 cGPA and a 3.5 sGPA. 3,500 PCE hours as an MA, 3,500 non-healthcare related hours (tutor, gun salesman, kroger employee), 1,200 volunteer hours, 120 shadowing hours. There was nothing overwhelmingly amazing about my application, but I felt that my PS told my story very well and explained my shortcomings in my application. 

If you want more details you can feel free to DM on here!