Realistically Acceptable Statistics

[bjl12]

I know many school websites offer a "minimum requirements" for consideration into their PA programs (i.e., 3.25 GPA in prerequisites), but I'm wondering what the realistic requirements are. Accomplishing the minimum is not very likely, especially given today's competitiveness, to yield a successful applicant.

*I recognize the Personal letter/interview/references play a large role in the overall process, but this thread is focused on the objective portions (GPA/HCE).

 

What statistics do you consider to be, realistically, the benchmark for a legitimate chance at receiving the interview?

[Timon]

3.4 to 3.6 if no HCE is required. Maybe a little less if HCE is required. Just depends on the program in my opinion. I know someone with a 3.6 who hasn't gotten an interview (then again he applied late). I know a handful of people who got interviews and acceptances with below a 3.0. That being said there isn't a real science when it comes to GPA but the PA Applicant Stats page is a good place to look on who's getting in and compare that with the PA Applicant Not Yet Accepted Stats page. In my case being at a 2.94 I got 2 interviews out of a total if 10 schools applied to, both of them apart of the Touro family.

[cinntsp]

The less HCE you have, the higher your GPA(GRE to a lesser extent) need to be and vice versa. There are other factors that need to be considered--your background, what schools you're applying to, what they look for, etc. However, minimums are often minimums and not meeting them can mean your app getting dumped in the trash even before the adcom gets ahold of it. That's not always the case but it will be more often than not. You need to bust your *** to reach the minimum of wherever you want to go, but come out ahead in other areas to make up for that.