Should I even give it a try?

[pomegranatesix]

Hi everyone, I'm new this forum. I'm thinking about applying to PA school in a couple of years, but I want to start now on primping up my application.

 

My undergraduate GPA was unfortunate to say the least; I graduated with a BS in Biology from the University of Maryland with a 2.65.

 

I ended up going to grad school at Georgia State University and rocking it, graduating with an MS in Neurobiology and a 3.66 GPA.

 

I scored a 1420 on my GRE the first time around. I could probably retake it and score better, but I think a 1420 is fine.

 

I have 0 HCE hours, but I do plan on finding a job as a medical assistant and building up hours that way. I'm fresh out of grad school and currently job hunting.

 

I plan on retaking a few classes that I got Cs in back in college so I can improve my GPA and pass my prequisites (I usually got a C in those classes... I only did the bare minimum to get by back in those days.)

 

I do have a reason for my craptacular grades: I spent most of college with an undiagnosed cognitive impairment and mood disorder. Ever since I started seeing a psychiatrist, my life has turned around and I have suddenly found motivation. (Too late to improve my undergrad grades, unfortunately.) It's actually inspired me to become a psychiatric PA - my doctor told me that if I were a PA, he'd definitely have a place for me in his practice.

 

I just want to know if my stats are realistic for applying to PA school, or if I should give up, save myself the heartache just take a job in a biology lab like the other biology nerds.

[just_me]

I think your stats are fine, just work on the HCE (although i wouldnt be surprised if there is a school that would take you as is). Most programs will go by the GPA from your last degree (CASPA calculates a GPA for each degree level). Nothing you can do about the undergrad degree so I personally wouldnt go back and re-take anything from there unless its a PA program pre-req and you got a C or lower. First youre already done with your BS so if Im not mistaken, anything from undergrad that you retake would be seen as postbaccleureate work. Also know that CASPA calculates ALL attempts so it would not boost your GPA significantly to retake anything, which is why I would only focus on pre-reqs C and lower. Your GRE is very competitive

[Timon]

I'm going to take a stab that CASPA has probably calculated your GPA around a 2.82. If that is the case I suggest retaking some courses or taking new courses to raise your GPA to at least a 3.0 or close to it before I'd apply. I noticed that you were thinking about getting your MA. If you are, something that would be instrumental in helping your GPA is taking it for an associated degree. This will allow you to raise your GPA along with getting your certification to gain HCE.

 

The biggest plus factor going for you is positive grade trending and a good GPA in a masters level program. If you do decide to apply this upcoming cycle I highly suggest only applying to programs that you (1) meet the min GPA requirement, (2) has a low GPA of competative stats of the incoming class, (3) you meet the min HCE requirement, and (4) either focus on the applicant as a whole or your last 60 unit GPA.

 

I can give you some more suggestions if you'd like but prefer to give it in a private message.

 

The advice I'm giving you is from personal experience:

 

http://www.PhysicianAssistantForum.Com/forums/showthread.php/37214-I-did-it-you-can-too!

[pomegranatesix]

I don't think retaking classes would improve my GPA - my undergraduate GPA is based off of 153 courses, and retaking them won't raise my GPA much. I actually flunked out of one institution twice before transferring to a better school and managing to graduate. I'm more interested in retaking them to pass prerequisites.

 

My school search is going a bit depressing. Almost all of them require a GPA of 3.0 or higher. There's really no way I'm getting my undergrad GPA up to a 3.0.

[marktheshark89]

If your undergraduate degree is based off of 153 courses, that would likely translate to 450+ credits. So I'm guessing you mean 153 credits. I would retake any prerequisities that you earned less than a B- in. It might not improve your GPA substantially (though every little bit does help), but my guess is that many programs are not going to consider you as a candidate if you have C's in most of the prerequisites, even with your graduate degree. You definitely have a bit of an uphill battle to climb, but it seems doable given your situation. Also note that some programs distinguish things like prerequisite GPA, overall science GPA, undergraduate science GPA as part of their requirements, so I would pay special attention to the terminology they use. You may not have a 3.0 overall GPA, but your overall science GPA may be a 3.0, and for some schools that is the requirement (Yale for example).

[pomegranatesix]

Yes, I meant 153 credits. I do have Cs in most of my prerequisites, unfortunately - I did much better in my non science classes in undergrad than science!

 

I'm mostly looking at schools local to me - University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Anne Arundel Community College, and the CCBC-Towson programs. I'm also considering Howard University. I would apply to George Washington U, but I don't think there is any way I'm getting in!

[just_me]

Well thats what Im saying about the GPA. Most programs go by your undergrad GPA if all you have is a BS/BA degree...if you have a higher level degree, that GPA (or combined with your undergrad GPA ~3.1) is what they will look at. In otherwords, your awesome grad GPA will not be overlooked and the focus placed on your undergrad GPA. Im sure if you contact the programs youre interested in, they will tell you the same.

 

**DISCLAIMER** CASPA calculates all attempts so if your graduate GPA is based off of taking any courses twice and having the higher grade calculated in your GPA, I would re-calculate it to include both grades so you will see the GPA that programs will see.

[Timon]

153 credits.. You're not in a bad spot. I was at a 2.31 (caspa GPA) with 123 units.. Then got a 3.69 with 45 units during my MBA raising my GPA to a 2.75 +/-.. Then 44 science units at a 4.0 raising my GPA to a 2.93. Had I taken 14 more units at a 4.0 I would have been at a 3.0 but got accepted to a program before I took those courses. So you are in the same if not better spot then I was prior to beginning my path to become a PA. So you're at 153 units I was at 168 units and finished with 212 units. Just get it done and don't look for short cuts. It took me 1 year of grinding out classes plus getting HCE as I had 0 HCE prior to April 2011 when I took my first class. I know it seems impossible and it's an uphill battle but if you want it bad enough you will prevail. I wouldn't tell you to do something I haven't already done.

[pomegranatesix]

Thanks Timon! That's very encouraging. I'll have to run the numbers through CASPA because I took and failed courses multiple times in my first two years of college. I suspect my cumulative GPA is lower than the 2.85 I currently have it calculated at. I can't help but be impatient because I'm just sitting around twiddling my thumbs waiting for employers to get back to me with all my job applications!

[crystaltide]

I can't help but be impatient because I'm just sitting around twiddling my thumbs waiting for employers to get back to me with all my job applications!

 

Keep applying! It sounds like you're on the right track, and you have the right mindset. I would retake the prereq courses and get A's, as Just_Me suggested, but make sure you get a job with direct patient care! The job market is incredibly competitive right now, so if you haven't heard anything yet, keep looking for more positions that you are qualified for.

[RySciMD]

I recommend you apply to as many programs as possible. Even if you don't get in on your first attempt, it will give you an idea of what the schools are really looking for. A lot of schools do give feedbacks if you approach them and show interest their program even if they say they don't on their website. Good luck with job hunting in the mean time.

[pomegranatesix]

Grades for the previous semester just came out and I found that my advisor gave me an "U" (for "Unsatisfactory") for my research credit that I took with him. We had some, uh, differing opinions on the direction of my research. Do you think this blemish will affect my chances at PA school? My grades in grad school were otherwise pretty good.

[Timon]

Is there any way you can speak with your professor and rectify / get the grade changed? It never hurts to just have an open dialog and what can be done.

[pomegranatesix]

I can talk to him, but I doubt he'll change the grade. He must have given it to me deliberately because he had to submit a grade change for an incomplete (this was from the Spring 2012 semester; I stayed an extra semester to finish the research project.) I'm not very optimistic about the chances of getting him to change it.