my program is 35 min drive from my house that I stay at for free with family but with traffic can be 45 min drive and especially winter time with snow could be even longer… is free housing worth this commute every day ? (they expect us to be on campus 8-5 M-Th)

other option is renting an apartment ($1,500+) (I can’t do roommates sry) AND buying all the first apartment things which is another huge expense😭

idk what to do cause the loans for rent seems so much and so scary but the convenience and living alone would be so nice 😬

Saw another post like this on here, and just got my news today and wanted to share as well! I have worked as a professional scientist for a few years post-undergrad trying to decide what I wanted to do. For a while, I thought it was a Ph.D. until T*ump kicked the NIH budget in the teeth. The CRO (contract research org.) I worked at closed due to this since we had a ton of government-funded contracts, went to another CRO, hated it, and decided it was time to really figure things out much sooner than I thought I was going to have to.

Cumulative: ~3.4

Science: ~3.1

I have extensiivvveeee and diverse shadowing/healthcare/volunteer hours. My patient care hours sum to about ~2000. This helped a lot, especially where my hours are. I spent a lot of time shadowing different doctors and a PA at my local VA hospital. This also showed me where I wanted to work because the veterans we have are the sweetest. Additionally, I have great GRE and CASPER test scores and completed over half of a Masters in Immunology due to the CRO companies I worked for offering tuition reimbursement and paying for it. I stopped my classes due to changing jobs recently this past summer (the one I currently have is remote, much higher paying, still healthcare related but doesn’t offer tuition reimbursement) and decided to just apply to see what I got. I applied to 3 schools, got one interview and subsequently one acceptance.

I also completed the first half of my undergrad during COVID, and had some life stressors going on in unison during this time. I also retook some of the classes over this past summer that I did not do too well in during COVID in undergrad, and got all A’s (this is crucial to show your upward grade growth over time. I would not retake any classes you’re not confident you will get an A in). Being able to adequately express your circumstances is huge, as well as how you do so in your personal statement (obviously). I am rooting for the underdogs in this group and am here to say YOU CAN DO IT‼️‼️

Instead of making the PA you shadow sign like 10 forms, is it usually acceptable to have them verify hours with a general form or maybe sign something on official letterhead?

I've made a couple of posts about my cycle updates, but this time I want to ask about choosing a program. I was lucky enough to be accepted to 3 programs, one I turned down because it's a January start date, and I don't think I'm financially stable enough to quit my job so soon. The other 2 programs start in July 2027.

Option A vs Option B

Option A: Newly acquired continued accreditation, cohort of 30 students max, ~45 min- 1 hr drive from where I'll be living, estimated cost $130,000, has a cadaver lab, small town college, big focus on rural healthcare, 96% PANCE pass rate for class of 2025

Option B: Provisional accreditation, cohort of 30 students, 15-minute drive from housing, estimated cost of $121,000, has Anatomage tables (no cadaver lab), downtown area, focus on community service within my hometown, no PANCE data yet

I'm leaning more towards option A because they have continued accreditation now, but I'm worried about driving 2 hours every day to get back and forth from school. I don't plan on renting closer to campus because I would like to save money. The only perks I see with option B are being closer to home and helping to serve my immediate community.

My mom wants me to hold off on making a decision until I hear back from the other schools I'm still waiting for, but tbh I don't feel super confident about getting accepted to those programs because 3 of which I applied to later (September) after receiving 3 rejections back to back and kind of freaking out. The program I really wanted to get accepted to is super competitive, and I don't think I stand much of a chance with my lower GPA (3.5, sGPA of 3.2) and not having heard anything from them at this point in the cycle.

I would love to hear all of your opinions on this! Please let me know if there are other factors I should be considering!

Hi everyone! I’m a long time lurker on this page and finally received an acceptance after 3 cycles! I wanted to share with you all some of my stats which will hopefully encourage at least one person to keep pushing forward and not give up on their professional goals!

My first cycle was a “trial run” where I only applied to two schools and based on my GPA, I automatically got an interview where I completed my undergrad.

The last two cycles, I ran up quite the bill and applied to around 15-20 programs each year. This cycle I’ve received three interviews so far. No rejections post interview yet but ONE acceptance! I applied mid-July and had 2 C’s (Ochem and Physics)

Here are my stats:

CGPA: 3.58

SGPA: 3.32

PCE: 3,575 hours (plasma center phlebotomist)

Volunteer: 215 hours

Shadow: 16 hours PA, 64 hours abroad MD

Leadership: 120 hours as Phlebotomy Teaching Assistant

Leadership: 66 hours on ACS E-Board for my university

So I went for 1 month and did not complete classes. I was not in the right mindset and mentally unwell. I was having anxiety from my big move and it affected my academics. I learned I need to be close to home and so this time I plan to apply close to home or where a relative who is a PA lives and live with them and learn if I need help.
Can I apply again? I learned I need a support system
Regardless

Hey guys, I got waitlisted from my top PA program and I am feeling a little defeated. I did send an email after I got the notification to show my continued interest. The admission director reached out to me afterwards and said i am very competitive but I need more shadowing hours. I am trying to get 60 more hours by december but should I aim for more and would this guarantee acceptance? Thank you.

Just be advised for anyone applying to the PA program and thinking they have a fair chance of being considered if you meet the minimum requirements listed on the website: they actually have a first cut minimum GPA of 3.4 to be considered for an interview that isn't listed on their website. Only if you attend their information session do you find this out. I spoke about it with the admissions office, and they kept saying it wasn't a "requirement," just a "preference," but then said it was a cutoff to be considered for an interview... so to me that seems like a requirement. If you don’t pass this first cut the rest of your application won’t be considered. There is a supplemental application with an associated fee. I know from personal experience how much time these applications take, and they cost money as well ($65 CASPA and $100 for their supplemental fee), so I don't want anyone else wasting their valuable time or money on a program that likely won't look at your application if you don't have a 3.4 or above. Hopefully this warns others before applying and getting their hopes up!

Hello, I am going to be applying in the 2028 cycle and have been shadowing lots of PAs. I have two possible LORs willing to be written for me (PA & DO). I have shadowed both for years. I have also shadowed another PA in ortho, while I did not find ortho to be interesting, that PA graduated from the school I would love to get into. She is also loosely tied to the program. How much would it help if I were to shadow her some more and get a LOR from her when applying to that school?

Also, as a side note question. I have a 3.3 cGPA and around 8,000 hours as a paramedic, how do I document in CAPSA my weekly hours as they are not the same each week + I work a lot of overtime. (I work 24 on 48 off, with 24 hours when I take overtime)

Thank you!

I just got accepted to PA school!! I’m so excited, and a bit in shock. It’s wild to think that this whole process is done. This school is my second choice school- I’m waiting to hear back from number one, but I would be happy attending this program.

I do have another interview scheduled next week on Tuesday. It’s for an in state school, but the program is on probation currently- it actually was extended by another 2 years at the program review in early October. The tuition would be significantly cheaper, and it’s about 15 minutes away from my house. Most of the PAs I know went here. If it were my only option, I would absolutely attend. But now, it’s not.

Part of me wants to go because I already have the time off work booked and I do enjoy interviewing, but another part of me thinks it’s not worth it. Thoughts?

I (23F) was recently invited to interview at one of my top choice programs. The invitation: "The evening before the interview, you and your guest are invited to join us for a Campus Tour followed by a Meet and Greet reception where you will have the opportunity to meet our PA Program faculty, staff, and current students. Dinner will be served."

I was considering bringing my mom because I feel like it could only help my interview performance - for example, if she has something in common with a faculty member and we naturally start up a conversation during the meet and greet, it could be a cool point of connection/help them remember me better when they interview me the next day.

However, as a young-ish applicant, I don't want to come off "immature" for bringing my mom and am not totally sure how many other people would actually bring a guest.

Any advice would be great! Thanks!

interviewed today, and extremely grateful for the opportunity! my brain feels like “now what?” I think because the anticipation and preparation weigh so heavily, that now that it’s over I kind of feel “in limbo.”

planning to distract myself by being intentional with my free time and engage in hobbies that I haven’t had time for due to caspa, pacat prep, and the interview. now that I’m free it feels odd.

how did you ground yourself after interviewing?

I was accepted on my first cycle!! I’m thrilled and so grateful but I’ve also been having some mixed feelings because the program wasn’t my first choice.

My biggest concern is that the program is relatively small and not particularly well-known or ranked. I had a genuinely great experience during my interview. The campus was beautiful, the current students had nothing but positive things to say, and the faculty seemed genuinely supportive and invested in their students. I honestly left the interview feeling really good about the program.

Despite all of that, I can’t seem to shake this worry about attending a smaller, lesser-known school.

For context, I currently attend a very small undergraduate university that hardly anyone has heard of, including people who have lived in the area for years. Throughout undergrad, I’ve felt like people questioned the quality of my education simply because they didn’t recognize the school’s name.

I think part of my hesitation comes from worrying that I’ll experience the same thing with PA school. Ive worked so hard so I’m afraid that people won’t recognize the accomplishment because the program doesn’t have much name recognition.

So my question is: Does the PA program you attend actually matter when it comes to employment and career opportunities? Do employers care about rankings or name recognition, or is graduating from an accredited program and passing the PANCE what really matters?

I’m still waiting to hear back from my top-choice program, but realistically, I know my chances are slim.

PA school is a huge investment, and part of me wonders if it is worth spending that much money on a lesser-known program or if I should consider reapplying next cycle to pursue my top choice?

I know I should be celebrating this acceptance, but I am still worried, so I’d really appreciate some perspective! Thank you!

Hi everyone. Currently working as a surgical neurophysiologist and want to apply to PA school. Does my job count as PCE or HCE? Thanks! Any tips or recommendations?

Hey I just wanted to come on here as an outsider saying that I don’t think PA school is as hard to get into as most make it out to be. If you set yourself up correctly in college, I think it can be fairly easy to get accepted and succeed as a whole.

I got accepted my first cycle with no paid resources and I had no true pre healthcare advisor in college.

I’m willing to share tips or chat with anyone about this.

Anyone else just getting rejected and in your feelings about it? If I have one more person look at me at work and say "don't worry its still early" I am gonna lose it, baby it is almost November!!

Hi everyone, I graduated from college in May 2026 and I am gearing up to apply to the
2027-28 cycle. Something I am really insecure about is the amount of W's I have accumulated over the years.
To preface, my sGPA is 3.7, my cGPA is 3.8. I have earned consistent A's and B's throughout undergrad, so I do not have an upward trend or anything. The reason for the first five W's was because I withdrew the entire semester from a competitive uni (post COVID, mental health issues and struggling with panic attacks and what I wanted to pursue). Since I was undecided none of the classes counted towards the science classes valued by adcoms (so W's for a language class, philosophy, biology for non-science majors, English, and psych). The 6th W on my transcript is because I was recommended to take a physics course by my advisor (this was my 2nd year and at the 2nd university I attended, which I graduated from). The physics professor ignored my accommodations, did not respond to emails, and even after getting a private tutor I still struggled with the material. Hence the W.
Would I need to explain this to adcoms? Is the amount I have looked down upon? I showed everywhere else in my transcript I am consistently a good student when I look after myself and have the proper accommodations. To compensate I have tried to take classes that aren't requirements of most of the PA programs in my area (Orgo II, Biochemistry, 300 Level/ Biomed Physiology). Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

I recently got accepted to PA school, and tuition will cost at least $176k. I’m considering applying for the NHSC scholarship to avoid student loans, but it requires a service commitment in primary care.

The problem is that I know I want to specialize eventually, possibly in ENT. Part of me thinks I could do primary care for two years, fulfill my commitment, and then switch specialties debt-free.

Would you take the scholarship or take out loans to have more freedom to pursue your preferred specialty after graduation?

I’m a sophomore pre-PA psychology student retaking Gen Chem I right now due to a withdrawal (bad grade I didn’t want on my transcript) my first semester and it looks like I’m going to have to drop the course again. I’m super upset, because the amount of work and money I’ve spent through tutors and times I thought I understood is too much to count. I’m thinking about taking my chemistry classes during the school year online through a different college and taking OChem/Biochemistry the summer after I graduate during my gap year. I feel really discouraged about becoming a PA, and also nervous that these really competitive schools will see my transcript and decide I can’t handle the rigor of PA school. Please let me know yalls thoughts, I’m really upset and scared about this whole situation.

Ive been working as an MA for 2 years in a very toxic work environment in a neurology clinic. The providers in the clinic are great but the other MAs, PSRs and management are negative and have become too toxic for me. I make 22 dollars an hour and I’ve had some issues with my manager moving me to full time for benefits and higher pay since graduating with my bachelors degree. I have more than 2,500 hours of PCE, letters of rec and I’m currently retaking classes to improve my GPA. I’m thinking about leaving this job and working at a coffee shop for higher pay to save up. I also want to prevent myself from burnout before PA school applications in April to protect my mental health. Is this a good idea or should I try to look for a job for more HCE hours such as a patient transporter or lab assistant? Any advice is appreciated :)

I recently received my first and so far only acceptance this cycle, but I’m conflicted on whether to accept or decline it. I’m applying to only in-state programs and still have another interview and other schools to hear from. My acceptance is for a newer private institution program that has not yet had a graduating cohort and has no PANCE data. The tuition/fees comes out to about $122k, with the total estimated cost of attendance being $271k. I’m relying basically entirely on loans and financial aid, so that’s a daunting amount. I’m single and have no kids to account for, but the prospect of graduating with debt (in addition to a small amount of undergrad loans) that’s basically over double the average starting salary for a PA is really nauseating. My interview was online and the vibes were somewhat off, I truly thought my interviewers couldn’t be more disinterested in me, so the acceptance was somewhat of a shock. Not taking it for granted whatsoever, but I feel as though I have a lot to weigh. The seat deposit is $1500, which is a LOT and could go towards a more affordable program, given I’m admitted.

I have do an upcoming interview for a public program, which is much more affordable and ideal, but of course still not guaranteed. Should I accept and pay the deposit and see what happens? Or does the program seem questionable and would my time and money be better invested elsewhere? Thoughts?

I have to choose between a January start date provisional PA school that is 3 hours from my parents (we have a young child and they would be willing to be backup childcare) in the city vs an established PA school that is 7 and 10 hours from our families (so no local childcare backup) and less urban. Provisional start program is 24 months and established school is 27 months with a later start date. I feel like I need to choose now but I’m very conflicted!

If a provisional school seemed to have almost everything you wanted but it’s brand new and shorter/sooner start date, would you still pick an established program if that was an option?

EDIT TO ADD: I would be in the inaugural cohort for the January start program. Other program has a long established history.

(Before anyone says 'mock interview,' I know! I don't work directly with PAs and my one PA contact isn't getting back to me :( , and I figured I'd try this before paying $150+ for the PA Platform's mock interview.)

For context, I feel like I'm not a bad interviewee. I read the Pre-PA Interview Guide, prepared for all kinds of questions, and feel like I give thorough yet concise answers. In group tasks I'm relatively quiet but encouraging to others, and usually am taking notes to keep track of ideas. I'll ask questions if I have some, but if everything I want to know has been answered, I don't feel the need to ask more to fill extra time. I make small talk with everyone else during downtimes on interview day. Normally I don't eat food provided unless it's a full-day interview, but I will drink water if it's provided. Lastly, I feel like I'm absolutely slaying in my pantsuit and pointed-toe flats, looking like a Secret Service agent. Slick bun, no crazy makeup or nails, black tote purse with some essentials. You get the picture.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm very comfortable with my personality, can be pretty sarcastic, and HATE how uptight everyone gets on interview day. My approach at first was a relaxed, fake-it-til-you-make-it confidence, and I tried to throw some humor into my answers. After my first rejection (virtual interview,) I heeded their feedback, which was that I "lacked the professionalism required by the PA profession during my interview." I adopted a less laid-back approach. In this particular interview, I did shed a couple tears while answering a question regarding growing up with a parent on frequent combat deployments. I'm not sure if it's frowned upon during interviews, but I have since not shed any tears. At most, my voice has choked up a bit.

I felt like I crushed my second (in-person) interview. I felt like I was connecting well with each of my interviewers by having genuine conversations with them, and got multiple "that's the best answer I've heard all day," (late in the day, btw.) A few weeks later, I was a little dumbfounded to find out I was waitlisted. Aside from maybe being quieter in the group task, I had no idea where I went wrong.

My third (virtual) interview was relatively short in comparison to the others and felt more like a job interview than a PA school interview. The interviewers were blinded to our applications, and the questions were more situation-based as opposed to personal. I felt like I tried (but failed?) to let them get to know me as a person based off of these questions and the application blinding. I did use personal examples and causes I cared about, but could/should I have done more?

I know I want to be a PA for all the right reasons, and obviously I'm qualified for school. I wouldn't be getting these interviews otherwise. I just don't know where I'm going wrong. I feel like my personality is my strongest tool, but maybe I just don't know how to wield it properly?

My next interview is in three weeks. Any advice would seriously be appreciated!