Just be yourself! This is the one piece of interview advice we have all heard a gazillion times. Maybe you heeded this advice but failed to get into PA school. Or, maybe, like many, advice to “just be oneself” while examining one’s greatest weaknesses doesn’t’ bode well for confidence? Be myself? But who’s that exactly? […]
Pre-Physician Assistant
How to Add Virtual Shadowing to Your CASPA Application
In this blog post, I provide tips and resources for finding and completing virtual shadowing experiences and how to effectively include them in your CASPA application for PA school.
How to Cope with PA School Application Rejection
Have you been rejected from PA school? Don’t give up on your dreams! This blog post will provide helpful tips and advice on coping with rejection and staying motivated during the PA school application process.
CASPA Video Tutorial Section Four: Program Materials
Welcome to part four of our five-part CASPA tutorial video series. In this video we’ll go step by step over the last section of your CASPA application: The program materials section.
CASPA Video Tutorial Section Three: Supporting Information
Welcome to part three of a five-part CASPA video series walking you through every step of your CASPA application from start to finish! In this video, we’ll go over the third section of the CASPA application: Supporting Information.
CASPA Video Tutorial Section Two: Academic History
This is part two of a five-part CASPA video series walking you through every step of your CASPA application. This video will cover the second section of your CASPA application: Academic History.
CASPA Video Tutorial Section One: Personal Information
Welcome to part one of a five-part CASPA video series walking you through every step of your CASPA application from start to finish! In this video, we’ll go over the first section of the CASPA application: Personal Information.
How to Bring Your Best on PA School Interview Day
The interview is the last milestone you reach before acceptance. It’s the final opportunity to showcase your best qualities and leave a strong impression on faculty members. With so much hard work leading up to the interview, we all want to be able to put our best face forward and be well-equipped with the tools […]
My PA School Interview Preparation Strategy
Do these 4 things to set yourself up for PA school interview day success! As summer comes to a screeching halt and application deadlines are looming, we are shifting into full-swing interview season. Since many programs adhere to a rolling admissions format, interviews are conducted as early as June and as late as April, right […]
What a REAL PA School Interview Looks Like (in 2022)
This is an email I received from one of our mock interview clients in March 2022. He describes in detail the elements of his PA school interview and how he successfully approached each portion. I am sharing it with you here so you can see firsthand what a PA school interview in 2022/2023 may entail. […]
I got into PA School and So Can You! Top Advice from an Accepted 2022-23 PA School Applicant
“Whether you’re a high school student, thinking about transitioning from another career path or currently interviewing, I hope you learn from the things I wish I knew sooner.” – Arynn Horne PA-S About a month ago, I had my first PA school interview, followed by a week of intense post-interview rumination, and finally, acceptance. Having […]
The Ultimate PA School Applicant Logbook – Track HCE, PCE, Volunteer Hours, Schools, Costs (and more!)
As applicants to PA school, we have a lot on our plate. Between prerequisite coursework, health care experience requirements, shadowing, volunteering, and more – it’s a lot to keep track of! This is where The Ultimate PA School Applicant Logbook comes in. This logbook was designed by PA school applicants (who know the process intimately!) […]
Start at the End: Advice for your PA School Personal Statement
Not sure what to include in your personal statement? Start at the End! The conclusion should summarize your entire essay. Consider the structure of an elevator pitch to write the conclusion of your PA school essay and guide the content of your personal statement! Hi, I’m Deanna Matzen, an editor at the PA life […]
5 Reasons Every PA School Applicant Needs a LinkedIn Profile
Whether you’re just starting out in your pre-PA school journey or are in the thick of things, having a LinkedIn profile is essential. Here are the top 5 reasons every PA school applicant needs a LinkedIn profile and why you should update yours today.
PA School Supplemental Essay Strategies (Webinar Replay)
If you’re applying to PA school in 2022-2023 then the time will come when you need to write an engaging supplemental essay(s). But what should you write about? And how can you make sure your supplemental essay stands out from the rest? On May 24’th Deanna Matzen (editor extraordinaire at the PA Life) hosted this […]
Mind Mapping: A Tool for Personal Statements, Supplemental Essays, and Interviews
Are you struggling to come up with ideas for your PA school personal statement or supplemental essays? Are you finding it hard to keep your message consistent as you prepare for your PA school interview? Try mind mapping! Mind mapping is a great way to organize your thoughts and produce new ideas. Plus, it’s a lot of fun! I’ll show you how it works.
How to Write Your CASPA COVID-19 Optional Essay
Are you applying to PA school but struggling with your CASPA COVID-19 essay? Here are 4 tips on writing your CASPA Covid-19 essay, including editing resources for you and additional writing help from the PA Life team!
Personal Statement Panel Review (Replay)
We successfully launched our first large group live event on April 28, 2022, to celebrate the opening of CASPA! Just as AdComs are not uniform in how they react to personal statements, neither is our team! In this personal statement panel review, we analyze essays from clients who have been accepted into PA school to illustrate […]
Ratatouille: A Pixar Recipe for PA School Personal Statement Success
Today we continue to explore Pixar’s rules for storytelling and learn how you can apply these rules to draft a winning PA school personal statement. If you’re like most PA hopefuls, you’ve been working on your personal statement for months. But do you know what makes a great PA school personal statement? According to the […]
Inside Out: How to use Pixar’s Rules of Storytelling to Improve your PA Personal Statement
Want a better PA personal statement? Inside Out can help! We explore Pixar’s rules for storytelling and how you can apply them to a strong personal statement. Riley is an 11-year-old girl whose life is turned upside down when her family moves from Minnesota to San Francisco. Riley’s emotions try to guide her through this […]
How to Deal with Bad News in Your Personal Statement
Don’t panic. Here’s how to reframe those negatives on your CAPA application as positives. So, your life hit a rough spot or two on the way to this moment in which you find yourself writing a personal statement to get into PA school. Maybe your journey has included a couple of plot twists. You’re wondering […]
PA School Reapplicant Personal Statement Checklist
Are you reapplying to PA school and wondering if you should update or rewrite your PA school essay? There are a few reasons to update your personal statement as a reapplicant. For one, AdComs at the schools where you’ve previously applied can compare your essay with the prior year’s personal statements. Secondly, after a year […]
Don’t Make This Mistake with Your PA Resumé
Why your physician assistant resumé needs a summary section and how to write one Resumé writing is hard, but a good SUMMARY section can do a lot of your work for you. This often overlooked, yet simple-to-add section of your physician assistant/associate resumé can be the difference between getting an interview or never making it […]
How to Write a Personal Statement Intro that Readers Want to Read
You’ve probably heard the advice that you should open your personal statement with a story or anecdote. This story should “grab” your readers’ interest, tell them who you are, and help pivot to the main theme: what brings you to the PA profession. That’s a lot to ask of one anecdote, and choosing the right […]
PA School Reapplicants: How to Rewrite Your PA School Essay for Guaranteed Success
Are you reapplying to PA school after not gaining acceptance last round? What will you do with your old personal statement? Toss it completely? Change a few details and cross your fingers? The answer is somewhere in the middle. What should you do with your original PA school personal statement as a PA school reapplicant? […]
How to Squash PA School Interview Day Stress (4 Simple Steps)
A four-step plan to ease your mind and boost your confidence ahead of the big day. Imagine you’ve landed an interview at your dream PA program. But once you enter the interview room, you freeze up. Your mind goes blank, and you lose access to all those thoughtfully crafted answers you’ve prepared. Needless to say, […]
How to Choose the Best Undergraduate Major to Get into PA school
You already know that the best PA programs want applicants with an excellent GPA and a solid background in healthcare and science. But if you’re not sure what major to choose, this guide will help you decide!
The Real Cost of Applying to PA School
PA students will encounter a number of costs along the way to enrolling in physician assistant/associate (PA) school. Here’s a look at what these costs are and some ways you can save money on your PA school application.
Meet the World’s Sexiest PA School Applicants
From GPA to GRE, PCE and HCE check out the latest PA school applicants you need to meet this application cycle. Learn what makes PA school ADCOMs swoon and want to “swipe right” on these PA school applicant CASPA profiles.
Does Attending Community College Hurt Your Chances of Getting into PA School?
If you’ve got your heart set on becoming a physician assistant, then you’re probably anxious to get started on the application process. The only problem is that you’ve heard rumors that attending a community college can hurt your chances of getting into PA school. Does that mean you shouldn’t even bother going to community college […]
