Leslie Mean is a 23-year-old single white female who presents to the PA school admissions committee on her second attempt to get into PA school.
She has a 3.68 overall GPA and a 3.61 science GPA. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. She never sat for the GRE, because most PA programs stopped requiring it.
She has two years of hands-on clinical experience working as a CNA and a long history of volunteer work, which exemplifies her desire to help her community.
She is kind and considerate and has reference letters that demonstrate her maturity and strong interpersonal skills.
She was accepted into PA school on her second attempt.
Who is Leslie, and why did she get into PA School?
When asking the question: What do I need to do to get into PA school? You would be smart to talk to Leslie.
Leslie is a hypothetical PA school applicant who went on to become a PA school student, an entirely average PA school student.
She also embodies what PA schools across the country are looking for at this very moment.
How do I know this?
Because PAEA publishes the numbers, and I went and got them. 35,280 people applied to PA school in the 2025–2026 cycle — the most ever. In the cycle before that, 34,625 applied and 13,195 matriculated. Those figures, and the profile of the students who got in, come straight out of PAEA's CASPA applicant and matriculation data files.
So when I tell you what the average admitted student looks like, I am not describing a stereotype. I am describing 13,195 real people who started PA school in the most recent class PAEA has counted.
As much as I like to talk about not being average and differentiating yourself from the pack, it's nice to know what average is. Average provides a baseline by which you can measure your progress, set goals, and develop an application timeline.
Does this mean you have to be just like Leslie to get into PA school?
Absolutely not, first, factors such as race, age, ethnicity, etc., are of no importance, and you certainly don't have to be female to get into PA school (I am living proof).
But it is safe to assume that most schools are looking to keep their graduation and certifying exam pass rates high. They have an incentive to take fewer risks, and because of this, anything below average is considered a risk.
Thus, take a good look at Leslie and focus on factors that you can control to differentiate yourself, like your academic standing, your experience, your volunteer activities, your references, and your essay.
If you set the bar at Leslie and end up being a Mother Theresa, I am fairly sure you will be accepted into PA school, although I have no data on religious preference and PA school acceptance rates. 🙂
What are your chances of getting into PA school?
- 35,280 people applied to PA school in the 2025–2026 cycle — up from 30,049 four cycles earlier. The applicant pool has grown every single year.
- In the last cycle with complete numbers on both sides, 34,625 applied and 13,195 started PA school — 38.1%. Careful with that figure: it is matriculants divided by applicants, not an acceptance rate, and PAEA does not publish it as one. I am doing that arithmetic for you.
- From a program's side of the desk it looks nothing like 38%. Applicants apply to an average of 8.45 programs each — roughly 292,000 applications chasing about 13,200 seats, or 22 applications for every single seat.
- Both pictures are true, and confusing them is the most common mistake I see pre-PAs make. You are not applying once. You are applying eight times. That is the whole reason your personal odds look so much better than any one program's.
- Matriculating students applied to a median of 8 programs and finished the cycle with a median of 1 acceptance. One yes is all you need.
- 29% of this year's applicants were re-applicants, up from 24% four cycles ago. Nearly three in ten people in the pool got told no before and came back anyway. If that is you this year, read that sentence twice.
So, what does an average PA school applicant who is admitted to PA school (i.e., student) look like?
Let's take a look:
In studies, the five most influential noncognitive factors known to have an effect on PA school admissions are faculty interactions, career motivation, knowledge of the PA profession, maturity, and professionalism. - Journal of Physician Assistant EducationClick To Tweet→ The average PA school student is 23 — and getting younger
- The median age of a matriculating PA student is 23, and the average is 23.71.
- 82.9% of matriculants are between 20 and 25. The single biggest misconception about PA school is that it is full of second-career thirty-somethings. It is not.
- But the range runs from 18 to 68. Read that again if you are a career-changer convinced you have aged out. Somebody started PA school at 68.
- The class is getting younger, fast. The average matriculant age has dropped from 25.67 to 23.71 in four cycles — nearly two full years. Pre-PAs are figuring this out earlier and applying sooner.
| Age at matriculation | Matriculants | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 19 | 43 | 0.3% |
| 20–25 | 10,932 | 82.9% |
| 26–30 | 1,517 | 11.5% |
| 31–35 | 378 | 2.9% |
| 36–40 | 150 | 1.1% |
| 41–45 | 68 | 0.5% |
| 46 and older | 38 | 0.3% |
| Did not report | 69 | 0.5% |
Median 23 · average 23.71 · range 18 to 68. Source: PAEA CASPA matriculation data, 2024–2025 cycle (n = 13,195).
→ Four out of five PA students are women
The PA profession skews heavily female, and the gap is widening. 81.45% of matriculating students are women, up from 77.27% four cycles ago.
- Female: 81.45% (10,747 students)
- Male: 18.48% (2,439 students)
- Declined to state: 0.07%
| Cycle | Female | Male |
|---|---|---|
| 2024–2025 | 81.45% | 18.48% |
| 2023–2024 | 80.33% | 19.56% |
| 2022–2023 | 78.52% | 21.39% |
| 2021–2022 | 78.30% | 21.39% |
| 2020–2021 | 77.27% | 22.52% |
Source: PAEA CASPA matriculation data (n = 13,195 in the most recent cycle).
So yes — the majority of your future classmates will be women, and more so every year. That mirrors healthcare broadly, where women make up most of the workforce.
I want to be careful here, because this is a place where people love to speculate. The data reports who matriculates. It does not report why. I have seen it claimed that women are "more likely to be accepted" than men — there is nothing behind that, so I am not repeating it.
If you are a man reading this and wondering whether you belong in a class that is four-fifths women: you do. I am living proof, and so are 2,439 of the students who started last year.
→ Two out of three admitted students hold a Bachelor of Science
Almost everyone who starts PA school already holds a bachelor's degree, and it is usually a BS. A small but real slice arrives with a master's already finished.
| Degree held at matriculation | Matriculants | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Science | 8,730 | 66.2% |
| Bachelor of Arts | 1,629 | 12.3% |
| Master of Science | 323 | 2.4% |
| Other bachelor’s | 131 | 1.0% |
| Bachelor of Arts and Science | 86 | 0.7% |
| Master of Public Health | 69 | 0.5% |
| Bachelor of Science in Education | 50 | 0.4% |
| Master of Arts | 46 | 0.3% |
| Bachelor of Applied Science | 35 | 0.3% |
| Bachelor of Science in Nursing | 33 | 0.3% |
Source: PAEA CASPA matriculation data, 2024–2025 cycle. Top 10 degrees only, so this does not account for every degree held by all 13,195 matriculants.
→ What do admitted PA students major in?
Biology dominates, but not as completely as people assume. Here are the ten most common majors among students who actually got a seat.
| Undergraduate major | Matriculants | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | 3,602 | 27.3% |
| Health science | 1,503 | 11.4% |
| Psychology | 936 | 7.1% |
| Biological sciences | 762 | 5.8% |
| Biomedical science | 750 | 5.7% |
| Exercise science | 722 | 5.5% |
| Kinesiology | 604 | 4.6% |
| Neuroscience | 538 | 4.1% |
| Public health | 502 | 3.8% |
| Human biology | 378 | 2.9% |
Source: PAEA CASPA matriculation data, 2024–2025 cycle (n = 13,195). Top 10 majors only, so this does not capture every major.
Group the biology-flavored majors together — biology, biological sciences, biomedical science, human biology — and they account for about 42% of the entering class. That makes sense, because a bio degree quietly knocks out most of your prerequisites along the way.
But look at the rest of that list. Psychology is the third most common major in the country. Exercise science, kinesiology, public health, neuroscience. There is no such thing as a "PA major." Programs care that you finished the prerequisites and did well in them. They do not care what your diploma says.
I have said this for twenty years and I will keep saying it: major in something you will actually work hard at. A 3.8 in a subject you love beats a 3.1 in biology you slogged through, every time.
Here are some tips on how to choose the best undergraduate major for PA school.
→ Matriculating PA students had a median of 3,200 patient contact hours
PA school applicants come to the table with a variety of medical experiences, especially if they are strong applicants.
This is the single most misunderstood number in PA admissions, so slow down here. The hours a program requires and the hours the people who actually get in have are two completely different numbers.
| The two numbers people confuse | Hours |
|---|---|
| What programs require — median minimum direct patient care | 500 hours |
| What matriculants actually had — median direct patient contact | 3,200 hours |
Requirement: PAEA Curriculum Report 6 (2021–22); 67.4% of programs required direct patient care, median minimum 500 hours, range 80–2,500. Matriculant hours: PAEA Student Report 6, Table 53.
Meeting the minimum makes you eligible. It does not make you competitive. If a program says 500 and you show up with 500, you are bringing about a sixth of what the median admitted student brought. Aim for 2,000 hours as a floor, and 3,000+ if you can get them.
Experience in one of the following areas is common:
- Nursing
- Registered Nurse (RN)
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
- Allied Health
- Physical Therapist
- Occupational Therapist
- Registered Radiologic Technologist
- Athletic Trainer
- Emergency Services
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Paramedic
- Emergency Room Technician
- Miscellaneous
-
- Phlebotomist (that was me!)
- Medical Researcher
- Medical Volunteer
-
Medical Experience Statistics for PA School Applicants
96.1% of admitted students had been employed in a healthcare field before PA school. The most commonly reported roles were medical assistant (34.8%), nursing assistant (33.0%), scribe (21.4%), EMT/paramedic (17.8%) and home health aide (10.3%). Students could pick more than one, which is why the column below adds to well over 100% — most people did two or three of these jobs on the way in.
| Health Care Employment Prior to PA School | Percent |
| Medical assistant | 34.8% |
| Nursing assistant | 33.0% |
| Scribe | 21.4% |
| EMT/Paramedic | 17.8% |
| Home health aide | 10.3% |
| Emergency room technician | 8.8% |
| Phlebotomist | 7.8% |
| Clinical research coordinator/assistant | 7.0% |
| Physical therapy assistant | 5.5% |
| Pharmacy technician | 4.0% |
| Medical reception/records | 3.8% |
| Medical technician | 3.7% |
| Ophthalmic technician/assistant | 3.2% |
| Surgical technician/assistant | 2.8% |
| Athletic trainer | 2.7% |
| Healthcare administrator | 2.7% |
| Medical lab technician | 2.3% |
| Dental assistant/hygienist | 1.3% |
| Radiologic technologist | 1.1% |
| Health services researcher | 1.0% |
| Source: PAEA Student Report 6, Table 52 (n = 3,117). Students could select more than one role, so these do not sum to 100%. |
How many patient contact hours do PA students actually have?
Here is the full spread of direct patient contact hours among students who started PA school in 2022. Notice how enormous the range is — the top 10% arrived with nearly ten thousand hours, while the bottom 10% got in with 840.
| Direct patient contact hours | Hours |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 840 |
| 25th percentile | 1,750 |
| Median | 3,200 |
| 75th percentile | 5,600 |
| 90th percentile | 9,600 |
| Mean | 4,994 |
Student self-reported hours, derived from weeks worked × hours per week — which is why the mean (4,994) runs far above the median. A handful of second-career nurses and paramedics with 20,000+ hours drag the average up. The median is the number to plan against.
Admissions directors Q&A: What are some of the points that are extremely impressive to you in the application?
Commitment to community, overcoming adversity, a WELL written narrative, great letters of reference from someone that REALLY knows you, ability to juggle many responsibilities simultaneously, and activities that show a particular passion for something are what we look for in a PA school applicant - Penn State University PA ProgramClick To Tweet→ Do you still need to take the GRE for PA school?
For most applicants in 2026, no — and this is the biggest change in PA admissions since I first wrote this post.
The last time PAEA formally counted, reviewing program websites in 2021–22, 52.2% of PA programs required the GRE. Today it is a minority requirement. Our own running list of PA schools that don't require the GRE puts it at 92 of 338 programs (about 27%) as of July 2026, and an independent prerequisite tracker counted 86 of 318 (27.0%) in April 2026. Two people counting separately landed in the same place.
| Share of PA programs requiring the GRE | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 2021–22 — PAEA Curriculum Report 6 | 52.2% |
| July 2026 — program-by-program trackers | about 27%, or roughly 1 in 4 |
The 2021–22 figure is PAEA's own count. The 2026 figure comes from program-by-program trackers, not PAEA, which has not published an update — I am labeling it that way rather than dressing it up as official. Note too that "requires" and "accepts" are different things: another ~70 programs will look at a GRE score if you have one but do not ask for it.
So what does this mean for you? It means the GRE is now a targeting decision, not a rite of passage. Build your program list first, then find out whether anyone on it wants a score. Plenty of applicants never take it.
If you do need one: among the programs that published a GRE expectation in PAEA's last count, the average total was about 307 — roughly 153 verbal, 152 quantitative, and 4.1 on analytical writing. A composite around 300 is workable, and above 310 is genuinely strong.
A note on what I am not telling you. You will find tables all over the internet listing "mean GRE scores of matriculated PA students," often down to a decimal. PAEA's student survey does not ask matriculants for their GRE scores at all — the only GRE data in it is how much people spent on prep books. Any national matriculant GRE average you see, including the one that used to sit in this post, is not coming from where it claims to.
| Admission exam | Share of programs requiring it (2021–22) |
|---|---|
| TOEFL (international applicants only) | 97.0% |
| GRE | 52.2% then; about 27% in 2026 |
| CASPer | 17.2% |
| PA-CAT | 5.6% |
| MCAT | 4.9% |
Source: PAEA Curriculum Report 6 (February 2023; review of 273 accredited program websites, October 2021–February 2022, of which 268 had usable admissions data). This is the most recent national count PAEA has published.
Percentiles matter more than raw scores. Every GRE administration differs slightly in difficulty, which is exactly why the percentile exists. If your score sits above the 50th percentile, treat it as competitive and put your energy somewhere it will move the needle more — like your hours, your grades, and your personal statement.
→ What GPA do you need for PA school?
Students who got into PA school last cycle had a 3.68 cumulative undergraduate GPA and a 3.61 science GPA. Both have climbed every year for four straight cycles.
But here is the number almost nobody publishes, and it is the most useful one on this page. Compare the people who applied with the people who got in, in the same cycle:
| GPA, 2024–2025 cycle | Everyone who applied | Everyone who got in | The gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumulative undergraduate | 3.47 | 3.68 | +0.21 |
| Science | 3.36 | 3.61 | +0.25 |
The science gap is bigger than the overall gap. That is the whole ballgame. Admissions committees are not just reading your cumulative number — they are pulling out your science coursework and reading that. A quarter of a grade point is the difference between the average applicant and the average admit.
| Cycle | Applicant GPA (cum. undergrad) | Matriculant GPA (cum. undergrad) | Matriculant science GPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–2025 | 3.47 | 3.68 | 3.61 |
| 2023–2024 | 3.47 | 3.67 | 3.60 |
| 2022–2023 | 3.45 | 3.64 | 3.57 |
| 2021–2022 | 3.43 | 3.62 | 3.55 |
Source: PAEA CASPA applicant and matriculation data files. Applicant GPAs for the 2025–2026 cycle are already in: 3.48 cumulative undergraduate, 3.37 science — the pool keeps getting stronger.
| What programs set as a minimum | Value |
|---|---|
| Median minimum overall GPA (97.4% of programs state one) | 3.0 |
| Range of stated overall minimums | 2.5 – 3.5 |
| Median minimum prerequisite GPA (94.1% state one) | 3.0 |
| Range of stated prerequisite minimums | 2.0 – 3.5 |
Source: PAEA Curriculum Report 6. A 3.0 gets your file read. A 3.68 gets you admitted. If you are sitting below the median right now, the fix is an upward trend and a strong recent science block — not despair. Programs read the trajectory, not just the number.
→ What is the racial and ethnic makeup of PA students?
Most matriculating PA students are white — but that is changing faster than almost anyone realizes.
White matriculants have fallen from 66.8% to 59.1% in four cycles. Every other group grew. This is one of the fastest demographic shifts in health professions education right now, and it is happening quietly.
| Race / ethnicity | Matriculants | 2024–2025 | 2020–2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 7,801 | 59.1% | 66.8% |
| Asian | 1,998 | 15.1% | 12.3% |
| Hispanic | 1,734 | 13.1% | 11.0% |
| Black or African American | 690 | 5.2% | 4.5% |
| Two or more races | 576 | 4.4% | 3.2% |
| American Indian | 23 | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Native Hawaiian | 8 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Did not report | 365 | 2.8% | 1.9% |
Source: PAEA CASPA matriculation data, 2024–2025 cycle (n = 13,195). Unlike PAEA's student survey, these categories are mutually exclusive and sum to 100%.
The direction of travel is genuinely encouraging. PAEA also reports that applicants from groups underrepresented in medicine grew by about 35% over the same stretch, rising from 21.4% to 25.5% of all applicants. That matters — patients do better when the people caring for them reflect the communities they come from.
→ How many PA programs should you apply to?
- Matriculating students applied to a median of 8 programs (mean 8.6).
- They received a median of 1 acceptance (mean 1.8). Most people who get in, get in once.
- Across the whole applicant pool the average is 8.45 programs — so eight is genuinely the national habit, not a rule of thumb somebody made up.
My honest advice: eight to twelve well-chosen programs, where "well-chosen" means you actually meet the prerequisites and the mission fits you. Firing off twenty applications to schools whose minimum coursework you have not finished is expensive and does nothing. Build your list first, then count it.
→ Pucker up, baby. Most PA students are single!
80% of matriculating students are single (including engaged), and 20% are partnered.
91.4% have no legal dependents. For the 8.6% who do, the average is two dependents, with a maximum of five. If you are applying with kids at home, you are not alone, and you are not disqualified — roughly one in twelve of your classmates is doing exactly the same thing.
| Legal dependents | Percentage of matriculants |
|---|---|
| Without dependents | 91.4% |
| With dependents | 8.6% |
→ Where do PA students grow up?
Not where you would guess. Six in ten matriculants grew up in a town or small city of fewer than 50,000 people, and only 5.6% came from a metro area of over a million. PA education has deep small-town roots, and a lot of programs are actively looking for students who intend to go back.
| Size of the community where the student spent most of their life | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Isolated rural (under 2,500) | 8.0% |
| Small town (2,500–9,999) | 22.6% |
| Large town (10,000–49,999) | 30.1% |
| Mid-size city (50,000–99,999) | 18.1% |
| Large city (100,000–1 million) | 15.6% |
| Urban (over 1 million) | 5.6% |
→ Do you need money and connections to get into PA school?
I get some version of this question constantly: everyone applying seems to come from a medical family with money, and mine doesn't. The data says otherwise, and it is not close.
CASPA asks every applicant a set of questions about disadvantaged background. Here is how the students who got in answered them.
| Among students who started PA school last year… | Matriculants | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Went to a high school where many students got free or reduced-price lunch | 4,774 | 36.2% |
| Come from a Health Professional Shortage Area or Medically Underserved Area | 2,681 | 20.3% |
| Come from a family that receives public assistance | 2,021 | 15.3% |
| Went to a high school where few seniors earned a diploma | 448 | 3.4% |
| Took part in a Health Careers Opportunity Program | 148 | 1.1% |
Source: PAEA CASPA matriculation data, 2024–2025 cycle (n = 13,195). Students could answer yes to more than one.
More than one in three admitted PA students came from a high school where hunger was common enough to be measured. One in five came from a place without enough clinicians. Those students got in. Read that again if you have been quietly wondering whether people like you get into PA school.
And here is the part I care about most: those are exactly the PAs the country needs. Students who come from underserved places are far more likely to go back and practice in them. If that is your story, it is not a weakness in your application. It is the strongest thing you bring.
Admissions directors Q&A: Who is the perfect PA school applicant?
Our program will look to utilize a holistic approach to admissions. We look at academic success, life experiences, and community activities to evaluate all candidates. There is no one mold to fit the PA profession. However, PAs need strong communication skills, leadership, grit, and a willingness to support the community - Michigan State University PA ProgramClick To Tweet Students need to be well organized, know how to manage their time and outside influences, and have a genuine desire to help and care for people. PA school is rigorous, so we recommend honest conversations with family and friends ahead of your start. - CWRU PA ProgramClick To Tweet→ PA school students don't smoke pot and are not drug dealers or part of the Italian Mafia
Assume yes to both. Every PA program I am aware of requires a criminal background check, and the large majority require drug screening before you can start clinical rotations — hospitals demand it of the program, so the program demands it of you.
I am giving you that as my read of the landscape rather than a statistic, because the percentages that used to sit here were attributed to a PAEA student report that does not measure this at all. Check the program's own admissions page — that is the only source that binds them.
If you have something in your history, disclose it early and honestly. I have watched applicants with old convictions get into PA school. I have also watched applicants get pulled from a class over something small they tried to hide. The offense is almost never the thing that ends it. The nondisclosure is.
Some Important Points
It's Not Rocket Science: It is important that a candidate demonstrates reasonable aptitude in the hard sciences such as anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and biology. It is more likely that the committee may overlook a grade of C in U.S History or Spanish I. They will be less tolerant of a marginal grade in the sciences.
Show compassion: Your GPA is stellar, and you've amassed an impressive amount of medical work experience in the little spare time you have while keeping your grades pristine, but you still get that dreaded rejection letter. Why?
You didn't do enough volunteer work. Volunteering exemplifies your desire to help your fellow man—the attribute identified by schools as one of the most integral to becoming a successful PA.
Students who have had experience in working with underserved populations, rural or diverse populations, performing volunteer service or disaster relief, or other experiences that illustrate a drive and compassion for others often stand out to the admissions committee!
The view from the top isn't that crowded
It's an easy race to the bottom, so set your sights on the top.
People deflate when they read that only about a third of applicants get in each year. I think that is exactly backwards. Being in the top third of any field is not nearly as hard as it sounds — because most of the competition is not doing the work you just did by reading this far.
You have just read the whole thing. You know what the median actually is on hours, on GPA, on how many programs to apply to — and you know which "statistics" floating around the internet are made up. That already puts you ahead of most of the people you are competing with.
If you aim high, you will be competing with a much smaller minority, and your odds of getting an acceptance letter will increase dramatically. It also helps if you apply to 12 programs. 😉
What is new for the 2026–2027 CASPA cycle
- The cycle opened April 30, 2026 and closes April 1, 2027.
- The COVID-19 impact essay is gone. In its place is a new situational question asking how future PAs should use emerging technology — AI, telemedicine, wearables — while keeping care patient-centered.
- There is now an AI attestation. You confirm the application is your own work. Write your own essay. I mean it.
- Fees are $185 for the first program and $65 for each additional one. Fee waivers are available at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, cover your first two programs, are first-come first-served, and the submission window is now 21 days.
- There are 330 ARC-PA accredited PA programs as of May 2026, and eight more were granted provisional accreditation at the April 2026 meeting. The number of places to apply keeps growing.
Sources — so you can check my work:
- Applicant counts, applicant GPAs and re-applicant share: PAEA CASPA Applicant Trend Numbers, cycles 2021–2026 (posted May 2026). This is where the 35,280 applicants for 2025–2026 comes from.
- Matriculant counts, GPA, science GPA, age, gender, race, majors, degrees and disadvantaged-background data: PAEA CASPA Matriculation Data, 2020–2025 (posted March 2026), covering the 2024–2025 entering class (n = 13,195).
- Programs per applicant and URiM growth: PAEA, "PA Program Applications Show Growth, Persistence."
- Admission exams, minimum GPAs and minimum patient-care hours: PAEA Curriculum Report 6, a review of 273 accredited program websites.
- Patient contact hours, prior healthcare roles, programs applied to, marital status, dependents and where students grew up: PAEA By the Numbers: Student Report 6, PAEA's most recent national student survey. CASPA's data files do not measure these, so this is the only national source for them.
- Accredited program counts: ARC-PA, Currently Accredited Programs.
- Cycle dates, fees and application changes: PAEA 2026–2027 CASPA Applicant Guide.
Where a number is my own arithmetic on PAEA's figures rather than something PAEA publishes directly — the 38.1% matriculation rate, the 22-applications-per-seat figure — I say so in the text. Where a number simply does not exist, I say that too instead of filling the gap. Numbers on this page were last verified in July 2026.
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I finished my associates in respiratory therapy with a 2.9 gpa
am going for my bachelors and I plan on doing much better on my gpa for my bachelors . after my bachelors I plan on also doing my pre reqs for P.A school, my question is what gpa are they going to check and will my associates gpa be considered and will it hinder me from getting into P.A school..
They are going to look at the trend. Blow them away with your performance over the next 2 years and sometimes this looks even better than someone who had been a 4.0 student since the beginning.
Stephen
I finished my associates in respiratory therapy with a 2.9 gpa
am going for my bachelors and I plan on doing much better on my gpa for my bachelors . after my bachelors I plan on also doing my pre reqs for P.A school, my question is what gpa are they going to check and will my associates gpa be considered and will it hinder me from getting into P.A school
Hi Jess,
How come you can’t complete your PA prerequisites while persuing your BS? PA schools focus on the “big picture” so if you can show progress and improvement in the last two years this will be the focus of their attention. I don’t think your associates GPA will be a huge factor, unless of course it is the majority of your science GPA, which could then present a bit of a problem. But even that can be remedied in your final two years.
Stephen
Hey Stephen,
First off, thank you for compiling this information in an easy to read and well written article. I am a 24 year old male who is currently waiting on an interview invitation from the University of Florida and University of Alabama Birmingham. Even though I feel I am a qualified applicant, I am very nervous. I received my Bachelors degree in Health Science from UF in 2014 with a 3.73 overall and a 3.73 science gpa (CASPA calculated). I have worked in Hepatitis C research for 3 years at UF, and have been the lead FibroScan (a device which is used to help determine liver fibrosis) technician for UF Hepatology for a year and a half. I am also a nationally certified EMT (though I never worked in the field after receiving the license). I submitted 5 professional letters of recommendation to CASPA, all from current UF Hepatology practitioners, 2 from ARNPs, 2 from Doctors, and 1 from a PA. Overall, I have over 4000 research hours, 800 “Other health experience” hours, around 900 patient contact hours, 180 clinical shadowing hours, and about 120 volunteer hours (though most of these were earned while performing an Eagle Scout project when I was 17). I very much want to go to UF, but I have applied to 5 other schools as I figured I might as well see what else is out there, and gain experience from interviews at other schools. In your opinion, what do you think about my chances to get into UF this first time around? Also, from the information I have provided what would you recommend I improve if I want to be accepted at a top PA school?
Kind Regards,
Andrew
Hi Andrew, I think you have an extremely good chance of getting in this year. The key is to continue to demonstrate that you are a well rounded candidate in your interview. It is nerve racking for sure ? but just believe in yourself and don’t try to force your answers and give them what you think they want to hear. Be yourself, and you will do great. As far as what more you can do… I think you are right on track!
Stephen
Hey Stephen,
Thanks for the encouraging words and the advice, really made me feel great to hear that from someone in the field! My family, friends and co-workers have told me they think I have a good chance, but it is different coming from someone who does not know me personally. I turned in my application at the end of July and am just trying to stay positive in light of not hearing anything back yet (I know overall its early and previously accepted applicants have told me they didn’t hear anything back for 3 months). It seems as though it’s just a waiting game now, but I never have been good at being patient, gotta work on that… Again, thank you so much for your time and thoughts on the subject (plus the quick response), really made my day!
Kind Regards
Andrew
Hiii stephen ,
I am really stressed out right now .. I am indian dentist .. Did bds n about to finish my internship .. I will be coming to america in 3-4 months n i am really confused about what carrier will i choose if not dds .. I hv heard getting into dds schools is real difficult.. I was thinking about doing PA .. I finished my bds with 61% i dont kw about my gpa .. I wanted to know am i eligible for PA and what are the things i should do to get into PA … Thank you for ur time ..
Hi Stephen. I am a 36-year-old single mother who has worked as a Physical Therapist Assistant for 5 years before returning to school to expand my career options. My GPAs range from 3.0-3.87. I am entering my senior year at Western Washington University and would like to attend UW for their PA program. UW is the only school I would like to apply to due to the fact that I need to remain close to family while attending school. UW is highly competitive. Do you think based on the information I have provided that there’s a chance they will accept me or am I playing it too risky?
Hi Christina,
The MEDEX program at the UW is one of the best in the country and definitely worth applying to. They tend to accept applicants with over 4 years of experience working in medicine. For this reason I think you are a very good candidate and if you present yourself well along with your strong academics you certainly have a good chance. Oregon has several good programs as well!
Hey Stephen, excellent website! I know what I’ve got to do as far as schooling, but I have minimal hours volunteering or with HCE. I don’t know any of the best routes to take and I feel if I could find something that would set me up with a lot of hours, whether at one place or spread out, my chances of being a future PA student would be significantly increased. So if you think you could provide me with a list of some things I could do and possible certifications I would need for some of them that would be amazing!
Thanks so much.
There are many options out there you just have to find what suits your current situation best. Here is a post I wrote on the top along with a short list of ideas: https://www.thepalife.com/hce-paschool/
Shadowing of PA, NP, MD/DO
Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedic
Military Medic/Clinical Specialist
Corpsman
Surgical Technician
Radiologic Technician
Certified Nursing Assistant
Laboratory Technician with phlebotomy experience
Phlebotomist
Athletic Trainer
Scribe
Nursing (CNA, LPN, RN, CMA)
Certified Physical/Occupational Therapist
PT/OT Assistant
Home health with verification of job duties
Medical Interpreter
Dietician
Pharmacy Technician
Hi Stephen! I am going to be a sophomore in college this year and I was wondering, at what year do most people apply for pa school if they plan to go after undergrad? Do they apply at the end of junior year or something? Do you have to have all of your pr-requisites done by the time you apply? If I apply at the end of my junior year, I will not have all my pre-requisites finished yet unfortunately :/ What should I do? Thank you!! I am going to be working as a CNA part time this coming year for my sophomore year at a lovely nursing home I found near my college! They are training me to be CNA certified this summer!
I don’t have stats on this but I would say most people apply after they graduate and after they have worked for a year or two in the medical field. Now though this may be changing, especially as more and more schools offer 3+2 programs which allow you to make PA school part of your undergrad combining your bachelors and masters degrees. In this case you would be able to apply early without holding a bachelor degree. Also, all programs will soon be Masters degree programs I believe by 2020 is when the requirement takes full effect.
Stephen
Ohh I see. Does that mean I have a less chance of getting accepted if I am younger than other applicants? Did you have more than 1 type of healthcare experience? I am planning to work at the nursing home until I graduate college so I’ll have 2.5 years of healthcare experience by the time I finish with undergrad. I’m hoping to get into PA school as soon as possible but I was thinking of taking a year off after graduation and then applying. Thank you!! 🙂
Oh also I am not currently in a 3+2 program. I am a Psychology major fulfilling my pre-reqs for PA school on the side
Sorry I have another question! I would really love to study abroad at some point in my college career and I was wondering if it was possible for me to take a science class abroad. Or does PA school look down on that?
Hi Stephen,
I just wanted to say THANK YOU again for your excellent website and for the outstanding support that you give to all of us.
I was accepted to the PA program I applied to on the first attempt. I used the bank of questions from your website, and also read a lot of information regarding the PA profession.
I’ll start school on August 29. I also wanted to share some of my experiences during my journey to become accepted. I am convinced that even though the path to get accepted is difficult, it is not impossible to successfully overcome it.
I am also an international medical graduate, like Suhaadil (from a previous post). However, I had to re-do all the core requirements since mine were over 10 years old. I completed 91 credits in one and a half year (I could have gotten a bachelor degree in two more semesters). That was not my goal, since I already had a Master degree in Public Health acquired in the US. I wanted to see patients, I wanted to become involved in the health care service field. I wanted to do what I do best, to help people feeling better, even though they are sick and suffering.
I had to retake Biology I & II, A&P I & II, Chemistry I & II, Orgo I, Pre-calculus, College algebra, Statistics, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Pathophysiology, English Composition I & II, Spanish, Literature I, US History I, Medical Terminology, Computer Concepts, Homeland Security Topics, Sociology (2 courses), Psychology (3 courses), Anthropology, and Behavioral Sciences. I did all of that in 5 semesters. At one time I took 7 classes in one semester, (which I don’t recommend to anyone).
While taking those courses I was working full time during the first 3 semesters, then I only worked part-time.
I also did extracurricular activities, such as being one of the student government council representative for almost the entire time in college (4 semesters). I was the Veteran liaison representative (I served in the US Navy for over ten years). I founded the first science club in my college, and I am still its president. Finally, I founded, along with a fellow veteran, the first Student Veteran Chapter (SVA) in my college, and I am the co-chair of that SVA chapter.
I was part of the volunteer teams (later on I was hired) helping Sandy victims in New York. I have over 10 thousand hours of health care experience (between military and civilian).
I was actively involved (organizing and participanting) in several activities while in school: health fairs, conferences, pizza-parties, etc.
I was truly committed and poised to become a PA. I never took anything for granted. The fact that I have a medical degree never made me feel entitle to special treatment. I knew that somehow, having the medical knowledge will eventually work on my advantage. I guess that it helped, but it was not the determinant factor. I was able to get a pretty decent GPA (3.75 general and 3.60 Sciences).
I am the oldest in my class (over 40 years old), with a family and a beautiful dog to take care of.
I am writing all of these, not to brag about myself (even though I could), but to show to all of those planning to apply that the road to get accepted is hard to walk on but not impossible to cross. Some people have told me that I went the “extra-mile”. Well, I guess I had to. I was competing against over 3500 applicants for only 155 seats, split on three campuses.
During my time in college I made sure that I wasn’t an invisible student. I was known by everybody, from the janitor up to the President of the entire college system. But the only reason that that happened is because I decided to get involved from the very beginning. I didn’t want to be just another student with good grades, and that it. I wanted them to see that I had the potential to become a serious candidate, and if they accepted me, everybody would win. I worked hard to get it, and I must confess that at times I was a little bit overconfident about it, so much that I only applied to one school, (I was planning to apply to more schools the next cycle in case I wasn’t accepted the first time). I wasn’t lucky, I worked for it. I was blessed. My faith in God and the support of my family and friends kept me going even during some down/blue times, caused by unimaginable stress and other personal situations.
Stephen, your advice and the experiences shared by other students posting on this website helped me a lot during my last months before application.
My focus now is on becoming a very good PA student. I won’t be competing with anyone, anymore. I know what I am capable of doing. This time I am going to take it easy, well, not that easy. I am going to study hard, of course, I am aware that PA school is not a walk in the clouds, but I am not to overwhelm myself. I’ve learned to manage my time, and it is now when my previous medical knowledge and experience will come handy.
I wish the best to all of you considering this wonderful path and career. Good luck and God bless you.
Kind regards,
Carlos
Hi Carlos,
I just came to the US. I have bachelor in Medical from Afghanistan, I took my Bachelor in 2007. I am interesting to study PA. Please tell me what should I do?
Sincerely,
Hi Hamid,
If you saw the post above, where I wrote about my experience in order to get into the PA program you can see it wasn’t easy. However, if you feel like you have what it takes to apply and get accepted just do it. First, I would recommend you to make sure you have the pre-requirements ready at least one semester before you apply. You also need to have your volunteer hours, direct medical care patient hours, excellent letters of reference from professors or medical professionals from the U.S., an excellent personal essay, and very important, to be realistic when selecting the schools you apply to.
Hi Stephen:
Thanks for the great information being posted for PA program.
I am currently 45 years old and have bachelor(major in radiology obtained in China and master degree in Information systems obtained in the States, and I am in the Medical Assisting program and about to work at a Medical assistant in one ambulatory clinic.
After a few year later getting my experience in the medical field, do you think if it is still feasible for me to apply the PA program? Am I too old?
by the way, my GPA are all above 3.5
Thanks
Wei
Hello Stephen,
I am currently finishing my pre requisites and trying to decided on what major to take on. What are your thoughts on a bachelors in health science or psychology?
Also, I am a pharmacy technician looking to do a medical assistant program to get experience. Do you think it will worth doing a 9 month long program? I will still be taking classes but most likely only 2 during the program.
Thank you!
Hi Stephen! Great website!, So I just recieved my GPA’s calculated from CASPA and i’m starting to wonder if I should pull out from the race, I was wondering If i can get some advice from you? So I have a very low CASPA undergradte science GPA a humiliating 2.4, which is almost entirely due to the fact that i have lupus and i was in and out of school a lot but i did pull up my grades a lot the my senior year. I made sure to mention this in my essay, then I went to grad school for a MS in pathology, took all grad level science classes and so my CASPA graduate science GPA is a 3.5. I have a lot patient care hours cuz i worked as a CNA for 5 years and now I’ve been working as a clinical reseacher in a VA hopstial. I have some research and publications too. I am planning to apply to at least 12 schools, So my question is should I be really worried? Should I even bother? I know you can’t predict my future but I just wanted a honest opinion Thanks so much!
Hi Sonali,
The key to success in the application is making sure to address any and all shortcomings, show an upward trend, strong work ethic and a solid understanding of the both PA profession and the rigors associated with it. Having a lower than average GPA says nothing about you as a person or your ability to practice as a PA. You have a lot of experience, well beyond many applicants. If you can account for this and show your strengths through strong letters of recommendations, an amazing personal statement along with a demonstration of your true capabilities you have as good of a shot as any. If you don’t get in on your first try, you can contact the PA schools and ask them what they need you to do and do it… it might be as simple as repeating a couple classes.
Hope that helps and I wish you the best of luck!
Stephen
Hello Stephen,
I hope you are well. Just looking for some honest perspective. Submitting my application with 16 years and just about 22,000 HCE hours with increasing experience as a tertiary care Flight Paramedic (NICU PICU, adult, balloon pumps, art lines etc), 5,000 volunteer hours in non profits, science GPA of 3.66, overal 3.29, and pre req of 3.8. Honest thoughts and suggestions. GRE verbal was solid, math not so much. Looking to retake GRE, but any idea where I stand as being at least competitive?
Thanks for your time,
Chris
Hi Chris,
Wow! You sound like the perfect candidate. I am sure, as long as you are able to present a passion and understanding of the PA profession in a reasonable manner in your personal statement you will receive several interview offers. You have such a wonderful background with so much experience and obviously impressive credentials. You will have to come back later and let us know how things work out.
Drop me a line if you ever have questions along the way, I am happy to help.
Stephen
Hi Stephen,
We exchanged message threads back in July(I was the NICU/PICU flight paramedic. Back then you said I could drop you a line. Well, fast forward, out of the 3 schools Ive heard from, I got 1 no interview consideration and 2 interview offers. I know there are many resources on this site, but if you are still willing, I would love to take you up on your offer for any help as the interviews approach. Any time you may spare would be greatly appreacited. Thank you for your kind words back on my post, it actually was the motivation I needed to just sit back and wait for things to fall into place.
Sincerely
Chris
Hi Stephen!
Thank you so much for this website and the plethora of wisdom (and encouragement!) you provide ? I had a quick question – why is there no additional benefit for applying to more than 12 programs? I was trying to find this on the PAEA website, but I was not able to. I was originally going to apply to 20 programs to increase my chances as much as possible, but perhaps I should save some of that money and put it towards other school costs?
Thanks in advance!
I remember reading this statistic some time ago and wondering the same thing. It probably isn’t a great statistic because if you can financially swing it applying to more schools is like casting your line into the lake. The more times you throw your line in the water you are statistically more likely to catch a fish. Although, if you are fishing in mid-day with no bait on your hook it does not matter how many times you throw your line in the water the result will be the same – no fish. So maybe the important thing is to make sure to adjust your bait as you go, and make sure you are fishing the right stream.
Stephen
What’s the average amount of volunteer hours that people have when applying?
That is a good question. I did a quick search and found a report stating a mean of 710 hours of “community service”. To me that sounds a bit on the heigh end but I assume also that many people use a “soft” calculation when it comes to volunteer hours.
– Stephen
I have an overall non-science GPA of 3.08, overall science GPA of 3.59, overall GPA of 3.38, and BCP (Pre req) GPA of 3.64. I started college with low grades but finished with mostly A’s. I’m applying to 14 PA programs and wanted to know how I stack-up against other applicants or at least do you think I would possibly be invited for an interview.
Thanks!
Gary
Hi Gary,
Academically you have done wonderfully, great work! But as you know when it comes to applying to PA school it is the entire package that matters along with your ability to convey what you have learned and accomplished through your personal statement and during the interview. Numbers wise though you are golden 🙂
Best of luck!!
Stephen
Hello Stephen,
I have recently discovered that my repeating of A & P II would be averaged with my first attempt at the course, I had the understanding that the initial grade would be completely wiped. (I got a D then an A). This takes my science GPA from what would have been roughly 3.15 to anywhere from 2.84-2.91 depending on prereqs. I understand most schools ask for 3.0 minimum and my overall GPA is 3.3. I have 4 years of work experience full time as an EMT, nearly 200 hours of volunteer hours (25 out of country, all underserved), and rather strong LOR. I was wondering what your opinion was on whether I should bother applying this round or plan on improving my GPA? In your experience do schools bend a little for the science GPA or are they pretty firm? I will never blame a grade on a professor but what I can say is that I had the same study habits for the first and second attempt of the course and I had a lot of repeat classmates the second time I took the course. Overall I can say that I thoroughly regret taking the course with the first professor.
Thank you very much in advance, you are appreciated.
Gabe
Hi Gabe,
I was accepted to a school (Rutgers) with a lower than required overall GPA. If you have a strong application it is still a possibility. Also, there are a lot of schools that have no minimums or minimums that fall into your requirements. You can search by GPA at my sister site http://www.paschoolfinder.com. I am in the process of updating PA school finder and there are a lot of options for current applicants. Especially in the 2016/2017 application cycle and especially if you have some flexibility in your geography.
Stephen
Stephen,
My name is Alyssa and I am going into my senior year of college at Washington state university. I’m majoring in kinesiology along with taking the pre-reqs for PA school. I get A’s and B’s. Because I am a full time student, I don’t have any hands on patient experience. I am looking at Pacific University in Oregon and UC Davis. They both required 1,000 hours of experience. My question is, what should my next step be? What would be the best way in getting these hours? And do you think it would be possible to get enough hours to apply to PA school in December 2017, in order to start in 2018?
-Alyssa
Alyssa,
Looking at the math, it is possible to get 800-900 hours by the end of this year, but only if you are full time. I figured 40 hours a week for August through the end of December. You may need to do what I did. I graduated with my BS in December, 2015. Like you, I had no time for patient care (my wife is also a full-time student and we have two kids!) So, what I did was get a job in hospital (ER tech). Since January 18, I’ve gotten around 1000 hours as of today, and that’s with overtime and pickin up extra shifts. All of this is to say, it may be necessary to delay your application until you have the requirements or are very close to them. I would also suggest calling the schools directly that you are interested in and see how flexible they are in accepting planned hours, not just completed hours.
Thank you for your wise insight Stephen.
I am currently a Registered Dietitian with a Master’s degree in Public Health and am interested in venturing into the PA world. I have found your article truly helpful and feel fairly confident about taking the next step. I would love any more information that you could provide on your PA experience during your program and what it’s been like out in the field.
Thanks again!
Katrina
Hi Katrina,
The best thing you can do (if you haven’t already) is go out and shadow some PAs. This is the best way to see what a typical day is like in the life of a practicing physician assistant. Consider shadowing in more than one specialty if you can as well. As a dietician you will have a leg up – as we know, the majority of what we treat on a daily basis is the result of dietary and lifestyle decisions. Something you know a lot about!! If there is anything specifically you have a question about let me know and I will be able to give you a more streamlined answer.
Warmly,
Stephen Pasquini PA-C
Hello Stephen,
I am like most of the others on this forum with concerns about successfully entering PA school. I have a 3.2 overall gpa and around a 2.9 science gpa, due in particular to taking courses required for medical school. I also took more classes required for the prerequisites for PA school(1 year of Physics+Lab, 1 year of O-chem +lab) and received A’s and B’s respectively. My question is, how good would my chances be considering my gpa? I spent 100 hours volunteering at the ER, 150 with under-served communities, and other meaningful events and will be working as a scribe soon. I have strong LOR’S and personal statement and graduated from a top 40 instituion with a B.S. in Psychology as a first generation college student. Thank you for your time.
Best,
-Mark
Hi Mark,
I was in a very similar situation as yourself, all you can do is do your best. Channel all that passion you have to love and serve into your application and see what happens. It is impossible to make predictions. Why was I admitted while other 4.0 students from Ivy League schools were place on the wait list? I am sure the 4.0 students would find plenty of criticism, they are probably the same type of people who claim minorities get into school because of quotas or affirmative action. The truth is, schools seek diversity. Diversity in thought and experience. It is not a coincidence that some of the world greatest rebel rousers have not had 4.0 GPAs or were college dropouts. Organic Chemistry and Calculus made we want to commit academic suicide, because I found them painfully boring and useless. What did excite me? Working with patients, because that has always been my passion. I can tell it is yours as well… Remember this is your greatest asset… It will carry you very far, and you will be able to change many lives. Much more than an A+ in Sophomore Physics. I am not saying academics don’t matter. But you have obviously challenged yourself academically and beyond. If you can prove this point to the admissions committee you will be on very solid ground.
Stephen
Hello Stephen,
Thank you very much for your thoughtful and meaningful response. Your wise words from experience is definitely a blessing to not only me but to every one else on this website. Once again, thank you very much for your support and I hope you continue to inspire others as well.
Best,
-Mark