First-Cycle PA School Acceptance: Emily's Story (3.8 GPA, ~1,500 PCE Hours)

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Emily applied to 12 programs in her first CASPA cycle straight out of Indiana University-Bloomington and came away with 4 interview invitations, 1 waitlist spot and an acceptance. She had a 3.8 overall GPA and 3.9 science GPA but felt her ~1,500 patient care hours as a CNA were below what program websites advertised. Her core message: apply anyway, because average admitted stats are averages, not cutoffs.

Last Updated: August 3, 2026

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A Note From Savanna

A huge thank you to Emily from @emilylynstreet on Instagram for sharing her stats and experience with getting into PA school today! I think her story is a great example of just going for it and applying, and also shows that people still get accepted on the first attempt. Enjoy!

In this post:

How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes?

I am currently an applicant in the 2017-2018 CASPA cycle, so thus far I have gotten 1 acceptance, 4 interview invitations, and 1 interview waitlist spot

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, the single most common reason a strong applicant never submits is the patient care hour number on a program's admitted-student page. Emily was 1,000 hours below the published average at the program that accepted her, and she almost talked herself out of applying. Published averages are descriptive, not prescriptive — they describe last year's class, and every class contains people above and below that line. If you meet a program's stated minimum, you are eligible, and eligibility is what earns you the chance to be evaluated as a whole person. [VERIFY] Always confirm the difference between a program's published minimum and its published average before you self-reject.

Any red flags on your application?

As a younger applicant and a full-time student the past four years, I would have liked to have more time for patient care related experiences at the time of my application. I would not call this a red flag per se, just something I will continue acquiring during my time off before beginning PA school next May.

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Emily submitted only three letters of recommendation — a family medicine PA, a chemistry professor and an RN. That mix covers the three perspectives most programs want: someone who has seen you in clinical practice, someone who has graded your science work, and someone who has worked alongside you. More letters are not automatically better than the right three.

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Anything you found surprising about interviews?

The applicant pool really is as diverse as you think. I interviewed with people who were athletic trainers, NICU nurses, and even someone who was a doctor previously in India. Despite the variety of healthcare experience among us, we bonded over our love of the profession. Everyone was so encouraging and non-competitive, which helped with my nerves. After joking about making it through organic chemistry, we all wished each other luck and hoped we’d see each other next May. It was surprisingly refreshing to be reminded we were all in the same boat so to speak.

Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process?

I recommend getting to know both your science professors and your Pre-PA advisors. They are only there to help you! My advisors were there to help me brainstorm ideas for my personal statement, as well as do mock interviews with me when I received my first interview invitation. Of course, I also love reading current PA and PA-S blogs and hearing their experiences.

Any other advice for other pre-PA students?

Don’t get discouraged with the average amount of patient care hours you see on PA program websites! I remember looking at those stats and feeling like I was not competitive just because I had 1000 hours less than the average admitted applicant. I almost did not even apply to the PA program I was accepted to because of this. While patient care hours are SO important, just keep doing your best to get as many hours that you possibly can. If you are a full-time student, even working 10 hours a week adds up. Everyone has something different to offer to the PA profession so just keep grinding and remember you won’t be Pre-PA forever!

Need to Know:

Undergraduate education: Indiana University-Bloomington
Overall GPA: 3.8
Science GPA: 3.9
GRE: 307, 5 writing score
Total PCE hours: ~1500. I have been a CNA since my sophomore year of college at a long term care and rehab facility.
Shadowing hours: Right around 80 hours (shadowing 2 orthopedic PAs, and 1 Family Medicine PA)
Other volunteer hours: 50 hours- I attended a medical brigade in Nicaragua this past summer.
LORs: I submitted my application with 3 LORS- one from a Family Medicine PA, a Chemistry Professor, and a RN
How many times did you apply?: This is my first time applying
Age: 22
Gender: Female
How many programs did you apply to? 12 programs

FAQ

Can you get into PA school with only 1,500 patient care hours?

Yes. Emily was accepted on her first cycle with approximately 1,500 hours as a CNA, which she noted was about 1,000 hours below the average admitted applicant at that program. Many programs set a minimum in the 500–1,000 hour range while reporting much higher averages. [VERIFY] Check each program’s current stated minimum, since requirements change year to year.

Is a 307 GRE score good enough for PA school?

Emily scored a 307 with a 5 on the analytical writing section and received four interview invitations from twelve applications. A 307 sits comfortably above the 300 threshold many programs use as an informal benchmark. [VERIFY] A growing number of programs no longer require the GRE at all, so confirm current testing policy before you register.

How many PA programs should I apply to in my first cycle?

Emily applied to twelve programs and received four interview invitations. Twelve is a common target for a first cycle because it balances cost against the reality that interview invitation rates are low even for strong applicants. Applying to fewer than eight leaves very little margin for error.

Can you get into PA school straight out of undergrad at 22?

Yes. Emily applied at 22 as a full-time student who had worked as a CNA since her sophomore year, and she was accepted for a class starting the following May. Working part-time during the school year is how most traditional-timeline applicants accumulate hours.

What is it like to interview alongside other PA school applicants?

Emily described the applicant pool as genuinely diverse — athletic trainers, NICU nurses and a former physician from India — and found the atmosphere encouraging rather than competitive. Most applicants report the same thing, which tends to reduce interview-day nerves considerably.

How can I be featured in an Accepted! post?

Email [email protected] or use the contact form at The PA Platform to share your acceptance story.

CLOSING

Emily's story is a useful counterweight to stat-chasing. She did not out-hour anyone; she applied broadly, leaned on the science professors and pre-PA advisors already available to her, and let the interview show who she was. If you are sitting on an application because your hours look small next to a program's published average, treat that average as information rather than a verdict — and submit.

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First-Cycle PA School Acceptance: Emily's Story (3.8 GPA, ~1,500 PCE Hours)