Carroll University PA Program: Jenna's Acceptance Story

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Jenna applied to eight programs, received five interview offers, and had three acceptances at the time she shared her story — choosing Carroll University. She had a 3.82 GPA, 650 PCE hours at submission with 2,000 expected by the start of school, and only 9 shadowing hours. She credits her personal statement as her biggest selling point and recommends starting it two to three months before CASPA opens.

Last Updated: August 2, 2026

Your Pre-PA Bestie Blog - everything you need to know to become a PA in one place.

Why PA?

There are so many reasons why I chose to become a PA. For one, I love that PAs focus on collaboration because it allows for better patient outcomes when the insight of multiple healthcare professionals is involved in patient care. Also, PAs have the ability to expand healthcare to populations in need by not only working in primary care, but being leaders in health promotion, health education, and patient health literacy. The PA profession allows you to use your talents and passions in whichever way you can!

In this post:

How many programs did you apply to?

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, Jenna's 9 shadowing hours are the lowest we've published alongside a five-interview cycle, and it's worth being clear about why it worked. Her personal statement did the heavy lifting — she says so herself — and she had 273 volunteer hours across genuine leadership roles including president of her campus Doctors Without Borders chapter. She also connected her public health emphasis directly to her reasons for choosing PA, which gave the whole application a coherent theme. That said, 9 shadowing hours would disqualify her at programs with stated minimums, so if your shadowing is that thin, verify requirements before applying. Her timeline advice on the personal statement is right: two to three months before CASPA opens, with the expectation of many drafts.

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

I received 5 interview offers and I've been accepted to 3 programs so far!

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Jenna's PCE was 650 at submission and expected to reach 2,000 by the start of school. Programs judge the number you report when you apply, so if your hours are climbing fast, applying later in the window with a higher figure is a real trade-off against the advantage of applying early.

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Where will you be attending?

Carroll University

Anything you found interesting about interviews:

Every school has a different interview style, so prepare for each style! Some interviews required critical thinking while others were more conversational. Be yourself, have fun, and remember that you are also interviewing the school to see if it would be a good fit for you!

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

Yes! I had my personal statement reviewed by My PA Resource, I did a mock interview through The PA Platform, & I used Savanna Perry's PA School Interview Guide! Each of these resources were extremely helpful and I suggest them to anyone applying to PA school!

Any advice for other pre-PA students?

Show how everything you experienced in undergrad contributed to your decision of becoming a PA! I found the personal statement to be my biggest selling point, since I could really expand on my personal journal and life experiences. Start your personal statement 2-3 months before CASPA opens, because your first draft (and even the next couple drafts after that) surely won't be your last! Good luck to everyone 🙂 you can do it!

Where can we find you? (Instagram, TikTok, Website, etc)

Instagram – jennaaashley

Need to Know:

Undergraduate education: Iowa State University – Kinesiology & Health Major (emphasis in Community & Public Health) and Psychology Minor
Overall GPA: 3.82
Science GPA: 3.77
GRE: 303 overall and 5.0 on Analytical Writing
PA-CAT: Did not take
Total PCE hours: 650 – CNA in a nursing home & PCT on the post-surgical unit of a hospital. (By the start of PA school I'll have 2,000 hours)
Total HCE hours: 436 – Dietary Aide in a nursing home & working at the registration desk of a vaccine clinic
Shadowing hours: 9 – Family Medicine PA at the ISU student health clinic
Volunteer hours: 273 – I volunteered at a food pantry, was an active member and President of Doctors Without Borders student chapter at ISU, was an active member and Social Chair of NSCS, and the Director of Social Awareness for my sorority!
How many times did you apply?: 1
Age: 23
Gender: Female

FAQ

What GPA do you need for the Carroll University PA program?

Jenna was accepted with a 3.82 overall GPA and a 3.77 science GPA. [VERIFY] Confirm Carroll's current minimum GPA requirements.

Does Carroll University's PA program require the GRE or PA-CAT?

Jenna submitted a GRE score of 303 with 5.0 on analytical writing and did not take the PA-CAT. [VERIFY] Confirm Carroll's current testing requirements.

How many shadowing hours do you need for PA school?

It varies widely and some programs set no minimum. Jenna was accepted to three programs with just 9 shadowing hours, though many programs would screen that out. [VERIFY] Confirm each program's current shadowing requirements before assuming it's optional.

When should you start your PA school personal statement?

Jenna recommends two to three months before CASPA opens, expecting several drafts. She considers her personal statement her single biggest selling point, since it let her connect her undergraduate experiences to her decision to become a PA.

How many patient care hours do you need for the Carroll University PA program?

Jenna applied with 650 PCE hours as a CNA and patient care technician, expecting 2,000 by the start of school, plus 436 HCE hours. [VERIFY] Confirm the program's current PCE requirements.

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

Jenna converted eight applications into five interview offers and three acceptances with modest patient care hours and almost no shadowing, which tells you how much a well-built personal statement and genuine leadership can carry. Her advice is specific and worth following: start the essay two to three months before CASPA opens, and use it to show how everything you did in undergrad led you here.

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Carroll University PA Program: Jenna's Acceptance Story