Johnson and Wales PA Program: Brittany's Acceptance Story

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Brittany applied to 12 programs, received 6 interview invitations, attended 4, and finished with one waitlist and three acceptances — choosing Johnson and Wales University. She had a 3.89 overall GPA, a 3.7 science GPA, 4,000 PCE hours, and 200 shadowing hours, with four letters including two from PAs.

Last Updated: August 2, 2026

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Why PA?

Lateral mobility, more one-on-one patient interaction, high autonomy

In this post:

How many programs did you apply to?

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, Brittany's file is a clean example of the profile programs are most comfortable admitting: a 3.89 GPA, 4,000 hours of direct patient care, 200 shadowing hours, and half of her letters from practicing PAs. Six interview invitations from 12 applications and three acceptances is what that combination tends to produce. The 200 shadowing hours are the part we'd highlight for anyone building an application — that's roughly ten times what many applicants report, and it's why two PAs knew her well enough to write for her. Her healthcare experience hours are low at 100, which is a reminder that programs generally care far more about PCE.

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

6 invites, 4 interviews, one waitlist and 3 acceptances

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Brittany logged 4,000 patient care hours alongside just 100 healthcare experience hours. That ratio is the right way around — when programs set minimums, they almost always set them on direct patient care.

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Where will you be attending?

Johnson and Wales University

Anything you found surprising about interviews?

It was a really relaxed environment and the programs really just want to know who you are!

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

PA school interview guide- Savannah Perry

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Need to Know:

Undergraduate education: Kinesiology
Overall GPA: 3.89
Science GPA: 3.7
GRE: 405
Total PCE hours: 4,000
Total HCE hours: 100
Shadowing hours: 200
LORs: 4: two PA's, 1 doctor, 1 college professor
How many times did you apply?: 1
Age: 24
Gender: Female

FAQ

What GPA do you need for the Johnson and Wales PA program?

Brittany was accepted with a 3.89 overall GPA and a 3.7 science GPA. [VERIFY] Confirm Johnson and Wales's current minimum GPA requirements.

Does Johnson and Wales University's PA program require the GRE?

Brittany reported a GRE figure of 405, which does not correspond to the current 130-170 per-section scale and may reflect an older scoring format. [VERIFY] Confirm the program's current GRE policy and the intended score format.

How many patient care hours do you need for the Johnson and Wales PA program?

Brittany applied with 4,000 PCE hours, 100 HCE hours, and 200 shadowing hours. [VERIFY] Confirm the program's current PCE requirements.

How many shadowing hours should you have for PA school?

Requirements vary and many programs recommend rather than require shadowing, but Brittany's 200 hours are well above average. Beyond meeting requirements, extensive shadowing gives you concrete interview material and produces letter writers — two of her four letters came from PAs.

How many PA schools should you apply to?

Brittany applied to 12 and received 6 interview invitations, an excellent conversion rate for a strong applicant. Twelve is a reasonable target for most applicants; those with lower GPAs generally need a larger list.

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

Brittany converted 12 applications into 6 interview invitations and 3 acceptances with strong grades and 4,000 hours of hands-on patient care. The detail worth borrowing is the 200 shadowing hours — enough time with practicing PAs that two of them could write substantively on her behalf, and enough exposure that her three-item answer to "why PA" is grounded in what she actually watched them do.

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Johnson and Wales PA Program: Brittany's Acceptance Story