Northwestern College PA Program: Mindy's Acceptance Story

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Mindy applied twice. The difference the second time wasn't her stats — it was that she asked for help. Her first cycle she researched alone, never reached out to PAs or PA students, and found no online community. Her second cycle she used those resources, applied to six programs, interviewed at three, and was accepted at Northwestern College in Iowa with a 3.83 GPA and 2,244 PCE hours as a telemetry monitor technician and homecare support worker.

Last Updated: August 2, 2026

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Why PA?

I am passionate about being a healthcare provider that patients can trust to have their best interest in mind, feel comfortable with, and can rely on. I want to be a PA and use my knowledge, training and resources to provide superior care. From my patient care experiences I have experienced how much joy it brings me to serve patients, help them succeed, thrive and live a full life. Lastly, I am passionate about expanding access to quality healthcare in rural and underserved areas and populations in the Midwest and want to be a PA in these areas.

In this post:

How many programs did you apply to?

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, Mindy's account of what changed between cycles is the most quietly useful thing in this batch. Her grades and hours were already respectable the first time. What she lacked was information — she hadn't talked to PAs, hadn't talked to PA students, and hadn't found the community of people going through the same process. Applying in isolation means you don't know what programs actually want, what interview formats to expect, or which of your weaknesses matter. She also does something we wish more applicants did: she explains how she classified her hours, noting that 140 of her 156 volunteer hours were counted as HCE rather than double-reported. That kind of careful, honest categorization is exactly right.

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

I interviewed at 3 schools. 1 acceptance and 2 waitlists.

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Mindy got her main shadowing opportunity through the mother of one of her homecare clients, who worked at the same clinic as the PA. Shadowing connections come from unexpected places — mention what you're pursuing to everyone in your orbit.

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Where will you be attending?

Northwestern College in Iowa.

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

Pre-PA social media accounts and blogs! I learned so much about current issues in the PA field and just more about the profession in general. I was able to use some of this information in my interviews. The majority of information came from the PA Platform and I watched most of their webinars and live events, read posts and blogs. These accounts/blogs also provide so much information about CASPA, the application and interview processes. I also did a mock interview with the PA Platform which helped me become more confident in myself and my answers for my interviews.

Any advice for other pre-PA students?

Ask questions and ask for help! The first time I applied, I tried to research on my own, didn't really reach out to PAs or PA students, and I didn't find a community online of current applicants! The second time a applied I used more resources like this and felt more as ease with the process and more confident in my myself and for the interview.

Need to Know:

Undergraduate Education: Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, MN
Overall GPA: 3.83
Science GPA: 3.66
GRE: Verbal-153. Quantitative-152. Writing-4.5
PA-CAT: Did not take
Total PCE hours: I had a total of 2,244 hours of PCE. During undergrad I worked part time as a support worker for individuals with disabilities in homecare. I worked with individuals that were nonverbal and had medical issues. To gain patient care experience I administered medications and food orally and through a g-tube. I recorded I/Os, and any changes to the clients conditions. To gain the majority of my PCE hours, I worked as a Monitor Technician in Telemetry during my gap years. As a Telemetry tech I performed and monitored patients' vital signs including ECG. I reported any findings to RN/care team. I also performed CNA work, I/Os, ambulation, transfers, and feedings.
Total HCE hours: I had a total of 140 hours of HCE which I gained by volunteering at the hospital I worked at. I worked at the information desk where my duties were to welcome patients to the hospital, give directions, escort patients in wheelchairs if needed, and handle and deliver packages that were delivered to the hospital entrance.
Shadowing hours: I shadowed a total of 56 hours. 32 hours was with a PA working in Family Med Clinic. I met this PA through one of my home care client's mom, who worked at the same clinic as this PA. I shadowed with a NP in cardiology at the hospital that I worked at. I was able to observed a few cardiac procedures, such as a coronary angiogram, TEE, stress test, and DCCV. I also shadowed a MD in Family Med for 8 hours.
Volunteer hours: I had a total of 156 hours of volunteering, but 140 of them were volunteering at a hospital information desk and I classified those hours as HCE. I had 24 hours of volunteering from college volleyball opportunities. I was able to collect food for the local food shelf and organize a fundraiser for cancer awareness.
How many times did you apply?: 2
Age: 23
Gender: Female

FAQ

What GPA do you need for the Northwestern College PA program?

Mindy was accepted with a 3.83 overall GPA and a 3.66 science GPA on her second application cycle. [VERIFY] Confirm Northwestern College's current minimum GPA requirements.

Does Northwestern College's PA program require the GRE or PA-CAT?

Mindy submitted GRE scores of 153 verbal, 152 quantitative, and 4.5 writing, and did not take the PA-CAT. [VERIFY] Confirm the program's current testing requirements.

Does telemetry monitor tech work count as patient care experience?

Yes. Mindy's telemetry work involved performing and monitoring vital signs including ECG, reporting findings to the care team, and CNA duties including ambulation, transfers, and feedings. That's direct patient care.

Should you count volunteer hours as HCE or volunteer hours?

Pick one and don't double-report. Mindy had 156 volunteer hours but classified 140 of them as healthcare experience because they were served at a hospital information desk, leaving 24 as general volunteering. Honest, consistent categorization is what programs expect.

What should you change when reapplying to PA school?

Mindy's answer is to stop working in isolation. Her second cycle differed mainly in that she asked questions, reached out to PAs and PA students, used webinars and blogs, and did a mock interview — which left her more confident and better informed rather than just better credentialed.

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

Mindy's second cycle succeeded largely because she stopped trying to figure this out alone. She reached out, found a community, learned what programs were actually looking for, and practiced interviewing — then converted three interviews into an acceptance and two waitlists. If you're preparing an application by yourself off a program website, that's the gap worth closing first.

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Northwestern College PA Program: Mindy's Acceptance Story