Third Cycle Acceptance: Patricia's PA School Story (3.3 GPA)

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Patricia applied three times, to roughly 28 programs across all three cycles, and got no interviews at all in the first two. Before her third attempt she earned an EMT license, retook classes, added shadowing and volunteering, and targeted programs whose accepted GPAs matched her 3.3. That cycle produced 3 interviews, a waitlist, and an acceptance.

Last Updated: August 2, 2026

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Why PA?

I really enjoyed the role as you are working on a team but still get to treat and diagnose patients and it’s based on the medical model.

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How many programs did you apply to?

I don’t even know, around 28 for all 3 cycles

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, two cycles with zero interviews almost always means something structural is off — usually school selection, prerequisite grades, or an application that does not tell a clear story. Patricia diagnosed all three. She raised her clinical hours with an EMT license, retook coursework, and then did the step most reapplicants skip: she researched which programs actually accept GPAs in her range and applied there. Targeting the right list is often the difference between a third cycle and a fourth.

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

3 interviews – 1 waitlisted 1 accepted 1 still waiting to hear back

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Patricia found a PA to shadow during the pandemic by reaching out to friends and clinics everywhere — persistence in a season when most applicants assumed shadowing was impossible.

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Where will you be attending?

TBD: waiting on my last interview

Anything you found interesting about interviews:

They were all so nice! The staff at my schools were very welcoming and were so down to earth.

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

I used The PA Platform and just a lot of PA videos and physician assistant forum to help create my essay and app.

Any advice for other pre-PA students?

Don’t give up!! My first two cycles I didn’t get any interviews at all. I made a plan to get my emt license, retake classes, and increase shadowing and volunteering hours. I reached out to friends and clinics everywhere until I could find a PA to shadow during the pandemic. I applied smarter and to schools with accepted gpas like mine. I spent monthssss on my essay to showcase my strengths. You can do it!

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

Patricia5827 on Instagram 🙂 I’ll be editing my Instagram to document my pa school progress!

Need to Know:

Undergraduate education: UCF
Overall GPA: 3.3
Science GPA: 3.2
GRE: 306
PA-CAT: Did not take
Total PCE hours: Around 1500 hours- EMT, ER tech
Total HCE hours: Around 6500 hours – scribe
Shadowing hours: Around 110- cardiology pa, optho pa, virtual shadowing
Volunteer hours: Not a lot! Maybe 175. Volunteered with a pet rescue, in a cardiology office, and with red cross
How many times did you apply?: 3
Age: 28
Gender: Female

FAQ

Can you get into PA school after being rejected twice?

Yes. Patricia applied three times and received no interviews in her first two cycles. On the third she had 3 interviews, a waitlist, and an acceptance, after adding an EMT license, retaking classes, and increasing shadowing and volunteer hours.

How do you pick PA programs with a 3.3 GPA?

Patricia applied to schools whose published accepted GPAs matched her own. Checking each program’s most recent matriculating class averages, rather than only its stated minimum, is the practical way to build a realistic list. [VERIFY] current class profile data for any program on your list.

Does being an EMT count as patient care experience for PA school?

For most programs, yes. Patricia logged around 1500 PCE hours as an EMT and ER tech, plus about 6500 HCE hours as a scribe. [VERIFY] how each individual program classifies EMT and scribe hours, as the PCE and HCE split varies by school.

How many times can you apply to PA school?

There is no universal limit. Patricia applied across three cycles to roughly 28 programs total. What changed was not the number of applications but what she fixed between attempts.

Is virtual shadowing accepted for PA school applications?

Many programs began accepting it during the pandemic and some still do. Patricia’s roughly 110 shadowing hours included cardiology, ophthalmology, and virtual shadowing. [VERIFY] each program’s current policy on virtual shadowing hours.

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

Patricia spent monthssss on her essay, her words, and it shows in the outcome. Two cycles of silence did not mean she was not cut out for this — it meant the plan needed work. If you are heading into a reapplication, our resources on rebuilding an application between cycles are built for exactly this moment.

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Third Cycle Acceptance: Patricia's PA School Story (3.3 GPA)