Stony Brook PA Program: Ariana's Acceptance Story (4 Acceptances)

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Ariana applied to 11 programs, received 8 interview invitations, attended 5, and finished with 4 acceptances and a waitlist — choosing Stony Brook University. She had a 3.82 GPA in both overall and science, chose not to take the GRE at all, and had roughly 2,500 PCE hours as a medical assistant and phlebotomist at a primary care office. Two of her four letters came from physicians she worked directly under.

Last Updated: August 2, 2026

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How many programs did you apply to?

In this post:

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

I received 8 interview invitations. Of those 8, I attended 5 of them and in the end I was accepted to 4 programs and waitlisted at 1.

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, Ariana's advice to interrogate the current students is the most underused opportunity on interview day. Applicants spend the day trying to impress faculty and forget that they are also choosing where to spend the next two to three years — and current students will tell you things the brochure won't about workload, rotation quality, faculty accessibility, and cost of living. She had four acceptances to choose between, so those conversations directly determined her decision. Her file is also a useful data point on the GRE: she chose not to take it at all and still converted 8 of 11 applications into interviews, which is only possible if you build your list from programs that don't require it.

Where will you be attending?

Stony Brook University

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Ariana's 110 shadowing hours were all with one primary care PA, who then wrote one of her letters. Depth with a single clinician produces both understanding and advocacy — a recurring pattern across the strongest applications in this wave.

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Anything you found surprising about interviews?

I was very surprised at the great effort the programs put in to make everyone who was interviewing feel more at ease. They truly just want to get to know you!

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

To prepare, I used the PA Interview Guide by Savanna Perry, which I definitely recommend. I also watched some interview practice videos on Youtube, which were helpful as well.

Any other advice for other pre-PA students?

Clinical experiences are very important. Don't be afraid to take a gap year if you need to! At your interviews, ask as many questions as you can. I met some of the current PA students at all of the programs I interviewed with and asking them about their experiences (what they liked/disliked about the program, their classes, professors, clinical rotations, living situations, etc) really helped me in making my decision! Also, most importantly, I know this sounds cliché but BE YOURSELF! 🙂

Where can we find you?

@arianitaalmonte

Need to Know:

Undergraduate education: I received my Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science from the University at Buffalo.
Overall GPA: 3.82
Science GPA: 3.82
GRE: I chose to not take the GRE
Total PCE hours: At the time of application: ~2500 hours as a Medical Assistant and Phlebotomist at a primary care office.
Total HCE hours: At the time of application: ~60 hours as a hospital volunteer.
Shadowing hours: ~110 hours shadowing a PA-C working in primary care.
Volunteer hours: I have some teaching experience: I worked approximately 100 hours as a teaching assistant for a human anatomy course during my undergraduate career.
LORs: 2 from D.O's that I have worked directly under through my job, 1 from the physician assistant I shadowed and worked with, and 1 from my office supervisor.
How many times did you apply?: Once!
Age: 23
Gender: Female

FAQ

What GPA do you need for the Stony Brook PA program?

Ariana was accepted with a 3.82 overall GPA and a 3.82 science GPA. [VERIFY] Confirm Stony Brook's current minimum GPA requirements.

Does the Stony Brook PA program require the GRE?

Ariana chose not to take the GRE and was accepted to four programs including Stony Brook. [VERIFY] Confirm Stony Brook's current GRE policy before assuming it is optional.

How many patient care hours do you need for the Stony Brook PA program?

Ariana applied with roughly 2,500 PCE hours as a medical assistant and phlebotomist at a primary care office, plus about 60 HCE hours and 110 shadowing hours. [VERIFY] Confirm the program's current PCE requirements.

What questions should you ask at a PA school interview?

Ask current students the practical things: what they like and dislike about the program, their classes and professors, how clinical rotations are structured, and what living there is actually like. Ariana credits those conversations with helping her choose among four acceptances.

Should you take a gap year before PA school?

If you need one, yes. Ariana's advice is not to be afraid of it, and she emphasizes that clinical experience matters — a gap year spent accumulating patient care hours generally strengthens an application 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

Ariana turned 11 applications into 8 interview invitations and 4 acceptances without ever sitting for the GRE. Her strongest practical advice concerns the part of interview day most applicants waste: talk to the current students, ask them everything, and remember you're evaluating the program as much as it's evaluating you. With four offers on the table, that's exactly how she decided.

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Stony Brook PA Program: Ariana's Acceptance Story (4 Acceptances)