Rutgers PA Program: Tyler's Acceptance Story

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Tyler applied to eleven programs on his first cycle and was accepted at both schools he interviewed with, choosing Rutgers. He started university as a theater major, finished a public health degree in three years, and credits the non-science half of his background with making him a better communicator. His stats and advice follow, exactly as he shared them with us.

Last Updated: August 2, 2026

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Meet Tyler

A huge thank you to Tyler for sharing his stats, and some advice regarding getting into PA school. Tyler has a great instagram account you can follow along with as he starts school at Rutgers in the fall – @tyler.fernandes – so definitely check that out!

In this post:

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

Rutgers University- accepted
MCPHS Boston- accepted
Drexel University- declined interview invitation
University of Iowa- interview hold list, denied
Cornell University- second application invite, denied
Duke University- denied
George Washington- denied
Yale University- denied
Northwestern University- denied
Stanford University- denied
Hofstra: N/A, heard they filled their class

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, Tyler's list is a useful reality check on how uneven a successful cycle can look. Eleven applications produced two interviews and two acceptances, with denials from most of the big names in between. A 2-for-11 cycle still ends with you starting PA school in the fall. Applicants who measure success by rejection count talk themselves out of the profession over results that were, in fact, a win.

Any red flags on your application?

My science grades were pretty much B’s or B-‘s, but I was able to raise my GPA with public health courses, which I found more interesting and I was able to perform well in them. Also since I got my degree in 3 years, I had overloaded on difficult sciences courses each semester so I think schools took that into consideration.

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Tyler raised his overall GPA using public health coursework he actually enjoyed, rather than grinding out more science credits for their own sake. If your science GPA is capped by grades already on the transcript, strong performance in adjacent coursework still moves your overall number and gives you something honest to discuss at interview [VERIFY how each program weights overall versus science GPA].

Free Application Timeline → https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-application-timeline/

Anything you found surprising about interviews?

Both interviews I attended were very relaxed. I felt pretty nervous for the first one but the second one felt like a breeze because I already had a feel for what interviews were like. Something that was surprising was that one of the schools had us do a basic anatomy quiz that I was not really prepared for, but I don’t think anyone else thought to prepare for that either!

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

Thepaplatform.com, medtakeovers and premedtakeovers on snapchat, physicianassistantforum.com, The Ultimate Guide to Getting Into Physician Assistant School (third edition), How To “Ace” The Physician Assistant School Interview. (Amazon Affiliate links)

Any other advice for other pre-PA students?

Only do things that you feel passionate about!!! Don’t volunteer for something simply because you want to have more hours for your application. Find something you genuinely enjoy, that you will dedicate time to, and will be proud to talk about during an interview.

Don’t compare every nitty gritty detail of someone’s journey/application to yours. Every aspect of your life, even if its non-healthcare related, will play a part in the type of PA you become. For example, I’m proud of the skills I gained through theater and I think its made me a better communicator and team player.

Prepare for the interview but don’t over think it. You were invited for a reason and the biggest thing is that they want to see that you are human. Smile, have fun, dress well, meet your future classmates and be yourself. Have candid answers to the basic questions (Savanna has an excellent guide on here), do a few mock interviews, and let the pieces fall where they may 🙂

Need to Know:

Undergraduate education: Spent 1 year at Suffolk University as a theater major, transferred to the University of Massachusetts- Amherst and got a BS in public health and a minor in education in 3 years
Overall GPA: 3.68
Science GPA: 3.55
GRE: 313 (verbal: 155 quant: 158 writing: 5)
Total HCE hours: 64 (medical scribe in a prison)
Total PCE hours: 1,262 (CNA in nursing home and in hospital ICU)
Shadowing hours: 48 (ER, Internal Medicine, and Urgent Care)
Other volunteer hours: < 50
LORs: 3 (1 PA, 1 nurse, and my Anatomy professor that I TA’d for)
How many times did you apply? 1
Age: 23
Gender: male
How many programs did you apply to? 11 programs

FAQ

What GPA do you need for the Rutgers PA program?

Tyler was accepted with a 3.68 overall GPA and a 3.55 science GPA. Confirm current minimums directly with the program [VERIFY].

How many patient care hours did Tyler have?

1,262 PCE hours as a CNA in a nursing home and a hospital ICU, plus 64 healthcare experience hours as a medical scribe.

Can you get into PA school with a non-science degree?

Tyler's degree was in public health with a minor in education, after a first year spent as a theater major. He credits theater with making him a stronger communicator, and used public health coursework to lift an overall GPA held down by B's in the sciences.

What GRE score did Tyler have?

A 313 total — 155 verbal, 158 quantitative, and a 5 on the writing section.

How many PA programs should I apply to?

Tyler applied to eleven and interviewed at two, both of which accepted him. A long list is less about improving your odds at any single program and more about giving yourself enough chances to reach an interview.

How can I be featured in an Accepted! post?

Email [email protected] to share your acceptance story and advice with other PA hopefuls.

CLOSING

Tyler's route in ran through a theater department, a prison scribe job and a three-year degree, and it worked on the first try. The parts of your history that look least like a PA application are often the parts worth talking about.

If you’ve been accepted to PA school and would like to share your story in an “Accepted!” post, send an email to [email protected].

Pre-PA Counseling — start your own acceptance story → https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/pre-pa-counseling/

Rutgers PA Program: Tyler's Acceptance Story