UC Davis PA Program: Cindy's Acceptance Story

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Cindy applied to 10 programs, earned 4 interviews, and finished the cycle with 3 waitlists and an acceptance at UC Davis. She brought an unusually high 307 shadowing hours and nearly 5,800 combined HCE and PCE hours. Her hardest-won lesson had nothing to do with her stats: she was automatically rejected by several programs over prerequisite details she'd overlooked, like a minimum grade in English and a biology sequence requirement.

Last Updated: August 2, 2026

Your Pre-PA Bestie Blog - everything you need to know to become a PA in one place.

Why PA?

To be in the optimal position to make a difference in our population's future in health. And to be able to collaborate with a team of other healthcare professionals while doing so.

In this post:

How many programs did you apply to?

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, the failure mode Cindy describes is one of the most preventable and one of the most common. Applicants spend months on a personal statement and then get auto-rejected because a program required a specific minimum grade in English, or a two-course biology sequence rather than a credit total. CASPA does not catch these for you. Before you commit an application fee, pull each program's prerequisite table and check it line by line against your transcript, including minimum grades, course sequences, recency windows, and whether labs are required. Cindy's 307 shadowing hours are also worth noting, that is far above what most applicants bring, and it signals she genuinely understood the role before committing to it.

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

4 interviews 3 waitlists

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Cindy finished her cycle with 4 interviews, 3 waitlists, and 1 acceptance. Waitlists are not rejections, and they move, often well into the summer. If you land on one, send a thoughtful letter of continued interest and keep accumulating patient care hours in the meantime.

YOUR TURN

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Where will you be attending?

UC Davis

Anything you found surprising about interviews?

The faculty were a lot more warming and welcoming than expected. They literally just want to get to know who you are. It was hard for me to remember that the faculty literally know nothing about who I am. So it's up to me to open myself up and share my experiences thoughts and strengths with them.

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

How to ace the physician assistant interview by Andrew Rodican. How to write your physician assistant personal statement by Stephan Pasquini. The PA platform. PAschoolforum blog. PAEA program directory.

Any other advice for other pre-PA students?

It's important to double check the small details in program's requirements and then triple check again. I was automatically denied from a couple programs due to small details that I had overlooked such as an English course minimum grade or biology courses needing to be a sequence rather than just a set amount of credits. Getting closer to interview season, it's important to self reflect on your passion and why this profession is important to you and think about ways you can verbalize that during your interviews. Also remember that these schools are investing in you as a student by giving you a seat in their program. So make sure to sell yourself as a student and give the faculty no reason to doubt your commitment or success in their program. But don't forget to let your personality shine. Nothing's worse than a robotic rehearsed answer that is not personable. Just take a moment, breathe and relax before your interviews. You got this! You're a commodity, let it be known 🙂

Where can we find you?

Instagram: cindylouuu__

Need to Know:

Undergraduate education: Major in kinesiology, Minor in psychology
Overall GPA: 3.47
Science GPA: 3.26
GRE: Combined score: 295 writing score: 4.0
Total HCE hours: 2,466
Total PCE hours: 3,328
Shadowing hours: 307
Other volunteer hours: 124 volunteer hours. 54 kinesiology club hours. 324 leadership hours.
LORs: 1: MD 1: PA-C 1: employer manager 1: undergrad professor
How many times did you apply?: 1
Age: 24
Gender: Female

FAQ

What GPA do you need for the UC Davis PA program?

Cindy was accepted with a 3.47 overall GPA and a 3.26 science GPA. Confirm UC Davis's current minimum GPA requirements.

Does UC Davis require the GRE for its PA program?

Cindy submitted a combined GRE score of 295 with a 4.0 writing score. Confirm whether UC Davis currently requires the GRE, as many programs have dropped the requirement.

How many patient care hours do you need for the UC Davis PA program?

Cindy applied with 3,328 PCE hours and 2,466 HCE hours, plus 307 shadowing hours. Confirm UC Davis's current PCE requirements.

How many shadowing hours do you need for PA school?

Most programs either recommend a modest number or don't require shadowing at all, but Cindy logged 307 hours. Beyond meeting a requirement, substantial shadowing gives you concrete material for interviews and confirms the profession is right for you before you commit.

Why do PA schools automatically reject applications?

Usually because a prerequisite requirement wasn't met exactly. Cindy was auto-denied by several programs over details she'd overlooked, including a minimum grade in an English course and a biology sequence requirement rather than a credit total. Verify every prerequisite against your transcript before paying for an application.

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

Cindy got into UC Davis on her first attempt with solid but not extraordinary numbers, and her story is most useful as a warning about the administrative side of applying. Several of her applications never got a real review because of prerequisite details she missed. Check the fine print before you pay, then focus your energy where it actually pays off, being a specific, unrehearsed, recognizable person in the interview room.

UC Davis PA Program: Cindy's Acceptance Story