University of the Pacific PA Program: Morgan's Acceptance Story

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Morgan applied to 12 programs on her first attempt, received 6 interview offers, attended 4, and had 2 acceptances at the time she shared her story — landing at the University of the Pacific in Sacramento. She came in with a 3.76 GPA, over 1,800 PCE hours, and a genuinely good attitude about the process. Her interviews included an MMI, and she describes actually enjoying them once the first-round nerves wore off.

Last Updated: August 2, 2026

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

Why PA?

Detective work in medicine, flexibility of specialty, speed of school, work life balance!

In this post:

How many programs did you apply to?

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, Morgan's letter lineup is the most interesting part of her file. She had a PA who was also her advisor, a professor, a physical therapist from her patient care job, and a clinical psychologist from her healthcare experience — four writers from four genuinely different vantage points, none of them redundant. Committees notice that, because it means four independent people vouched for different aspects of how she works. Her tone is also worth taking seriously. She converted 6 of 12 applications into interview offers and describes the interview days as fun. Applicants who enjoy the conversation tend to interview better, and that isn't luck; it comes from being prepared enough to relax.

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

6 interview offers (this far). Attended 4. Accepted at 2 so far.

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Morgan used a program search tool to filter for schools whose requirements she actually met before building her list. That single step prevents the most common wasted application — one sent to a program you were never eligible for. [VERIFY] Confirm the PAEA program directory and any third-party search tools reflect current cycle requirements before relying on them.

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Where will you be attending?

University of Pacific in Sacramento, CA

Anything you found surprising about interviews?

Finally having fun & enjoying the process once I got the first interview jitters out!! Really enjoyed the process, meeting people, seeing the schools, the free food! (Haha). And MMI was FUN!

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

Paprogramsearch.com helped me find all the schools that I fit the requirements for The PA school interview guide for prep for interviews helped me feel more confident! Looked at the PA school interview course, wish I could have used it more!!

Any other advice for other pre-PA students?

Enjoy the journey! Know it's a long haul and takes tons of work & sacrifice, but it is all worth it once you get that YES from a school! And you will get it, so keep trying!

Where can we find you? (website, instagram, etc)

My instagram is: @morganbrandt10

Need to Know:

Undergraduate education: Point Loma Nazarene University- applied health science
Overall GPA: 3.76
Science GPA: 3.75
GRE: 309. 5.0 on writing
Total HCE hours: 234+
Total PCE hours: 1,800+
Shadowing hours: 64
Other volunteer hours: 1,120
LORs: 1 PA / advisor, 1 professor, 1 PT from PCE, 1 clinical psychologist from HCE
How many times did you apply?: Once
Age: 23
Gender: Female

FAQ

What GPA do you need for the University of the Pacific PA program?

Morgan was accepted with a 3.76 overall GPA and a 3.75 science GPA. [VERIFY] Confirm the University of the Pacific's current minimum GPA requirements.

Does the University of the Pacific PA program require the GRE?

Morgan submitted a GRE score of 309 with a 5.0 on the writing section. [VERIFY] Confirm whether the program currently requires the GRE, as many have dropped it.

How many patient care hours do you need for the University of the Pacific PA program?

Morgan applied with more than 1,800 PCE hours, plus 234+ HCE hours, 64 shadowing hours, and 1,120 other volunteer hours. [VERIFY] Confirm the program's current PCE requirements.

Does the University of the Pacific use MMI interviews?

Morgan encountered an MMI during her cycle and found it enjoyable. Formats vary by program and change between cycles. [VERIFY] Confirm the University of the Pacific's current interview format.

Who should write your PA school letters of recommendation?

Morgan used four writers covering distinct angles: a PA who was also her academic advisor, a professor, a physical therapist from her patient care job, and a clinical psychologist from her healthcare experience. Variety across academic, clinical, and supervisory relationships is generally stronger than several letters saying the same thing.

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

Morgan's story is a straightforward first-cycle success: solid grades, a well-filtered school list, letters from four different kinds of people who knew her, and enough preparation to actually enjoy her interview days. If you're early in the process, the most transferable piece is her filtering — build your list from programs whose requirements you verifiably meet, then put your energy into being someone worth talking to for a full interview day.

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University of the Pacific PA Program: Morgan's Acceptance Story