Barry University PA Program: Haley's Acceptance Story

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Haley applied to about 25 PA programs across three cycles, was waitlisted after her single interview in each of the first two years, and on the third cycle received two interviews and an acceptance at her top choice — Barry University's St. Petersburg campus. She retook courses online through Doane University to raise her GPA while continuing to work, finishing with 4,599 PCE hours and 3,668 shadowing hours.

Last Updated: August 2, 2026

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

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

I received one interview invite the first cycle and one interview invite the second cycle, and I was waitlisted both times. The third cycle I received two interviews and was accepted at my number one program so I declined to interview at the other.

In this post:

Where will you be attending?

Barry University (The St. Petersburg Campus)

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, online prerequisite coursework is a genuinely useful tool for working applicants, and Haley's approach of retaking courses online while continuing to accumulate patient care hours is exactly the right trade-off. The critical caveat is verification: not every program accepts online science courses, and lab components in particular are often scrutinized. Confirm acceptance with each school on your list before you enroll and pay. Her shadowing total of 3,668 hours is also remarkable — far beyond what any program requires, and evidence of years of sustained clinical exposure.

Anything you found surprising about interviews?

The other applicants at each interview were always SO nice! It didn’t feel like we were all competing, everyone was nervous and giving each other pep talks and we were total strangers! It really is a community and I loved how supportive everyone was.

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Haley was waitlisted after her only interview in two consecutive cycles, then declined an interview in year three because her top choice had already accepted her. [VERIFY] Confirm whether Barry University accepts online prerequisite coursework and lab components.

****INSERT FREE LEAD MAGNET FORM OR HTML BLOCK AND DELETE TEXT BOX*****

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

I actually retook a couple of courses to boost my GPA and I found Doane University to be very helpful because they offered a ton of pre-req classes online, even Anatomy and Physiology with lab, and that was really helpful because I really wanted to be able to work and gain PCE as much as possible. Also, the book How to “Ace” the Physician Assistant School Interview by Andrew J. Rodican (affiliate link) is super helpful!

Any other advice for other pre-PA students?

If being a PA is something you really want to do and you are truly passionate, do not give up. It wasn’t easy reapplying multiple times and getting waitlisted two years in a row… but everything happens for a reason and it was all worth it in the end 🙂

Need to Know:

Undergraduate education: I majored in Health Sciences, Pre-Clinical and got my Bachelor of Science at the University of Central Florida
Overall GPA: 3.42
Science GPA: 3.35
GRE: 301
Total PCE hours: 4,599
Shadowing hours: 3,668
Other volunteer hours: 60
LORs: I had 5 LORs: 1 from a PA, 1 from an RN, 1 from a professor, and 2 from physicians.
How many times did you apply?: 3
Age: 24
Gender: Female
How many programs did you apply to? Over the course of three years, I applied to about 25 programs

FAQ

What GPA do you need for the Barry University PA program?

Haley was accepted with a 3.42 overall GPA and a 3.35 science GPA after retaking a couple of courses. [VERIFY] Confirm Barry University's current published minimum GPA requirements directly with the program.

Does Barry University's PA program require the GRE?

Haley submitted a 301 GRE. [VERIFY] Confirm the current testing policy before registering for the exam.

Can you take PA school prerequisites online?

Sometimes. Haley retook prerequisites online through Doane University, including Anatomy and Physiology with lab, which let her keep working and building PCE hours. Policies vary widely and some programs restrict online labs, so verify with each program before enrolling.

Is it worth reapplying to PA school after being waitlisted?

Yes. Haley was waitlisted after her only interview in two consecutive cycles, then received two interviews and an acceptance in her third. Each cycle let her retake courses and add patient care hours.

How many shadowing hours is too many for PA school?

There's no upper limit, though returns diminish. Haley logged 3,668 shadowing hours, far beyond typical requirements. Once you've met program minimums, additional patient care hours or improved coursework generally strengthen an application more than more shadowing.

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

Haley applied to roughly 25 programs over three years and spent two of them on waitlists. She used that time to retake courses online while she kept working, and the third cycle brought an acceptance at her number one choice. Sometimes the answer really is just to keep going.

***INSERT HTML SERVICE BLOCK CTA****

Barry University PA Program: Haley's Acceptance Story