Drexel University PA Program: Matthew's Acceptance Story

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Matthew applied to 21 PA programs, was invited to 14 interviews, attended eight, and finished with four acceptances, two waitlists, and one rejection — choosing Drexel University. He was 30, returning to healthcare after five years in entrepreneurial work, with a Master's in Health Care Administration, zero patient care hours, and 1,170 HCE hours scribing in one of the country's busiest emergency departments. He says 21 applications was too many and reflected self-doubt.

Last Updated: August 2, 2026

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

I was invited to 14 interviews and managed to attend 8. Of those 8 interviews I was rejected from 1, placed on 2 waitlists, accepted to 4 and have one remaining decision in progress.

In this post:

Where will you be attending?

I could not be more excited to join the prestigious program at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, Matthew's 14 interview invitations from 21 applications is one of the highest conversion rates we've published, and it happened with zero patient care hours on his file. What carried him was breadth: a graduate degree with a 4.0 science GPA, 1,170 hours scribing in a high-volume trauma ED, 276 shadowing hours across four specialties, and thousands of hours in teaching and leadership roles. His instruction to place value in all your experience is the right lesson — non-clinical leadership and teaching are real qualifications when you frame them well. Note that applying with zero PCE requires targeting programs that don't set a minimum.

Any red flags on your application?

I was somewhat of a nontraditional applicant. I completed my graduate degree in 2013 and following, pursued some entrepreneurial opportunities away from healthcare and education. I was concerned coming back 5 years later would be a red flag. Additionally, I had two withdrawal fails and a few grades that I was prompted about at a number of interviews. We are not perfect, and programs do not expect you to be.

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Matthew applied to 21 programs and says he'd recommend about 15 in hindsight — the extra applications came from self-doubt rather than strategy. He had two withdrawal-fails on his transcript and was asked about them at several interviews. [VERIFY] Confirm Drexel's current PCE requirements.

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Anything you found surprising about interviews?

I was initially surprised by how little many of the programs knew about me or my application. I anticipated very personal, penetrating questions about my application but was pleasantly surprised by the casual nature of much of the interview process. The programs and interviews that I favored took the time to get to know me. They were intentional with their questioning and truly wanted to know my story and how it led me to their interview.

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

I read Andrew J. Rodican’s “How to Ace the PA interview” (Affiliate link) twice as well as ‘PA School Interview Guide’ by Savanna Perry to familiarize myself with all things interview. I found both books incredibly useful at preparing me for the various interview styles I encountered. When initially applying I used ‘The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs’ for a quick overview of the programs I was planning on applying to. Don’t be scared of social media, there great influencers sharing their PA School journey through Instagram and Youtube that offer tons of useful content that can help you prepare for your cycle. Lastly, for all those nervous about GRE prep I know my score wasn’t the strongest part of my application but I found ‘Magoosh’ online test prep incredibly helpful for organizing study schedules, material and practice testing.

Any other advice for other pre-PA students?

At the end of the day you have to get to a place where you believe in yourself, your application and your story. Don’t get lost on the forums where statistics and scores seem totally unattainable. Start the process early, don’t wait getting your letters of recommendation in progress and your application ready heading into the cycle. Give yourself an advantage by applying early. For me the best advice I can offer is to write a compelling personal statement. Give committees and programs something to read that will force them to meet you, it’s one document where you get to narrate the story, don’t miss out on that opportunity!

Where can we find you?

Instagram: @grungymatt

Need to Know:

Undergraduate education: B.S. in Biology from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona
Overall GPA: 3.60
Science GPA: 3.59
Graduate Education: Masters in Health Care Administration from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona
Overall Graduate GPA: 3.75
Science Graduate GPA: 4.0
GRE: 306 Verbal: 152, Quantitative: 154, Writing: 4
Total HCE hours: 1170 as a medical scribe in the 6th busiest Emergency Department in the country. Our hospital was also a trauma center in which we were responsible to scribe trauma shifts as well.
Total PCE hours: 0
Shadowing hours: 276, accumulated through the Emergency Department, Behavioral Health, Pediatrics and Cardiothoracic Surgery. I think shadowing is some of the most valuable hours you can obtain, giving you countless experiences to highlight during your interviews.
Other volunteer hours: Leadership:1280 Teaching:4680 Volunteer:435 (Place value in all your experience.)
LORs: 2 PA, 2 Physicians, 1 Previous Instructor
How many times did you apply?: 1
Age: 30
How many programs did you apply to? 21… I am well aware the average applicant applies to 6-8 programs but I truly devalued my application and struggled with a lot of self-doubt. My main focus was becoming a physician assistant. Not staying close to home, or attending my alma mater. I wanted to attend the strongest program available to me and a program that truly was a good fit for me. Looking back I think applying to around 15 programs would have been a really good amount.

FAQ

Can you get into PA school with zero patient care hours?

It's possible at programs without a hard PCE minimum. Matthew had 0 PCE hours alongside 1,170 HCE scribe hours and received 14 interview invitations. Most programs do require patient care experience, so verify each school's policy before building a list around this.

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

Matthew was accepted with a 3.60 undergraduate GPA, a 3.59 science GPA, and a 3.75 graduate GPA with a 4.0 graduate science GPA. [VERIFY] Confirm Drexel's current published minimum requirements directly with the program.

Does Drexel's PA program require the GRE?

Matthew submitted a 306 GRE (152 verbal, 154 quantitative, 4 writing). [VERIFY] Confirm the current testing policy before registering for the exam.

How many PA schools should you apply to?

Matthew applied to 21 and suggests around 15 would have been better, noting the average applicant applies to 6 to 8. The right number depends on how many programs' requirements you clearly meet. Applying broadly out of anxiety adds cost without proportional benefit.

Is 30 too old to apply to PA school?

No. Matthew applied at 30 after five years working outside healthcare and received 14 interview invitations. He worried the gap would be a red flag; instead his graduate degree, leadership, and teaching experience strengthened his file. Be ready to explain the transition clearly.

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

Matthew came back to healthcare after five years away, with no patient care hours and two withdrawal-fails on his transcript, and collected four acceptances. His advice about the personal statement is the takeaway: it's the one document where you control the narrative. Use it to make a committee want to meet you.

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Drexel University PA Program: Matthew's Acceptance Story