Methodist University PA Program: Savannah's Acceptance Story

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Savannah applied to 10 PA programs, was invited to five interviews, declined four, and was accepted at the one she attended — Methodist University in Fayetteville, NC. She was 20 years old when accepted, had a 3.93 GPA, and reached her patient care hours as a paramedic and EMT-Basic. Her biggest regret is how much time she spent talking herself out of applying.

Last Updated: August 2, 2026

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

Invited to 5 interviews, rejected 4 of the invites, and accepted to the 1 school I interviewed with.

In this post:

Where will you be attending?

Methodist University in Fayetteville, NC. I am local to this area, so Methodist was one of my top picks.

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, Savannah's note about paramedic intern hours not counting at certain schools is a detail worth checking before you apply. Roughly 500 of her hours were excluded by some programs based on how the role was classified, which can meaningfully change whether you meet a stated minimum. Read each program's definition of qualifying PCE rather than assuming your role transfers. Her framing of the interview as a two-way evaluation is also the right instinct — how a program communicates with you before you enroll tells you a great deal about what the next two to three years will feel like.

Any red flags on your application?

35th percentile in math section on the GRE, my age, and lower PCE hours

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Savannah was 20 years old when she was accepted and listed her age as a red flag. She was invited to five interviews, including at programs she considered reaches. [VERIFY] Confirm Methodist University's current PCE requirements and how they classify paramedic intern hours.

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Anything you found surprising about interviews?

The faculty was easy to talk to, and they were also transparent about any issues the school had dealt with in the past. Methodist exhibited professionalism throughout the entire process, even before I had applied. Their program director answered emails promptly, and the interview process was explained in great detail. When contacting schools and interviewing with them, please keep in mind how they talk to you and how eager they are to assist you with questions. This process is a two way street, and they are trying to sell themselves to you too.

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

For interview prep questions, I used How To “Ace” The Physician Assistant School Interview by Andrew Rodican (Affiliate Link). The book gave me a feel for what questions to expect, but the book felt outdated in some areas. For websites, I used the PA student forum and Savanna’s blog posts. The Pre-PA Club on Facebook was also useful. On the forum, I was able to connect with people who were interviewing, and I met up with some of them before we interviewed. Now some of them are going to be my classmates!

Any other advice for other pre-PA students?

If you meet the requirements to apply, go ahead and do it. When CASPA opened up, I had made up so many reasons I shouldn’t apply (age, GRE score, low PCE). I ended up getting interviews at schools that were my “reach” schools, so I had worried myself to death for no reason. Do your best to prepare for interviews early because sometimes schools give a last minute interview to people, and you might not have time to start prepping like you had thought. Finally, APPLY EARLY!

Where can we find you?

My Instagram is @savannahmelvin

Need to Know:

Undergraduate education: University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Major: Biology with a Biomedical Emphasis. I will be graduating in May 2019.
Overall GPA: 3.93
Science GPA: 3.95
GRE: 304 with a 4.5 writing score
Total HCE hours: 0 (lol)
Total PCE hours: At the time of application, ~1300-1800. 500 of my hours were not counted at certain schools because I obtained them as a Paramedic Intern. Most of my patient care hours were obtained as a Paramedic and the rest I functioned as an EMT-Basic.
Shadowing hours: 54 with a PA and 8 with a physician
Other volunteer hours: ~350. Most hours were obtained volunteering at events for our honors college.
LORs: Dean of the Honors College, a PA that teaches at the university I wanted to attend, Biochemistry professor, Physics professor, Supervisor/Owner of company I worked for
How many times did you apply?: 1
Age: 21 now, and 20 at the time of applying/being accepted
Gender: Female
How many programs did you apply to? 10. Still waiting to hear back from 5 schools.

FAQ

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

Savannah was accepted with a 3.93 overall GPA and a 3.95 science GPA. [VERIFY] Confirm Methodist University's current published minimum GPA requirements directly with the program.

Does Methodist University's PA program require the GRE?

Savannah submitted a 304 GRE with a 4.5 writing score, and noted she scored in the 35th percentile on the math section. [VERIFY] Confirm the current testing policy before registering.

Are you too young to apply to PA school at 20?

No. Savannah applied at 20 and was accepted at 20, receiving five interview invitations. She listed her age as a perceived red flag, but programs evaluate readiness through your coursework, experience, and interview performance rather than a birthdate.

Do paramedic hours count as patient care experience for PA school?

Usually yes for licensed paramedic work, but classification matters. Savannah reported that about 500 hours earned as a paramedic intern were not counted by certain schools. Check each program's definition of qualifying PCE before you rely on those hours.

Should you apply to PA school if you're worried you're not competitive?

Savannah's answer is yes, if you meet the requirements. She talked herself out of applying repeatedly over her age, GRE, and low PCE, then received interviews at her reach schools. Meeting stated minimums is the threshold — the rest is the committee's call, not yours.

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

Savannah spent months building a case against her own application and then received five interview invitations. If you meet a program's requirements, the worst outcome of applying is a rejection you were already assuming. Apply early, prepare for interviews before the invitation arrives, and pay attention to how programs treat you along the way.

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Methodist University PA Program: Savannah's Acceptance Story