Northwestern University PA Program: Rachel's Waitlist-to-Acceptance Story

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Rachel applied to only 4 programs on her first cycle, interviewed at 3, and was waitlisted at every single one of them before being pulled off a list and accepted to Northwestern. She had a 3.76 overall GPA, no GRE, 2,902 PCE hours as an ophthalmic technician and clinical research assistant, and 1,820 HCE hours as a hospitalist medical scribe.

Last Updated: August 2, 2026

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Why PA?

I fell in love with medicine in college after taking anatomy and physiology, and then later becoming a hospitalist medical scribe. But I had a hard time deciding on which career path in medicine was best for me to take. Taking gap years to gain work experience allowed me to take the time to figure out what I value in life and in a career. I became more attracted to the PA profession as I started working with more PAs. I really like the balance between autonomy and teamwork that PAs demonstrated to diagnose and treat medical conditions. I also like the lateral mobility the PA profession uniquely offers. A lot of the PAs I worked with had taken advantage of that throughout their careers to explore their interests and find their niches.

In this post:

How many programs did you apply to?

I only applied to 4 programs.

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, being waitlisted everywhere is one of the most misread outcomes in this process. Three waitlists is not three near-misses — it means three committees found you genuinely admissible and were sorting a cohort. Rachel got exactly one seat out of it, which is all anyone needs. If your cycle ends with a stack of waitlists, stay responsive, send a thoughtful letter of continued interest where permitted, and do not treat the silence as a verdict.

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

I interviewed with 3 programs. I was waitlisted at all 3 programs, but luckily was pulled off a waitlist and given an acceptance.

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Rachel earned her shadowing hours by leaning on relationships she already had with doctors and PAs at work. Twenty hours was enough when the rest of the file was strong.

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Where will you be attending?

Northwestern University

Anything you found interesting about interviews?

I was surprised that every interview felt very different to me. There were some interviewers that I definitely connected with more than others. This impacted how I felt during and after the interviews.

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

I binge-listened to the PA Platform‘s podcast which helped a lot with the application and interview process.

Any advice for other pre-PA students?

In my opinion, the PA school application cycle is an emotional rollercoaster and your situation can change very quickly. There may be silence from programs for months, and you may start to lose hope. But then the next day, you may get an interview or even an acceptance! Hang on for the ride, you will get through it!

Where can we find you? (Instagram, TikTok, Website, etc)

Insta: @thatemmilygirl

Need to Know:

Undergraduate education: Purdue University
Overall GPA: 3.76
Science GPA: 3.65
GRE: N/A
Total PCE hours: At the time I applied, I had 2,902 PCE hours. I gained these hours across various positions including as a ophthalmic technician and a clinical research assistant in multiple settings.
Total HCE hours: At the time I applied, I had 1,820 HCE hours. I gained these hours mainly from being a hospitalist medical scribe.
Shadowing hours: At the time I applied, I had 20 shadowing hours. I used my relationships with doctors and PAs at work to obtain shadowing experiences.
Volunteer hours: I had 98 volunteer hours that I gained throughout various experiences in my undergraduate career, and post-graduation prior to the pandemic.
How many times did you apply?: This was my first cycle applying and was lucky to receive an acceptance!
Age: 24
Gender: Female

FAQ

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

Rachel was accepted with a 3.76 overall GPA and a 3.65 science GPA. [VERIFY] Northwestern’s current published minimum GPA and most recent accepted class averages.

Does Northwestern University require the GRE for PA school?

Rachel listed her GRE as N/A and was accepted. [VERIFY] Northwestern’s current standardized testing policy directly, as requirements change by cycle.

What should you do if you are waitlisted at every PA program?

Rachel was waitlisted at all 3 programs she interviewed with and was ultimately pulled off a list into Northwestern. Stay reachable, follow each program’s stated rules on letters of continued interest, and keep your plans flexible well into the summer.

Does medical scribing count as patient care experience?

Most programs classify scribing as healthcare experience rather than direct patient care. Rachel logged her 1,820 hospitalist scribe hours as HCE and built PCE separately as an ophthalmic technician. [VERIFY] how each program categorizes scribe hours.

Is it enough to apply to only 4 PA programs?

It worked for Rachel, but it is a narrow list. A small number of applications requires that each program be a genuine fit for your stats and prerequisites, and it leaves little margin if a cycle goes sideways.

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

Rachel describes the cycle as an emotional rollercoaster, and three waitlists from three interviews is a fair description of the ride. One of them opened, and she is at Northwestern. Months of silence really can turn into an acceptance overnight.

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Northwestern University PA Program: Rachel's Waitlist-to-Acceptance Story