Touro University Nevada PA Program: Becca's Waitlist-to-Acceptance Story

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Becca applied to 17 programs and received exactly one interview. She was waitlisted after it, then accepted a month later to Touro University Nevada. She brought 4303 PCE hours built over five years as a CNA — two in long-term care and three as a hospital float CNA — plus 518 volunteer hours, a 3.53 GPA, and a 307 GRE.

Last Updated: August 2, 2026

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How many programs did you apply to?

In this post:

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

1- was initially waitlisted and got accepted a month later!

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, float CNA work is one of the most application-friendly clinical jobs available. Becca rotated through units and specialties for three years, which gave her exposure most applicants never get and, crucially, a deep bank of specific patient stories to draw on. That directly enabled her own interview advice: brainstorm your patient care experiences in advance so you can map them onto whatever prompt appears.

Where will you be attending?

Touro University Nevada

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Becca’s single interview turned into a waitlist and then, a month later, an acceptance. As she puts it, all it takes is one.

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Anything you found interesting about interviews?

The 1:1/MMI style was surprisingly easy! Just be yourself and treat it as a normal conversation, it was actually more fun than I expected! The group interview was the most nerve wracking for me. My advice would be to brainstorm different experiences you’ve had in patient care that you can apply to various prompts/potential questions. Don’t let other people’s responses in a group setting intimidate you! Focus on yourself, thinking through your own answers, and just breathe.

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

Savanna’s Pre-PA Club podcast was great for interview prep when I was burnt out from practicing questions out loud! I also looked up mock interviews on YouTube and watched those to get an idea of what could be asked.

Any advice for other pre-PA students?

Don’t compare yourself to others. I was not confident that I would get in compared to my peers at first, but you really don’t need straight As and a million PCE hours. Work on areas of your application to make yourself stand out, such as diverse PCE or volunteer experiences. I truly think I was accepted by finding a program that looked at my application holistically and considered my unique experiences. Also, truly have hope that things will work out, because it’s true what they say; all it takes is one!

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

Instagram!

Need to Know:

Undergraduate education: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Overall GPA: 3.53
Science GPA: 3.36
GRE: 307
Total PCE hours: 4303 (but around 3500 at time of submission); I worked as a CNA in LTC for 2 years and then as a float CNA in a hospital for 3. I loved being a float CNA because I got exposure to tons of different units/specialties and learned a lot from the various healthcare professionals I saw and worked with!
Volunteer hours: 518; I did a variety of things like volunteer in a local food pantry, help out my health occupation student org with various events, lead Greek life recruitment, etc.
How many times did you apply?: 1
Age: 22
Gender: Female

FAQ

What GPA do you need for the Touro University Nevada PA program?

Becca was accepted with a 3.53 overall GPA and a 3.36 science GPA. [VERIFY] Touro Nevada’s current published minimum GPA and most recent accepted class averages.

Does Touro University Nevada require the GRE for PA school?

Becca submitted a 307. Her post did not record a PA-CAT result. [VERIFY] Touro Nevada’s current standardized testing policy directly.

How do you prepare for a group PA school interview?

Becca found the group format the most nerve-wracking of all. Her advice: prepare a set of patient care experiences you can adapt to different prompts, do not let other applicants’ answers intimidate you, and focus on your own thinking.

Is being a CNA good patient care experience for PA school?

It is one of the most widely accepted PCE roles. Becca built 4303 hours across long-term care and hospital float work, and credits the float role for exposing her to many specialties. [VERIFY] each program’s minimum PCE requirement.

What does a holistic PA school admissions review mean?

It means the committee weighs experiences, background, and personal qualities alongside GPA and test scores rather than screening on numbers alone. Becca credits finding a holistic program for her acceptance. [VERIFY] how each program describes its review process.

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

Seventeen applications, one interview, one waitlist, one acceptance. Becca did not need straight As or a million hours — she needed a program that read her whole application. If your cycle feels quiet, hers is the story to keep in mind.

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Touro University Nevada PA Program: Becca's Waitlist-to-Acceptance Story