University of Dubuque PA Program: Brianna's Acceptance Story
University of Dubuque PA Program: Brianna's Acceptance Story
By: Savanna Perry, PA-C
Brianna received 6 interview offers, attended exactly one, was accepted, and declined the rest. She applied to 13 programs with a 3.5 overall GPA, a 3.2 science GPA, a 314 GRE, 2,095 PCE hours as a home health aide and volunteer ambulance attendant, and 3,198 HCE hours as a scribe and receptionist. Five letters, including a committee letter from her college. She also collected three rejections that cycle, which she reports without flinching.
Last Updated: August 2, 2026
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Why PA?
I love the horizontal flexibility of profession because it would allow me to change specialties if my interests change or to help cover a gap in the healthcare of my local community. I also felt the profession helped to facilitate collaboration with other health professionals, which is what I want in my career.
How many programs did you apply to?
13
In our experience at The PA Platform, Brianna's use of her college's pre-health infrastructure is the part other applicants should copy. She worked with Cornell College's Dimensions Center on her application and written materials, and obtained a committee letter through their Health Professions Committee — one of five letters. Committee letters carry real weight because they represent an institutional endorsement synthesizing multiple faculty perspectives, and many students don't realize their school offers one. Note too that a strong applicant with a 3.5 and nearly 5,300 combined hours still collected three outright rejections. That variance is normal, and her decision to decline five interviews after her first acceptance was both efficient and considerate to other applicants.
How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes?
6 interview offers (went to one and was accepted; declined the rest of my interviews) 1 interview waiting list 1 waitlist (that program doesn't conduct interviews) 3 rejections
Every Pre-PA Should Know...
Brianna's advice to celebrate every milestone is more practical than it sounds. This process runs for years, and applicants who only allow themselves to feel good about the final acceptance tend to burn out somewhere around prerequisite number six.
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Where will you be attending?
University of Dubuque
Anything you found surprising about interviews?
How welcoming and relaxed the faculty and staff tried to make it. I had heard several other applicants or current PAs/PA students say that about their interviews, and I didn't really believe it. While the interviews still made me nervous, I honestly had fun getting to know everyone because everyone was so incredibly nice.
Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process?
For my application, I used the Dimensions Center from Cornell College as well as The PA Platform's pre-pa assessment to review my strengths and weaknesses. I continued to use the Dimensions Center and their Health Professions Committee for my personal statement and other written materials.
For interviews, I had a mock interview with The PA Platform (shout out to Jourdyn who did my assessment and my interview) and with someone from my college. I also read Savanna's book.
Any other advice for other pre-PA students?
To remember that you are more than your stats. While you need good numbers, you have a personal story and journey that is unique to you. Showcasing that and showing your passion for this career is just as important as your GPA and GRE. Put hard work and revision in your written materials in order to do that!
And lastly, don't forget to celebrate any milestone/accomplishment during this process! It can be hard to keep up stamina while you are working towards applying or on your application. Celebrate getting that new job or certification, celebrate finishing your degree or prerequisites, celebrate hitting submit on that last assignment or your application. Any completed step is progress!!
Where can we find you?
On Instagram @briannarolf
Need to Know:
Undergraduate education: Cornell College – BA in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with minors in Philosophy and Psychology
Overall GPA: 3.5
Science GPA: 3.2
GRE: 314 (160 – Verbal, 154 – Quantitative, 5.5 – Analytical Writing)
Total PCE hours: 2,095 as a home health aide and as an attendant on a volunteer ambulance service
Total HCE hours: 3,198 as a medical scribe and as a student health center receptionist
Shadowing hours: 86 hours (50 with physicians, the rest with PAs)
Other Volunteer hours: 1,650 (American Cancer Society, volunteer trips, Crisis Text Line, etc.)
LORs: 5 (1 former manager from a healthcare job, 1 committee letter from Cornell College, 1 Chemistry Professor, 1 director of the ambulance service where I volunteered, and 1 PA I worked with as a scribe).
How many times did you apply?: 1
Age: 25
Gender: Female
FAQ
Brianna was accepted with a 3.5 overall GPA and a 3.2 science GPA. [VERIFY] Confirm the University of Dubuque's current minimum GPA requirements.
Brianna submitted a GRE score of 314 (160 verbal, 154 quantitative, 5.5 analytical writing). [VERIFY] Confirm whether the program currently requires the GRE.
It's a single letter written by your college's health professions committee that synthesizes evaluations from multiple faculty and advisors into an institutional endorsement. Brianna obtained one through Cornell College's Health Professions Committee as one of her five letters. Check whether your school offers one and what its deadlines are.
Brianna applied with 2,095 PCE hours as a home health aide and volunteer ambulance attendant, plus 3,198 HCE hours and 86 shadowing hours. [VERIFY] Confirm the program's current PCE requirements.
Yes, once you're confident in your acceptance. Brianna declined five interview offers after being accepted at her first interview, which saved her time and travel costs and released those slots to other applicants.
Email [email protected] or use the contact form at The PA Platform to share your acceptance story.
CLOSING
Brianna went to one interview, got in, and declined the other five. Behind that tidy result sits a lot of unglamorous work: two clinical jobs, a volunteer ambulance service, 1,650 volunteer hours, five letters including an institutional committee letter, and repeated revision of her written materials with her college's pre-health office. Her reminder that you are more than your stats lands better knowing she still absorbed three rejections that same cycle.
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