Cornell University PA Program: Requirements, Tuition & Stats

• GPA-competitive — The average accepted overall GPA here (3.82) sits in the top quarter of PA programs nationally. If your GPA is below about 3.66, you will want the rest of your application — hours, letters, upward trend — to do real work.

• The minimum is not the target — The stated minimum GPA is 3, but the average accepted is 3.82 — a gap of 0.82. Meeting the floor gets you screened in, not admitted.

• Longer runway — At 84 months, this is a longer program than average. Check whether the extra time buys a dual degree, a bridge/undergraduate component, or additional clinical time.

• Strong PANCE outcomes — A first-time PANCE pass rate of 97% is above the national average.

• Accreditation status: Probation — ARC-PA currently lists this program as Accreditation-Probation. Programs do come off probation, and students generally remain eligible to sit for the PANCE, but you should read the ARC-PA action report and ask the program directly before depositing.

• Stricter prerequisite grades — A minimum of B in prerequisites is tougher than the typical C. Recheck your transcript before you invest in the application.

Cornell University is located in New York. The details below come straight from the program and are re-checked on a rolling basis.

At a glance

• Location: New York

• Institution type: Private

• Program length: 84 months

• Class size: 52 students

• Start month: August

• Application deadline: August

• In-state tuition: $106,542

• Average overall GPA: 3.82

• Average science GPA: 3.75

• Minimum overall GPA: 3

• Minimum PCE hours: 500 hours

• Letters of recommendation: 2

• First-time PANCE pass rate: 97%

• Accreditation status: Probation

Admission requirements

• GRE: Yes (minimum >50th percentile)

• PA-CAT: No

• CASPer: No

• TOEFL (international applicants): Yes

• Supplemental application: Yes

• Shadowing: No

• Letters of recommendation: 2 — one letter must be from a Physician or Physician Assistant and one letter must be of an academic type (i.e. from a prior instructor)

• Patient care experience: 500 hours minimum

• Interview format: Interviews occur in the MSHS PA Program offices and classroom

Prerequisites

• Minimum prerequisite grade: B

• Prerequisite expiration: 10 years for science only

• In-progress prerequisites accepted: Yes

• AP or CLEP credit accepted: No

Required coursework

• 2 (two) courses of Biology (each course must have a lab component)

• 2 (two) courses of Chemistry (each course must have a lab component)

• 1 (one) course of Microbiology (lab component strongly recommended)

• 1 (one) course of Biochemistry (lab component strongly recommended)

• Anatomy and Physiology (This requirement may be fulfilled by a combined "Anatomy & Physiology" course sequence OR a course in Anatomy AND a course in Physiology)

• 1 (one) course of English Composition (or college-level equivalent- rhetoric or college writing course)

Recommended: Courses in statistics, medical terminology, and/or research methods are recommended.

Cost

• In-state tuition: $106,542

• Seat deposit: $700

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• Program website: Cornell University

• Admissions page: Admissions information

• Prerequisite details: Prerequisite coursework

• Email: [email protected]

• Phone: 646-962-7277

• Address: 570 Lexington Ave, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10022

Program information last verified June 15, 2026. Requirements change — always confirm directly with the program before applying.