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disflore

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I'm a recent graduate from a UC in Human Biology, prior to that I was a transfer student from a CC. I'm planning on applying to PA school in the future. My degree included all the prereqs I needed for PA school so I don't need to take new classes, however I would like to improve my undergrad & Science GPA overall . I don't know how to go about this.

Should I & pros/cons to:
1. Retake classes at a CC?
2. Do a postbac program for grade enhancement?
3. Do a masters degree in Public Health (I'm also interested in Public Health)?


I'm first in my fam to go to/graduate college and first generation American so the whole college experience was/is a learning process in itself for me any information to help me guide through this is super vital and helpful. THANKS!

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What are your stats? That would be a better starting point if you are looking for direction. Do you have any HCE? Have you taken the GRE? What is your cGPA and sGPA? This is all important to know before a suggestion can be made.
 
What are your stats? That would be a better starting point if you are looking for direction. Do you have any HCE? Have you taken the GRE? What is your cGPA and sGPA? This is all important to know before a suggestion can be made.

My stats: cGPA~ 3.0 & sGPA~2.8 (not the best I know, lots of personal factors involved) & I took the GRE and am average on those scores.
I'm currently in an EMT program to start racking up paid HCE & am currently seeking PAs to shadow (I'm also considering a surgical tech program). Aside from that, I was a full-time caregiver in a Retirement Community and interned (non-paid) 280 hours at a hospital with direct patient care, have tutored, volunteered in a doctors office, interned in the public health sector by doing outreach/prevention for the Aids/HIV community with an org, and with another org (non medical related) I work for migrant farmworker rights and established a free tutoring program for their underserved community.
extra stuff: captain of my university soccer team, volunteer soccer coach for youth soccer.
 
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I personally would either do a 1 year DIY post bacc and retake each science prerequisite that you got a C or below in and also take some upper level science courses.

My stats: cGPA~ 3.0 & sGPA~2.8 (not the best I know, lots of personal factors involved) & I took the GRE and am average on those scores.
I'm currently in an EMT program to start racking up paid HCE & am currently seeking PAs to shadow (I'm also considering a surgical tech program). Aside from that, I was a full-time caregiver in a Retirement Community and interned (non-paid) 280 hours at a hospital with direct patient care, have tutored, volunteered in a doctors office, interned in the public health sector by doing outreach/prevention for the Aids/HIV community with an org, and with another org (non medical related) I work for migrant farmworker rights and established a free tutoring program for their underserved community.
extra stuff: captain of my university soccer team, volunteer soccer coach for youth soccer.
 
My stats: cGPA~ 3.0 & sGPA~2.8 (not the best I know, lots of personal factors involved) & I took the GRE and am average on those scores.
I'm currently in an EMT program to start racking up paid HCE & am currently seeking PAs to shadow (I'm also considering a surgical tech program). Aside from that, I was a full-time caregiver in a Retirement Community and interned (non-paid) 280 hours at a hospital with direct patient care, have tutored, volunteered in a doctors office, interned in the public health sector by doing outreach/prevention for the Aids/HIV community with an org, and with another org (non medical related) I work for migrant farmworker rights and established a free tutoring program for their underserved community.
extra stuff: captain of my university soccer team, volunteer soccer coach for youth soccer.
One regret is that I have a MPH. Skip it and ask the schools what they want you to do. Save you tons of time and increase your chances.
 
One regret is that I have a MPH. Skip it and ask the schools what they want you to do. Save you tons of time and increase your chances.
May I ask why you regret your MPH?
 
I personally would either do a 1 year DIY post bacc and retake each science prerequisite that you got a C or below in and also take some upper level science courses.
Thank you I'm leaning in that direction, any more hint or tips regarding postbacc programs ?
 
You could spend one year at a medical laboratory science program. You'll end up with another bachelors degree, and have a job waiting for you that pays pretty well until you end up getting in to PA school. It was also great experience for PA school.
 
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or you could do a 2nd degree bsn in a year through a direct entry program then apply to both pa and np programs.
 
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The BSN idea is good too. Just don't get sucked in to a really expensive program. Here are some caveats about doing a fast track BSN to help you get into PA school. First, they can be very competetive in their own right, and if you aren't well positioned in your grades to get into PA school, you might not be a sure thing to get into an accelerated BSN program either, unless you go for one of the more expensive for profit/private school programs (they are out there, and they can cost you considerably). And if you really want to be a PA, it doesn't make sense to go the nursing route... I don't personally know a single nurse out there going for PA. They exist, but most nurses end up shooting for NP school... typically they are a lot cheaper, and we like to work while we do school (in pa school you pretty much can't).

I wouldn't want to take my eye off the ball and retool to get into nursing school unless it involves no further effort to get in to an accelerated BSN. I'm kind of an example of that, but in a good way for me (overall it saved me at least a couple hundred thousand dollars vs going to PA school). I was deciding what to do following a rejection letter from the only PA program I wanted to get into. Then my acceptance letter came in from my nursing school. I could have reapplied to PA school and gotten in the next year, but I did nursing instead. I was lucky because my best grades I got were also in nursing prereqs, so I coasted in to RN school without having to take any more prereqs or improve my grades.

The scenario with the meandering path that I wouldn't want to do is to decide to do an accelerated BSN, then have to take a couple classes as prereqs to get in, then get in to a really expensive $80k BSN program, then get done and get into a $100k PA program, then pile all that on whatever student debt you already have, and then start life as a PA making the typical starting wage of $93k per year (incidentally many nurses I know make that much working less than PAs and NPs).

To sum up... If you do an accelerated BSN, it should be a cheap one you can just walk into as is. And if you do a BSN, you might as well just do NP at that stage. NP programs are typically $20-40k, and you can work as a nurse while you do it. I certainly would do the BSN vs an MPH or any other post bac out there with the exception of lab science. With lab science you can really boost your science gpa because it's a bunch of fairly straight forward coursework that a biology major can do well in. And with lab science or a BSN there is a real job waiting for you once you are done with school. My first two years as an RN I made about $80k per year working 3 days a week and a little bit of overtime. As a med tech before that I was pulling in about $70k, which isn't bad in my state. It's not PA money, but it didn't come with PA school price tag either.

With a 3.0 gpa and a lower science GPA, I really would suggest either of those two approaches because you have an uphill climb If you are like I was, you don't want to miss out on life along the way. I've been gainfully employed all along my path to becoming a provider, which has been nice. I was glad I killed two birds with one stone by getting a degree that helped me work while I also knocked out coursework that got me closer to PA or NP school. After getting my biology degree, I wasn't in the mood to double down on something that didn't have a direct route to a decent paying job. An MPH or one of those lame masters programs that some schools offer to professional school rejects are money pits. I wouldn't double down.
 
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Sorry about that long post if you don't like reading, but that essentially has what I say to folks when they private message me asking for advice. If you aren't sitting on a 3.3 or above, you really aren't on the edge of getting into PA school, and improving a GPA when you already have a BS degree worth of credits (especially science credits) means that things aren't going to change very quickly or cheaply for you. At that point, you have to re evaluate your approach so you don't waste money, or even more tragic... wasting time.
 
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Sorry about that long post if you don't like reading, but that essentially has what I say to folks when they private message me asking for advice. If you aren't sitting on a 3.3 or above, you really aren't on the edge of getting into PA school, and improving a GPA when you already have a BS degree worth of credits (especially science credits) means that things aren't going to change very quickly or cheaply for you. At that point, you have to re evaluate your approach so you don't waste money, or even more tragic... wasting time.
No worries I take in all the information I can get! I really appreciate all of your input I didn't really realize there are these type of options out there to consider.
Thank you!
 
or you could do a 2nd degree bsn in a year through a direct entry program then apply to both pa and np programs.

May you please explain a little more about a bsn direct entry program?
 
May you please explain a little more about a bsn direct entry program?

I am currently enrolled in a direct entry program for individuals with a BA in another subject. I finished the BSN portion in May (at my program it takes one calendar year) and went directly into the NP portion. I will be graduating in May of 2018 with an MSN, so three years total. Typically you apply to an NP specialty right off the bat. Many schools are moving toward (or have already started) requiring the DNP degree (Doctor of Nursing Practice) which can add a year or more onto the process. I am not pursuing the DNP.

Schools vary a lot in terms of pre-reqs. My program only required two semesters of anatomy and physiology, statistics, human development, microbiology and nutrition while other programs require chem, physics, etc.

I'd be happy to answer any questions.
 
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Hi,

I have a degree in Biology and my overall GPA was a 3.6 with a 3.8 in science. My degree is over 10 years old and I am wanting to apply to PA school but need some advice. I am 46 years old and wonder if there are any programs that will overlook the age of my pre-reqs or programs that will just require me to retake a few of the basic pre-reqs just to stay competitive and current with other applicants? HELP!!! :(
 
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Hi,

I have a degree in Biology and my overall GPA was a 3.6 with a 3.8 in science. My degree is over 10 years old and I am wanting to apply to PA school but need some advice. I am 46 years old and wonder if there are any programs that will overlook the age of my pre-reqs or programs that will just require me to retake a few of the basic pre-reqs just to stay competitive and current with other applicants? HELP!!! :(
Im no expert in PA field, having just switched from Pharmacy my self. But my elementary advice would be to maybe contact the admissions office of the school you are applying to and straight up asking them if it will impact your chances. Im sure most of them have a set limit for how far back your degree can be so they will tell you straight up. Good luck !
 
I am a pre PA student who has applied to PA school 2 times already and have not gotten an interview. My overall GPA is a 3.5 and my science GPA is a 3.1. Speaking to schools, they want to see my science gpa a little higher. My question is, would it be a good idea to take extra science classes at a community college to raise my science GPA? Or should I just go for a post bacc?
 
I am currently enrolled in a direct entry program for individuals with a BA in another subject. I finished the BSN portion in May (at my program it takes one calendar year) and went directly into the NP portion. I will be graduating in May of 2018 with an MSN, so three years total. Typically you apply to an NP specialty right off the bat. Many schools are moving toward (or have already started) requiring the DNP degree (Doctor of Nursing Practice) which can add a year or more onto the process. I am not pursuing the DNP.

Schools vary a lot in terms of pre-reqs. My program only required two semesters of anatomy and physiology, statistics, human development, microbiology and nutrition while other programs require chem, physics, etc.

I'd be happy to answer any questions.
Can you disclose what program you are enrolled in?
 
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