PA application question--just being nosy

[Mistress S]

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Hello all, I am just curious about something and hoping that some of you with more knowledge about PA school acceptance procedures could help me out. A coworker of mine is currently applying to PA programs along with his GF. I was under the impression that these programs are fairly competitive from other people I've known who have applied, but they have both had phenomenal success in the process, apparently getting interviews almost everywhere they applied (he says he got offers from 4/5 schools, and I think she had similar success). They both possess fairly avg grades and test scores, I think his GPA is ~3.3-3.4 and GRE scores ~1250-1300. Her scores/grades are a little better, but he has more clinical experience (~2 years v. 1 for her, which from what I know of PA school standards is not that impressive--right?). Further, both have apparently received acceptances immediately after interviews--he says he got a call from OHSU the day after interviewing informing him of acceptance, and even more interesting he said his GF was called one hour after interviewing at Yale and told she was accepted!

I guess this last part is what is so amazing to me, as MD programs (which I am applying to) don't work this way at all--a committee has to meet and review your app after an interview to make a decision, so it is rare to find out sooner than a week after an interview and often can take considerably longer than that. I know NP programs are the same, as I've known several people who applied to these and all had to wait weeks post-interview to hear anything. I thought PA programs worked in a similar fashion, but their experience has made me wonder if either (a) I am wrong about this or (b) he is exaggerating his and his GF's success in the PA application process. I feel bad being suspicious, but given his personality I wouldn't be entirely surprised to find out if the latter scenario was the case. They are moving across the country in a few months anyway (apparently, for her to attend Yale), so it's not like we'd ever know if he wasn't being entirely truthful. If some of you with knowledge about the process would like to comment, I'd really like to know--is this scenario common, or at least not unheard of, for PA schools to call immediately after an interview to inform an applicant of acceptance? Or does this sound a little weird to any of you? 😕

 

[Monika]

It happens...several people (including myself) were informed within a few days after interviewing of acceptances. Every PA program is different so it does vary, but it does happen sometimes.

M 🙂

 

[run_4ever]

Further, both have apparently received acceptances immediately after interviews--he says he got a call from OHSU the day after interviewing informing him of acceptance, and even more interesting he said his GF was called one hour after interviewing at Yale and told she was accepted!

It's true. My friend interviewed for a PA position at Yale and got an offer by phone 30 MINUTES after the interview ended. I am applying to med school in June and realize the hell medical school applicants go thru. I was completely stunned that a decision was made that quickly.

 

[Mistress S]

Thanks guys. Now I feel like a jerk for being suspicious--it just sounded so weird, compared to the MD application process. You PA people are lucky to find out so quickly!

 

[deleted6669]

a lot of it has to do with the prescreening.I have been on admin comittees before and we only offer interviews to 10-20% of total applicants. once you have an interview set up you pretty much have to blow it to not get an offer of acceptance or placement on the wait list.. I think hahnemann told me 2 weeks after my interview.