The application question…

“What can I do to help my chances of getting into PA school?”

Occasionally, I’ll have am ambitious high school or college student that comes in to shadow, and this is an inevitable question.

I’m sure they are HIGHLY disappointed in my answer (which is always the same)…..

• Be Cool.

• Do fun things. I mean actually FUN. (No one is going to buy that being the president of the pre-PA program at your school is actually fun.)

By now, I’m sure most people are familiar with how competitive PA schools are. Class sizes are small and applicant pools are LARGE. So, my main recommendation is to do something that will make you stand out.

Maybe that’s your major (EVERYONE majors in something science-related). Maybe that’s a non-academic club you joined because it was FUN. Maybe that’s traveling the world. Maybe that’s a unique life experience.

If you’re applying to PA school, chances are, you’re pretty smart. They can see that through your GPA and transcripts, so continuing to harp on how academically successful you are serves zero purpose. In fact, I think it’s a red flag.

No offense, but anyone can get good grades when that’s ALL they do.

PA school is HARD. Like, REALLY hard. Everyone is capable of learning the information, but it’s how you execute the information that will make you stand out. Show them that you’re someone who will live up to the reason why the PA profession is so highly sought after.

So, I guess what I mean when I say be cool, I mean be relatable, be yourself, and be okay not talking about how smart you are.