The Perfect PA School Match
You know that feeling when you buy a new pair of jeans, and they fit just right? You can have that same feeling when you find a PA program that is the perfect match for you. This is no easy feat, but with the help of myPAbox, it is definitely possible.
For starters, you have to build a list of absolute necessities and other aspects that are a little more fluid in your desires for a program. For some people, location is a make or break, whereas others are willing to drop everything and move across the country.
Other people refuse to take the GRE which eliminates a handful of programs. You have to decide what is important to you. Check out our article on whether you should take the GRE or not. Once this list of necessities is built, you can plug that information into myPAbox and they will weed out the programs that don’t match.
Now you have to find programs that you qualify for. This list of qualifications for most programs include your GPA, the classes you’ve taken, shadowing hours, patient contact experience, and healthcare experience. Each program has slightly different requirements, so it is essential that you take time ensuring that the programs you are applying to are a perfect match with your experiences.
If not, you are going to quickly receive a rejection letter and be out a chunk of change. Luckily, myPAbox does the hard work of that for you, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars, but it is always a good idea to double check like the thorough PA you’re striving to become!
Once you have found all of the programs that you are qualified for, the fun part begins! You have the opportunity to research the programs mission statements, outreach programs, curriculum, sport teams, and anything else that may be a selling point for you. You have to harness your mindset about the process to turn it into something exciting, rather than something to be afraid of.
Finding PA programs that are the perfect match, is like shopping for that new pair of jeans! There will be plenty of programs that appear good on first look, but once you dive deeper into them you realize that some aspects do not align with what you are looking for, just like when you realize the pockets on your jeans are fake! But believe me, it is worth the time.
Say you found several programs that seem to be a wonderful match, so you decide to go ahead and hit that submit button and apply! Weeks or months go by, and you finally get that interview invitation. Oh shoot! A whole new level of anticipation and excitement washes over you. But you know what? Take this interview as an opportunity to confirm that this program is a good match for you.
Break the mindset that the interview is just for the program to decide if they want you. Understand and remember that you are bringing a lot to the table, and would be a valuable asset to the program. Conquer the interview!
After your interview, you feel confident and trust that it went well because you did mock interviews and were prepared. Now several weeks later you finally receive that phone call…your first acceptance!! Congrats!! This all came about because you were willing to take the time to find the proper programs to apply to. The reality is that you will likely be rejected from some programs, but that should not stop you. And this chance is minimized by doing your thorough investigations of each program that myPAbox matches you with.
Finding the perfect match in a PA program is challenging, but well worth the work.
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