<p>I am extremely concerned about graduate school right now. I now want to get into PA school but am afraid of my gpa. After high school I went to a community college and left there with a 2.6 gpa and 2.0 in science. I transferred to a decent university but am graduating this fall 2014 semester with a 2.8 cumulative and like 2.4 in science. I majored in biology and I have been working since my first year of college doing 25+ hours a week and had some major family issues that has distracted me.</p>
<p>I want to go into PA school and have not done some of the pre-requisites and also want to retake classes like bio 1/2, physics 1/2 as I have Cs in those. I was thinking to go do a second bachelors at the major university in my state(maryland) as a kinesiology major but afraid it is a waist of money and time. I am not going to work as much anymore as I do not have as much financial responsibility and would do my best at the second university. I would also receive my second bachelors within 2 years.</p>
<p>Do any of you know if that is better or worse for me? I have been working at a hospital since I have been in college and have tons of clinical and lab experience. I am planning to take the GRE in december. Any info would help!</p>
<p>Speak directly w/PA program admissions officers. They know the sort of students whom they want to admit, they won’t be coy with you about what is worthwhile and what is not. This forum is for undergrad admissions advice seekers. Good luck</p>
<p>There is a grad school thread. I do know that in some states the PA entry program is a BS and in some there’s a post masters option. Have you done any research ? Can you take the prerequisite courses and raise upir GPA then apply? And why do you even want to be a PA?</p>
<p>Sorry this is the first time I used this website. I am in maryland and we do not have many PA programs in MD or DC. I will ask them. I want to be a PA as I really do want to go into healthcare. I have been working at a hospital for over 4 years and have been an ER scribe, trauma intern and an EKG/EEG tech. I cannot picture myself not being in health care. I also do not want to go into nursing. I really want to go into PA now, particularly in the OR or EP lab. </p>
<p>I am currently also volunteering at NIH and trying to build my resume. I just had so much responsibility and my mom wanted me to do Bio as my degree my grades suffered. If I had known when I started college I could have done another major and just take the pre reqs I would of done so. </p>
<p>I just want to know even if I retake courses and go get a second bachelors if I would get into a program. I was looking at towson, gw and anne arundel cc. I guess I got to ask them. </p>
<p>Doing a second bachelor’s is a waste of money and time - you don’t need it. What you need are higher science grades and some other prerequisites, so you should take those as a non-degree student at a nearby four-year college at the in-state rate. Work experience will also help distance you from your grades. If you are graduating in December, you may want to work for 2-4 years (hopefully in something clinical) before attempting to apply while you get the prerequisites out of the way and raise your science GPA. When you apply, you can explain why you have a lower GPA - but you also need to have an upward trend or more recent, better grades.</p>
<p>If you wanted to get another degree, I would recommend getting a different master’s degree first and performing well in graduate-level classes. Something health-related - like an MPH - or science-related. But I don’t think you need one.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. I was thinking of retaking bio 1/2,physics 1/2, gen chem 1/2 and I have to take anatomy 1/2. I really do not just want to work for so long before going into a graduate program. But to even get into masters programs my gpa is too low, right?</p>
<p>Well - for most programs, yes, probably. You might find some programs that will take you will a 2.8 cumulative GPA, although they’re unlikely to be PA programs (those are very competitive). You’d have to do some background research to find this out, depending on the kind of program you want to attend.</p>
<p>But why would you not want to work so long? You are apparently willing to go get a second bachelor’s degree that will take you 2 years; instead of paying someone else to take classes that likely will not help you, why not work for 2 years and make some money that you can save up and draw upon when you attend graduate school? You could also get more clinical hours, which will only make you more competitive. Moreover, even as a full-time student those prerequisite classes would take you at least a year (one semester of physics, general chem, bio, and anatomy 1, and then another semester of all of those) AND that sounds like a pretty grueling schedule. If you worked, you could take - say - bio and chem one year and physics and A&P another.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the helpful and great advice. The reason I didn’t want to just work for a few years is because I do not want to lose the drive of continuing school as I have seen many people just get comfortable and give up. Also, I am turning 23 this year and would like the be in a graduate/pa program before I get too old. In terms of medical experience, i have over 4 years of clinical experience at multiple hospitals and am currently an unpaid intern at NIH. </p>
<p>The one thing that is killing me the most is my performance in the pre reqs. Looking back on those classes I could of done so much better. And it wasnt that I was just not doing anything I was working. If I had a better gpa I am sure with all my experience I would not be stressing so much. </p>
<p>But I think I am going to take the advice you gave. I am going to take the GRE early next year and study my butt off for it. Also, I am going to take bio 1/chem 1 in the summer at another university as I took those at a Community college. Then in the fall I would take bio 2/chem 2 and physics 1. Then take physics 2/ anatomy 1 in spring 2016 then summer 2016 I would finish anatomy 2 and apply. </p>