Schools that Fit Your Application

For this list, I used only the top 50 schools according to US news & world report. Since the purpose is to help weaker applicants, that was not the best idea I've ever had, since the top 50 schools may be out of your reach regardless of their minimum requirements. Not to worry! As of June 2015, there are 196 accredited PA schools. The point is to show you that there are schools that require VERY low clinical hours, or give TONS of time to complete prerequisites, or insist on THOUSANDS of clinical hours. There are schools that don't use CASPA, and thus have a much smaller pool of applicants, giving you better odds of acceptance. There are schools that have no cut-off for how long ago prerequisites were taken. So, check the requirements and compile your own list of schools that fit what YOU have to offer.

"I have low clinical hours" (These schools have no requirements for clinical hours, although they still recommend some. Remember, you have almost a year to gain clinical hours after you apply, so also look for schools that require smaller numbers like 200):

• Baylor
• University of Colorado- Denver
• University of Nebraska Medical Center
• University of Oklahoma
• Midwestern University
• Shenandoah University

"I have unfinished prerequisites" (these schools give you at least fall and spring semester after you apply to finish your prerequisites):

• Baylor
• University of Colorado-Denver
• University of Nebraska Medical Center
• Philadelphia University
• University of Oklahoma
• Desales University

"I have a GPA below 3.0"

• University of Oklahoma (requires 2.75)
• Midwestern University (requires 2.75)

"I have tons of clinical hours" (these schools require 2000+ hours by the time of application, so you are competing with a much smaller applicant pool. If you have other weaknesses but tons of hours, try schools like these.)

• University of Washington: 2000 hours (recommend 4000+)
• University of Utah: 2000 hours
• Emory: 2000 hours
• Oregon Health and Sciences University: 2000 hours
• Quinnipiac University: 2000
• Northeastern University: 2000 recommended (fewer may be considered)

"My prerequisites are more than 7 years old"

• Yale has no cut off for past courses
• Shenandoah University has a 10 year cut off.

Non-CASPA schools (they receive significantly fewer applications, so you have much better odds. In 2014 there were 25 accredited programs not using CASPA.)

• University of Oklahoma
• Duquesne University
• Seton Hall University