Many PA schools appear to be waiving the GRE requirement for a variety of reasons, some making it optional, while others are doing away with the GRE exam altogether.
Is this move a good or a bad thing for their applicants?
Are you at a bigger advantage applying to PA schools that don’t require GRE, or are you better off sticking to schools that are pro-GRE?
Getting accepted into PA school takes a great deal of work and preparation, but could it be that the process is easier for applicants who skip the GRE test? Well, let’s find out.
Quick Summary
- There are many PA programs that do not require the Graduate Record Exam, GRE.
- In the absence of GRE scores, more weight will be placed on other aspects of your application, such as academic performance, healthcare experience, personal statement, and letters of recommendation.
- Opting out of taking the GRE means that you can save money and time, spending those resources on strengthening other parts of your application.
- Non-GRE PA programs are not less competitive than the PA programs requiring GRE scores.
- Even the easiest PA schools to get into still have admission requirements all applicants must meet.
Are There PA Schools That Don’t Require The GRE?
Yes, there are plenty of PA schools that do not require students to present GRE scores as part of their admissions process.
As a matter of fact, a lot of PA programs seem to have scraped the GRE from their requirements, and this trend is still ongoing with more schools catching on and waiving the GRE requirement as well.
There are many reasons why a PA school may choose to exclude the GRE from its list of admission requirements.
However, the major reason appears to be a general belief that one’s performance on the GRE is not a good indicator of an applicant’s potential success in the PA program.
Additionally, some PA school programs that scrap the GRE purport to do so in a bid to diversify the applicant pool. The idea is that removing the GRE requirement can help attract a broader range of PA school applicants.
Whatever the case, the bottom line is that yes, there are plenty of PA programs that you can get into without having to submit GRE results.
While this may feel like a relief, keep in mind that it doesn’t mean there won’t be other demanding admission requirements either way. We shall expound more on that in subsequent sections of this article.
Which PA Schools Do Not Require The GRE?
There are many resources you can use to find PA schools that do not require the GRE.
According to the U.S. News Rankings, here is a list of the top 50 physician assistant programs in the United States that do not require the GRE:
Non-GRE PA Schools | National Ranking | Minimum Cumulative GPA |
Baylor College of Medicine | #2 | 3.2 |
University of Iowa | #2 | 3.0 |
Emory University School of Medicine | #4 | 3.0 |
George Washington University | #5 | 3.2 |
Oregon Health and Sciences University | #5 | -- |
Rutgers University School of Health Professions | #7 | 3.2 (But they allow for a letter of explanation if you have a lower GPA) |
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine | #8 | 3.0 |
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science | #8 | 2.75 |
University of Colorado | #8 | 3.0 |
University of Utah | #8 | 3.0 |
Quinnipiac University | #16 | 3.2 |
Touro University California | #16 | 3.0 |
University of Nebraska Medical Center | #16 | 3.0 |
Northeastern University | #20 | -- |
Sacred Heart University | #20 | 3.0 |
Shenandoah University | #20 | 3.0 (But may consider 2.8 upon meeting some conditions) |
University of Kentucky | #20 | 2.75 |
University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine | #20 | 3.0 |
University of Washington School of Medicine MEDEX Northwest | #20 | 3.0 |
Case Western Reserve University | #27 | 3.0 |
Drexel University | #27 | 3.0 |
Eastern Virginia Medical School | #27 | 3.0 |
Northern Arizona University | #27 | 3.0 |
Stony Brook University - SUNY | #27 | 3.0 |
University of North Dakota | #27 | 3.0 |
University of Wisconsin - Madison | #27 | 3.2 |
A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS) | #40 | 3.0 |
Midwestern University | #40 | 3.0 |
University of California - Davis | #40 | 3.0 |
Duquesne University | #46 | 3.0 |
University of Tennessee Health Science Center | #46 | 3.0 |
Boston University School of Medicine | #50 | No overall Min. GPA requirement (Min. GPA of 3.0 in Science coursework only) |
CUNY School of Medicine | #50 | 3.0 |
Hofstra University | #50 | 3.3 |
Medical University of South Carolina | #50 | 3.0 |
Midwestern University | #50 | 3.0 |
Rush University | #50 | 3.0 |
University of Pittsburgh | #50 | 3.0 (Exceptions may be made) |
University of South Dakota | #50 | 3.2 |
Which Are The Easiest PA Schools To Get Into In 2024?
There are many factors that could influence the ease of admission into PA programs.
As a general guide, the easiest PA programs to get into are those that meet the following criteria:
- Have higher acceptance rates.
- Have less stringent prerequisites.
- Accept lower average GPA scores.
- Place emphasis on holistic admissions.
- Are located in less competitive regions.
- Are newer schools with provisional accreditation.
That being said, going by our assessment, here is a list of the top 5 easiest PA schools to get into:
- University of Tampa – Physician Assistant Medicine Program
- Middle Tennessee State University – Physician Assistant Studies Program
- Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine – Physician Assistant Studies program
- Albany Medical College – Physician Assistant Program
- Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science – Physician Assistant Program
Always remember that deciding which PA school to attend is a complex and highly individualized process.
So even if a school has high acceptance rates, make sure you still do your due diligence by conducting thorough research of the program and considering important factors such as the quality of the PA program, their accreditation status, curriculum, clinical rotations, faculty setup, and overall resources provided.
Never choose a PA program solely based on the ease of admission, because that may come at the expense of your educational experience which will then impact the quality of your career as a physician assistant.
Should You Apply To PA Programs Where The GRE Is Not Required?
Yes, there is absolutely nothing wrong with choosing to apply to PA programs where the GRE is not required.
As a matter of fact, students may choose to apply to non-GRE programs for a variety of reasons such as:
- You simply cannot afford to pay the necessary fees to sit for the GRE.
- You cannot manage taking time off to study for it.
- You took the exam and got a low GRE score that’s less than 300.
- You took the exam and got a high GRE score for PA school, but then got burdened by the cost of sending your scores to each school.
- The time factor associated with GRE-related applications, including having to make sure your GRE scores are sent in on time.
All in all, the GRE and all processes associated with it can end up being a long, time-consuming, and expensive undertaking and some students may simply wish to avoid the hassle altogether.
Are PA Schools Without The GRE Requirement Less Competitive?
No, PA schools that do not have the GRE requirement are not necessarily less competitive than their GRE counterparts.
When talking about non-PA schools, then yes, the general notion is that programs that do not require the GRE are deemed as being less prestigious than those requiring the GRE. In the case of PA schools, however, this is not the case.
Actually, the reverse might be true whereby non-GRE PA programs may be more competitive since they attract more applicants so you may have to work harder on your overall application if you wish to stand out from the crowd.
The fact is that most students choose to skip the GRE altogether and even those that do end up taking it, will still choose to apply to non-GRE programs to increase their chances of acceptance.
Another way to look at it is that the competitiveness of any PA program does not solely lie in its GRE requirement.
There are many other factors that can influence a particular program’s level of competition. These include the program’s reputation, the number of available spots versus the number of applicants, etc.
All this means that a PA program may still have a highly competitive applicant pool, even if they do not require the GRE.
Why Do Some PA Schools Not Require The GRE?
For decades, the Graduate Record Examination, GRE, was a generally accepted standardized test at PA schools across the United States and Canada.
However, more and more PA schools are now dropping this standardized test from their list of admission requirements, in a mass movement that has amusingly come to be referred to as GRExit.
What are the reasons behind this though?
- Little correlation between GRE scores and success in graduate school
- Choosing to place a stronger emphasis on more relevant coursework based on an applicant’s undergraduate GPA, which better reveals an applicant’s grasp of science and healthcare-related subjects.
- Concerns that the GRE puts underrepresented groups at a disadvantage (Racial & ethnic minority groups, low-income students, & students who do not speak English as a first language).
- A bid to attract a broader, more diverse range of applicants by removing potential barriers to entry.
- More emphasis on a holistic evaluation of an applicant’s qualifications i.e. academic performance, healthcare experience, letters of recommendation, etc.
What To Expect From PA Schools That Do Not Require The GRE
Scraping the GRE doesn’t mean that these PA schools do away with testing altogether.
You may not be required to take the GRE, but there could be alternative assessments required of you, such as a program-specific entrance exam, or a subject-specific exam, or even, you may still have to sit for another standardized test such as PA-CAT and MCAT.
Furthermore, with the GRE waived, your undergraduate GPA and prerequisite coursework may end up carrying more weight in the admissions decision.
In the absence of a standardized test, admissions committees may instead closely review your academic achievements, particularly in the health sciences, in order to assess your capability of handling the rigor of a PA program.
Similarly, even greater emphasis may be placed on your healthcare experience comprising shadow work, direct patient care experience, volunteering, or your work experience in healthcare-related roles.
Ultimately, even in the absence of the GRE, schools still need other tools for comparing prospective students and these may vary widely amongst institutions.
For instance, while one program may highly value academic performance, therefore being more inclined towards students with higher GPAs, another program may be more concerned with an applicant’s hands-on healthcare experience.
Ultimately, you will need to critically research PA programs so that you can apply to those that align with your academic standing and career goals.
Should I Take The GRE Either Way?
I will start off by saying that it is not beneficial to take the GRE if you intend to apply to programs that do not require it.
Schools that do not require the GRE will not take your GRE scores into consideration even if you do present them. Not to mention that they may never even see your scores anyway.
This means that if a program doesn’t require the GRE, then taking the GRE will not improve your chances of acceptance anyway because it really doesn’t matter to those schools.
FAQs About PA Schools That Do Not Require GRE
How Can I Find PA Schools That Don’t Require The GRE?
There are several tools you could use to find PA schools that do not require the GRE.
These include websites such as:
- Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) Program Directory
- PA School Finder
- PA Program Search
Are There Non-GRE PA Programs That I Can Get Accepted Into With A Low GPA?
Yes, there are non-GRE PA programs that you can get accepted into with a low GPA.
Keep in mind though that overall, it can be very challenging to gain admission to a PA program if you have a low GPA. Nevertheless, it is not an impossible undertaking altogether, as some programs may prefer holistic admissions.
Can I Get Into PA School With A 2.7 GPA?
Yes, you can get into PA school with a 2.7 GPA.
Your GPA does not necessarily measure your ability and potential for success in PA school, and the great thing is that there are programs that see things from this perspective, opting instead to take a more holistic approach to admissions.
Just apply yourself, put your best foot forward, and use discernment when choosing which PA schools to apply to. You definitely have a chance to get in somewhere.
Are There Disadvantages To Not Taking The GRE?
Yes, there may be a few disadvantages to not taking the GRE.
- Not taking the GRE will greatly limit the PA schools you can apply to.
- If you have a lower GPA or limited healthcare experience, not taking the GRE could weaken your application considerably, rendering you a not-so-competent applicant.
- Not taking the GRE could limit your future career options, should you change your mind about PA school down the line.
- You may be locked out of university funding in some institutions, preferring instead, a student that has GRE scores.
