Frequently Asked Questions

Question What if my GPA is slightly below the minimum required?

Your GPA is important to us. If it has fallen below the minimum of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale it is recommended that you bring it up to the minimum for consideration into the program.

Question Do you require previous healthcare or community service experience?

Additional healthcare and community service experiences are recommended, but not required. No preference will be given to applicants who have healthcare or community service experience.

Question I am employed at a facility that has a PA. Can working with a PA count as my shadowing hours?

Shadowing hours are recommended but not required. Working with a PA does not replace the active shadowing experience for admission consideration.

Question Can I include my volunteer hours on the shadowing verification form?

The verification of shadowing form is for shadowing hours only.

Question Can I take online courses to satisfy prerequisite coursework?

All prerequisite courses should be taken at a U.S. college or university that is regionally accredited:

The program will accept credits completed at community colleges.
The program will accept non-laboratory course credits completed online.
The program will not accept laboratory course credits completed online.

Foreign coursework must be evaluated by WES before being considered.

Prerequisite coursework with labs that were completed online from spring 2020 through fall 2021 will be accepted for admission consideration.

Question How do I know if the course I took was at an accredited institution?

The university accepts courses taken at a number of institutions accredited by several different accreditation organizations. The list of acceptable accreditation organizations can be found here.

Question Are there any admission or enrollment practices that favor specified individuals or groups?

The program does have special population criteria that provide a guaranteed interview to the following groups, if all admissions requirements are met:

Military veterans
University of La Verne students and graduates

Question Does the program offer advance placement?

The program does not offer advance placement into any phase of the program.

Question My prerequisite units are in quarter hours. Is this equal to the semester hours identified on the web page?

Please utilize the conversion legend to determine your semester units.

Question Do my prerequisite classes need to be completed prior to the application deadline?

You may have one science prerequisite course (excluding anatomy and physiology) in progress after December 31 of the year prior to when you plan to matriculate. The course must be completed by the end of the spring term or June 15 (whichever is later) of the year you plan to matriculate with a B or higher. Anatomy, Physiology, and all non-science prerequisites must be completed by December 31 of the year prior to when you plan to enter University of La Verne’s PA Program. No exceptions will be made.

Question Do I need a bachelor's degree to apply to the program?

Yes. We will not consider applicants who do not have a bachelor’s degree. We are unable to make any exceptions to this requirement.

Question Can I audit or enroll in a PA course at the university if I am thinking about becoming a PA?

Only students who have been formally admitted in the PA program may enroll in PA courses. Audits are not permitted.

Question Can I attend the program part-time?

The program is a 27 month full-time program. There are no opportunities for part-time enrollment.

Question What academic credit is offered by the program?

The didactic phase of the program requires 68 semester hours of credit and the clinical phase of the program requires 50 semester hours of credit. The entire program requires 118 semester hours of credit. Detailed information on the academic credit offered per course and trimester can be found on our Coursework page as a PDF.

Question Can I upload my CV as part of the application?

CVs are not a requirement nor will be considered as part of the admissions criteria.

Question Do I need to take the Graduate Records Exam (GRE)?

The program does not require the GRE for admission consideration at this time.

Question Do you require a supplemental application?

We do not require a supplemental application for the PA program.

Question Do you accept foreign courses and transcripts?

Yes we accept courses evaluated by WES. All academic records must be translated to English by a certified US language service (such as universitylanguage.com).

If foreign transcripts are already in English, then they must be evaluated for North American course equivalencies with calculated GPA’s on a 4.0 scale by the World Education Services (WES.org) and submitted directly to CASPA when applying to the PA Program. The degree credential, courses and GPA that WES has evaluated will only be the one recognized for admission into the program. WES does not evaluate transcripts that have not been translated to English.

Question I am a foreign medical graduate who is licensed as a physician in a foreign country. Do I still have to fulfill the shadowing hours with a PA or physician?

Shadowing hours are recommended but not required. Working in a related field does not replace the active shadowing experience for admission consideration.

Question Can I work while enrolled in the program?

Thoughtful planning is needed in all aspects of your educational experience including financial obligations and personal responsibilities. It is recommended that you do not work while enrolled in the program to insure every possibility of achieving success.

Question How many students do you accept in each cohort?

The first cohort (August 2018) consisted of 22 students, the second class (August 2019) has 24 students, and every class after that will have 30 students.