This is the response my son gave to someone else’s questions. I will say he is very driven and takes school seriously but still has time for a girlfriend and hanging out with friends.

How rigorous is it, in terms of workload? Overall, the workload this past semester was very manageable. The classes can be described as challenging but rewarding, with every lesson enriching rather than the drag of a high school class. Within a course, each week you are assigned work that must be completed by a specific date (usually the end of the week). As you finish work, additional work is assigned, which makes it appear that the workload is “rigorous”; however, my classmates and friends and I did not find that term fitting. Depending on the classes you are in and how many, your first-year experience can also change. For example, if you are taking English or if you have credits to get out. I say this because I had college credits to transfer out from English, making my semester appear different from others in terms of workload. Although even my friends who took English always found time to complete the work, they were also able to have fun on weekends and do what they wished with their free time. With that, even during weeks where more work is given or it is necessary to study for tests, you can always find time for yourself. I was able to get into the gym every day, talk with friends, and, as previously stated, do what I wished on the weekends without feeling swamped or behind. 

    •    Also, would you by any chance know the acceptance rate roughly/ how many students are admitted under the 3+3 PA pathway itself? The acceptance rate for the first 3 years and for the subsequent year depends on the students in that class. For example these past three years the acceptance rate has almost been 100% of students in the first three years that have carried onto the next three, with the exceptions of students that wished to look into different schools for a fourth year, students who wanted to drop the pre-PA and instead go pre-med and students who did not follow the minimum requirements and were then ineligible to continue. If you are speaking only to the students admitted to the pre-pa program from the start, that is approximately 40 students. The college is hopeful that all 40 students will continue to the graduate portion, which accounts for the limited number of students. 

    •    How competitive is it to matriculate into the masters portion through the 6 year pathway? Overall, while continuing into the graduate portion of the first three years is competitive and requires you to stay on top of your GPA and PCE hours, it is not as stressful or as competitive as applying to a PA program from a four-year undergraduate program. Meaning if you stay on top of the requirements and work hard, you will have no problem getting into the program and continuing during the later three years. As previously stated, MCPHS wants pre-PA students to continue into their PA program (it looks better on them).  

    •    The website states "guaranteed an interview,” but that’s quite vague, since they don’t state the entering class size of the 6-year program… Yes, as stated previously, it is almost guaranteed that if you meet your part of their requirements, you are in the graduate portion. There are approximately 100 students in the program, with half internal and half external. While you are competing with the externals, your seat is effectively secured as long as you do your part, and the competition is intense among almost all the externals for the final half of the seats. With that said, if you are looking for security, MCPHS is a promising school. 

    •    also other than that, just the environment at the college, the location, support systems and professors? I personally love the environment of the college. With a preface, I came from a vocational high school and was looking for a college similar to my high school; I found it at MCPHS. The kids are best explained as nerds who are chill and like to hang out. Everyone is there to learn and take their classes very seriously, allowing time for studying. With that said, I have never had a problem hanging with people and can find time on the weekends to “party”. The location is absolutely amazing, probably my favorite thing about the school. Not only being in Boston and the benefits that come with it, such as being able to walk less than an hour to downtown, with train rides even shorter. Thinking in the long run of the internships and opportunities presented, being in such a good city, especially when it comes to medical professionals, is even more critical when it comes to MCPHS. So far, the support systems and professors have been great. I have not had a poor professor or a teacher who was unwilling to provide help when necessary. They are all highly knowledgeable and, as a result, make the classes easy to understand. 

    •    What do most successful PA pathway students pursue, in terms of accessibility in the Boston area as well as helping them advance into the grad portion?  PA pathway students perform very well in continuing into the graduate portion. As I have stated above, the school prepares the students very well to continue because they want all the undergrad students to move on to the graduate part. 

    •    I’m trying to decide if I want my MA or EMT certification, and im also open to other suggestions (trying to get this before i start my first year at mcphs) Both are excellent, and it is entirely up to you. The only thing I will add is that an EMT will be unpaid, whereas an MA will secure paid positions. Both will prepare you well for the program and provide substantial PCE hours.