You did it.
You spent months (or years) building patient care experience, shadowing, volunteering, writing your personal statement, perfecting your CASPA experiences, and carefully choosing your PA schools.
You finally hit submit.
And then…Now, what do you do?
If you’re wondering what to do after submitting your PA school application, here’s exactly how to spend your time productively while waiting to hear back.
First: Take a Breath
Seriously.
Submitting your application is a huge accomplishment.
Many applicants immediately shift into panic mode and start wondering:
- Did I choose the right schools?
- Was my personal statement good enough?
- Should I have applied to more programs?
- What if I don’t get any interviews?
At this point, your application is submitted.
You can’t rewrite your personal statement.
You can’t change your CASPA experiences.
You can’t undo what has already been done.
What you can do is focus on the things that still move the needle.
Understand That Waiting Is Normal
One of the biggest misconceptions is that applicants should hear back quickly.
The reality?
Every PA program operates differently.
Some schools send interview invitations within days.
Others may take weeks or even months.
You are not behind simply because someone on Reddit or Facebook got an interview before you.
Comparison during this stage will only increase your anxiety.
Continue Gaining Patient Care Experience
Just because CASPA is submitted doesn’t mean your journey stops.
Continue:
- Working
- Volunteering
- Shadowing PAs
- Building healthcare experience
Why?
Because schools may ask for updates.
And if you end up reapplying, you’ll be glad you continued strengthening your application.
Prepare for Interviews NOW
This is one of the biggest mistakes applicants make.
Many wait until they receive an interview invitation before they start preparing.
Then they have 1-2 weeks to get ready.
Instead:
Start preparing now.
Practice:
- Traditional interview questions
- Ethical scenarios
- Why PA?
- Why our program?
- Strengths and weaknesses
- Behavioral questions
Interview invitations can come quickly, and you’ll feel much more confident if you’ve already prepared.
Keep Checking Your Email (INCLUDING SPAM!)
This sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised.
Monitor:
- Spam folder
- Promotions folder
Some applicants miss interview invitations simply because they weren’t checking consistently.
Make it a habit.
Don’t Obsess Over Forums and Social Media
This may be the most important advice in this article.
Every cycle, applicants drive themselves crazy watching:
- Facebook groups
- PA Forum threads
They see:
“Interview invite!”
“Accepted!”
“Just got my third acceptance!”
And immediately assume they’re falling behind.
Remember:
You are seeing incomplete information.
You don’t know:
- Which schools they applied to
- Their stats
- Their timeline
- Their circumstances
Focus on your application, not everyone else’s. And please do yourself a favor and stay off of the forums.
Create a Plan B (Without Assuming Failure)
This is a healthy exercise.
Ask yourself:
If I don’t get accepted this cycle, what will I do?
The answer: while you’re waiting, you need to start working on the areas of your app that are weakest. Use your time wisely.
Examples:
- Gain more PCE
- Take additional coursework
- Improve my school list
- Strengthen my personal statement
- Gain leadership experience
Having a plan doesn’t mean you’re expecting rejection.
It simply means you’re prepared.
Keep Living Your Life
Many applicants put their entire lives on hold after submitting.
They stop:
- Traveling
- Seeing friends
- Enjoying hobbies
- Taking care of themselves
Don’t do that.
You may be waiting several months.
Continue:
- Exercising
- Spending time with family
- Pursuing interests
- Taking care of your mental health
PA school will still be there.
If You Receive Interview Invitations
Celebrate.
Then prepare.
Remember:
Getting an interview means the school already believes you’re capable of succeeding academically.
Now they’re asking:
“Do we want this person in our cohort?”
This is where interview preparation becomes critical.
If You Don’t Hear Back Right Away
Don’t panic.
Many applicants receive interview invitations much later than expected.
No news is not necessarily bad news.
Keep focusing on:
- Work
- Experience
- Interview prep
- Personal growth
Final Thoughts
Submitting your PA school application is not the finish line.
It’s the beginning of the next phase.
After you submit:
✅ Continue gaining experience
✅ Prepare for interviews
✅ Monitor your email
✅ Stop comparing yourself to other applicants
✅ Keep living your life
✅ Trust the process
Most importantly, remember this:
You do not need an interview invitation tomorrow to be successful this cycle.
Many accepted PA students spent weeks or months wondering if they would ever hear back.
Then one email changed everything.
Stay ready.
Your invitation could be closer than you think.