Getting into PA programs directly out of undergrad?

[Namelessrd]

I am a senior in college (graduating in Dec 2017) and am currently preparing to apply to PA programs this cycle. I have read and been told that it is very uncommon for students to be accepted to PA programs directly after undergrad and I'm wondering if that is for any other reason other than those students usually don't have enough hours of HCE. If anyone could evaluate my stats and give me some insight on my likelihood of acceptance I would really appreciate it! I am also a bit confused about what is acceptable (and preferred) HCE. I have been working as an EMT since August 2015 and have accumulated approximately 1,500 hours. I have read that volunteer EMS is not as good as paid work because generally volunteers are just "errand boys." However, my entire EMS agency is a volunteer agency - no one is paid - and we provide BLS care (NOT interfacility transport) to my university campus, the surrounding area, and with the entire city's 911 response. We are a fully functional collegiate EMS agency in a large metropolitan city. So, I am wondering if PA programs will see that I am a volunteer and dismiss my HCE as insignificant. I am also the supervisor for quality assurance for this agency which will hopefully augment my application.
Would it benefit me to apply to schools with low HCE hours requirements (like 0-500) instead of schools that require 1,000-3,000 hrs?

Age: 21
Gender: female
Overall GPA: 3.54
Science GPA: 3.49
HCE hours: 1,500
GRE: have not taken it yet
Major: Biology
Minors: Chemistry, Spanish

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[pamac]

You should definately apply as soon as you can. Don't wait to get more health care experience. You will get in somewhere, but make it more of a sure thing by applying broadly to plenty of programs. You have a decent gpa and you have decent enough HCE... In fact it's probably much better than most Pre PAs out there these days. Obviously, if you don't have enough hours to qualify for a school that tells you how much they want applicants to have (and whether it's paid or volunteer), then you are at a distinct disadvantage at those places, but otherwise, you will shine next to all the CNAs with paid token HCE. I'd put your volunteer work on a rig higher than anything in the paid CNA realm, but again, that's one person's opinion. Knowing Spanish and being a female will help too. Having said that, nobody will have you a spot unless you earn it, but you really seem like the typical student that is getting into PA school these days, albeit you have pretty good healthcare experience. But from my perspective, you have your ducks in a row, and I wouldn't waste any time by waiting to throw your hat in the ring. If you want to apply later on as well (when you have amassed more hours) do that too, but by then you will likely have acceptances in hand and might not be interested. Granted, you'll be accepted to lower HCE schools and have to study next to HCE novices, but that might not be a big issue.... Especially if it's a school in a location you like.

So to recap... Apply to programs where you fit the profile as far as what kind of HCE you have, apply broadly (tons of programs have weak HCE requirements, which is all the better for you), and apply as soon as you can. And it doesn't hurt to do well on the GRE, but a lot of schools don't look hard at it. It just depends.