Decide where you'd like to attend a physician-assistant program. Do you want to stay in state or attend an out-of-state program? The location of the school will affect the cost of the program; if you're looking to save money, try to choose an in-state program.
Make sure you take the basic requisite courses for any physician-assistant program. These include human anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, statistics, microbiology and psychology. Schools may require that you meet a certain GPA, usually over 3.0. You may also be required to have an Associate's Degree or Bachelor's Degree for some programs.
Visit schools of interest to you. Talk with current program students, professors and school advisors about classes. When meeting with an advisor, ask about the length of the program, the percentage of students admitted and the percentage of students who become certified. Also ask which exams or other requirements are needed for entrance, like the GRE (Graduate Record Exam), MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) or a certain number of hours of patient-care experience.
Discuss with family or a counselor the pros and cons of each program. Did you feel more at home while visiting a certain school, or did the certification rate impress you at another school? Choose at least three schools you liked, and apply to each one to increase your chances of being accepted into a physician-assistant program.