Other OT-Related Information Advice! Time crunch!

[cactusflowerblossom]

Hi everybody!

I received a letter waitlisting me for the OTD program at Gannon in FL. I applied pretty late and I still have a class in progress until June 5th and I am wrapping up my volunteer hours. Problem is...classes start in mid-June and I have until May 15th to get in all outstanding materials. I am in CA. I can make it work but it would be rough since a car accident last month hit my finances pretty hard.

I am still waiting to hear from the OTD program at the University of Toledo (their application date is June 1st), which begins in the Fall. It ranks #37 for OT whereas Gannon ranks #142, which is very appealing but at the same time, if they reject me, I REALLY don't want to go through the application period all over again if I don't have to. It is expensive and I am getting older, eager to get on with this next phase of my life. Objectively, I know both schools could end up turning me down and I could use that time to improve my stats (below, for the sake of this question) but right now I KNOW Gannon is willing to at least consider me and I'm not sure if I should turn down that offer, ya know?

OTCAS GPA: 2.86 (ugh)
Undergrad GPA: 3.74
Prereq GPA: 3.02
V157 Q145 W4.0

Have been an ABA therapist since October, did 9 months in a hospital as a clinical care extender, and I am currently doing hours at an inpatient rehab facility (at 14/40). Prior to that, I was a massage therapist in an acupuncture clinic and did a short stint as an ER scribe.

I would like to make the best decision for myself...without shooting myself in the foot in the process. I'm on a time crunch and don't know what to do! Any sage words of advice?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[proapplicant]

you're gpa numbers are very confusing.

anyway, get on that waitlist! it can't hurt.

 

[OTledo]

Hi everybody!

I received a letter waitlisting me for the OTD program at Gannon in FL. I applied pretty late and I still have a class in progress until June 5th and I am wrapping up my volunteer hours. Problem is...classes start in mid-June and I have until May 15th to get in all outstanding materials. I am in CA. I can make it work but it would be rough since a car accident last month hit my finances pretty hard.

I am still waiting to hear from the OTD program at the University of Toledo (their application date is June 1st), which begins in the Fall. It ranks #37 for OT whereas Gannon ranks #142, which is very appealing but at the same time, if they reject me, I REALLY don't want to go through the application period all over again if I don't have to. It is expensive and I am getting older, eager to get on with this next phase of my life. Objectively, I know both schools could end up turning me down and I could use that time to improve my stats (below, for the sake of this question) but right now I KNOW Gannon is willing to at least consider me and I'm not sure if I should turn down that offer, ya know?

OTCAS GPA: 2.86 (ugh)
Undergrad GPA: 3.74
Prereq GPA: 3.02
V157 Q145 W4.0

Have been an ABA therapist since October, did 9 months in a hospital as a clinical care extender, and I am currently doing hours at an inpatient rehab facility (at 14/40). Prior to that, I was a massage therapist in an acupuncture clinic and did a short stint as an ER scribe.

I would like to make the best decision for myself...without shooting myself in the foot in the process. I'm on a time crunch and don't know what to do! Any sage words of advice?

I'm not sure if this helps, but I did my undergrad at Toledo and was accepted to their OTD program. However, I just recently withdrew my seat because I'll be attending Ohio State instead, so I know someone on the waitlist will be getting my spot. It's an amazing school! So I'm biased to say to hold out for Toledo.... Then again, it would be a gamble.
Also I would be sure you meet the GPA requirements too, I believe a minimum 3.0 OTCAS GPA is required but I could be wrong.
Good luck! Everything will work out

 

[cactusflowerblossom]

I know, my OTCAS calculated GPA was horrendous, lol. Basically, when I first entered college in 2001 I did really badly, dropped out, then later went back to start from ground zero and did better but those grades from the first time came back to haunt me since I guess it is cumulative from your entire academic career.

 

[cactusflowerblossom]

Also, thank you for your answers!

 

[proapplicant]

I know, my OTCAS calculated GPA was horrendous, lol. Basically, when I first entered college in 2001 I did really badly, dropped out, then later went back to start from ground zero and did better but those grades from the first time came back to haunt me since I guess it is cumulative from your entire academic career.

ohh gotcha- mine was a little lower on OTCAS too now that I think about it.

I can definitely relate to you on the age/getting older thing. I was accepted off of a waitlist and while it's not exactly where I was hoping to go I feel like I need to get a move on already so I took it. Idk if that was the right way to go about things but life keeps getting more and more expensive the older we get! relentless.

 

[cactusflowerblossom]

ohh gotcha- mine was a little lower on OTCAS too now that I think about it.

I can definitely relate to you on the age/getting older thing. I was accepted off of a waitlist and while it's not exactly where I was hoping to go I feel like I need to get a move on already so I took it. Idk if that was the right way to go about things but life keeps getting more and more expensive the older we get! relentless.

Sometimes when I get nervous about it, wondering if I'll get in some place, I think "Maybe I should apply for an OTA if I don't get into an OT program?" But OTA programs aren't much shorter and it's not REALLY where I wanna be, so...yeah.

 

[MrTL]

Lol reading this, it makes me think we need a separate thread for people who are not fresh out of undergrad but trying to become OT's.

I'll be applying for the 2017/2018 cycle and I'm in a similar boat. I'm on the older side, too, trying to get into an OT program. It's always so hard to see how much weight they will put into an application when I finished undergrad 8 years ago and didn't try hard for a degree for a major I had no passion for. I'll be finishing up all my prereqs by June 2017 too (with hopefully A's in all... physiology and medical terminology are killing me!).

Being someone who is also concerned with my age and moving to the next step as soon as possible, my advice would be: if you get into Gannon, see how long you have to decide to pay to hold your spot and see if you can speak to Toledo before that deadline. But, since Gannon starts so early, you might not have the chance. In which, I would say, take the offer from Gannon if they give it to you.

Also, I think ranking doesn't matter much. Once you're an OTD, you're an OTD. I think opportunities will be there depending on what you want to do with it.

Good luck. I'm interested in your choice if you get the chance. Keep me updated!

 

[Futurenjot]

I'm not sure your age but I would go to the first school that I get into. I am in the same boat. I was really trying to attend a cheaper state school and ended getting into a private school instead. It is going to be more money but I will be almost thirty when I'm finished and need to start my life lol.
I did not know what I wanted to in undergrad either .

 

[proapplicant]

Lol reading this, it makes me think we need a separate thread for people who are not fresh out of undergrad but trying to become OT's.

I'll be applying for the 2017/2018 cycle and I'm in a similar boat. I'm on the older side, too, trying to get into an OT program. It's always so hard to see how much weight they will put into an application when I finished undergrad 8 years ago and didn't try hard for a degree for a major I had no passion for. I'll be finishing up all my prereqs by June 2017 too (with hopefully A's in all... physiology and medical terminology are killing me!).

Being someone who is also concerned with my age and moving to the next step as soon as possible, my advice would be: if you get into Gannon, see how long you have to decide to pay to hold your spot and see if you can speak to Toledo before that deadline. But, since Gannon starts so early, you might not have the chance. In which, I would say, take the offer from Gannon if they give it to you.

Also, I think ranking doesn't matter much. Once you're an OTD, you're an OTD. I think opportunities will be there depending on what you want to do with it.

Good luck. I'm interested in your choice if you get the chance. Keep me updated!

haha that would be nice. I love hearing from people who discovered OT a littler later in the game- we've had a whole different experience and also have a whole bunch of other issues to deal with...

I don't think they'll put any weight into how long ago you graduated as long. Some schools say you've had to taken anatomy in the passed 5 or 10 years but other than that it shouldn't worry you at all.

Also, agree about ranking. There are certain things, like law, where they really look into where you went but I don't think this is one of them.

 

[MrTL]

haha that would be nice. I love hearing from people who discovered OT a littler later in the game- we've had a whole different experience and also have a whole bunch of other issues to deal with...

I don't think they'll put any weight into how long ago you graduated as long. Some schools say you've had to taken anatomy in the passed 5 or 10 years but other than that it shouldn't worry you at all.

Also, agree about ranking. There are certain things, like law, where they really look into where you went but I don't think this is one of them.

Yeah. I got a degree in Econ, so I basically took all my prereqs from Fall 2016 until now. Which isn't too bad. But having to wait another year after applications is rough. And cramming in all my volunteer/observation hours under an OT. And studying and taking the GRE.

Ok, it's kinda bad. Hope it doesn't look too bad that I crammed all of it in under a year. But I spent the past 7 years helping people in a different capacity/setting. So, I hope they don't discard my application just because of my GPA because I bring value in areas that recent undergrads can't bring.

But I'm not holding my breath either and creating multiple paths in case OT doesn't work out. If I don't get into a school for Fall 2018, I'll give it one more chance for 2019... We'll see.

 

[cactusflowerblossom]

@Futurenjot I'm 34 and I have a family already, hence the urgency. I need to finish in time to pay for THEIR college 0_0

@MrTL If it makes you feel any better, I changed my own path pretty suddenly from PA to OT and had to get their requirements done in a hurry. The hardest thing was finding shadowing opportunities as I noticed a lot of places in my area were resistant to allowing me to shadow. However, I did get a really great list of places from USC which lead me to one opportunity in my area. There was a dude doing his fieldwork there and I asked him where he shadowed which lead me to my next (and much more substantial) shadowing opportunity. I just finished powering out 40 hours there, all in April.

If I didn't already have my BA or have my heart set on OT, I would probably become a COTA or a PTA. Same length of schooling but I hear they don't actually make that much less money and pay a fraction of the tuition. They also require much less in the way of prereqs. Something to think about.

 

[MrTL]

@Futurenjot I'm 34 and I have a family already, hence the urgency. I need to finish in time to pay for THEIR college 0_0

@MrTL If it makes you feel any better, I changed my own path pretty suddenly from PA to OT and had to get their requirements done in a hurry. The hardest thing was finding shadowing opportunities as I noticed a lot of places in my area were resistant to allowing me to shadow. However, I did get a really great list of places from USC which lead me to one opportunity in my area. There was a dude doing his fieldwork there and I asked him where he shadowed which lead me to my next (and much more substantial) shadowing opportunity. I just finished powering out 40 hours there, all in April.

If I didn't already have my BA or have my heart set on OT, I would probably become a COTA or a PTA. Same length of schooling but I hear they don't actually make that much less money and pay a fraction of the tuition. They also require much less in the way of prereqs. Something to think about.

Hey, small world. I went to a USC info session too and that's how I found my volunteering opportunity. I've only been doing 4 hours a week, but hope to ramp it up to 12-20 hours per week in June (right before applications!!!) if I can sway the department manager

So far, seeing what the COTA/PTA do at this hospital, I'm not inclined to want to do that.

 

[cactusflowerblossom]

Hey, small world. I went to a USC info session too and that's how I found my volunteering opportunity. I've only been doing 4 hours a week, but hope to ramp it up to 12-20 hours per week in June (right before applications!!!) if I can sway the department manager

So far, seeing what the COTA/PTA do at this hospital, I'm not inclined to want to do that.

What date did you go to the info session? I went to the one in mid-December.

The rehab hospital I just got done with was really chill. All patients are short-term and the COTAs/PTAs did primarily exercises and non-toileting ADLs.
Butt wiping is not my idea of a great job, lol. But I am sure some COTAs have do that stuff. Maybe it depends on the environment?