Am I Ready to Apply for DPT Schools?

[taurusgrl326]

I just graduated from University of California, Irvine with BS Degree in Biological Sciences with Educational Studies Minor and I had planned to apply for DPT schools for Fall 2011 and I was wondering with my stats, will it be okay to apply?

- Overall GPA: 3.097
- Science GPA: 2.952
- ~200 hours in Sports Medicine shadowing athletic trainers who performs outpatient rehab under a physical therapist/head athletic trainer so I learned some basics such as stretches, first aid, anatomy of shoulder, knee, and ankle
- a little over 2 years in research studying Type I, Type 2 diabetics, normal and obese controls. Adult and pediatrics subjects. Euglycemic, hyperglycemic conditions, at rest and during exercise.
- a little over 2 years working in preparing organic chemistry labs for students

I finished all my prereqs except for anatomy and speech which I plan to take within this year. I am currently studying for my GREs and taking abnormal psychology. I plan to either volunteer at a hospital or work as a physical therapy aide or both for a year.

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[jess818]

On the one hand, your GPA is a little on the low side (however, I know that Biology is a difficult major). On the other hand, it seems like you have had a lot of great hands-on experience. Contact the schools/programs you want to apply to and ask them specific questions. Try to set up a meeting with an admissions person.

Depending where you want to go, you should be okay but every program is different and only they can really tell you. Unfortuantely, GPA is often a HUGE part of what many programs look at. Try to find one that values well rounded candidates (and there are many as well). Good luck

 

[taurusgrl326]

I looked up some of the prereqs for PT schools and it says 2 psychology courses but it does not specify how long ago the classes can still be valid. I took psychology 1 (intro to psych) like 7-8 yrs ago and life-span psychology 6-7 yrs ago and I was wondering if that's too long ago or would that be okay?

 

[fatedcircle]

I would recommend calling each of the schools you plan on applying to to see if the those required classes need to be completed by the time your application is sent in so that you can even be considered for admission. I know that there are a few schools that will consider applicants if they just have 1 or 2 prereqs left to take versus no consideration if they have a couple, but all in all, each school has its own unique requirements.

btw, you mention sports med experience & UCI, did you work in the training room? If so, we probably know each other lol.

 

[taurusgrl326]

I think I'm just going to take some classes just in case my other classes are too old and just for some enrichment/keep my brain with learning and such.

I just joined sports med for a year and doing summer camps right now but after that I'm gone since I graduated just this past quarter.

 

[taurusgrl326]

I was wondering if PT applications is rolling admissions or it's okay to turn in PTCAS and whatever extra stuff certain schools would want out closer to nov/dec but not entirely the night before (don't want the system to crash on me or anything)

 

[Lizarde]

I was wondering if PT applications is rolling admissions or it's okay to turn in PTCAS and whatever extra stuff certain schools would want out closer to nov/dec but not entirely the night before (don't want the system to crash on me or anything)

PTCAS takes a few weeks to process your application. Submit the application as soon as you are prepared to do so. I submitted my application about two weeks before the deadline, but so many people sent theirs in even earlier that the first two interview weekends were already full!

 

[pttrac]

I think you should be okay with those stats and experience. Remember to check the sticky thread on stats. It should give you a comparison to others. Good luck!

 

[taurusgrl326]

I couldn't get into anatomy or find classes like exercise physio so I decided to take speech and sports medicine clinic practicum (and some PE classes to stay in shape..) hoepfully that's okay for now...been trying to search for a job or volunteering as a physical therapy but I haven't heard from some people I emailed yet..

my only big concerns are getting my letters of recommendations soon (There's one that I'm worried about because the person has been MIA since MAY so I think I would have to wait until September when school starts to ask for a letter of rec), my GRE scores, and getting into an anatomy class (which has always been FULL since forever and I stalk college websites too...)

THANKS everyone for your replies/advices it has helped me quite a bit :]

 

[pttrac]

I remember taking anatomy and exercise physio last year @ some local CC. The classes were packed especially in So.Cal where so many people are competing for jobs in the medical field. I did notice that a lot of people dropped after the first week, so you might want to check back with the instructors.

Keep on emailing places and you will eventually find something. Volunteering is really easy to get into, but finding a PT aide job might be a little harder. If you need more advice pm or email me. I was in your spot 2 years ago, so I know my way around.

 

[taurusgrl326]

Does anyone know where I can take exercise physiology in California that's not online? Also anyone know where I can take medical terminology in California (either online or at school) Preferably SoCal would be nice.

There's one school I'm applying to (UOP) that wants that course as a prereq but it cannot be taken online. Another school wants both but doesn't matter if it is online (Samuel Merritt).

I was wondering I am planning to turn in my PTCAS application hopefully in the end of September and the schools I am applying to, the earliest deadline is November and the latest is March. Would turning my application end of September be really late for the November schools since PT admissions is rolling admissions?

 

[Montans]

I did a stint in PT school for 1.5 years and my stats were similar to yours. Based on my experiences, I would suggest getting more shadowing hours in the different areas of practice, i.e. inpatient(like a hospital), and sub acute, like a nursing home, and a regular outpatient clinic. I did a lot of sports rehab and it turned out it was the only thing that I enjoyed about pt. Getting more hours in different areas will help you be sure. Schools also like to see variety in hours because it means you understand all areas of practice.

As for the GPA, sGPA is on the low-side along with cumulative. The cut-off is a 3.0 for most schools (at least it was when I applied), so ace your classes, and perhaps take a few more and you should be good. Kicking butt on the GRE will help a lot too I feel like, but I could be wrong.

 

[taurusgrl326]

i also do not have inpatient hours yet and some of the schools i'm applying to want me to have it. is it okay to turn in the application before doing the inpatient hours/while doing the inpatient hours because i don't plan on starting them until september.

another thing is that some schools want a letter of recommendation from a professor is it okay if it is from my principal investigator (PI) that I researched under instead?

i still need anatomy, exercise physio, and medical terminology. those are the hardest classes to get into and find (at least for the last 2).

 

[Montans]

The above questions would be good to ask the school, but in your LOI you can put something like you realize there is more to physical therapy than just what you have seen and you have shadowing set up at this hospital or whatever, and then send them an update letter at the end of the semester. This may have changed, but PT school is rolling admission, and if you get your applications in early, interview early, and, if you don't get in straight away and are placed on the waiting list, you can send an update letter with a transcript and any ECs.

As for the LOR, I am not sure. PT school wants to make sure that you can succeed in a heavy science based curriculum. The first year is brutal and is very science heavy. I would ask about the researcher as a writer, and if not, a science professor that you know well or got an A in their class would be a good one to get.

 

[ebinizer]

I have a similar situation
My overall GPA is a 3.2 and pre-req is 2.95. My undergraduate major was Nutrition/Dietetics and I did fairly well in most science courses besides chem (C+) and orgo (C+). My major was science heavy however I took some exercise and movement science classes and did very well in them. The C+'s were also from freshmen year and my grades went up every semester after... I am studying my butt off for the GRE's which I am taking in a month, and I have been trying to fill all of my extra time volunteering where I can. I am also registered for a Biology class at Boston University to fill my bio pre-req.

I have volunteered in an acute inpatient rehab clinic and outpatient orthopedics. I have had experiences volunteering in hospitals in central america as well...

do you think I am ready? Do I have a chance? Anyone have any suggestions?