General Admissions & OTCAS PREOT STUDENT. I NEED ADVICE!

[preot888]

I am about to begin my junior year at Texas Tech and am a business major with a minor in psychology. I came into college with a 3.6 GPA with 30 dual credit hours. I did okay my freshman year of college but just did TERRIBLE my sophomore because of other things going on. I 'm ashamed to admit it but I have failed two classes.
I have always wanted to be an OT and the fact that I'll be beginning to apply this time next year is giving me so much anxiety. I will most likely only have a 3.3-3.4 cum. GPA when I apply and hopefully a 3.4-3.5 GPA for my prereqs. I have had a job for 2 years working about 20 hrs/week as a tech for a hand therapist.

My first choice is Texas Tech but I will be applying to every OT school in Texas.
I am wondering what you think my chances look like with my GPA.
Will retaking a bunch of classes help me or hurt me?
What was you're experience like?

PLEASE help, I would really appreciate it.

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[trep]

Sorry to digress from your questions, but i'm curious as to how you will have a 3.3-3.5 cumulative GPA after failing two courses? I mean no disrespect to you, I am simply rather curious about this as I graduated with a 3.288 cumulative and the lowest grade I ever made was a C- (and I even made a 4.0 in my final semester).

As for your concerns, as I've already mentioned, I graduated with a 3.288 (albeit I have ~3.5 cumulative at a community college) and there are many others who have been accepted to programs with tantamount or even lower GPAs than myself. As for your chances, it is very difficult to give an accurate indication as admissions decisions involve the consideration of many variables. Typically prerequisite GPA actually carries more weight than cumulative GPA, and other salient factors include GRE scores, volunteering quantity/quality, LORs, and other criteria used for admissions decisions, such as your personal statement, resume, extra-curriculars, etc.

That being said, you should still have a reasonable chance if you're a well rounded student. Although OT is currently (and increasingly becoming more of) a competitive field, there are numerous instances of people getting accepted into schools with "substandard" GPAs. I am personally only planning on applying to one school this application cycle (only OT program in state), so if I don't make the cut then I will spend a year strengthening my application and possibly apply to more schools next application cycle.

Best of luck and just do your best and see what happens. While you may not have exemplar stats, do not rule yourself out as you are likely a viable candidate.

 

[preot888]

The courses I failed weren't prereqs for OT school. They look at the grades you made in the prerequisites they require and then they look at your overall GPA.

 

[preot888]

Oh I'm sorry I read your question wrong. Right now my cum. is not near a 3.3, but that is what I'm planning to have this time next year. When you retake a course you failed the new grade replaces the old grade