2.2 cGPA weighed against other credentials for DPT/MSPO

[future_dpt/mspo]

Hello everyone,

I'm a 2014 graduate of a 4 year school and I have had a pretty tumultuous last couple years. I've been working in rehabilitation (namely physical therapy, with some exposure to prosthetics) and really think I can be successful and happy in this field. Unfortunately, I graduated with a 2.230 cumulative GPA with 183/213 earned credits, due to untreated symptoms of depression and anxiety and being involved with someone who made me question my self-esteem, motivations and self-respect. I had a great counselor for one semester but she had to leave for professional reasons and I kept spiraling.

I am currently at community college and have completed A&P 1 and 2, Gen Chem 1, Phys 1, Intro Psych, Ab Psych, Growth and Dev, and Statistics with a 4.0 GPA and will be finishing up Phys 2, Gen Chem 2, and Bio 1 and 2 by the end of this year. I finished the GRE general test in the 95th percentile and I also have 2,700+ hours working in different outpatient clinics, which only confirmed that this is what I want to do. I will be starting volunteer work at a VA center for PT and prosthetics so I can get exposure to different settings. However, that cGPA keeps coming back to haunt me and I am evaluating how competitive my application really is if so many qualified people are applying. People have reassured me that schools weigh prerequisite GPAs more than cGPA but so many schools have a cut off that I can't be sure what ad comms would think of my application. Please let me know if this situation sounds familiar to anyone, and whether there is anything else I could do to be smart in my graduate school process.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[mxracer1337]

Hey future_dpt,
It's best to e-mail the individual schools you are interested and explain your situation to them. Or better yet, call the director of the program.
Some schools have established minimum requirements to be considered eligible for their respected programs, while others simply have averages.
I know a lot of schools do have that minimum 3.0 cGPA requirement, so your homework is to find the ones that look at GRE and pGPA the most and will look at those applicants with less than desirable cGPAs.

 

[redrose424]

Hello everyone,

I'm a 2014 graduate of a 4 year school and I have had a pretty tumultuous last couple years. I've been working in rehabilitation (namely physical therapy, with some exposure to prosthetics) and really think I can be successful and happy in this field. Unfortunately, I graduated with a 2.230 cumulative GPA with 183/213 earned credits, due to untreated symptoms of depression and anxiety and being involved with someone who made me question my self-esteem, motivations and self-respect. I had a great counselor for one semester but she had to leave for professional reasons and I kept spiraling.

I am currently at community college and have completed A&P 1 and 2, Gen Chem 1, Phys 1, Intro Psych, Ab Psych, Growth and Dev, and Statistics with a 4.0 GPA and will be finishing up Phys 2, Gen Chem 2, and Bio 1 and 2 by the end of this year. I finished the GRE general test in the 95th percentile and I also have 2,700+ hours working in different outpatient clinics, which only confirmed that this is what I want to do. I will be starting volunteer work at a VA center for PT and prosthetics so I can get exposure to different settings. However, that cGPA keeps coming back to haunt me and I am evaluating how competitive my application really is if so many qualified people are applying. People have reassured me that schools weigh prerequisite GPAs more than cGPA but so many schools have a cut off that I can't be sure what ad comms would think of my application. Please let me know if this situation sounds familiar to anyone, and whether there is anything else I could do to be smart in my graduate school process.

Were your bad grades taken at the of your time in school? If not, look into programs that only look into the last 60 hours. Also look at programs who will take the "best grade if you happen to have been retaking some things. You may want to skim the forums for schools that take lower GPAs because many do have a 3.0 cutoff which means no adcom will even get the chance to view your application. I'll be honest, it will probably be an uphill battle for you but do your research and be strategic.

 

[antochí]

There is a thread on this forum where someone listed all the schools that particularly consider your last 60 units. That might be a good place to start. GL!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

 

[starrsgirl]

Agree with the advice to apply only to schools with last 60 hours (I would make sure that's a 4.0....take additional classes besides pre reqs to push your old classes out of that 60 window). Do not apply to any school you don't meet the minimum cum GPA. Yes that will eliminate a lot of schools but that's the breaks.

Also, if I were admissions I would probably want to see at least 1 full load semester done at a 4 year university to demonstrate you can hold the heavy load and your past struggles are behind you. Maybe try to get some heavy upper level science courses in that semester (at least 15 credits). I think that will vastly improve your app and lay to rest admission doubters.

 

[astarblaze]

Despite the low cGPA, you have a lot of other things going for you. I think you can definitely make it work, you'll just need to be very strategic.

Seconding the advice to:
1. Focus on schools that look at last 60 hours instead of cGPA
2. Make sure your last 60 is a 4.0 (take additional courses if necessary)
3. Take at least one semester of a full (or more than full) course load, preferably at a university with some upper level bio to show that you can succeed in that environment
4. Make sure you avoid schools with GPA cut-offs that you don't meet
5. Directly contact the schools that fit the above that you're interested in (to make sure you meet their cut-offs and would be competitive)

For most places, at least the first round of the admissions process is purely a numbers game, so they won't see your whole application/grade trends/extenuating circumstances if you don't meet their cut-offs.

 

[timefusion]

I've been browsing SDN for awhile and learned a lot from others experience so I thought I'd create an account and share my experience. Maybe it will help you in some way.

I was in a similar position as you are with regards to grades and academic history. When I applied this last year I had 265 credit hours taken and a cGPA of 2.61 as calculated by PTCAS. I didn't care much about school for the first three years then decided to take a break and returned to college after two years and completed my undergrad in Exercise Science. When I returned to complete my undergrad I completed ~90 units with a GPA of 3.81 which classes included my prerequisites for PT school.

During the application process I followed the same advice others above me have already posted and looked for the schools that look at the last 60 units and applied to those and as many other schools as I could afford (around 14) even ones that had a min cGPA of 3.0. Within two-three weeks I received about 5 automatic rejections from the schools that just used cGPA as a way to slim down their applicant pool. Over the next two months a few more rejections trickled in but I did get accepted into one program which is the one I will be attending. Surprisingly, they also had listed 3.0 as a minimum cGPA requirement but they decided to give me a shot, which I am extremely grateful for. Unfortunately, I was not accepted to any of the schools that looked at the last 60 units so as others have said, the process is purely a numbers game.

From my experience I would add/second the following to what the astarblaze said:
1) Contact schools first as see if they will even look at your application if it's not a 3.0. There is no use in wasting your money if they will just toss it without looking at it. I wasted a few hundred dollars from not doing this.
2) Do extremely well in all your classes and when possible in essays and interviews show how your past mistakes were a positive growth experience for you.
3) Do extremely well on the GRE. One school I visited told me if I could get me GRE above the average of other applicants it would make my application more competitive despite having a low cGPA.
4) I was also told by one program that if I took graduate level courses they would look at the graduate cGPA over the undergraduate GPA. I think I was told ~12-18 units of graduate coursework. Problem is a good number of graduate programs was a 3.0 cGPA as well so it can be a catch 22.
5) Don't give up. If you don't get in one year try again and can take classes to boost your cGPA.

You are in a tough spot. I know because I was there too. Oh, one last thought. Get your PTCAS application done early, in the first few weeks to a month after it opens. Showing initiative and getting your application in way before everyone else can give you an edge. I think this was the only reason I got into the school I did. I submitted my application the first week of October and their deadline wasn't until early December.

Good Luck!

 

[future_dpt/mspo]

Thank you so much for taking the time to provide your advice! I was going to get in touch with the schools first to narrow down which ones would consider my app as a whole. It does confuse me a bit because it seems like graduate school, in all fields, is a process of luck and pure chance sometimes (you get the right ad comm member to consider your app, the program received less than the predicted number of applicants, etc). I have also read this article in preparation and have found it very helpful: http://hubpages.com/education/are-you-trying-to-get-into-physical-therapy-school. If there is any further advice/suggestions you think applicants in my situation should consider, please let me know. I truly appreciate all the help so far.

 

[starrsgirl]

For what it's worth, as much as we like to think "someone" will see our app and consider it as a whole, that's not the reality for many schools. In my opinion, it's NOT very much luck....it's a lot of number games and then a small amount of luck. I think you are wasting your time to call schools and ask if they consider the "whole application". Many schools use a computer sorting system to rack and stack applicants these days. The computer will automatically eliminate scores under a hard cut off (say cum GPA less than 3.0) . No one ever sees those applications...no luck involved! It doesn't matter how awesome your other pieces are, you won't make the first cut if you don't make the minimums (and yes the school can still tell you they consider the whole applicant...they mean the whole qualified applicant). I encourage you to make your own list of schools first. Include any with the last 60 hours and any with lower GPA requirements. Also, look for any who calculate their own GPAs in a different way. You can find all of that information online between this forum, PTCAS and the school's website. Once you have a specific list of schools, become an expert in each of their admissions procedures. Will they replace grades for calculations? Is the GPA a "recommended" GPA or "required"? (recommended can generally be waived). Maybe a school doesn't even look at cum GPA, only pre req GPA. Call the schools only with specific questions that are unanswered by the websites.

Although I appreciate timefusion's post, I wonder if this school was able to calculate his/her GPA differently so they made the minimum 3.0 GPA. Generally the required GPAs are tied to the school's accreditation process and the school cannot alter that.

Your situation is not hopeless, and you are clearly on the right track to change your numbers. But I don't want you to call schools and hear what you are asking to hear (that they look at the whole applicant) ...and not realize this IS a numbers game that you can control. For me, I applied 1 year with a 2.99 GPA and the next year with a 3.01 GPA. That was the ONLY factor that changed on my apps. I went from straight rejections across the boards to interviews and then acceptances across the boards. (I have a very similar situation....horrible undergrad GPA. I believe taking a full load semester of tough science classes was key to the schools so please keep giving that one more thought....especially doing it at a 4 year.)

 

[timefusion]

I believe starrsgirl is correct. Most of the time schools just run applications through a program to weed them out and have seen this in my own experience with job applications. Instead of calling and asking if they will look at your application as a whole, ask if there is a way to have your application reevaluated if it is initially rejected. If this is the case an actual human will at least be considering it and your chances of getting considered are a bit higher.

I went down to Franklin Pierce in Arizona to take a tour of their facility and had the chance to speak with their director. She told me that the applications she received go into one of three stacks, applicants qualified and considered, unqualified, and a stack to review and reconsider again later. That was when she told me if I retook the GRE and got in the 160ish range it would make my application more competitive and she would reconsider it. So it is just finding a way to get your application looked at in the first place.

The school I was accepted into did not calculate GPA any differently. My acceptance packet included a paper with information about my application and my cGPA was listed there at 2.61. As I said at the end of my post I think it was due more to when I submitted my application than anything else. In all honesty, I'm not sure why they accepted me when all others didn't...but like starrsgirl said it's more about numbers than luck.

Inevitably, its up to you to decide which pieces of advice you want to try and how much effort you want to put into it. You might have to continue to take classes to increase your cGPA until you get a 3.0. That is your safest bet but if your like me that would have taken me 3 semesters taking 18 units each semester to get me there and I decided if I didn't get into a school when I applied I would look into other options. Luckily it didn't come to that but everyone has to decide that for themselves.

 

[DanceQueen66]

For what it's worth, as much as we like to think "someone" will see our app and consider it as a whole, that's not the reality for many schools. In my opinion, it's NOT very much luck....it's a lot of number games and then a small amount of luck. I think you are wasting your time to call schools and ask if they consider the "whole application". Many schools use a computer sorting system to rack and stack applicants these days. The computer will automatically eliminate scores under a hard cut off (say cum GPA less than 3.0) . No one ever sees those applications...no luck involved! It doesn't matter how awesome your other pieces are, you won't make the first cut if you don't make the minimums (and yes the school can still tell you they consider the whole applicant...they mean the whole qualified applicant). I encourage you to make your own list of schools first. Include any with the last 60 hours and any with lower GPA requirements. Also, look for any who calculate their own GPAs in a different way. You can find all of that information online between this forum, PTCAS and the school's website. Once you have a specific list of schools, become an expert in each of their admissions procedures. Will they replace grades for calculations? Is the GPA a "recommended" GPA or "required"? (recommended can generally be waived). Maybe a school doesn't even look at cum GPA, only pre req GPA. Call the schools only with specific questions that are unanswered by the websites.

Although I appreciate timefusion's post, I wonder if this school was able to calculate his/her GPA differently so they made the minimum 3.0 GPA. Generally the required GPAs are tied to the school's accreditation process and the school cannot alter that.

Your situation is not hopeless, and you are clearly on the right track to change your numbers. But I don't want you to call schools and hear what you are asking to hear (that they look at the whole applicant) ...and not realize this IS a numbers game that you can control. For me, I applied 1 year with a 2.99 GPA and the next year with a 3.01 GPA. That was the ONLY factor that changed on my apps. I went from straight rejections across the boards to interviews and then acceptances across the boards. (I have a very similar situation....horrible undergrad GPA. I believe taking a full load semester of tough science classes was key to the schools so please keep giving that one more thought....especially doing it at a 4 year.)

@starsgirl 2.99 was your cGPA. How did you increase it? I am at 2.2, i am planning to repeat my pre-reqs. I am not sure what else i need to take to increase my cGPA. Advise on this is greatly appreciated. I was use the summer to do these things and take GRE in Aug and apply early when the applications open.

Thanks

 

[Ginglymus]

I also agree with starrsgirl. I personally believe your #1 priority is to find schools that don't look at cGPA (that play to your strengths) and instead look at last 60/45 credit hour instead of cGPA. Ex: University of Utah amongst others. I wouldn't email them explaining your situation either, that's a waste of time as it is mainly a numbers game.

 

[starrsgirl]

@starsgirl 2.99 was your cGPA. How did you increase it? I am at 2.2, i am planning to repeat my pre-reqs. I am not sure what else i need to take to increase my cGPA. Advise on this is greatly appreciated. I was use the summer to do these things and take GRE in Aug and apply early when the applications open.

**you need to the calculations. I don't think you will be able to take enough classes in 1 summer to raise a 2.2. I will likely take at least a year of full time classes....but do the math so you know how many classes it will take (if you are going for the 3.0).

Thanks

I retook every single pre req that I didn't have a solid A in (even B+ classes I retook....because I needed the credits anyway). Then I just took a bunch of random online classes (geometry, more psychology, stats which wasn't required by my final schools, genetics....). Those are all classes I like and were interested in....I don't think it matters what you do. Maybe do exercise physiology, medical terminology would also be great for school prep.