General Admissions & OTCAS 4 Reasons why I have mixed feelings about an MOT

[CoastalOT]

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[beestrng]

Very interesting/thoughtful post.

 

[Makingmoves2014]

There are many wonderful reasons why I want to be an OT (I love helping people, I want to work with people who have an obstacle to accomplishing goals within reach and help them do it, I like understanding how the human body works and helping a patient reach her/his potential).

I also have a number of reasons as to why I am considering abandoning my plans for a MOT:

1- Overly competitive nature of admissions: Note the "overly" part. My GPA is a 3.75 and I've done 100 hours of shadowing and I am active in community service. I put forward a very solid application and I didn't even get a response from several schools. I've already been denied two interviews. This is a degree program that went from being an associates degree, to a BS, to a MS within our lifetime and it's likely heading on the same trajectory as PT's towards a doctorate. Why you need a "doctorate" to be a PT is beyond me.

2- Debt to income ratio. OT's make 70kish a year. This degree will cost a fortune. There is a cost - benefit analysis that must be taken into consideration. Unlike some people here I am not planning on marrying a breadwinner -- where my career will be little more than a hobby.

3- Other options become more lucrative. If the average GPA at many programs is a 3.8-3.9 many applicants might start to ask themselves: why don't I take my 3.9 and become a PA or NP: also 2-3 years of education but a starting salary that is at least 25-35k more a year. Why don't you just go to the Caribbean even like my cousin did and graduate from Medical school? He's now making around 400k a year. This field will eventually max out. The amount of debt and the type of candidate departments want is starting to not be commensurate with the pay, time and effort invested.

4- As a man I don't much like the idea of being in a field that is around 90% women. Some departments are exclusively female, or have the poor lone guy who must navigate his class alone.

I still love OT. I am in it for the right reasons: my desire to help others, if I wasn't I would have been a finance major. I want to do good work. If OT does not pan out for me I will take my skills set and attempt to do my backup: clinical psychology. My fear with clinical psych is the job market, but it would also meet my need to help others. I hope an OT department sees me as a candidate worth admitting. If I want it more than anything I truly believe I will make it happen.

So true!! I like this!!! My back up plan is COTA to OT bridge program. I'm not going to give up.....that's easy to do......

 

[RedHeadOT]

2- Debt to income ratio. OT's make 70kish a year. This degree will cost a fortune. There is a cost - benefit analysis that must be taken into consideration.

Have you looked into San Jose State University in California? I thought about applying there this year in part because of their low tuition. This is what I found on their website regarding tuition, "All of our students in the post-professional distance program pay the same rate. The program is self-supporting and therefore does not take any money from the California General Fund. This is arranged by design, as we wanted to have a truly global program. The tuition for 2013-2014 is currently set at $650.00 per unit. The entire program is 30 units, for a total tuition cost of $19,500.00. Please contact the department to verify, as price is subject to change." (http://www.sjsu.edu/occupationaltherapy/Programs/ot_online/faq/#q11)

I know others have posted on different threads saying state schools can be cheaper. I don't know how true this is or how inexpensive tuition costs may be, but it might be something to look into.

 

[RedHeadOT]

4- As a man I don't much like the idea of being in a field that is around 90% women. Some departments are exclusively female, or have the poor lone guy who must navigate his class alone.

If you are concerned about the male-to-female ratio in OT programs, you might want to look into programs that advertise that OTs in their program collaborate with PTs or other fields. In some schools, for example, OTs and PTs take some classes together. There will still be classes that are purely OT classes, but having a few classes with more males might be a relief.

 

[Kidamnesiac]

Your points about competition and field saturation actually contradict each other. One reason that I first became convinced of the field of OT was when I learned of the activity and responsibility of AOTA to not approve an abundance of OT programs across the country like PT, mid-level nursing paths, and even pharmacy have done. My research was done a while ago, and I can't seem to find the sources now, though I'm sure some of it had to do with the amount of schools opening in my state versus the number of jobs, and anecdotal evidence. Take that FWIW.

However, if it's not what you want, then definitely don't waste your time or money doing it! I had a previous career path, and after years of pursuit, I made a huge 180 into the field of OT. I was worried that I might not make it into a school, but I worked really hard on what I could control about my application and it all worked out! It's definitely worth the effort if it's what you want! Good luck!

 

[Kidamnesiac]

We have a lot of similarities. 🙂

I had a 3.4 in undergrad. I also read philosophy (mainly the descendants of Origen, post-Romanticism, the Frankfurt school, and Neo-Aristotelians). I think that part of my appeal to my adcom was that I have a very different background than many applicants. I saw all the 3.9's and got worried as well, but many adcom's will understand that GPA is only a small part of an applicant's profile. Just make sure to polish every other aspect of the application!

Oh, and my debt will be 30000 after school is done. But I know that oos and private options can incur much more. Like I said, PT and especially pharmacy are headed towards the bubble. The money is definitely there now, but after talking with some veterans from both fields, it sounds as though jobs are drying up as we speak. As in any field, if you're talented enough, that won't matter. But I'm glad to be in a field that isn't growing more than it can handle (really it's the opposite). Good luck!

 

[resot]

Have you looked into San Jose State University in California? I thought about applying there this year in part because of their low tuition. This is what I found on their website regarding tuition, "All of our students in the post-professional distance program pay the same rate. The program is self-supporting and therefore does not take any money from the California General Fund. This is arranged by design, as we wanted to have a truly global program. The tuition for 2013-2014 is currently set at $650.00 per unit. The entire program is 30 units, for a total tuition cost of $19,500.00. Please contact the department to verify, as price is subject to change." (http://www.sjsu.edu/occupationaltherapy/Programs/ot_online/faq/#q11)

I know others have posted on different threads saying state schools can be cheaper. I don't know how true this is or how inexpensive tuition costs may be, but it might be something to look into.

I believe you are referring to the post-professional program SJSU offers for OTs who are currently in the field with their bachelor's degree and want to go back to school for their master's. Individuals who only have an undergraduate degree will not qualify for this program and need to apply to their entry-level MOT program. And I believe that program will have an in-state and out-of-state tuition price.

 

[resot]

Your points about competition and field saturation actually contradict each other. One reason that I first became convinced of the field of OT was when I learned of the activity and responsibility of AOTA to not approve an abundance of OT programs across the country like PT, mid-level nursing paths, and even pharmacy have done. Those fields are sitting on a bubble precisely because of the loose nature of approving new schools for the field. On the other hand, AOTA has kept a cap on this type of growth, hence the competition. You could even argue that medical schools have ventured down this path, especially considering, like you said, a more relaxed view towards non-US medical degrees.

Not to mention that these degrees are twice as long to finish, and thus normally WAY more expensive. Many MD's get pinned down in their field due to med school debt and the abuse they receive in residency. Then, you have the overhead when you finally get into the field (malpractice and whatnot).

However, if it's not what you want, then definitely don't waste your time or money doing it! I had a previous career path, and after years of pursuit, I made a huge 180 into the field of OT. I was worried that I might not make it into a school, but I worked really hard on what I could control about my application and it all worked out! It's definitely worth the effort if it's what you want! Good luck!

How do you know that AOTA is being reponsible about the number of OT programs that are available? Is there a website/article/etc that discusses this somewhere? I'm genuinely curious.

In Southern CA, we've got 3 programs that have already been around for awhile. One new program just started taking students recently (West Coast University), and another program will be accepting students for their inaugural class this year (Stanbridge). Both are private institutions. I don't know all the details of the two new programs, but a few months ago I read on WCU's website that they plan to accept cohorts 3x a year. And when I attended the AOTA conference last year in San Diego, signage for WCU was everywhere (they were one of the big sponsors for AOTA and the conference.)

 

[RedHeadOT]

I believe you are referring to the post-professional program SJSU offers for OTs who are currently in the field with their bachelor's degree and want to go back to school for their master's. Individuals who only have an undergraduate degree will not qualify for this program and need to apply to their entry-level MOT program. And I believe that program will have an in-state and out-of-state tuition price.

Thank you for catching that mistake. You are correct. I am trying to find a quote with the entry-level MOT tuition estimate for SJSU, but am having a hard time. (Their site is difficult to navigate in my opinion.) I know in the entry-level master's group advising video the speaker states, "even though our program is a bargain masters degree, at somewhere between 12 and 14 thousand for the entire degree, it's still a lot of money and so most of our students get financial aid."

The SJSU Bursar's website quotes Spring 2013 tuition and fee costs at $4,324.50 for the entire semester. This number included health, student union fees, and other fees. This is in-state tuition. (http://www.sjsu.edu/bursar/fees_due_dates/tuition_fees/spring/index.html) Fall 2o13 total fees and tuition for grad students was quoted at $4,284.50. (http://www.sjsu.edu/bursar/fees_due_dates/tuition_fees/fall/index.html) So, it seems like tuition and fees for SJSU are around $4,300 per semester in-state. The program is four semesters (2 fall and 2 spring) plus 2 fieldwork positions at 6 units each or part-time tuition of around $2,908.50 per fieldwork. Correct me if I am wrong in any of this info, but I think this would add up to somewhere around $23,000 for the whole program in-state with no financial aid. Non-California residents would pay this plus an addition $374 per unit. Not sure how many units each semester is, but the semesters all appear to have 5 courses. If I randomly guess the courses are all 3 unit classes (this is just a guess!) that would mean non-California residents pay the $23, 000 plus an addition $26,928 for not being a California resident. This makes non-California resident tuition about $50,000 for the entire program assuming no financial aid.

If you make about $70K a year, an MOT program costing a total of $23,000 in-state or $50,000 out-of-state without even considering financial aid seems reasonable. Maybe other people know of other reasonably priced schools you can look into.

 

[Kidamnesiac]

How do you know that AOTA is being reponsible about the number of OT programs that are available? Is there a website/article/etc that discusses this somewhere? I'm genuinely curious.

In Southern CA, we've got 3 programs that have already been around for awhile. One new program just started taking students recently (West Coast University), and another program will be accepting students for their inaugural class this year (Stanbridge). Both are private institutions. I don't know all the details of the two new programs, but a few months ago I read on WCU's website that they plan to accept cohorts 3x a year. And when I attended the AOTA conference last year in San Diego, signage for WCU was everywhere (they were one of the big sponsors for AOTA and the conference.)

Resot,

I have spent a good while today trying to find some of the information that helped me determine that conclusion. I have edited my post above because I can't find the hard data, though I know some of it included school openings in the last 20 years for my state (compared with openings of other similar allied health programs), local job demand in the past few years, indirect evidence such as the presence of signing bonuses on job listings, and anecdotal evidence. I might have drawn that conclusion errantly due to the criticism of some of my friends in their own fields (especially pharmacy), which might have shed a better light on OT. Of course, calculating the future is impossible, and with current changes in healthcare, job saturation is hard to predict. Sorry for the misleading post!

 

[lcs2074]

Kidamnesiac: My main issue with some of these programs is that they focus excessively on GPA. Something is "off" when the average GPA to a program is a 3.9. Medical schools don't even have those stats. It simply doesn't keep up with the reality: someone with a good GPA and lots of science courses can go on to apply to a masters as a Physician's Assistant making 30k More a year and incurring the same amount of debt. You will always have applicants in every program who have a 3.9 and are fighting to get in, but I think there will eventually be a drop off in the demand to be an OT if programs are waiting for Ivy type applicants basically.
Why not go to med school in the Caribbean? I've found myself asking myself that. Why don't I take a lil chem, a lil more bio, a lil more this and that and put it towards an MD? Yes it's a larger commitment, but when I am done I'd be making about 4-5 times as much as an OT. The answer? The typical OT applicant isn't a med school applicant, many are people like myself who have a non science background and like helping others and want to integrate these two things.

osu789, what are these schools that have an average 3.9 gpa?? I have looked at many programs websites and spoken to admissions counselors across the country, and nearly all of the schools I've seen have an average accepted GPA of around 3.5 or 3.6. Only one school I looked at (UIC) was way higher than that on average. OT is a holistic field, and even though it is becoming increasingly competitive as schools receive more and more applicants, MANY programs take a holistic look at an applicant based on related experience, essay, GRE, letters of rec, interview, etc. I am one example of this as I applied to 4 highly competitive programs, was accepted to 2 and waitlisted at 1. My GPA for my bachelors was a 2.9 and my overall was 3.1. If you look at the stats section of this forum you will find many other applicants who have also been accepted to OT school with a lower or average GPA, who have worked hard to compensate for this and show their worth in other areas.

Also, I'm not sure why you think OTs will not be in high demand in the future. Part of the reason so many people want to enter the field is because it IS in such high demand, considered one of the top recession-proof professions, and all research currently indicates a higher than average increase in demand for OTs in the coming decades. Part of what keeps this demand high is schools being selective with their applicants and not just accepting everybody. Think about it, if many more schools accepted an exceedingly large amount of applicants, the field would become saturated and there would no longer be that many available jobs (this is what happened to the Pharmacy field and seems unlikely to happen anytime soon for OT.)

You said on another thread that you appreciate straight forwardness, so I'm going to be frank with you. You seem to have a bit of an attitude/communication issue, and compassion, empathy and people skills are a very big component of OT (really, any health profession.) Maybe you should take a real look at conflicts you've had on this forum and elsewhere in your life and what you could do to improve upon them if this is really a field you want to go into. If you speak to school representatives, OTs and admission counselors the way you have with individuals on this forum, then there's a real chance that is why doors have been shut to you, not your GPA.

 

[Psych2OT]

I am at the breaking point. If I don't get in during this round I will pursue my backup: Clinical psychology.

OSU789.. I literally joined this message board so I could reply to this!!

First of all, I totally see where you're coming from with OT admissions. I have an M.A. in Clinical Psychology and am now looking into M.S. in OT.. because the laws regarding licensing for those with clinical psychology is in flux.

Right in the middle of my grad program for clinical psych (2009) my cohort got word that the Virginia licensing board for LPC (licensed professional counselor) was shutting out graduates from psychology programs and only rewarding licenses to those graduating from Counselor Ed. programs. As you can imagine, WE COMPLETELY FREAKED OUT.

After talking to former and current members of the board we discovered several things. First of all, Virginia is historically a "trend setting" state as far as licensing in psychology fields. So it is likely that more and more states will be making this same change to LPC licensure. Secondly, for several years those with a master's in clinical psychology were denied LPCs regardless of experience, courses taken, or supervisor recommendations. We were told that having the word "psychology" on your diploma meant automatic rejection from the LPC board in Virginia. Period.

So what did we do? At that point I was leaning towards another degree (OT or genetic counseling) so I continued with the program. Two students in my cohort went on to graduate programs (Psy D), another graduated and is working as a coach, one graduated and is working as a counselor (but is only paid like she has a BS degree so she is considering doing and MSW program) and two students switched ONE MONTH before graduation to the Counselor Ed. program so that they could try for the LPC. Recently our professors have petitioned the Virginia board to appeal this action. You can view it here: http://townhall.virginia.gov/L/comments.cfm?petitionid=195

If you are considering clinical psychology please do your research into the LPC license. Make sure the program is CACREP certified and their RECENT graduates have earned LPCs. In the coming years it will be harder and harder to work in a counseling job with a psychology degree (at the master's level). I know it sounds crazy, but it's happening. An M.S. in Counselor Ed. or Social Work is a much safer route.

If you are considering getting a doctorate in counseling, then that is a different story. There are tons of great doctorate programs for psych (Ph D and Psy D) but it is a much longer/intensive journey to counseling than a master's program.

Please message me if you have more questions about this. My heart dropped when I saw you say "clinical psychology" and I knew I had to tell you my experiences!

Best of luck!

 

[Kidamnesiac]

osu789, what are these schools that have an average 3.9 gpa?? I have looked at many programs websites and spoken to admissions counselors across the country, and nearly all of the schools I've seen have an average accepted GPA of around 3.5 or 3.6. Only one school I looked at (UIC) was way higher than that on average. OT is a holistic field, and even though it is becoming increasingly competitive as schools receive more and more applicants, MANY programs take a holistic look at an applicant based on related experience, essay, GRE, letters of rec, interview, etc. I am one example of this as I applied to 4 highly competitive programs, was accepted to 2 and waitlisted at 1. My GPA for my bachelors was a 2.9 and my overall was 3.1. If you look at the stats section of this forum you will find many other applicants who have also been accepted to OT school with a lower or average GPA, who have worked hard to compensate for this and show their worth in other areas.

Also, I'm not sure why you think OTs will not be in high demand in the future. Part of the reason so many people want to enter the field is because it IS in such high demand, considered one of the top recession-proof professions, and all research currently indicates a higher than average increase in demand for OTs in the coming decades. Part of what keeps this demand high is schools being selective with their applicants and not just accepting everybody. Think about it, if many more schools accepted an exceedingly large amount of applicants, the field would become saturated and there would no longer be that many available jobs (this is what happened to the Pharmacy field and seems unlikely to happen anytime soon for OT.)

You said on another thread that you appreciate straight forwardness, so I'm going to be frank with you. You seem to have a bit of an attitude/communication issue, and compassion, empathy and people skills are a very big component of OT (really, any health profession.) Maybe you should take a real look at conflicts you've had on this forum and elsewhere in your life and what you could do to improve upon them if this is really a field you want to go into. If you speak to school representatives, OTs and admission counselors the way you have with individuals on this forum, then there's a real chance that is why doors have been shut to you, not your GPA.

I think he might be looking at the Texas applicants thread, where seemingly everyone has a 3.9+. Texas is a competitive state for OT, especially because of compensation. That's why it's important to take into account your desired state to work/study.

I agree about the GPA though. I got into a "top 10" program with a 3.4, but I worked super hard on everything else (especially GRE and SOP). It's definitely doable.

 

[prodigiousflame]

agree with everything OSU is saying. My last sixty was a 3.9 and I got rejected from San Jose's program. This is after hundreds of volunteer hours and stellar letter of recs. I mean yeah with a few more prerequisites one could go to Med school, PA, dental, end up making more and at the end of the day still be helping people. I can understand the frustration-- a few of the OT's I shadowed only had their Bachelor degrees and they were doing the same work that their younger peers with their Masters degrees were doing :/

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

Why not go to med school in the Caribbean? I've found myself asking myself that. Why don't I take a lil chem, a lil more bio, a lil more this and that and put it towards an MD? Yes it's a larger commitment, but when I am done I'd be making about 4-5 times as much as an OT. The answer? The typical OT applicant isn't a med school applicant, many are people like myself who have a non science background and like helping others and want to integrate these two things.

lol. Do you realize how dangerous it is going to med school in the Caribbean these days? Best case, you will spend 300k to get stuck doing a malignant FM or IM residency in the middle of BFE. Or you'll end up getting weeded out like a large portion of Carib students. Your cousin is an outlier in terms of overall physician compensation and Carib graduates. For most people, going to school in the Caribbean is an awful idea.

If you want to go to med school, just man up and get into a US MD or DO school.

 

[inari87]

OSU - if one of the things that concerns you about OT is the pay given the amount of education then you really don't want to pursue an MSW or MA in counseling where you'd be extraordinarily fortunate to start at 40k.

Same goes for a PsyD, where you'll likely never ever make as much as an MOT despite having a higher credential.

 

[lcs2074]

@Weeiceman:

@lcs2074: I believe you're referencing the "what to wear to class" situation. I told the person I thought it was a juvenile question; we should all know what to wear in a graduate/professional setting. I'm sorry that it rubbed you the wrong way, but that is the response you would get from many professors and colleagues-- or they would be thinking it after they tell you the obvious answer. It's wise to not make assumptions about me because I thought one comment was silly. You know nothing about me or the compassion I have displayed in my life. I detail my volunteer work, my international service that I have done, my work for various community organizations etc. etc., you don't know me so it's best not to assume that I lack compassion for others based on my reaction to ONE question.

Actually, my response was based on many things you've posted here, which has given me the overall impression that you are someone who would benefit from thinking about why you are saying something and what you hope to achieve from it before saying it. Maybe my impressions are inaccurate and you are completely considerate of others in real life, but considering the people who "liked" my post and other responses you've received on here, clearly I'm not the only one who has that impression of you. That should be enough for you to reconsider what you are putting out there and how you are presenting yourself to others. For example...

a) You actually call one person a "spazz" for posting their concerns while having a high GPA. If you don't want assumptions made about you based on one post what gives you the right to do so to someone else? Also, saying "no offense, but..." doesn't actually make what you say not rude or offensive. This basically came off as an immature rant based on your frustrations with your own lack of a high GPA.

b) You say you didn't take the GRE "on principle" because you see it as a "glorified IQ test." I understand most people don't like taking the GRE and don't feel like it accurately measures their potential, especially those who already have very high stats, and my experience has been that in those cases GRE is generally not considered as highly as long as they meet the minimum. However, the material of the GRE is not actually that difficult (up to 8th grade math, and the verbal is just memorization.) It is actually measuring your time management, studying and test-taking ability, which is very relevant when you consider your doing well on a standardized test (NBCOT) is what actually makes you an OT and determines MOT programs continuing accreditation. Yes its a pain, but if you take a month or two to study hard there's no reason not to do well. Also, for folks like you and me who do not have the higher undergrad GPA, it offers an objective way to prove your academic ability to an MOT program. You claim you are so smart based on the level of difficulty of books you read, but that has nothing to do with OT, admissions counselors will care less. Frankly, ignoring a perfect opportunity to prove yourself to admissions programs in a way that can offset your lower GPA is not very smart.

c) This thread. Yes, it is frustrating that it is much harder to become an OT than it used to be, and that grad school is so expensive. I get frustrated when I think about how much easier it would have been to get into the schools I wanted if I had applied just a few years ago, before the number of applicants doubled and tripled. But wishing it were different or like it was before doesn't actually accomplish anything. The reality is the economy sucks, OT is a pretty stable and attractive field while also being intrinsically satisfying, so it has become more competitive. If higher pay is more important to you, then go into a different field. If OT is still worth it to you, then suck it up and take advantage of all resources and opportunities available to you. You may not get into your dream school in your dream location, but in 2 years you'll be an OT just the same and it is in high enough demand that it won't matter where you went to school.

d) You started a thread offering advice on how to get into grad school with a low GPA when you have yet to be accepted yourself. Seems a bit presumptious, as it would be more valid to give that advice after you've actually achieved acceptance.

e) Yes, the "what to wear" thread is part of it. Personally, I have seen that question on a FAQ handout at an info session for one of the top MOT programs in the country, so I think its fair to say you're wrong about that. There have been a number of responses to your post with various evidence and links proving its a pretty common and generally accepted question among new grad students. You can ignore that and keep thinking its juvenile all you want, but it makes you seem pretty narrow-minded.

That said, I believe you are an intelligent person with some interesting points and constructive things to add to the conversations in this forum. I especially find it interesting what areas you are considering pursuing as a plan B to OT, as they are separate from the usually mentioned OTA route. Bottom line, be thoughtful before saying something. How do you want yourself to be perceived and what can you do or say (or not say, as the case may be) to make that happen? Get over yourself, stop complaining about things you can't change, and focus on taking advantage of the things you can. Good luck.

 

[Psych2OT]

@Psych2OT: Definitely. I am applying to PsyD programs, but I think you're right. If I can't get into a PsyD I will pursue a MSW or MS in IO Psych en route to a PSYD. It'd be more costly but it's a good stepping stone. Right? I have heard by a lot of my friends that a MS in Counseling Psych is a bad idea also... that it's wise to go through the LC or PCC route.

Sounds good. If I could start all over I would do I/O. All my friends with I/O M.A.s have jobs (tough jobs with long hours, but JOBS) and get great salaries. Psy D is a great option if you want a doctorate but are more interested in counseling versus research as a career. I would apply to both and see where you are accepted.

 

[BLS614]

Osu789- I'm sorry to hear that you feel like your application outcomes haven't gone well and sincerely hope that you are admitted to a school you would like to attend. I understand your frustrations and think there is merit to some of them, but like many others, I think some of these negatives are actually benefits to the field.

The OT field absolutely seems to have gotten significantly more competitive recently and it's a shame for people who haven't been able to get into a school. However, selfishly, I appreciate some of that competitiveness. As others have noted, many people don't know what OT is or view it as a "fluffy" health profession. Increasing the standards by which people are admitted into OT programs legitimizes our profession and puts it into a more serious league. My sisters are in veterinary school and pharmacy school, so part of me is glad that OT is proving to be just as serious about admitting highly qualified applicants. I want to be taken seriously as a health care professional and without strict standards of entry others both in the industry and outside won't view occupational therapy as a legitimate healthcare service. Knowing that you could start with an associates is frustrating to me in terms of student debt, but I am glad that our profession has progressed and is better seen as discipline worthy of respect (and education).

In terms of the GPA reliance, I agree it can be somewhat silly. A good OT probably has less to do with the difference between a 3.9 and a 3.4 GPA and more to do with personality, dedication, and effort. However, it's important to remember that not only do these schools want you to be prepared for the profession; they want you to be prepared for graduate school. Your GPA is an (arguably) good determiner of success as a graduate student. It's important to note, however, that many, many people on this thread have gotten into highly ranked OT schools with less than a 3.9 and many with less than a 3.5. A low GPA may bar you from some schools but clearly not all.

To address your point about salary, I also agree it's frustrating, particularly when comparing PA to OT. I have thought about that myself but am comforted by the fact that OT is truly unique to other healthcare fields. OT is so incredibly diverse and therapy can be so interactive and different from day to day. That variety stands out amongst a lot of other healthcare professions and for me, that's worth it. My sister will be a pharmacist and while she finds pharmacology interesting, she knows her day-to-day job will probably be boring and that there aren't too many ways to switch it up. In contrast, the diversity of OT for me makes up for the (high) difference in pay we will receive because I would rather go to work with more varying tasks and ability to change populations if I want to. I also like how interdisciplinary OT really is (which I'm sure you feel the same way because of your psychology background). To me, no other health care profession provides quite that distinction and while money is definitely important to me (I actually chose OT over an MSW for primarily this reason), what I am doing day-to-day in my job is so much more critical.

As I mentioned, I hope you are able to get admitted into a program. If you aren't, I would definitely look through your application to determine what might have held you back and what you could have done differently. I can't imagine, based on other's stats and acceptances, that GPA alone barred you from a program. As others have mentioned, some of your posts have come off abrasive, whether you intended them to or not. I would work to make sure that your LORs are strong and that no such tone appears in your essay. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance and that's probably the last thing an admissions counselor wants to see. Again, I don't actually think this is your intention. You are probably sincere, but that is not coming across with your interactions with people here and thus may be a problem with your overall application. You mention how much you enjoy community service, so if you do end up taking another year, I would highly encourage you to continue. I think the community service I mentioned in my resume and in my essay played a strong role in my acceptances. Also, it would help with any sort of misconception of your intentions for OT and would demonstrate how pure your motives really are. This is not to come off as accusatory or assuming in any way, but generally to try and help. Overall, I think these threads have been very helpful to many people and the interactions have been positive. People seem to generally want to help each other. I think if you can demonstrate that same sentiment in your application, in addition to your obvious intellectual capabilities, I think you should have no problem gaining admittance to an OT program.

 

[Kidamnesiac]

The difference in pay between PA and OT isn't all that bad if you factor in hours worked. PRN can catch you up if money is what worries you, although you have to work more hours. However, PA's are going to work more hours than OT's more often than not.

 

[RedHeadOT]

Psych2OT: I definitely want to speak with you, there is no private message function here sadly....I wish there was a way to email back and forth with you.

osu789, you should be able to message Psych2OT. If I remember correctly, you click on their name. Then when the pop up appears, you click on "start a conversation."