Any thoughts or advice for my situation

[2017SN]

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I'm in my fifth year from a Canadian university, looking into DPT programs in the US.
1st Year GPA: 2.06
2nd Year GPA: 1.56
3rd Year GPA: 3.54
4th Year GPA: 3.46
5th Year GPA: 3.9

cGPA: 3.1

I have an upward trend to work with, however my pre-req GPA is very low since most of the prerequisite courses were taken in 1st and 2nd year where my marks were horrible. Should I retake the prerequisite courses? How do DPT programs look at retaking the prerequisite courses? Is the most recent grade taken into consideration or is it an average of both?

Also I saw DPT programs like the University of Arkansas where they consider the last two years of undergraduate grades as well.

Any help or advice regarding what to do in terms of retaking prerequisite courses or what specific programs to apply for would be greatly appreciated.

 

[yodelingyorkies]

First of all, yes, definitely retake any courses you did poorly in! From what I've found, most schools will average your retakes but some will take your highest grade. I personally have a 3.1ish cumulative GPA so I'm definitely planning on applying to some schools that only look at the last 60 credit hours. There are some threads floating around that list these schools. I know U. of Rhode Island looks at last 60 credit hours AND takes highest retake grade (although I'm not sure how many courses you can apply that to).
Secondly, I'm curious as to why you're looking at US schools? I'm assuming you have specific reasons, but a two year masters in Canada is so much cheaper if you can swing it! If you want to practice in the US, I would recommend checking out the Canadian school(s) that are accredited by the APTA if you haven't already.

 

[2017SN]

Thanks for the reply. For starters I think it's a little easier to get admission into DPT programs in the US rather than a masters in Canada. Also I thought having a DPT degree provided more job prospects but I guess not?

 

[SaraBoBara]

If you want to work in the US, a doctorate is pretty much a requirement for new grads. The only thing that makes those with masters hireable is experience, but even that may not be enough later on, what with APTA's Vision 2020.

pGPA is more important than cGPA, so definitely retake the prerequisites, but be sure to carefully research schools before applying because some only allow 2 classes to be retaken.

 

[Cheezy89]

I got in with a cGPA of 2.6. While cGPA is very hard to change after a number of credits, you can definitely bump up your pre-req to increase your chances for an interview. Some programs take the highest grade of a retaken course and some others take the average, so needless to say you will need to do some research on where you are applying. When I applied to second time I only focused on schools that only care about pre-reqs. Since your cGPA is 3.1 you have a lot more options available to you, but I hope you recognize that grades are not the only criteria for getting accepted. Clinical hours, strong recommendation letters, community presence and a nice essay are as equally important. I have a list of schools and other contents that might spark your interest: https://www.facebook.com/jbergpt. Check it out!

 

[yodelingyorkies]

So, I just checked out CAPTE online (the PT accreditation body in the US) and it looks like there are no more Canadian schools that are accredited. So if you received a degree in Canada and wanted to practice here then you would have to jump through some hoops. As far as getting into a PT program, I definitely think there are a lot more opportunities to gain admission here than in Canada. Especially since we do have schools that don't look at cumulative GPA. That being said, I'm not sure if you being a foreign citizen would factor in at all (unless you have US citizenship).
As far as job prospects, having a DPT isn't going to do you any favors here. You don't get more money or recognition for having a DPT over an MPT (just a lot more debt!). A licensed PT is a licensed PT, regardless of what your terminal degree is. I'm assuming you're wanting to eventually practice in the US? If you don't I would definitely give Canadian schools a shot, as it would be easier and cheaper in the long run. Definitely research all of your options there and talk to admissions if you have to. You never know who might give you a chance!

 

[2017SN]

I'm still considering practicing in the US. The main thing that sparked my interest was my higher chance of admissions. I'll definitely consider my options now though, thanks for all the help guys. I really appreciate it.

 

[Capt America DPT]

Last year I applied with a pre req GPA of 3.3 and got no interviews. Retook two classes, brought pre up to a 3.5, and I've received 2 interviews and zero declines as of yet. Get that GPA bumped up, even up .1 or .2 can make a big difference.

 

[2017SN]

Last year I applied with a pre req GPA of 3.3 and got no interviews. Retook two classes, brought pre up to a 3.5, and I've received 2 interviews and zero declines as of yet. Get that GPA bumped up, even up .1 or .2 can make a big difference.

Congrats on the interviews. Thanks for the advice, I'm definitely considering retaking the pre reqs.