Ask a DPT Admissions Director

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@preptdavid:

Thanks for your question. I don't think that the PTs work in the same location is relevant. I do think PTs with different specialties should be able to give some indication of your familiarity and comfort with both settings, which is good.

IU does not require LORs, but good LORs are those that demonstrate familiarity with your background and interest in PT. The best LORs provide insight into you as a person, how you solve problems or approach them, your demeanor and rapport with clients/patients, and give an assessment of your preparedness overall for PT school. As you can tell, they can do a lot of things.

One letter need not do all of this, but the letters should serve to provide some context to your application and provide strong support for your entry into the PT profession.

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabiltation Sciences
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
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@b0rganic:

Appreciate you taking the time to write. Am happy to help!

We see quite a few mid-career changers or those who came to PT as an interest some time after earning an undergraduate degree. Many have considered other health care careers, and as you may know the PTCAS question this year centers on this question - how did you know PT is right for you?

Regarding your background with alternative medicine, this is something to address in the general essay. I recommend candor, as obfuscation will just cause confusion and certainly is not a positive impression. So your experience in acupuncture school led to you to PT, and you've done well in the science coursework that is required for practice in PT. That's a fine story to tell. Certainly it is somewhat unusual, but unusual is not necessarily undesirable or negative.

Focusing on the basic sciences and their application to integrative practice is totally reasonable. The situation is that many PT students just starting out may have an idea, but won't be certain, of what particular practice era they'd like. So having an interest is fine, but keep in mind that PT programs are general because the board exam is general and you'll have to be licensed as a general PT. I wouldn't tie myself to any one area fully at this time.

The Indiana University program only reviews the Verbal GRE, and your score is above average for us. Programs will vary on how they consider GRE scores. It seems to me that most count the GRE in some way, but it's not a predominant factor. That is, it's not often weighted more than cumulative or prerequisite GPA.

It sounds like you've got a pretty solid plan and have done well, and have come to PT after some thought and reflection, plus experience. This is a good start. Don't fear the potential downsides but focus on your background and abilities, and I expect you will be attractive to programs.

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabiltation Sciences
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
@Pediatric PT:

Thanks for the question, this is a common issue and I appreciate the opportunity to address it.

Interviews may be the only opportunity a candidate has to "break out from the pack." However, IU doesn't view interviews that way, and I think it's unproductive to consider this as a race, where one candidate is pitted against another.

It's much better to consider this a chance to let the interviewers understand you more, put some "meat" around your LORs or personal statements/program specific questions, and to make a positive impression based on your self-knowledge, ethical decision-making, and interest and passion for PT.

IU looks for candidates who are making a commitment to IU and to the field. Like the billboard says, we take commitments, not applications (we have to take applications, but you get the idea). We want candidates who are knowledgeable about PT, who really reflected on their interests and know that PT is for them, that asked questions and seriously considered what happened in their PT observation experience, and those who approach ethical questions thoughtfully.

We prep candidates for the interview. It's always helpful to know the history of the profession, what APTA is up to, the legislative agenda in the state, the program mission and values, and the like.

If you don't know anything about the program that you're interviewing with, that's not going to fly. Be prepared to authentically answer the question, "What got you interested in studying PT at XYZ University?" Be prepared to interact with everyone from an administrative assistant to the School's Dean, program directors, faculty, and admissions staff. Treat everyone well.

I expect you could find mock interview questions online. You won't want to sound rehearsed or steer the conversation to some "talking points" that you've made up. Keep in mind that there are certain aspects that the committee wants to know about. If they can't get to a question, they'll have to either infer or leave that area blank. That's not so helpful.

So, keep the answers directly on the question asked, try not to infer subtext or some alternate meaning. If you don't quite get what the interviewer is asking, it's best to follow up and ask for a bit of clarity rather than answering a question the interviewer did not ask. One way of doing this is to ask something like: Do I understand correctly that you are interested in ______________?

We have seen a number of candidates dress less than modestly. This is a strong negative for our program. We don't ask candidates appear in burlap sacks. However, we do expect professional, modest attire for all candidates. Business professional is essentially required, which would be suits and ties (or well coordinated slacks/sport coat for men) and business suits (pants or long skirts) for women. Please don't show us your backside or your chest. It's a small thing, but it goes to professionalism, which is also a component of many interviews.

Best of luck to you.

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabiltation Sciences
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
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Josh, thank you for your detailed answer about interviews! It was very informative!!!
I wonder if you could answer the following questions:

1. What is the most challenging thing that PT students face during their 1st semester?

2. After we get accepted, should we do anything else to get better prepared for the 1st semester in PT school?

3. And what is the most common reason why students drop from PT program?
 
@easb:

Happy to help, best of luck to you. Be prepared but try not to over-analyze your responses (that is, keep the self-talk positive and upbeat), and relax. This isn't the Spanish Inquisition!

1. Our program includes a cadaver lab for human anatomy, which is a rigorous course. It's taken along with the Indiana University School of Medicine students, and is rather intense. Typically the rigor and amount of academic work is an adjustment. I call PT school a marathon and a sprint combined. College is a marathon, but you can run at a certain pace. PT school is a marathon in length and at a sprint's pace.

2. Yes. Review anatomy, take a vacation, connect with classmates, and make sure you get all your matriculation materials, including immunization records, in quickly. You can't start a program if you're not properly immunized and able to attend clinical sites. IU includes clinical education the first semester, so this is crucial.

3. I don't think it's about academic preparedness, though occasionally a student isn't as prepared as s/he appeared to be. Mostly the reasons are not being able to handle the workload and life issues, such as things that "get in the way," poor time management, that sort of thing. Some students simply decide PT wasn't what they thought it was, wanted to do more with other aspects of a patient, and so went to become a medical doctor or other health professional.

Let me say very clearly: PT school is a commitment, and because there are only so many spots in each program's class, I want everyone to know that it's a terrible thing to withdraw in the middle of a program. If students are unsure that PT is for them, want to "try it out," etc., I implore them to carefully consider the implications not just for themselves and their families, but also for the profession.

Unfortunately, each time a student withdraws from a PT program, that is a PT in practice that the profession will never get back. This is why we take the PT admission process so very seriously and invest to much time and energy into selecting a class of individuals that not only have the academic and personal backgrounds to succeed in PT school and as PTs, but are committed to the field.

Best wishes to all.

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabiltation Sciences
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
I am fluent in Spanish and wish to become a PT to work with Spanish-speaking patients.
Is there a need for bilingual PT's? Will this help me in the admissions process? Lastly, is there an area on the PTCAS where I can highlight this attribute?

Thank you.
 
@sandiegan:

Thanks for your question. Based on demographic changes only, I am sure the need for bilingual PTs, particularly those that speak Spanish, will only grow. The growth will be uneven, but you probably know that California is now a "majority minority" state, with the largest non-white ethnic group being Hispanic/Latino.

Depending on a program's custom questions, there could be a place for this, particularly if you've used the Spanish in a human service or extracurricular activity.

Of course, there is a personal statement that is part of the application process. This certainly is relevant to PT practice in many, if not most areas in the US, and should be noted.

Will it help you? I don't think there's a place in many PT admission processes where those who are multilingual get bonus points. It certainly can help in an interview because you'll be able to interact with clients who speak Spanish better and more easily than those who cannot speak Spanish. This is certainly useful. However, it is only relevant insofar as it assists you in making the case that you're prepared to excel in PT school.

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabiltation Sciences
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
Dear Mr. Morrison,

My question is regarding the anatomy & Physiology lab prerequisite that most programs require. At my university human physiology & gross anatomy are separate 3 credit courses. I received an A in physiology & B in gross anatomy about 2 yrs ago. Regarding the labs my undergraduate department only offers a 2 credit anatomy lab (which I did not take) & does not offer a human physiology lab. Since I've already graduated I'm considering taking Anatomy & Physiology Lab I & II at a CC but I may also be required to take the corresponding lectures since they are corequisites for the labs unless I can get an override. Do you advise just taking the lab portions or both the lecture & labs? I'm also concerned about taking courses at a CC because I've taken prequisite courses at a total of 2 universities & 1 CC. Your advice is greatly appreciated.
 
Josh,

How do admission committees review a below average GRE score? I have a competitive GPA and 150 observation hours in 5 different settings; however, I did not do so great on the GRE. I prepared for the test and scored high on the analytical writing section, but my verbal and quanative scores are below average for most schools. Although IU only considers the verbal section, I am wondering if you can give me any insight on this. I hate to use the "bad test-taker" excuse but could this be the case? Is it truly unlikely for a DPT hopeful to succeed in a program because he/she did not do well on the GRE? I have been stressed out about this!
Thank you.
 
@DancerFuturePT:

Typically there is a formula or some rubric that programs use to evaluate candidates. GRE scores are considered as part of the process, of course, but they vary in importance or weighting.

For Indiana University, cumulative GPA, prerequisite math/science GPA, and Verbal GRE score are considered roughly equally in the pre-interview stage. After that, we do not recalculate or otherwise review the previous score, just add the interview score and re-rank candidates.

What you want is to be in the top 80-100 candidates in those three factors. We've certainly admitted students with below 50%ile on the Verbal GRE. Those candidates tend to have a bit higher than average cumulative or prerequisite math/science GPAs, or do better than average in an interview.

So it all matters, but you can only control so many things. We're likely to be competitive as always, but the competition changes yearly. You can't change it now and we're getting close to August, which is the latest you can realistically take the GRE and have the scores in by our Oct. 1 deadline. Only stress about the things you can control! :)

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabiltation Sciences
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
Josh,

Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply, and for taking the time to respond to all of us hopefuls. This thread is extremely insightful!
 
Happy to help, b0rganic. Am hopeful that the moderators will make this a sticky so that it can be easily accessed by all.

Cheers,

Josh M.
 
Though this thread has seen some good traffic, I wanted to write a few pointers about getting through the admissions process with grace and sanity. These hints are generally applicable to most programs:

1. Before applying, be sure that you know why you want to pursue PT education and become a PT. You don't need to decide what specialty you want to pursue or list institutions, but be sure you want to be an PT and have the evidence to back up your desire. If a program admits you and you decide to withdraw, that's an PT in practice that, for all practical purposes, the profession never gets back. Programs are looking for candidates that are fully and unequivocally committed to being a highly qualified and competent PT.

2. Ensure you are familiar with the requirements of each program to which you apply, whether they participate in PTCAS (Indiana University does participate), and know the profile of their most recently enrolled class. Though these profiles are not predictive, they can give you clues as to how competitive you might be for admission.

3. Look at PTCAS and non-PTCAS programs. Participation in PTCAS is not an indication of program quality or any other factor.

4. When applying to programs, look at the details that matter. What proportion of their faculty have earned doctorates? Who is responsible for clinical placements? How many clinicals are required? Do these experiences cover the full lifespan? What is the first-time pass rate on the national board exam? How does this compare to other programs you're considering? To the national average?

5. Communicate with PT admissions staff respectfully and for issues that cannot be solved via a website search. Use email and then follow up via phone if you do not receive a reply in a few business days. Please note that the staff who work with PT admissions may also work with other programs, so it is useful to identify yourself and your program via email and phone. Include your PTCAS ID or university ID for an online application if available.

6. Read, then re-read, all admission policies and procedures. Many programs, including IU, require a supplementary campus application. Applicants that omit items for admission and application requirements do so at their own risk. Programs will make attempts to help you and remind you of missing materials. Even so, completing the application process in a timely manner is the applicant's responsibility. Keep a file of all requirements for each program, and be sure to get them in ahead of the application deadline.

7. Make sure you know of interview dates, if applicable, and block those dates off on your calendar. If a program has one interview date, or a set of dates, block them all off and ensure your schedule is cleared. Programs can only devote so many resources to the interview day, and cannot duplicate the experience for a few candidates that cannot attend.

8. Be truthful in all your interactions with the admissions staff and in the admissions process. Unethical behavior, omissions of documentation, and falsification of materials are all grounds for termination of an application. PTs are held to the highest ethical standards, and PT students are as well. Start off well by doing things the right way from the start. Program admission staff are smart; they've seen many applications and can suss out a suspicious piece of data when presented.

9. Be sure to apply broadly, but not indiscriminately. If you do not meet the minimum requirements for a program, please save yourself the hassle and do not apply. I know this may be tough for some, but the competition for many programs means we simply cannot make exceptions to our admission policies. I know many candidates with less-than-stellar grades who might be excellent PTs. Unfortunately we cannot make consistent judgment calls regarding potential ability. We have to use the evidence we have in order to make admission offers.

I am happy to answer additional questions about the PT admission process. If you have questions about your competitiveness, what route(s) you should take, what is most appropriate in terms of an admissions process, these I can help you with. Keep in mind that there are programs that look for different things in terms of preparation, and not all programs focus exclusively or predominantly on only academic performance, though it is very important to success in PT school.

Best wishes to all for a successful admission season!

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
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Josh, thank you very much for another informative post!!!
Can you please give me feedback on my stats and suggestions on how to improve them?
GPA (BA from overseas, 2005): between 3.05-3.1
GPA (US, no degree): 3.7
Prereq. GPA: 3.6
Observ. Hours: 260 outpatient (geriatric, orthopedics); 210 inpatient, SNF (geriatric, orthoped, neurology, cardiovascular, pulmonary); 50 inpatient, sub-acute pediatric (pulmonary, neurology, pediatric)
 
Josh, I also wonder if admissions treat foreign degrees/transcripts and foreign GPA differently from the US ones? And does the year of graduation make any difference (let's say 2000 vs. 2012)?
 
@Driver23d:

I'm sorry I overlooked your message yesterday.

Please keep in mind that programs have to consider candidates on as even a playing field as possible. This means that all prerequisites must be completed or only a certain number incomplete, and those prerequisites need to be as comparable as possible.

From what I gather you have had the equivalent of human anatomy and human physiology without lab. You need the labs. If you repeat lecture this would count toward any repeat rules, and programs vary on their policies. IU allows up to 15 credits of repeated prerequisites.

So complete the labs even if you have to take the lectures. Should be a good way to bolster the prerequisite and to some extent cumulative GPA, and you will get a refresher on these important topics before PT school.

IU doesn't prefer 2- or 4-year institutions, and your scores in the first anatomy course are good, B in physiology is not unreasonable. Acing the CC courses only shows your knowledge is up to date.

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
@easb:

Thanks for your question.

Regarding international transcripts/graduates, there is no benefit or drawback. You can't change where you completed your undergraduate BA/BS degree. You will need to look at the institution's policies regarding transcript evaluation, whether they require a WES, Silny, or other organization evaluation.

The year of degree completion also is not a factor.

Your GPA is hard to figure without knowing the credits associated with the undergraduate and post-baccalaureate coursework. You probably have between a 3.2-4 overall GPA depending on how many post-baccalaureate courses you completed. For some programs you are OK on cumulative; prerequisite is generally competitive.

I suggest doing very well on the GRE and cultivating strong LOR from those you've worked with in the PT experiences you have had. You have plenty of observation experience, now use that to reflect on what you learned and have some talking points ready for interviews. Prepare for the GRE using their PowerPrep software or any other means you find useful.

For IU, your prerequisite GPA is about average, but the cumulative GPA is below. It would take a strong GRE and interview performance in order to make it into the offer group directly after the interview.

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
I was a student athlete at a DI program for 4 years. Due to the pressures and time involved, my grades are not reflective of my capabilities--I have a cumulative gpa of 3.0 and a 2.85 science gpa. I scored a 155/155/4 on the GRE a couple of weeks ago. Do I have a shot at getting into PT school? PT is definitely the profession I want to pursue; I am spending my summer getting observation hours in and I love it. Is it possible that admissions counselors will take into account the fact that I was a full-time student athlete?
 
@sandiegan:

Thanks for your question. I don't know of many programs that would consider a prerequisite GPA of below 3.0, but there may be some out there. APTA or PTCAS would be good options to look at. I would suggest looking at first time board pass rates for all programs you are considering attending.

Unfortunately I expect you not to be competitive for many programs, and you would not be eligible for consideration at Indiana University if those were your statistics. Even though we require a 3.2 cumulative and prerequisite math/science GPA, many candidates apply without these credentials. We have to decline each such applicant.

Getting observation hours is good and helpful to confirm that you want to be a PT and enjoy the type of work PTs do. There's not a lot of point in obtaining dozens or hundreds of hours if you are not going to be competitive for admission to a few programs.

Focus now on improving your prerequisite GPA, which will improve your cumulative as well (though not as fast). Consider what programs require and obtain a profile of the last 1-3 years of enrolled students to get a sense of competitiveness. Ensure both GPAs are at least 3.0 and then apply broadly to those to which you are qualified.

Is it possible that committees will know? Yes. Will you likely get past the first screen with credentials like you have now? It depends on the program, but applicants who just meet the minimum requirements are often not successful, at least at first.

Your focus now should be on academic credentials, including GRE scores and improving your prerequisite GPA by repeating courses. Review the policies for each program you're interested in attending. Your GRE scores are fair, and would not generally make up for below average cumulative and prerequisite GPAs.

Indiana University allows up to 15 repeated credit hours of prerequisites only; policies vary.

I wish I had better news for you, sandiegan, and I am sure you had a positive experience as a D1 athlete. That speaks to your ability to stick to a task, leadership, teamwork, and so on. Unfortunately those traits are only relevant if you can get past the first hurdle, which is to be in the group of most well qualified applicants after the first screen.

Best of luck to you.

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
Hi Josh,
I am wondering what the purpose of the work section in PTCAS is? I have been out of school for 10 years and have a bunch of work in the service and hotel industry, but it is not necessarily relevant to PT. Must I enter every experience, or just the most recent/most notable? I think the most important point that I would want to confer with this is that I was working full time while pursuing my prerequisites. What are your thoughts on this?

In terms of extracurricular stuff does anything count like being in a band, or involved in a yoga studio count? I.e., things other than service work and research experiences. How do you consider extracurriculars?
 
@b0rganic:

I advise you to complete all sections completely and thoroughly. IU does not review this section, but it could be useful to other programs that consider work experience as a measure of commitment, good work habits, etc.

Indicate all your extracurricular activities. Again, this is about providing the most complete picture of you as an applicant. IU does not generally consider extracurricular activities formally in the admission process.

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
Hi Josh! I had a question about GRE scores. Why do most programs list GRE requirements as 1,000 on the old GRE, and then for the new GRE have it listed as over 297 or over 300, when both of those would equal out to be way over a 1,000 on the old GRE. The new GRE scores of 146 V (400 old) 148 (600) would equal a 1,000, but most schools are saying those are bad scores. Thanks.
 
@KD242:

Thanks for your question.

Please see the GRE concordance tables here: http://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/concordance_information.pdf.

You will see that 150 is not at the 50%ile in V and Q. It's close with V (between 151-152), but a 150 on Quantitative is at the 41%ile, or equivalent to a 630 on the old.

150 equivalents would give you a combined V+Q of 1030 on the old GRE, which is only three ticks up from the minimum.

So those scores are not at the 50%ile for each, and thus may not be competitive.

If the programs you designate put emphasis on the GRE, you are best advised to repeat it, and focus on the areas that are particularly troublesome for you.

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
Hi Josh,

My first question deals with DPT/PhD dual degrees in rehabiliation science. I'm interested in possibly doing this so I can do research in PT. I've spent a lot of time on the internet reseaching rehabiliation science and I'm still a little confused about the degree and the field.To earn the PhD would I be able to research something along the lines of how the certain degree of rotation of a joint effects the stability/ injury of other joints and how to correct that (I know that sounds really confusing but I'm still in undergrad just brainstorming and I do not want to give my idea away on the internet.)

My second question is about DPT admissions. How much does it help if you are a collegiate athlete and still have a high gpa (3.8)? Unfortunately I have also had extensive injuries that have required months of PT so would an admissions office view that positively because I have extensive experience as a patient?


Thank you so much for being generous with your time!
 
@SpartanPT:

Thanks for your message.

PhDs are research degrees, preparing individuals to conduct original research. The DPT is a professional degree, such as the JD or MD, which qualifies someone to practice in a profession. DPT programs may or may not require original research.

PhD research is about understanding something better, to provide new knowledge. A big trick is to know what problem(s) are worth solving and determining the most appropriate methods to solve them. This could involve both quantitative and qualitative methods. Most of the sciences prefer quantitative methods. However, the methods should fit the question, not the other way around.

Regarding athletics. Only the items a program requests matter. If what you have done has no direct bearing on your preparation for PT school, then it doesn't matter, or matters very little.

I would say that carrying a high GPA as an athlete is more difficult than normal, and shows good time management and probably above-average dedication to academics. These are good things.

Your experience as a patient is unlikely to be a determining factor. The first thing is to be academically competitive with GPA, GRE, etc. Then you can use your personal statements or other written documents in order to explain the rationale for pursuing PT education.

I always say this -- programs want commitments, not just applications. We want students to be committed to becoming a PT and to our program. The extent to which you can demonstrate preparation and commitment to the field, the better off you are likely to be.

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
@SpartanPT:

Thanks for your message.

PhDs are research degrees, preparing individuals to conduct original research. The DPT is a professional degree, such as the JD or MD, which qualifies someone to practice in a profession. DPT programs may or may not require original research.

PhD research is about understanding something better, to provide new knowledge. A big trick is to know what problem(s) are worth solving and determining the most appropriate methods to solve them. This could involve both quantitative and qualitative methods. Most of the sciences prefer quantitative methods. However, the methods should fit the question, not the other way around.

Regarding athletics. Only the items a program requests matter. If what you have done has no direct bearing on your preparation for PT school, then it doesn't matter, or matters very little.

I would say that carrying a high GPA as an athlete is more difficult than normal, and shows good time management and probably above-average dedication to academics. These are good things.

Your experience as a patient is unlikely to be a determining factor. The first thing is to be academically competitive with GPA, GRE, etc. Then you can use your personal statements or other written documents in order to explain the rationale for pursuing PT education.

I always say this -- programs want commitments, not just applications. We want students to be committed to becoming a PT and to our program. The extent to which you can demonstrate preparation and commitment to the field, the better off you are likely to be.

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
IndianaDPT said:
@SpartanPT:

Thanks for your message.

PhDs are research degrees, preparing individuals to conduct original research. The DPT is a professional degree, such as the JD or MD, which qualifies someone to practice in a profession. DPT programs may or may not require original research.

PhD research is about understanding something better, to provide new knowledge. A big trick is to know what problem(s) are worth solving and determining the most appropriate methods to solve them. This could involve both quantitative and qualitative methods. Most of the sciences prefer quantitative methods. However, the methods should fit the question, not the other way around.

Regarding athletics. Only the items a program requests matter. If what you have done has no direct bearing on your preparation for PT school, then it doesn't matter, or matters very little.

I would say that carrying a high GPA as an athlete is more difficult than normal, and shows good time management and probably above-average dedication to academics. These are good things.

Your experience as a patient is unlikely to be a determining factor. The first thing is to be academically competitive with GPA, GRE, etc. Then you can use your personal statements or other written documents in order to explain the rationale for pursuing PT education.

I always say this -- programs want commitments, not just applications. We want students to be committed to becoming a PT and to our program. The extent to which you can demonstrate preparation and commitment to the field, the better off you are likely to be.

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
Click to expand...

Thank you for replying! Just a quick clarification on the PhD in Rehab science. Could you expand a little on types of things people research? My main interest is in orthopaedics/musculoskeletal system and eventually I would like to become an OCS certified PT. I feel like what I described is more biomechanics centered rather than what one would do for rehab science. Thanks again.
 
Josh, do you know if one question on new GRE is equal to 1 point? So if I answer one question right, I get score 131, if I answer 2 questions right I get score 132, etc?
 
@SpartanPT:

PhDs are research degrees regardless of field, with the exception of fields that don't have PhDs commonly, like law. The doctorate in law is typically the SJD, but institutions vary.

There is virtually no limit to the areas of research and the questions investigators pose. They could be as big as how people with disabilities of a certain type function in a given environment, or as small as how a particular bundle of nerve cells do their job. Biomechanics is key to PT, because you're talking about movement. There are plenty of research areas in movement science, including strength, conditioning, flexibility, function. Biomechanics people work in departments of exercise science, PT, or they could even work in physics departments doing biophysics.

This is an area you should talk with faculty about, after you do some initial investigating on your own about faculty research interests.

Good luck to you.

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
@easb:

No, I don't know precisely how a question is related to points on the GRE. My expectation is that questions are weighted for difficulty, and there's a minimum baseline score. On the old GRE my recollection is that no one could score lower than 200, but that memory is quite old!

Certainly a perfect or near-perfect score is 180, we know that. The minimum, I believe, is 120 on the new system.

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
Hello (again!) Josh,

Some programs have "highly recommended" courses. Can you explain the importance or competitive advantage one would have by taking the highly recommended courses? Specifically, how an admissions committee reviews an applicant that has taken these courses?

Thank you (again!)
 
@DancerFuturePT:

Recommended courses are typically designated as such because they are useful in terms of preparation for the PT program. I doubt there is any official weight in an admission process to completing recommended courses.

We all have to remember that programs only have limited time and resources with which to evaluate applications. Many programs have only one or a small handful of staff to handle literally hundreds of applications. Every piece of data collected and analyzed has to be relevant to the admission process, which means it should be predictive of success in PT school or in practice as a PT as defined by the program. Evaluating whether or not a candidate has completed optional recommended courses, how many they have completed, with what grades, etc., is just too detailed for an already very detail-oriented process.

If the courses were absolutely essential for success in a PT program, my expectation is that they would be required as prerequisites. That they are recommended suggests strongly that they are in a very real sense optional.

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
Hi Josh,

I have a question regarding letters of recommendation. PTCAS allows 4 references to be listed while most PT programs only require 3 letters to be sent to them. If I listed 4 references on PTCAS (let's say for example 2 of those letters are from PTs and 2 are from professors), would the PT programs read all 4 letters of recommendation? If not, how do they decide which 3 of the 4 letters to read?

Thank you!
 
@krohs:

Thanks for your question.

The answer depends on the program. IU does not require LOR and so they are not reviewed.

It doesn't hurt to have four, but if programs review all four for you it suggests they have to read four for everyone else, which is additional effort.

If we required three and received four, there are really two options in my view that are fair to everyone:

1. Read and use all four.
2. Read and use the first three received.

Typically LOR are not a very large portion of an admission decision, but they can harm an applicant if they are not strong. So cultivate good references and give them your resume and other ancillary materials so they have information to work with on the letters.

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
Hey Josh,

What's your advice for someone who has a degree in the humanities/social sciences but is looking to change things up and pursue PT? Beyond satisfying the usual prereqs, would there be any advantage to taking additional upper-level science courses in order to display science ability?

I ask because I graduated with a BA in political science from a well-respected school and I am now in the process of getting myself qualified for PT. I have confidence in my ability to succeed in upper-level science courses, but I wouldn't want to do so when I could be doing something more beneficial to my application. Also, does the reputation of the undergrad school play any role in admission?

Thank you so much for doing this! It is often quite difficult to find such reliable answers regarding getting into pt school. This certainly reflects well on the DPT program at IU!
 
@zakjak:

Thanks for your question.

Programs do not prefer any particular major or institution, generally. Your science ability is demonstrated by completing the required math/science prerequisites and doing well. Other courses only help to the extent that they increase your cumulative GPA. Generally that's not much since you're "working against" 120 or more semester credit hours of previous college-level coursework.

Only focus on those items that your designated institutions use in their admissions criteria. Other items, the "good to haves" aren't that great if they take your focus away from the core areas of interest to PT admission committees, which are typically cumulative and prerequisite GPA (however defined), GRE scores, letters of recommendations and personal statements if required.

The undergraduate institution really cannot play a factor in an admission decision. There are no wholly reliable "power rankings" of institutions, and where you went is not as relevant as how you did as an undergraduate and the aforementioned items.

Glad the thread is useful, and pleased to help!

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
Another forum member posted a suggestion that some programs may use "unofficial" criteria in order to evaluate candidates for admission. I posted this reply on another thread, but wanted to reiterate it here in a somewhat revised form.
__________
I would say that the myth of unpublished requirements is just that, mostly a myth. Why would this be?

PT programs want to attract applicants that are a good fit for the program and will succeed. The way to communicate this is to publish the actual requirements on the web and in printed materials so that all potential applicants can be aware of what is under consideration in an admission decision.

Because programs must uphold their standards, and because the programs must be fair to each applicant, we really cannot have some set of unpublished standards. Not only this, but in the quite legalistic culture we live in, using unpublished standards or criteria invite undue scrutiny and potential lawsuits.

I know that Indiana University does not have a "secret" unpublished set of criteria, and I sincerely doubt that other programs have them. It's not fair to candidates and it invites a subjectivity that is unhealthy for students and allows in bias.

Best wishes to all for a very successful admission season!

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
Do you guys prefer applicants from your undergrad? I just applied to IU's Biotechnology program yesterday for Fall 2014.
 
@BioBeaver:

Thanks for writing. There are no admission preferences in the IU DPT admission process.

We do not prefer candidates from any particular undergraduate institution, nor any particular major or degree (BA/BS). This policy, as all admission policies, are subject to change, and this reflects the 2014 admission cycle only.

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
Dear Josh,

Do admissions committees ever consider that an applicant took University Physics (calculus based) instead of College Physics (Algebra based)? I've always felt University Physics to be more challenging since it required a greater understanding of calculus and therefore is more difficult in my opinion than college physics.
For example, if you have 2 applicants with similar GPAs but student X took University Physics and received a "B" whereas student Y took College Physics and received an "A". Who would have a higher standing in the eyes of an admissions committee?
 
@Driver32d:

Thanks for your question. As long as the physics prerequisite is complete, it generally doesn't matter whether the course is calculus-based. Many institutions have calculus-based physics, life-sciences physics, and physics for technology two-course sequences. Generally the last two are equivalent and the first, calculus-based, requires you to solve the problems with calculus instead of algebra and trigonometry. Indiana University accepts any of these sequences and has no preference on any particular one.

College physics could be calculus or algebra/trig based, so the name of the course is not always indicative of the content.

To answer your specific question regarding preference, most programs prefer the candidate with the strongest cumulative and math/science prerequisite GPAs. I doubt many DPT programs use calculus frequently, and thus a calculus-based physics sequence is only useful if you're in a major that requires it.

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
Josh,
1. Do you prepare questions for interviews in advance? Are questions different for each applicant? And how do you score interviews (do you give a score for each question answered or maybe it is an overall score)?
2. Some schools post stats of accepted students. From what I see, though, those numbers are usually out-of date (some schools post stats for class 2012, others are years behind!). So I cannot tell whether or not I have a chance to get accepted into a program. I see that I satisfy their minimum requirements, but that does not mean that I have a decent chance. I would not want to waste money to apply to schools which accept only candidates whose stats are much higher than mine. Do you have any advice how I can eliminate those schools? I see that some schools accept only 30-35 students out of 1100, for example; should I assume that such schools will accept students with GPA and GRE that are close to 3.7 and 320?
Thank you VERY MUCH for your help and time!!!
 
@easb:

Thanks for your question.

DPT admission committees prepare interview questions beforehand and generally have a list of approved questions covering a range of topics important to them that should be addressed in the interview.

This is about trying to evaluate candidates on the same footing, so you have to have some degree of regularity in the process, in order to not unduly bias your results.

Scoring varies, but there are typically points associated with questions or at least subsections of an interview protocol. So let's say I have 30 points to award and there are 5 sections. One can score up to 6 points in each section, and the points are allocated in some way among all 5 sections. The total score can only be 30 in this example.

Regarding your chances, the thing to do is request the most recent class profile, respectfully, from each institution you designate or are interested in attending. This profile, though, is not necessarily representative of the next year's cohort group. It should only be used as a rough guideline. Keep in mind that this is generally an enrolled class profile. It would not include those students who accepted and then declined afterwards. Every program has at least one of those, where the alternate list is needed to fill the class.

Assuming anything is a dangerous proposition. It's much better to have the latest profile, or perhaps the last 3, in order to get a sense of the trend. You certainly should apply to the programs that are of most interest to you, as well as those that you have a fair shot at being accepted. Not all programs require the same sets of prerequisites or consider the GRE the same way (IU reviews only the Verbal section).

Good luck!

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
Hey Josh,

I am contemplating a study abroad trip where research will be done. However, the research would be in animal sciences (I think they are researching birds). Does this type of research look good on an application even if it is not really related to PT?

Thanks again.
 
@SpartanPT:

Thanks for your question. Study abroad and research are important student development drivers and should give you experiences that you can discuss in an interview, such as dealing with different cultures, communication barriers, overcoming adversity and obstacles, etc.

There is much to recommend study abroad. Undergraduate research is also useful for programs that value and promote research, particularly research universities like Indiana University. I doubt the experiences will ameliorate deficiencies in preparation or in other areas of an application, but it cannot hurt and can only help.

I regret not conducting undergraduate research abroad when I was in college, and those are opportunities that you cannot replace. I strongly support the effort, whether it is directly or indirectly helpful in a PT admission situation or not.

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
Hello Josh,
For my application, I need to answer the following question: are you willing to abide by the lifestyle policies of the University while enrolled. Now, my answer can be up to 4000 characters! If the school gives me that much space, do they expect me to write an essay to answer that question? Or do you think it can be ok to state that I am willing to abide by the lifestyle policies of the University while enrolled and that will be enough?
I would appreciate your reply!
 
Hi Josh! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer pre-PT students' questions; this is very much appreciated and I have learned a lot from reading the thread!

I was hoping you could give me some insight as I finish up my application and make final decisions on where to apply. My overall GPA is roughly a 3.5, but my pre-req GPA ranges anywhere from a 3.04 to a 3.41, depending on the school and whether or not they include psych and math courses in their pre-req GPA. For schools where I have a less than stellar pre-req GPA (around 3.0), should I even bother to apply? I have high GRE scores (155V/161Q/5AW) and a lot of experience under my belt, but I am concerned admission officers will look right at my pre-req GPA and throw me in the "NO" pile.

Also, should I retake courses I received a B- or C+? Or is this something I should focus on doing if I don't get in the first time?

Thank you!
 
@easb:

Thanks for your question.

It could be that the character field is a default setting, so that 4000 is the regular maximum and it doesn't mean much.

On the other hand I don't think it's a problem to indicate in a paragraph or two that you are comfortable with the standards, that you've lived them in your life in such-and-such a way, and that your preference is to be in an environment with individuals that can support each other in upholding the values of X, Y, and Z.

For very much faith-based institutions, the issue of fit and comfort with the tenets of the faith and exhibiting or demonstrating a consonance with that faith is important. It's not likely to get you many bonus points, but on the margins it may be helpful.

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
@sunnyskies26:

Thanks for your note; am happy to spend some time helping folks interested in joining this great profession.

I suggest obtaining profiles of the last 2-3 admit classes for each institution you're considering. Ensure you at least meet if not exceed all minimum requirements. As you've suggested, meeting the minimum does not mean one is competitive. I would focus on (a) programs for which you are a good fit and have visited or are sure you want to attend; (b) institutions for which you are generally competitive, and (c) those that have very high first-time board exam pass rates. IU's rate is about 94% first-time, while the national average is about 88%. This number is important.

Yes, I do think the prerequisite GPA could be an issue, so you'll want to repeat, so far as institutional rules allow, the maximum number of prerequisites. Start with anything below B+.

Best of luck to you,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]
 
Josh, thank you very much for your suggestions!
What is the best web site where we can check schools' first-time board exam pass rates? I see different numbers on schools stats on ATPA and schools' web sites, for example. I am not sure which data is old and which is more accurate... ?
 
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