back up plans?

[katc123]

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I'm applying for PT school this fall, and me being the worrier I am, am starting to worry about not getting into PT school. Currently, I do not have a plan B and was wondering what some who did not get in the first time and reapplied the following year did, or what some of your back up plans were.
I'm an exercise science major, so as we all know, there really isn't much we can do with that degree. Wish I would have known that 3 years ago...

With that being said, I have a 3.5 GPA, 3.2 Pre-req. I took the GRE in January and got a 450V, 550Q, and 4.5 writing. I'm retaking it in June. I have about 70 volunteer hours in outpatient, 60 inpatient, and this summer will be doing pediatric. From what I've seen, the stats are about/just below average, so I want to see what I can do if I do not get in PT school the first time around.

Thank you so much!

 

[TooCool]

I posted this thread a while back cause I am worrier as well 😛

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=815745

I have talked to a PT that I recently shadowed and he said that he wish he would've done PA. And I know there are a few here that have toggled between PT and PA. Dunno if that interests you but that could be an option.


BUT
If you really want to do PT, you CAN. You just gotta do whatever.it.takes and if that means reapplying 2-3x so be it. The last PT I shadowed applied 3x before finally getting in and he has no regrets. It is really competitive but it can be done. Even with a not so stellar GPA. So apply to as many schools as you can to increase your chances 🙂

 

[DancerFutureDPT]

If you get your GRE up a bit you should be in a pretty good spot (assuming you have good LORs).

Re: PA, that's an option, but I wouldn't consider it a "back up" plan, as it's still just as competitive (maybe even moreso because there are fewer schools with fewer spots). Plus, you have to take organic chem and/or biochem usually, which most PT schools don't require/not all Pre-PTs have completed. My roommate is a PA student and she works her butt off, definitely more than I do in class 😛

Specifically referring to back up plans though...I would have gone and gotten my biology teaching certificate had I not gotten in on the first try. I worked in a high school during my year off and initially when I went to school I wanted to teach, so that was definitely an interest of mine.

 

[markelmarcel]

My backup plan, if I didn't get accepted, was going to grad school and following through to get my PhD in anatomy... still may try to do this!

 

[kcrat21]

My back-up plan is to get my MSAT at Shenandoah. I'm 99% sure that if I don't get into PT school I will definitely get into Shenandoah's MSAT program...I guess we'll see though...

No 1 choice is Duke though...I'm applying through PTCAS's new "early decision" program if they're listed as one of the participating schools..

 

[ptinaz]

My backup plan, if I didn't get accepted, was going to grad school and following through to get my PhD in anatomy... still may try to do this!

All may want to be careful with this. I cannot imagine if someone in my PhD program said getting a PhD was a 'back-up plan.' I am guessing you would not be in that PhD program for very long....PT school was really pretty easy compared with PhD work.

 

[kcrat21]

All may want to be careful with this. I cannot imagine if someone in my PhD program said getting a PhD was a 'back-up plan.' I am guessing you would not be in that PhD program for very long....PT school was really pretty easy compared with PhD work.

I doubt the poster meant that getting a PhD is easier--just that if they didn't get into PT school they would try for their PhD.

 

[markelmarcel]

I doubt the poster meant that getting a PhD is easier--just that if they didn't get into PT school they would try for their PhD.

Yes, this is what I meant. I did not mean to make it sound as if it were my back-up plan because it would be easier. Obtaining a doctorate has always been a goal of mine, so without going through PT school, I had decided to change my focus on grad school to working through a PhD program instead of the PT program.

Which is why I mentioned, that I am still considering doing this even though I've been accepted to PT school.

I in no way meant to equate that getting a PhD would be easier, in fact I believe that to be the complete opposite, if I ever go for my PhD (in anything) I expect it to be much harder than any other schooling. 🙂