Backup Plan

[WahooWa16]

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I plan to apply to PT school this cycle, however, I'm not too confident in my stats. I was just wondering what others have as a backup plan just in case they do not get into PT school.

 

[cammoon23]

The closest thing I have to a backup is getting a job in the field that I got my bachelors in. At the very least I could retake a prereq here and there and strengthen my application slowly over time, while making an average income. The problem, of course is the economy is still very shaky and I'm not even sure I would find a job. The absolute worst case scenario is I find myself on my moms couch. lol

However, my heart is set on becoming a PT, so I would use the time to retake prereqs and strengthen my overall applications. Taking out (more) loans, and working part time jobs since allow me to retake anything I need to retake, as well as allow ample time for volunteering, shadowing, and other misc activities. Everybody would eventually get in if they put forth the effort.

 

[southernswimmer]

I got in this cycle, but I made a backup plan earlier this year when I hadn't gotten into anywhere yet. It went something like this:
1) Move home and get a job anywhere (rehab aid, vet tech since my degree's in animal science, McDonalds, etc.)
2) Get more varied observation hours. SNF and subacute are the 2 major settings I haven't seen. I live in a rural area, though, so those are difficult to find.
3) Take classes. I wouldn't need to raise my GPA (it's a 3.9+), but I used AP credit for my physics prereq which severely limited my school choices. I would've also considered taking medical terminology or kinesiology.
4) Practice interviewing. I did some practice interviews, but they're not my strongest suit.

Don't worry about a backup plan now. The application doesn't open for over a month, so you have time to add more variety to your observation hours or retake the GRE to offset lower stats. Heck, I added over 100 hours in a rural inpatient hospital and outpatient clinic in the 2 months before I applied. Be sure to put your best foot forward in writing your essays and selecting your references. You can do it! It's so stressful, but completely worth it.

 

[Macklelaur]

For me, it is PT School....or PT School. Giving myself a back-up plan is giving up. Some individuals choose the PTA route instead if PT school doesn't seem like a possibility, but regardless of yours or my statistics, you have to have your sights set on PT School. In reality, no back-up plan will ever compare to your original plan to be a PT, so don't think like that.

 

[ptlover]

Yes I agree! If PT is what you want stick with it its where your heart is- that is how you'll be happy! You'll get there 🙂 . I applied 3 times before getting accepted -bottom line never give up on a dream. Turn a dream in to a goal and a goal in to reality. If you need help check out my blog : dptknow.wix.com/dptknow

Or PM me. I'm happy to help!

 

[SwampPT]

I had no back up plan because I have an enormous aversion to failure. I was going to get into PT school one way or another. My first time applying was to one school in the area I grew up in. I didn't get an interview and made an appointment to meet with the director to discuss my options. I was told that they didn't like students my age and because of that I would not have a chance. Rejection only hardened my resolve and I kept improving my application and researching programs. Then I got accepted to a great school. I had to quit my job and move to Florida from WV, but it was worth it. The moral of the story is to NEVER give up on anything you want in life. You will look back one day and regret it and ask all the "what ifs". Just keep improving your application and keeping trying. It will pay off in the end.

 

[brooklynyc]

What are your stats?

I didn't have a backup plan. I expected to get in somewhere.

I guess I would have went back to finance because I didn't want to do anything else in healthcare besides physical therapy.

 

[starrsgirl]

I had about 3 different backup plans. I disagree with the posters who said they didn't. Each time I applied I knew I could get in or I might not. So I had to have a plan B. Also, it varies for everyone but i only gave myself 2 times to apply. After that, I felt like the "cost" away from the workforce was too high for me. Some parts of my backup plan included researching any other schooling I might want to pursue besides PT (I was looking at flexible education paths to go into healthcare.) I also established some good connections to my old field and had a solid job lead waiting. (Not related to Pt at all). I absolutely had a long term plan B that did not include PT. It doesn't take away my love for the field but I'm a practical person with a family. I didn't want to put them on shaky ground for years if it didn't look like I would get in realistically.

Because I allowed myself to apply 2 times, after the first rejection I worked as a tutor and personal trainer while going nuts on retakes and other stuff to strengthen my app.

 

[starrsgirl]

I had about 3 different backup plans. I disagree with the posters who said they didn't. Each time I applied I knew I could get in or I might not. So I had to have a plan B. Also, it varies for everyone but i only gave myself 2 times to apply. After that, I felt like the "cost" away from the workforce was too high for me. Some parts of my backup plan included researching any other schooling I might want to pursue besides PT (I was looking at flexible education paths to go into healthcare.) I also established some good connections to my old field and had a solid job lead waiting. (Not related to Pt at all). I absolutely had a long term plan B that did not include PT. It doesn't take away my love for the field but I'm a practical person with a family. I didn't want to put them on shaky ground for years if it didn't look like I would get in realistically.

Because I allowed myself to apply 2 times, after the first rejection I worked as a tutor and personal trainer while going nuts on retakes and other stuff to strengthen my app.

 

[jquitt]

I was told that they didn't like students my age and because of that I would not have a chance.

Discrimination much?? Sad that they held such views. I'm a bit shocked that the faculty member actually said that as its pretty much illegal. My next step would have been to file a complaint but honestly you were better off not going there if they thought that way. As a non traditional student, I was happy to hear my interviewer say, 'if you had any concerns about our views of non traditional students please let me assure you that we value what your experience brings to our program.' I'm glad that you ended up in a great situation!

 

[Duhawk1991]

Im going to disagree with the posters who said that they "never had a back-up plan". Now, by back-up plan that doesnt mean I was going to stop applying to get into school and change my career path.. but more so what could I do in the mean time to float me financially. PTA, Personal Trainer, etc were different ideas floating in my head. The end goal has always been PT school. Thankfully I was accepted this cycle so I never had to pursue those "back-up" plans much. However, you always need to be preparing for the future. I knew if I didn't get accepted this round then I would have to make loan payments and what not so I would need to have a job that I would 1) enjoy and 2) be able to pay the bills with.... but you never give up. If PT is what you truly want to do then you're just going to get it done... plain and simple.

 

[SwampPT]

Discrimination much?? Sad that they held such views. I'm a bit shocked that the faculty member actually said that as its pretty much illegal. My next step would have been to file a complaint but honestly you were better off not going there if they thought that way. As a non traditional student, I was happy to hear my interviewer say, 'if you had any concerns about our views of non traditional students please let me assure you that we value what your experience brings to our program.' I'm glad that you ended up in a great situation!

I guess it's a double edged sword. Some programs seem to favor nontraditional students because we have lived life and some programs really don't like us at all. I could've filed a complaint, but I figured the director didn't have to be honest with me and as much as I disagreed I have to give him credit for having the balls to tell it like it was🙂. It was a PBL format which I really don't care for anyway. They could've given me a canned spam answer and strung me along cycle after cycle so there's not hard feelings. Yes its discrimination, but maybe that's why their program is ranked near the bottom. The best way to prove anyone wrong is to succeed. I plan on doing just that. Maybe that will help to prove that us old people still have functioning brain cells!