General Admissions & OTCAS Can I still Get Into OT School With Bad Grades From My Previous College?

[ChrisC462]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I'm applying to OT schools and i'm nervous because they require transcripts from all institutions attended. From 2010-2012 I attended a community college and didn't do very well my freshman year ( 1 F, 4 D's, 4 C's). My second year I retook 2 D's and 1 F and I did much better in my other class as well (mostly B+'s). I was able to bring up GPA up to a 2.4 before transferring to my current school which is a 4 year university. I have been at my current school for 3 years and I was able to maintain a 3.7 GPA. Will OT schools put more weight on my current degree transcript over a community college transcript? Will they notice my big improvement over the years? The 2.4 at my community college is only based on 32 credits while the 3.7 at my university is based on 92 credits.

 

[cupcake123]

There are quite a few schools that only look at the last 60 semester units. Perhaps look into those schools?

 

[NicMOT]

Honestly, if your GPA was a 2.4 for your freshman year but you maintained a 3.7 average your last 3 years of undergrad, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Your average GPA over the 4 years is over 3.0 (which is a minimum for a lot of programs). I have seen many people with lower GPA's get accepted to OT programs, so don't let your freshman grades deter you from applying. 🙂

 

[ChrisC462]

Honestly, if your GPA was a 2.4 for your freshman year but you maintained a 3.7 average your last 3 years of undergrad, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Your average GPA over the 4 years is over 3.0 (which is a minimum for a lot of programs). I have seen many people with lower GPA's get accepted to OT programs, so don't let your freshman grades deter you from applying. 🙂

Thanks, I feel more confident! Im still nervous because I made 3 D's and 1 F my second semester freshman year 🙁 If they focus more on my individual grades rather than my overall GPA then I think im screwed.

 

[ChrisC462]

There are quite a few schools that only look at the last 60 semester units. Perhaps look into those schools?

I thought about last 60 credit schools but most of their deadlines passed for Fall 2015. I used a GPA calculator to combine my grades from my community college and my current school and it brought my GPA down from a 3.7 to a 3.16. Im not sure if OT schools combine grades from all institutions to get an average GPA but if they do then I don't think I stand a chance with a 3.16 GPA

 

[jka252]

I would also recommend lots of observation hours. The hours can only help strengthen your application and show your interest in OT! That and the essay are your chances to show your passion. 🙂

 

[7461]

I thought about last 60 credit schools but most of their deadlines passed for Fall 2015. I used a GPA calculator to combine my grades from my community college and my current school and it brought my GPA down from a 3.7 to a 3.16. Im not sure if OT schools combine grades from all institutions to get an average GPA but if they do then I don't think I stand a chance with a 3.16 GPA

What schools did you apply to?

 

[ChrisC462]

What schools did you apply to?

So far I've applied to Seton Hall and AIC. Haven't heard back from any school yet