Chances of getting into OT school/what to do next

[kimberlys]

Hello,

I am a junior at the University of Delaware. I have been shadowing with an OT and have officially decided this is what I want to do. I am a neuroscience major. Current GPA is around a 3.4....Have received 3 C+s in introductory bio/chem classes. I still need to take A&P, and a few of the psych courses inorder to satisfy the pre reqs. I did take an online stat course and got an A, will that be ok?

Have an A in med term (which I know is a pre req to some schools)
My questions are:
Can I take pre reqs at a community college during summer/winter?
Do I have any chance with the 3 c' s I have recieved?
Where should I apply?
What can I do in the next year before applying to make me a stronger applicant


New to this website, sorry for so many questions! Thanks so much

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[KJ7984]

Hello,

I am a junior at the University of Delaware. I have been shadowing with an OT and have officially decided this is what I want to do. I am a neuroscience major. Current GPA is around a 3.4....Have received 3 C+s in introductory bio/chem classes. I still need to take A&P, and a few of the psych courses inorder to satisfy the pre reqs. I did take an online stat course and got an A, will that be ok?

Have an A in med term (which I know is a pre req to some schools)
My questions are:
Can I take pre reqs at a community college during summer/winter?
Do I have any chance with the 3 c' s I have recieved?
Where should I apply?
What can I do in the next year before applying to make me a stronger applicant


New to this website, sorry for so many questions! Thanks so much

Hi @kimberlys - Where are you from and where do you want to go to school? I am a UD graduate (2006) and this is my second year applying to OT programs in the NY area. It is super competitive out there and prerequisite grades, especially the sciences, are very important. That said, there are A TON of prerequisite science courses you need to take so the best advice to give would be to take those classes and get A's in all of them. I know that it is easier said than done but with hard work and dedication you can certainly do it. You can also set yourself apart from other candidates by observing in multiple settings (pediatrics, acute facility, hospital, school etc.), as many as you can, as well as volunteer your time to different organizations. There are a lot of different things that schools consider when choosing their applicants and it is always best to set yourself apart from your peers as much as possible. Terrific letters of recommendation and a well written personal statement are also essential in putting together a strong application.

With regards to taking prerequisite courses at a community college, the majority of my prerequisites have come from community college. This is because my undergrad. degree was a non-science related degree that didn't require more than 1 or 2 lab sciences. For the programs I applied to, I was required to take 2 A&Ps, 2 Bios, 2 Chems, 2 Physics etc. and the only place I could do that, as an adult, was at community college. I have been in constant contact with directors and admissions counselors for the majority of the programs in the NY area and all are A-OK with courses being completed at community college (but you need to get A's! lol). I am reapplying again this year since I was interviewed and wait listed pretty much at every school I applied to last year. I am married and own a home so I am unable to move across the country for a program but that could be a great option for you. There are terrific programs all over the U.S. and I am sure people from SDN can give you great recommendations for OT programs in various different states. For the NY area, I can tell you that NYIT and Stony Brook require a minimum of a 2.5 overall GPA with no courses below a C. Again, this is just a guideline and with so few programs, it can get competitive. You are still really young and have a lot of time to take prereqs. and do really well in them as well as bulk up on observation hours. Your overall GPA is really good and with the completed prerequisites I am sure that it will be even better.

I hope I've been able to help you some, hopefully others will also respond and give their suggestions too! This site is terrific for gaining perspective and getting advice and I find myself checking every day for updates.

Best of luck to you!