I just finished my second semester of college and am wondering if I should still pursue my goal of going to PT school. I started a new job at the airport which messed up my studies because of the hectic schedule; I got an F in my first college level math class not because I didn't comprehend the material, but because I did not attend class and missed the withdraw date by one day. It brought my GPA down considerably to a 2.0; I know I still have time to bring it up but what are my chances? I have slacked these first two semesters and even quit the job because I know my studies are first. Do you guys think I should still pursue this?
Concerned
- Thread starter dap0757
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I wouldn't quit if I were you. You've only completed your second semester of college, and you have more than enough time to improve and to show PT schools that you can handle it. You can explain the F in PT school interviews, too. If you get great grades in the rest of your classes, a good GRE score, volunteer in multiple PT settings, receive excellent letters of recs and write a superb essay, you should get into schools. I don't see why one F should hold you back from pursuing PT, especially this early in your college career.
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If your job schedule interfered with your studies, then quitting was a wise choice. It's all about what YOU can handle and not what anyone else thinks you can handle (without actually being in your shoes). You should not be concerned with your single F but you should be concerned with the end goal of your undergraduate studies: to develop and obtain lifelong skills. If you stay focused on your end goal, then obtaining good grades will be the byproduct of your effort and determination. Keep in mind that many PT schools look at your last 60/90 units. If asked about your F, tell them the truth. "You thought you could take the extra workload/ it didn't work out as you expected/ what you did to correct it/ what you learned from it." Good luck!
Thank you for the encouraging words guys. I'm currently doing all my pre-requisites for PT school with a major in Psychology. I am sorta confused as different counselors give me different advice one told me to major in biology while the other told me to major in Psychology and do my pre-requisites as it is a easier major. What do you guys think is the correct way to proceed?
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Does your school offer Exercise Science or Kinesiology as majors? I would recommend those majors. I was Exercise Science and it was faster than Kinesiology for me because it had less Kin classes and more PT prereq classes as major requirements. I've heard PTs say that typically they find the best students are the ones with backgrounds in Kin and Exercise Science since those majors cover PT topics, such as exercise physiology and biomechanics. These students typically grasp the material a lot quicker than students from non-Kin backgrounds.
If Kin and Exercise Science aren't offered, then I think taking Psychology would benefit you more. It is an easier major, so you should be able to bring up your grades. A major in biology would require you to take classes that I think are unnecessary for PT school, such as O chem. I hated Gen chem, so I did not want to take O chem lol. This is just my opinion. Maybe others would say to go the bio route, but not me.
If Kin and Exercise Science aren't offered, then I think taking Psychology would benefit you more. It is an easier major, so you should be able to bring up your grades. A major in biology would require you to take classes that I think are unnecessary for PT school, such as O chem. I hated Gen chem, so I did not want to take O chem lol. This is just my opinion. Maybe others would say to go the bio route, but not me.
I think I'm going to stay with Psychology as a major cause it also interest me; Also the school I want to attend doesn't have a Kinesiology major as far as I know. Thanks for the quick replies and kind words. One last question, what are some things I can do from now to make myself a better candidate? I've read volunteer work at a PT setting, how does that work?
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Most PT schools require you to volunteer/observe/work 100 hours (check with individual programs) in one or more PT settings. I recommend volunteering in multiple settings and try to build a good relationship with the PTs you observe. Should you include an outpatient setting, take a proactive approach. Many students choose to literally observe the PT department from a corner of the clinic with no patient interaction. If possible, Put yourself in a PT Aid/Tech role and support the outpatient department. Make sure your PTs know that you're serious and there to learn. Approach your PT when they are about to treat a patient. This usually prompts the PT to ask the patient for permission to have you directly observe and receive patient history. Try to gain as much from the experience as possible and then choose a PT or two for your letter of reference(s).
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If you don't have extracurricular activities already, get involved. These can make your application stand out. Community service and volunteering for good cause organizations will help.
I agree with everything Azimuthal said about PT volunteering. I have a PT aide/tech job, and it helped me tremendously in building a relationship with the PT who ultimately wrote me a good letter of rec. Volunteer at multiple settings. At the very least, have one outpatient and one inpatient setting, but aim for more. You have to search for clinics and hospitals that will let you volunteer. Generally, it is easier to become a volunteer at outpatient clinics. It is much stricter to obtain a volunteer position at an inpatient setting since most require you to update your immunization record by getting all the required shots. If it's not possible for you to get a PT aide/tech job, then volunteering at multiple settings will allow you to build relationships with many PTs. In the end, this will increase your chances of obtaining a good letter of rec.
You're going to need a letter of rec from teachers, as well, so get involved with them outside of class, such as helping them out with research and working/volunteering for them. If you only took a class with a teacher and were the top student in his/her class, that recommendation letter will not be very impressive. However, if you work with the teacher outside of class, then they will get to know you on a more personal level and will be able to write good things about your character, interest, and willingness to work.
The other advantage of multiple observation sites is that you may have an interview question about what you know about PT and the different types of practice settings, and why you want to be a PT. The more observation hours you do, and the more you think about your observations, the better you will be able to answer the questiosn well. If you have simple answers, the interviewers may assume that you do not know much about the field and that you are not sure of your motivations.