Do I have a chance for PT school?

[JIvory]

Hello. I'm looking for general information.

I'm considering pursuing a career in physical therapy. I have a bachelor's degree in exercise science, and I finished with a 2.8 overall GPA. I didn't have the best start in college, but I excelled grade wise towards my junior and senior year (definitely in my core classes).

I recently made up my mind & decided to go for DPT, but I also have some doubts about my chances of getting in. I'm looking at a few schools around the US, one in particular is A.T. Still University. My plan is to re-take some classes that I didn't do so well in my freshman year. For instance, I'm currently retaking Biology & Psychology at a Community College in hopes of bettering my chances of being accepted wherever I apply. Here's the other courses I'm going to take in the future...

1. Anatomy with Lab
2. Physics with Lab
3. Statistics
4. Abnormal Psychology
5. Chemistry with Lab

I haven't taken the GRE yet, which I'm planning on doing so sometime next spring or summer. I guess my question is are my chances of even being accepted remotely possible? I know it's extremely tough to get in PT school. I had a counselor at the Community College I'm attending flat out tell me I "won't be accepted" based on my grades, but should rather look at pursuing PT Assistance... which I don't want to do. But then again, she also wasn't all that much help or seemed to even understand what I was talking about. I had to repeat myself several times & what my agenda was, lady still seemed offbeat.

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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[puppypaws]

Schools look at both your overall gpa and the gpa of their required core classes. What was the gpa of your core classes?
In the PT application, there's a place to explain if you believe your current gpa reflects you, and if not why? If you have a reason for not doing as well in your classes during the beginning of the year, maybe the schools would consider it.
I would recommend creating an account with PTCAS (which is free), the online PT application, and look at what the application requires, and look online and see if you can find the gpa requirements of the PT schools you're interested in applying to.
PTCAS also has its own way of calculating GPAs. Maybe you should calculate your gpa according to PTCAS's standards, as that's the gpa the PT schools will see.
Your GRE score and your number of PT observation hours also play a in role in your application, but your gpa is an important piece.

 

[puppypaws]

here's an address to the instructions of how PTCAS calculates GPAs

https://portal.ptcas.org/applicants2012/instruction/ptcas_gpas.htm

 

[myzougrad]

Some schools do have a freshman forgiveness policy. I attend University of Missouri in Columbia. They are not a PTCASS school and calculate your GPA based on the last 60 hours of your undergrade and your core gpa. There are others out there. Do some research before you just give up. Make yourself a strong applicant in other areas. Rock the GRE, volunteer, get lots of observation hours and great letters of recommendation. Then apply, apply, apply. Good luck.