Do I look like a stronger applicant now?

[PT_Hopefull]

Hey everyone, so last year I applied to 19 PT programs and was unfortunately rejected from all of them. I knew this going in but just thought to myself hey let me try my luck and see if something works out. I graduated college with a degree in Psychology with a 2.895 Cumulative GPA and a 3.45 Major GPA. My GRE scores were 300 and I knew my GPA would hold me back so I wasn’t overly upset when I wasn’t admitted or given any interviews. Over the past year I’ve gone out and gotten my CPT, CSCC (Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach) and Nutritionist certifications as well as worked a lot more at a PT clinic as an aide. I didn’t have the best few years in college where my family struggled financially causing me to lose focus in school. I didn’t have the funds to go back to school because my family is still recovering and honestly i really focused my time on that and working. Do you all think getting those three certifications and working a lot more hours in an office setting could help me drastically?

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[dobsonek]

Unfortunately I think your overall GPA is what’s holding you back, as most programs require a 3.0 minimum. I was in a similar boat as you— my second cycle applying I applied to 15 programs and ended up being at the bottom of the waitlist for one and never ended up getting in. At that time my GPA was a 3.02. I spent the next year retaking a few prerequisites to improve my grades to raise my overall and prereq GPAs. I also retook the GRE and made an effort to foster good relationships with the PTs in the clinic I worked in so I would have strong references. My third cycle I only applied to 6 programs, and I ended up being accepted to 2 of them (after sitting on their waitlists for a little bit).

All of that to say that while those extra certifications are nice stuffers, most programs won’t even look that deep into your application if you don’t meet their minimum requirements. If you’re financially able to go to a local community college and retake some prereqs or just some GPA boosters I think that could work in your favor. Also try and look for programs that have a lower minimum GPA requirement (I know my programs is a 2.75 minimum). Make sure to apply strategically instead of just applying to programs all willy-nilly.

Best of luck to you!

 

[JMarcusDPT]

Were you able to get feedback from any of the 19 schools? Most will tell you exactly what you need to improve, but I agree that your GPA and GRE are probably holding you back. I would try to boost things and make sure you're applying to schools that allow for lower GPAs.

 

[SATXDPT]

What was your Pre-Req GPA?

 

[wiseOldPT]

Unfortunately that isn't going to help much. The issue is they want to make sure you won't fail out of PT school- can you handle the work? Usually that means keeping a 3.0 in harder/more intense classes than undergrad, and your GPA doesn't show that. Extra certs don't help prove that either.

My recs are 1) look closely at programs or explicitly ask them if they don't advertise it on their website- do they have a minimum GPA/GRE score for applicants? Do not waste time or money applying to these places, and it is the majority of schools. 2) Get that GPA over 3.0. Calculate how many credits you need based on how many you have to do that. Take the classes at a community college. You spent a lot of money on applications and probably certifications. Spend money instead on courses to raise your GPA. If money is an issue, don't waste it on a cycle of apps (maybe a couple but not a big push) until you have your GPA up. Make some money this year work and taking a few classes, then see.

 

[ya1]

Hey everyone, so last year I applied to 19 PT programs and was unfortunately rejected from all of them. I knew this going in but just thought to myself hey let me try my luck and see if something works out. I graduated college with a degree in Psychology with a 2.895 Cumulative GPA and a 3.45 Major GPA. My GRE scores were 300 and I knew my GPA would hold me back so I wasn’t overly upset when I wasn’t admitted or given any interviews. Over the past year I’ve gone out and gotten my CPT, CSCC (Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach) and Nutritionist certifications as well as worked a lot more at a PT clinic as an aide. I didn’t have the best few years in college where my family struggled financially causing me to lose focus in school. I didn’t have the funds to go back to school because my family is still recovering and honestly i really focused my time on that and working. Do you all think getting those three certifications and working a lot more hours in an office setting could help me drastically?

The certificates do not mean much for PT school. They might (or might not) help only if you have better GPA. Increased observation hours are good. Multiple settings where you have observed for 100h would be better than 1000h in one setting.
Schools do need your GPA to be at least 3.0. Consider schools that look at the last 50-100 units for GPA (in case you got better grades during the last couple of years). Also consider schools that do not require GRE. Also apply to the least competitive school.

 

[slownoise]

Unfortunately, I think the GPA is what is holding you back. Like everyone else said, the GPA might raise some red flags before anything else. Schools want to see an upward trend and they want to see that you've attempted to improve on the courses that you didn't do so well in before. I know going back to school can be expensive, but have you considered taking a few classes at a junior or community college? Many offer financial aid or scholarships, and I think it's definitely worth working on that one area of your app. Extracurriculars and experiences can only do so much and as much as you work on all the certifications, they can only add to your application but not replace the GPA or GRE scores. Best of luck!