Do I still have a chance? University of Washington.

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jt21forever

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I messed up this quarter. How badly? Well on a level of 1-10, I'd say 10! It's the week before finals, and I'm pretty sure I failed all my classes :-( Why? This is the first quarter that I am attending the University of Washington, full-time. I was also taking 2 tough courses- Statistics & Physics- in addition to a Fish Physiology course. I am usually terrible at math, but whenever I have repeated a math course at the community college, I did significantly better- at least 2 grade points better.

So I plan on repeating Physics and Stats, since they are important in terms of MOT pre-requisites. If I obtain a 4.0 GPA in both classes the second time around, my combined GPA for each class would amount to a 2.0. Many of the Masters of OT programs I've looked at (i.e. University of Washington) state the pre-requisites must be completed with a 3.0 and above, or else those credits won't be accepted. I can't get any higher than a 2.0!

My question is, do I still have a chance at University of Washington MOT program? I promise myself I will do better in my following 6 quarters- shooting to maintain nothing less then a 3.7 GPA in all my classes from now on. I won't allow myself to become distracted anymore (it was my first relationship & I became too invested in it rather than school). I did some calculations and believe with hard-work, prioritization, and dedication I can graduate with Undergrad GPA of 3.5 and with some repeating of courses I can get a Pre-req. GPA of between 3.5- 3.7.

I've done so many things already to ensure I do better next quarter. I've educated myself on all the resources my University has to offer (i.e. UAA advisers, CLUE tutoring sessions, Math Learning Centers). I've contacted an acquaintance who has graduated from UW MOT program. I've scheduled for an advising appointment for tomorrow morning. MOST importantly, I already dumped my boyfriend. I've already contacted a few volunteer sites so that I can start volunteering again.

Everyone makes mistakes, right? I hope I still have a chance 🙁 :xf:
 
I messed up this quarter. How badly? Well on a level of 1-10, I'd say 10! It's the week before finals, and I'm pretty sure I failed all my classes :-( Why? This is the first quarter that I am attending the University of Washington, full-time. I was also taking 2 tough courses- Statistics & Physics- in addition to a Fish Physiology course. I am usually terrible at math, but whenever I have repeated a math course at the community college, I did significantly better- at least 2 grade points better.

So I plan on repeating Physics and Stats, since they are important in terms of MOT pre-requisites. If I obtain a 4.0 GPA in both classes the second time around, my combined GPA for each class would amount to a 2.0. Many of the Masters of OT programs I've looked at (i.e. University of Washington) state the pre-requisites must be completed with a 3.0 and above, or else those credits won't be accepted. I can't get any higher than a 2.0!

My question is, do I still have a chance at University of Washington MOT program? I promise myself I will do better in my following 6 quarters- shooting to maintain nothing less then a 3.7 GPA in all my classes from now on. I won't allow myself to become distracted anymore (it was my first relationship & I became too invested in it rather than school). I did some calculations and believe with hard-work, prioritization, and dedication I can graduate with Undergrad GPA of 3.5 and with some repeating of courses I can get a Pre-req. GPA of between 3.5- 3.7.

I've done so many things already to ensure I do better next quarter. I've educated myself on all the resources my University has to offer (i.e. UAA advisers, CLUE tutoring sessions, Math Learning Centers). I've contacted an acquaintance who has graduated from UW MOT program. I've scheduled for an advising appointment for tomorrow morning. MOST importantly, I already dumped my boyfriend. I've already contacted a few volunteer sites so that I can start volunteering again.

Everyone makes mistakes, right? I hope I still have a chance 🙁 :xf:

The higher of the two grades will count for your pre-req. All grades count for total gpa.
 
Really? How do you know? Have you applied to UW before? Anyway, thanks so much, a little stress is lifted off my shoulders now but not all of it... 🙂
 
As long as you pull your grades up significantly throughout the rest of your college career, it will be fine. You said that this is the first semester that you are a full time student. Schools understand that the transition to full time student can be difficult and will forgive you for that as long as you are able to show improvement. And University of Washington will see how, once you stopped transitioning, you were able to handle their course load and difficulty, and use this to decide that you can handle their course load in graduate school.

My freshman year I got a D+ in general biology 1 (a pre-req. I should add that I never retook it because I got a B- in general bio 2, so the D+ remained on my transcript and in my gpa) and my gpa was a 2.3ish. However, I was able to pull up my grades, and I have gotten into all of the OT schools I have applied to so far. Remember, all is not lost. Schools know that you are a person who has various things going on in your life. They try to get the full picture of who you are as a person and what you can contribute to their program. They are not trying to penalize you for little things.
 
Thanks DiggaDigga for your response, it is seriously helpful and useful.

A few things have changed in my situation:

1. I found out Basic Statistics required by the MOT program is actually "STAT220" at my school. I took "STAT311: Elements of Stat Method" which satisfies 5 of the 10 credits I need for completing the Math requirements of my Biology major. However, I am certain I am failing STAT311 and receiving no credit for it this quarter. My options are to either 1) repeat STAT311 and take QSCI482 the next quarter to complete 10 credits, or 2) don't repeat STAT311 and opt for the QSCI381,QSCI482 option instead [QSCI=Quantitative Science]. If I take option 1, my GPA will increase but I'm not sure how the MOT admissions committee will look at my repeat. If I take option 2, my GPA will become a lot lower but if I maintain a steady high quarterly GPA throughout, that should be saying something.

2. I also found out I won't be failing my Physics course, I have a very low GPA but it is still passing. This course is not a pre-requisite for MOT programs that I'm interested in, but it is still a requirement for completion of my Biology major. My thought is to leave the low GPA, move on, and do very well in PHYS115, the next part of the sequence.

I am still not sure what I will do with my STATS311 grade, but I think I've made up my mind for PHYS114 grade. It's too costly to repeat too many courses & I have to complete my degree in a Maximum time frame to avoid the Financial Aid office pointing a nasty finger at me.

What are your thoughts on my predicament DiggaDigga?
 
Thanks DiggaDigga for your response, it is seriously helpful and useful.

A few things have changed in my situation:

1. I found out Basic Statistics required by the MOT program is actually "STAT220" at my school. I took "STAT311: Elements of Stat Method" which satisfies 5 of the 10 credits I need for completing the Math requirements of my Biology major. However, I am certain I am failing STAT311 and receiving no credit for it this quarter. My options are to either 1) repeat STAT311 and take QSCI482 the next quarter to complete 10 credits, or 2) don't repeat STAT311 and opt for the QSCI381,QSCI482 option instead [QSCI=Quantitative Science]. If I take option 1, my GPA will increase but I'm not sure how the MOT admissions committee will look at my repeat. If I take option 2, my GPA will become a lot lower but if I maintain a steady high quarterly GPA throughout, that should be saying something.

2. I also found out I won't be failing my Physics course, I have a very low GPA but it is still passing. This course is not a pre-requisite for MOT programs that I'm interested in, but it is still a requirement for completion of my Biology major. My thought is to leave the low GPA, move on, and do very well in PHYS115, the next part of the sequence.

I am still not sure what I will do with my STATS311 grade, but I think I've made up my mind for PHYS114 grade. It's too costly to repeat too many courses & I have to complete my degree in a Maximum time frame to avoid the Financial Aid office pointing a nasty finger at me.

What are your thoughts on my predicament DiggaDigga?
Digga makes a valid point that mistakes are allowed during the early stage of your college career. However, he made his mistakes as a freshman in college. He had 3 more years to raise his GPA and prove that the first semester was just a fluke.

It sounds like you are a transfer student. Which means you probably have junior status, not technically a freshman who is entering college for the first time. And you will have less semesters to raise your GPA. How strong is your GPA from community college?

It will not be easy to recover from this, but I'm not going to say it isn't possible. Good luck!
 
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I'm never gonna get into University of Washington MOT program 🙁
 
I'm never gonna get into University of Washington MOT program 🙁

Not with that type of attitude! Just do your best and have faith in your abilities. And don't forget that there are other elements to applying as well. Letters of rec, gre, volunteer hours from diverse settings, etc. focus on making those other elements as strong as you can. I've only been a student for a short time, but one thing that I think is crucial for all OTs is perseverance. We are going to be in difficult situations (as students and as therapists), and if you are the type to give up... Then maybe this career won't be the best fit for you.

So don't give up. If you are passionate about this field, you will find ways to succeed. And (although it is a very cliche saying)... You can do it!
 
You mentioned that you're been utilizing resources at Unv. of Washington. Do they offer pre-health/occupational therapy advising? I came across this page, http://www.washington.edu/uaa/advising/prehealth/fields/occupationaltherapy.php. They will be the best to help you stay on track from this point forward.

Do not give up hope. A lot of people suffer a bad semester or two where they bomb courses due to life circumstances. Being mindful of what you learned from it will be helpful especially if you are asked about those grades by programs. I bombed several quarters during the end of my sophomore year in college and in my case I decided to transferred schools. I carried a very, very high GPA after that. Although I did not choose to apply to grad school until my 30's I was still stuck with the damage to my GPA from many, many years ago. When I applied I was ready to address that time of weakness in case I was asked.... Again I focused heavily on what I learned and how what I learned from a difficult academic time period would allow me to be a stronger graduate student.

Try not to stress so much on your past grades. Focus on what you could do to balance out the damage. Use any resources at your school to prepare for the GRE. Although many students may only take a month or 2 to study you will be a lot less stressed if you begin preparing for it now... even if it's just learning about how many sections there are, reviewing vocab words for the GRE before bed. The test is a lot easier when you've had a LONG period of time to prepare for its structure and material.

Also begin shadowing OT's and get involved in volunteer opportunities of any type that you enjoy. The more the better but don't overwhelm yourself so that you can't focus on your GPA.

Take it from me.... take your time, breath through this and focus. In undergrad I became so overwhelmed by a few bad grades I would load up the next semester and promise myself I'd get A's. I would sign up for too many science and math classes in 1 semester and I later learned I wasn't balancing my classes the way I should have. Do not be afraid to become good pals with those advisers you've contacted. No one is looking down on you and everyone at your school is there to help you succeed.

Even if you were a fantastic student, the Washington region schools (and OT programs in general) are VERY, VERY competitive. So if OT is what you want to do most applicants here who applied to Unv. of Washington will tell you to make sure you apply to a few other places as well when the time comes. There are multiple re-applicants who are incredible applicants. However, you are still in undergrad and have time to develop a relationship with your school's OT program. Stay on top of what they are telling you to do to become a strong applicant. By the time you graduate from undergrad you will have as much chance as the next person applying there.

As the RESOT said above, have a good attitude. 🙂 Look at it this way... if you go into OT you will work with patients whose lives have gone from perfectly normal to difficult depending on their circumstances (stroke, injuries, illness). As an OT you will help create small goals for your patients, just as you need to do for yourself. Then just take it one day at a time and keep climbing towards the next goal. Look at this experience in your life as good preparation for understanding some of the frustrations that patients go through. They too will feel like certain goals are impossible just as you are feeling. This experience and your struggles can make you a better OT. You'll make it if you take it 1 step at a time and stay focused. Hang in there! 🙂

Looking at this year's program profile from the OTCAS (Occupational Therapy Centralized Application System) for the University of Washington may also give you a glance at what they are looking for. I know it states average GPA of last year's applicants and that may be scary. That is when you contact the pre-advising for the program or the program themselves and talk to them about what can help counteract a lower GPA. There are plenty of students well below that GPA applying.

http://www.aota.org/OTCAS/University-of-Washington.aspx
 
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First off, as a disclaimer, every situation is unique and I don't claim to know a lot about admissions and how they work. What worked for me might not work for you. Everybody else here has been giving you pretty good advice, but since you asked, I'll give you my personal take on the situation.

I don't think repeating a class looks bad, but if you do repeat it, you need to make sure that you do stellar. You need to show that you have mastered the material, and I think if you repeat it, you should try to get nothing lower than a B+ (if the class is not a prereq and you think that getting a B+ would be a major struggle, do not repeat the class). Repeating classes doesn't look that bad, but repeating it and still getting a bad grade does. Personally, I would only repeat prereqs and major requirements.

If you want to explain away this semester as a rough transition quarter, then next quater's gpa (and the ones after that) may matter more than the cumulative gpa as a whole. You need to show that the semester was a fluke, what is important is that you present yourself as a strong student. Whatever effect this quarter will have on your admissions will (once this quarter is over) be done. What you can (and should) focus on is making the future quarters good.

With all of this in mind, I think your decision regarding physics is the right one. Do whatever you can this semester to make your grade in it less bad, and then forget about it. I would also not repeat the stats course, but that is just me. I believe that making things harder than they need to be is silly. And retaking it is only going to stress you out. Performing less well in your other classes because you are so worried about stats wont look good. Balance any decision you make about this past quarter with what is good for your future quarters. If you do decide to retake stats, wait to do so. Make sure you can get back on your feet and have learned the appropriate academic skills before you go back to that beast.

And as some of the other people have said, while gpa is important, it is not the only thing people will be looking at. Having a lot of varied observation hours can set you apart from other applicants. Make sure that you have experience in at least 3 different types of OT settings, and try to make them significant experiences. Make sure you can verbalize why you want to be an OT and why you would be a good one. GPA matters a lot when there isn't that much else on your application to look at. The more other things you have, the less important it becomes.

Remember, you are applying for occupational therapy. OT, as a field, is very strength based and looks at the whole person. I see no reason why the people in admissions wouldn't have a similar philosophy.

Thanks DiggaDigga for your response, it is seriously helpful and useful.

A few things have changed in my situation:

1. I found out Basic Statistics required by the MOT program is actually "STAT220" at my school. I took "STAT311: Elements of Stat Method" which satisfies 5 of the 10 credits I need for completing the Math requirements of my Biology major. However, I am certain I am failing STAT311 and receiving no credit for it this quarter. My options are to either 1) repeat STAT311 and take QSCI482 the next quarter to complete 10 credits, or 2) don't repeat STAT311 and opt for the QSCI381,QSCI482 option instead [QSCI=Quantitative Science]. If I take option 1, my GPA will increase but I'm not sure how the MOT admissions committee will look at my repeat. If I take option 2, my GPA will become a lot lower but if I maintain a steady high quarterly GPA throughout, that should be saying something.

2. I also found out I won't be failing my Physics course, I have a very low GPA but it is still passing. This course is not a pre-requisite for MOT programs that I'm interested in, but it is still a requirement for completion of my Biology major. My thought is to leave the low GPA, move on, and do very well in PHYS115, the next part of the sequence.

I am still not sure what I will do with my STATS311 grade, but I think I've made up my mind for PHYS114 grade. It's too costly to repeat too many courses & I have to complete my degree in a Maximum time frame to avoid the Financial Aid office pointing a nasty finger at me.

What are your thoughts on my predicament DiggaDigga?
 
Wow, thanks guys so much for your honest and insightful responses. I definitely am in no right mind to be making decisions right now as I am still a little burdened from this stressful situation. What's best is to try and do as well as I can on these finals. After finals week, I will have to resume planning for my future.

I contacted an adviser at the UW yesterday and she told me the same thing, not to give up. She has been talking with the advisers in the UW MOT program as well. She says she can work with me to attain my academic career goals. I will definitely be keeping a close connection with this adviser & utilizing the resources at UW that are offered to me. I just found out from my academic adviser that I am a part of their Educational Opportunity Program which is the most sought after tutoring center at the UW, only a few students are eligible to use it. I have never known this and plan to use this center for my remaining quarters.

I also found out that I have a specific assigned Undergraduate Academic Adviser whom I have never met up with. Up until now I've only met up with my departmental adviser. It will help tremendously to seek help from an Undergrad. Academic Adviser because she will help me to plan for my actual career and not just completing my degree in Biology. I am also minoring in Disability Studies.

I've noticed a lot of posts such as mines where students ask "Will I have a chance?" I always wonder how they're doing right now & if they ever did get to the programs of their choice. I know that with the competitive nature of our academic systems many more students will be asking the "What are my chances?" question in the future. Maybe as I'm slowly working to attain my goals, I will keep posted about how I'm doing. Maybe on a blog, we'll see.

Thanks again guys! Thanks for giving me hope 😳
 
Thanks so much for your response, gymnastau 🙂 In answer to your question, yes, I have visited both those sites. I have used the "aota" website to research other schools that I might apply to. I visit the UW Pre-Health site quiet frequently and that's why it's scaring me because they have all these requirements that I have not met yet. I also have yet to listen to their online pre-health info. session.

So far what I've done is I've made a list of places I can volunteer and it all depends on what city I move to this Summer. I also contacted the adviser at the UW MOT program and got an e-mail telling me to call her whenever I have a question. I am going to ask how students that have applied with low GPA scores have managed to get into the program. I feel like I already know the answer: a high GRE, significant increase in quarterly GPA, diverse volunteer experience, letters of recommendation, strong and powerful personal statement.

Thanks again, I truly, truly appreciate it.
 
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