Excited to say I have been accepted into my first program as of yesterday. I know there are many posts like this, but hoping to show that you don't need to work "traditional" pre-PT jobs to still gain acceptance
Undergrad: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis (graduating in May)
Major: Kinesiology
Overall GPA: 3.65
Pre-Req GPA: 3.1-3.3 (depending on school) I know this was really low, and probs what made many schools say no
GRE Scores: Q-151 V-152 AW-4.5
Hours: 145, inpatient pediatrics, outpatient rural, outpatient orthopedics, school-based
LOR: 1 PT, 1 professor/director of research lab, and a professor who also directed the U of M marching band
Extra curriculars: 2,000 hours due to marching band and athletic bands (think this really helped), one semester of research experience, personal training internship for field work, worked as a PCA for a year, worked as a waitress for 2 summers during undergrad
Applied: U of MN, St. Scholastica, St. Kates, U South Dakota, U Mary (ND), UJamestown (ND), WI-LaCrosse, Rosalind Franklin
Interviews: Rosalind Franklin, UMary, UJamestown --> most schools didn't require an interview
Rejections: Rosalind Franklin, U South Dakota, WI-LaCrosse
Waitlist: U of MN, St. Scholastica, St. Kates, U Mary
Acceptances: U Jamestown Will be attending unless I get pulled off the waitlist at St. Scholastica (1st choice)
Honestly, I applied this cycle pretty blind, with a low prerec GPA, and wasn't sure my chances of getting in. I spent lots of time perfecting my essays, and I think my enormous amount of extracurricular hours via marching band on top of a full course load really helped my application. I also did better at schools that interviewed, so I think being able to make my case of "Why PT" in person also helped.