I’m here to offer hope to anyone applying in future cycles who scoured these message boards like I did for any stories that would give me a glimmer of encouragement cause seriously I thought I had no hope of even getting into a school.
Summary Stats/Results: 3.0 cGPA/low pGPA and got into/waitlisted at: Columbia, UCSF, Northwestern, MGH, etc.
Graduated in 2015 w/ a cGPA of 2.82. I was pursuing PA, didn’t really like it, and spent my time building a volunteer organization. I had 3 years off w/ 2.5 years retaking classes. 1st year I was still pursuing PA and got grades in the A-/B+ range for about 10 classes. I was told by an advisor to not retake pre-reqs but rather “higher versions” of a class. Bad idea. RETAKE YOUR PREREQUISITES! Once I decided on PT I got straight A’s (about 10 classes worth). I already wasted a bunch of time though so the only prerequisites I got to retake were Physics 1 and Chem 1.
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cGPA: 3.04
pGPA: 2.92-3.3
GRE: 159 V, 162 Q, 4.0 AWA (I studied for about a month while taking a light course load, didn’t do as well as I would have liked cause I was super sick on the day of the test and spent half the time wanting water and the other half wanting to pee)
Extracurriculars in College: Founded first west-coast collegiate branch of the world’s largest service organization Lions Club International (4 years and awarded President’s Volunteer Service Award), 2 years in student run clinic (officer in my last year), 2 one-week medical mission trips, ~6 months volunteering at a medical center (4-6 hrs/wk), 1 year volunteering at hospital(4-6 hrs/wk), misc things (2 jobs about 7 months each, Entertainment Council, Photography Club)
Extracurriculars after College: 2 years as a health coach at low-income clinic (10-20hrs/week), 3 years as shift coordinator at non-profit holistic health clinic (4-5 hrs/month), Peer Advisor for PA & PT (2 years), TA for Psych Professor (1 year), Rehab Tech (8 months)
PT Volunteer Hours: 4 hrs outpatient dance clinic, ~700 hrs rehab tech at SNF (paid), ~100 hrs at outpatient orthopedic, ~70 hrs at outpatient pediatrics
Certification: BLS
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Applied: So damn many. I didn’t think I’d get in anywhere so I applied to soooooooo many places. And it was not necessary.
-Briar Cliff, AT Still, Northwestern, Rocky Mountain University, Columbia, Augusta University, UCSF/SFSU, Mount Saint Mary’s, Samuel Merritt, University of Mary, Touro College, CSU Northridge, Touro University Nevada, University of Rhode Island, University of Saint Mary, MGH Institute, Creighton University, Mount St. Joseph University, CSU Fresno, Chapman University, Mercy College, Rosalind Franklin, Hunter College
Offered Interviews that I Accepted : Augusta University (10/19), University of Mary (10/24), Columbia (11/2), UCSF (2/1)
Offered Interview but I Declined: University of St. Mary, Mt. St. Joseph, University of Rhode Island, AT Still, Mercy College
Accepted: Columbia (11/5), Touro University Nevada (11/20), Augusta University (12/3), Samuel Merritt (12/13), MGH Institute (12/17), UCSF (2/15)
Waitlist: Northwestern (11/30), University of Mary (10/24-my online interview was plagued by bad internet connection, I didn’t expect much)
Rejected: Creighton University, Rocky Mountain University, CSU Fresno, Hunter College
As of now I've chosen Columbia which was my top pick along with Samuel Merritt & Augusta. I am giving UCSF a look though since I never got to visit.
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Every school counselor I met with except 1 said I wouldn’t get into school period. I met the Program Directors of both Columbia and Northwestern when I was about 1.5-2 years after graduating (when my grades were already quite a bit better) and explained my grade situation. Both were really sweet but told me I basically had no chance with my grades. They even went as far as offering other school suggestions. But I can now say I was accepted into one and waitlisted in the other and I applied to both.
My biggest tips:
1) Retake prereqs
2) Do well on your GRE (they say it doesn’t super matter but if you have low grades it seems like they use it as a basic “are you somewhat academically competent” meter.
3) Blow them away with your personal statement: I had my idea done within a few days but spent 2 months perfecting it. I strongly believe my essays were a huge contributing factor to my acceptances.
4) Make sure your letters of ref stand out. Talk to the people who are writing your letters about what each school is looking for. I even typed up lists of things I did w/ that advisor that demonstrated those traits. It’s nerve-wracking and I’m not a very self-promoting person, but trust they want the best for you and you can word it as “I’m applying for __school name___. They like applicants that exhibit __traits____. Here’s some examples of when I believe I demonstrated __traits______. If you are comfortable, can you work it in?”
Most importantly DON’T GIVE UP! I seriously never thought I’d get into a single school versus multiple top ranking schools. My TLDR moral is: don’t bother applying to a butt ton of school just cause your GPA is low/you may have more hope than you think + apply to schools even if you think you’re not gonna get in. Good luck future PT’s! I really hope this offers some hope to people out there.
