How to get into DPT programs with low GPA?

[dottlept]

I'm on my second semester as a junior and I currently have:
cGPA: 3.46
pGPA: 3.15

If I'm going to be honest, I wasn't passionate about becoming a PT until this semester and I haven't felt the motivation previously due to many family and personal complications getting in the way. I firmly believe had I been a better state of mind, my grades would be higher. From here on out, I am aiming to get all A's especially since the classes that are left for me to do are my pre-requisites. I have not taken the GRE either and I am still in the process of researching about it. I am also currently continuing my observational hours. I started them at one outpatient clinic on the summer of my freshman year, but that was also when my personal life had taken a toll on me and I stopped after only getting 12 hours. I am now beginning again on a different outpatient clinic and seeing the PTs work there is honestly very motivating along with my friends who have been encouraging me. I am also searching for an inpatient/snf to gain hours in, but I have not gotten a call back yet to the two I have called.

Since I have only gained the proper energy to take pre-pt seriously now, I have only thought about applying to Kean, Temple and maybe Thomas Jefferson as they're all pretty near where I live. The college I am currently attending is a bit out of the question because they require GPA that I do not think I can achieve before graduating. I've been looking into Temple the most, although I can't seem to find too much information about it because the PTCAS won't load for me so I have been resorting to their website as well forums that I can get my hands on. Unfortunately I can't find information about their updated acceptance rate.

I guess my main questions would be:

• Can I get in with low GPA?
• Should I retake some of my classes?
• What are the best ways to study for the GRE?
• What is the ideal amount of hours I should gain?
• Is there anything I should expect from interviews?

Any additional advice is also welcome! I am also curious about those who have been accepted by DPT programs with GPAs that's lower than the ideal of 3.5+. I know that even though this is a very competitive program, there are still those that have made it with low GPA but outstanding GRE, hours, applications, interviews, etc... I am wondering if there is anything I can do to achieve those.

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[dobsonek]

1. Your gpa isn’t low. It’s average. Most schools minimum is 3.0. You’re well above that.

2. The only reason you’d need to retake them is if they’re prereqs that you have a C or lower in.

3. I used the stuff that you could get on the ETS website when registering for the test and I found them helpful.

4. Different schools require different amounts of hours, but the more (in multiple settings) the better.

5. Different schools have different interview processes. Have answers to common questions (tell us about yourself, why pt, etc) ready to go.

I haven’t been accepted yet, but I have a cGPA of 3.09 and have been invited to interview and placed on waitlists.

 

[dottlept]

1. Your gpa isn’t low. It’s average. Most schools minimum is 3.0. You’re well above that.

2. The only reason you’d need to retake them is if they’re prereqs that you have a C or lower in.

3. I used the stuff that you could get on the ETS website when registering for the test and I found them helpful.

4. Different schools require different amounts of hours, but the more (in multiple settings) the better.

5. Different schools have different interview processes. Have answers to common questions (tell us about yourself, why pt, etc) ready to go.

I haven’t been accepted yet, but I have a cGPA of 3.09 and have been invited to interview and placed on waitlists.

1) I've seen that 3.0 is the minimum for most schools, but judging from the limited programs I have seen, most accepted GPAs are around the 3.5 range, which is very worrying.

2) I don't have any C's, only one D which I have retaken and turned into a B. My pre-req are mostly B's and I was wondering if I should attempt to turn those into A's.

3) Thank you, I will keep that in mind!

4) My friends who have gotten accepted to DPT programs have hours that exceed 100 and I have been reading some of the forums here where some people have outstanding amounts of hours (I saw one with 6k+ wow). I would just like to know a "high" minimum so I can aim high and not too low for observational hours.

5) Noted!

Thank you so much for the advice, I wish you luck!

 

[dpta1998]

1) You're pre-req GPA (not sure how many classes you still have left) is on the lower side since many schools place that as the number one factor in admissions. I attended an interview last week and the first thing they said was that many schools are GPA driven meaning thats the first thing that jumps out at them. Many schools have a minimum of 3.0 but if you look at stats for accepted students, you'll find that it usually well above that.

2) Retake any pre-req classes that you got a B- or below in. Again, although schools says minimum C for pre-reqs, it's always better to be well above that.

4)Some schools will tell you that anything above their requirement is not really going to make you stand out while others really like to see as many hours in as many settings as possible. I would contact each school you're interested in and see what advice they have. For example, one of my schools said anything above 75 hours was not considered where as I know that USC in LA usually looks at around 200+ hours. Quality is always better than quantity so try as many different clinics/settings as possible.

5) For one of my interviews, I wasn't asked any personal questions like why PT or why this school but all 6 questions were about morals and ethics so it really depends on each program.

Since you decided pretty late that you want to pursue PT, I would maybe consider taking a gap year so that you can really focus on your pre-req classes now while studying for the GRE and shadowing over the next year.

 

[DPTATC2023]

I'm on my second semester as a junior and I currently have:
cGPA: 3.46
pGPA: 3.15

If I'm going to be honest, I wasn't passionate about becoming a PT until this semester and I haven't felt the motivation previously due to many family and personal complications getting in the way. I firmly believe had I been a better state of mind, my grades would be higher. From here on out, I am aiming to get all A's especially since the classes that are left for me to do are my pre-requisites. I have not taken the GRE either and I am still in the process of researching about it. I am also currently continuing my observational hours. I started them at one outpatient clinic on the summer of my freshman year, but that was also when my personal life had taken a toll on me and I stopped after only getting 12 hours. I am now beginning again on a different outpatient clinic and seeing the PTs work there is honestly very motivating along with my friends who have been encouraging me. I am also searching for an inpatient/snf to gain hours in, but I have not gotten a call back yet to the two I have called.

Since I have only gained the proper energy to take pre-pt seriously now, I have only thought about applying to Kean, Temple and maybe Thomas Jefferson as they're all pretty near where I live. The college I am currently attending is a bit out of the question because they require GPA that I do not think I can achieve before graduating. I've been looking into Temple the most, although I can't seem to find too much information about it because the PTCAS won't load for me so I have been resorting to their website as well forums that I can get my hands on. Unfortunately I can't find information about their updated acceptance rate.

I guess my main questions would be:

• Can I get in with low GPA?
• Should I retake some of my classes?
• What are the best ways to study for the GRE?
• What is the ideal amount of hours I should gain?
• Is there anything I should expect from interviews?

Any additional advice is also welcome! I am also curious about those who have been accepted by DPT programs with GPAs that's lower than the ideal of 3.5+. I know that even though this is a very competitive program, there are still those that have made it with low GPA but outstanding GRE, hours, applications, interviews, etc... I am wondering if there is anything I can do to achieve those.

You can definitely get in to a school with a low GPA if you’re smart about where you apply and the other aspects of your application are strong. I got into Temple with a 3.3 cGPA and 3.2 pGPA.

I would retake prereqs that you got less than a B- in. I know that Temple really looks at your A&P grades. As for shadowing hours, you don’t need thousands of hours. They just want to see that you have a variety of shadowing experiences and that you have a good understanding of what the different settings are like. When I applied I only had like 500 hours, and only 20 of those were inpatient.

For interviews, you really just need to be able to verbalize your goals, experiences, and be able to talk about who you are as a person.

I know for Temple specifically, they want you to be a well rounded applicant. They look at your whole application, not just your GPA/GRE.

I hope this helps!

 

[PTstudent97]

1. Yes you absolutely can get into PT school with a low GPA and I would go as far as saying that I wouldn't classify your GPA as "low" imo. The key is knowing your targets and being smart about applying to which schools. Have a few "reach" schools but also several other schools that are closer to your GPA range. Keep in mind, if a school says the average GPA for the most recent incoming class is a 3.5 - that must mean there are students in that class who got in with a sub 3.5.

2. I recommend retaking classes if you have any Cs in your prereqs. Obviously if you have one, and the rest of your application is strong than you dont have to. But if you do have Cs and want to improve your prereqs, I HIGHLY recommend retaking them. It shows schools that you are serious about improving as a student.

3. Magoosh is great, and practice practice practice.

4. Definitely try to aim for the most hours you can get. My general rule of thumb is the lower your GPA, the higher your hours should be. But not only in amount but in diversity. Its equally if not more important to get hours in a variety of settings/specialties. Basically everyone is going to have experience as a PT aide in a private OP clinic. You have to stand out from that.

5. For interviews, be confident. If you get an interview it means they are interested in you and your application so now its time for you to shine. Study some practice interview questions, maybe do some mock interviews. The most important question will be "why PT". But each program is different

Additional Tips: If PT is what you really love then I have no doubt that you will get in. The only question is when. I dont think your GPA is bad at all (I had worse and got multiple interviews and one acceptance so far) but you can beef up your application with strong LORs (these are really important imo), diverse experience hours, great essays and supplemental essays, a solid GRE (the lower your GPA is, the higher your GRE should be) and when you are given a chance at the interview - shine in those. Good luck!

 

[dottlept]

You can definitely get in to a school with a low GPA if you’re smart about where you apply and the other aspects of your application are strong. I got into Temple with a 3.3 cGPA and 3.2 pGPA.

I would retake prereqs that you got less than a B- in. I know that Temple really looks at your A&P grades. As for shadowing hours, you don’t need thousands of hours. They just want to see that you have a variety of shadowing experiences and that you have a good understanding of what the different settings are like. When I applied I only had like 500 hours, and only 20 of those were inpatient.

For interviews, you really just need to be able to verbalize your goals, experiences, and be able to talk about who you are as a person.

I know for Temple specifically, they want you to be a well rounded applicant. They look at your whole application, not just your GPA/GRE.

I hope this helps!

May I ask what type of clinics you did you observational hours in? Or were they just outpatient and inpatient?
I'm actually not 100% sure how to behave when I'm doing my observational hours. I occasionally ask questions but I also don't want to go out of line because sometimes the PT and the patients themselves chat me up about none PT related subjects. While I do reply and converse, I'm still wondering if I'm allowed to just be super casual with them like that.

And out of curiosity, what were your GRE scores?

 

[DPTATC2023]

May I ask what type of clinics you did you observational hours in? Or were they just outpatient and inpatient?
I'm actually not 100% sure how to behave when I'm doing my observational hours. I occasionally ask questions but I also don't want to go out of line because sometimes the PT and the patients themselves chat me up about none PT related subjects. While I do reply and converse, I'm still wondering if I'm allowed to just be super casual with them like that.

And out of curiosity, what were your GRE scores?

I did most of my hours at the outpatient ortho/sport facility I work at, but I also did inpatient at a hospital where I mostly saw cardio/neuron patients, inpatient pediatric hospital, SNF, and outpatient aquatic.

I think it’s okay to have casual conversations, as long as it’s not all that you’re doing. Make sure you’re asking questions that will help you to learn more about the field and the setting. I asked the PTs I shadowed a lot about their school experiences and why they chose the settings they were in.

I scored a 310 on the GRE (158 V and 152 Q, 4.0 AW)

 

[MartialArtDPT]

I dunno what issues you were having with PTCAS, but on some of them I've had to pull them straight up through Google rather than link from the directory. Does this one work for you? http://aptaapps.apta.org/ptcas/ProgramDetails.aspx?seqn=1483

 

[dottlept]

I dunno what issues you were having with PTCAS, but on some of them I've had to pull them straight up through Google rather than link from the directory. Does this one work for you? http://aptaapps.apta.org/ptcas/ProgramDetails.aspx?seqn=1483

Unfortunately, it does not. Every time I open it, everything is left blank in each section....

 

[ya1]

Any additional advice is also welcome! I am also curious about those who have been accepted by DPT programs with GPAs that's lower than the ideal of 3.5+. I know that even though this is a very competitive program, there are still those that have made it with low GPA but outstanding GRE, hours, applications, interviews, etc... I am wondering if there is anything I can do to achieve those.
[/QUOTE]

Yes, you have a chance to get in PT school. It sounds like you have a good plan to get there.
You can still use those 12h of observation in the 1st clinic when you apply to PT school if that PT agrees to verify them. Just do not ask him for a recommendation letter.
To answer your questions:

• Can I get in with low GPA? Yes. But make sure your stats are around the average stats of the schools where you are applying. You can email schools and ask them the average stats of the students excepted last year. If their stats are far above yours, it will most likely be the waste of your time and money applying to those competitive schools. Also consider schools that consider only the last 50-100 units for GPA.
• Should I retake some of my classes? I would say no. Your stats are not horrible. Better focus on getting higher grades in classes you still have to take and then see where your GPA is.
• What are the best ways to study for the GRE? I took GRE books from a public library (it's ok if they are a couple of years old). Read them (they will tell you about strategies you can use to answer questions). Do as many practice tests as you can, there used to be about 3-6 free tests online, you can also use older GRE books (free in public libraries) for practice tests. Time yourself when taking a tests. Do not try to memorize vocabulary that books give you (there is a 10-20-page list of the words but you will never see 99-100% of them - so that would be the waste of time).
• What is the ideal amount of hours I should gain? 150-ish. Do not go more than 50h beyond the minimal requirements of schools - will be the waste of time.Schools do not expect you to have 500 or 1000 observation hours if they ask for 100. But try to do at least 2 different settings. 2 outpatient and 1 inpatient is pretty good. If you cannot verify your 12 hours from the 1st clinic, see if you can observe maybe in a pediatric setting, vestibular, SNF, adult daycare center, Assisted living places - may be easier to get in than in a hospital.
• Is there anything I should expect from interviews? Do not worry about interviews for now. After you apply and get an interview, search for interview questions for the particular school on this forum. Then try to answer all those questions out loudly.
• Good Luck! I am pretty sure you will make it if you follow your plan that you wrote above! My CGPA was 3.0-3.1, PGPA 3.5-3.6. GRE 297. Last 60-ish units GPA 3.7-3.8. Observation hours in 3 settings. Got accepted in 3 schools after the 2nd application round.

 

[TheDancingWriter]

I'm on my second semester as a junior and I currently have:
cGPA: 3.46
pGPA: 3.15

If I'm going to be honest, I wasn't passionate about becoming a PT until this semester and I haven't felt the motivation previously due to many family and personal complications getting in the way. I firmly believe had I been a better state of mind, my grades would be higher. From here on out, I am aiming to get all A's especially since the classes that are left for me to do are my pre-requisites. I have not taken the GRE either and I am still in the process of researching about it. I am also currently continuing my observational hours. I started them at one outpatient clinic on the summer of my freshman year, but that was also when my personal life had taken a toll on me and I stopped after only getting 12 hours. I am now beginning again on a different outpatient clinic and seeing the PTs work there is honestly very motivating along with my friends who have been encouraging me. I am also searching for an inpatient/snf to gain hours in, but I have not gotten a call back yet to the two I have called.

Since I have only gained the proper energy to take pre-pt seriously now, I have only thought about applying to Kean, Temple and maybe Thomas Jefferson as they're all pretty near where I live. The college I am currently attending is a bit out of the question because they require GPA that I do not think I can achieve before graduating. I've been looking into Temple the most, although I can't seem to find too much information about it because the PTCAS won't load for me so I have been resorting to their website as well forums that I can get my hands on. Unfortunately I can't find information about their updated acceptance rate.

I guess my main questions would be:

• Can I get in with low GPA?
• Should I retake some of my classes?
• What are the best ways to study for the GRE?
• What is the ideal amount of hours I should gain?
• Is there anything I should expect from interviews?

Any additional advice is also welcome! I am also curious about those who have been accepted by DPT programs with GPAs that's lower than the ideal of 3.5+. I know that even though this is a very competitive program, there are still those that have made it with low GPA but outstanding GRE, hours, applications, interviews, etc... I am wondering if there is anything I can do to achieve those.

1. Your GPA is pretty average. Definitely not low.
2. Only if you have a C in them, especially your bios.
3. I used Magoosh. The test prep books just weren't working for me.
4. I got a little over 400. It depends on what each school is asking for, but you should aim for that and multiple settings.
5. Expect to be asked why you want to be a PT and don't mention anything about because you want to help people. There's a book about interviewing for PT school on Amazon. Can't think of the name of it off the top of my head, but it'll probably be the first book. I read that and it has a bunch of possible questions you might be asked along with sample answers.

 

[FutureNYSPT]

Don't fret, friend, as a Jr in college, you have plenty of time to build on your credentials!

- I got into two of the most competitive programs in the country. My initials undergrad GPA was 2.56, and 11 years later I took 51 credits in 16 months and got A's in call my courses (including pre-reqs) and that brought my GPA to a whopping 2.98.

- I would make a concerted effort to re-take any pre-reqs that you feel could have improved upon. You could take them as accelerated summer classes at a community college if you'd like.

- Buy the GRE study text from the company ETS. They have a few practice tests, and show you how to work out the problems logically. There was a lot of pre-calc and algebra that I had to relearn to take the test.

- I don't think that there are an ideal amount of hours, but rather I think the strength is showing your hours in a diversity of settings. I spent about 70 hours in outpatient (where there was also aqua-therapy), and I did about 95 in an acute care hospital setting.

- Practice for your interviews. Bank on the question: "Why PT?" and have an answer that sets you apart from the field of applicants. Be sure to brush up on your observational experience in voluteering, and know the role of a PT in the current health care system. Also, don't be afraid to show a bit of personality and joke around. Remember, you are special, not a robot, and schools want to see who you are.