i'm scared

[lorteerapong]

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i'm 21 years old and i've just been admitted into Cal State Long Beach under a kinesiology major with an emphasis in exercise science.

My GPA currently is 3.6

Ever since I interned for some PTAs I soon realized my ideal job was to become a physical therapist and work with everyday people as well as elite athletes to improve and enrich their lives.

However i keep hearing about how competitive it is to get into PT school and I know a couple of friends who worked very hard in school but just didn’t have the grades to get to the next level, I’m afraid if things don’t go perfectly I might turn out in the same situation as them and I would likely have to change career options. Is there anything i can do to provide myself with a "safety net" in this situation?

Any advice for a third year college student pursuing a career in PT would be much appreciated?

 

[PTMattI]

3.6 is a very competitive gpa. what is your pre req gpa?

My advice is to keep getting good grades, do well on the GRE and get lots of different experiences in PT (inpatient, out patient, skilled nursing home, etc..)

My GPA was only a 3.3 but I was able to get in. I think you will be fine.

 

[lorteerapong]

3.6 is a very competitive gpa. what is your pre req gpa?

My advice is to keep getting good grades, do well on the GRE and get lots of different experiences in PT (inpatient, out patient, skilled nursing home, etc..)

My GPA was only a 3.3 but I was able to get in. I think you will be fine.

that is the thing, the 3.6 is nice, however that is from all of the courses i took at the community college level. i took a handful of sciences classes but the majority of the classes were the GE courses, which are just naturally easier thus the higher GPA.

i know the majority of the coursework at CSLB is going to be in the sciences, so its likely that the GPA will fall.

 

[NeophyteParkour]

Just a thought, are you sure athletic training isn't for you? PT is mainly going to deal with an older population. AT is for athletes. Maybe you could even try interning with an AT and see what you think.

A 3.6 overall GPA gives you a good shot, but nothing is a guarantee. The "GPA Acceptance" thread does show that a variety of GPA's do get accepted, but it doesn't tell the whole story. People who don't get in aren't the ones posting (who represent the majority, btw).

But anyway, nothing about what you said makes me think you shouldn't pursue it. You seem to be doing great so far.

 

[lorteerapong]

Just a thought, are you sure athletic training isn't for you? PT is mainly going to deal with an older population. AT is for athletes. Maybe you could even try interning with an AT and see what you think.

A 3.6 overall GPA gives you a good shot, but nothing is a guarantee. The "GPA Acceptance" thread does show that a variety of GPA's do get accepted, but it doesn't tell the whole story. People who don't get in aren't the ones posting (who represent the majority, btw).

But anyway, nothing about what you said makes me think you shouldn't pursue it. You seem to be doing great so far.

i've actually thought about doing AT but the main reason why i have moved in a different direction is the money. i figured that PT and AT is similar in a sense where i would enjoy doing both, but the extra 20k a year for PT is very convincing.

i'm planning on talking to the head athletic training at my school this week, hopefully he will have some insight.

 

[Onyang]

I was just as scared. I knew if I was going to do this, I had to put everything I had into it. Your GPA is solid. Don't worry about the community college thing either. I took half of my classes at a community college. I also did poorly on the GRE. But I made all that up with a bunch of observations, solid letter of rec, and a interest letter that will blow your mind away. I got into two schools! I worried and worried, but in the end, if you put in your hard work, it will pay off.

 

[Kepania]

After graduating with a biology degree and a 2.94 GPA, I let fear keep me from applying to grad school for over 10 years. This past year, I finally said screw it, I'm going for it, and lo and behold, I got in!

You will be fine. Keep getting good grades, prepare well for the GRE, get your volunteer hours and a write a great essay. Schools really consider the whole application, so it's not all about grades. And anyway, 3.6 GPA is nothing to shake a stick at!

Good luck! 🙂