Low GPA? Already graduated? Here's your game plan.

[One Punch Man]

I posted this advice to another thread, but I thought it would be good to start a new thread for people on the same boat as I.

You can become a PT it if you just have the right game plan and mindset. I tell you this because I'm on the exact same path. Graduated last year with a GPA of 2.56. Yes, I was in a horrible position in regards to GPA.

First off, have you taken all of your prerequisite courses already? If not, you are in a better position than I am. You can have a very high prerequisite GPA if this will be your first time taking them.

Here is my game plan that you should highly consider doing if you truly want to be a PT. Now it's going to take a year or two, but it's a small price to pay when considering PT is going to be your lifelong career.

You must retake most of the prerequisite courses you got a B- in or less in. This is going to cost several thousand dollars, so I suggest taking these courses at a community college to save money. I'm also poor, so what I'm doing is working overtime so that I can afford to pay the bills and tuition at the same time.

Here's a protip to paying for these courses: Only do this if you are responsible with your finances!! I have an outstanding credit score, so I applied for a credit card with a special 0% APR for 18 months. This allowed me to pay for tuition on my credit card, as well as granting me a year and a half to pay off the balance without worrying about interest. Don't do minimum payments either, you want to pay off the balance as soon as you can because you don't want to be left with a $2000 balance accumulating interest on month 19. After all other expenses are paid for (rent, cell phone, utilities, etc.) pay off as much as you can afford to on your balance.

You can not afford to get anything less than an A in these prerequisite courses. You already have well over 100 credits, so each class you take will raise your cGPA by only a small margin. Getting A's in these courses will tell the admissions committee two things:
1) you are capable of mastering the material needed to enter PT school
2) you are determined to becoming a PT

Be sure to get close to your Professors. After all, they will be writing your LORs.

Study for the GRE for several months and get a high score if you really want to stand out. If you get a cumulative score of 320+, that will greatly help overlook your subpar cGPA. I suggest using Magoosh to study for the verbal and the 5lb Manhattan book to review quantitative. For quantitative even if you answer a question correctly, look at the explanation to see if there's a quicker way of solving the problem. Remember, every second is vital on the GRE.

Be sure to shadow at least 2 PTs, both inpatient and outpatient. Get at least 200 hours in. Also, get very close with those PTs. Make sure that they can write you superb LORs.

After 1 to 2 years you will be ready to apply. You should look into schools that take the highest grade for retakes (if you had to retake your courses) and schools that look at your last 60 credit hours instead of your cGPA. These will be the schools where you have the best shot in. Make sure you apply strategically, no need to apply to 15+ schools. Just focus on the few schools where your application will be the strongest. You might have to apply OOS, but that's okay. Remember, you really want to be a PT!


Good luck with your journey!!

Edit: typos

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[DPThopeful176]

I posted this advice to in another thread, but I thought it would be good to start a new thread for people on the same boat as I.

You can become a PT it if you just have the right game plan and mindset. I tell you this because I'm on the exact same path. Graduated last year with a GPA of 2.56. Yes, I was in a horrible position in regards to GPA.

First off, have you taken all of your prerequisite courses already? If not, you are in a better position than I am. You can have a very high prerequisite GPA if this will be your first time taking them.

Here is my game plan that you should highly consider doing if you truly want to be a PT. Now it's going to take a year or two, but it's a small price to pay when considering PT is going to be your lifelong career.

You must retake most of the prerequisite courses you got a B- in or less in. This is going to cost several thousand dollars, so I suggest taking these courses at a community college to save money. I'm also poor, so what I'm doing is working overtime so that I can afford to pay the bills and tuition at the same time.

Here's a protip to paying for these courses: Only do this is you are responsible with your finances!! I have an outstanding credit score, so I applied for a credit card with a special 0% APR for 18 months. This allowed me to pay for tuition on my credit card, as well as granting me a year and a half to pay off the balance without worrying about interest. Don't do minimum payments either, you want to pay off the balance as soon as you can because you don't want to be left with a $2000 balance accumulating interest on month 19. After all other expenses are paid for (rent, cell phone, utilities, etc.) pay off as much as you can afford to on your balance.

You can not afford to get anything less than an A in these prerequisite courses. You already have well over 100 credits, so each class you take will raise your cGPA by only a small amount. Getting A's in these courses will tell the admissions committee two things:
1) you are capable of mastering the material needed to enter PT school
2) you are determined to becoming a PT

Be sure to get close to your Professors. After all, they will be writing your LORs.

Study for the GRE for several months and get a high score if you really want to stand out. If you get a cumulative score of 320+, that will greatly help overlook your subpar cGPA. I suggest using Magoosh to study for the verbal and the 5lb Manhattan book to review quantitative. For quantitative even if you answer a question correctly, look at the explanation to see if there's a quicker way of solving the problem. Remember, every second is vital on the GRE.

Be sure to shadow at least 2 PTs, both inpatient and outpatient. Get at least 200 hours in. Also, get very close with those PTs. Make sure that they can write you superb LORs.

After 1 to 2 years you will be ready to apply. You should look into schools that take the highest grade for retakes (if you had to retake your courses) and schools that look at your last 60 credit hours instead of your cGPA. These will be the schools where you have the best shot in. Apply strategically, no need to apply to 15+ schools. Just focus on the few schools where your application will be the strongest. You might have to apply OOS, but that's okay. Remember, you really want to be a PT!

Good luck with your journey!!

First of all, love your username.
Second, thanks for the detailed advice

 

[One Punch Man]

First of all, love your username.
Second, thanks for the detailed advice

Thanks! I'm a big fan of the show. And no problem, I like to help people.

 

[Heardyoudpt]

Great advice! After several (5+) years in a completely unrelated, non-medical career, I decided to switch to PT. I had a cGPA of 2.85, and all of my pre-requisites were either too old or had never been taken. I spent the next three years working full time (I made really good $ at the time and wanted to keep it flowing), taking one or two classes online or in the evening each semester, and PT shadowing in the evenings or days off. I was still unsure about how I would fare this cycle and prepared myself to have to do a second application cycle, but so far I have been accepted by a program, am waiting to hear back from another, and have an interview with a third. It can be done, but be prepared to really apply yourself!

 

[One Punch Man]

Great advice! After several (5+) years in a completely unrelated, non-medical career, I decided to switch to PT. I had a cGPA of 2.85, and all of my pre-requisites were either too old or had never been taken. I spent the next three years working full time (I made really good $ at the time and wanted to keep it flowing), taking one or two classes online or in the evening each semester, and PT shadowing in the evenings or days off. I was still unsure about how I would fare this cycle and prepared myself to have to do a second application cycle, but so far I have been accepted by a program, am waiting to hear back from another, and have an interview with a third. It can be done, but be prepared to really apply yourself!

Congrats on your acceptance! Just goes to show that us nontrads with low GPAs can redeem ourselves; it just take a couple of years to do it.

Can you answer me these questions: What is your cGPA now? And how many courses did you take in those three years? What was your GRE score?

 

[Heardyoudpt]

Congrats on your acceptance! Just goes to show that us nontrads with low GPAs can redeem ourselves; it just take a couple of years to do it.

Can you answer me these questions: What is your cGPA now? And how many courses did you take in those three years? What was your GRE score?

Thank you! My current cGPA is 3.16, and I have two outstanding pre-reqs (Chem II & Phys II) that I am currently taking. Including those two, I've taken 13 courses (44 credits total). My GRE score was 158/155/4.5. I saved enough money that I felt comfortable leaving my job last August in order to take a full course load in the fall, otherwise I would have had to wait another year.