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Beware - long! (but I think it is a good read for those applying)
I have been lurking here for a few years and have found a lot of useful information and insight on this forum. I recently applied to two state schools and was accepted to both. This thread will relate my experience in applying to DPT programs. It will probably also include some rambling.
Background
First, I am a single non-traditional student and a veteran. When I decided to pursue PT I had already completed two years of undergrad, in which I had earned a sub 2.0 gpa (not the best place to start). Once I started doing research and looking at program requirements I had serious doubts about whether I could even get into a DPT program. After an additional 3 yrs of school making up for the first 2 years my stats were 2.99 cgpa (PTCAS), 3.5 sgpa, 3.9 pgpa, 3.9 last 60hrs gpa, and a 320 4.0w GRE.
GRE
For the GRE, I took it twice to raise my writing score. I studied for about a week the first time and a few days the second time. My first score was a 317 3.5W and my second score was a 320 4.0. The GRE website has both study material and free downloadable software with two practice tests. There wasn't much material for the verbal portion so if you struggle with that you might have to look elsewhere. I spent most of my time brushing up on math and taking the practice tests. I am a firm believer that the GRE can be studied for and that most people can get a good score on it if they put in the time. I definitely think I could have gotten a higher score had I spent a few months studying for it, but I didn't think a higher score would make much difference in the eyes of admissions committees.
Grades/GPA
With a low cgpa the first thing I did was research schools that focused on recent coursework and GRE scores. There are many schools that will use your last 60hrs gpa in lieu of cgpa if it is higher. A simple google search for "physical therapy schools that look at last 60 hrs" will bring up most of them. I am from AR so here are a few off the top of my head from surrounding areas.
Schools that look at last 60hrs
Central Arkansas
Arkansas State
Texas State
Texas Womens
North Texas
San Angelo
Missouri
Wichita State
North Florida
Central Florida
St. Augustine
Northern Illinois
Chicago
Essays/personal statements
For the essay I wrote something that was thoughtful and conveyed my understanding of the profession and my desire to practice PT. I also proof read it myself and had it proof read at my school writing center.
Observation
For observation I completed 80hrs of obs. in various settings. This is a great time to show professionalism and get to know PTs. You will likely need reference letters from some of them as I did. I guaged which PTs I worked with liked me the most and asked them to write reference letters. In my interview I was complemented on how good they were. The interviewer also commented that many of the applicants had many more obs. hrs. than I did, and asked how I knew I really wanted to be a PT with so few hrs. My answer was that I was sure I wanted to become a PT after doing 10hrs of observation, and that while 80hrs of observation might not have been enough for some people it was certainly enough for me. This seemed to satisfy the two interviewers.
Deciding which schools to apply to
I started with a list of over twenty schools but after doing hours and hours of research I was able to whittle it down to around six and eventually applied to only two. Every school I looked at had a comprehensive website listing requirements for admissions, and most had a list of the average stats for the last cohort accepted to the program. The biggest factors on my decision of what schools to apply to were whether or not I met the requirements, if I had a chance to get in, tuition, location, and finally school rep and licensure/grad rates.
The first school I applied to, which I really liked but was a little far from home, had a very early admissions cycle so once I was accepted I only had to apply to my first choice school and I was done with applications. Had I not been accepted to that first school I was ready to send in another round of applications to schools with later deadlines.
A major area I researched was tuition policies for out of state residents. I am a veteran so policies are a little different for me, but there are various schools that have very lenient policies which waive out of state tuition after one year or waive out of state tuition for various other reasons. You just have to do the research to figure out which schools do this because it usually isn't broadcasted. In my case I spent a lot of time reading different state laws regarding residency policies that were specific to veterans. (The new federal VA reform bill grants in state tuition to veterans but does not apply to me because I have been out of the Army for too long. This is why you actually have to read the law and not just the headlines.)
Interview
Getting an interview is 90% of the battle. I pretty much looked at it as a pass fail situation in which I had to demonstrate professionalism, be personable, pleasant, knowledgeable, and convey my desire to be a PT. My first interview was an individual interview with two interviewers. My second interview was a group interview with six applicants and six interviewers. Both lasted around 30 min. The group interview was a little less intense due to it being my second, and the questions being spread out among the applicants. As I was in the first chair, I answered the first few questions first and then kind of held back to let some of the other applicants go first (they were kind of timid). It really sucks answering a question last. After five people have answered the same question it is hard to come up with something original I found myself stumped and stumbling a bit by the time they got to me on one question. I wore a suit and tie to both interviews. I didn't have any memorized or rehearsed answers (some applicants did), but I did have a general idea of what I would say to your standard DPT interview questions, which seemed to work well. Overall both interviews went well.
Final advice
In the end I was accepted to two schools including my first choice school where I live and completed my B.S.
My advice to anyone, especially those without stellar stats, is to research, research, research! While programs look at many of the same things, they are different enough that you might be a shoe in at one school but be an automatic rejection at another.
Low cgpa- find a school that looks at your last 60hrs instead.
Low GRE- some schools don't even require it or place little emphasis on it or vice-versa (or study/practice harder)
Low pgpa or sgpa- some schools look at one or both and some schools look at neither.
Low stats overall- find a school that likes extra curriculars, reference letters, essays, etc.
Find schools that are looking for your strengths and not your weaknesses, or change so you have the strengths they are looking for. Find schools that won't leave you in debt forever! If you are thinking of paying out of your own pocket to attend a private school over a public school please first use an online calculator to figure out what your monthly payments will be after school. The difference when I did it was somewhere between a new car payment and a mortgage payment. If an expensive school is your only choice then do what you have to and look for other ways of offsetting the debt, but at least be aware of the financial ramifications going in.
That is all I can think of for now.
I have been lurking here for a few years and have found a lot of useful information and insight on this forum. I recently applied to two state schools and was accepted to both. This thread will relate my experience in applying to DPT programs. It will probably also include some rambling.
Background
First, I am a single non-traditional student and a veteran. When I decided to pursue PT I had already completed two years of undergrad, in which I had earned a sub 2.0 gpa (not the best place to start). Once I started doing research and looking at program requirements I had serious doubts about whether I could even get into a DPT program. After an additional 3 yrs of school making up for the first 2 years my stats were 2.99 cgpa (PTCAS), 3.5 sgpa, 3.9 pgpa, 3.9 last 60hrs gpa, and a 320 4.0w GRE.
GRE
For the GRE, I took it twice to raise my writing score. I studied for about a week the first time and a few days the second time. My first score was a 317 3.5W and my second score was a 320 4.0. The GRE website has both study material and free downloadable software with two practice tests. There wasn't much material for the verbal portion so if you struggle with that you might have to look elsewhere. I spent most of my time brushing up on math and taking the practice tests. I am a firm believer that the GRE can be studied for and that most people can get a good score on it if they put in the time. I definitely think I could have gotten a higher score had I spent a few months studying for it, but I didn't think a higher score would make much difference in the eyes of admissions committees.
Grades/GPA
With a low cgpa the first thing I did was research schools that focused on recent coursework and GRE scores. There are many schools that will use your last 60hrs gpa in lieu of cgpa if it is higher. A simple google search for "physical therapy schools that look at last 60 hrs" will bring up most of them. I am from AR so here are a few off the top of my head from surrounding areas.
Schools that look at last 60hrs
Central Arkansas
Arkansas State
Texas State
Texas Womens
North Texas
San Angelo
Missouri
Wichita State
North Florida
Central Florida
St. Augustine
Northern Illinois
Chicago
Essays/personal statements
For the essay I wrote something that was thoughtful and conveyed my understanding of the profession and my desire to practice PT. I also proof read it myself and had it proof read at my school writing center.
Observation
For observation I completed 80hrs of obs. in various settings. This is a great time to show professionalism and get to know PTs. You will likely need reference letters from some of them as I did. I guaged which PTs I worked with liked me the most and asked them to write reference letters. In my interview I was complemented on how good they were. The interviewer also commented that many of the applicants had many more obs. hrs. than I did, and asked how I knew I really wanted to be a PT with so few hrs. My answer was that I was sure I wanted to become a PT after doing 10hrs of observation, and that while 80hrs of observation might not have been enough for some people it was certainly enough for me. This seemed to satisfy the two interviewers.
Deciding which schools to apply to
I started with a list of over twenty schools but after doing hours and hours of research I was able to whittle it down to around six and eventually applied to only two. Every school I looked at had a comprehensive website listing requirements for admissions, and most had a list of the average stats for the last cohort accepted to the program. The biggest factors on my decision of what schools to apply to were whether or not I met the requirements, if I had a chance to get in, tuition, location, and finally school rep and licensure/grad rates.
The first school I applied to, which I really liked but was a little far from home, had a very early admissions cycle so once I was accepted I only had to apply to my first choice school and I was done with applications. Had I not been accepted to that first school I was ready to send in another round of applications to schools with later deadlines.
A major area I researched was tuition policies for out of state residents. I am a veteran so policies are a little different for me, but there are various schools that have very lenient policies which waive out of state tuition after one year or waive out of state tuition for various other reasons. You just have to do the research to figure out which schools do this because it usually isn't broadcasted. In my case I spent a lot of time reading different state laws regarding residency policies that were specific to veterans. (The new federal VA reform bill grants in state tuition to veterans but does not apply to me because I have been out of the Army for too long. This is why you actually have to read the law and not just the headlines.)
Interview
Getting an interview is 90% of the battle. I pretty much looked at it as a pass fail situation in which I had to demonstrate professionalism, be personable, pleasant, knowledgeable, and convey my desire to be a PT. My first interview was an individual interview with two interviewers. My second interview was a group interview with six applicants and six interviewers. Both lasted around 30 min. The group interview was a little less intense due to it being my second, and the questions being spread out among the applicants. As I was in the first chair, I answered the first few questions first and then kind of held back to let some of the other applicants go first (they were kind of timid). It really sucks answering a question last. After five people have answered the same question it is hard to come up with something original I found myself stumped and stumbling a bit by the time they got to me on one question. I wore a suit and tie to both interviews. I didn't have any memorized or rehearsed answers (some applicants did), but I did have a general idea of what I would say to your standard DPT interview questions, which seemed to work well. Overall both interviews went well.
Final advice
In the end I was accepted to two schools including my first choice school where I live and completed my B.S.
My advice to anyone, especially those without stellar stats, is to research, research, research! While programs look at many of the same things, they are different enough that you might be a shoe in at one school but be an automatic rejection at another.
Low cgpa- find a school that looks at your last 60hrs instead.
Low GRE- some schools don't even require it or place little emphasis on it or vice-versa (or study/practice harder)
Low pgpa or sgpa- some schools look at one or both and some schools look at neither.
Low stats overall- find a school that likes extra curriculars, reference letters, essays, etc.
Find schools that are looking for your strengths and not your weaknesses, or change so you have the strengths they are looking for. Find schools that won't leave you in debt forever! If you are thinking of paying out of your own pocket to attend a private school over a public school please first use an online calculator to figure out what your monthly payments will be after school. The difference when I did it was somewhere between a new car payment and a mortgage payment. If an expensive school is your only choice then do what you have to and look for other ways of offsetting the debt, but at least be aware of the financial ramifications going in.
That is all I can think of for now.
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