Hey guys! So I'm looking for some advice on where to apply to PT school for the 2013 season. I've done loads and loads of research but I'm nervous that my GPA is not high enough to be competitive. I have a 3.3 GPA, I have over 300 hours in both inpatient, outpatient and one is a pediatric specialty, and I have also done a lot of community service. If I were to get a pretty average GRE score (above 1000), would I realistically be able to get into a PT school and if so, what schools would be realistic for me to apply to?
I'm from Florida and want to get awayyyy. So I've been looking at schools in Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, North Carolina. I'm leaning towards a city, but most schools I look at their average GPA is higher than mine. Any suggestions or advice?
Thank you so much!
I would say you have a chance of getting accepted to at least one school if you apply to many. I have a friend who had around a 3.4 GPA, and he got into NYU! So don't be discouraged by your GPA. You just have to shine in the other areas of your application: observation hours, letters of recs, the personal essay, extracurricular activities, GRE scores, the interview, etc.
From the looks of it, your observation hours and extracurricular activities are great. Get outstanding letters of recommendation by volunteering and getting close to your teachers and to physical therapists. Did you work with any teachers outside of class? I volunteered with my teachers, and that's how I got excellent LORs from them. I also started to work as a PT aide after I graduated, and that really helped me obtain a great LOR from my boss, a PT who is also the director of my clinic. I have a feeling that you can already get stellar LORs.
Study hard for the GRE, and take it early just to get it out of the way. You don't need to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars for a prep class. Just buy a prep book like Barron's and Princeton Review (the ones I used), and make a study plan. I used a 12 week study plan that was from Princeton Review. It's a dumb test, but we all have to go through it. Pretty sad...
Last but not least, I would say to make an essay that stands out. I worked on mine for probably 2 months. Have people proofread your essay and give suggestions. I had a number of friends and one of my teachers proofread mine. Also, when you're done with the essay, it's a good idea to give a draft of it along with your resume/CV and transcripts to the people writing your LORs so they can get an idea of your background and why you want to become a PT. This will help them write your letter.
Anyways, good luck to you and your endeavors. Apply to many schools, and you should get accepted to at least one. Some schools prioritize GPA over everything else, while others look at your application as a whole without placing as much weight solely on GPA.
