Northern Arizona 2014-15 application thread!

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knj27 said:
Dear knj27:

"I regret to inform you that you have not been recommended for admission. Your overall application is not competitive with other applications received for the Physical Therapy program."

I don't say this to brag at all, but that above quote is a laughable statement. There were only a limited number of candidates more qualified than I was...I know enough about this process to know that there certainly weren't 120+. I believe I interviewed as well as anyone would. The fact that I wasn't even waitlisted honestly is a total diss.

I know I probably sound a bit entitled and I do not intend to offend anyone, but the fact that their are numerous students from other states with lesser stats going to the only public school in my state, while I attend the only public school in a different state is honestly pretty dang stupid if you think about it.

With that being said, five main things come out of this:
  • I am genuinely happy for everyone that will be attending NAU and I hope you have the time of your lives. I wish I could be there with you, but clearly it was not the right fit for me. In the end I believe I am going to where I am supposed to be.
  • I am genuinely excited to go to UNLV. Of all the programs I applied to, this is actually the one I liked the best and felt the best about. I wish it was as cheap for me as NAU, but I am still sticking with my commitment to go to the cheapest of the programs that accepted me. And honestly I didn't feel as jazzed during the NAU interview day, I was just hoping against hope because of the cost factor.
  • This just goes to show you how incredibly random, unpredictable and often downright ridiculous this process is.
  • I am indescribably happy that after so many months of not knowing that I finally know and can move on with my life. I feel so sad for the people that have to reapply next year and truly wish them the best. There are few experiences I have had in my life that have sucked longer and harder than the PT school application process has.
  • God laughs at those who plan. All I have done for the past couple years is assume I had a reasonably good shot at NAU. I never thought it was a sure thing, but I was always confident. Learned my lesson!
Congratulations to everyone who has been accepted! In a few months we will finally be PT students! And for those still waiting for an acceptance, good vibes coming your way from me. :cool:
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knj27 -- I felt the same way, it's taken me a few days to get over the shock of being rejected (#44 waitlist is the same!). I had high GPA, test scores, and had been communicating w/ their coordinator on a regular basis to make sure I wasn't applying in vein. I was expecting at least a good waitlist position. Goes to show that it is very random and I honestly do not know what NAU is looking for in an applicant. Apparently what they saw in me (and you) is not what the interviewers liked. Anyways, I am accepted at another program which will be a great experience for me and my family at Ohio University. I do wish that OU's program graduated me in 2017 though and not 2018 :) I can't imagine applying 2 years in a row. I laugh when you write it's the longest suck in life and I agree. I'm in somewhere and I'll take it!! Doing this whole process again would be such a waste. cheers to your future!
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knj27 said:
Agreed. :thumbup:

To bad the private schools cost an arm and a leg... :greedy: Sitting out a year and reapplying would be way stupid. If you didn't get in the first time, it's doubtful they are gonna like you the second time either, or at least that's what I figure.
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I have spoken to people whose daughter applied not 2 years but 3 YEARS in a row and got in on the third year. I felt at the opening when the chair of NAU compared their in-state tuition to other "in state schools" was a crock. Of course NAU is 1/2 the cost because the other ones are private! unfair comparison. For some people applying 3 years in a row might fit their life....but I'm with you I would not want to do this more than once!
 
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AZ_PT_Hopeful said:
knj27 -- I felt the same way, it's taken me a few days to get over the shock of being rejected (#44 waitlist is the same!). I had high GPA, test scores, and had been communicating w/ their coordinator on a regular basis to make sure I wasn't applying in vein. I was expecting at least a good waitlist position. Goes to show that it is very random and I honestly do not know what NAU is looking for in an applicant. Apparently what they saw in me (and you) is not what the interviewers liked. Anyways, I am accepted at another program which will be a great experience for me and my family at Ohio University. I do wish that OU's program graduated me in 2017 though and not 2018 :) I can't imagine applying 2 years in a row. I laugh when you write it's the longest suck in life and I agree. I'm in somewhere and I'll take it!! Doing this whole process again would be such a waste. cheers to your future!
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AZ_PT_Hopeful said:
I have spoken to people whose daughter applied not 2 years but 3 YEARS in a row and got in on the third year. I felt at the opening when the chair of NAU compared their in-state tuition to other "in state schools" was a crock. Of course NAU is 1/2 the cost because the other ones are private! unfair comparison. For some people applying 3 years in a row might fit their life....but I'm with you I would not want to do this more than once!
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:nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod:

Nice one. Thanks for your posts.
 
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knj27 said:
Dear knj27:

"I regret to inform you that you have not been recommended for admission. Your overall application is not competitive with other applications received for the Physical Therapy program."
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Wow, who decided to word the letter that way? When I interviewed there, they made a big point to tell us that every single one of us was over-qualified and would succeed in their program, and that from that point on, we were being judged more subjectively by how we would "fit in" with the program. This letter sounds like a spit in the face after they invited you to interview there over many other applicants.

knj27 said:
  • I am genuinely excited to go to UNLV. Of all the programs I applied to, this is actually the one I liked the best and felt the best about. I wish it was as cheap for me as NAU, but I am still sticking with my commitment to go to the cheapest of the programs that accepted me. And honestly I didn't feel as jazzed during the NAU interview day, I was just hoping against hope because of the cost factor.
  • God laughs at those who plan. All I have done for the past couple years is assume I had a reasonably good shot at NAU. I never thought it was a sure thing, but I was always confident. Learned my lesson!
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The year I was applying to schools, I completely expected to attend NAU if accepted, and was also surprised to be much more genuinely excited about the program I'm now attending once I had visited it, than I was about NAU. It just happened that my program was also cheaper than NAU, but it really is amazing how these things can take such unexpected turns. I'm so glad that you'll be attending a program that you're really excited about, and wish you the best for this start of your PT school journey! :)
 
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okramango said:
Wow, who decided to word the letter that way? When I interviewed there, they made a big point to tell us that every single one of us was over-qualified and would succeed in their program, and that from that point on, we were being judged more subjectively by how we would "fit in" with the program. This letter sounds like a spit in the face after they invited you to interview there over many other applicants.
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Yet further evidence that NAU's final selection process is categorically insane. lol


The year I was applying to schools, I completely expected to attend NAU if accepted, and was also surprised to be much more genuinely excited about the program I'm now attending once I had visited it, than I was about NAU. It just happened that my program was also cheaper than NAU, but it really is amazing how these things can take such unexpected turns. I'm so glad that you'll be attending a program that you're really excited about, and wish you the best for this start of your PT school journey! :)
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Nice one. Thanks!
 
I got wait listed as well, but wasn't very surprised. I left the interview with the realization that I didn't want/need NAU that much and that was probably apparent in my interviews. I think there was a sense of poor fit on both sides during my interviews. I'll most likely attend EWU.

@AZ_PT_Hopeful -- I have similar stats as you and actually felt like my good grades and planning were detrimental in my interviews. Although it has required a lot of work, getting to PT school has been easy for me, so my answers to questions about challenges, hard classes, and stress felt trite at best (my "greatest challenges" weren't that challenging). I felt like conversations about my grades and planning were interpreted as me being prideful and poorly rounded rather than hard working, goal oriented, and well-thought out. Qualities that I saw as my strengths in other interviews seemed to be perceived as weaknesses. It was just an interesting contrast to me.

Congrats to those who got accepted! Good luck with your decisions.
 
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CBAforPT said:
I felt like conversations about my grades and planning were interpreted as me being prideful and poorly rounded rather than hard working, goal oriented, and well-thought out. Qualities that I saw as my strengths in other interviews seemed to be perceived as weaknesses. It was just an interesting contrast to me.
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That is so totally bogus. If this is the way NAU is gonna be, you definitely didn't need them.

I feel like I'm in the same boat as you to some extent....how NAU goes about selecting applicants remains a mystery...

And I must say you have responded to these schools that have rejected you with more poise than I have hahaha...you are totally allowed to have a well-deserved moment of sour grapes! :D

I've gone on a couple of tyrannical rants about NAU in private over the past couple of days and I think I've pretty much got it worked out of my system. Cool as a cucumber now :cool:
 
knj27 said:
That is so totally bogus. If this is the way NAU is gonna be, you definitely didn't need them.

I feel like I'm in the same boat as you to some extent....how NAU goes about selecting applicants remains a mystery...

And I must say you have responded to these schools that have rejected you with more poise than I have hahaha...you are totally allowed to have a well-deserved moment of sour grapes! :D

I've gone on a couple of tyrannical rants about NAU in private over the past couple of days and I think I've pretty much got it worked out of my system. Cool as a cucumber now :cool:
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I feel the same way you do, and I didn't get an OOS interview invitation. With a 4.0 pre req gpa, 316 combined GRE, and volunteer hours above 500, I all but expected an interview at the least. I was confident, and then crushed to get denied so soon. I sympathize to all who worked hard and feel jaded by the process. So it goes.
 
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knj27 said:
That is so totally bogus. If this is the way NAU is gonna be, you definitely didn't need them.

...you are totally allowed to have a well-deserved moment of sour grapes! :D
Click to expand...

The whole day at NAU just felt like a first date with no chemistry on either end but nothing wrong either. I still think they are a good school but not quite what I expected or hoped for. No sour grapes necessary; after visiting it was probably my 3rd or 4th choice school so I'm not too stressed (except about the possibility that I have a glaring personality defect that offended all 3 interviewers).

Anyhow I'd be happy to PM you (or anyone else) about my thoughts but I don't want to rain on anyone's parade here. It is a big accomplishment to get into PT school and everyone who got accepted to NAU should be congratulated!
 
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knj27 said:
Dear knj27:

"I regret to inform you that you have not been recommended for admission. Your overall application is not competitive with other applications received for the Physical Therapy program."

I don't say this to brag at all, but that above quote is a laughable statement. There were only a limited number of candidates more qualified than I was...I know enough about this process to know that there certainly weren't 120+. I believe I interviewed as well as anyone would. The fact that I wasn't even waitlisted honestly is a total diss.

I know I probably sound a bit entitled and I do not intend to offend anyone, but the fact that their are numerous students from other states with lesser stats going to the only public school in my state, while I attend the only public school in a different state is honestly pretty dang stupid if you think about it.

With that being said, five main things come out of this:
  • I am genuinely happy for everyone that will be attending NAU and I hope you have the time of your lives. I wish I could be there with you, but clearly it was not the right fit for me. In the end I believe I am going to where I am supposed to be.
  • I am genuinely excited to go to UNLV. Of all the programs I applied to, this is actually the one I liked the best and felt the best about. I wish it was as cheap for me as NAU, but I am still sticking with my commitment to go to the cheapest of the programs that accepted me. And honestly I didn't feel as jazzed during the NAU interview day, I was just hoping against hope because of the cost factor.
  • This just goes to show you how incredibly random, unpredictable and often downright ridiculous this process is.
  • I am indescribably happy that after so many months of not knowing that I finally know and can move on with my life. I feel so sad for the people that have to reapply next year and truly wish them the best. There are few experiences I have had in my life that have sucked longer and harder than the PT school application process has.
  • God laughs at those who plan. All I have done for the past couple years is assume I had a reasonably good shot at NAU. I never thought it was a sure thing, but I was always confident. Learned my lesson!
Congratulations to everyone who has been accepted! In a few months we will finally be PT students! And for those still waiting for an acceptance, good vibes coming your way from me. :cool:
Click to expand...

I am truly appalled at that wording they used in the rejection letter they sent you. It is very demeaning coming from a graduate level program that a couple days earlier was trying to convince you that you should attend their program. I feel that everybody that was interviewed had great statistics and should not be spoken to this way. I had similar stats to yours, 5,000+ hours of clinical experience, and I felt my interviews went great. However, that got me wait listed. I was accepted to far more prestigious schools but wanted to attend NAU for the cost and because my undergrad is from NAU. It just shows how strange the process really is.

Of the ten schools I applied to I also agree that UNLV was the most impressive and it would have been my number one choice if cost was not a factor. At the interview I felt like I could really see myself going there. This feeling was not present at any of my other interviews, including NAU. However, money talks! I doubt that they will make it to my spot on the weight list so it is likely that you and I will be attending UNLV together. I'm sure that you will make an outstanding physical therapist based on the passion you show.
 
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CBAforPT said:
The whole day at NAU just felt like a first date with no chemistry on either end but nothing wrong either. I still think they are a good school but not quite what I expected or hoped for. No sour grapes necessary; after visiting it was probably my 3rd or 4th choice school so I'm not too stressed (except about the possibility that I have a glaring personality defect that offended all 3 interviewers).

Anyhow I'd be happy to PM you (or anyone else) about my thoughts but I don't want to rain on anyone's parade here. It is a big accomplishment to get into PT school and everyone who got accepted to NAU should be congratulated!
Click to expand...

Your analogy of a date with no chemistry is how I felt also. The interviews went well, and I think there was mutual respect and affinity, but it was not confidence inspiring and just felt...off. It's been a few days and I'm over it, moving on, got the penske truck reserved and looking forward to my first day of classes this summer.
 
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CBAforPT said:
The whole day at NAU just felt like a first date with no chemistry on either end but nothing wrong either. I still think they are a good school but not quite what I expected or hoped for.
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I agree. In the end I think it has all worked out for the best.
 
Smuttle said:
I am truly appalled at that wording they used in the rejection letter they sent you. It is very demeaning coming from a graduate level program that a couple days earlier was trying to convince you that you should attend their program. I feel that everybody that was interviewed had great statistics and should not be spoken to this way.
Click to expand...

Indeed. It seems the NAU admissions committee is definitely lacking in the tact department.
 
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knj27 said:
Dear knj27:

"I regret to inform you that you have not been recommended for admission. Your overall application is not competitive with other applications received for the Physical Therapy program."

I don't say this to brag at all, but that above quote is a laughable statement. There were only a limited number of candidates more qualified than I was...I know enough about this process to know that there certainly weren't 120+. I believe I interviewed as well as anyone would. The fact that I wasn't even waitlisted honestly is a total diss.
Click to expand...

I do kind of feel you on this. Normally I never think in an entitled, "I deserve to have been accepted", but I'm honestly shocked. I'll be attending an out of state school on a scholarship, and I'd been accepted (1 waitlist) at every other school I applied to, which one acceptance requiring a call back interview because I did so well they thought I was an actor (the #2 program in the country, haha. They sent me an acceptance email an hour later and I felt so bad declining). I thought I did just as well with NAY, considering there were three back to back interviews at 4am my time over skype. One of the interviewers even gave me very positive feedback. I even have a friend currently attending NAU's PT program -- we took many of the same classes, got the same grades, and even volunteered at the same programs (we're both Arizona residents) -- we probably even have similar references.

I'm almost curious enough to ask to speak about my application. I'm very happy to be attending the school I am on my scholarship (I was leaning towards it anyways), but I"m just baffled. It makes me wonder if things like campus preference or whatever played a part after all?

I also didn't like how the some interviewers I asked about differences between the Phoenix and Flagstaff campus gave very different answers. The Phoenix campus interviewers told me about very critical curriculum differences, ad the NAU campus interviewer told me the the differences more or less came down to "just carpeting".

Oh well.
 
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beikeon said:
I'm almost curious enough to ask to speak about my application. I'm very happy to be attending the school I am on my scholarship (I was leaning towards it anyways), but I"m just baffled. It makes me wonder if things like campus preference or whatever played a part after all?
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I heard from one of the NAU students that after she was not accepted her first year applying she called to ask about her interview and they were extremely accommodating. They went step by step through her file and even told her the notes that her interviewers wrote for each question.

It seems that NAU relies heavily on their interviews in the decision, so it may be worth the call if you're curious.

Congratulations on your other acceptances and best of luck!
 
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This is all very interesting. Thanks everyone for your feedback here.

@beikeon if you do end up calling let us know what they say, just for the sake of my own morbid curiosity if anything. :) Could benefit future students reading this thread.

I doubt if I'll every call...but maybe I'll get an itch to someday, just for a kick in the head...
 
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PNWisthebest said:
I was accepted to the Phoenix campus as well! Congrats to all that got in and good luck to those on the waitlist. Tweaze, where in Washington are you? I'm living in Seattle right now and the change of climate will definitely be something we would have to adjust to ;)
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@PNWisthebest, I moved to Edmonds from Seattle a year ago. Sounds like there are a few PNW folks that will be relocating!! We'll all have to suffer our first summer together.
 
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All these PNW people going to PT school in AZ when there are 5 PT schools in the PNW...and you know there are AZ people going to school up there...who the heck came up with this system?!?
 
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knj27 said:
All these PNW people going to PT school in AZ when there are 5 PT schools in the PNW...and you know there are a few AZ people going to school up there...who the heck came up with this system?!?
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I don't know about the private schools, but I'm positive out of state tuition is a strong factor for public schools.
 
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tweaze said:
I don't know about the private schools, but I'm positive out of state tuition is a strong factor for public schools.
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No doubt. My current hypothesis is that they accept as many out-of-state students as they can get away with before the board of regents comes down on them, or something along those lines.
 
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I really liked Flagstaff when I visited, and would probably prefer living there, but there is only one company for my husband to work at. Phoenix has several more options.
 
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tweaze said:
I really liked Flagstaff when I visited, and would probably prefer living there, but there is only one company for my husband to work at. Phoenix has several more options.
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I'm in the same boat. Would much prefer Flagstaff but Phoenix has better opportunities for my boyfriend. Both campuses are sweet though.
 
I think the SO's employment situation is the reason for a lot of people to choose PHX. It would have been for me too, had I gotten in.
 
PNWisthebest said:
I'm in the same boat. Would much prefer Flagstaff but Phoenix has better opportunities for my boyfriend. Both campuses are sweet though.
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Yeah, you definitely can't go wrong with either campus. The Phoenix campus was really impressive and that building was amazing but coming from a small town in Wisconsin, I just felt like Flagstaff was a better fit for me. One of the first year students who I talked to before the interview mentioned that it seemed like Phoenix had a lot more students who are either married or living with their significant others than Flagstaff. I wonder if that really is a trend and something that we'll see with our incoming class.


@knj27 just saw your post, that definitely seems to be a big factor. Also best of luck at UNLV! Your posts have been really helpful over the past few months so thank you for that.
 
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@DesertPT knj, they rejected me too and I feel like I have one of the strongest profiles as well. I laughed out loud when I read the email. This process is totally random as I got into a ton of great programs. The whole rejecting instate students for out of state students is ridiculous. I'm UNLV will be amazing. I was offered an interview there but had to reject due to other schools and me being on the east coast at the moment. The faculty there seems very professional from the couple of conversations I had with them.
 
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Does anyone know if there has been any movement on the wait list? I tried calling yesterday but didn't get an answer. Thanks!
 
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GB123 said:
Does anyone know if there has been any movement on the wait list? I tried calling yesterday but didn't get an answer. Thanks!
Click to expand...

I called Friday and they were at 11. Where do you sit? I'm at 23.
 
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DesertPT said:
Any other acceptance in the bag?
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Yes thankfully! If I don't get in to NAU I'll be attending Northwestern, which would still be great. I'm hoping to be able to move back home to AZ, but whatever's meant to happen will happen I suppose.
 
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Jake from State Farm said:
Have you seen if there's a Flagstaff page by any chance? I haven't seen one but I don't want to make one in case I'm just missing it somewhere.
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Oops, sorry I forgot to specify that the group was for Phoenix! Haven't seen the Flagstaff one up yet.
 
karisw said:
Oops, sorry I forgot to specify that the group was for Phoenix! Haven't seen the Flagstaff one up yet.
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Haha yeah, I figured it probably was since all I've seen on here are people who have been accepted to Phoenix. I went ahead and made a Facebook group for the Flagstaff campus so if there's anyone on here who's planning on attending Flagstaff follow the link and join the group!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/NAU.DPT.2018/

 
Update for the benefit of future readership: I emailed and asked why I got rejected. They told me it was due to my interview score, which I already knew because there wasn't any other good reason for me to be rejected. They say that they pretty much just use GPA and GRE scores to select who gets interviewed, and the ranking of who is ultimately accepted is weighted heavily toward interview scores. I don't think my interviews were much better or worse at NAU than they were at the schools I got accepted to, but I guess one of my interviewers at NAU must have just decided they didn't like me.

As mentioned in some of my previous posts, I've also been told that they interview all qualified in-state applicants though. So if you are from AZ, your chances of getting in with a 3.8 may not be a lot different than they are with a 3.3, because the interview is weighted so heavily. I think their average GPA is brought up a lot by all the OOS students they accept, because they get like 1000+ OOS applications every year and they narrow down who to interview from that pool based largely on GPA.

Either way, for future readers be warned: They have to decide they like you at the interview or you won't get in even if you are literally the most perfect applicant in every other way. Personally I disagree with this lack of objectivity in the selection process, but that is how they do it so it is what it is.
 
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