Not sure if I should go for PTA or DPT?

[cloudyafternoons]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I'm having serious doubts that I'll ever get admitted to a DPT program. My stats are nothing impressive. My cumulative GPA is something around a 3.6, but my prereq GPA is only 3.3. On the GRE I scored 159 on the verbal, 150 on quant, and (shamefully) 3.5 on AW (I was a bit late to the test and couldn't settle in and I was quite nervous as I hadn't really prepared for it at all). Plus, I have basically no PTs to write me strong recommendation letters. I'm a mess. I was feeling so hopeless that I began to consider other healthcare careers like respiratory therapy and nursing. Especially nursing, because I could do one of those accelerated second degree programs to get my BSN, and there are so many options for career advancement. But I work in a hospital, and I'm around nurses all the time, and I know that I would not be happy as a nurse (if I could even make it through nursing school!).

Today, I was up on one of the nursing units and I saw a patient I used to work with down in the PT gym where I volunteered. I remember when I first met her -- she had been unable to walk and only received therapy in her bed. She progressed to walking with a machine that held her weight, to walking with a walker, to finally just walking with a cane. We were all so proud of her. I loved seeing her progress. As I was talking to her today, I realized that despite the struggles I've had just trying to apply to PT school, I definitely want to work in physical therapy. I started thinking that I could become a PTA, and then if I really felt like I wanted to, I could apply for the DPT later on. I know the PTA to DPT is not a recommended route because the PTA is not a stepping stone to the DPT. Nevertheless, I am considering this option because I really want to be in the field as soon as possible. I'm tired of working meaningless jobs that make me miserable. Besides, I've done a bit of research on the PTA vs DPT topic, and I've read that some people enjoy being a PTA and feel no need to go for the DPT.

My other option, if I don't apply to PTA programs, is to find another place to volunteer/shadow/observe PTs so I can get stronger recommendations letters. But that would probably take at least another couple of months because I'd only be able to volunteer once a week because of my work schedule. Which also means I'd miss the deadlines to apply to DPT programs and would have to wait until next year. And even then, I feel like my chances of admission would be so low that I'm afraid it'll all be a waste of time.

 

[Azimuthal]

Stats aren't horrible. What's the problem?

 

[Go_Pokes_11]

Those stats can get you in somewhere. Find someone to shadow and write your letters and apply broadly for DPT.

 

[Cheezy89]

From what I just read, your stats are good enough. Sure if you have the time you can even boost your pre-reqs but comparing to mine you are a genius. I'm curious, how many times have you apply to PT school and how many clinical hours have you gathered. Your GRE scores and GPA are fine so what's your other stats look like? How good is your essay? Something is just not adding up. How are you strengthening the relationship with the PTs you shadowed?

 

[DPThopeful1859]

I agree with the others. Your stats are better than mine and I got into a school after trying for 7 years!! I worked my tail off to make my pre-req GPA better and my GRE scores better too. I also worked in various clinics as a tech and now front desk, so I've got a well rounded background going into school. What do you do now for work? Have you researched the schools and selected ones to apply to that match your stats? Give us more of a backstory as to where you've been, your struggles and your thought process. I'd hate to see someone with stellar stats settle for PTA just because they didn't get into PT school on the first or second try....

 

[burntoutstudent39]

Honestly, I think you could find a program with your stats. I don't think they are horrible at all! I've known people to get into good programs with a cumulative GPA of 3.2, or even lower. As for the prerequisite GPA, I think you could get into school with those as well. Your GRE score is not bad at all. I've already been accepted to a program and your GRE combined quant and verbal score is a lot higher than mine! I don't think you should worry about your writing score either. I heard most schools don't really look at it anyway, but I'm not sure how true that is. If you are worried about the writing score, would you have time to retake it?

The most important thing about applying to PT school is don't sell yourself short! There are plenty of programs that give interviews where you could explain something you don't really like about your application. PT school is an investment, and if you are truly passionate about the field, why not give it a try? If it means taking another year to make your application stronger, I would definitely do it. Find some good PTs to shadow and ultimately write you a great recommendation. Believe it or not, non-academic aspects of your life are considered as well. Having work experience, volunteering, and shadowing stick out to admission committees. If you are truly concerned about your prereq GPA, use the gap year to retake some if you are able to. People do that all the time at local community colleges or universities near where they live.

I hope you consider applying, even if it's next application cycle. Don't get discouraged!!! Do your research on schools, immerse yourself in PT settings whether it's work or shadowing, and retake some things if you aren't fully happy. Best of luck.

 

[cloudyafternoons]

The most important thing about applying to PT school is don't sell yourself short! There are plenty of programs that give interviews where you could explain something you don't really like about your application. PT school is an investment, and if you are truly passionate about the field, why not give it a try? If it means taking another year to make your application stronger, I would definitely do it. Find some good PTs to shadow and ultimately write you a great recommendation. Believe it or not, non-academic aspects of your life are considered as well. Having work experience, volunteering, and shadowing stick out to admission committees. If you are truly concerned about your prereq GPA, use the gap year to retake some if you are able to. People do that all the time at local community colleges or universities near where they live.

I hope you consider applying, even if it's next application cycle. Don't get discouraged!!! Do your research on schools, immerse yourself in PT settings whether it's work or shadowing, and retake some things if you aren't fully happy. Best of luck.

Thank you so much for your response! Everyone's encouragement made me feel so much better about my chances for getting into PT school, momentarily, at least. I am pretty hard on myself, and I struggle with self doubt. My biggest issue with applying to PT school is that I don't have PTs to write me strong recommendations. At the hospital where I volunteered, there were two PTs that I worked with consistently. I LOVE them. They're so amazing at what they do, so encouraging, and so considerate to me. They told me I could ask them any questions, and they explained everything they were doing. I asked these two PTs to write me recommendations, and one didn't seem to understand what I was asking. She asked if there was a form to fill out and seemed unenthusiastic about it. The other refused to give me his email address (which is how recommenders send in their recs through PTCAS) because he doesn't like to use email. He told me he'd handwrite me a recommendation.

Maybe I was overreacting, but that honestly crushed me. I realized I would have only one recommendation from a PT (at best), and most of the programs I was looking at required two. I did volunteer at another place a couple years ago, but I didn't keep in touch with the PTs there, and I don't think they'd remember me well enough to write me a strong recommendation letter. As a result, I stopped working on my admissions essay, and just kind of wallowed in my misery and self doubt, all the while contemplating what else I could do instead of PT. But eventually I realized that PT is my passion. I know for sure I want to be in the field, and I thought that if I couldn't get into a DPT program, I'd just go for the PTA.

Honestly, if I applied this year, it would be my first time applying. I just didn't want to apply and get rejected everywhere and waste all that money on application fees for nothing. I want to apply feeling like I did everything I could reasonably do to have a strong application, and I know that if I were to apply this year, my application would not be strong because of my weak/nonexistent recommendations. I could definitely increase my observation hours, too. It's just such a pain to even do that. At both places where I observed/volunteered, it took a month or two to actually get in. I had to interview, get medical clearances, and recommendation letters. I really don't want to go through all that again and bother my old retired professor for another rec letter for a volunteer position. It's just frustrating.

Please excuse the whininess of this entire post. I know people try multiple times to get into PT school, and here I am, too scared to even apply once. Like I said before, I'm a mess. But at least now I'm a mess that feels like getting into PT school is not impossible. Thanks everyone.

 

[DPThopeful1859]

Being a first time applicant or even a 7th time applicant can be scary because the last thing you want is rejection. The last thing you want to hear is that you aren't good enough to get into a program, even if your scores are above and beyond what they require. Trust me, being rejected year after year takes a toll on your mentality, but it also makes you WAKE UP! For me, rejection was a good thing...it pushed me harder until someone noticed me.
With that being said, if you are worried about your recommendations, then develop a way to get them. Some PT's may or may not be enthusiastic to write recommendations because the last thing they want to do is paperwork. If you are great at your job, whether it be tech, front desk, whatever....they shouldn't have an issue writing something for you. You could have a PT write a handwritten rec, but you might want to search for universities that accept handwritten recommendations (maybe Non-PTCAS schools) or even reach out to the admissions coordinator of whatever school you want to attend and tell them your situation to see if they could make an exception. If not, then be honest with your therapist and say "Look, I would love to have your recommendation to apply to PT school, however, I need to get your email address to send you the form necessary to fill out. There isn't another option" If they say absolutely not, then find another option. You probably didn't need someone like that to write your recommendation anyway.
Sometimes, taking these extra steps to make yourself stand out can be frustrating. But, YOU need to decide whether you want this bad enough or not to go the extra mile. I knew a few people from college who graduated with me, who had better GPA's than I did, and after applying 2 years in a row to PT school and getting shot down, they said screw it and went the PTA route. Are they happy? Possibly and good for them. But, I didn't want to do that.... DON'T SETTLE if you don't feel like you should. I had SO many moments after receiving my rejection letters that I wanted to give up, go the PTA route or teaching route. But, when I went to work and talked with patients I worked with consistently, they always told me the same thing "If PT is something you want, you'll get it. It may not be your time yet. Do not give up or be hard on yourself. You're going to be a GREAT therapist." To me, hearing patients tell me that....the ones I worked with all the time, THAT was more of a driving force for me not to settle.
You've got to get over that self-doubt and fear....which is easier said than done lol. You've got to dig your feet in the ground and push yourself to get what YOU want and deserve. Yes, it may be tiring and frustrating and time consuming.....but, you need to ask yourself if it's worth it. For me, it sure as hell was.

 

[Cheezy89]

So the main problem is the recommendation letter. I know the feeling all too well: Spending months observing at a place then you found out the therapist isn't comfortable writing you a recommendation. Honestly in my opinion I see that as a good thing. The last thing you want is to have someone write a half-hearted recommendation that will put you at risk for rejection. For now I would settle for the hand written recommendation because that's the only option right now. I agree with the response above: that therapist may not be familiar with the current application process and may need to be convinced electronic is the way to go. If the answer is still a no then you are better off focusing on schools that only accept one PT recommendation. If that's not a viable option either then start fresh. Do you think that if you had more time you could make this work? I think you just need a bit more time to prepare. I recommend looking for a PT-aid job or an internship lasting more than 3 months, focusing on building a relationship with the PTs there. Right now and many other times in the future, you will be presented with problems, always and always get bigger than them. You cannot give up because one person isn't supporting you. At one point when I was applying, my own family members were telling me to look for another profession because they didn't believe I would make it. Where would I be if I actually listened to them? Definitely not in PT school! The point is, conquering those obstacles will without a doubt transform you into stronger individual and when you do get into PT school you will enjoy it a lot more than everybody else. Always aim high!!!! PM me if you need more help going forward!

 

[emDPT]

Your stats are a lottt better than mine and I got into multiple schools. Be persistent when asking for the letters of rec, even if you seem annoying it doesn't matter if it gets you into a program you want to get into. Call PTCAS and tell them about the hand written LOR and see what they can do. And not all schools require two PTs either. you should be fine!

 

[cloudyafternoons]

Thank you so much for all your encouragement and advice. I had actually convinced myself that with my stats it would be basically impossible to get into PT school, but I realize now that I was just being too hard on myself. I feel renewed and excited. I'm definitely looking into the schools that only require 1 LOR and see what I can do with that! I'm going to hope for the best and, if all goes well, apply this year!