Physical therapy for me? Advice please!

[FuturePT208]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hello all! 🙂
I am writing this thread because I am asking for advice from PTS or those in PT school. I am currently a freshman at UNLV, I was majoring in nursing but decided that career was not for me. A little about me, I am an average student my strengths would be science and English. I have a passion for sports and healthy living, and a passion for the PT since I have seen PTS most of my life for problems resulting from a spinal fusion surgery. I have no doubt I would love being a PT.
however, my main concern is getting into a PT program. I must remain in state because I pay for school on my own, scholarships, loans, grants, ect.
My main questions are what is a great major for PT school (specifically unlv if anyone knows), what is an average GPA for pt school, and is becoming a PT worth it?

What things can I do to ensure myself a spot in the PT program?

 

[DesertPT]

No major gives you any advantage over another as far as admissions. You're pre-req GPA will be compared to others because you will have all taken the exact same pre-reqs.

For a strong chance of admission to most public programs by the time you get to applying in a few years, I would guess GPA would be in the 3.8 range. Lots of people will be getting in with less than that of course, and even more won't.

You are asking very basic questions that you could learn a lot about by performing a search of the forum and doing your reading. Don't stress too much, you've got plenty of time to work on becoming a strong candidate. The admissions process is complex and you really need to do your homework to become well-versed in it.

UNLV is a fantastic program, but the number of applicants grows each year, so start to accept the reality that you need to select at least a couple of backup schools, depending on how well you do in your undergrad studies.

Best of luck with your pre-PT years.

 

[starrsgirl]

Get straight As, kill the GRE, get tons of observation hours....it doesn't matter what major you do so so whatever sounds good to get those grades. Best of luck!

 

[dianebiz]

Get straight As, kill the GRE, get tons of observation hours....it doesn't matter what major you do so so whatever sounds good to get those grades. Best of luck!

But there are prerequisites for every graduate school that include a lot of science classes, like chemistry and biology, so how can any major be ok?

 

[Kuhdaytee]

But there are prerequisites for every graduate school that include a lot of science classes, like chemistry and biology, so how can any major be ok?

They meant that schools don't care what your major is - whether it's exercise science or psychology or engineering or business - as long as you've taken the prerequisite classes and done well in them, you're good. A lot of people choose biology or something similar to bio because most of the pre-reqs for pt school are also requirements for the major, but if you would be happier majoring in something a little different and squeezing in the chem/bio/psych classes on the side, then do that! Hope that makes sense.

 

[starrsgirl]

Yep. I'm an anthropology major and I have a business major in my class too. You don't have to take the pre reqs at your primary school either so that opens up even more options (ie summer classes at community college).

 

[FuturePT208]

Thank you all for your advice and helpful words! 🙂