Prerequisite expiration dates

[NterthaW]

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I'm 28 and just figuring out that I want to be a PT. I'm looking at prerequisite requirements for programs, and a lot of them require me to have taken my prereqs within the last 5-10 yrs.

I'm pretty irritated, quite frankly, as it seems to be demonstrably discriminatory against older applicants. I have to knock out some upper level science courses anyway, but to require me to retake English I, Psychology (my major), Statistics, etc. is unreasonable. Maybe I'm biased.

Has anyone encountered an exception when up against this requirement?

 

[davidtheusername]

I have. You have to talk to the school. The school I'm applying to says science classes should be less than 5 years old, but other classes are fine to be older. It says you will probably have to take them again. I talked to the head of admissions of the school about something else and he me told that I was actually okay not to retake the ones I had (physics and chemistry.) before I had even suggested not taking them. I had already retaken one physics class, because I wasn't expecting to get out of it. After that professor left, I asked his replacement and she told me the same thing. It can't hurt to ask. It may or may not work. It helps if you have A's in them. I'd also say retake A and P even if you had it over 5 years ago. That class is important.

 

[davidtheusername]

I wouldn't have minded if they made me retake my science prereqs. That makes sense. Classes like English seem silly to have to retake though.

 

[starrsgirl]

This was super irritating to me too. I also felt like it was another hoop to jump through to apply as a non traditional student. I found that 1/4 of my schools offered an exception on some classes so it was at least worth the call.

 

[tweaze]

I'm having the same problem, as some of the classes I completed as a part of my undergrad are over 10 years old. It seems like some schools offer a section in the application to explain how you have kept your knowledge current, I'm planning to contact them ask what sort of continued learning is acceptable.

 

[okramango]

I'm a nontrad and found most schools that I asked were willing to accept my older non-science prereqs, and even a 10+ year old bio class.

 

[NterthaW]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I spoke to admissions officers at some of the schools I'm looking at. None offered exceptions. Some of them only require science classes to be within the past 5 or 10 years, and I am willing to retake science courses - in fact, I think it's a good idea. But I'm not going to take English or Intro Psych, etc. again. I've just decided that any school that makes me retake those classes is not a school I will apply to. Unfortunate, but there are plenty of schools out there. Thanks everyone!

 

[laurrrh]

Hey NterthaW,

How did this end up working out for you? What schools did you find that were willing to waive this expiration date for you?

I ask because I am currently looking at PT schools and am facing the same issue you faced! I've found that University of Washington and UCSF don't have an expiration date but am curious if you came across others.

Thanks!
Lauren