PTCAS Questions

[Meadows22]

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So I am a bit confused on when to submit my application. Do I submit it before PTCAS verifies all my grades or do I do it after? I'm trying to get it in ASAP for rolling admissions and I asked this question to PTCAS but all they said was that it's up to me. Also that my application would be considered incomplete if I submitted before PTCAS verifies my grades. Also do I send my GRE scores to PTCAS? Some schools I have to send it directly to them and others look off of PTCAS. I entered them in but wasn't sure if they needed them from ETS. Thanks!

 

[Kuhdaytee]

From their FAQ: "You can and should e-submit your PTCAS application as soon as you are confident that you have filled it out completely and accurately. PTCAS will accept your letters of reference, transcripts, signed PT observation hours form, and payment regardless of the status of your application. The receipt of these documents does not affect whether you can e-submit."

It takes 4-5 weeks for them to process your application, so apply ASAP. As for the GRE scores, send them to whatever gre code each school has. I have to send the scores to every school I'm applying to, rather than to PTCAS. I would email the schools that don't require the GRE codes and ask PTCAS, to see if your scores need to be sent.

 

[BiffTheFlashRogers]

So just confirming...I can fill out all background stuff an such and the submit it before all of my grades and everything are in? I'm taking a summer class that ends in about 4 weeks. I can e-submit before then?

 

[Dragon416]

So just confirming...I can fill out all background stuff an such and the submit it before all of my grades and everything are in? I'm taking a summer class that ends in about 4 weeks. I can e-submit before then?

Yes, you can submit it before. However, you need to place them as "Planned/In Progress". Or you can wait four weeks and then submit it!

 

[BiffTheFlashRogers]

Yes, you can submit it before. However, you need to place them as "Planned/In Progress". Or you can wait four weeks and then submit it!

thank you!

 

[starrsgirl]

I think your question is a bit different than I first thought....what are your summer classes? Are they important in terms of gpa and pre reqs? If they are you might want to wait until they come in. For me, I needed my summer classes or I knew my application wouldn't be strong enough. Remember the schools won't see your summer classes until likely after an interview/admission decision is made (if you send it in before you get those grades). I would evaluate your application without them and gauge your competitiveness. Depending on your stats and school it might be worth the wait.

 

[BiffTheFlashRogers]

I think your question is a bit different than I first thought....what are your summer classes? Are they important in terms of gpa and pre reqs? If they are you might want to wait until they come in. For me, I needed my summer classes or I knew my application wouldn't be strong enough. Remember the schools won't see your summer classes until likely after an interview/admission decision is made (if you send it in before you get those grades). I would evaluate your application without them and gauge your competitiveness. Depending on your stats and school it might be worth the wait.

Thanks for the input. The class I am taking right now is an online Immunology class. I am taking it just to add another science class to boost my science GPA a bit for one school in particular which I know looks very closely at the science GPA. My science GPA was a 3.3 or so and then I got crushed with a D+ in organic chemistry and brought me down to almost a flat 3.0 in science. I'm a Human Bio major, so there are a lot of anthropologies instead of botanies/zoologies so every science class I take has a pretty big impact. I was solid until organic...ugh.

Actually, while I'm talking about organic, I have another question for everyone regarding the section on PTCAS that asks "Does your GPA accurately reflect your abilities?" or something along those lines. Here is my situation:

My organic chem class was a disaster for me. I did okay on my first exam but knew I wanted to maybe drop the class: the course is, in general, very difficult, and the brand new, heavily-accented, foreign professor was not helping the situation. I decided I would wait to decide whether or not to drop until after my second exam. The day of the second exam was the final day to add/drop classes. I took the exam and knew I wished to drop the class. But, when I finished and was able to get to the registrar's office, they told me they were closed and it was too late to drop. I was stuck in the class. I worked hard but focused heavily on A&P instead of splitting my efforts.

Is that something worth writing about and checking "No" on the question on reflecting my abilities? Like I said, my science GPA tanked because of that one class and I want to make sure programs are aware that I am solid in my sciences and that this was not a normal situation.

 

[Kuhdaytee]

Actually, while I'm talking about organic, I have another question for everyone regarding the section on PTCAS that asks "Does your GPA accurately reflect your abilities?" or something along those lines. Here is my situation:

My organic chem class was a disaster for me. I did okay on my first exam but knew I wanted to maybe drop the class: the course is, in general, very difficult, and the brand new, heavily-accented, foreign professor was not helping the situation. I decided I would wait to decide whether or not to drop until after my second exam. The day of the second exam was the final day to add/drop classes. I took the exam and knew I wished to drop the class. But, when I finished and was able to get to the registrar's office, they told me they were closed and it was too late to drop. I was stuck in the class. I worked hard but focused heavily on A&P instead of splitting my efforts.

Is that something worth writing about and checking "No" on the question on reflecting my abilities? Like I said, my science GPA tanked because of that one class and I want to make sure programs are aware that I am solid in my sciences and that this was not a normal situation.

I've heard that you should only write something here if there was something out of your control, as in a family death or a personal surgery. Otherwise, you shouldn't write any excuses here. If your pre-req gpa and cumulative are ok, then admissions should hopefully see through your bad o-chem grade.

 

[okramango]

When I applied two years ago, I wrote in that section to address an F and a few C's I had on my transcript. Without making any excuses, I just said that I was irresponsible and didn't take school seriously at that time, but that my more recent grades showed that I was more focused and dedicated to school. I got into all the schools I applied to.

If you do decide to write in that section, definitely do not tell the story about going to try to drop the class and the office was closed and it was too late. You could just honestly point out what about the class was so difficult (not the professor's accent), and that you have done well in all of your other science classes. You just need to convince them that you can handle the rigorous science-based course load in PT school.

 

[starrsgirl]

If it's just one class over the summer I wouldn't worry too much about waiting for it. Just submit right away (esp cause it's not a core class for most schools). In my situation I was taking 3 core classes over the summer.

As for the section on gpa....I guess if it's one class, you could probably skip it. I did use it myself as I was a failed pre med nearly 15 years ago. I then ended up pursuing a different field. I just pointed out that I wasn't committed to pre med first time around and how my current gpa did not reflect my abilities as all those classes still factored in even though I had straight As over the last 5 years (masters and post bac program). In other words my gpa looks very low on paper even though I have straight As in all the Pre reqs. I kinda went from the angle of once I found a career path I loved I really found my academic footing.

 

[kle0008]

Does our GRE need to be sent to PTCAS already before we submit? It doesn't specifically mention it in the things you can wait on.

 

[dj1772]

I'm doing early decision - can I submit even though I haven't designated what other programs I want my application sent to if I do not receive my early decision choice? I can't designate any other programs (add them to the list) until after I've heard from my early decision school Will I still be able to send GRE scores, etc, since at that point my application will already be e-submitted?

 

[Kuhdaytee]

The instructions do say what you can send after you e-submit.

"A: You are able to edit some sections, but the majority of the application becomes locked once you e-submit your first designation(s). The following sections can be edited after you have e-submitted your application:

• Alternate Name
• Mailing Addresses
• Phone Numbers
• Email Addresses
• Password: Not transmitted to your designated PT programs
• Designate Additional PTCAS Programs: No substitutions or deletions
• Planned and In-Progress Courses: One-time changes during the Academic Update only
• New Fall Courses Completed: One-time changes during the Academic Update only
• Reference Contacts: You may not delete an evaluator from your application once PTCAS receives the evaluator's reference
• Test Scores: You may add new test dates and scores at any time. Programs may not consider updated scores in the admissions process.
• PT Observation Hours: Any “in-progress” hours being verified electronically may be updated during the application cycle up until they are marked as “complete” or until the end of the application cycle. “Completed” experiences and any experiences being verified on the paper form may NOT be updated at any point.

"

Most programs want you to send GRE scores directly to the school, so you should be able to e-submit before you do that.

Also, you can add programs later if you don't make early decision, as long as it's before the program's deadline. Otherwise nobody would do early-decision.

 

[BiffTheFlashRogers]

Hey y'all,
Thanks for the feedback above.

My next question is pretty simple: now what?
So, today I finally E-Submitted and paid for the programs I designated. I should have my second attempt GRE scores back within a few days (Down a tad in math to a 152 from 156, but up to 161 on verbal from a 159. Just waiting up on AW scores). Sending my Transcript request to school today. Waiting on references to be sent in/hours to be verified.

At this point, is it just a waiting game? Get my transcript stuff taken care of and that's all?

 

[Dragon416]

Yup, unless your school has supplemental applications/fees.

 

[Paulynices]

Hey y'all,
Thanks for the feedback above.

My next question is pretty simple: now what?
So, today I finally E-Submitted and paid for the programs I designated. I should have my second attempt GRE scores back within a few days (Down a tad in math to a 152 from 156, but up to 161 on verbal from a 159. Just waiting up on AW scores). Sending my Transcript request to school today. Waiting on references to be sent in/hours to be verified.

At this point, is it just a waiting game? Get my transcript stuff taken care of and that's all?

That's where I'm at man. Just playing the waiting game. That and harassing a couple PT's to get in hour verification and references. It's like pulling teeth with these guys.

 

[BiffTheFlashRogers]

That's where I'm at man. Just playing the waiting game. That and harassing a couple PT's to get in hour verification and references. It's like pulling teeth with these guys.

I feel that, dude. Honestly, the cycle just opened so I'm not too worried but I know exactly what you mean. The control freak in me hates having to rely on anyone else for something this big. I trust all of my PT's/References, but there's always going to be part of me that worries until it is all in.

 

[Paulynices]

I feel that, dude. Honestly, the cycle just opened so I'm not too worried but I know exactly what you mean. The control freak in me hates having to rely on anyone else for something this big. I trust all of my PT's/References, but there's always going to be part of me that worries until it is all in.

Yeah, I'm a little bit more worried than I normally would be just because I'm doing early decision so I do have an earlier deadline for everything to be in, but it still should be plenty of time. But that control freak inside me as well is getting a little anxious. I just hate having to bug people, especially multiple times, to get things in too. Probably a little paranoid too, but I hope bugging them a couple times won't hurt my letter of recommendation as well. Haha

 

[BiffTheFlashRogers]

Yeah, I'm a little bit more worried than I normally would be just because I'm doing early decision so I do have an earlier deadline for everything to be in, but it still should be plenty of time. But that control freak inside me as well is getting a little anxious. I just hate having to bug people, especially multiple times, to get things in too. Probably a little paranoid too, but I hope bugging them a couple times won't hurt my letter of recommendation as well. Haha

Ooh that is a time crunch.
and yeah, me too, man, me too. I'm a pretty independent person and I feel bad putting things on others. Even asking for letters made me feel like I was putting people on the spot.

 

[TheDarkKnight14]

Ooh that is a time crunch.
and yeah, me too, man, me too. I'm a pretty independent person and I feel bad putting things on others. Even asking for letters made me feel like I was putting people on the spot.

That's because you are. haha

 

[BiffTheFlashRogers]

That's because you are. haha

True haha I guess I meant I feel bad having to put them in that position.

Anyways, is there a way to tell if our reference has been submitted? It says "Verified" for observation hours once those are in, but I don't see anything to tell whether or not a reference is in.

 

[davidtheusername]

It will have a date under "date received" or something like that when they give you the reference when you go to the references section.

 

[bhoolove]

I have a question, for the PTCAS application in the school specific questions, if you select no for the question "are you reapplying to the program" then it says if you are reapplying how have you strengthened.. if it is the first time applying to the program.. do you just write this is my first time applying?

 

[Kuhdaytee]

Yep, that's what I put for all the schools.

 

[ktachiba]

If I have a couple of withdrawals on my transcript, should I explain the reason in the background section where it says "does your transcript reflect your academic ability"?

 

[Kuhdaytee]

I would search for other posts regarding the academic update. I found them helpful when deciding whether I wanted to say anything there or not. From what I gathered, that's left for things that you couldn't control, as in a family death, personal illness, etc. It's not a place to write excuses about your poor study habits.