Program-Specific Info / Q's Questions for UTPA Students and Alumni

[Grace1000]

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I just got accepted to the UTPA MOT program starting Fall 2014. I was wondering if there are any current students or alumni that could tell me about their experiences as a student in the program and/or working as a professional.

I have a HUGE list of questions written below. I DO NOT expect you to answer all of them. You can use them as a guideline. However, I would love to have all of these questions answered upon entering the program.

Curriculum/Academics

• Any recommendations/tips for being successful in the program?
• Are the professors accessible and helpful?
  
• Did the program measure up to your expectations?
  
• Are there research opportunities?
• Are there opportunities to get involved in the community?
  
• Does the program offer any opportunities that are not offered at other programs? (ex. Texas Tech has a human cadaver lab)
  
• Is the program deigned in any other way (besides academics) that will help you become a better OT?
  
• (ex. A UTMB student told me UTMB provides a lot of paperwork to help students adjust to the amount of paperwork they will receive as a professional)
• For those who took time off between their bachelors and masters: How did you adjust?

Student Experience

• Did you find that the students were competitive toward each other or did they work as a team?
  
• Did students dress well to class or did they dress casually?
  
• Were you in SOTA and what opportunities did they offer?
• What are the facilities (gym, library, cafeteria etc.) like?
• Are there accessible academic, counseling, and career services offered on campus?
  
• Do you recommend a meal plan or making your own food?
  
• Is the technology on campus up-to-date and accessible?
• Extracurricular activities?
• Are there work opportunities (on-campus or off-campus) available?Are student able to work while earning a MOT degree?

Edinburg & Housing

• Did you live on campus or off-campus? What was it like?
  
• Are there any safe reasonable lower-priced apartments in the area?
  
• How is transportation on campus and in Edinburg (walking, driving, bus route, etc)?
  
• What is a good supermarket to go to?
  
• How is the Edinburg community?

For Alumni

• Is there anything you know now that you wish you knew before entering the UTPA MOT program?
• Do you feel UTPA prepared you for the NBCOT exam? How did you study for it?
• Do you feel UTPA prepared you for becoming a professional?
• How did you adjust to being an occupational therapist?
• How was your fieldwork experience?
  
• What job opportunities did you have upon earning your MOT?
• What is the expected entry level salary for occupational therapists graduating from UTPA?
• Did you have any recommendations for dealing with tuition & finances?
• Do you have much financial freedom as a OT? How is your lifestyle?
  
• What are you doing now as a professional?
• Are you happy with your experience at UTPA?

 

[preot888]

Is this the MOT program in Edinburg, Tx?
Congrats on getting accepted! I plan on applying there next year however after receiving some low grades this year I am extremely nervous.
I have a 3.4 cumulative a pre-req GPA and I am not sure if that is enough to get accepted.
I do have experience though, I have been working 20 hours a week for two years as a hand therapists aid. I also have a few hours observing skilled nursing and ped.
Honestly do you think I have a chance of getting in?
If not what else can I do?

 

[preot888]

oops! Just read the end of the post and saw it is in Edinburg lol

 

[Grace1000]

There are so many factors taken into account when applying to an MOT program. Each program assesses applications differently. I would talk to the MOT department head (or advisers) from the program you plan to attend. Your likelihood of getting in depends on who else is applying at the time, and the quality of your application. It also depends on if you are willing to go the extra distance to better yourself and keep applying if you don't get in the first time.

This is my second time applying to MOT programs and I was preparing for my third round until I received my notification for acceptance last week. I graduated with a 3.3 GPA with a health science major and biology minor. I have 300+ hours of work directly under an OT in a pediatric private clinic, 9 hours observation at a rehab/nursing facility, and 4 hours of observation at another rehab facility. I volunteered 30+ hrs at a child & adult daycare, I took a course where I mentored a kid with mild disabilities, I volunteered for the ARC, and volunteered for disability awareness events at my school. I am currently working as a Rehab Therapy Tech III for Austin State Supportive Living Center ( I don't get OT hours even though the position advertised that I would) with blind and intellectually disabled adults. I also have a great story because I faced some pretty profound disabilities as a child, and occupational therapy helped me get to where I am today.

Even though I have more than average experience, it is really a miracle that I got into UTPA. They waived two of my prerequisites and my GRE scores were the bare minimum. All I have to do is get at least a B in physics over the summer before I start the program. I would not base your application on mine.

Here are some words of advise from someone who has already been rejected a few times by OT programs:

- Get as many A's as possible in all of your prerequisite courses.
- Get A's in Anatomy and Physiology even if you have to retake these courses. If you have the option to retake courses and drop grades from your transcript DO IT!! Take advantage of the opportunity while you are an undergraduate!!!
- Getting advice from MOT department faculty is helpful. However, do take into consideration that they are giving you advice based off of the criteria for their own program, and that their criteria may be different from other programs. For example, I got B/B+ in Anatomy and Physiology. I asked the department head if I should retake them to make A's and he said no. I regret taking his advice to heart, because I was recently advised by another program to retake A&P (and earn A's) after getting rejected again this year. If I did drop-retake while I could during my undergraduate I would have been able to have a adequate cum GPA and prerequisite GPA for OT applications by the time I graduated.
- Different departments also have different criteria for OT hours so make sure the program accepts them before you start volunteering/working.
- Write a good essay.
- Practice interview skills.
- Apply early.
- And MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A REALISTIC BACK UP PLAN!

Good luck and I hope what I wrote helps!

 

[preot888]

thank you so much this really helped!