Really need some advice for all

[Katie526]

This past spring and early summer I had been thinking a lot about OT school and whether or not I would even have a chance to be accepted into a program because my cumulative GPA when I graduated from Towson University was 2.9. and most schools require a 3.0 minimum. I decided to just set my goal for OTA school, but then I realized I have to at least try. I will never know if I can get in or not unless I try. I started looking at schools that I mostly met the requirements for and would be able to apply to for next year. I'm hoping if I can explain in my personal statement essay why my GPA is below a 3.0 and how I have improved in school and grown from personal experiences, that the schools I apply to will consider me.

I battled an eating disorder since my sophmore year of high school and got worse as I became depressed my sophmore year of college. This took a toll not only on my health, but also my academics. I started my first year of college with a 3.3 GPA and by the end of my sophmore year it was a 2.99. I had to medically withdrawl the fall semester of my junior year as a result of everything. My entire life became revolved around my E.D. It wasn't until I wanted to stop that I did. I started running (I used to play soccer, lacrosse, and track in high school) and my passion for running immediately came back. I used it as a tool to begin fighting an eating disorder I had had for so long. I started training for my first half marathon as motivation to keep running. After I completed that race, I caught the marathon bug and wanted to do another one. I signed up with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training (TNT) to fundraise for them and do my first full marathon. My mom had been a part of TNT in the past and I had always wanted to do it in memory of my brother but never thought I would be able to because of my bulimia. Training for the full marathon helped me to finally beat my eating disorder battle. I started consistenly eating healthier and woke up at 5 a.m. on Saturdays to meet the team to train and have energy during the week to keep up with my increasing mileage. Training for this marathon made me more focused, disciplined, dedicated, and goal-oriented. It also made me more compassionate by fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in hopes of helping children with cancer that were like my brother. The day I crossed the finish line was exactly a year after I had stopped my E.D. A couple months later, I started training for my first triathlon with Team in Training. I finished my last semester at Towson with a 3.3 GPA, the same GPA I started college with. When I graduated, I wasn't excited. I finished with a Bachelors of Science degree in Mass Communications and I knew I didn't want a career in that major. Ever since I was young, I knew I wanted a job where I helped people, especially kids. I just never knew what kind of career I could have where I could do that without being a teacher. I started googling different terms that I had an interest in and at first came across physical therapy, which led me to occupational therapy. I had never heard of OT before and it felt like something inside me clicked. I automatically knew this is what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to help people overcome their own obstacles that are involved in everyday tasks. I always knew I never wanted to be stuck sitting behind a desk all day. I wanted to be active and socially involved with people. I wanted to build relationships and help people. Occupational therapy looked like the perfect fit for me. After having a semester off from school, I returned to take Anatomy I in the spring of 2013 and finished with an A. Also during the spring, I shadowed an OT at Trellis Services school and at Kennedy Krieger (children's outpatient), and a COTA at Johns Hopkins (acute rehab). Additionally, I started working as a special needs instructor at Rebounders Gymnastic's "I Can Do It Too" program. I started working to get experience with children and young adults that have autism, downs syndrome, ect. We want them to have fun but also work on fine motor and gross motor skills. Shadowing at the Trellis school and Kennedy Krieger, and working at Rebounders, made me fall in love with the pediatric field of occupational therapy. After observing and creating relationships of my own with the kids that I've observed and worked with, I just want to learn more about their disorders. I want to understand more. I want to help more. I am so fascinated by occupational therapy and all the different settings occupational therapists can work in. At Johns Hopkins, I learned they have an OT visit the in-patients of the Eating Disorder Program and help them cook their meals and do everyday tasks without the total focus being about food. I never thought that helping adults and kids improve their quality of life, and my experience with eating disorders could all fit under the same roof of occupational therapy. Because of this, I don't fully regret my eating disorder. If anything, I think it taught me a lot about myself and another aspect of occupational therapy.

This summer I completed a medical terminology class with an A, I got hired as a PRN rehab tech at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and started being mentored by the OT I shadowed at Kennedy Krieger. I have also been offered a full-time or part-time position as rehab tech at a physical therapy (with OT integration) rehab center when I get back from volunteering in South Africa teaching underprivileged kids.

Since I've been back in school, I've been more determined than I've ever been. I'm hoping if I continue to get A's in the prerequisite classes that I still need to take (APII, abnormal psych, and physics) that I can build a case that my cum GPA in undergrad doesn't reflect me now. I was not nearly as passionate for my major then as I am now for OT.

I am not a standardized test taker so I haven't taken the GRE yet, but am now considering it because I would love to go to school in Virginia or North Carolina, and they all require the GRE. The quantitative part is what has me resisting. I haven't done math in years and it was never my strongest subject, hence why I majored in mass communications.

My last 60 credit gpa is 3.13
My prereq gpa ranges from 3.0-3.3
Depending on different schools, I still have to take APII, abnormal psych, and physics. I'm considering retaking psych 101 because I got a C+ my freshman year and know I could easily get an A now. I am also thinking if I should get a second bachelor's degree in something like recreational therapy to boost my GPA, but I really don't know how to go about that.

Schools I am so far considering are Pacific University, Midwestern University, Setan Hall University, University of Sciences (Philadelphia), Springfield College, Towson University. My dream schools are UNC at Chapel Hill and Virgina Commonwealth University. I am from Maryland, but since I went to undergraduate school in state (partly because of my E.D.), I would really like to go out of state this time.

Thanks to anyone that read all of this... Basically I'm just wondering if I have a chance to get into a school? Are their any schools you recommend? Are there any schools that look more at the individual, their personal experiences, and their passion for occupational therapy? Any feedback is appreciated... Thanks!
- Katie

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[jewel11786]

I think you still have a shot. Calculate your cumulative GPA including your pre-req courses and see where you stand. Most schools will only consider a 3.0 GPA to be admitted, since OT is becoming so competitive, but here are a few options to help you.

1. Look into getting a post-bacc in health science or a pre-health program, alot of schools offer this option for students who have already graduated with a bachelor's, but want to return to school to get into the medical or healthcare field. This may help boost your GPA.

2. Go back and get a second bachelor's in another field. You would have to take the credits for a selected major, but you would already have all of the general ed requirements. So you could probably get this done in 2-3 semesters (maybe only an extra year of school altogether). This would show the OT admissions that you can handle graduate level work and will help boost your overall GPA if you do well.

3. Consider recreational therapy. Since it seems like you like sports and enjoyed your time helping kids with special needs with gymnastics, this is a wonderful career field that basically just focuses on the OT practice framework branch of Leisure. In this field you basically help people with disabilities find adaptive sports and other activities. It may be worth looking into if it also fits in with your interests.

Best of luck. I think you will be fine, because alot of people on here have GPAs that are either just the minimum or just below the minimum and they have found ways to get in. It may take a little extra work, but if you want something bad enough, don't give up and do what you have to do to make it work.

 

[psyOTstudent]

Hi Katie,

Reading your story it shows you are able to overcome obstacles and that you would be a great OT. I just wanted to chime in one pointer.
This sounds like it could be a personal statement. I recommend you do not explain as to why your GPA is so low as the committees want to know about you. They do not want to hear excuses for poor performance. I was in a similar situation first 2 years I averaged a 2.3 GPA. My last 3 years including prereqs I averaged a 3.5 - 3.7 which brought me to a cumulative of 3.0 and was accepted. My personal statement included the hardships I faced through school and how I overcame them but I left out the GPA. Let your transcript speak for itself and you will be alright. Also, your letters of recommendation can take care of this for you as these are professionals who know you and have seen you grow.

Best of luck!

 

[Katie526]

thank you both for your comments... very helpful! I've started looking into a second bachelor's degree in recreational therapy to boost my gpa but also have as a back up if occupational therapy doesn't work out. I'm not really sure how to go about applying for a second bachelor's though..

 

[228]

Katie,

Your situation is very similar to mine. I averaged a 2.03 my first couple of semesters but a 3.8 in my last 75 hours.. including taking 22-23 hours multiple semesters. I will only be at a 2.9 by graduation and i know with that gpa i will not be competitive unless SOMEHOW i get an interview to explain my circumstances.

I think the best idea is to get the BEST possible GRE score, go out of your way to schedule classes that would relate to OT, and volunteer for as much as you can without killing yourself. I am applying to two schools in Louisiana that have 2.5 and 2.8 as minimums to apply, respectively, but i know the average gpa is somewhere around 3.4-3.5..


Could anyone answer me this: If i were to work on a second bachelors, would that gpa not count toward my cumulative undergrad(which, unfortunately for me, most schools put the most emphasis on) and instead count as a separate "post bacc" gpa?

 

[Katie526]

I'm thinking about going back for a second bachelors to boost my gpa, but also have it as a back up if OT doesn't work out. I would assume your new gpa would count as a undergraduate because it is for another bachelors degree... I'm really not sure though. I don't really know how to go about applying and if its different because I've already graduated with a bachelors. I thought about majoring in recreational therapy since it has similarities to occupational therapy. However, if I ended up not getting into OT school and pursued RT, the money really isn't there. I'm really not a person that is all about salary, I'm more about just being happy with what you do. It's just that according to the bureau of labor stats, I could make more being an OTA than a RT.

 

[mgeagle]

I'm thinking about going back for a second bachelors to boost my gpa, but also have it as a back up if OT doesn't work out. I would assume your new gpa would count as a undergraduate because it is for another bachelors degree... I'm really not sure though. I don't really know how to go about applying and if its different because I've already graduated with a bachelors. I thought about majoring in recreational therapy since it has similarities to occupational therapy. However, if I ended up not getting into OT school and pursued RT, the money really isn't there. I'm really not a person that is all about salary, I'm more about just being happy with what you do. It's just that according to the bureau of labor stats, I could make more being an OTA than a RT.

Yea that is a good point about ota and remember eventually you can get into an ota to ot bridge program which is a great deal cause by then you should have saved up a nice chunk of change to pay for ot school and I hear some are offered online (however it would still be needed and wise for you to gradually redo prereqs as you are working as an ota). I think you still have a shot with ot though, if its what you want to do then you may have to settle for going to an extremely expensive school but its well worth it in the end in my opinion.

 

[Katie526]

I think you still have a shot with ot though, if its what you want to do then you may have to settle for going to an extremely expensive school but its well worth it in the end in my opinion.

do you mean a private school because I may have a better shot getting in there than a public university?

 

[mgeagle]

do you mean a private school because I may have a better shot getting in there than a public university?

Yes indeed, out of state public prefer residents, another thing is your ability and willingness to relocate, I'm applying to schools all over the country to give myself a better shot of being accepted cause this is what I want to do and I will go anywhere necessary. Are you willing to do such or do you have a situation to where you don't?

 

[Katie526]

I'm willing to go anywhere that would accept me and I actually want to go to school in another state for the experience. Do you have any suggestions for schools I could look at?

 

[mgeagle]

I'm willing to go anywhere that would accept me and I actually want to go to school in another state for the experience. Do you have any suggestions for schools I could look at?

Yes, Arizona schools from what i heard tend to look at the applicant holistically and not just by grades, also try this school in Georgia called Brenau. Have you completed OTCAS?

 

[Katie526]

I haven't applied to any schools yet. I've been narrowing down schools I want to apply to by which schools I meet the prereqs for and don't require the GRE. I also want to gain more service hours before I apply. I looked at Brenau before but I wish I would have seen that they have a Post Bacc Pre-OT program because that may have been an easier entry into their masters program. I'm taking APII this semester and Abnormal Psych in the spring, so the only class I need to meet Brenau's requirements is a psych research methods class.

 

[mgeagle]

I haven't applied to any schools yet. I've been narrowing down schools I want to apply to by which schools I meet the prereqs for and don't require the GRE. I also want to gain more service hours before I apply. I looked at Brenau before but I wish I would have seen that they have a Post Bacc Pre-OT program because that may have been an easier entry into their masters program. I'm taking APII this semester and Abnormal Psych in the spring, so the only class I need to meet Brenau's requirements is a psych research methods class.

Ok cool cool, yea for them all I need is that psyc research methods which I will take in the spring, what schools are you thinking about right now?

 

[Katie526]

I've started narrowing it down to Pacific University, Midwestern University (Illinois and Arizona), Setan Hall University, University of Sciences, Brenau University, and Towson University (because I graduated from there). I looked at Shenandoah University but didn't realize it was a hybrid program. What about you?

 

[mgeagle]

I've started narrowing it down to Pacific University, Midwestern University (Illinois and Arizona), Setan Hall University, University of Sciences, Brenau University, and Towson University (because I graduated from there). I looked at Shenandoah University but didn't realize it was a hybrid program. What about you?

Nice, well first off to save you application money do not apply Midwestern Illinois because from what I heard from someone who talked to their admissions if you do not have a 3.5 overall and prereq do not bother. For me UTMB, Texas Tech, Creighton, Pacific, University of Mary, A.T. Still, Midwestern (Arizona), and Brenau. Some of those I just listed you need a 3.0 cumulative no matter what and it can not just be the last 60 hrs. and with Pacific you need a 3.0 in last 45 hrs. you have a rough estimate of what your last 45 hrs is?

 

[Katie526]

Well thanks for the heads up with midwestern illinois. I really haven't looked at any schools in texas. I've been trying to find schools with similar prereqs like API/APII, physics, psych/sociology/anthropology, human development, abnormal psych, and medical terminology. My last 43 credits are 3.27... I don't really know if schools round up for a 3.3 or if it would be considered a 3.2.

 

[mgeagle]

Well thanks for the heads up with midwestern illinois. I really haven't looked at any schools in texas. I've been trying to find schools with similar prereqs like API/APII, physics, psych/sociology/anthropology, human development, abnormal psych, and medical terminology. My last 43 credits are 3.27... I don't really know if schools round up for a 3.3 or if it would be considered a 3.2.

Oh ok, and yea Texas is pretty competitive so I would not advise applying there and wasting application money with a low gpa unless you you had a stellar prerq gpa (3.5 or higher) the lowest overall I heard get in to a Texas school last year was a 3.3 and they all have the 3.0 minimum overall requirement I think. I heard schools round up and look at things in a range. Why do need a school that requires physics? A lot of schools do not require such. Do you have to take physics in your major?

 

[Katie526]

If they round up does that mean my cum gpa that's a 2.99 would be seen as a 3.0? Because that would make a world of a difference! No, I haven't taken it. I honestly don't want to take it.. but since I haven't taken the GRE test, taking physics gives me a little more options. I just think its so hard to find schools and know which ones to apply to. I feel like I keep narrowing my list down then find new ones that I add on again. Whenever I have a few free hours, I'm always on my computer looking up schools and their programs... this just takes forever and I still don't feel confident with school choices. I want to get a list of at least five schools that I can feel pretty good about so then I can start calling admissions and kindly harassing them

 

[mgeagle]

If they round up does that mean my cum gpa that's a 2.99 would be seen as a 3.0? Because that would make a world of a difference! No, I haven't taken it. I honestly don't want to take it.. but since I haven't taken the GRE test, taking physics gives me a little more options. I just think its so hard to find schools and know which ones to apply to. I feel like I keep narrowing my list down then find new ones that I add on again. Whenever I have a few free hours, I'm always on my computer looking up schools and their programs... this just takes forever and I still don't feel confident with school choices. I want to get a list of at least five schools that I can feel pretty good about so then I can start calling admissions and kindly harassing them

Lolol smart, honestly for non-OTCAS schools I only heard of round up in situations for last 60hrs. or last 45hrs. you may need to call the admissions of some schools for the 2.99 situation, I know OTCAS rounds up everything when they get your transcripts and verify them (they did for my overall gpa by .01) automatically and several schools use that system and use the gpa that otcas gives, also otcas accounts for + and - grades which may help boost your gpa for their system even more, (my school is BS and its only solid letter grades so 89 is still just a B not a B plus so I never benefitted from + or - grades in OTCAS cause my transcripts only say A or B or C.) Does this help? and by the way wouldn't taking the GRE be easier than taking an entire physics class?

 

[Katie526]

you probably have a good point there... I guess I just know I'm not a very good standardized test taker. If I put my mind and effort into a class, I can do well in it. I just have to work very hard and focus to get good grades. I got an A in API but I didn't have a life during that semester. I'm prepared to do the same thing for APII. I just feel like the GRE would be a huge flop unless I decided to get a little bit of tutoring in math because that is my big downfall. Taking the GRE would probably change almost all the schools I want to apply to haha. Like I said before, I would love to go to school in Virginia or North Carolina and they all require the GRE. I'm just honestly scared of it.

 

[mgeagle]

you probably have a good point there... I guess I just know I'm not a very good standardized test taker. If I put my mind and effort into a class, I can do well in it. I just have to work very hard and focus to get good grades. I got an A in API but I didn't have a life during that semester. I'm prepared to do the same thing for APII. I just feel like the GRE would be a huge flop unless I decided to get a little bit of tutoring in math because that is my big downfall. Taking the GRE would probably change almost all the schools I want to apply to haha. Like I said before, I would love to go to school in Virginia or North Carolina and they all require the GRE. I'm just honestly scared of it.

Lol I understand, I was saying for time efficiency, because taking GRE and getting tests results back will make it to where you can apply to schools in a quicker time frame and get applications done before classes fill up as oppose to waiting it out with physics for the gpa boost, you are obviously a very motivated person especially after all you've been through, I think that if you really had to you could study and do excellent on the GRE, its not the MCAT and I have heard of students with low gpas (even a little lower than yours) get into schools cause they study their tails off for a couple weeks and aced the GRE, besides this would be good practice cause to get your OT license you have to take a lengthy board exam which is a standardized test that if you do not pass you do not receive your license, not to mention the standardized tests you have in grad school so you might as well get use to those standardized tests lol. Does this make sense?

 

[Katie526]

yeah you're right... a few schools do require physics or an additional science so I'll still end up taking it, but if I can do alright on the GRE, that'll give me some more options for schools I could apply to.

p.s. just want to say thank you for taking the time to give some advice. I wish I had some more wisdom to share with you. I would kill to have someone to talk to about all this, but no one I know can really relate so it just makes everything a bit harder trying to figure it all out on your own. I just started shadowing an OT at a outpatient children's hospital and there's an OT student doing her fieldwork there that I am going to sit down and talk with this week so I'm excited to get her perspective on applying to schools.

 

[mgeagle]

yeah you're right... a few schools do require physics or an additional science so I'll still end up taking it, but if I can do alright on the GRE, that'll give me some more options for schools I could apply to.

p.s. just want to say thank you for taking the time to give some advice. I wish I had some more wisdom to share with you. I would kill to have someone to talk to about all this, but no one I know can really relate so it just makes everything a bit harder trying to figure it all out on your own. I just started shadowing an OT at a outpatient children's hospital and there's an OT student doing her fieldwork there that I am going to sit down and talk with this week so I'm excited to get her perspective on applying to schools.

Oh yes no problem, we are all in this together right? I have been preparing for the process for a couple years now and have been fortunate to speak to several new grads and students and gain a reasonable perspective, how many shadowing hours you think you get between now and October?(I say October because I know that'll be a prime time for people to apply to schools).

 

[Katie526]

I would estimate that I'll have over 90 hours by October.. hopefully more because I should start my PRN position as a rehab tech soon so that'll be 8 hours every shift I work. Since its an as needed position, I don't know how many hours I'll get before I need to apply. I also want to set up another place to shadow or volunteer after I'm done with the one I'm doing now because they only allow 40 hours. I honestly probably going to wait and apply in late November or December.

 

[mgeagle]

I would estimate that I'll have over 90 hours by October.. hopefully more because I should start my PRN position as a rehab tech soon so that'll be 8 hours every shift I work. Since its an as needed position, I don't know how many hours I'll get before I need to apply. I also want to set up another place to shadow or volunteer after I'm done with the one I'm doing now because they only allow 40 hours. I honestly probably going to wait and apply in late November or December.

Only allow? Wow I wonder why? Every place I observed at said I could observe as much as I wanted. Is there any way you could apply a little earlier? Late November and December will be filled with applicants with extremely good stats who waited til the last minute to claim a spot..... just food for thought ya know?

 

[Katie526]

Yeah once you go past 40 hours you are considered a "trainee", which I didn't know because I had planned on getting a lot of hours there. I wish I could have applied super early, but I wanted to wait and apply once I had more service hours and built a relationship with the OT's I'll be working with at Johns Hopkins so one of them could write me a strong recommendation letter. The process of starting that job has just taken forever.

 

[jewel11786]

thank you both for your comments... very helpful! I’ve started looking into a second bachelor’s degree in recreational therapy to boost my gpa but also have as a back up if occupational therapy doesn’t work out. I’m not really sure how to go about applying for a second bachelor’s though..

If a school's website doesn't advertise a second bachelor's degree or post-bacc program, I'd call the admissions office and see how to go about it. I live in NJ and I know the public university I graduated from, as well as several other public schools, offered this option. Depending on where you go, it's really just like transferring to another school. They apply your previous credits to the new major and you usually just complete the classes required for the major since you've completed many other classes, you don't really need electives.

 

[mgeagle]

Yeah once you go past 40 hours you are considered a "trainee", which I didn't know because I had planned on getting a lot of hours there. I wish I could have applied super early, but I wanted to wait and apply once I had more service hours and built a relationship with the OT's I'll be working with at Johns Hopkins so one of them could write me a strong recommendation letter. The process of starting that job has just taken forever.

Yea I know what ya mean about the process taking forever and that is a good plan cause strong letters could be your saving grace ya know? Do you have any professors that could give a strong recommendation letter?

 

[Katie526]

Yeah, my Anatomy teacher could. He wrote my friend one and she got into Johns Hopkins nursing program this summer. She said he wrote a great letter. Also, the OT I'm shadowing now said she would let me shadow her over the 40 hour limit because she thinks I would make a great OT and wants me to get as much as I can out of this experience so I was stoked about that! I decided I'm going to take the GRE probably in October or November and I started the OTCAS... do you really have to individually add each course you've ever taken in the "coursework" section??

 

[mgeagle]

Yeah, my Anatomy teacher could. He wrote my friend one and she got into Johns Hopkins nursing program this summer. She said he wrote a great letter. Also, the OT I'm shadowing now said she would let me shadow her over the 40 hour limit because she thinks I would make a great OT and wants me to get as much as I can out of this experience so I was stoked about that! I decided I'm going to take the GRE probably in October or November and I started the OTCAS... do you really have to individually add each course you've ever taken in the "coursework" section??

Awesome great news!! I am happy for you!! Yes you do....,,,,, it makes things simpler and keeps things honest for the OTCAS people and prospective schools, especially if you have prereqs in progress which is what you need to add as well. Are you gonna do physics?

 

[Katie526]

I don't know why I thought all they needed was your transcript... Ughhhh that is going to take forever to do that. I'm going to see how the GRE goes... if all goes well then I could just take abnormal psych and retake another class I took in beginning of college to get an A. Only a couple schools I want to apply to require physics so if I got in then I could just take it in the summer before the program starts.

 

[mgeagle]

I don't know why I thought all they needed was your transcript... Ughhhh that is going to take forever to do that. I'm going to see how the GRE goes... if all goes well then I could just take abnormal psych and retake another class I took in beginning of college to get an A. Only a couple schools I want to apply to require physics so if I got in then I could just take it in the summer before the program starts.

Yea alright that sounds like a good plan!! And you're gonna start applying after the GRE correct?

 

[Katie526]

yup.. wish it was earlier but worse comes to worse I'll get a bunch more hours and experience this year and apply early next year.

 

[mgeagle]

yup.. wish it was earlier but worse comes to worse I'll get a bunch more hours and experience this year and apply early next year.

Yes indeed, just curious, I hope and pray you get in to OT school but have you decided on a backup plan in case you do not in the next two years?

 

[Katie526]

Probably apply to the OTA program in at my community college and do a bridge program. What about you?

 

[mgeagle]

Probably apply to the OTA program in at my community college and do a bridge program. What about you?

Same!! I could not imagine not being a therapist ya know? What bridge program would you do?

 

[Katie526]

Same... I just know this is what I'm supposed to do. Honestly haven't even really looked tooo much into it yet.. one thing at a time.

 

[mgeagle]

Same... I just know this is what I'm supposed to do. Honestly haven't even really looked tooo much into it yet.. one thing at a time.

Yes of course!! Hopefully you will not even need the backup plan! Those volunteer/observation hours will save you I believe, the more the merrier!! How are you gonnastudy for the GRE?

 

[Katie526]

Buy a GRE prep book, do the practice tests, study vocab, and my aunt who used to be a high school math teacher tutor me a little to refresh everything

 

[mgeagle]

Buy a GRE prep book, do the practice tests, study vocab, and my aunt who used to be a high school math teacher tutor me a little to refresh everything

Good good sounds like a plan, gosh this process is so stressful lol.

 

[ashleemuffins]

This past spring and early summer I had been thinking a lot about OT school and whether or not I would even have a chance to be accepted into a program because my cumulative GPA when I graduated from Towson University was 2.9. and most schools require a 3.0 minimum. I decided to just set my goal for OTA school, but then I realized I have to at least try. I will never know if I can get in or not unless I try. I started looking at schools that I mostly met the requirements for and would be able to apply to for next year. I'm hoping if I can explain in my personal statement essay why my GPA is below a 3.0 and how I have improved in school and grown from personal experiences, that the schools I apply to will consider me.

I battled an eating disorder since my sophmore year of high school and got worse as I became depressed my sophmore year of college. This took a toll not only on my health, but also my academics. I started my first year of college with a 3.3 GPA and by the end of my sophmore year it was a 2.99. I had to medically withdrawl the fall semester of my junior year as a result of everything. My entire life became revolved around my E.D. It wasn't until I wanted to stop that I did. I started running (I used to play soccer, lacrosse, and track in high school) and my passion for running immediately came back. I used it as a tool to begin fighting an eating disorder I had had for so long. I started training for my first half marathon as motivation to keep running. After I completed that race, I caught the marathon bug and wanted to do another one. I signed up with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training (TNT) to fundraise for them and do my first full marathon. My mom had been a part of TNT in the past and I had always wanted to do it in memory of my brother but never thought I would be able to because of my bulimia. Training for the full marathon helped me to finally beat my eating disorder battle. I started consistenly eating healthier and woke up at 5 a.m. on Saturdays to meet the team to train and have energy during the week to keep up with my increasing mileage. Training for this marathon made me more focused, disciplined, dedicated, and goal-oriented. It also made me more compassionate by fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in hopes of helping children with cancer that were like my brother. The day I crossed the finish line was exactly a year after I had stopped my E.D. A couple months later, I started training for my first triathlon with Team in Training. I finished my last semester at Towson with a 3.3 GPA, the same GPA I started college with. When I graduated, I wasn't excited. I finished with a Bachelors of Science degree in Mass Communications and I knew I didn't want a career in that major. Ever since I was young, I knew I wanted a job where I helped people, especially kids. I just never knew what kind of career I could have where I could do that without being a teacher. I started googling different terms that I had an interest in and at first came across physical therapy, which led me to occupational therapy. I had never heard of OT before and it felt like something inside me clicked. I automatically knew this is what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to help people overcome their own obstacles that are involved in everyday tasks. I always knew I never wanted to be stuck sitting behind a desk all day. I wanted to be active and socially involved with people. I wanted to build relationships and help people. Occupational therapy looked like the perfect fit for me. After having a semester off from school, I returned to take Anatomy I in the spring of 2013 and finished with an A. Also during the spring, I shadowed an OT at Trellis Services school and at Kennedy Krieger (children's outpatient), and a COTA at Johns Hopkins (acute rehab). Additionally, I started working as a special needs instructor at Rebounders Gymnastic's "I Can Do It Too" program. I started working to get experience with children and young adults that have autism, downs syndrome, ect. We want them to have fun but also work on fine motor and gross motor skills. Shadowing at the Trellis school and Kennedy Krieger, and working at Rebounders, made me fall in love with the pediatric field of occupational therapy. After observing and creating relationships of my own with the kids that I've observed and worked with, I just want to learn more about their disorders. I want to understand more. I want to help more. I am so fascinated by occupational therapy and all the different settings occupational therapists can work in. At Johns Hopkins, I learned they have an OT visit the in-patients of the Eating Disorder Program and help them cook their meals and do everyday tasks without the total focus being about food. I never thought that helping adults and kids improve their quality of life, and my experience with eating disorders could all fit under the same roof of occupational therapy. Because of this, I don't fully regret my eating disorder. If anything, I think it taught me a lot about myself and another aspect of occupational therapy.

This summer I completed a medical terminology class with an A, I got hired as a PRN rehab tech at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and started being mentored by the OT I shadowed at Kennedy Krieger. I have also been offered a full-time or part-time position as rehab tech at a physical therapy (with OT integration) rehab center when I get back from volunteering in South Africa teaching underprivileged kids.

Since I've been back in school, I've been more determined than I've ever been. I'm hoping if I continue to get A's in the prerequisite classes that I still need to take (APII, abnormal psych, and physics) that I can build a case that my cum GPA in undergrad doesn't reflect me now. I was not nearly as passionate for my major then as I am now for OT.

I am not a standardized test taker so I haven't taken the GRE yet, but am now considering it because I would love to go to school in Virginia or North Carolina, and they all require the GRE. The quantitative part is what has me resisting. I haven't done math in years and it was never my strongest subject, hence why I majored in mass communications.

My last 60 credit gpa is 3.13
My prereq gpa ranges from 3.0-3.3
Depending on different schools, I still have to take APII, abnormal psych, and physics. I'm considering retaking psych 101 because I got a C+ my freshman year and know I could easily get an A now. I am also thinking if I should get a second bachelor's degree in something like recreational therapy to boost my GPA, but I really don't know how to go about that.

Schools I am so far considering are Pacific University, Midwestern University, Setan Hall University, University of Sciences (Philadelphia), Springfield College, Towson University. My dream schools are UNC at Chapel Hill and Virgina Commonwealth University. I am from Maryland, but since I went to undergraduate school in state (partly because of my E.D.), I would really like to go out of state this time.

Thanks to anyone that read all of this... Basically I'm just wondering if I have a chance to get into a school? Are their any schools you recommend? Are there any schools that look more at the individual, their personal experiences, and their passion for occupational therapy? Any feedback is appreciated... Thanks!
- Katie

I say try northern Arizona, they have a new program to meet the vast need for OT's there. It might be worth a shot because its new and not to many people know about them yet.

 

[Makingmoves2014]

Yeah, my Anatomy teacher could. He wrote my friend one and she got into Johns Hopkins nursing program this summer. She said he wrote a great letter. Also, the OT I'm shadowing now said she would let me shadow her over the 40 hour limit because she thinks I would make a great OT and wants me to get as much as I can out of this experience so I was stoked about that! I decided I'm going to take the GRE probably in October or November and I started the OTCAS... do you really have to individually add each course you've ever taken in the "coursework" section??

I'm taking the GRE in October also.

 

[Makingmoves2014]

Buy a GRE prep book, do the practice tests, study vocab, and my aunt who used to be a high school math teacher tutor me a little to refresh everything

MAGOOSH is a good website. You should check it out!

 

[Katie526]

I received my acceptance to Husson University today!!! Thanks for all the helpful responses... If you just show your passion and work hard, it can be done! I'm still in shock... can't believe it! So happy!

 

[ashleemuffins]

Thats great news, just stay positive and you will make your way on through... Good Luck