General Admissions & OTCAS Rejection Advice

[OTgirl29]

I've been rejected from just about every school I applied to. This is my first time applying...but I'm feeling a bit bummed and discouraged. Has anyone applied a second time around and gotten in? What would your advice be moving forward?

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[HeyWorldMeetDang]

I've been rejected from just about every school I applied to. This is my first time applying...but I'm feeling a bit bummed and discouraged. Has anyone applied a second time around and gotten in? What would your advice be moving forward?

I've applied a second time to only one school TWU and got rejected this time rather then put on waitlist then get rejected. Luckily I got into D'youville. even though the distance from Houston, TX to Buffalo, NY is ... well quite the distance.

I ended up finding a job after I did more hours of observation. (still not good enough for TWU) My grades were not top tier GPA: 3.43 Pre-req: 3.3 Last 60: 3.8 GRE: 143V 151Q 4E. I just applied to more schools and hope for the best

 

[CO OT Guy]

I've been rejected from just about every school I applied to. This is my first time applying...but I'm feeling a bit bummed and discouraged. Has anyone applied a second time around and gotten in? What would your advice be moving forward?

I applied my second time this year. Last year I only applied to one school and I didn't finish up my undergrad courses until last summer, which may have impacted my rejection. This year I applied to 6 schools and have been accepted to 2 so far and wait listed at 1 (invited to interview at 2 others but I declined them since I had already gained acceptance at a preferred school). What I did to boost my application was: 1. finish all my classes and graduate 2. complete a LOT more observations across a variety of settings 3. retake the GRE (for the 4th time) and got a higher writing score 4. re-write my personal statement and have several grad-school educated people proofread it 5. get new letters of rec from OTs I had completed a substantial amount of observations with

Good luck!

 

[OTgirl29]

Thank you for the advice! Your stories are heart lifting to work harder and try again

 

[otschoolhopeful]

Hi @OTgirl29 I too was rejected from every school I applied to :/ do you happen to be from Southern California?

@CO OT Guy I have a very similar GPA and admission officers told me mine was too low, unfortunately. May I ask what you increased your GRE scores to the 2nd time around? I took it twice already and my highest received was a 154v 150q and 4writing, but am aware that they should be higher to compensate for my GPA...

 

[sngot]

Occupational therapy is a very popular field. If you are fearful that you may not be competitive , then I would suggest you to consider applying out of state. My cohort right now comprise of 2/3 out of state students and 1/3 in state students. In state and out of state tuition only applies to public universities. Private one like mine are the same across the board.

 

[CO OT Guy]

Hi @OTgirl29 I too was rejected from every school I applied to :/ do you happen to be from Southern California?

@CO OT Guy I have a very similar GPA and admission officers told me mine was too low, unfortunately. May I ask what you increased your GRE scores to the 2nd time around? I took it twice already and my highest received was a 154v 150q and 4writing, but am aware that they should be higher to compensate for my GPA...

I think my highest GRE scores were 165V, 147Q, and 4W, so pretty average. My cumulative GPA is a 3.61.

 

[otschoolhopeful]

@CO OT Guy sorry about that! In regards to the similar GPA comment and having to compensate for it, I meant to send that to @HeyWorldMeetDang

 

[SandmanOT]

I've been rejected from just about every school I applied to. This is my first time applying...but I'm feeling a bit bummed and discouraged. Has anyone applied a second time around and gotten in? What would your advice be moving forward?

Hey! I applied last year and had the same result as you. In the beginning, it was hard for me to accept the fact I wouldn't be beginning school in the Fall. Looking back now, I think I appreciate this part of my journey becoming an OT that much more.

After I received my last rejection letter, I contacted my top schools and asked for what they look at most in applicants, and how I can make my application stronger for the next cycle. I also broadened my school search and looked at some schools that had higher acceptance rates and lower applicant pools for my "safety schools". Around August I mapped out about 10 - 12 schools and narrowed my search down to 8 that I would realistically attend (I only ended up applying to 6 though). I also did a few more hours of observation in different settings and involved myself working with people who have physical and mental disabilities.

My last piece of advice is to APPLY EARLY. Set your goal to be applied AND verified by the end of September. Even after I applied I continued to build my application. I simply emailed an admissions counselor with the title and description of my volunteer/observation hours, and politely asked for them to attach it to my application.

 

[OTgirl29]

sandmanOT thank you for the great advice! Where do you currently attend school?

 

[SandmanOT]

sandmanOT thank you for the great advice! Where do you currently attend school?

I'm still deciding between Salus University and Temple University, but I'm about 80% sure I will be attending Salus.

You should apply there! Everything about the school was great for me!

 

[OTgirl29]

I'm still deciding between Salus University and Temple University, but I'm about 80% sure I will be attending Salus.

You should apply there! Everything about the school was great for me!

Ok good to know! Your story definitely is uplifting! Looking back, why did you appreciate the year off so much? I'm looking at the added benefit of improving my resume of course, but also working and saving more money for the financial side of school.

 

[SandmanOT]

Ok good to know! Your story definitely is uplifting! Looking back, why did you appreciate the year off so much? I'm looking at the added benefit of improving my resume of course, but also working and saving more money for the financial side of school.

During my year off I decided to move to another state and experience new things. I'm currently working at two jobs that are great, but made me realize how much I want to do something I'm truly passionate about (OT)! Also, the first time I applied I felt like I was rushing because I just graduated, and didn't put in the full effort to fine tune my application like I should have. I also applied to some schools that after I REALLY looked at them, realized weren't good for me and didn't apply to them this time around.

In the grand scheme of things, 1 year is no time and it gives you the opportunity to build your knowledge of the profession and also just life experience as well! I suggest you go visit some place you want you get a random side job that you always wanted!

 

[OTgirl29]

I feel the exact way you did... I graduated it December and between finishing up my last semester of undergrad with some very tough classes, applying to ot school, along with some personal issues, that I was not 100% focused on the application process as I should have been. This time around I plan to retake the GRE, rework my essays, gain more hours this summer, and APPLY EARLY! Thanks for all the advice!

 

[sb0106]

Please, do not give up hope! I applied last year and did not get into any of the schools I applied to. Looking back, I made a lot of mistakes. This time around, I changed a lot of things and got accepted to, waitlisted or offered an interview at every school I applied to EXCEPT for one (that I didn't want to go to anyway)! Let me list out the differences and tell you why I think this time around was so different:

Last year:

1. I applied to only 3 schools and limited my options greatly. I was not open to moving to go to school.
2. I did not have enough observation hours
3. I applied VERY LATE. A BIG MISTAKE.
4. My LOR's could have been better. (I had trouble getting them and rushed to get something at the last minute)

This year:

1. I decided I needed to increase my chances of acceptance and apply to A LOT of schools. I figured hey- yes this is going to be expensive to apply to a lot of places, but it is better than not getting in and having to wait another whole year to apply.
2. I found another place to shadow an OT and got another 60 hours at this place. Combined with my other hours, I now had observation hours in two different OT settings (highly recommended since it's what schools look for).
3. I made sure to apply early!!! I had my app submitted by mid September and verified by end of Sep.
4. I personally think my LOR's had a great impact on me getting into school. I asked two people whom I worked with (1 I've known for 7 years, and the other I've known for only a year but worked closely with her everyday). For my OT letter- I got it from the OT I observed during the second round of shadowing I did. From the day I started observing at this place, I made sure to build a relationship with the OT, ask her lots of questions, engage in conversation, demonstrate my interest in OT. Luckily, I was paired with an awesome OT who was willing to do anything to help me get into OT school.
5. I did A LOT of research on schools that I could get into.

I was extremely nervous, stressed beyond belief that I wouldn't get into OT school even after taking the steps to improve my application. I highly recommend that you take the steps to improve your app NOW. Find another place to shadow, build a relationship with the OT so that you can ask them for a letter later on. Aim to having everything completed by August, that way you still have time to finish everything by Sep. if you are running a little behind. Beef up your essay, provide specific examples from observation experiences. Give the people writing your essays ample time to write them. If you are close enough with them, provide them with a guide of what schools are looking for in good OT candidates. That way- that will hit on the target words/adjectives that schools look for in their students. Increase the number of schools you apply to. This time around, I did a tremendous amount of research on just about all of the schools in the US. I narrowed them down by their pre-reqs and admission requirements. I immediately eliminated schools I would not qualify for.

In the end, I applied to about 10-12 schools, local and out of state. In the end, I was only rejected by 1, a schools I had no interest in going to anyway. 1 rejection for 12 apps isn't bad at all

I was pleasantly surprised by all of the feedback I received this time around. I just sent in my deposit to a school I will most likely attend. If I can do it, you can do it!

 

[cb31]

wow that's great advice!! I have also been rejected, and it really sucks having to wait to apply again and not knowing if you will get in next time around!

I felt the same way, but honestly you will enjoy your year off. Now, I am actually happy that I didn't get into any schools last year and that I was able to take a year off. Also, because I'm not in school right now (but will attending an OT program in August) I can brush up on some of the courses (i.e. anatomy and physiology, and some psych courses). If I was a senior in undergrad right now I wouldn't have the time for that... I think brushing up on these courses will help me with my first semester or OT school. When I asked what were the course(s) that most people struggled with, schools always said anatomy and physiology (and/or the neuro course if the school has that course). What also helped me was I made a plan B... OT was (is) definitely the career that I want to pursue, but I realized how competitive it was to get into a program so I spent the summer researching an alternative career. I knew that my second time would be my last time applying to OT school. My plan B was a master in social work with a concentration in administration. I got into the MSW program too and was actually sad that I had to turn them down once I received an acceptance for OT. Having a plan B helped me because I knew that if OT didn't work out that most likely my plan B would...

 

[otschoolhopeful]

I had a question about raising one's GPA. I'm currently sitting at 3.395. I've already graduated with my bahelor's so I was wondering if my pre-reqs and taking additional related courses would raise my GPA at all?

 

[cb31]

I had a question about raising one's GPA. I'm currently sitting at 3.395. I've already graduated with my bahelor's so I was wondering if my pre-reqs and taking additional related courses would raise my GPA at all?

It could possibly help... you may have to take a couple of courses. My OTCAS gpa was 3.48 (including all my pre-reqs) when I graduated... I took one 3-credit course this pass fall (it was a medical terminology class) and got an A, my GPA literally only went up by .01 of a point so it went to 3.49! :/

 

[otschoolhopeful]

Thank you for your reply @cb31 ! Here's to hoping that I can at least raise it to 3.45... For the essay portion, would you say that admissions would prefer an essay with a unique angle or one that's very straightforward? For example, should I avoid flowery storytelling or do OT schools consider creativity a huge asset?

 

[otschoolhopeful]

Well eh I'm sure they'd like both but what I'm asking is, in what style did you write your essay?

 

[cb31]

Well eh I'm sure they'd like both but what I'm asking is, in what style did you write your essay?

I started out with a story... So I used an example that I experienced while shadowing an OT then went from there connecting my education and other job experiences to OT. I closed with future goals and how getting a master degree will help me reach those goals. Since I used OTCAS I didn't use any specifics for a school, but if you are applying directly to certain schools you should say specifically why their program.

I think that if it's a well-written essay then it doesnt matter what format you take! Just make sure you have a solid point that you are making and have it proofread.

 

[otschoolhopeful]

Thanks for the great advice @cb31 !

 

[OT510]

Hey! I applied last year and had the same result as you. In the beginning, it was hard for me to accept the fact I wouldn't be beginning school in the Fall. Looking back now, I think I appreciate this part of my journey becoming an OT that much more.

After I received my last rejection letter, I contacted my top schools and asked for what they look at most in applicants, and how I can make my application stronger for the next cycle. I also broadened my school search and looked at some schools that had higher acceptance rates and lower applicant pools for my "safety schools". Around August I mapped out about 10 - 12 schools and narrowed my search down to 8 that I would realistically attend (I only ended up applying to 6 though). I also did a few more hours of observation in different settings and involved myself working with people who have physical and mental disabilities.

My last piece of advice is to APPLY EARLY. Set your goal to be applied AND verified by the end of September. Even after I applied I continued to build my application. I simply emailed an admissions counselor with the title and description of my volunteer/observation hours, and politely asked for them to attach it to my application.

hi!!
did contacting the schools help? were you able to get any solid advice? I just got news that i was wait listed at the last school I was waiting to hear from (I am last on the list...around 50, so i think its safe to say i will need to re-apply) I am pretty bummed out. Honestly, I know i rushed my application as well...but I am feeling pretty overwhelmed with what to do next...

 

[OT510]

Please, do not give up hope! I applied last year and did not get into any of the schools I applied to. Looking back, I made a lot of mistakes. This time around, I changed a lot of things and got accepted to, waitlisted or offered an interview at every school I applied to EXCEPT for one (that I didn't want to go to anyway)! Let me list out the differences and tell you why I think this time around was so different:

Last year:

1. I applied to only 3 schools and limited my options greatly. I was not open to moving to go to school.
2. I did not have enough observation hours
3. I applied VERY LATE. A BIG MISTAKE.
4. My LOR's could have been better. (I had trouble getting them and rushed to get something at the last minute)

This year:

1. I decided I needed to increase my chances of acceptance and apply to A LOT of schools. I figured hey- yes this is going to be expensive to apply to a lot of places, but it is better than not getting in and having to wait another whole year to apply.
2. I found another place to shadow an OT and got another 60 hours at this place. Combined with my other hours, I now had observation hours in two different OT settings (highly recommended since it's what schools look for).
3. I made sure to apply early!!! I had my app submitted by mid September and verified by end of Sep.
4. I personally think my LOR's had a great impact on me getting into school. I asked two people whom I worked with (1 I've known for 7 years, and the other I've known for only a year but worked closely with her everyday). For my OT letter- I got it from the OT I observed during the second round of shadowing I did. From the day I started observing at this place, I made sure to build a relationship with the OT, ask her lots of questions, engage in conversation, demonstrate my interest in OT. Luckily, I was paired with an awesome OT who was willing to do anything to help me get into OT school.
5. I did A LOT of research on schools that I could get into.

I was extremely nervous, stressed beyond belief that I wouldn't get into OT school even after taking the steps to improve my application. I highly recommend that you take the steps to improve your app NOW. Find another place to shadow, build a relationship with the OT so that you can ask them for a letter later on. Aim to having everything completed by August, that way you still have time to finish everything by Sep. if you are running a little behind. Beef up your essay, provide specific examples from observation experiences. Give the people writing your essays ample time to write them. If you are close enough with them, provide them with a guide of what schools are looking for in good OT candidates. That way- that will hit on the target words/adjectives that schools look for in their students. Increase the number of schools you apply to. This time around, I did a tremendous amount of research on just about all of the schools in the US. I narrowed them down by their pre-reqs and admission requirements. I immediately eliminated schools I would not qualify for.

In the end, I applied to about 10-12 schools, local and out of state. In the end, I was only rejected by 1, a schools I had no interest in going to anyway. 1 rejection for 12 apps isn't bad at all

I was pleasantly surprised by all of the feedback I received this time around. I just sent in my deposit to a school I will most likely attend. If I can do it, you can do it!

If you don't mind me asking, what was your undergrad GPA? I have a super unimpressive undergrad. Theres nothing I can do about that now...I graduated about 6 years ago and now applying for my masters is overwhelming. I did a pretty bad job applying this last cycle, rushed it and didn't take the time to make sure I had sent all the proper documents to each program. I thought that I would be fine as I was able to get A's and B's in all of the pre-reqs. This is clearly not the case. I know I will be applying again, just not sure if I should do 2015 or wait a year and really try to spend time to raise my cumulative GPA. I have volunteered about 140 hrs thus far and already contacted a few places to continue my volunteering hours at. Do you have any thoughts or advise in regards to applying a second time around? did you contact the schools you applied to first? did you still have any pre-reqs to complete? what did you do for the year of time when you were between application cycles? I don't know if I should quit working all together and become a FT student for a year or if I should remain working part-time and taking 1-2 classes. Please let me know what you think! :/ any advise is greatly appreciated!!!

 

[Should_I_continue_OT]

My second year applying I applied to over 20 OTCAS schools - almost all the schools that weren't past their deadlines yet that didn't have average GPA way above mine. I didn't know a lot about most of the schools I was applying to, and ended up going to one that wasn't a good fit for me. I'm still deciding if I should reapply to other schools, or resume going back to my own school after a leave of absence. Or go back to the career field I was in prior to OT.

The weird thing is that schools calculate their GPA's differently. Some would say my cumulative GPA is 3.3, others 3.0, and schools that look at last X number of hours could see a 3.5 or a 2.5 dependent on whether it is last hours of my undergrad, or last hours up to now.

I think one of the better things to do for a gap year is a combination of what people listed above. Retake any prerequisites you make B's or below in if you can bring them up to A's. Do a lot more shadowing of OTs. And work part time if that is something you can do while living with your parents and save money. If you can do something that is very loosely related to OT that is good too.

 

[sb0106]

I never stopped working. I always worked throughout college part-time (20-30 hours a week). I envied those who had the luxury of not working during school. Not just because they didn't have to worry about money, but because they had A LOT more free time than me to study, write papers and do projects. My undergrad GPA was like a 3.1-3.2. It got better as the years went by. My pre-req GPA was somewhere in the 3.6-3.75 range. I did poorly in a couple freshman/sophomore classes when I was a different major. Those grades really killed my GPA so I worked hard to bring it up once I decided to pursue OT.

During my year off I worked and did some extra shadowing. It was strange being off from school but it was ok. I didn't have to take any pre-reqs over. During my time off I did a lot of research about OT schools. And I mean A LOT of research. I literally went to every OT school's website, took notes on their pre-reqs, admissions requirements, found out if they required anything I may not have done, took notes. Then I narrowed down my list by applying to only OTCAS schools. I did this simply because I thought it would be easier in terms of getting letters of recommendation, eliminating schools for which I had not satisfied the pre-reqs, eliminated ones I felt would be too difficult to get into. Also, I decided to take two classes during my time off. One was abnormal psychology because I somehow skipped over this class and it is required by a lot of OT schools. The second was a medical terminology course. I took both online. I did this in order to increase the number of schools I could apply to.

Well the next application cycle opens in just a few months. Which means if you are going to apply, start preparing NOW if you haven't already. What is your GPA, did you do ok on the GRE? Start asking people for LOR's. Last summer I applied in Sep. and I finished my final set of observation hours in mid aug. I asked for the OT to write me a letter in early Aug and she had it done in a week. I cannot stress the importance of applying early. Where did you apply? How many schools? What was your GPA? I think you really have to have a GPA no less than 3.0 to be considered a competitive applicant. If it's less than that, why? Did you do poorly in the beginning but demonstrate that your grades were getting better as time went on?

 

[SandmanOT]

hi!!
did contacting the schools help? were you able to get any solid advice? I just got news that i was wait listed at the last school I was waiting to hear from (I am last on the list...around 50, so i think its safe to say i will need to re-apply) I am pretty bummed out. Honestly, I know i rushed my application as well...but I am feeling pretty overwhelmed with what to do next...

I know it's hard not to feel overwhelmed and a little disheartened, but rejection is just apart of life unfortunately .

However, next year when you get in, it'll be THAT much sweeter! As far as contacting universities, some were more helpful than others. Salus University and Springfield College for example, are willing to set up a meeting with you and review your file prior to applying. So that can help! Not all the Universities I contacted got back to me, but a couple did and that was enough for me.

 

[AspiringOT7]

Just wanted to let you know that I've been in the same boat as well. Don't ever give up! Passion and persistance is key. I graduated undergrad in 2011 and had always known I wanted to be an OT. I didn't know how competitive it was to get into schools back then, so my undergrad GPA was not as competitive (3.1 to be exact). However, I did have tons of observation and volunteer hours in many different settings (SNF, pediatric clinics, schools, hospitals, outpatient clinics, residential homes).

I've applied to OT schools for three years, but I finally got in this cycle! I will be starting OT school this summer. My first year, I applied to 5 (I'm from Chicago, so I mainly applied to Midwest schools). My second year, I applied to 7 schools (Some of the same schools I applied to the previous cycle and some out of state). This third cycle, I applied to 15 schools, all out of state. I really think applying out of state increases your chances, and my letters of recommendation helped me out better this time, too. I got accepted into 6 schools, waitlisted at 5, and rejected at 4. I flew out for 3 interviews and got accepted to those 3 as well.

During the years I got rejected, I retook pre-requisite classes and retook the GRE (4 times) while working numerous OT-related jobs. I worked as a rehab aide at an outpatient clinic for a year, did some babysitting/respite caregiving for children with Autism and some play therapy. I also worked as an ABA therapist and a classroom aide/educational support professional at a therapeutic day school for students with disabilities (mainly Autism) for two years.

I'm so grateful that things turned out the way it did - I have so much more confidence with my experiences, and it's just so much more meaningful now to become an OT. OT is quite the journey, but definitely worth it! If anyone ever needs any advice or has any questions, feel free to direct message me. I've been through hell and back with this process, so you're not alone!

 

[OTislife]

Just wanted to let you know that I've been in the same boat as well. Don't ever give up! Passion and persistance is key. I graduated undergrad in 2011 and had always known I wanted to be an OT. I didn't know how competitive it was to get into schools back then, so my undergrad GPA was not as competitive (3.1 to be exact). However, I did have tons of observation and volunteer hours in many different settings (SNF, pediatric clinics, schools, hospitals, outpatient clinics, residential homes).

I've applied to OT schools for three years, but I finally got in this cycle! I will be starting OT school this summer. My first year, I applied to 5 (I'm from Chicago, so I mainly applied to Midwest schools). My second year, I applied to 7 schools (Some of the same schools I applied to the previous cycle and some out of state). This third cycle, I applied to 15 schools, all out of state. I really think applying out of state increases your chances, and my letters of recommendation helped me out better this time, too. I got accepted into 6 schools, waitlisted at 5, and rejected at 4. I flew out for 3 interviews and got accepted to those 3 as well.

During the years I got rejected, I retook pre-requisite classes and retook the GRE (4 times) while working numerous OT-related jobs. I worked as a rehab aide at an outpatient clinic for a year, did some babysitting/respite caregiving for children with Autism and some play therapy. I also worked as an ABA therapist and a classroom aide/educational support professional at a therapeutic day school for students with disabilities (mainly Autism) for two years.

I'm so grateful that things turned out the way it did - I have so much more confidence with my experiences, and it's just so much more meaningful now to become an OT. OT is quite the journey, but definitely worth it! If anyone ever needs any advice or has any questions, feel free to direct message me. I've been through hell and back with this process, so you're not alone!

@AspiringOT7
Great story! Where did you end up going? Do you mind sharing the stats you were accepted with?

Thanks!

 

[aluan150]

Great Motivation Aspiring OT- You will be a good OT. Good Luck.

 

[ExceptionalSea]

@AspiringOT7 you are an inspiration! amazeballs