Retaking Prereqs

[Tom51]

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So I didn't get into PT school this year and I think it was in large part due to my prereq. GPA. I had an 1140 GRE, 200 observation hours, a 3.14 GPA and a 3.09 Prereq. GPA. I plan on retaking the 4 prereqs that I got C's in this summer in order to strengthen my app. If I get A's in them it should bring my Prereq. GPA up to around a 3.5. My first question is do you think that will be good enough to get in next year?

My second question is do most schools allow you to retake prereqs? I talked to Franklin Pierce and they said they don't consider an applicant who has retaken more than 2 classes. Is that the policy at most schools or is that specific to Franklin Pierce? I don't want to waste my time and money on these classes if they won't even be considered for next year. All input is appreciated.

 

[LadyCard05]

It all depends on the school, but what I do know is that most schools will only allow you to retake a prerequisite ONCE. So just make sure you get the grade you want the second time! Some schools are like Franklin Pierce and will only allow you to retake two classes, but not all. Hope that helps, just really research your programs and their requirements. Obviously, a more competitive program is going to be much more strict.

 

[Shyster]

I was in your shoes not too long ago and retook three classes thus far and have been accepted into a PT program.

 

[Tom51]

I was in your shoes not too long ago and retook three classes thus far and have been accepted into a PT program.

Thanks for the encouragement Shyster. Which program were you accepted to?

 

[Teresina2005]

Most schools do not have a requirement as to how many prerequisites you can retake. However, if you are retaking a bunch of prerequisites, evaluate why. Why weren't you able to make the grade last time? Is it due to lack of interest or effort? Was it due to not testing well? Also, consider your plan of action, how are you going to ensure that you get the grade this time around and show mastery of the material. Also, be prepared that in some interviews for PT school (but definitely in your application: the does you academic record show your capabilities question) you will have to give an account for it.
Remember it's never the end of the world to retake a class. It is simply another chance to get the A and a great opportunity not only to reinforce the material but to explore how it relates to your future profession.
Best of luck!
Peace and God bless

 

[Jaug15]

This was my second yr applying after not getting in the first go around. Over the past year I retook some pre-req sciences, got more experience volunteering in different settings and retook the GRE all while I continued to work as a PT aide in an outpatient clinic. This time around I have been accepted to 3 programs, one of which was my top choice. Just hang in there and try to do a lot to improve you application for the next cycle. Schools like to see that you are dedicated to this profession and are willing to do whatever it takes to become a DPT. Good Luck!

 

[NewTestament]

I didn't get accepted anywhere the first year I applied, but then I spent the last year re-taking pre-requisites, in all of which I got As, which significantly boosted my GPA. I had seven or eight interviews, and I got accepted at my most preferred school, and was waitlisted at two others (so far).

They're going to ask you why you re-took classes, and why you got a better grade the second time. This isn't a bad thing. If they didn't like applicants who re-took classes, they wouldn't interview you. This is a chance for you to impress them.

Interviewer: "I see you re-took some classes, and didn't do well the first time. What accounts for the difference?"

You: "I don't feel like I prepared enough and didn't use the right study skills. I understood that I had to invest more time and effort the second time, and changed my approach. Clearly that made a difference."

Of course, part of the reason you did well the second time is because you're already familiar with the material. You might also have had a poor lab instructor or professor who didn't communicate the concepts very well. When I retook classes at my community college, I found that there was less busy work, summer courses were six weeks and not five (that makes a huge difference), the classes were smaller, the professors were more accessible, and that the professors also taught the lab.

Another answer is that you took some pre-requisites years after you graduated. I told a few schools that I took chemistry two years after I graduated, and that I had lost momentum and forgot some of the skills I had used as an undergraduate. In other words, I was "rusty."

Use this as an opportunity to show that you have improved. Most students re-take classes.

Kevin