General Admissions & OTCAS Rolling admissions

[cassie.lynn]

Hello!
I am applying to schools for this upcoming cycle and have a question about admissions. I’m a bit confused on the schools that have rolling admissions but also have a deadline. For example if they only accept 30 students are they basically taking the 1st 30 that meet the schools requirements? If so, why bother with a deadline because since OT is so competitive they will meet that number in no time. For the rolling admissions schools is it even worth applying to if you can't apply until closer to September after many applications have already been submitted. Any information about how this works would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

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[OTOnTheWay]

It is not exactly the first 30 who just meet the school requirements. They review these applications as they come in and pick out the exceptional ones that most likely went above and beyond then just the requirements, and then put to the side the "maybes". Once more people start putting in their application the process continues. Sometimes they reach their deadline and stop all incoming applications but realize that they only have 15 out of 30 students picked. And these 15 were their top top choices, so then they go back into their application pile and go through their maybes. Once they send out acceptance letters you have to realize that their top 15 people might not all say yes to them, meaning they have to go back into their maybe pile and pick out some more names. This is how I understand the rolling admission process...

 

[otplshelpme]

I am also confused by rolling admissions. If my applications are due in December, what would be the latest I could turn it in while still being competitive? I want to get more shadowing hours, but I also don't want to turn it in too late.

 

[OTOnTheWay]

I am also confused by rolling admissions. If my applications are due in December, what would be the latest I could turn it in while still being competitive? I want to get more shadowing hours, but I also don't want to turn it in too late.

I would turn in my application once I have finished with my personal statements, etc. Let the office know that you are still volunteering and if it will be okay with them to keep them updated on hours. You can also put an estimate of how many you will have by the end of December or whenever you end up being done with volunteering