Should I be Worried?

[Perseverance]

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Hey all, I recently switched from pre-pharmacy to PT and here's the gist of my problem: I was double-majoring as a biology/chemistry and last semester, i failed one of my upper level chemistry classes (Physical chemistry) and so I am now currently going to just graduate with a bio degree. I am wondering, will PT schools look at me differently or not give any chance of an interview/acceptance because of a non-prereq? My core pre-req GPA is about 3.2-3.3 and this is the first time i have ever received an F in my 4 years of college. Has anyone else been in a situation like this?

 

[markelmarcel]

I don't know the whole situation- but if that one course was the only one you needed for the dual-degree, why wouldn't you try to re-take it? I would! 🙂

Anyway, they will see your entire transcript and I'd say an F will REALLY take a hit on your GPA, and you said your overall is only 3.2-3.3 -- although that's not going to kill you, having a GPA on the lower end will be a slight disadvantage-- so be sure you ace the GRE and work on getting strong letters of recommendation, etc, etc to bolster that "blemish" on your record.

 

[track11]

If it was only last semester, you might could talk to your professor to see if you can work something out with your grade...like taking a "W" instead of "F"

 

[Perseverance]

I really wish it was easy to change it to a withdrawal but unfortunately the deadline passed months ago and let's just say i did not have a good relationship with the professor (She was a major b****). In a way, I found bio to be more suiting for me as a whole. Markel, my overall is slightly lower (about a 2.9ish currently) and my Pre-req GPA is about 3.2-3.3 and that is with the F in Pchem. I'm just very concerned but I am keeping my chin up and looking forward to do well on the GRE and getting more volunteer hours.

 

[TheOx777]

First, I feel bad about the tough situation that you are in. Anyone who has ever heard of or knows about physical chemistry knows that it can be the mother of all mothers(Didn't take it BTW). Correct me if I am wrong but you need Calc III to take it. This class is not on the same playing field as any of the pre-reqs needed for entry into DPT school or any other professional health program(including MD/DO).

Unfortunately, ADCOMS typically are about the numbers at the end of the day. So the major or classes taken outside of pre-req requirements may not be on the forefront of ADCOM's minds. I would thoroughly research DPT programs that you may be interested in attending, and personally contact the admissions directors. This lets them know that you are sincere in you interest. More importantly, you will get a true sense of your chances rather than spinning your wheels guessing. Often times you will get hunches or "maybes" from members on this forum, because each person has a unique application and academic experience.

On a positive note, all hope is not lost! Very few applications are perfect, and many are not as stellar as one would expect. So there is still more than a reasonable chance of admittance into a DPT program. I wish you the very best. If you feel obliged, keep us updated and hopefully we can offer some sound advice along the way.

 

[jesspt]

I really wish it was easy to change it to a withdrawal but unfortunately the deadline passed months ago and let's just say i did not have a good relationship with the professor (She was a major b****). In a way, I found bio to be more suiting for me as a whole. Markel, my overall is slightly lower (about a 2.9ish currently) and my Pre-req GPA is about 3.2-3.3 and that is with the F in Pchem. I'm just very concerned but I am keeping my chin up and looking forward to do well on the GRE and getting more volunteer hours.

I think you'd better take a close look at the admission requirements for the schools you wish to attend and see if they would even look at your transcript and application. There are a lot of schools that won't even consider you unless your cum. GPA is 3.0.

 

[Perseverance]

Thank you Ox for the sincere response and yes Pchem was just a whole different level/experience. And yes, you are correct, Calc 1, 2, and 3 were required (all of which I received A's in) but still i just did not understand it quite well as i did. I will definitely look into each school (I live in Chicago btw) and contact the admissions directors. As of now, I am taking the last of my classes for my major so hopefully it will held my GPA. I was also wondering if you guys don't mind looking at my pre-req grades so far and see what you think (This is not a "what are my chances" sort of question, just want your opinions):

Gen Chem 1 and 2: B/C
Gen Bio 1 and 2: B/B
Gen Physics: B/B
Human Anatomy: A
Human Physiology: B
Calc 1: A
Medical Terminology: A
Sociology: B
Statistics: B

Note: my school does not use the +/- so an A will be 4.0, B will be 3.0 and so on

 

[TheOx777]

Thank you Ox for the sincere response and yes Pchem was just a whole different level/experience. And yes, you are correct, Calc 1, 2, and 3 were required (all of which I received A's in) but still i just did not understand it quite well as i did. I will definitely look into each school (I live in Chicago btw) and contact the admissions directors. As of now, I am taking the last of my classes for my major so hopefully it will held my GPA. I was also wondering if you guys don't mind looking at my pre-req grades so far and see what you think (This is not a "what are my chances" sort of question, just want your opinions):

Gen Chem 1 and 2: B/C
Gen Bio 1 and 2: B/B
Gen Physics: B/B
Human Anatomy: A
Human Physiology: B
Calc 1: A
Medical Terminology: A
Sociology: B
Statistics: B

Note: my school does not use the +/- so an A will be 4.0, B will be 3.0 and so on

From what I can tell, you have solid pre-req grades. The Chicago land area programs are relatively competitive. NU and UIC are very reputable and very competitive. Rosalind Franklin, Midwestern, Governor's State, and NIU are also solid programs(from what I am told). If you plan on staying in the "Chi" it would be best to contact all of these programs personally. The average PTCAS gpa for DPT programs is ~3.47(According to the APTA). I have personally come into contact with DPT students from the NU, UIC, RFU, and Governor's State and they seemed to be on par with the PTCAS gpa. Also, when choosing a programs one should be cognizant of their NPTE pass rate. The NPTE represents the national boards for DPT students. You want a program that has a 95% or greater first time pass rate and hopefully a 100% overall pass rate(for those students who unfortunately did not pass on the first go round). This will give you a sense of how well their students are doing compared to other programs around the nation.