General Admissions & OTCAS Stats check! Do I even have a chance?

[kyannnn]

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Hey everyone, I know it is terrible to compare stats and whatnot, but I am practically killing myself over here on whether or not I will get accepted into any programs for my master's.

My overall GPA is about a 3.2
Prerequisite GPA is a 3.2
270 hours of internship under an OT at a school for children with disabilities
30 hours at a skilled nursing facility under an OT
315 hours working as a habilitation therapist for children with Autism
28 hours of basic volunteering at a hospital

I am mostly worried because I transferred schools a few times and my first few years of college I failed A LOT of classes. Clearly I made up for it but it still shows on paper. I even explained all of this in my personal statement and stated how it made me a better person, etc. I also got C's in A&P, and wondering if anyone else received C's in those and still got accepted into any schools? I am applying to Midwestern University (AZ), Stanbridge College, Colorado State University, University of Mary, University of St. Augustine (CA), University of Kansas Medical Center, University of New England, and Eastern Washington University.

 

[rcjhgirl]

Most schools do not accept pre requisites with C. Most are only B and up. I know that KU med only accepts B's and higher.

I would look into the programs about their pre requisites and grades.

 

[lao27746]

Hey! I think the OT related experience you have gained will look great to allof the schools you're applying to. But if I were you, I would retake some of those prereqs like Anatomy and Physiology (bc those are the most important), and reapply next year. A lot of the schools you listed above also require the GRE, so I would also spend the next year preparing for that. Good luck!

 

[HME4OT]

I'd check each school you're planning to apply to and be sure they'll accept C's on prereqs. I applied to 2 schools and only one (the expensive private one) allowed C's. I think B's or better are the norm.

I spoke with graduate faculty at a CA state school and he said the "magic number" for a GPA is 3.5. If you don't make it in this year, at least you know where and how you can improve/strengthen your app for next year!

Good luck!

 

[kyannnn]

Most schools do not accept pre requisites with C. Most are only B and up. I know that KU med only accepts B's and higher.

I would look into the programs about their pre requisites and grades.

Have you actually talked to an admissions representative about KU med only accepting prerequisites B and up? It states on their website that the minimum requirement is a C. I understand a C is not competitive, but just curious if that's what you have actually heard from admissions?

 

[rcjhgirl]

Have you actually talked to an admissions representative about KU med only accepting prerequisites B and up? It states on their website that the minimum requirement is a C. I understand a C is not competitive, but just curious if that's what you have actually heard from admissions?

yes i am at KU for undergrad and know they accept B's and up

 

[CAOT]

I can comment on 2 of your prospectives, because they're on my list as well: Colorado State and Eastern WA.
Colorado State is one of the few schools that publishes on their website precisely the criteria by which applicants are evaluated:
http://www.ot.chhs.colostate.edu/students/documents/Admissions_Review_Process_Fall_2017.pdf
They are very much "by the numbers" (ie, no consideration given to personal statements, LORs or shadowing hours). Just something to keep in mind, and it never hurts to apply 🙂

Eastern WA calculates the last 60/90 GPA, so that could work in your favor considering you mention having a rocky start but an upward trending GPA. They also require an Intro to OT course as a prereq (as does Colorado State), so keep that in mind if you haven't already taken it.

General tips I've read in this forum when trying to overcome blemishes on an academic record: focus on schools that interview and evaluate candidates holistically; consider applying to programs that are still in the accreditation process and likely to achieve it (check AOTA for these--they are slightly "riskier" but also less competitive); if you're willing to relocate, focus on areas that may be less geographically desirable (Minnesota and the Dakotas usually come up, because of the cold). Also, Bay Path seems to run a really good program and accepts a bigger cohort than many others, which increases your chances of acceptance (there may be others too!). I applied there as well.

At the risk of being too honest, C's in A&P are going to be difficult to overcome. I've read that the triangle--3 most important classes--are A&P and stat. Students that do well in these assure admissions committees that they're capable of handling graduate level work academically and likely to pass the NBCOT at the end. That doesn't mean it's not possible to gain acceptance, it just means you may have to get creative in finding those programs willing to look beyond the surface. To give you a measure of comparison, I was very worried about my ability to be accepted this cycle because I had B's in A&P and a B- in stat (which I did retake). I have a spot secured (and my record wasn't "perfect") but I'm glad I retook stat because it allowed me to apply to more programs, which upped my overall chances. I also applied to 11 schools.
Sorry this is long, but I wanted to provide what I hope was thoughtful advice and ideas on your situation even though, like you, I'm just an applicant and this process is crazy competitive and somewhat arbitrary. I wish you the best of luck and hope you get a great outcome!

 

[CoolRunning]

My OT school explicitly stated that "A grade of B or better is required for all prerequisite courses and a 3.25 cumulative GPA is required for the MSOT and OTD programs." Based on the information that you provided, I think you have a somewhat borderline chance of admission. I guess you could always try to apply for the current cycle, and if it does not work out for you, then consider retaking some of those courses where you did poorly. Best of luck!