WA Schools (UW, UPS, EWU)

[OT_Bound]

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I was also accepted to UPS via phone call today (2/11)! I did my undergrad in Oregon, so location may have a factor?

 

[yume88]

I haven't heard anything yet either. Would you mind posting your stats? (GRE, GPA, work history, observation hours, etc).

Sure thing! I think this is the reason WHY I'm so worried since it's so competitive (wish my scores were better) 🙁

GPA (undergraduate): 3.2
Prereqs: 3.7-3.8 depending on the school applied to
GRE: Verbal - 154; Reasoning - 145; Analytical - 4.0
Observation Hours - Over 250 hours at several locations (developmental center for children with Autism; Autism Clinic; Hand Therapy; Neurological; NICU; High Risk Infant Clinic)
Work History: Worked as a behavior interventionist at two companies for about two years (working with developmental disabilities)

I also had different jobs before coming to the conclusion that OT is what I want to be! I worked in finance and marketing for a while too.

Oh! And I've also read that people in the North West seem to get accepted which makes me nervous. I'm applying from Southern California.

How about you @emnOT13?

And congrats @yesknow and @OT_Bound for getting accepted to UPS!

 

[emnOT13]

Sure thing! I think this is the reason WHY I'm so worried since it's so competitive (wish my scores were better) 🙁

GPA (undergraduate): 3.2
Prereqs: 3.7-3.8 depending on the school applied to
GRE: Verbal - 154; Reasoning - 145; Analytical - 4.0
Observation Hours - Over 250 hours at several locations (developmental center for children with Autism; Autism Clinic; Hand Therapy; Neurological; NICU; High Risk Infant Clinic)
Work History: Worked as a behavior interventionist at two companies for about two years (working with developmental disabilities)

I also had different jobs before coming to the conclusion that OT is what I want to be! I worked in finance and marketing for a while too.

Oh! And I've also read that people in the North West seem to get accepted which makes me nervous. I'm applying from Southern California.

How about you @emnOT13?

And congrats @yesknow and @OT_Bound for getting accepted to UPS!

I think you have a great chance of getting in! You have a ton of work experience in the field which I think will really help and you did great on the GRE! I didn't do well on the GRE, that's why I'm worried.
Overall GPA: 3.8
Prereq GPA: 3.86
GRE: Verbal- 151 Reasoning: 147, Writing: 3.5 (UGH)
Observation hours: 45 at rehabilitation clinic/nursing home, 15 at hand therapy clinic, 20 at pediatric clinic
Work experience: Certified nurse aide (home health and inpatient) for 4 years, medical assistant for 2.5 years, human resource directory for home health care compant
Other volunteer experience: Partners Mentoring Youth (like big brother/big sister program), 3 hours per week for the past 2 years with a 12 year old with behavioral issues.

I got good letters of recommendation, wrote a good personal statement, and have a good background in the medical field (I think). It's mostly my GRE scores that are bugging me. I took the GRE three times though and really didn't improve so I can't afford to take it again. I'm just not good at standardized testing. I'm from Colorado, so I also won't have the benefit of location.

 

[yume88]

I think you have a great chance of getting in! You have a ton of work experience in the field which I think will really help and you did great on the GRE! I didn't do well on the GRE, that's why I'm worried.
Overall GPA: 3.8
Prereq GPA: 3.86
GRE: Verbal- 151 Reasoning: 147, Writing: 3.5 (UGH)
Observation hours: 45 at rehabilitation clinic/nursing home, 15 at hand therapy clinic, 20 at pediatric clinic
Work experience: Certified nurse aide (home health and inpatient) for 4 years, medical assistant for 2.5 years, human resource directory for home health care compant
Other volunteer experience: Partners Mentoring Youth (like big brother/big sister program), 3 hours per week for the past 2 years with a 12 year old with behavioral issues.

I got good letters of recommendation, wrote a good personal statement, and have a good background in the medical field (I think). It's mostly my GRE scores that are bugging me. I took the GRE three times though and really didn't improve so I can't afford to take it again. I'm just not good at standardized testing. I'm from Colorado, so I also won't have the benefit of location.

Wow! @emnOT13 your stats are amazing. I feel that you are a strong candidate for the program! I think your medical background really helps. I believe they'll focus on that.

I hope we hear back soon and that we both hear GOOD news. I wish there was a way to get updates on this stuff.

I'm curious... Did they tell you the process they go through to decide the candidate? If they look at one thing more than the other? They have such a wide range on the GPA and other requirements that I don't know what they're looking for. So far I've been rejected from CSUDH so I'm trying to find ways to make myself better (they said I needed to raise my GRE and my 1 b from my prereqs).

 

[BeAnOTsoon!?]

Hey everyone,

Congrats on your acceptances! I heard back last week that I got into UPS too. Do any of you know if there is a deadline to accept or decline the offer? Also, is there a deposit and how much is it?

Thanks!

 

[slpOT]

I was rejected from EWU a couple days ago - my GPA & GRE scores were on the lacking end for their admissions, so my application was a little underwhelming. Good Luck!

 

[OT57]

Congratulations on your acceptance to UPS! I'm currently a first year student. Let me know if you have questions 🙂

 

[BeAnOTsoon!?]

Thanks, OT57! That's so nice of you to make yourself available for questions! I absolutely loved UPS and would be thrilled to go there. My only hesitation is that it's quite a bit more expensive than the other programs I'm considering. I saw somewhere that they do offer scholarships to some top applicants. Do you have any idea how big those are, how many are awarded, or when we might be notified about them? I realize these questions are probably better directed toward the school, but I thought I'd throw them out just in case. Thanks!

 

[yesknow]

Thanks, OT57! That's so nice of you to make yourself available for questions! I absolutely loved UPS and would be thrilled to go there. My only hesitation is that it's quite a bit more expensive than the other programs I'm considering. I saw somewhere that they do offer scholarships to some top applicants. Do you have any idea how big those are, how many are awarded, or when we might be notified about them? I realize these questions are probably better directed toward the school, but I thought I'd throw them out just in case. Thanks!

Hey BeAnOTSoon!? I was offered a scholarship and told the amount in my acceptance voicemail! So I think you should already know if you will be offered any scholarship money or not

 

[BeAnOTsoon!?]

Hey BeAnOTSoon!? I was offered a scholarship and told the amount in my acceptance voicemail! So I think you should already know if you will be offered any scholarship money or not

Thank you!

 

[OT57]

Thanks, OT57! That's so nice of you to make yourself available for questions! I absolutely loved UPS and would be thrilled to go there. My only hesitation is that it's quite a bit more expensive than the other programs I'm considering. I saw somewhere that they do offer scholarships to some top applicants. Do you have any idea how big those are, how many are awarded, or when we might be notified about them? I realize these questions are probably better directed toward the school, but I thought I'd throw them out just in case. Thanks!

As @yesknow mentioned, I'm pretty sure they offer the scholarships at the time of acceptance. There is also a separate opportunity that requires an application. It's called a serviceship and you volunteer with a non-profit organization during the school year and receive a stipend for doing so.

I know that taking on a bunch of debt is quite daunting and I can tell you that when I was in your position, I spent hours crunching numbers to try to determine the exact costs of each program (taking into consideration relocating, housing, other cost of living factors, etc.). Now that I am actually in a program, my advice would be to go to the program you think will be the best fit. Cost is important, but don't let that be your determining factor, or even a strong influence in the decision you make. Spend your time looking into the details of each program's curriculum and determine what is important to YOU. Yes, having to pay off student loans is stressful, but grad school will be an incredibly stressful time (regardless of the program you attend). It can be WAY less stressful if you attend a program that is a good fit for your needs. You especially don't want to spend your precious time next school year wondering if you should have attended a different program. Worry about paying off your debt afterwards and focus on how to become the best OT you can be! Good luck and again, let me know if you have any specific questions!

 

[WannaBeEasternOTstudent]

Hey there guys! I'm a first-year student at EWU this year! I just wanted to post for anyone that will be at interview day!

There will be a group interview (you and 3-4 other applicants, one current student, and one faculty member/prof). There is also a tour, Q&A/info session, and an activity. The activity will likely be something group-based but they haven't told us exactly what it will be like. They'll ask about OT in general, why you chose it, what you bring to the table, etc. The biggest pieces of advice I can give are to relax, don't just recite what they already know from your app, and to pay attention to your interviewer. I know the profs, some are very emotional while others are much more logical/straightforward. It's important to be aware of who it is you're talking to.

If anyone has any other questions about EWU, interview day, or anything else I can help you with feel free to message me! EWU is great. We have a lot of fun and our class is one of the closest groups of people ever. Good luck all!

Hello,
I just got an interview with EWU and I was wondering if you had any more tips. What should I wear? Any other potential questions? Thanks so much.

 

[Cal12]

Congratulations to all of you accepted to UPS!

Does anyone know how they notify people on the wait list/rejections (email vs. snail mail)?

 

[OT_Guy]

Hello,
I just got an interview with EWU and I was wondering if you had any more tips. What should I wear? Any other potential questions? Thanks so much.

I also got an interview with EWU and will be attending. I was thinking of dressing sort of "business casual". If you don't mind me asking where all did you apply and what are your stats?

I hope it goes well for you!

 

[aliq]

Congratulations to all of you accepted to UPS!

Does anyone know how they notify people on the wait list/rejections (email vs. snail mail)?

You know what, I have no idea. I just got an email today saying that they received verification from OTCAS regarding my academic update and I no longer have any "outstanding contingencies" so I don't have to worry about anything if I'm accepted off the waitlist. I didn't even know I was waitlisted lol. I'm gonna email them back and ask about it. I think you should just email them and ask about your status.

 

[zforzeta]

Congratulations to all of you accepted to UPS!

Does anyone know how they notify people on the wait list/rejections (email vs. snail mail)?

I live in CA and got a physical rejection letter from Puget Sound yesterday!

 

[aw2]

You know what, I have no idea. I just got an email today saying that they received verification from OTCAS regarding my academic update and I no longer have any "outstanding contingencies" so I don't have to worry about anything if I'm accepted off the waitlist. I didn't even know I was waitlisted lol. I'm gonna email them back and ask about it. I think you should just email them and ask about your status.

What did they say? I got a similar email.

 

[Cal12]

I live in CA and got a physical rejection letter from Puget Sound yesterday!

Yep, I got my rejection letter in the mail the other day too :/

 

[sarah_futureot]

I haven't heard back from Puget Sound - I live in Sacramento. Besides aliq's comment, has anyone else heard about being on a waitlist?

 

[idahograd14]

I received a letter in the mail today saying I was on the alternate list, and asking for me to send them back a form with my current contact information to confirm I want to remain on the alternate list.

 

[aliq]

What did they say? I got a similar email.

I just heard back. Colleen confirmed I was on the waitlist. She said they sent waitlist and rejection letters via snail mail last Friday so they should all be arriving soon and apologized for things happening out of sequence.

 

[GoOT]

I Also received a letter saying that I am on the waitlist for UPS. Have any others on the Alternative list found out what number they are on the list? I talked to admissions and they said they couldn't tell me and connected me with Yvonne Swinth, the Director of OT. I've left her two messages and emailed her but haven't heard back so I'm very frustrated.

 

[idahograd14]

I Also received a letter saying that I am on the waitlist for UPS. Have any others on the Alternative list found out what number they are on the list? I talked to admissions and they said they couldn't tell me and connected me with Yvonne Swinth, the Director of OT. I've left her two messages and emailed her but haven't heard back so I'm very frustrated.

I have been having a hard time contacting the department as well. I also was on the wait list last year and they never gave out any information regarding where I was on the wait list - apparently they don't do that at all which I find strange.

 

[emnOT13]

I have been having a hard time contacting the department as well. I also was on the wait list last year and they never gave out any information regarding where I was on the wait list - apparently they don't do that at all which I find strange.

I've also been wait listed. It's frustrating because you imagine that not many students who have been accepted decide not to go, so now we just have to wait again to see if we are accepted off of the waitlist.

 

[GoOT]

I have been having a hard time contacting the department as well. I also was on the wait list last year and they never gave out any information regarding where I was on the wait list - apparently they don't do that at all which I find strange.

Yeah, it is very strange! I get that it's a constantly changing number but they can't just tell you a current number or even a range so I know what to expect? Did you get into UPS this year?

 

[yesknow]

Has anyone spoken to admissions at UW? I was hoping to hear an estimate of when decisions will come out! (besides just mid March)

 

[yume88]

@yesknow - yes I did speak to them, but didn't hear of a specific date that they're going to release the acceptances/waitlists/rejections.

I asked Celine (Academic Advisor) a few questions though just in case you're interested.

1. What is the total amount of apps received this year?
Over 500 apps

2. If an applicant is rejected, will it be possible to get any information/feedback as to why the applicant wasn't chosen?
No it will not be given as there is not usually one specific thing as the review is holistic.

3. Will decisions be emailed/physically mailed/phone call?
No phone calls will be made as decisions will be emailed.

 

[othopeful92]

@yesknow - yes I did speak to them, but didn't hear of a specific date that they're going to release the acceptances/waitlists/rejections.

I asked Celine (Academic Advisor) a few questions though just in case you're interested.

1. What is the total amount of apps received this year?
Over 500 apps

2. If an applicant is rejected, will it be possible to get any information/feedback as to why the applicant wasn't chosen?
No it will not be given as there is not usually one specific thing as the review is holistic.

3. Will decisions be emailed/physically mailed/phone call?
No phone calls will be made as decisions will be emailed.

Yikes over 500 applicants?! They only accept like 25 right?

 

[yume88]

Yikes over 500 applicants?! They only accept like 25 right?

Yeah @othopeful92 ... They only accept 25 applicants so I'm really crossing my fingers on this one! I think finding this out made me slightly more anxious than before. At least we'll find out in a few weeks!

 

[yesknow]

@yesknow - yes I did speak to them, but didn't hear of a specific date that they're going to release the acceptances/waitlists/rejections.

I asked Celine (Academic Advisor) a few questions though just in case you're interested.

1. What is the total amount of apps received this year?
Over 500 apps

2. If an applicant is rejected, will it be possible to get any information/feedback as to why the applicant wasn't chosen?
No it will not be given as there is not usually one specific thing as the review is holistic.

3. Will decisions be emailed/physically mailed/phone call?
No phone calls will be made as decisions will be emailed.

Thanks for the info! Fingers crossed for everyone.

 

[idahograd14]

Yeah, it is very strange! I get that it's a constantly changing number but they can't just tell you a current number or even a range so I know what to expect? Did you get into UPS this year?

I am on the wait list again this year :/ even after doing everything they told me last year to improve my application, so I'm frustrated but still holding out hope the wait list works out better this time around

 

[GoOT]

I am on the wait list again this year :/ even after doing everything they told me last year to improve my application, so I'm frustrated but still holding out hope the wait list works out better this time around

That's so frustrating! Sorry, idahograd 🙁 Did you apply anywhere else?

 

[idahograd14]

That's so frustrating! Sorry, idahograd 🙁 Did you apply anywhere else?

Yes, I also applied to University of Washington, Texas Woman's University - Houston (accepted), Columbia University, Colorado State University and University of Missouri (#3 on wait list).

 

[GoOT]

Yes, I also applied to University of Washington, Texas Woman's University - Houston (accepted), Columbia University, Colorado State University and University of Missouri (#3 on wait list).

Awesome! Congrats on getting accepted to a school already! Did you apply to UW last year? I'm so nervous about that one!

 

[idahograd14]

Awesome! Congrats on getting accepted to a school already! Did you apply to UW last year? I'm so nervous about that one!

Thanks, I am excited but still waiting to hear back from more programs before I make my decision. Where all did you apply? I did apply for UW last year and got rejected, it has gotten so competitive.

 

[GoOT]

Thanks, I am excited but still waiting to hear back from more programs before I make my decision. Where all did you apply? I did apply for UW last year and got rejected, it has gotten so competitive.

I applied to U of Pittsburgh (rejected), UPS (waitlisted), UW, Pacific University, USC, Ithaca (Rejected), Midwestern, EWU (Have Interview)

 

[otuw2017]

For those of you wondering about acceptance into the UW Master of Occupational Therapy program...

Yes, it is competitive, where over 500 applicants now apply each year. My current first year class has only 25 students in it (21 women and 4 men). About a quarter are from out of state. Acceptance will go out to you via e-mail (UPS does a mailed letter I believe), so be careful to check your e-mail account after this next week. It is quite informal by traditional standards.

For those of you wondering how you stack up on the black and whites of GPA, GRE, shadow hours, etc... My GPA was a 3.7, with a pre-requisite GPA of 3.9 with a GRE score in the 69th percentile. I had close to 80 hours of observation over 4 different settings. Once you reach certain benchmarks for grades (and they do not need to be as perfect as many of you suspect), the school seems more interested in the intangibles (recommendation letters you submitted, your life experience, diversity, artistic background and education, science background, or public policy focus, volunteer efforts, and the inspiration to get into OT shown in your essay).

Beyond that, it is out of your control since there is no formal interview for the University of Washington. That being said, you should strongly, strongly consider the style of school you will thrive in before your school of choice gets lucky enough to have you. The UW MOT program is heavy into the biological sciences and they believe in that. This means you will be spending a lot of your first year learning about the structure of the body and everything in it. This means intense study on identification of muscles, their actions, innervations, origins, insertions and how they move in 3D space. It also means you will be spending even more time learning about neurobiology (action potentials, neurotransmitters, somatosensory pathways, etc.). You can expect to work/study between 60-80 hours a week for your first year alone. If you have a strong background in neurobiology and/or anatomy, it won't be as difficult to start. UW is a research/science based program first and an occupational therapy clinical practice focus second kind of program, especially in the first year (we only have two 2 hours a week on actual practice skills). UPS believes in teaching through practicing hands-on, but it is more expensive and has its own challenges. Due to clinical error, they also accepted too many applicants in 2015, so their program might be overburdened for the next couple of years. The University of Washington believes in teaching via Powerpoint. Know how you learn before you actually start your program (visual, audio, kinesthetic, combo) and be prepared to devote the next two years of your life towards study.

Many of you here have the stats to get into a school, but just be aware of what you are going for here. You will need to sacrifice a lot to make it through a program. Talk to current first and second year students. Talk to recent graduates about their evaluation of their own program in how it prepared them for the field and pick the style of school that works for you, especially if you have options to choose from. When you do decide on the school to go to, start studying your pre-requisite material for your upcoming first year classes as soon as you can. It will get a lot deeper once you are in your program.

Hope this insight helps...and good luck.

 

[yesknow]

Need some advice! I emailed the admissions counselor for UW about an admission offer date and was told there was no specific date set. Considering this reply today, it seems as though admission offers will most likely not be coming out this week. YET I need to pay the $500 deposit to UPS by Friday to hold my spot. Should I pay the deposit knowing I will have to forfeit the money if I am accepted into UW? Or is it possible to ask for an extension? I haven't heard of many people asking for extensions, especially since UPS gave us quite a bit of time to accept their offer. If I were to ask, should I wait to see if I hear from UW this week or would it be better to ask now (given that there's still 3 days until the deadline)?

 

[OT_Guy]

Need some advice! I emailed the admissions counselor for UW about an admission offer date and was told there was no specific date set. Considering this reply today, it seems as though admission offers will most likely not be coming out this week. YET I need to pay the $500 deposit to UPS by Friday to hold my spot. Should I pay the deposit knowing I will have to forfeit the money if I am accepted into UW? Or is it possible to ask for an extension? I haven't heard of many people asking for extensions, especially since UPS gave us quite a bit of time to accept their offer. If I were to ask, should I wait to see if I hear from UW this week or would it be better to ask now (given that there's still 3 days until the deadline)?

I also applied to UW and have talked to Celine (admissions counselor). I was told it would be mid-March when we heard back and in the past two years it looks like they let applicants know around the 15th. I had a friend who applied to UPS and UW, got into UPS, paid their deposit, went to UPS orientation, then found out they got into UW and decided to go to UW. I think it's all about what you really want. I would say pay the deposit to UPS and if you get in to UW and want to go there then do it. $500 is a drop in the ocean when compared to getting the education and experience you want in my opinion, and I am by no means well-off. I don't think UPS will give an extension considering how competitive it is to get in and the numerous applicants on the wait list eager to go to their school.

I wish you well on your decision!

 

[OThopeful123]

Need some advice! I emailed the admissions counselor for UW about an admission offer date and was told there was no specific date set. Considering this reply today, it seems as though admission offers will most likely not be coming out this week. YET I need to pay the $500 deposit to UPS by Friday to hold my spot. Should I pay the deposit knowing I will have to forfeit the money if I am accepted into UW? Or is it possible to ask for an extension? I haven't heard of many people asking for extensions, especially since UPS gave us quite a bit of time to accept their offer. If I were to ask, should I wait to see if I hear from UW this week or would it be better to ask now (given that there's still 3 days until the deadline)?

I'm in the same boat. I'm going to wait until Thursday night to pay the deposit just in case UW sends out the admission email but I'm not counting on it. At this point, I think it's better to pay the deposit and decide later rather than not paying the deposit and then not getting in anywhere else. Best of luck to you!

 

[otschoolfor2016]

Need some advice! I emailed the admissions counselor for UW about an admission offer date and was told there was no specific date set. Considering this reply today, it seems as though admission offers will most likely not be coming out this week. YET I need to pay the $500 deposit to UPS by Friday to hold my spot. Should I pay the deposit knowing I will have to forfeit the money if I am accepted into UW? Or is it possible to ask for an extension? I haven't heard of many people asking for extensions, especially since UPS gave us quite a bit of time to accept their offer. If I were to ask, should I wait to see if I hear from UW this week or would it be better to ask now (given that there's still 3 days until the deadline)?

You should definitely ask for an extension ASAP. UW is also my first choice school, but since they are taking so long, I had to ask UIC for an extension TWICE. Most recently, they granted me an extension from March 10th until the end of March. In my experience, schools are very understanding of applicants having to wait on decisions from other schools. There's no harm in asking for an extension, since the worst they can do is say no, and then you can put down the deposit. The best that can happen is you save yourself $500. But you should definitely ask them for the extension sooner rather than later.

 

[yesknow]

You should definitely ask for an extension ASAP. UW is also my first choice school, but since they are taking so long, I had to ask UIC for an extension TWICE. Most recently, they granted me an extension from March 10th until the end of March. In my experience, schools are very understanding of applicants having to wait on decisions from other schools. There's no harm in asking for an extension, since the worst they can do is say no, and then you can put down the deposit. The best that can happen is you save yourself $500. But you should definitely ask them for the extension sooner rather than later.

Thanks to everyone for the advice! otschoolfor2016, did you email to ask for the extension or talk to them over the phone? I'm trying to think of how to ask in the best way possible.

 

[otschoolfor2016]

Thanks to everyone for the advice! otschoolfor2016, did you email to ask for the extension or talk to them over the phone? I'm trying to think of how to ask in the best way possible.

I just emailed to ask for the extension. It's possible calling them may help your chances, although I think either should be fine.

 

[GoOT]

Need some advice! I emailed the admissions counselor for UW about an admission offer date and was told there was no specific date set. Considering this reply today, it seems as though admission offers will most likely not be coming out this week. YET I need to pay the $500 deposit to UPS by Friday to hold my spot. Should I pay the deposit knowing I will have to forfeit the money if I am accepted into UW? Or is it possible to ask for an extension? I haven't heard of many people asking for extensions, especially since UPS gave us quite a bit of time to accept their offer. If I were to ask, should I wait to see if I hear from UW this week or would it be better to ask now (given that there's still 3 days until the deadline)?

Definitely ask for an extension! I'm on the waitlist for UPS and when I was talking with admissions they told me that some students had asked for and been granted extensions.

 

[CharlieKingOfRats]

I received my acceptance email to UW this morning!!

 

[otschoolfor2016]

I received my acceptance email to UW this morning!!

Congrats!! I just got accepted too!!!!

 

[OT_Guy]

Congrats!! I just got accepted too!!!!

Congrats to you both! I got accepted as well 🙂 Are you both going to attend?

 

[otschoolfor2016]

Congrats to you both! I got accepted as well 🙂 Are you both going to attend?

Awesome! Yes, I will be attending.

 

[BeAnOTsoon!?]

For those of you who were accepted to both UPS and U of Washington, what factors are influencing your decisions? I'm from out of state, so the cost is about the same for both of them. I love that UPS is super hands on and has such amazing facilities, but I also like the hard science focus of UW and its excellent reputation and ranking. Just curious how everyone is making their choices. Congrats to all!

 

[CharlieKingOfRats]

Congrats to you both! I got accepted as well 🙂 Are you both going to attend?

Congratulations to you as well! Although I am very pleased with the acceptance, I think I'm going to attend Rush instead, actually. Good luck to you!