Wanted: Constructive Criticism Please!!!!!

[mam08009]

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Hi everyone, I posted this in the thread regarding stats and acceptances/rejections hoping I'd get some advice there but I was told that it'd be best to start a new thread for more people to see! I want your honest opinion about my chances of getting into OT school. I know OT schools are getting more and more competitive each year so I honestly have no idea where I stand on the competitive scale. Here are my stats:

University: University of Connecticut
Major: Allied Health Sciences
Overall GPA: 3.08
Last 60- 3.621 (I even took 21 credits during my last semester and received all A's, so you can imagine how low my GPA was before my senior year)
Pre-Req GPA: 3.8-4.0, depending on the school; I have A's in A/P I and II, A in abnormal, A- in developmental, B+ in stats, A in sociology, A in gen psych, B in physics, A in calculus, etc.
GRE: trying to avoid it!! --BUT I think I'm going to take it because not taking it limits so many options for me!
Hours: I work as a Mobility Aid (Kind of like a rehab aid) and I am always seeing OTs and PTs and helping them out whenever they need assistance with patients so I have been exposed to the OT field for a while now. There is one OT there that is kind of like my guide haha so she likes to take me under her wing during work and observe her when she's doing evals! I have 25 hours with a school OT and 25 hours with an outpatient/neuro OT. Trying to get more hours involving hand therapy and at SNF.

So here is specifically where I need help:

My stupidity during my freshman year and part of my sophomore year really killed my GPA. Do you think schools can see past this, esp seeing my pre-req and last 60 GPA? I've really matured these past couple of years and have been highly motivated to become an OT. I love everything about this job, especially the connection you can make with patients! I can see myself becoming an OT and loving every minute of it. But it's just that cumulative GPA that's scaring the crap out of me! I see so many people with such high cumulative GPAs and idk if that's from taking CC classes or not having to deal with rigorous coursework. I'm not trying to offend absolutely anyone. If I could go back, I would probably do my first two years at a community college and then transfer to a state school just to make my life easier. Coursework at UConn is absolutely intense and my major required us to take so many science classes (biochemistry, microbiology, organic chemistry, etc). So my question is, do you think schools will look at the rigor of the coursework when determining who's competitive or not? Would they really choose someone that got all A's in a CC versus someone who went to a more competitive school with A's and B's?? Once again, I'm not being offensive. It just hurts to know how much hard work I put in especially the last two years and see it go to waste because of other students who took an easier way to get good grades. If I did offend anyone then forgive me.

Also, because of my low GPA, what do you think I should aim for on the GRE? What do most OT schools want competitive applicants to have at the very least?

Regarding observation hours, I already mentioned this in a different thread but I see a lot of school asking for VOLUNTEER hours. Are they referring to volunteer hours with an OT?? Or are they referring to general volunteer hours? Because I have around 200 hours working as a patient care rep at a hospital. I know it's not easy to find a job with so much exposure to OTs but I was very fortunate to get this job so do you think this can count towards my OBSERVATION (not volunteer) hours? If that's the case then I have roughly 300 observation hours in just one setting. How many hours do you think I should get if I decided to observe a hand therapist or observe at a nursing home? Does 20 hours at each setting sound ok?

I know this is a loaded thread but like I said, I honestly don't know where I stand in terms of getting into OT school. Will I be having a lot of trouble getting in? I'm thinking about applying to around 12 schools. I know this thread makes me seem like a freak lol I realize that but it's just the fear of the unknown getting to me, I guess 🙁

Any help is greatly appreciated. If you are in OT school and had similar stats then could you please describe your experience and what you did to make yourself look like a better applicant? Thank you so much!!

 

[2bOT]

I recommend you take the GRE and beast it to make up for low cum GPA. Your pre-req is great and last 60 GPA shows the maturation you've explained, but a lot of your competitors are going to pull the same pre-req grades as well as a high cum. Schools tell you to aim for 50%ile in each category on the GRE, so I would consider that a bare minimum. I took the old GRE and don't know what numbers are impressive on the new one, but aim high!

Having lots of volunteer hours is beneficial, but you definitely need more hours under the direct supervision of ONE OT who will verify you observed xx hours of OT services DIRECTLY. If you have an OT at the facility you're at who will do that then your hours will count. You'll want a letter of rec from an OT too. Get as many hours as you can in at least 2 diff settings, there's no magic number to stop at.

To give you my personal frame of reference, I'm a first year OT student at a public university. I had your same major, same intensity in the sciences at a giant public institution (they took a weed-out approach in the introductory classes. it was just grrreeeeatttt), and similar pre-req GPA when I applied, my cum was 3.5. I was accepted to 2 schools, waitlisted at 4 schools, no rejections. Unfortunately, I don't think most schools take your institution into the equation, but your best bet is to ask that to the admissions committees of the schools you're interested in. Applying at schools who interview gives you a better chance to stand out as a worthy applicant and defend your upward grade trend.

Are you planning to apply this cycle or next? If next cycle, you have plenty of time to take the GRE and boost your cum. If this cycle, apply early for your best chances! Good luck!

 

[jewel11786]

Taking the GRE will help expand the schools you will be eligible to apply to as your GPA suffered. I would recommend taking a few GRE prep courses and giving it your best effort, a good score can help improve your overall application. As for your GPA I think most schools consider the overall picture. If they see significant improvement in your most recent classes and prerequisites grades, it shows the admissions committee you are able to hand graduate level work. But to be on the safe side I would mention the circumstances of your low grades and how you improved yourself in your essay or during the interview, sort of how you grew from the experience.

 

[mam08009]

thank you guys so much for your advice!! sorry for the late response! i've been busy with OT apps and just getting in more observation hours.One of the OTs I follow told me that this field is very holistic; it looks at the entire picture in order to make a conclusion and that's exactly how most MOT programs work (she's actually a teacher for the COTA program at a community college so I'm going to take her word for it haha). So don't focus so much on your past errors. They will always be there but what's important is what you do afterwards. You can either use rock bottom as your foundation to rise or you can just give up and "settle" with what you've got. Just letting others know who might be in the same position as I am. Don't give up! I know I won't! I already applied to two programs and will continue to keep applying!!

Though I do seem optimistic, this process is still very nerve-wrecking, not gonna lie! I'm just trying to make the best of what I have! so if anybody has any more advice on my application or just advice in general for myself and for others then please do share!