Program-Specific Info / Q's West Coast University - 2019 MSOT

[PreOTGirl]

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Hey everyone! Hope everyone’s well. Just found out i’ve been accepted for the new summer cohort! who else?!

I’ve been accepted to the summer cohort too! YAY! Has anyone started a Facebook page yet?

 

[theavidtraveler]

Hi everyone,

I would like to ask, does the MSOT program at West Coast University start this summer/fall? I thought they only accept students for their spring quarter? (based on their curriculum). I submitted an application for their OTD program for this fall.

 

[Mrs. OT]

Hi everyone,

I would like to ask, does the MSOT program at West Coast University start this summer/fall? I thought they only accept students for their spring quarter? (based on their curriculum). I submitted an application for their OTD program for this fall.

They were just recently approved to start a MSOT Summer start. Now there are 2 start dates for MSOT; Summer and Spring.

 

[Mrs. OT]

Ok just made a page
West Coast MSOT summer cohort 2019

I was not able to join the page. But I made a group page, might be easier for us to connect.
Log into Facebook | Facebook

 

[theavidtraveler]

They were just recently approved to start a MSOT Summer start. Now there are 2 start dates for MSOT; Summer and Spring.

Thanks for the info. When is/was the deadline though for this year's MSOT Summer start?

 

[Mrs. OT]

Thanks for the info. When is/was the deadline though for this year's MSOT Summer start?

There was not an official start/deadline. They took some applicants off the Spring 2019 waitlist.

 

[captainottobe]

Hi everyone! Congrats to all who have been accepted! I was hoping someone could please help me. I see on OTCAS that West Coast has a rolling deadline for the MSOT application, does that mean that I can submit an application at any time? Is there a preferred date for the application to be turned in? I am a bit confused. If anyone has any guidance, I would really appreciate it. Thank you!

 

[PreOTGirl]

Hi everyone! Congrats to all who have been accepted! I was hoping someone could please help me. I see on OTCAS that West Coast has a rolling deadline for the MSOT application, does that mean that I can submit an application at any time? Is there a preferred date for the application to be turned in? I am a bit confused. If anyone has any guidance, I would really appreciate it. Thank you!

I would look online at the actual WCU OT page. That should tell you. If you want more clarity you can also call them. I would try to get your application in as soon as possible because I know they’ve already started giving out interview dates.

 

[PBOT]

Hey y'all! I applied to the OTD program and have an interview in March! If anyone can give me some advice on the interview process, what to expect, how to prepare, etc. that would be greatly appreciated 🙂 Also is the interview for the OTD similar to the MSOT? Congrats to everyone in so far!

 

[Mrs. OT]

Hi everyone! Congrats to all who have been accepted! I was hoping someone could please help me. I see on OTCAS that West Coast has a rolling deadline for the MSOT application, does that mean that I can submit an application at any time? Is there a preferred date for the application to be turned in? I am a bit confused. If anyone has any guidance, I would really appreciate it. Thank you!

Hello, go ahead and apply! They just opened a new summer cohort that's probably why otcas says it's a rolling admission.

 

[patty_ot]

Hey y'all! I applied to the OTD program and have an interview in March! If anyone can give me some advice on the interview process, what to expect, how to prepare, etc. that would be greatly appreciated 🙂 Also is the interview for the OTD similar to the MSOT? Congrats to everyone in so far!

Hi PBOT, I also applied to the OTD program but have not heard anything yet. Well I applied about 2 weeks ago. When did you submit your app??

 

[PBOT]

Hi PBOT, I also applied to the OTD program but have not heard anything yet. Well I applied about 2 weeks ago. When did you submit your app??

Hello! I applied first week of January and got a response about a week after submission.

 

[Otbound2343]

Hey y'all! I applied to the OTD program and have an interview in March! If anyone can give me some advice on the interview process, what to expect, how to prepare, etc. that would be greatly appreciated 🙂 Also is the interview for the OTD similar to the MSOT? Congrats to everyone in so far!

I have an interview for March 1st for the OTD program!

 

[OT10]

Hey y'all! I applied to the OTD program and have an interview in March! If anyone can give me some advice on the interview process, what to expect, how to prepare, etc. that would be greatly appreciated 🙂 Also is the interview for the OTD similar to the MSOT? Congrats to everyone in so far!

The interview process is very similar to the MSOT program. They will just be asking why OTD instead of MSOT and what you intend on using your OTD for (i.e. research, teaching, leadership, etc.) You should follow West Coast OT instagram, there you'll get a feel of how the program and students are like. You might even be able to find a student who can help you out on there.

I would prepare by looking online for typical OT school interview questions, such as "What is OT?", "Why OT?", "How do you manage stress?" and really think about your OT experience. The interviews are multiple mini interview style. In addition, you will be writing a timed response to a prompt. Honestly, the best way to prepare is to practice answering interview questions w/o sounding like a memorized robot and just showcasing your passion for OT. They are looking for passionate trailblazers & future leaders of the OT field, so show that in your interview.

 

[AccidentalOT]

I have an interview for March 1st for the OTD program!

Good luck on your interview! I have mine for the OTD at West Coast on March 22nd so please do share any info you get with us over here. Please and thank you!

Otherwise, congrats!

 

[PBOT]

Good luck on your interview! I have mine for the OTD at West Coast on March 22nd so please do share any info you get with us over here. Please and thank you!

Otherwise, congrats!

I have mine on the same day! I'll see ya there, and good luck to both of us!

 

[PBOT]

The interview process is very similar to the MSOT program. They will just be asking why OTD instead of MSOT and what you intend on using your OTD for (i.e. research, teaching, leadership, etc.) You should follow West Coast OT instagram, there you'll get a feel of how the program and students are like. You might even be able to find a student who can help you out on there.

I would prepare by looking online for typical OT school interview questions, such as "What is OT?", "Why OT?", "How do you manage stress?" and really think about your OT experience. The interviews are multiple mini interview style. In addition, you will be writing a timed response to a prompt. Honestly, the best way to prepare is to practice answering interview questions w/o sounding like a memorized robot and just showcasing your passion for OT. They are looking for passionate trailblazers & future leaders of the OT field, so show that in your interview.

Thank you so much for all your advice!! I do follow their instagram page and I love all the students' personality and how each cohort is basically a family, which is one of the main reasons why WCU is my #1 choice for OTD! Would you know by any chance what the essay prompt might be about?

 

[OT10]

Thank you so much for all your advice!! I do follow their instagram page and I love all the students' personality and how each cohort is basically a family, which is one of the main reasons why WCU is my #1 choice for OTD! Would you know by any chance what the essay prompt might be about?

Sorry, I don't know and if I do they most likely could change it and they make you sign that you cannot share the prompt info. But mostly, it would center around your experience with OT. If you would like, I can send you an IG of someone I found that attends the school in the MSOT program. MSOT/OTD at WCU is practically the same, so I think advice from a MSOT student would help. Just send me a message and I can share with you. 🙂

 

[theavidtraveler]

I have mine on the same day! I'll see ya there, and good luck to both of us!

I would also like to share that my interview date will be on March 22nd as well. 🙂

 

[captainottobe]

Anyone know where OTCAS states deadlines for each cycle? I was told it is stated on OTCAS but I cannot find it. The deadline just says "rolling."

 

[missOTD]

Hello! I was wondering if those who invterviewed on March 1st for the OTD program at West Coast know when we are supposed to hear back on their decision?

 

[patty_ot]

Hello! I was wondering if those who invterviewed on March 1st for the OTD program at West Coast know when we are supposed to hear back on their decision?

Hi! they said they'll try to send out acceptances by end of March but give them until end of April.

 

[AccidentalOT]

Anyone know where OTCAS states deadlines for each cycle? I was told it is stated on OTCAS but I cannot find it. The deadline just says "rolling."

On my OTCAS it states that the deadline is 5/30/2019 or May 30th of this year. It is stated on the Program's application page when you login to OTCAS and fill out your information (ex: Prerequisites tab and Questions tab). On the other hand, I do see where you are seeing the Rolling deadline; you're looking at the one for the Master's program.

 

[AccidentalOT]

Hi! they said they'll try to send out acceptances by end of March but give them until end of April.

End of March? If that be true then I hope those of us interviewing on March 22nd (see: PBOT, theavidtraveler, and me as far as I know) will be given a fair shot in getting admitted. End of April sounds better unless by some divine intervention, everyone on this thread gets admitted. Now that would be something haha

 

[captainottobe]

On my OTCAS it states that the deadline is 5/30/2019 or May 30th of this year. It is stated on the Program's application page when you login to OTCAS and fill out your information (ex: Prerequisites tab and Questions tab). On the other hand, I do see where you are seeing the Rolling deadline; you're looking at the one for the Master's program.

Thank you for your help! Do you see the dates because your application is for OTD? Do you know how to see them for Masters?

 

[iamgro-OT]

Hello! @captainottobe and everyone else. So I attended the information session yesterday at West Coast University. Mary mentioned that the Spring 2020 MSOT program is "rolling" but the final deadline date is on June 14th. When they say "final deadline", they mean that your OTCAS application has been verified and everything has been received by OTCAS (e.g. your transcripts, references, payments etc.) BY or before June 14th. Keep in mind that your OTCAS application may take up to 2-4 weeks to get it verified. With that said, I would submit my application by mid to late May just in case. Their Fall 2019 OTD program's deadline is May 30th. And just in case you guys are wondering, they have a maximum capacity of 34 students per cohort in their MSOT program and 28 students per cohort in their OTD program. All these information were given at the information session yesterday by Mary and Dr. Willis. Hope this helps and good luck to everyone applying!

 

[captainottobe]

Hello! @captainottobe and everyone else. So I attended the information session yesterday at West Coast University. Mary mentioned that the Spring 2020 MSOT program is "rolling" but the final deadline date is on June 14th. When they say "final deadline", they mean that your OTCAS application has been verified and everything has been received by OTCAS (e.g. your transcripts, references, payments etc.) BY or before June 14th. Keep in mind that your OTCAS application may take up to 2-4 weeks to get it verified. With that said, I would submit my application by mid to late May just in case. Their Fall 2019 OTD program's deadline is May 30th. And just in case you guys are wondering, they have a maximum capacity of 34 students per cohort in their MSOT program and 28 students per cohort in their OTD program. All these information were given at the information session yesterday by Mary and Dr. Willis. Hope this helps and good luck to everyone applying!

Thank you so much for this info! I wanted to go to an info session but when I signed up, it said "no information session available" for MSOT last time I checked. After June 14th deadline, OTCAS closes and the next cycle opens again in July 2019 - is that correct?

 

[iamgro-OT]

Thank you so much for this info! I wanted to go to an info session but when I signed up, it said "no information session available" for MSOT last time I checked. After June 14th deadline, OTCAS closes and the next cycle opens again in July 2019 - is that correct?

You're welcome! And yes, that is correct. I believe there will be 3 programs available to apply into, 2020 Fall OTD Program, 2020 Summer MSOT Program, and 2021 Spring MSOT Program

 

[captainottobe]

You're welcome! And yes, that is correct. I believe there will be 3 programs available to apply into, 2020 Fall OTD Program, 2020 Summer MSOT Program, and 2021 Spring MSOT Program

You are such a big help, thank you! Any chance you know roughly when the 2020 Summer MSOT Program and 2021 Spring MSOT Program deadlines are?

 

[iamgro-OT]

You are such a big help, thank you! Any chance you know roughly when the 2020 Summer MSOT Program and 2021 Spring MSOT Program deadlines are?

No problem! And as far as the Summer MSOT program, I am not sure. For the Spring MSOT, however, I am pretty positive the deadline will also be around June 14th or whenever the day OTCAS closes their cycle for that year.

 

[PBOT]

End of March? If that be true then I hope those of us interviewing on March 22nd (see: PBOT, theavidtraveler, and me as far as I know) will be given a fair shot in getting admitted. End of April sounds better unless by some divine intervention, everyone on this thread gets admitted. Now that would be something haha

I agree, hopefully we have an equal chance of getting in to the program!

For those who attended the interview on March 1st, how was it? If you have any advice to share on how to better prepare that would be greatly appreciated! 🙂

 

[AccidentalOT]

Hello! @captainottobe and everyone else. So I attended the information session yesterday at West Coast University. Mary mentioned that the Spring 2020 MSOT program is "rolling" but the final deadline date is on June 14th. When they say "final deadline", they mean that your OTCAS application has been verified and everything has been received by OTCAS (e.g. your transcripts, references, payments etc.) BY or before June 14th. Keep in mind that your OTCAS application may take up to 2-4 weeks to get it verified. With that said, I would submit my application by mid to late May just in case. Their Fall 2019 OTD program's deadline is May 30th. And just in case you guys are wondering, they have a maximum capacity of 34 students per cohort in their MSOT program and 28 students per cohort in their OTD program. All these information were given at the information session yesterday by Mary and Dr. Willis. Hope this helps and good luck to everyone applying!

So if there are 28 spots for the OTD program, did Mary mention how many have applied for it so far? Also, did she give you any details on what kind of candidate they're looking for in terms of experience, GPA, etc? I'd assume the OTD and MSOT candidate profiles would be similar though; another school I'm applying to has told me that but WCU could be different.

Thanks for the insight and help. Your username is cool too lol.

 

[iamgro-OT]

Hello @AccidentalOT! I actually did not ask Mary how many applied so far or how many applicants they receive each year for their programs. Sorry about that.

As far as what candidates they look for, she said as long as you meet all their requirements such as a minimum of 3.0 GPA for your bachelor's degree and prereq. courses, 3 references (2 OT and 1 faculty member), minimum of 40hrs. observation, etc. you will most likely receive an interview invitation. They don't require a personal statement, that is why they do the interviews.

During the information session, we had the chance to meet and talk to some of the current MSOT and OTD students there. They gave us a tour of the campus, which was really nice. They also showed us where we will most likely get interviewed if we are ever invited lol. I asked them if they have any tips or advice they can give to prepare for the interview and they emphasized to really read the "Meet the Faculty" section on WCU's website. Those faculty members will most likely be the ones who will interview you.They said the interview is a multiple mini interview setup. You're in a room, one faculty member comes in and asks you a question and you have about 5 minutes to answer the question. After that 5 minutes, that faculty member leaves and another one comes in asks you a different question and so on. They said it will be a maximum of 5 faculty members who will be interviewing you with an additional of possibly 2 current students. They said to prepare questions to ask your interviewer. Bonus point if you bring up or ask your interviewer about their expertise. This is why it is important to somewhat get to know the faculty members before your interview. And lastly, they said to just be yourself. Sorry long post but hope this helps. I actually just recently submitted my application for OTD and MSOT last Thursday (03/07) and received an email that I met all their requirements the following day. So hopefully I get an interview invite soon.

And thank you!! lol. Groot is one of my favorite characters

 

[KatOT]

Hello @AccidentalOT! I actually did not ask Mary how many applied so far or how many applicants they receive each year for their programs. Sorry about that.

As far as what candidates they look for, she said as long as you meet all their requirements such as a minimum of 3.0 GPA for your bachelor's degree and prereq. courses, 3 references (2 OT and 1 faculty member), minimum of 40hrs. observation, etc. you will most likely receive an interview invitation. They don't require a personal statement, that is why they do the interviews.

During the information session, we had the chance to meet and talk to some of the current MSOT and OTD students there. They gave us a tour of the campus, which was really nice. They also showed us where we will most likely get interviewed if we are ever invited lol. I asked them if they have any tips or advice they can give to prepare for the interview and they emphasized to really read the "Meet the Faculty" section on WCU's website. Those faculty members will most likely be the ones who will interview you.They said the interview is a multiple mini interview setup. You're in a room, one faculty member comes in and asks you a question and you have about 5 minutes to answer the question. After that 5 minutes, that faculty member leaves and another one comes in asks you a different question and so on. They said it will be a maximum of 5 faculty members who will be interviewing you with an additional of possibly 2 current students. They said to prepare questions to ask your interviewer. Bonus point if you bring up or ask your interviewer about their expertise. This is why it is important to somewhat get to know the faculty members before your interview. And lastly, they said to just be yourself. Sorry long post but hope this helps. I actually just recently submitted my application for OTD and MSOT last Thursday (03/07) and received an email that I met all their requirements the following day. So hopefully I get an interview invite soon.

And thank you!! lol. Groot is one of my favorite characters

Thanks for all the information you posted! I have an interview with MSOT program in April! wish you the best of luck!

 

[iamgro-OT]

You're welcome! Also, I received an interview invitation from them today for the OTD and MSOT programs which will be on March 22nd at 10:30! So I will be seeing some of you guys there! Good luck to all of us!

 

[PBOT]

Can't wait to meet everybody here who has an interview on March 22nd!

Is it just me or am I the only one nervous about the essay portion of the interview? 😱 A student who is currently in the OTD program told me that the essay is just another way for you to explain what you can bring to WCU, and that it's something that we shouldn't worry too much about. But it still makes me nervous (considering I haven't handwritten anything in a long time lol)! Anybody have any insights on this?

 

[KatOT]

Can't wait to meet everybody here who has an interview on March 22nd!

Is it just me or am I the only one nervous about the essay portion of the interview? 😱 A student who is currently in the OTD program told me that the essay is just another way for you to explain what you can bring to WCU, and that it's something that we shouldn't worry too much about. But it still makes me nervous (considering I haven't handwritten anything in a long time lol)! Anybody have any insights on this?

I'm pretty nervous for the writing portion too! I would start thinking about your experiences in OT or anything related to it. I know I'm going to start outlining everything since I have a lot of different experiences. Just make sure you don't spend too much time thinking about what to write DURING the essay since it's timed. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE! While you still have time 🙂

 

[otot2019]

I was wondering if anyone heard back from OTD West Coast University on whether they got in or not.
I could not find an OTD WCU forum so just decided to post here instead.


I had my interview on March 1st, 2019! It went well, but good luck to everyone on the upcoming interviews!

 

[iamgro-OT]

I was wondering if anyone heard back from OTD West Coast University on whether they got in or not.
I could not find an OTD WCU forum so just decided to post here instead.


I had my interview on March 1st, 2019! It went well, but good luck to everyone on the upcoming interviews!

Congrats on getting through your interview!

My assumption is that they will probably not release any acceptance emails until after the upcoming interview on the 22nd. They might not even release any till after May 30th, which is the deadline to submit your application. But again, this is just my assumption which I am basing off of some of the forums from previous years so I could be wrong lol.

If you do not mind me asking, how was the writing portion? Do you mind giving us an idea of what the prompt was about? Is it about our volunteer experiences? Current political issue about healthcare/OT? Our strengths/weaknesses? lol.

 

[A.D. Row]

I would also like to share that my interview date will be on March 22nd as well. 🙂

I will also be there to interview on March 22nd! I am so excited! I look forward to seeing you all 🙂

 

[KatOT]

Is anyone interviewing for the MSOT program on April 12?

 

[smac-ot]

End of March? If that be true then I hope those of us interviewing on March 22nd (see: PBOT, theavidtraveler, and me as far as I know) will be given a fair shot in getting admitted. End of April sounds better unless by some divine intervention, everyone on this thread gets admitted. Now that would be something haha

I’m interviewing on March 22 also.

 

[AccidentalOT]

Good luck to all of us going in tomorrow. When are the interviews for all of y’all? Mine will be at 12:00pm.

 

[A.D. Row]

Those who interviewed yesterday, did you happen to find out when we can expect to hear back about decisions?

 

[AccidentalOT]

Forgot to ask

The mini interview portion went by so quick for me that it slipped my mind. I sent an email to Mary though and hopefully she’ll get back to me on Monday.

 

[AccidentalOT]

What time slot did you interview at?

 

[A.D. Row]

What time slot did you interview at?

I interviewed at 12

 

[KatOT]

How do you think you guys did?! And what are your thoughts about the interview process?

 

[PBOT]

I interviewed at 11AM, and honestly it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be! I agree with @AccidentalOT, the interview part went by so fast. Once I got to know the interviewer it was already time for her to leave so the next one can come in lol. I'm definitely worried about the essay portion though, just because I knew I could've written it better, but hey we only had 45 min to write 5 paragraphs

My advice for those having interviews in the upcoming future is to just be yourself! The faculty members are very nice and they really try to make the interview process as comfortable as possible. Talk to them as if you're having a conversation with them. Draw from all your related experiences - volunteer/shadowing, undergrad, and even personal stories. This is your chance to showcase your personality and passion for the beautiful field of occupational therapy! Good luck to all!

 

[AccidentalOT]

I interviewed at 12

Hey, so did I lol. We probably met? My name is Tony if that rings a bell.

@KatOT what @PBOT said sounds about right. Most of the faculty members I had came in we’re friendly, smiling and encouraged us to relax and be ourselves. It seemed like they wanted to know us more as people than just applicants. I just got tongue tied due to nerves on the first one, especially cuz my first interviewer had a stone cold serious look on her face and that kinda spooked me tbh

As for the essay, I totally agree, that’s one of my biggest stresses rn cuz I didn’t even finish all the way! My hand cramped up so I wish I practiced writing more. Sounds stupid but alas, it’s true.