What are my chances?

[osu6825]

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First of all, I'd like to thank everyone on this forum for everything I have learned over the past few months. You guys are extremely helpful to everyone and will hopefully be helpful to me as well! Currently, I am a college graduate with a bachelor's in Communications. After graduating I realized that I made a mistake and like most people on here, decided to pursue a career in occupational therapy. My goal is to get my masters degree in occupational therapy, but it seems like my plans are starting to fall apart. My GPA when I graduated was a 2.52. After a few semesters of prerequisites, I have boosted that up to a 2.75 averaging about a 3.5 every semester after graduation. My prerequisite GPA so far is about 3.5, but I still have a few left (anatomy, sociology, physics), but I plan on doing well. I have calculated my future GPA and I think I will have around a 2.9 when all is said and done. I have roughly 50 observation hours and counting (I plan to have over 100). I have been mildly active in clubs, but have trouble doing extracurriculars because I work ~35 hours/week at my school's wrestling/gymnastics training facility on top of school (which I want to somehow use to my advantage, because there is a lot of rehabilitation therapy done there). Also, I'm scheduled to take the GRE in August, which I plan on doing relatively well on. I just want to know where you guys think I stand- if I have absolutely NO chance, or if it is just going to take the obvious extra hard work and things might work out. I understand I will not get into a big school or a well renowned university, I just want to know what my chances of getting into a small, maybe non-OTCAS, school are.

Thank you all!

 

[dobber]

One thing I learned is that projections *almost* never come true. Which is why I'm staying in school an extra semester. I was expecting to get an A in this anatomy class I'm taking right now but something happened (I bombed ONE single test) and now I have an almost impossible chance of getting a low B in that class and I gotta be happy with a C+. Live day by day, and understand that the best case scenario might not work.

Ok, with that being said, you have a good chance. Apply to schools that look at the last 60 credits, shadow a lot, and really try to do well on the GRE because they might accept you based on potential. Keep up the good work, I know you're trying.

 

[osu6825]

Thank you for your reply, dobber. Are you in a similar situation? If so, good luck! We'll need it.


There are a few things I forgot to mention:

My letters of recommendation will be from my aunt who is an OT that I have shadowed, a professor, and either my employer or my advisor. All of whom I expect to say nothing but good things about me. Also, I would like to point out that when I was in undergrad, I didn't take school seriously. It wasn't like I was trying my hardest and getting a 2.5, I honestly completely did not try whatsoever (duh). I thought I was going to get my degree, get a job, and voila! Obviously it didn't go as smoothly as I had hoped. However, since making this decision to return to school, I have done no worse than getting all A's and one B per semester. This is how I calculated my future GPA of 2.9 and prerequisite GPA of 3.5 (which could be better if my future B's are actually A's). My upcoming schedule is basically one or two prerequisite classes mixed with 3 or 4 GPA booster classes for the next 3 semesters.

 

[jewel11786]

My school accepts a minimum of a 2.8 for the entry-level master's program. I would look into smaller schools that don't base their admission on a minimum 3.0. I know alot of graduate programs require a 3.0 at the minimum and their are no other exceptions, even if you have an amazing GRE score, LOR, tons of observation hours, etc. Does your school offer grade replacements? Can you maybe retake some of the classes you did poorly in? Otherwise, like the other person suggested, we can't predict everything, but taking some extra classes to boost you cumulative GPA may be an option. Classes like physics, kiniesiology, biology, neuroscience, etc. are good classes to help prepare you for OT, which aren't always required by some programs anyway, and it may help boost your overall GPA if you decide to take them. Some schools do look at the last 60 credits, and some schools also calculate your overall GPA including other classes you have taken, not just those from you bachelor's. Call the programs you're interested in and ask. Hope this helps.