General Admissions & OTCAS What are my chances?

[cardinalalumL1C4]

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Hello I am new to this and really want some good advice on my chances on getting accepted into a MOT program. I am taking a gap year to volunteer, shadow, take the gre and complete any other classes I need done. I just graduated with my bachelor's in Exercise Science with an overall GPA of 3.3. My prereq GPA would be at about a 3.1 but this is mostly low because my freshman year I received a D in college algebra and a C in chem 101. If I plan to volunteer many of my hours for experience and place high on the GRE would I get accepted? I am planning on applying to EKU, Spalding, Southern Indiana, and TSU. I will have great recommendation letters from my internship from a exercise physiologist and a nurse at a cardiac rehab unit. I was also thinking of doing a internship for Occupational Therapy based out of Africa for about two weeks. If I did that would it make me stand out or should I not waste my money on that trip?

 

[HopefulOT13]

DO NOT WASTE MONEY ON THE TRIP. I have been told they view that as snobbish as there are plenty of people in the U.S. that need help. You can get a lot of hours in various settings in your own town. That being said, I had a lower gpa due to the same things (freshman year was a struggle) but I was accepted! I had a lot of shadowing hours (over 500) in different settings. I also had other volunteer experience outside of OT which a lot of schools look for. Just do a lot of volunteer work, write an awesome essay and get great recommendations. Hope this helps!

 

[cardinalalumL1C4]

Thank you! I never would have thought the trip would be viewed like that. I'm glad I won't waste money on it.

 

[idontdance]

Whatever volunteering you do, make it consistent. Spending time in one setting once a week for a year will show dedication. Plus, you might even get a rec letter from someone you work with.

Also, try to take the prereq classes asap. (Accelerated summer/fall if you are applying in the fall). When i applied I had two classes in progress and 1-2 scheduled for the spring. It definitely hurt my chances.