So currently I have been interested in physical therapy, but I might be having a career change. What GPA, pre-req GPA, hours, etc are acceptable to get into an OT program? If no one minds...could you share yours? What can I do besides volunteer or become an aide to make me a better candidate?
what do I need to get into an O.T. program?
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One of the issues I think a lot of us applicants are facing is the variability between different programs' requirements. If you check out the stats sticky in this forum, you'll see what candidates with what stats got into which programs. GENERALLY, most MOT or MS programs seem to require a minimum 3.0 GPA in both prereqs and overall GPA (some only count the last 90, 60 or 50 credits taken). Requirements for volunteer/shadowing hours also varies quite a bit. The program I applied to strongly recommended having at least 100 hours. Others require only 40 hours or none but do require one of your recommendations be completed by an OT who has seen you in an OT setting. I would say to be safe, any applicant should have at least 100 hours, probably in more than one setting. Also, they all want to know that an applicant knows what OT is. To make yourself a strong applicant, you would want to do research about the nature of OT and some of the current issues the field faces. They also look for leadership qualities, strong writing skills and personality traits conducive to being an OT (creative, adaptable, compassionate, steady under pressure, etc.)
All of these things are what I've observed in my research about different programs. The best way to prepare yourself would be to look at the websites for specific programs you're considering. Then come up with some questions you have and call their admissions office or arrange a visit/advisory session.
Good luck!
In my humblest opinion, I think the most important thing you can bring to the table is a true understanding of OT and how your life experiences will make you a great OT. After spending time on this message board, I think it's clear that most candidates have the grades, GRE scores and volunteer hours. Those who don't, work hard to improve their scores and try again.
Another important thing is to research the schools and learn what really matters to them. I was cut by a number of schools because they receive so many applications and have to make broad cuts without even looking at things like personal statements. The school that I was accepted to (Puget Sound) required a separate essay and I was told by their admission counselor to make sure I addressed every question that they were asking. Looking back, I'm now starting to see that UPS places more emphasis on the personal statement than anything else. (They didn't even have a minimum number of required observation hours and had the least amount of prereqs of all the schools I applied to.) This worked to my advantage because I have a lot of blemishes on my transcript from when I was younger but through my personal statement, I was able to address these issues and explain how I have grown and learned from them. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the way other schools process applications, I don't think they even got around to reading my personal statement!
Best of luck to you!
Another important thing is to research the schools and learn what really matters to them. I was cut by a number of schools because they receive so many applications and have to make broad cuts without even looking at things like personal statements. The school that I was accepted to (Puget Sound) required a separate essay and I was told by their admission counselor to make sure I addressed every question that they were asking. Looking back, I'm now starting to see that UPS places more emphasis on the personal statement than anything else. (They didn't even have a minimum number of required observation hours and had the least amount of prereqs of all the schools I applied to.) This worked to my advantage because I have a lot of blemishes on my transcript from when I was younger but through my personal statement, I was able to address these issues and explain how I have grown and learned from them. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the way other schools process applications, I don't think they even got around to reading my personal statement!
Best of luck to you!
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Also, check out the sticky at the top of the forum titled:
Sticky: GPA's, GRE's, XTRA's, ACCEPTANCES
Sticky: GPA's, GRE's, XTRA's, ACCEPTANCES
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I'm not sure where you're looking but you can look at the spreadsheet I posted a couple of days ago for schools around NYC. It has the prerqs, volunteer hours and such. I also included each school site so you get to their OT page in one click.
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