What was the hardest part of the DPT application process for you?

[brooklynyc]

I struggled in two areas.

My biggest weakness is interviewing. I don't like answering things like what my biggest strength is, my biggest weakness, "tell me about a time when" questions, etc. I feel incredibly inauthentic when answering questions like these. I did best when interviews were more conversational. I remember being in a panel interview once with another candidate and we took turns answering questions and I remember being so impressed by her answers. They were very sharp. I rehearsed aloud a fair amount but I know I could have done more by asking friends to mock interview me.

The second area I struggled in was crafting my essay. I found it incredibly difficult to come up with something that felt original yet authentic. Even when I felt it was a good idea, I would then submit it to some close friends for review and they would absolutely rip it apart (in a good way, though). It took me about two months of continuous rewriting to finally have a polished essay (or as good as it was going to get).

What did you guys find most difficult about the process?

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[VitaminPT]

Putting in my credit card number to pay for multiple program on PTCAS. That was the worst.

second would be writing the personal statement and incorporating all my ideas.

 

[DesertPT]

I found having to get LORs from people to be fairly awkward cuz you know it's a total pain in the butt for them.

And I agree regarding interview styles, those what would you do in this situation type questions suck. But they are fast becoming the gold standard format for interviews, whether it be job interviews, school or whatever else. So we are all just gonna have to live with them. Although I will say that at the school I ended up getting rejected from their interviews had a lot of those type of questions and it did make the interview very stiff and uncomfortable. At the school I ultimately chose to attend the interview was very conversational and actually a very enjoyable experience. I think those scripted tell me about a time when and what would you do if questions just give the whole interview a very cardboard feeling, but it is what it is.

But by far the most painful part of the process was getting up at 6:45 every Wednesday morning for a year to go to physics lab with a TA who hardly spoke English, then having to write a 12 page long lab report every week of the most mind numbing minutia. My heart leaps in my chest with joy and gratitude when I think of the fact that I will never again have to attend an undergrad physics or chemistry lab. As someone who has done lab work for a living, few things in my educational career have been more asinine.

 

[AP191]

Most difficult to least difficult during this cycle:
1. Waiting game (this should really be in its own class altogether. Man did this one suck.
2. LOR hunting and gathering
3. Personal Statement
4. PTCAS Payment
5. Interviews
6. Supplemental information from various schools
7. GPA/GRE records into PTCAS (always worked perfectly for me within 2 weeks)
8. Everything else I didn't include

 

[mv85dpthopeful]

The hardest parts for me have been:
1. Staying positive throughout rejections
2. The waiting game (waking up in a panic to check my email for updates)
3. Interviews
4. Supplemental applications-seriously, what's the point of PTCAS if so many schools have an entire additional application?
5. Since I'm a little older than many applicants, putting off things like buying a house and planning for a family.
6. The fear of "what if it just never works out?"

 

[DesertPT]

I'm glad we can all sit around and complain together. Good times

 

[mv85dpthopeful]

I'm glad we can all sit around and complain together. Good times

Haha, totally! I love how positive and supportive SDN is, but it is kinda nice to just be able to vent sometimes.

 

[brooklynyc]

I'm glad we can all sit around and complain together. Good times

Hey hey . . . we are reflecting on our collective experiences!

And MV85, that's what I love about SDN. This is probably the only place I can think of where I can talk about this to an understanding (and helpful) audience.

Talking to friends about this is so pointless. Even talking to my handful of friends who are PTs or in school is not the same.

 

[mattforpt]

The hardest part for me is a tossup between waiting for decisions and getting rejections. I'm still on the waiting list for the school I want to go to ($20k cheaper and way closer to home), but it's been a huge weight off knowing I got in somewhere.

During this process I was kind of jealous of my high school self. For whatever reason, I honestly didn't care when I was applying to college. I even just started studying for the SAT the week before I was supposed to take it. PT school is something I really worked hard for though. I had to overcome a lot of personal stuff, so I was on pins and needles waiting to hear back from schools.

I'm glad we can all sit around and complain together. Good times

Lol!

 

[southernswimmer]

Getting rejected. That hurt.

But those just made the acceptances so much sweeter

 

[dptgrayson]

Like most of us, the waiting game is awful, especially if you're reapplying. I think however the hardest part just happened for me- I found out my dream school which has literally everything I want out of a program- location, curriculum set up, clinical settings, ect., only has a couple spots remaining, and only if the people that were offered those spots don't accept. It's hard knowing that despite all the crazy effort, the hours you put into studying and writing essays, might still not land you where you want and (and honestly in my case) feel you NEED to be.

I know I should be happy, as I have been accepted to schools, but it's hard when you feel like a portion of your dream is still slipping right through your fingers. I figure if anybody could understand it's you guys.

 

[DjT3kN]

For me, as most of you already know that have been following me...
1. The rejections! Oh mayn, I cannot count the amount of rejections I received this cycle but getting into a reputable school (finally) has been very satisfying.
2. The wait... gawd, the anxiety of rejection that an individual can surmise during this process is ridiculous. Some schools take forever to give you an answer, and after months of waiting.... an applicant can go insane! Good thing, I had MMA/Muay Thai to keep me leveled, as well as work. But still... my gawd, I hated the waiting game.

Everything else to me was ehh, besides the cost but that comes with the territory.

 

[brooklynyc]

For me, as most of you already know that have been following me...
1. The rejections! Oh mayn, I cannot count the amount of rejections I received this cycle but getting into a reputable school (finally) has been very satisfying.
2. The wait... gawd, the anxiety of rejection that an individual can surmise during this process is ridiculous. Some schools take forever to give you an answer, and after months of waiting.... an applicant can go insane! Good thing, I had MMA/Muay Thai to keep me leveled, as well as work. But still... my gawd, I hated the waiting game.

Everything else to me was ehh, besides the cost but that comes with the territory.

haha aside from f/t work, lifting and jiu jitsu is what has been keeping me sane.

 

[camiosyz]

5. Since I'm a little older than many applicants, putting off things like buying a house and planning for a family.

I am right there with you, and it's something I've had to think long and hard about in terms of trade-off. Not that I'm old, but I'll be in my early 30's when I graduate and want to settle into my career a bit before taking off on maternity leave. It doesn't help that my SO will be in his 40's by then either haha.

 

[SwampPT]

As I sit here in the ..... Burning up because I know you guys like to know these things the hardest part for me was the waiting and not knowing. It drove me nuts LOL. Every time I got an alert on SDN I couldn't get my phone out fast enough to see what was going on. Interviews are just something that takes a lot of practice. It's basically public speaking. The first time I spoke in public or had an interview I felt like someone was choking me. Twenty years and countless times speaking in public and actually being an interviewer has made this part as easy as breathing. Just practice. Be yourself and be honest above all else. As for the essay, speak from your heart and then have an English major check it over

 

[SwampPT]

I am right there with you, and it's something I've had to think long and hard about in terms of trade-off. Not that I'm old, but I'll be in my early 30's when I graduate and want to settle into my career a bit before taking off on maternity leave. It doesn't help that my SO will be in his 40's by then either haha.

Hey I'm 42 LOL. Age is just a number. Besides 40 is the new 30 and that is actually a biological fact now. You're as young as you feel. If you take good care of yourself you can be going strong in your 80's. I plan to

 

[DjT3kN]

Hey I'm 42 LOL. Age is just a number. Besides 40 is the new 30 and that is actually a biological fact now. You're as young as you feel. If you take good care of yourself you can be going strong in your 80's. I plan to

And 30 is the new 20. Well, what I like to tell myself. haha!

 

[brooklynyc]

Swamp, are you currently a student or a PT? Are you a career switcher?

 

[TheDarkKnight14]

Hardest part: watching the money drain from my account as schools suck away my money for an electronic application, especially supplemental applications that aren't actually supplemental when all they ask for is my name and address. Yet they want an extra 50 dollars for it. PORQUE?

I don't mind interviews. It's like one big mind**** game where you're trying to figure out what they want from you and then you have to watch whatever you say so that it's nice but not to the point of pandering.

 

[tweaze]

The first few months after I quit my regular job to go back to school full time were the hardest part. I don't have a science background, and had never taken much math at all before because it had always made me extremely anxious and panicked. I took on a new job at nights and was taking more than a full load spread over two community colleges in two different parts of the city (while living in a second city), and I pretty much crashed and burned. I spent a lot of time questioning if I really had the capability to be successful in PT school, and second guessing every decision I had made up to that point. I had always been very successful in school prior, so it was humbling to be trying as hard as possible and just doing terribly.

Fortunately, I was able to significantly improve my study/problem solving skills and time management and ended up with good grades overall. I had very patient teachers/friends/SO that were completely invested in helping me build the tools to succeed, even when I had a hard time envisioning a positive outcome.

Everything else has sucked, but has been a more manageable suck.

 

[DesertPT]

As I sit here in the ..... Burning up because I know you guys like to know these things

 

[SwampPT]

Swamp, are you currently a student or a PT? Are you a career switcher?

I'm a career switcher . I was a police officer for approximately 19 years. I went back to school five years ago, while working 50 plus hours a week, because I became highly interested in PT after suffering so many injuries playing football. As much as I wish I was a PT right now, I'm starting my program May 26th at Nova Southeastern University. I'm excited, eager, and scared as hell all at the same time

 

[southernswimmer]

I'm excited, eager, and scared as hell all at the same time

Literally my emotional state as well. This is such a huge leap in my life and it's kind of terrifying.

 

[tweaze]

As I sit here in the ..... Burning up because I know you guys like to know these things

SwampPT: Thoughts and Observations from the Sauna.

 

[DesertPT]

SwampPT: Thoughts and Observations from the Sauna.

Available for Kindle summer 2015.

 

[brooklynyc]

I'm a career switcher . I was a police officer for approximately 19 years. I went back to school five years ago, while working 50 plus hours a week, because I became highly interested in PT after suffering so many injuries playing football. As much as I wish I was a PT right now, I'm starting my program May 26th at Nova Southeastern University. I'm excited, eager, and scared as hell all at the same time

Wow this is awesome! Thanks for sharing