Am I ready to apply this fall??

[Dreeza]

I am hugely torn as to whether or not I should apply this fall, or wait till next fall.

I am taking the GRE's end of June, so that will be done. I am *pretty* sure all my pre-req's will be done (lets just assume they are...!)

I go to the University of Michigan and my current GPA is like a 3.7something

My issue is the volunteering and letter of recommendations:

I just recently decided to apply to PT school (well, like a year ago), and have been volunteering, and never really looked into specific requirements (dumb, i know). THe thing is, while I have been doing some Hippotherapy with a physical therapist, along with therapeutic riding (not with a PT, but obviously PT related), I dont think this falls under the "inpatient and outpatient" volunteering required by some schools!!

I am going to Spain this summer, so there is NO way I can do it this summer. The soonest I could start would be late Sept, but apps for some schools are already starting to be accepted by Oct, Nov....

Also, letter of reqs: I am getting one from the PT i have been doing the Hippotherapy with, as well as from the other place I volunteer....

I plan on getting one from my professor (who I *think* is really well known in the PT field), but my issue is that a lot of schools require TWO academic ones...

I simply do not have another one. I could ask my orgo prof, but she barely knew me (she did at least know my name...), but honestly, she is sadly my best bet...but I am scared to ask since she doesnt really know me...

So argggg...I just dont know what to do

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[Buckeye4life]

Sounds like you're in a tight spot, but I wouldn't be concerned too much. Like with everything in life, timing is everything. If you feel like you're being rushed, try waiting a year, and work as a rehab tech in an outpatient clinic or hospital setting. That way you can really get a better grasp as to what therapy is about and you can make some money. I just wouldn't rush into anything especially with how much it costs to become a licensed PT these days. I don't think the APTA thought it through well enough making you take out 3 years of graduate school loans, and then MPTs or DPTs making the same amount as an undergrad PT.

If you are dead set about applying this fall, just ask your professor if she will write one for you. Honestly, it is your professors job to write these letters in my opinion with all the money you pay for tuition. She at least can see your transcript and see that you have a good gpa, and if you visit her during her office hours, she could get to know you a little bit. What you do have going for you is that a lot of the PT programs are growing their numbers, and the seats are not all being filled to capacity because of the extra length of training and cost. I think PT used to be much more competitive because you could make good money with good hours with only a four year degree. Worst thing that could happen if you apply this year is they reject you. Having to reapply for another cycle of PT is not the end of the world. I think you'd get in somewhere with your marks, and like I said in another thread, Ohio has 10 PT schools.

 

[Grue1some]

Its about 200 PT programs in the USA

State PT Programs
Wisconsin - 5
West Virginia 2
Washington 3
Virginia 5
Vermont 1
Utah 1
Texas 10
Tennessee 5
South Dakota 1
South Carolina 2
Rhode Island 1
Puerto Rico 1
Pennsylvania 16
Oregon 1
Oklahoma 2
Ohio 10
North Dakota 2
North Carolina 6
New York 21
New Mexico 1
New Jersey 4
New Hampshire 1
Nevada 1
Nebraska 2
Montana 1
Missouri 7
Mississippi 1
Minnesota 4
Michigan 6
Massachusetts 7
Maryland 2
Maine 2
Lousiana 2
Kentucky 2
Kansas 2
Iowa 4
Indiana 3
Illinois 7
Idaho 1
Georgia 5
Florida 10
District of Columbia 2
Delaware 1
Connecticut 4
Colorado 2
California 13
Arkansas 2
Arizona 2
Alabama 3

I was in your position, but my advice would be to take a year off and get as much exposure. I applied to 1 school and got rejected so I took one year off and exposed myself to different physical therapy places. The following year I got into 2 programs..