General Admissions & OTCAS Better chances if prerequisites are completed before applying?

[WanderlustOT]

Hi there,

I was wondering if having all (or almost all) of your prerequisites completed give you a better chance of getting accepted? How important is that when applying? Does it increase chances versus having them in progress instead?

I'm still finishing my degree & deciding whether to squeeze in and take both Anatomy & Physiology next semester (to finish before applying) or split them up and take one of them while applying (the following semester). I'll be retaking intro sociology because it has expired, but I'll be taking it the semester during which I'll be applying.

SO, I can either finish 2 before applying & have 1 in progress, OR finish 1 before applying & have 2 in progress. Thoughts? Have you heard information about this from anyone (school officials or OT students)?

Thanks everyone!

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[sngot]

Absolutely. Schools often use performance in prerequisites as one of the predictors on performance in OT curriculum. It will be advantageous to have all/ most completed. This is especially true for A&P, but it is also important to do well in these important classes.

 

[BeAnOTsoon!?]

I would definitely split A&P up. They're hard classes, and you want to do well in them. I don't think having one in progress would hurt your application too much, and trying to take them both at once would be really stressful. It's more important to get the best grades you can than to have everything done before applying, in my opinion.

 

[Bokonomy]

I'm currently taking abnormal and stats.

I did anatomy and physiology over the summer. Could that be an option for you? I got an A in physio and A- in anatomy, so it's doable if you're dilligent. Of course, financial aid is tricky over the summer...

 

[calling4color]

it definitely makes for a stronger application; however, it also depends on the school. some schools will let you take your prereqs in the spring and summer before your program starts, which means they are lenient when it comes to prereqs. As for rolling admissions, I'm not sure. two of my schools emailed me to tell me that my application will not be reviewed until my pre reqs are complete- this is because they have deadlines for prereq courses.