Well one of the main reasons is tuition. Even tho it’s still expensive ($100k) it was the cheapest out of all the others I applied to. Also, I had a great experience @ my interview and it felt more personal going there in person and talking w/ students & faculty. I also like the fact it had a small campus feel to it rather than it just being a collection of buildings like chapman / western (but I haven’t gone on a tour to either yet so I’m just speculating based on google images LOL). I kinda don’t wanna live @ home either for grad school and loma linda is far enough that I have no choice but to dorm. Chapman & MSMU are 20-35 miles away so it could go either way (move out or nahh). And I guess the last reason is bc Loma Linda is a nice city and I could see myself practicing there. And no ... the main reason is not bc they have TWO waterslides hahahahJust out of curiosity why did you choose LLU as being your top choice.
California DPT Applicants 2018-2019
- Thread starter JM3_33
- Start date
I applied there last year, and heard back for an interview early January
ptforlife34551
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I couldn't agree more with your reasoning to have LLU be the top choice! LOL I was already sold on the school after the interview but once I saw the water slides I was like
. You know where you'll find me during study breaks 
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I couldn't agree more with your reasoning to have LLU be the top choice! LOL I was already sold on the school after the interview but once I saw the water slides I was like
LOLOL they were pretty impressive
Hi there. I toured MSM this summer. A therapist I volunteered under recommended I check out the program in person. I was a bit apprehensive at first but I really liked what I saw there. The program has a personal vibe to it. I think I saw someone describe it as a sort of 'family' environment. It definitely felt more welcoming than my own schools program. I say if it isn't too far of a commute that it is well worth checking out in person.
Quiet Duck
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University: Northwestern University
Major: Biological Sciences (Concentration Neurobiology)
Undergrad GPA: 3.43
GRE:158 V, 160 Q, 4 W
Extracurriculars Activities:
Admin assistant at a non-profit dealing with after school programming for underserved areas, 3 years research assistant at NU Center for Talent Development, 4 year member of Latino alliance group, community volunteer at a PT wellness program, SHPEP UCLA scholar, studied public health abroad at Universidad Panamericana in Mexico City, shadowed a PT in Cochabamba, Bolivia, 2 years athletic training aide, 3 years VP of Latino Greek organization, 1 year Admin VP of Multicultural Greek Council, 1 year at outpatient ortho/neuro clinic
Achievements:
Gilman Scholarship, LANU Scholarship, John & Martha Mabie Public Health Scholarship, Omega Society of Outstanding Seniors
Volunteer/Observation Hours:
~250 in outpatient ortho/neuro clinic
40 in wellness program
100 shadowing a Bolivian home health PT
90 in inpatient neuro
Certification: CPR/AED
LORs: 2 PTs, 1 professor, 1 supervisor at current job
Applying: USC, Cal State Long Beach, Chapman, University Illinois - Chicago, Northwestern
Interviews:
Waitlist:
Acceptances: USC; Northwestern
Rejections:
Major: Biological Sciences (Concentration Neurobiology)
Undergrad GPA: 3.43
GRE:158 V, 160 Q, 4 W
Extracurriculars Activities:
Admin assistant at a non-profit dealing with after school programming for underserved areas, 3 years research assistant at NU Center for Talent Development, 4 year member of Latino alliance group, community volunteer at a PT wellness program, SHPEP UCLA scholar, studied public health abroad at Universidad Panamericana in Mexico City, shadowed a PT in Cochabamba, Bolivia, 2 years athletic training aide, 3 years VP of Latino Greek organization, 1 year Admin VP of Multicultural Greek Council, 1 year at outpatient ortho/neuro clinic
Achievements:
Gilman Scholarship, LANU Scholarship, John & Martha Mabie Public Health Scholarship, Omega Society of Outstanding Seniors
Volunteer/Observation Hours:
~250 in outpatient ortho/neuro clinic
40 in wellness program
100 shadowing a Bolivian home health PT
90 in inpatient neuro
Certification: CPR/AED
LORs: 2 PTs, 1 professor, 1 supervisor at current job
Applying: USC, Cal State Long Beach, Chapman, University Illinois - Chicago, Northwestern
Interviews:
Waitlist:
Acceptances: USC; Northwestern
Rejections:
When did you hear back from USC??
Okay, gotcha! I might check it out in the next couple of weeks.
I'm interested to know too about USC.
PTforlifee
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Quiet Duck
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I applied in late September. And I just heard from them today!
For hybrid or residential?
what time did you get your acceptance email from USC?
Quiet Duck
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I received my acceptance at 1130am for the residential program
Cool thanks. Congrats!
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I just received an email yesterday from Western U inviting me for an interview!
Congrats! Can I ask what your stats are?
Daniel, anything from UNLV?
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Nope, you yet?
nothing yet
goldaline.my.dear
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I just got offered an interview with Western University of Health Sciences. I submitted my app on like September 29th. Don't think I'll be going to the interview tho. Their tuition is 20k more than the other schools I'm looking at and I just think Rocky Mountain University is a better fit (I was offered an acceptance from them).
Same here, I scheduled an interview but most likely will not go. I saw online that the total indebtedness for Western students is $170k !! by the time they graduate .. no thanks.
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Just got an interview invite from UCSF/SFSU!
I don't think so. At least I haven't. I just know they already accepted a couple ppl from early decision.
Did you guys know that you can defer your admission @ MSMU?! I found that out today when I randomly called to ask about it. I'm seriously considering this and think it'd help to take a year off and make some money. But then again, if I start right away, I'll make 'PT money' sooner so idk. A lot to think about.
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Just got accepted to Samuel Merritt!
ohhihello
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Got a call yesterday! I’m in
Congrats!!! that's so exciting. Did they call and send an email?Got a call yesterday! I’m in
ohhihello
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Congrats, same here! What are your thoughts on the program? Have you visited the campus by any chance? I’ve been trying to make the trek from so cal but haven’t had the time.
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I got a phone call then received the official email!!
goldaline.my.dear
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I saw that stat too! Average debt of 170k isn’t cool. Seems like a good program, they have lots of clinical rotations, but not worth the price tag.
ohhihello
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No the area code out there is 510, I recognized it and that was the only reason I knew to definitely answer! Stay away from the 800 numbers haha
ohhihello
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Same here! I haven't had the chance to visit but hear that it's a very good program. I love the area too, only thing I'm not thrilled about is the price tag especially when you factor in cost of living
goldaline.my.dear
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Is everyone who had been accepted to Samuel Merritt thus far in state? I checked their stats from last year and 100% of admitted students were in state. Wish I’d seen that stat earlier because I’m from Washington lol. Oh well probably not going there either way.
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I feel the same way!! I’m battling with that in my head but I had visited the campus and saw what the program had to offer and loved everything about it!Same here! I haven't had the chance to visit but hear that it's a very good program. I love the area too, only thing I'm not thrilled about is the price tag especially when you factor in cost of living
goldaline.my.dear
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I just got waitlisted. I've already been accepted to my first choice school so I won't be attending SMU.
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What was your first choice?
goldaline.my.dear
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Rocky Mountain University in Provo, Utah. I've gotten acceptances from 4 schools so far so it'll be fine either way.
Hello everyone! I've been anxiously stalking these forums while waiting for responses from the schools that I applied to and now that I’ve received some closure, I decided to make a post about my application experience so far. I wanted to share my story in case anyone else felt the same passion for PT as I have developed, but also came from a background that wasn’t optimal for academic pursuit…
To put it simply, I lost contact with my father at a young age and was severely neglected by my mother. I had no choice but to raise myself throughout my childhood and this independence was hard to manage in a lower-class, immigrant family. I could barely read by the first grade and spoke English very poorly as a child. As you can imagine, I was used to being the worst student in the class and this trend carried on throughout high school, as well as the earlier parts of my academic career in college. I obtained an associates at a local CC with a GPA of 2.9. I honestly didn’t know how to be a successful student because I never took my education seriously, and I also prioritized my work over school as it was a means to the roof over my head, and food on my table. I somehow managed to transfer to a CSU where I found my love for PT. During this time, I spent 40-50 hours a week between 2 jobs (one for $ and the other, for OHs) while also averaging 15 units a semester. Tomorrow will be my last day of undergrad and although it felt premature to submit my DPT applications this cycle, I decided to give it a shot since I fulfilled most of the minimum requirements.
Here are my stats:
University: CSU, Fullerton
Major: Kinesiology (Concentration: Clinical Exercise Science)
cGPA: 3.38
pGPA: 3.1 - 3.5
GRE: 147V, 152Q, 4W
Extracurriculars:
Over 7 years as server/bartender, peer mentor @CSUF, physical therapy aid for roughly 3 years, honestly I had no time for anything else so let’s move on…
Achievements:
Dean’s list for every semester except one (when I took physics, bio, chem, pathologies, and an activity course…don’t ever do that), recognition by the dean of the department for leadership/being a peer mentor
OHs:
700 outpatient @ 1 setting (this was on my application and I now have over 850 at the same place)
30 inpatient @ 1 setting (I now have 70)
LOR:
2 PTs (I worked under both for roughly 3 years)
1 Professor (He was my professor for Movement Anatomy, as well as the coordinator for the peer mentor program)
Applied: Sac State, UCSF, Fresno State, UOP, SMU
Acceptances: N/A
Rejections: Sac State, Fresno State, UOP
Waitlisted: SMU
TBD: UCSF
So…I highly doubt I will receive an interview at UCSF as they have already sent out invitations and their standards are really high. And yes, it hurt BAD when I received all of those rejections, and I’ve been told that I was 117 of 118 on the waitlist so I probably will not get accepted to SMU…Is this a success story? Well I’ve been beating myself up over the past couple of days because I have essentially been rejected from every school that I applied to. After giving it some deep thought, I realized that this is not the end. A program showed interest in my mediocre application which has MUCH room to improve on. This means that if I can obtain a greater variety of hours and improve on my GRE scores, then I could possibly stand a very good chance at gaining admission. Considering the strides which I have taken to get to this point, I believe that I can take a positive outlook toward the outcome of this application period. My point is, if you are just as passionate about whatever career you’re chasing as I am about PT, if you’re willing to grind out those sleepless semesters in order to pay your way through school while striving to become a successful student, if you’re willing to work your ass off and fight through that adversity then ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. I’ve had counselors tell me that I don’t stand a chance at PT, my teachers in grade school would ridicule me for my poor performance in class, and while being 117th on a waitlist isn’t too much to show for, I see my dreams of becoming a PT in the grasp of my fingertips. I know I will be there someday and if its a question of whether I have the ability to improve as an applicant in order to get accepted to a program, then it is simply a matter of time. If you’re feeling discouraged as I was before then just take a deep breath and look to find out how you can become a better applicant. One day at a time… Also, if you’ve reached this part of my long rant and you’re in the same/similar boat, I hope that my story has moved you. Keep that chin up and continue to persevere cause hey, that’s what we’re best at, right?
To put it simply, I lost contact with my father at a young age and was severely neglected by my mother. I had no choice but to raise myself throughout my childhood and this independence was hard to manage in a lower-class, immigrant family. I could barely read by the first grade and spoke English very poorly as a child. As you can imagine, I was used to being the worst student in the class and this trend carried on throughout high school, as well as the earlier parts of my academic career in college. I obtained an associates at a local CC with a GPA of 2.9. I honestly didn’t know how to be a successful student because I never took my education seriously, and I also prioritized my work over school as it was a means to the roof over my head, and food on my table. I somehow managed to transfer to a CSU where I found my love for PT. During this time, I spent 40-50 hours a week between 2 jobs (one for $ and the other, for OHs) while also averaging 15 units a semester. Tomorrow will be my last day of undergrad and although it felt premature to submit my DPT applications this cycle, I decided to give it a shot since I fulfilled most of the minimum requirements.
Here are my stats:
University: CSU, Fullerton
Major: Kinesiology (Concentration: Clinical Exercise Science)
cGPA: 3.38
pGPA: 3.1 - 3.5
GRE: 147V, 152Q, 4W
Extracurriculars:
Over 7 years as server/bartender, peer mentor @CSUF, physical therapy aid for roughly 3 years, honestly I had no time for anything else so let’s move on…
Achievements:
Dean’s list for every semester except one (when I took physics, bio, chem, pathologies, and an activity course…don’t ever do that), recognition by the dean of the department for leadership/being a peer mentor
OHs:
700 outpatient @ 1 setting (this was on my application and I now have over 850 at the same place)
30 inpatient @ 1 setting (I now have 70)
LOR:
2 PTs (I worked under both for roughly 3 years)
1 Professor (He was my professor for Movement Anatomy, as well as the coordinator for the peer mentor program)
Applied: Sac State, UCSF, Fresno State, UOP, SMU
Acceptances: N/A
Rejections: Sac State, Fresno State, UOP
Waitlisted: SMU
TBD: UCSF
So…I highly doubt I will receive an interview at UCSF as they have already sent out invitations and their standards are really high. And yes, it hurt BAD when I received all of those rejections, and I’ve been told that I was 117 of 118 on the waitlist so I probably will not get accepted to SMU…Is this a success story? Well I’ve been beating myself up over the past couple of days because I have essentially been rejected from every school that I applied to. After giving it some deep thought, I realized that this is not the end. A program showed interest in my mediocre application which has MUCH room to improve on. This means that if I can obtain a greater variety of hours and improve on my GRE scores, then I could possibly stand a very good chance at gaining admission. Considering the strides which I have taken to get to this point, I believe that I can take a positive outlook toward the outcome of this application period. My point is, if you are just as passionate about whatever career you’re chasing as I am about PT, if you’re willing to grind out those sleepless semesters in order to pay your way through school while striving to become a successful student, if you’re willing to work your ass off and fight through that adversity then ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. I’ve had counselors tell me that I don’t stand a chance at PT, my teachers in grade school would ridicule me for my poor performance in class, and while being 117th on a waitlist isn’t too much to show for, I see my dreams of becoming a PT in the grasp of my fingertips. I know I will be there someday and if its a question of whether I have the ability to improve as an applicant in order to get accepted to a program, then it is simply a matter of time. If you’re feeling discouraged as I was before then just take a deep breath and look to find out how you can become a better applicant. One day at a time… Also, if you’ve reached this part of my long rant and you’re in the same/similar boat, I hope that my story has moved you. Keep that chin up and continue to persevere cause hey, that’s what we’re best at, right?
goldaline.my.dear
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You're really young you'll be fine. It'll probably be good for you to have a year off before PT school anyway because it sounds like your undergrad career was pretty stressful. Without my post-bach stuff my stats are worse than yours and I've been admitted to 4 schools so far. I was also told my stats were bad after undergrad and that I had no chance at PT but so far everything has gone really well. You can't listen to other people's crap. It took me 2 years of work but I did it. It sounds like you are perseverant so I have 0 doubt that you'll get your DPT.
I think the most important thing you can do when applying to PT school is to apply to the right ones. Look for schools that care more about who you are as a whole person including your grades but not ONLY your grades. If you want to be in California I'd recommend St. Augustine, Azusa Pacific, and Western University of Health Sciences.
Your GRE is ok. You could raise your verbal, although my friend got into St. Augustine with similar GRE scores. If you have time/money you could consider redoing this.
Ask the schools who rejected you what they think you could improve on.
It's also a great time to redo any classes you got less than a B in.
I'd definitely do some observation hours in some other settings. Even if you're only there for 20 hours or so it shows that you have a wide breadth of experience. So maybe do a couple days in a pediatric, skilled nursing, women's health, or some other setting.
Lastly, make sure you are writing good essays that are concise and make sure that your interview skills are good. I hired a tutor and spent over 30 hours with him working on my essays and interview skills. It's expensive but it's worth it if you get someone good. I also met with my A&P proff from college and she helped me with my interview skills. Professors are a wonderful FREE resource. Just write them a thank you letter after they help you.
You might still get in somewhere since you haven't heard from everyone and you're YOUNG so I wouldn't fret. I'm 24 and I'm just starting this May. I honestly think this time off would be good for you but if you are REALLY worried about it St. Augustine has all year admission (that doesn't really follow their own deadlines) so you could still apply now and they could have you there as early as this summer. Best of luck. I promise you'll be ok.
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Akilah
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I got waitlisted at Samuel Merritt (#85), which is my number 1 choice. Kind of a bummer. But its not a rejection SO I'm trying to stay positive. at this point I've been waitlisted at 3 places, rejected from 3, and waiting to hear back from 2. This is such a weird head space to be in lol
