General Admissions & OTCAS Low GPA

[becoming-ot]

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[OTHopeful2019]

Congrats!!! I agree 100%! Also I really hope that folks take everything regarding stats in this forum with a grain of salt. I too got into an OTD and MOT program with a low undergrad GPA, okay GRE scores, and background in a completely different career field. I didn't get accepted to any of the 3 schools I applied to my first cycle, but decided to apply again this year and got into 2 out of 4 programs. It's been a long road but like becoming-ot said "Don't stop until you're proud!" and PLEASE don't let this forum get you down or discouraged in the comparison of stats game. Perseverance pays! Best of luck!

 

[patty_ot]

Congratulations!! I was also accepted into WCU's OTD program and plan on accepting so I look forward to meeting you! I can also relate to your post so I'm really happy for you! It was my second time applying and last year I was faaar down the waitlist for the MSOT program. My undergrad GPA is 3.0 but I retook a few prereq classes and did better, did more volunteer work, and had 5 letters of rec all while working 2 jobs. There is hope!! Your GPA isn't the only factor, I know some programs are going for a more holistic approach to their admission process and factor in other strengths an applicant has to offer.

 

[MrTL]

Same. Started prereqs at 29-30. Got a 4.0 in prereqs and GPA boosting classes at a local community college. Completely unrelated major from undergrad at near 2.1 overall. Still under 3.0 after the straight A's. Took volunteering with OTs and within the community seriously while working and going to school. Got into 1 of the 5 or 6 schools I applied to. Tip: if your GPA is under 3.0 overall, apply to schools that only look at the last 60 units.

If your heart is really set on being an OT, you will have to make it happen!

 

[Hoping2BeOTnyc]

Congrats!! That is so awesome and just goes to show you that hard work pays off!!

I was in a very similar situation. My undergrad GPA was lower than my peers (just under a 3.0), but I retook many classes as well as several others to raise it, got waitlisted or rejected from all the schools I applied to during last year's cycle, kept taking classes and got mostly As and Bs, which raised my GPA a little bit (still not as high as I would have liked, but better than nothing), reapplied this cycle and got into 2 schools.

I also:

• volunteered/shadowed at several different clinics. The longest at a pediatric hospital's outpatient OT dept, then very brief stints at other OT facilities (hand therapy, geriatric, private practice pediatric, hippotherapy/equine therapy, psych, elementary school).
• worked (and continue to work) full time at my job (in an unrelated field), which tends to get very busy
• developed connections with a few OTs I shadowed as well as other hospital staff and 1 of my A&P professors - 3 of these connections were nice enough to write me letters of recommendation, which helped my applications since my GPA was on the weaker side
• took time to craft a strong personal statement

So, for anyone wondering if it is possible - It is! Don't let a lower GPA prevent you from applying, BUT you also have to make the other pieces of your application (observation hours, great letters of recommendation, memorable personal statement) stronger so the admissions committees could focus on those rather than your GPA (especially if they see a progression in your recent grades).

 

[OT.1031]

Same. Started prereqs at 29-30. Got a 4.0 in prereqs and GPA boosting classes at a local community college. Completely unrelated major from undergrad at near 2.1 overall. Still under 3.0 after the straight A's. Took volunteering with OTs and within the community seriously while working and going to school. Got into 1 of the 5 or 6 schools I applied to. Tip: if your GPA is under 3.0 overall, apply to schools that only look at the last 60 units.

If your heart is really set on being an OT, you will have to make it happen!

Hi! I was wondering if you would be willing to share some schools that only look at the last 60 units?


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[OT.1031]

Hi everyone! I am writing this post with great gratitude because I was just recently accepted to an OTD program!! It's been a long time coming. I wanted to share my stats with you all to reflect how it IS possible to get into grad school with a low gpa. It was not easy and I have dedicated hours and hours of my life into this.. but I can definitely say that I persevered and worked hard for this.

University: UC Merced
Undergrad GPA: 2.75 --> OTCAS calculation: 2.59 (lmao)
Last 60 units of undergrad: 3.0
Pre-Req GPA: 3.8
GRE: Didn't take

Work Experience: Rehab aide at a snf, ABA Therapist, Aide at an outpatient clinic

Observation: Inpatient: 20 hrs, Peds: 19 hrs, Outpatient/Hands: 100+ hrs, SNF: 800+ hrs (I was a rehab aide)

Extra-Curric/Volunteer: Research Assistant for 2 labs, volunteered at an outpatient clinic, volunteered at mental health organization, and volunteered for the Autism speaks walk

Applied: West Coast University
Interviews: West Coast University
Acceptances: West Coast University

If you have a low GPA and are fretting, retake/ace those pre-reqs and try to get as much experience as you can. Your work and shadow experiences will be so fruitful for your journey. I had complicated family hardships that affected my undergrad GPA, which really busted my confidence. Two years ago, I was at square 1 and thought getting into OT school was just a long shot, but I pushed myself to the point where I was completely burnt out. Last summer, I was working a half day at my job, went to my volunteer shift for 4 hours, then went to a night class from 5-8pm. "Do something today that your future self will thank you for." Don't stop until you're proud!! Good luck to everyone!!

Congratulations! This gives me a ton of hope, our stats are extremely similar. I haven’t been offered an interview yet (my application was just reviewed) but I hope to get into West Coast OTD too! Can I ask you how long the wait was between having your application reviewed and being offered an interview? If you have any tips to share I’d be more than grateful to read them, through here or direct message.


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[OThopefully183]

Hi! I was wondering if you would be willing to share some schools that only look at the last 60 units?


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San Jose State!

 

[pastemakeswaste4721]

Hi! I was wondering if you would be willing to share some schools that only look at the last 60 units?


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western michigan university!

 

[OTHopeful2019]

Hi! I was wondering if you would be willing to share some schools that only look at the last 60 units?


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Texas Woman's University

 

[MrTL]

I should clarify that some schools will only look at the last 60 units of your GPA from what you got your undergrad in. So, if you took a gap year(s), they will not consider those toward your last 60 units. SJSU looks at last 60 units taken, even after you got your degree. UIC looks at last 60 units taken, but not the courses taken after you got your degree (if I recall correctly...). I think some schools have changed their policy since I applied though. Not sure if Pacific University still looks at last 45 units or something. Columbia and NYU don't explicitly state you have to have a 3.0+ GPA. I remember looking at Western Michigan University and Texas Women's University as mentioned above.

 

[OT.1031]

Adding on to this post to give others hope as well!!


University: UCLA
Undergrad GPA: 3.01
OTCAS baccalaureate GPA: 2.97
OTCAS cumulative undergrad: 3.18
Last 60 undergrad GPA: ~3.48
Pre-req GPA: ~3.95

GRE: did not take

Observation: hospital 105 hours, NICU 3 hrs, hand therapy 6 hrs

Volunteer: 2x Election worker, Neighborhood legal services, ESL teachers asst.

Applied: West Coast University (03/10)
Interviewed: WCU (04/10)
Accepted: WCU (04/28)

Excited to be committing to WCU’s OTD Fall 2020 program!

 

[am0T]

Adding on to this post to give others hope as well!!


University: UCLA
Undergrad GPA: 3.01
OTCAS baccalaureate GPA: 2.97
OTCAS cumulative undergrad: 3.18
Last 60 undergrad GPA: ~3.48
Pre-req GPA: ~3.95

GRE: did not take

Observation: hospital 105 hours, NICU 3 hrs, hand therapy 6 hrs

Volunteer: 2x Election worker, Neighborhood legal services, ESL teachers asst.

Applied: West Coast University (03/10)
Interviewed: WCU (04/10)
Accepted: WCU (04/28)

Excited to be committing to WCU’s OTD Fall 2020 program!

Hi if you don’t mind sharing, seeing that u studied at UCLA I’m going to assume you also did your observational hours around the area (sorry if not haha) which sites did you do your hours from? Also how did you get an ESL teachers asst job? I’ve looked into it & most require you to have some sort of child development degree or experience working with children for years.


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[am0T]

Congrats!! That is so awesome and just goes to show you that hard work pays off!!

I was in a very similar situation. My undergrad GPA was lower than my peers (just under a 3.0), but I retook many classes as well as several others to raise it, got waitlisted or rejected from all the schools I applied to during last year's cycle, kept taking classes and got mostly As and Bs, which raised my GPA a little bit (still not as high as I would have liked, but better than nothing), reapplied this cycle and got into 2 schools.

I also:

• volunteered/shadowed at several different clinics. The longest at a pediatric hospital's outpatient OT dept, then very brief stints at other OT facilities (hand therapy, geriatric, private practice pediatric, hippotherapy/equine therapy, psych, elementary school).
• worked (and continue to work) full time at my job (in an unrelated field), which tends to get very busy
• developed connections with a few OTs I shadowed as well as other hospital staff and 1 of my A&P professors - 3 of these connections were nice enough to write me letters of recommendation, which helped my applications since my GPA was on the weaker side
• took time to craft a strong personal statement

So, for anyone wondering if it is possible - It is! Don't let a lower GPA prevent you from applying, BUT you also have to make the other pieces of your application (observation hours, great letters of recommendation, memorable personal statement) stronger so the admissions committees could focus on those rather than your GPA (especially if they see a progression in your recent grades).

Hi! What did you do as a volunteer for your pediatric hospital’s outpatient OT dept? Were you able to interact with the patients, or did you just literally shadow the OT & not do anything? I’ve had previous experience shadowing at a hospital, & they’re usually pretty strict & I just stood there (literally, I was told to stand at a corner & observe) I had more luck with rehab centers


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[OT.1031]

Hi if you don’t mind sharing, seeing that u studied at UCLA I’m going to assume you also did your observational hours around the area (sorry if not haha) which sites did you do your hours from? Also how did you get an ESL teachers asst job? I’ve looked into it & most require you to have some sort of child development degree or experience working with children for years.


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Hi! So I did most of my hours in the valley at a hospital, and the rest I did with a hand therapist in West LA (but the PT clinic has since been closed from what I heard)
The ESL teacher assistant was a volunteer/internship position at a non profit I did look into continuing on elsewhere as a side job and it’s only a couple of child development classes that are required!


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[Hoping2BeOTnyc]

Hi! What did you do as a volunteer for your pediatric hospital’s outpatient OT dept? Were you able to interact with the patients, or did you just literally shadow the OT & not do anything? I’ve had previous experience shadowing at a hospital, & they’re usually pretty strict & I just stood there (literally, I was told to stand at a corner & observe) I had more luck with rehab centers


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Hi there! Luckily all the OTs at the pediatric hospital let me interact with the patients. I was included on activities (Zoom ball, board games, exercise), which helped get the shyer patients out of their shells at times, but I didn't push it beyond that. I think it really depends on the OT + the facility.

 

[Kimboslice12]

Posts like these give me hope that my 3.2 gpa won't hold me back when I apply for the first time this year! Thank you so much for sharing