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Other OT-Related Information Making a Career Change from Tech to OT
- Thread starter jylomi
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Congrats on your career change! It takes a lot of courage to do something like that! As far as standing out as an applicant, besides grades & GRE scores is your experience. OT programs are looking for students who KNOW what OT is and are looking for emerging leaders in the field. Exposing yourself to different populations is a great way to stand out. In addition, your experience in tech can be beneficial in that you can possibly incorporate OT and tech somehow. Research AOTA Vision 2025. It basically is an extension of AOTAS centennial vision, which is basically the vision AOTA leaders set out for Occupational Therapy. If you can incorporate that with your experience and passion about OT you are surely to get in. I just urge you to make sure this is what you want. Volunteer/ get as much experience in the field to not only find your passion in OT, but to make sure it is what you really really want. If it is, best of luck to you! I know you can do it!
Also, some OT programs only look at your last 60-90 units/credits versus your whole undergrad GPA. So if you apply to those schools your GPA would be hopefully higher!
Also, some OT programs only look at your last 60-90 units/credits versus your whole undergrad GPA. So if you apply to those schools your GPA would be hopefully higher!
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HI! I was previously an artist/art director, then self employed 6+ years with art and investments, age 40+, pursuing OT as second career.
Going to school now seems much easier than 2 decades ago. Not only am I not distracted by partying and relationships, more mature, focused, and better at planning what needs to be studied to ace a class, but there's also a whole lot of technological support that was non-existent a decade ago. Also since it's my money now (instead of father's help when I was young) there's much more motivation to get my money's worth.
Quizlet.com - and mobile app is great for rote learning classes. Definitions, names, dates, etc. As well as GRE vocab. Free with ads, or just $20 paid for the year. Worth it.
Anatomy & Physiology was a breeze utilizing Quizlet as well as watching A&P Youtube videos while exercising. Two birds one stone. I think research indicates exercise assists learning since more blood is flowing. I started exercising about 4 years ago, and Im certain it's helped me do substantially better.
GRE was a chore to study. Being 2 decades separated from geometry/algebra/etc, I went through Manhattan 5LB book 3 times and still came out with only 152Q. Statistically, older folk are good at verbal so it wasnt difficult except to learn more vocab. Analytical writing however, I only attained the minimum most schools set. Take ETS practice exams, see where you are weak. I took prereq classes for a year, sporadically studying GRE content for a year followed by 2 months of rigorous study before my first attempt. GRE study IS NOT possible to be done thoroughly in just a month or two. Think 6 to 12.
Getting shadowing requires a IN or hardcore cold calling. Start looking for opportunities/leads now. Peds and outpatient seem the easiest to get some hours.
Abysmal GPA. I took a few classes to overwrite bad ones. Community college is cheap for that usually. However, ace-ing every prereq might be helpful.
Much success to you!
Going to school now seems much easier than 2 decades ago. Not only am I not distracted by partying and relationships, more mature, focused, and better at planning what needs to be studied to ace a class, but there's also a whole lot of technological support that was non-existent a decade ago. Also since it's my money now (instead of father's help when I was young) there's much more motivation to get my money's worth.
Quizlet.com - and mobile app is great for rote learning classes. Definitions, names, dates, etc. As well as GRE vocab. Free with ads, or just $20 paid for the year. Worth it.
Anatomy & Physiology was a breeze utilizing Quizlet as well as watching A&P Youtube videos while exercising. Two birds one stone. I think research indicates exercise assists learning since more blood is flowing. I started exercising about 4 years ago, and Im certain it's helped me do substantially better.
GRE was a chore to study. Being 2 decades separated from geometry/algebra/etc, I went through Manhattan 5LB book 3 times and still came out with only 152Q. Statistically, older folk are good at verbal so it wasnt difficult except to learn more vocab. Analytical writing however, I only attained the minimum most schools set. Take ETS practice exams, see where you are weak. I took prereq classes for a year, sporadically studying GRE content for a year followed by 2 months of rigorous study before my first attempt. GRE study IS NOT possible to be done thoroughly in just a month or two. Think 6 to 12.
Getting shadowing requires a IN or hardcore cold calling. Start looking for opportunities/leads now. Peds and outpatient seem the easiest to get some hours.
Abysmal GPA. I took a few classes to overwrite bad ones. Community college is cheap for that usually. However, ace-ing every prereq might be helpful.
Much success to you!
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Hello & congrats! Hopefully my experience will be of help to you! I graduated in 2012 with a GPA just above 3.0 and started working at a small company doing admin work after. 2 years into my job I realized this was a dead-end path and had to step back and reevaluate my career goals. I was volunteering at an event where I had the opportunity to meet different kinds of health professionals and the one that really caught my attention was OT. I enrolled in my local community college to take prerequisite classes while working F/T, found some OT clinics/ hospitals to volunteer during the weekend, and on days when I didn't have school I'd be studying the GRE. I want to say I nailed all of them successfully, but that was definitely not true! In actuality, I learned that I could only handle two of these tasks at a time. The entire process took 2 years for me to complete; I prioritized my prereq grades and pulled off a 4.0, took the GRE two times, and reduced my work hours to accumulate observation hours. I want to say that was enough to get me in, but I was rejected the first year I applied.
I was discouraged after my first round of rejections, but it challenged me to reflect how much I wanted to be an OT. I retook the GRE because my writing score was below the minimal requirements, invested a lot of time on my personal statement, and applied early in the cycle. I was invited to interview for two schools and was ultimately accepted to both programs!
All I can say after this is that it was not easy and I did want to quit several times. Pursuing this journey will require commitment and grad school will expect nothing less than your all. The process of applying was grueling, but once you are done you will never have to deal with it again. My advice is to not do it all at once or you risk burning out. Really invest in nurturing good relationships with professors, classmates, and OTs.
Other practical advice:
1) Study tips for prereq classes: review notes after class, attend office hours, study with your classmates, and build a relationship with your professor (esp if you intend to get a letter of rec from him/ her)
2) Study tips for GRE: use MAGOOSH! [They usually have a special discount in July]
3) How to stand out as an applicant:
Good luck!
I was discouraged after my first round of rejections, but it challenged me to reflect how much I wanted to be an OT. I retook the GRE because my writing score was below the minimal requirements, invested a lot of time on my personal statement, and applied early in the cycle. I was invited to interview for two schools and was ultimately accepted to both programs!
All I can say after this is that it was not easy and I did want to quit several times. Pursuing this journey will require commitment and grad school will expect nothing less than your all. The process of applying was grueling, but once you are done you will never have to deal with it again. My advice is to not do it all at once or you risk burning out. Really invest in nurturing good relationships with professors, classmates, and OTs.
Other practical advice:
1) Study tips for prereq classes: review notes after class, attend office hours, study with your classmates, and build a relationship with your professor (esp if you intend to get a letter of rec from him/ her)
2) Study tips for GRE: use MAGOOSH! [They usually have a special discount in July]
3) How to stand out as an applicant:
- Build a good relationship with OTs you because most schools will want at least 1 letter of rec from them
- Get exposure to different kinds of environments (home health, clinics, hospitals, etc) while working with different groups because it shows schools that you have an idea of what you are getting yourself into
- Get involved with your community! I've noticed some programs emphasize on serving the community and doing this really shows your desire to help people
Good luck!
Thanks for the solid tips and the reminder around the value of my work experience. In the day to day of studying, I don't often come up for air to see the full picture and how my work experience can shape my experiences in OT.
HI! I was previously an artist/art director, then self employed 6+ years with art and investments, age 40+, pursuing OT as second career.
Going to school now seems much easier than 2 decades ago. Not only am I not distracted by partying and relationships, more mature, focused, and better at planning what needs to be studied to ace a class, but there's also a whole lot of technological support that was non-existent a decade ago. Also since it's my money now (instead of father's help when I was young) there's much more motivation to get my money's worth.
Quizlet.com - and mobile app is great for rote learning classes. Definitions, names, dates, etc. As well as GRE vocab. Free with ads, or just $20 paid for the year. Worth it.
Anatomy & Physiology was a breeze utilizing Quizlet as well as watching A&P Youtube videos while exercising. Two birds one stone. I think research indicates exercise assists learning since more blood is flowing. I started exercising about 4 years ago, and Im certain it's helped me do substantially better.
GRE was a chore to study. Being 2 decades separated from geometry/algebra/etc, I went through Manhattan 5LB book 3 times and still came out with only 152Q. Statistically, older folk are good at verbal so it wasnt difficult except to learn more vocab. Analytical writing however, I only attained the minimum most schools set. Take ETS practice exams, see where you are weak. I took prereq classes for a year, sporadically studying GRE content for a year followed by 2 months of rigorous study before my first attempt. GRE study IS NOT possible to be done thoroughly in just a month or two. Think 6 to 12.
Getting shadowing requires a IN or hardcore cold calling. Start looking for opportunities/leads now. Peds and outpatient seem the easiest to get some hours.
Abysmal GPA. I took a few classes to overwrite bad ones. Community college is cheap for that usually. However, ace-ing every prereq might be helpful.
Much success to you!
Thank you for the encouragement. I couldn't agree more that the GRE studying is an endeavor and not a task to be undertaken in a manner of a few weeks or a month. When I took my practice test, I was surprised at how little I remembered of the math fundamentals.
Hello & congrats! Hopefully my experience will be of help to you! I graduated in 2012 with a GPA just above 3.0 and started working at a small company doing admin work after. 2 years into my job I realized this was a dead-end path and had to step back and reevaluate my career goals. I was volunteering at an event where I had the opportunity to meet different kinds of health professionals and the one that really caught my attention was OT. I enrolled in my local community college to take prerequisite classes while working F/T, found some OT clinics/ hospitals to volunteer during the weekend, and on days when I didn't have school I'd be studying the GRE. I want to say I nailed all of them successfully, but that was definitely not true! In actuality, I learned that I could only handle two of these tasks at a time. The entire process took 2 years for me to complete; I prioritized my prereq grades and pulled off a 4.0, took the GRE two times, and reduced my work hours to accumulate observation hours. I want to say that was enough to get me in, but I was rejected the first year I applied.
I was discouraged after my first round of rejections, but it challenged me to reflect how much I wanted to be an OT. I retook the GRE because my writing score was below the minimal requirements, invested a lot of time on my personal statement, and applied early in the cycle. I was invited to interview for two schools and was ultimately accepted to both programs!
All I can say after this is that it was not easy and I did want to quit several times. Pursuing this journey will require commitment and grad school will expect nothing less than your all. The process of applying was grueling, but once you are done you will never have to deal with it again. My advice is to not do it all at once or you risk burning out. Really invest in nurturing good relationships with professors, classmates, and OTs.
Other practical advice:
1) Study tips for prereq classes: review notes after class, attend office hours, study with your classmates, and build a relationship with your professor (esp if you intend to get a letter of rec from him/ her)
2) Study tips for GRE: use MAGOOSH! [They usually have a special discount in July]
3) How to stand out as an applicant:
4) Personal statement: Don't list your experience like a resume, SHOW them. As you obtain observation hours, you will have a lot of opportunities to reflect on how these experiences shape you as a future OT. They are not expecting you to know everything about being an OT, but just show them what you learned.
- Build a good relationship with OTs you because most schools will want at least 1 letter of rec from them
- Get exposure to different kinds of environments (home health, clinics, hospitals, etc) while working with different groups because it shows schools that you have an idea of what you are getting yourself into
- Get involved with your community! I've noticed some programs emphasize on serving the community and doing this really shows your desire to help people
Good luck!
That's awesome that you took the steps to build a meaningful life. The fact that you were rejected once but still pushed through is inspiring. Moments of low definitely has one coming back to their WHY, something I have to do on a daily basis, especially when brushing up on my quantitative GRE sections
Hey, 2nd Chances!
I just want to share my experience (take it all with a grain of salt...) - I am a 50-year-old guy who transitioned to OT school after 20 years of programming on the AS/400. In the past 3 months, I graduated from OT school, passed the NBCOT, got my IL license, and am finalizing the details for my first job - it's been a whirlwind.
I totally agree with the suggestions above about how to make yourself stand out - from networking to good observation experience.
What I would like to add (also having around a 2.7 undergrad GPA - back before rampant grade inflation, lol) is trying to increase your odds to get into school. The first time I applied - I went after the "Big 3" schools in my area that everyone applies to, and got rejected at all 3. What I didn't consider then is that these top-status schools probably get 700-800 applications each and they can just cull the top X% to bring in for an interview (and one didn't even have interviews). So perhaps you want to look at newer schools, schools going through accreditation (you can check the AOTA website under "Find a School"), and schools that might be a little further geographically - hence fewer people will apply. Some schools, like the one I went to, state they are looking for more of a diverse class and will take more chances with GPA's if the student has an interesting background or experience. For our school, we had to take an "Intro to OT" pre-req class and that is how I was able to establish a relationship with a professor so she remembered me when it came time to apply - maybe take pre-reqs like medical terminology at a school you'd be interested in going to to make yourself known. For one school, I even sent a cold-call email to the head of the program, and she was able to bring me in a couple of times for meetings and give me solid advice - and I barely missed the cut for the cohort.
It is true that some top schools have kind of priority with certain local hospitals and clinics in terms of preferring their graduates for jobs. But I think if you can learn enough in the classroom to do well on your fieldwork rotations, pass the NBCOT, and be able to show the passion and aptitude for OT, it really doesn't matter where you go. I went to a school that is *never* mentioned on this board, and I have been on several interviews.
Good luck with the process! - and feel free to PM me if you have further questions!
I just want to share my experience (take it all with a grain of salt...) - I am a 50-year-old guy who transitioned to OT school after 20 years of programming on the AS/400. In the past 3 months, I graduated from OT school, passed the NBCOT, got my IL license, and am finalizing the details for my first job - it's been a whirlwind.
I totally agree with the suggestions above about how to make yourself stand out - from networking to good observation experience.
What I would like to add (also having around a 2.7 undergrad GPA - back before rampant grade inflation, lol) is trying to increase your odds to get into school. The first time I applied - I went after the "Big 3" schools in my area that everyone applies to, and got rejected at all 3. What I didn't consider then is that these top-status schools probably get 700-800 applications each and they can just cull the top X% to bring in for an interview (and one didn't even have interviews). So perhaps you want to look at newer schools, schools going through accreditation (you can check the AOTA website under "Find a School"), and schools that might be a little further geographically - hence fewer people will apply. Some schools, like the one I went to, state they are looking for more of a diverse class and will take more chances with GPA's if the student has an interesting background or experience. For our school, we had to take an "Intro to OT" pre-req class and that is how I was able to establish a relationship with a professor so she remembered me when it came time to apply - maybe take pre-reqs like medical terminology at a school you'd be interested in going to to make yourself known. For one school, I even sent a cold-call email to the head of the program, and she was able to bring me in a couple of times for meetings and give me solid advice - and I barely missed the cut for the cohort.
It is true that some top schools have kind of priority with certain local hospitals and clinics in terms of preferring their graduates for jobs. But I think if you can learn enough in the classroom to do well on your fieldwork rotations, pass the NBCOT, and be able to show the passion and aptitude for OT, it really doesn't matter where you go. I went to a school that is *never* mentioned on this board, and I have been on several interviews.
Good luck with the process! - and feel free to PM me if you have further questions!
Thanks so much for sharing your story - it's always so inspiring from others who decide to travel the path less traveled and transition into another line of work. What propelled you to take the leap?
I actually found out why I felt the need to change my career path when I took Intro to Psychology in the first semester back at school in 20 years...I was basically in Erikson’s Stage of Generativity vs. Stagnation.
I wanted to find a career where my work would be more personally meaningful and contribute more to helping others and society - even just working with people on a one-on-one basis. I had begun to feel stagnant sitting in my cubicle each day writing portions of programs for a big corporation.
OT was a way for me to be able to help people to regain their previous status in life through their everyday occupations, and it still would utilize my analytical and problem-solving skills.
Now, after a month on the job, I couldn’t be happier - I should have done this years ago...
Best of luck in your journey; hopefully you will find your niche and be fulfilled with the important service you are providing!
I wanted to find a career where my work would be more personally meaningful and contribute more to helping others and society - even just working with people on a one-on-one basis. I had begun to feel stagnant sitting in my cubicle each day writing portions of programs for a big corporation.
OT was a way for me to be able to help people to regain their previous status in life through their everyday occupations, and it still would utilize my analytical and problem-solving skills.
Now, after a month on the job, I couldn’t be happier - I should have done this years ago...
Best of luck in your journey; hopefully you will find your niche and be fulfilled with the important service you are providing!
That feeling of "I should have done this years ago" is a narrative I frequently tell myself.
I should have:
I bet your past experiences make you *that* much more of an empathetic and skilled OT. Thanks for the good luck and ALL the best to your ongoing journey
I should have:
- studied harder in my undergrad yeras
- been more focused
- switched to XY years ago
- & the list goes on
I bet your past experiences make you *that* much more of an empathetic and skilled OT. Thanks for the good luck and ALL the best to your ongoing journey
