Hey everyone,
This forum has been a helpful resource for me for the past few years, so I wanted to finally contribute.
First time applying. Here are my stats:
University: Cal State
Major: Literature
Minor: Creative Writing
Overall GPA: 3.57
Pre-Req GPA: 4.0
GRE: didn't take
Shadow Hours: 51 hippotherapy, 8 inpatient, 28 hand
Volunteer Hours: 46 hospice, 30 local books for kids non profit, 15 Miracle League (sports for adults and children with disabilities)
LOR: 2 OTs I shadowed with, 1 current employer (completely different field, been there for four years), 1 stats professor
Applied to: West Coast, Midwestern AZ, ATSU, Abilene Christian TX, Touro NV, UNLV
Interview: West Coast (Nov), Midwestern (Nov), Touro (Nov), UNLV (January)
Admitted: West Coast (was wait-listed, but pulled off it only a couple of days letter), Touro NV
Still waiting response: Midwestern (said we'd here back in Feb.)
I declined West Coast and put down my deposit for Touro. UNLV still interests me, but they'd have to offer something quite compelling to sway me from Touro. Abilene was my wildcard. ATSU, I think, has rejected me. Midwestern had a great program and a beautiful campus. But given the price tag, I don't think I could swing it if I were to get an acceptance.
Although I think these forums have helped me, they also worried me! So many people have great stats and have racked up an incredible amount of shadowing hours. While I worked through the process, I often felt I could not compete. Even when I began interviewing, I felt woefully average compared to all the bright, fresh, and articulate undergraduates (I graduated nearly 15 years ago).
I think it helped that I mostly applied to private schools (due to practicality rather than personal preference), avoided the GRE (it would have only opened up a couple more CA schools, so not really worth the hassle), and in my personal statement/interviews, I really made connections between my life experience and the world of OT.
So, I post this in hopes to provide other nontraditional students/career changers with some positive energy during the stressful OT process. Try not to compare yourself or stats to others, and play to your strengths.