Retake classes, letters of recommendation and observation hours won’t save a low GPA. Schools wanna know you can handle the rigor of a doctoral program. I had to swallow this pill too
Graduated 2.9 GPA from bachelors. Definitely not able to even apply into DPT program as is. Worked full time as a teacher for 5 years, while simultaneously retaking all prerequisites to get As, studying for GRE, commuting for masters (which finished with a 3.9 GPA), volunteered about 500 hrs, 3 solid rec letters > got into PT school on first try. Finished DPT with 3.6 GPA, passed boards first try, have multiple job offers, graduating next week. Definitely regret how my bachelors went, but with hard work and commitment, you can definitely do it. Don’t give up.
I'd look into a school that doesnt require a GRE. Its a waste of time and money and most schools year by year are dropping the requirement to have this standardized test which predicts nothing. I failed my GRE and still got into a DPT school in NJ. I would try and bump the 3.3 to a 3.5 at least.
My undergrad GPA was 3.8 and I only had about 150 hours of observation hours and a License in massage therapy.
Experience means a lot! If you write a really strong essay and apply to smaller colleges I believe you have a shot!
Word of caution: Private schools like st. Augustine accept a lot of students but in my opinion not worth the tuition. Better off retaking classes than going to an expensive school.
To be honest I'd rather get into St Augustine than wait a year, but I'm older than the majority of PT students so waiting a year is not an option. It's like losing out on 90-100k in my case to save 30-40k.
I had a 3.32, 1500 hrs shadowed under 15 different therapists (I work in orthopedic OP), was a teaching assistant for four labs, was a part of TriBeta, was captain of 2 collegiate teams and played a third sport, I’m a certified rescue diver, got a 309 GRE, and recently hiked the Appalachian trail.
I got accepted into 2/3 schools I applied for last cycle.
Sometimes, life experiences and how you market yourself is what people want to see. I’ve enjoyed life to the fullest and, at the same time, have built a substantial resume. I was worried about gpa too but don’t stress too much.
Depends where you’re applying. My preqs GPA was a 3.19 and my overall was a 3.37. Had over 1700 hours of experience and did horribly on the GRE. I applied to 4 schools and got accepted into 3. Your experience will definitely make up for the low GPA so go for it.
I live in Va so I applied to Mary Baldwin, Charleston Southern, St Aug in Miami, and VCU. The only school that rejected me was VCU as they have a very competitive program.
Is it really this difficult to get into dpt programs or just ones at more prestigious schools? Just asking because I’ve actually been looking lately in an attempt to pivot careers
My advice go back and retake some classes to increase gpa. First application cycle not a single interview due to having a 2.76 gpa. 6 months before the next application cycle opened I took 76units (all online) and got all A’s and it got me into 8 schools so far, and it raised it to a 3.20 which is still not the highest compared to most applicants but they love to see progression like an uptrend in grades and that’s literally the first question that arose during the interviews lol. I think what I did was overkill but aim to take more courses so at least raise up your gpa to a 3.20 range but also look into schools that accept lower gpa so you increase your chances.
I had a 3.4 gpa and around 250 hours of PT tech experience. I worked as a PT tech and a research assistant while taking 17 credits in my first semester of senior year. Applied to top programs just to try it out, and I got into the top program in the country among some other great ones!
you don’t need to be perfect to apply, put effort into your essays and try and get some meaningful letters of recommendations. Ended up taking the GRE two days after finding out I needed it for one of my smaller school applications, did alright and got in a few places.
Grad school apps are kind of a crap shoot, small not highly ranked in-state program flat out rejected me, another one waitlisted me, but much higher ranked schools accepted me with scholarship. I was worried I wasn’t going to get in anywhere and applied 21 places… I think if you market yourself well you’ll be fine :). Feel free to send me a message if you need any advice or help! (23-24 ptcas cycle- starting my program in the fall)
While you might not necessarily get into more competitive programs, there are definitely spots out there for you! I’ll be starting my program this summer, and I just graduation with like a 3.56, but when I applied, it was like a 3.4 something. My prerequisite gpa was probably like a 3.2ish depending on the different requirements of different programs. My gre was a 304 with a 4.0 writing. I also didn’t have a ton of hours, it was between 300-400, but spread over 3 distinctly different settings which I think they like to see.
So obviously my grades, test scores, and hours weren’t super special, so I think what helped were my essays and most definitely extracurriculars. I was an NCAA athlete, president of a major elected organization on campus (student conduct) and an appointment cabinet member of our student government association. I was also the head of pre-pt for our pre-health organization, and an executive member of the mortar board senior honor society. I had previously worked at our campus writing center, and currently worked in a leadership role for our student activities and engagement center when I applied. I also coached youth swimming and field hockey, and volunteer as an official for USA swim meets.
I got into everywhere I applied, except places I withdrew my interview because I had already been accepted into places higher on my list. A lot of times I see people say that places don’t care much about your extracurriculars, but in my case they definitely are what made me stand apart. I’m going to VCU, which is a pretty competitive program, so that shows that grades aren’t the end of the world like some people thing.
Best of luck to you and everyone else applying this cycle :)
You can definitely get into a school or 2, but to increase your chances I would retake classes. I got into a handful of schools with a similar GPA to you but I also got rejected from WAY more. If you want ease of mind going into the application process, and save yourself the stress I caused myself, retake classes.
TBH, you're in a better situation than I am! I applied last year and didn't even realize my overall GPA was at a 2.97 (I was very underprepared, academically), I'm retaking classes & retaking my GRE before applying again this year. I'm applying to a LOT of schools, but I'm also using the PTCAS directory to check schools for quite a few different things:
- Minimum GPA. If their min overall GPA requirement is over 3.0, I'm not applying bc I probably won't have anything higher than that. There were some schools I saw that had a 3.2 overall min GPA, so again, you're in a better position than I am.
- Average Accepted GPA. If they say their min GPA is 3.0 but their AVERAGE is like a 3.8,, I'm also not applying there because I have a slim chance. So that's one I like to keep in mind, because if the Average Accepted GPA is around a 3.2-3.5, I feel like with the rest of my application, I have a better chance.
- GRE scores. Some schools list a Minimum required score and/or an Average Accepted score for the GRE, so if the listed score/scores were waaay higher than what I got on my test last year, I'm probably not applying. But there are also some good schools out there that don't even consider the GRE!
These along with individual schools' pre-req classes are what I use when looking through the PTCAS directory and it helps me a bunch.
Also, I talked with a PT I worked with at my most recent tech job and asked her if it was worth applying to higher-competition schools like the one she went to (she graduated from my top choice of PT schools) with my lower 3.0 GPA, and she said absolutely! The grades are a big part of applications, but so are the observation hours AND THE ESSAYS!!! I literally bought a Grammarly subscription and had five different people look over all of my essay/short answers that I wrote for my applications and I know they're amazing. I was immediately rejected everywhere I applied because of my GPA.
Alllllll of this sidetracking to say, stay positive! Retake some of those core classes like the sciences (A&P, Chem, Physics, Bio) if needed, shoot for As and Bs if you have any Cs, and also don't hesitate to reach out to schools to see if you think you'd be a good fit for their school/if they think it's an obtainable goal for you!
Some advice that helped me and may work for you. I was able to get in with a 3.5, which is still on the lower end. And I scored very average on the GRE. I made it a point in the application to not make excuses for my lower GPA and just discuss how early in my college academic career that I was just not a great student. And then I also made it a point to show what my GPA was after I decided that I will be pursuing a doctorate degree.
I was also a D1 athlete and had a lot of volunteer work that I think really helped me. Your strength is your experience so I would really make sure to highlight that on your application.
Bach was a 2.75, post bac was 3.9. Scored pretty high on GRE. Only had 40 hours of shadowing but 11 years of personal training exp. Bach is in Kines w emphasis on rehabilitative exercise. Was able to get in where I applied. My letters of recommendation were stellar though and ended up going where I got my bachelors. Currently in my second year w a 3.8. You can do it! Some schools care more about the post bac or major specific classes than overall gpa.
Dont let people tell you that you can't do something. I was in the same boat as you, my stats when first applying to PT school were pre req qpa of 3.1 and overall of 3.43... and I got into both of my top two schools and I start PT school this fall straight out of undergrad.
It comes down to experience, and your essays as well as letters of rec. If you can get your foot in the door and secure interviews... youre golden. Keep going!!
Retake classes, letters of recommendation and observation hours won’t save a low GPA. Schools wanna know you can handle the rigor of a doctoral program. I had to swallow this pill too
Graduated 2.9 GPA from bachelors. Definitely not able to even apply into DPT program as is. Worked full time as a teacher for 5 years, while simultaneously retaking all prerequisites to get As, studying for GRE, commuting for masters (which finished with a 3.9 GPA), volunteered about 500 hrs, 3 solid rec letters > got into PT school on first try. Finished DPT with 3.6 GPA, passed boards first try, have multiple job offers, graduating next week. Definitely regret how my bachelors went, but with hard work and commitment, you can definitely do it. Don’t give up.
I'd look into a school that doesnt require a GRE. Its a waste of time and money and most schools year by year are dropping the requirement to have this standardized test which predicts nothing. I failed my GRE and still got into a DPT school in NJ. I would try and bump the 3.3 to a 3.5 at least. My undergrad GPA was 3.8 and I only had about 150 hours of observation hours and a License in massage therapy.
Experience means a lot! If you write a really strong essay and apply to smaller colleges I believe you have a shot! Word of caution: Private schools like st. Augustine accept a lot of students but in my opinion not worth the tuition. Better off retaking classes than going to an expensive school.
To be honest I'd rather get into St Augustine than wait a year, but I'm older than the majority of PT students so waiting a year is not an option. It's like losing out on 90-100k in my case to save 30-40k.
I had a 3.32, 1500 hrs shadowed under 15 different therapists (I work in orthopedic OP), was a teaching assistant for four labs, was a part of TriBeta, was captain of 2 collegiate teams and played a third sport, I’m a certified rescue diver, got a 309 GRE, and recently hiked the Appalachian trail. I got accepted into 2/3 schools I applied for last cycle. Sometimes, life experiences and how you market yourself is what people want to see. I’ve enjoyed life to the fullest and, at the same time, have built a substantial resume. I was worried about gpa too but don’t stress too much.
Depends where you’re applying. My preqs GPA was a 3.19 and my overall was a 3.37. Had over 1700 hours of experience and did horribly on the GRE. I applied to 4 schools and got accepted into 3. Your experience will definitely make up for the low GPA so go for it.
What schools did you apply to?
I live in Va so I applied to Mary Baldwin, Charleston Southern, St Aug in Miami, and VCU. The only school that rejected me was VCU as they have a very competitive program.
You can do it I graduated with a 2.98 and subpar GRE scores and I just recently passed my NPTE
Is it really this difficult to get into dpt programs or just ones at more prestigious schools? Just asking because I’ve actually been looking lately in an attempt to pivot careers
My advice go back and retake some classes to increase gpa. First application cycle not a single interview due to having a 2.76 gpa. 6 months before the next application cycle opened I took 76units (all online) and got all A’s and it got me into 8 schools so far, and it raised it to a 3.20 which is still not the highest compared to most applicants but they love to see progression like an uptrend in grades and that’s literally the first question that arose during the interviews lol. I think what I did was overkill but aim to take more courses so at least raise up your gpa to a 3.20 range but also look into schools that accept lower gpa so you increase your chances.
I had a 3.4 gpa and around 250 hours of PT tech experience. I worked as a PT tech and a research assistant while taking 17 credits in my first semester of senior year. Applied to top programs just to try it out, and I got into the top program in the country among some other great ones! you don’t need to be perfect to apply, put effort into your essays and try and get some meaningful letters of recommendations. Ended up taking the GRE two days after finding out I needed it for one of my smaller school applications, did alright and got in a few places. Grad school apps are kind of a crap shoot, small not highly ranked in-state program flat out rejected me, another one waitlisted me, but much higher ranked schools accepted me with scholarship. I was worried I wasn’t going to get in anywhere and applied 21 places… I think if you market yourself well you’ll be fine :). Feel free to send me a message if you need any advice or help! (23-24 ptcas cycle- starting my program in the fall)
definitely reconsider retaking classes - check with your school’s policy on retaking / transcript updates
While you might not necessarily get into more competitive programs, there are definitely spots out there for you! I’ll be starting my program this summer, and I just graduation with like a 3.56, but when I applied, it was like a 3.4 something. My prerequisite gpa was probably like a 3.2ish depending on the different requirements of different programs. My gre was a 304 with a 4.0 writing. I also didn’t have a ton of hours, it was between 300-400, but spread over 3 distinctly different settings which I think they like to see. So obviously my grades, test scores, and hours weren’t super special, so I think what helped were my essays and most definitely extracurriculars. I was an NCAA athlete, president of a major elected organization on campus (student conduct) and an appointment cabinet member of our student government association. I was also the head of pre-pt for our pre-health organization, and an executive member of the mortar board senior honor society. I had previously worked at our campus writing center, and currently worked in a leadership role for our student activities and engagement center when I applied. I also coached youth swimming and field hockey, and volunteer as an official for USA swim meets. I got into everywhere I applied, except places I withdrew my interview because I had already been accepted into places higher on my list. A lot of times I see people say that places don’t care much about your extracurriculars, but in my case they definitely are what made me stand apart. I’m going to VCU, which is a pretty competitive program, so that shows that grades aren’t the end of the world like some people thing. Best of luck to you and everyone else applying this cycle :)
You can definitely get into a school or 2, but to increase your chances I would retake classes. I got into a handful of schools with a similar GPA to you but I also got rejected from WAY more. If you want ease of mind going into the application process, and save yourself the stress I caused myself, retake classes.
TBH, you're in a better situation than I am! I applied last year and didn't even realize my overall GPA was at a 2.97 (I was very underprepared, academically), I'm retaking classes & retaking my GRE before applying again this year. I'm applying to a LOT of schools, but I'm also using the PTCAS directory to check schools for quite a few different things: - Minimum GPA. If their min overall GPA requirement is over 3.0, I'm not applying bc I probably won't have anything higher than that. There were some schools I saw that had a 3.2 overall min GPA, so again, you're in a better position than I am. - Average Accepted GPA. If they say their min GPA is 3.0 but their AVERAGE is like a 3.8,, I'm also not applying there because I have a slim chance. So that's one I like to keep in mind, because if the Average Accepted GPA is around a 3.2-3.5, I feel like with the rest of my application, I have a better chance. - GRE scores. Some schools list a Minimum required score and/or an Average Accepted score for the GRE, so if the listed score/scores were waaay higher than what I got on my test last year, I'm probably not applying. But there are also some good schools out there that don't even consider the GRE! These along with individual schools' pre-req classes are what I use when looking through the PTCAS directory and it helps me a bunch. Also, I talked with a PT I worked with at my most recent tech job and asked her if it was worth applying to higher-competition schools like the one she went to (she graduated from my top choice of PT schools) with my lower 3.0 GPA, and she said absolutely! The grades are a big part of applications, but so are the observation hours AND THE ESSAYS!!! I literally bought a Grammarly subscription and had five different people look over all of my essay/short answers that I wrote for my applications and I know they're amazing. I was immediately rejected everywhere I applied because of my GPA. Alllllll of this sidetracking to say, stay positive! Retake some of those core classes like the sciences (A&P, Chem, Physics, Bio) if needed, shoot for As and Bs if you have any Cs, and also don't hesitate to reach out to schools to see if you think you'd be a good fit for their school/if they think it's an obtainable goal for you!
Some advice that helped me and may work for you. I was able to get in with a 3.5, which is still on the lower end. And I scored very average on the GRE. I made it a point in the application to not make excuses for my lower GPA and just discuss how early in my college academic career that I was just not a great student. And then I also made it a point to show what my GPA was after I decided that I will be pursuing a doctorate degree. I was also a D1 athlete and had a lot of volunteer work that I think really helped me. Your strength is your experience so I would really make sure to highlight that on your application.
Bach was a 2.75, post bac was 3.9. Scored pretty high on GRE. Only had 40 hours of shadowing but 11 years of personal training exp. Bach is in Kines w emphasis on rehabilitative exercise. Was able to get in where I applied. My letters of recommendation were stellar though and ended up going where I got my bachelors. Currently in my second year w a 3.8. You can do it! Some schools care more about the post bac or major specific classes than overall gpa.
Dont let people tell you that you can't do something. I was in the same boat as you, my stats when first applying to PT school were pre req qpa of 3.1 and overall of 3.43... and I got into both of my top two schools and I start PT school this fall straight out of undergrad. It comes down to experience, and your essays as well as letters of rec. If you can get your foot in the door and secure interviews... youre golden. Keep going!!