Q&A: What are some of the best things to do so I stand-out and look good when applying to Physical Therapy school?

Travel Physical Therapy | admin | December 23, 2011 at 5:48 pm

Question by cure_cancer: What are some of the best things to do so I stand-out and look good when applying to Physical Therapy school?
I am a Jr. in college and I am the President of my school’s Relay for Life / Colleges Against Cancer organization (part of the American Cancer Society). ….what else can I do. Work for/volunteer at PT clinics?? Does coaching gymnastics look good? Thank you!!

Best answer:

Answer by I Buy And Sell Houses
There’s a lot of information online at the American Physical Therapy Association’s web site: http://www.apta.org.

Basically, make sure you’ve taken a sufficient number of courses in science to demonstrate that you’ll be able to handle the curriculum. Make sure you’ve got that area covered.

As for other things to make yourself stand out: Sure, volunteering at a PT clinic would be good. It’d be very good if you could put in enough time and prove your value enough so that one or more of the PTs there could give write you a recommendation.

The other stuff you’re doing–Relay for Life–is fine. PTs are very “touchy feely.” That applies to many of the PT schools, as well as PTs out in the real world. They like volunteer efforts and things that “do good.” Working with the poor or underpriviledged is even better, if you have that opportunity.

Coaching gymnastics is OK (I assume you’re doing that now), but won’t help much. The schools will be looking for students who will succeed (thus the mention of taking medical and science courses now), and who will fit in personality-wise with others. And they want students who are pretty sure they want to be PTs, rather than, say, nurses or athletic trainers.

So, focus on the educational component. Then add in some volunteer work, ideally at a PT clinic. If not there, get involved in some volunteer programs to help the poor or disadvantaged. And check APTA’s web site.

Hope that helps.

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1 Comment

  1. mistify says:
    December 23, 2011 at 6:25 pm

    Grades are generally considered first. Strive for a 3.5 prerequisite GPA to be considered a “strong” applicant. Yet, volunteering in a clinic is not only a good idea, it is often required. Be sure you have met the number of hours/facilities and obtained the apporpriate letters of recommendation to make you elligible to the program to which you hope to apply.

    Any activity that shows you can work with and lead people will be of benefit to your application.