Hello. as said in the title. i am a college 3rd year undergrad currently live in texas and just finished a&p one, unfortunately i only got an B- as my final letter grade.

I also only have about 3.47 gpa. haven’t taken my GRE yet.

i know a&p and gpa are super important. i wonder if i still have chance with PT school with my B- and gpa, or should i switch path.

(idk what to switch to too, if yall have any suggestions plz lmk as well)

i am currently shadowing in a hospital but i just started this march and haven’t gotten much hours yet.

plz lmk in the comments (or share ur experience id greatly appreciate it :)

Hey everyone, I’m trying to get some honest feedback before I apply to DPT programs.

My cumulative GPA is a 3.29, and I’m wondering how realistic my chances are for schools like Radford or similar DPT programs in Virginia/NC.

I know GPA isn’t the only factor, and I do plan to apply with solid observation hours and experience, but I’m trying to be realistic about where I stand before building my school list.

For anyone who has gotten into Radford or programs like it, especially with a GPA around mine—how did your application look overall, and do you think this is a realistic target or more of a reach?

Any honest input would really help.

I’m graduating in december with a major in exercise science, i’ve been working at a chiropractor for 4 years and I’ll have over 50 pt shadowing hours, my gpa will be a 3.4 and my pre req gpa is 3.6. im applying to
USAHS st augustine residential and miami hybrid
UF
UNF
MUSC hybrid
south college in atlanta hybrid
and tufts university in atlanta

what are the odds i get in to them/ what can i do between now and applications being due to have higher changes?

also any input on any of the programs would be greatly appreciated

The PT reddit posts I've seen have made me wary and I want to be sure that I'm not making a mistake pursuing a DPT...

I feel very passionate about going into the field and was planning on applying this upcoming cycle. I am a rising senior in undergrad studying neuro. I will have no debt from undergrad thanks to military benefits and therefore will have enough saved for DPT school debt-free. The biggest downside I've heard is the ROI, with DPT school being too expensive for the resulting pay. Given that I won't have debt, is it still a mistake to commit to this profession? Current PTs: taking money out of the equation, do you regret choosing this path?

As of right now, I would love to do neurologic PT in the future. Obviously I can't be sure that this won't change, but I've been a tech at an ortho outpatient for 1.5 years and love when we have the occasional neuro case. Could any neuro PTs speak to their experience as well??

A 2024 study in Health Science Reports found that 51.2 percent of licensed physical therapists in the US report frequent or intense imposter syndrome. That number stops me every time I read it.

These are not students. These are not new grads. These are licensed clinicians with DPTs, years of experience, and a full schedule tomorrow morning.

If you are in school right now or in your first year out, that should actually be reassuring. The voice telling you that you do not belong is not evidence that you are unqualified. It is the most common internal experience in our profession.

What it tends to look like:

• You reread chapters the night before a tough eval
• You quietly let a colleague pick up the complex case
• A patient gets better and you credit luck before you credit your reasoning
• You assume everyone else has it figured out
• You wait for the day someone realizes you are the wrong person for the job

The harder part is the downstream effect. In physicians, frequent imposter feelings come with about 80 percent higher odds of burnout, and intense imposter feelings roughly double those odds (Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2022).

The PT study above linked imposter symptoms with emotional exhaustion and lower job satisfaction in our profession specifically. So this is not just a confidence issue. It shapes how long we stay, how we feel about the work, and how well we take care of ourselves while doing it.

What seems to actually help, both in the literature and from what I have seen working with students and new grads:

• Saying it out loud to someone you trust
• Hearing experienced clinicians admit they still feel it too
• Having one or two people you can text "is this what I think it is" without feeling judged
• Reframing clinical uncertainty as part of the job, not proof you are failing

Two real questions for this thread.

For the students and new grads, what would have helped you most so far?

For the experienced PTs reading, does it ever actually go away, or do you just learn to recognize it sooner?

What do we think about applying to a school that is in candidate for accreditation status? should I stay away or is it ok to look into? I know that most schools end up getting accredited and the students are able to sit for the NPTE. I was just wondering because one school I was looking at is only at candidacy right now. Thank you!

This question is mostly for those who have completed physical therapy. As a PT myself I’ve seen a lot of ACL patients. What did you guys do after being discharged from PT or when insurance denied more visits? Did you work out on your own? Was there a program you followed? I feel like there’s a huge gap between discharge and return to sport.

I'm a PT Aide (for two years), a patient for my bicep and going to PTA school. It's two weeks into my second semester, and I'm exhausted. I have class and work 5 days a week, averaging 4-5 hours of sleep, long hours in the day, then class till 10pm, I'm not sure if I'm just tired, cranky, or if I'm really burned out. My PTA program is $50k and I'm wondering if it's worth it

I’m currently filling out my PTCAS application in preparation for the cycle to open in June, and I am feeling overwhelmed trying to figure out when to take the GRE and CASPer exam. The priority deadlines for two of my schools (GA State and University of North GA) are on August 15. One advisor for GA State told me that GRE scores should be sent by July 4. I figured that taking the GRE on June 18th would allow enough time for processing and for my application to be submitted by then if everything else is completed. Is taking the exam 15 days before I want to submit my application enough time, or should I schedule it earlier?

Also, if a school like UNG requires the CASPer exam, is that required with my application, or is that required only for applicants that are invited for an interview? If it is required with an application, when should I take it?

Hoping to have my application completed by July 3. Any guidance would be appreciated.

I'm currently ( I am a Senior just finished my junior year, only prereqs left are medical term and stats) planning to submit my PT apps this upcoming cycle towards the end of July, after taking my GRE in early July. I have a 3.59 cumulative GPA at Texas A&M and a 4.0 at my community college ( I took 2 3hr courses). I will be taking Stats over the summer in a 5-week course. I plan to get an A in it, so my GPA would probably be slightly over a 3.6 I started rough freshman year at a 3.2. I've gotten a B in Chem 1, Intro Bio 1 and 2, and College Physics 1, ive gotten an A in Chem 2, Physics 2, and both anatomys and Physiology. The other prereqs have also been As so my prereq gpa is probably 3.5+ for my last 60 hours I got 4.0 my 2 semesters of Junior year so probably low end 3.5+?, only Cs I've gotten is in calculus and in a fitness class my 2nd semester of freshman year. I've worked 4 jobs ( one was transitioning out of high school as a hospice aide) and as a student assistant in the engineering department at A&M as well as a caregiver for patients with intellectual disabilities, and current working as a physical therapy aide since April im also still working the engineering job currently. As for as observation hours ive only gone to 2 clinics ( an outpatient one back home with an aquatics area, and ortho-focused, and the clinic im currently working at here is more of a geriatric outpatient clinic. I have 47 hours of the clinic back home, and estimating above 200+ hours when I submit my applications from the clinic I work at. I hold a college leader position at my church as well as leading an evangelism group on campus. Most of my volunteering has been at church as it's one of my biggest pillars in life. I did do a partial completion of a coaching academy program, too, where I shadowed coaching in powerlifting for a class, outside of that, not too much extracurricular. GRE im aiming for a 300+

I have asked for my letters of rec which I believe atleast 3 of them will be strong ones ( 2 from PTS 1 from my superivor and 2 from professors in my major. I am a first gen hispanic student too if that helps not sure what else to improve on many hours? any advice helps thank you!

What do i do to get more involved and polish up my resume for pt school? I work at Taco bell right now and im in 2 clubs at Uiuc. I know i should join more but what else can i do other than observation hours please help im stressed. i’m a 19 year old going into my sophomore year

I am about to enter my senior year of college at a school that I’m already pre accepted into their DPT program. I am considering applying to other DPT programs to experience living in a different part of the country. Do you think this look unfavorably in the eyes of admissions? (I know I am blessed to have my current school to fall back on, but I am having a hard time imagining staying for an additional 3 years after I graduate)

I have a friend who is starting her PT program this summer. I want to get her a gift that is specific to PT but I am unsure about what is practical and what is a waste. Are there any miscellaneous things that you wish you had when you started?

Trying to decide between the programs. Any graduates?? Just found out i need to travel for my clinical for Arcadia so I would need to pay for housing for my clinicals too. Unsure about Augustana but everyone seems so nice!

Hi! This is my first time posting on Reddit, so I’m not totally sure how this works, but I’d really appreciate some advice :)

I recently graduated with a BFA in Dance, and I’ve been seriously considering returning to school for a graduate program and shifting my career path toward something more financially sustainable. I’ve always enjoyed helping people, and at one point in high school, I considered medicine, but I was so passionate about dance that I couldn’t imagine, at the time, pursuing anything else.

After dancing for many years, I’ve dealt with a lot of physical issues, which led me to work with several physical therapists over time. I’ve had both good and bad experiences with PT, but the positive ones really stuck with me. I admired the therapists I worked with, the teamwork in those clinics, and the impact they had on people’s recovery and quality of life.

I’m also a yoga instructor, so I already have a strong interest in movement, body mechanics, and physical wellness. Because of all this, I’m now seriously considering becoming a physical therapist.

I understand that this path will take a lot of time and work, especially because my undergraduate degree didn’t include many of the prerequisite science courses required for DPT programs. I’ve been struggling to figure out the quickest and smartest path forward. Would becoming a PTA first be beneficial? I know PTA programs also require science prerequisites, so I’m trying to understand whether that route would ultimately help or delay becoming a PT.

My current plan is to spend the next year completing prerequisites so I can apply to programs the year after. I’m also looking into work as a physical therapy aide to gain experience in the field.

I truly feel this could be fulfilling work for me, and I would love to hear from anyone who has gone through PT or PTA school, changed careers into PT, or came from a nontraditional background. Any advice on getting started, prerequisites, work experience, school applications, or what to expect would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

I’ve seen some questions about this program and some very conflicting responses, so figured I would share and I am currently a student in this program.

Firstly, yes, you will be a part of the US Military (Army, Navy, or Air Force). There are 32 seats per class, with 24 belonging to the Army and 4 each to the Navy and Air Force. Prior service is welcome to apply.

Upon applying and being accepted, you will be joining the US Military as an active duty soldier. You will go through the typical MEPS sequence as all soldiers do. You will also go through direct commissioning and/or basic officer leadership courses prior to beginning the program (very watered down and easy to pass). The training is far from basic training - you will not get screamed at or anything remotely intense. You will be apart of the medical specialist corps in each respective branch.

What’s in it for you?

The moment you commission, you start making a full-time salary as an Active duty service member. That full-time salary on day 1 is comparable to an entry-level DPT salary that just graduated. I’ve received 3-4 raises and have promoted since beginning the program.

You also receive free healthcare coverage.

You can start saving and investing for retirement ASAP.

Your school is completely free. Your “repayment” is 5 years of service upon graduating from the program. Many people think this is a big deal, but you will be paying off loans way longer in the civilian sector.

You do not live on base unless you have dependents. You also receive a basic allowance for housing (BAH) as all service members do if they choose to live off base. It’s non-taxable and relative to the location you’re stationed in (Fort Sam Houston, Texas while receiving the didactic portion)

What does daily school look like?

The program is very intense, with 36 courses being completed in 17-18 months. You complete over 80 credit hours worth of educational training. However, the program prioritizes outpatient neuro musculoskeletal material as that is what you will mostly be practicing upon graduation. The program is located in JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, Texas. You will get reimbursed for moving expenses.

Currently, there is no mandatory unit physical training or readiness. Your education is the main priority at the school house. Your physical training is your personal job outside of class and studying

You are expected to wear the physical fitness uniform or duty uniforms for your respective branch.

You will have 2 physical training tests 1-2x per year depending on your branch. Sometimes you will attend a unit run or change of command ceremony (mostly for Army - only happened twice).

What does work look like after graduation?

You will be sent to a conventional military unit to be a PT at a base somewhere. You wear the service duty uniform, have an office, and do what a PT does.

Yes, there is the possibility of being deployed. Deployments have a bad rap but they can be very insightful. You basically still do a PT’s job from a different location, in a well controlled environment. It’s not like you’re in the front lines doing the dirty work - your job is to help people make it back to the front lines.

Unique PT priviliges

As a Physical Therapist in the military, you have the unique privilege of ordering imaging studies and prescribing certain medications. You’re considered a “physician extender.” This is one of the most autonomous positions a physical therapist can have.

Also, specialties like NCS/OCS/SCS pay an extra untaxed $8,000 per year and your study materials are covered.

All in all, it’s a free program where you make really good money and can maximize every aspect of a PT’s capabilities. The program really tested my limits. I questioned my abilities quite often, but I love the position I’m in and am super grateful to represent the program and US military

Has anyone been in contact with admissions committee from Creighton (Phoenix)? I've not had any luck with contact info provided on PTCAS and I'm wondering if the fall cohort is already full.

hi! I plan to major in human bio at uc davis but am unsure where this degree could take me. I had originally been planning to get my bachelors and then apply to a dpt program, but am trying to explore other options. I am interested in kines and human movement, but my main concerns with a career in physical therapy is a low return on investment, burnout, and time before starting a career. what would be other good options with a human bio degree?

How are others feeling about the new question for this coming cycle? Have been trying to rework the “why” essay I wrote but getting some writers block