OT/PT accepted/waitlist/decline forum - 2021 cycle

[OptimisticOT22]

1 minute ago, Givemegoodnews said:

Hi everyone.

I am waitlisted at U of T for the OT program, the email they sent me said that " we anticipate that we will be able to act on the waiting list by mid-June", does that means U of T are not moving the waiting list and sending offer before Mid-June? Since any provisional acceptances become firm acceptance for OT program on June 6, does that mean if I accept the offer from another Ontario school I would be removed from the waiting list of U of T 's before they start acting on it?

ALSO WONDERING if anyone has any insight into this! Where did you get in and which school are you thinking about accepting while you wait ? 

[PTTTTTl9987]

Applied: Western PT, Queen’s PT, McMaster PT, Western OT, McMaster OT 

Accepted: McMaster OT

Waitlisted: Western PT (upper 1/3), Queens PT, McMaster PT (spot #19), Western OT

sgpa 3.87, 2nd year applying

Wondering if anyone has any information on how much the waitlists will move?? 

[Physiogirl17]

I got my acceptance email for U of T PT!  Is there two different campuses for PT as well or is that just for OT? 

[PTPT12345]

1 hour ago, Let_Me_in said:

if you don't mind me asking. what makes you believe that you have a strong personal submission?

4 years varsity soccer team, student representative for my program, got an undergraduate student research award from NSERC last summer, undergrad thesis in 4th year, 60 hours of physio shadowing and exercise prescription, 400 hours working for school board with kids needing more attention

[TBPT13]

19 minutes ago, ot_lea2021 said:

Wait, what?!! 1 week after classes started? How did that happen? 

Someone in the program got into med school a few days after classes started so they said “see ya!” and they needed one more person to fill the seat. 

[Givemegoodnews]

7 minutes ago, OptimisticOT22 said:

ALSO WONDERING if anyone has any insight into this! Where did you get in and which school are you thinking about accepting while you wait ? 

Hi, I got accepted to Queens.

U of T is my first choice (since I can save some rent living with my parents). I'm still quite confused with the way U of T's waiting list moving works, I could get it wrong but if they only start acting on the waiting list after the firm acceptance deadline I probably won't take the risk and just accept the offer from Queens.

[OptimisticOT22]

1 minute ago, Givemegoodnews said:

Hi, I got accepted to Queens.

U of T is my first choice (since I can save some rent living with my parents). I'm still quite confused with the way U of T's waiting list moving works, I could get it wrong but if they only start acting on the waiting list after the firm acceptance deadline I probably won't take the risk and just accept the offer from Queens.

Hello! what were your stats like, if you don't mind me asking? I wish u of t would tell us where we were on the waitlist because it is my top choice as well! But, I think I will accept either McMaster or western in the meantime! Goodluck on getting of the waitlist for u of t!!!

[PT202173]

Congratulations to everyone that got accepted today! I was wonder if anyone is going to decline their offer at UBC for PT? Currently waitlisted and wondering if there’s any chance for movement of the list.

[PhysioOT98]

Didn't get into any of the programs i applied to  Hoping to apply again next year to improve my overall application. Anyone got any advice towards the type of work experience to get until the next application cycle that would help with improving application?

[pls_OT_2021]

11 hours ago, OptimisticOT22 said:

Congrats! If you don't mind me asking what was ur GPA/ references/ essays?

My sGPA was 3.83, I had a pretty good reference from my anatomy professor (i had 95 in both of her anatomy classes and my professional reference was from an OT that I shadowed! I think my essays were okay, I just brought in a lot of personal experiences in my personal statement and I did some research for the other question feel free to dm me if you have more questions!

[Givemegoodnews]

7 minutes ago, OptimisticOT22 said:

Hello! what were your stats like, if you don't mind me asking? I wish u of t would tell us where we were on the waitlist because it is my top choice as well! But, I think I will accept either McMaster or western in the meantime! Goodluck on getting of the waitlist for u of t!!!

Sure. My cGPA was 3.81 and my sGPA was 3.78.

[pls_OT_2021]

5 hours ago, OTwannabe2021 said:

Got rejected from Western and Toronto for OT (got rejected from Mac before interviews). I havent heard from Queens (and im not interested in going there) so im assuming thats a rejection too. I applied with a 3.71 SGpa, pretty devastated that i couldnt even get a waitlist spot anywhere.

Not too sure how to change my application for next year. I dont think it makes sense to try to take more classes as ive already been out of school for a year and none of my marks from my least recent five classes (first sem of 3rd year) are really bad? I had maybe one B+ but the rest of those grades are As so i dont wanna spend time and money trying to upgrade if its not gonna change anything. 

Just not sure where to go from here tho.. I thought my application may be unique because of volunteer experience, ive been helping at my local foobank throughout covid. and i went on two habitat for humanity trips and built two houses in central america (and was even president of the club in my fourth year and explained how i organized the whole trip/club). I really was hopeful id even get waitlist this year.. 

Does anyone have any suggestions for getting shadowing experience? I just dont know how or who to reach out to especially during covid, but shadowing an OT seems like the only thing id be able to add to my application for next year. if anyone has any suggestions pls let me know. And congrats to everyone for working hard and even just applying!! 

Hey, if you're in ontario, you can send me a message. I was able to get a shadowing opportunity during covid

[PTHopefullll]

For those accepted to Queen's OT and PT I found this Facebook group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/queensptot23 

[lololiver]

2 hours ago, OptimisticOT22 said:

 

Congrats to everyone who has been accepted, and to those who haven't don't give up hope! 
Applied: UofT, western, queens, dal, McMaster (all OT)

Accepted: Western, McMaster

Waitlisted: UofT, Dal 

Rejected: Queen’s

sGPA: 3.94, cGPA: 3.81

Looking to speak to anyone in the same boat as me trying to decide which school to pick. If anyone wants to chat send me a message! 

Also, does anyone know about waitlists for U of T, do they move a lot or little? 

Hey! I’m pretty much exactly the same as you! Accepted to OT at Western and Mac, waitlisted at UT! I’m still thinking about my options but I’m leaning towards Mac for the program structure and location 

[PhysioWannaBe11]

Applied: Queens PT, Western PT, McMaster PT, UofT OT, UofA OT, Queens OT

Accepted: None

Waitlisted: 

Rejected: All

GPA: sGPA 3.75, cGPA 3.31

I'm very devastated of not getting into any of the programs i applied to, but i still wanted to post here for others who also got rejected to let people know that you aren't alone. With my first time applying this year, covid kind of ruined the opportunity for me to obtain more experience especially with the huge amount of cases in Toronto. Within my application, I had around 50 hours volunteer experience with senior patients in a hospital with shadowing an OT, as well as 60 hours volunteering within another hospital (not OT/PT related). I'm looking to get some work experience in before i apply again next year to hopefully improve my application. I felt like my references were also somewhat decent and my essays also felt strong to me - i had one from a professor and one from one of my volunteer positions who was an OT. I feel like i just lacked in the experience i brought with my application which probably resulted in my rejections. Does anyone have any advice on what i could do to improve my overall application for next year? Any work related options and/or clinical experience that would be an asset? I'm pretty stumped and really upset i wasn't able to get into even 1 of the programs i applied to.

[physiohopeful23]

Hey I'm a 1st year PT student at Western!

Feel free to reach out if you have questions, especially regarding school during COVID-19 and what our labs/first year has been like!

 

 

[UWOT]

19 minutes ago, physiohopeful23 said:

Hey I'm a 1st year PT student at Western!

Feel free to reach out if you have questions, especially regarding school during COVID-19 and what our labs/first year has been like!

 

 

Hey! I just got accepted to Western for OT, would you happen to know about the class / lab situation is with the OT program? Is everything still done in a class room setting or is there an option for distanced based learning?

 

Thanks!

[TRtoOT]

12 hours ago, LFG123 said:

I am out of province, so I am wondering how scholarships and all that work? Do you need to apply for them or is it automatic? Just looking for some insight on all that haha

Good question! I actually have no idea right now. Planning to look into it in the next week

[MOT111]

2 hours ago, PTOT1209 said:

Applied: PT- Queens, Mcmaster, Western, UBC. OT- Queens, Mcmaster, Western, Toronto, UBC.

Accepted: Queens PT, Western OT

Waitlisted: UBC OT, Toronto OT.

Rejected: UBC PT, MCM PT, Western PT, MCM OT, QUEENS OT

GPA according to ORPAS: cgpa- 3.71, sgpa- 3.79

From Vancouver, BC.

This was my fourth year applying to Queens PT, 3rd year applying for most other ORPAS schools, and 1st year for UBC. After the first two years I realized I would not get in with my low GPA and minimal experience, so I upgraded all my prereqs and several other courses and brought my SGPA up from 3.61 to 3.79. I also worked over 2000 hours in a physio clinic with very strong ties to UBC and Queens, and volunteered at a neuro-rehab clinic and with stroke society doing hand therapy (~100 hours) . I also was able to have my reference letter done by a partner at our physio clinic who went to Queens PT, and now teaches the GCOMPT program at UBC. Lastly, I feel as if I put forth strong personal submission statements due to a very unique personal experience which relates to the field of medicine and rehabilitation in a unique way; however, if theres one thing i've learned from reading these forums it's that everyone is confident in their personal submissions.

 

I know it's cliche saying this but if you were rejected this year, try not to lose faith. Congrats to everyone that got in this year. Feel free to DM me if anybody wants more details.

Hi there! 
I was wondering what number you’re waitlisted at for UBC OT? And, if you’re planning on attending one of the other universities that you were accepted to. I’m currently waitlisted at #11 for UBC OT - just trying to see what my chances are looking like!

[Just OT]

Does anyone know how to get volunteer opportunities as a post grad? I got rejected from everything except one (I was waitlisted) so I’m really try to amp my application next year. For OT btw

[TRtoOT]

Applied: [All OT] - UofT, McMaster, Queen's, Western
Accepted: UofT, McMaster, Queen's
Waitlisted: Western
Rejected:
GPA: c-gpa: 3.89 and s-gpa: 3.91
Perceived strength of essays/interviews/references: 

• Strong essays I think (I did a 5-year undergrad in Therapeutic Recreation at Waterloo with co-op, had 4 hospital placements in areas like dementia care, specialized mental health and palliative care where I got to shadow OTs) 
• Strong references (academic reference from my TR professor who oversaw my placements; professional reference from my palliative care co-op supervisor)
• I didn't feel good about my CASPer test for Western because I prioritized answering the first 2 questions in depth and leaving the 3rd question blank in several questions, rather than all 3 questions in less depth. Advice that I would give to future applicants is to try to address all 3 questions somewhat equally based on the time that you have. I think Western highly prioritizes CASPer because I basically used the same essay content from the other schools I was accepted to

Happy to answer any questions people may have! I think I'm most torn between UofT and McMaster because of the greater catchment areas (and therefore clinical placements). The advice I was given was to look at professors' research areas to see where I most align. UofT has a list of international placements that I would be really keen on but I'm not sure if that should be a factor now with COVID. Do any of you have pros/cons lists for Ontario OT schools?

[Just OT]

Does anyone know if Western OT tells you anywhere (student centre or email) where you are on the wait list?

[aoaks]

10 minutes ago, Just OT said:

Does anyone know if Western OT tells you anywhere (student centre or email) where you are on the wait list?

I emailed them and they told me my relative position! You’re either in the upper, middle, or bottom third

[ZZZ1]

Hi does anyone know from previous years how much the UofT OT waitlist moves or how big it is?

[PTPT12345]

Got accepted to Ottawa PT, but I’m on the waitlist for Western and Queens PT. Is there a way to accept Ottawa but stay on the waitlist for the two other schools? Or will it take me off automatically? When I go to ORPAS it says I can either “firmly” or “provisionally” accept...then it says I can select I would like to still be considered for...so does that mean I will stay on the waitlist even if I provisionally accept?