Do I honestly have a chance at being admitted next year?

[OhTee]

Hey all,

So this past application cycle, I applied to OT, but I was rejected from every single school I applied to. At first I was optimistic and I told myself that I'd get in next year, but then I told my father about it and he was extremely angry at me for it. I thought I did my best, but I guess it wasn't enough. I'm hoping to apply next year, but my s-GPA sits at a 3.74. I was hoping to upgrade a little bit, but idk if that's an option anymore since my father wants me to graduate as soon as possible.

In terms of my volunteer experience, I have done 50+ hours shadowing a physiotherapist, 200+ hours working with a kinesiologist assisting adults with injuries and disabilities, and I'm currently working at health care facility with dementia patients. 

Do I have a chance at getting in next year? Or should I just forget it and do something else? I do have a backup plan in mind just in case this does not work out.

 

 

[FutureOT99]

Hey  I'm sure you know many of these things, but I want to re-iterate them.

You DID do enough, and do not let your father believe otherwise. 

Getting into graduate school is hard, especially because they want good grades and professional experience, which are hard to manage at the same time when taking 5 courses per semester. 

It might be hard to get in next year because many students may be deferring their studies in order to take classes in-person rather than online. But this goes for any program. 

Upgrading your GPA sounds like a good idea, since you already have a lot of professional experience. Again, don't let your dad decide for you. If you want to do OT as a career, you should go for it. I think that if you upgrade your GPA by taking a few easy, yet interesting courses, you will increase your chances of getting in while learning something new. 

Make sure that you have solid references who know you for several years or with whom you have a really close relationship with. Pick someone who knows you not only as a colleague or employee, but also as a person. 

Also, try to get professional experience elsewhere. Not just in the medical field. I volunteered a retirement home with geriatric patients as well as for Global Brigades, but I also tutored children and worked at the airport, which taught me to communicate well with different populations. This shows them that you are well-rounded and that you have interests outside of medicine. 

Try to include a personal example in your essays. This shows them that you have passion and a personal interest in the career. Also, make sure to record your research interests and a potential professor with whom you would like to work (it also helps to reach out to professors individually as well, not only through the official application). It also helps to add what you see for the future of OT. Send your application for many people to read, both in medicine and outside of medicine. Proofreading is super helpful. 

The biggest thing is including key OT words from the Canadian OT Association, such as their competencies (autonomy, advocacy, inter-professional collaboration, etc.). 

I know a physiotherapist who applied 3 years in a row...and she finally made it. If this is what you want, focus on YOU and YOUR goals, not someone else's. And don't worry about losing time. You are doing well. 

Hopefully this helps somewhat. If you have more questions, feel free to reach out!