Ot Questions?

[helloyou]

Hi to those applying to OT programs,

 

I went through the process last year and got into Queen's.

Let me know if you have any questions/need tips about your applications (UBC, UA, ORPAS).

I can answer questions about Queen's specifically about class/program dynamics.

 

 

NOTE: I am very passionate about OT, so for those who are applying to both PT and OT with the intention of really only getting into one of them, please know that OT is completely different than PT. You may be disappointed if you get into one program and find that you have to spend the next two years doing something you don't love. I personally don't quite understand why people would apply to both, since you are talking about apples and oranges, but again that's just me. Not getting into school right away if you really want a certain program is a blessing in disguise.

[Littlelionwoman]

Do you think some types of experiences are more valuable than others when applying for OT? I.e: job shadowing in a clinical setting versus non-OT specific work with lots of direct transferable skills?

[helloyou]

Do you think some types of experiences are more valuable than others when applying for OT? I.e: job shadowing in a clinical setting versus non-OT specific work with lots of direct transferable skills?

No, I don't think that specific types of experiences are more valuable than others. OT-related experience may give you a better sense of what OT is all about and what the profession emcompasses BUT don't believe that without it you can't do well. There are colleagues in my class who do not have OT-related experience at all, but they DO have volunteer experience that involves skills needed to be an OT. For example, I had ZERO connections to an OT but ended up shadowing an OT for only ONE MORNING (not even a day, not even weeks, not even a volunteer position!!!)... Before applying I worked various retail jobs and did some teaching. The skills I acquired came from those experiences.

 

I suggest reading the document called "Essential skills and attributes required for the study of Occupational Therapy" and look for the skills in the experience you have done/are doing and describe your unique experiences that demonstrate those skills.

 

It may not seem like it, but that customer service job you have tells me a lot about your interpersonal skills, that camp leader position tells me how enthusiastic you are, those volunteer hours in research tells me how detailed and analytical you are, and your work teaching special needs children how to swim shows me that you are patient, creative, and believe in seeing the best in people.

 

I hope that helps

[Littlelionwoman]

That's WONDERFUL advice, thank you!

[ayc]

What kind of style did you write your personal statement essays in? I'm wondering if I should make it more story like or write it as an expansion of my resume. Thanks!

[Mhunte03]

What kind of style did you write your personal statement essays in? I'm wondering if I should make it more story like or write it as an expansion of my resume. Thanks!

 

I'm also at Queen's in OT, I can tell you the first year I applied I wrote my essays really professionally and more resume style and was not accepted anywhere (although this may have been due to a number of factors not simply the essays) however when I re-applied last year I wrote really personal essays, especially for the personal statement.  I wrote about having had an OTs support myself and went really deep into personal experiences.  Again I think there were contributing factors as to my acceptance, but I think the main thing you want to get across in your essays is your passion for the field and the "why" behind your choosing OT.  

[ayc]

I'm also at Queen's in OT, I can tell you the first year I applied I wrote my essays really professionally and more resume style and was not accepted anywhere (although this may have been due to a number of factors not simply the essays) however when I re-applied last year I wrote really personal essays, especially for the personal statement.  I wrote about having had an OTs support myself and went really deep into personal experiences.  Again I think there were contributing factors as to my acceptance, but I think the main thing you want to get across in your essays is your passion for the field and the "why" behind your choosing OT.  

 

I wrote mine pretty personalized and was starting to have doubts as to if that's what they're looking for hahah. Thank you so much for sharing your experience!

[OThopeful-]

Hi,

 

I just first wanted to thank you so much for doing this! I don't know anyone that is in a OT program so being able to ask you is going to be SO helpful- especially because I'm really hoping to go to Queens soon too!

 

If you don't mind my asking, how competitive was your GPA? I've read that Queens is more focused on experiences/personal statement- which is thankfully in my favour.

 

Did you find this true in your case? I'm asking because I am so worried about my low GPA. I'm applying in 2016 but I'm going to be around a cGPA of 3.1 and sGPA of ~3.6.. which I know is extremely low. I'm hoping that my diverse and many hrs of volunteer and work experience will make up for it.. hopefully!

 

Also, can you please talk about your experience at Queen's OT so far? Likes/dislikes about the program or school?

 

Any insight you can provide on this matter would be greatly appreciated

[helloyou]

What kind of style did you write your personal statement essays in? I'm wondering if I should make it more story like or write it as an expansion of my resume. Thanks!

Like the other poster, I too wrote mine as a personal statement. Queen's specifically asks for a copy of your resume (at least this was true for last year's application, should be same) so I focused more on my own personal growth and wrote about my passion for working with others and how my experience has taught me how to be less judgemental, more tolerant, more accepting..etc.

 

My trends essay didn't have any citations at all by the way, so I also don't think it's something they're expecting from you. However, if you want to cite things, it doesn't hurt at all.

[Littlelionwoman]

This might be a ridiculous question but...we can use acronyms, right? Like it would be okay to use 'OT' instead of 'occupational therapy'. This is a profession with a lot of characters, haha. Similarly, we can use contractions, yes?

[helloyou]

This might be a ridiculous question but...we can use acronyms, right? Like it would be okay to use 'OT' instead of 'occupational therapy'. This is a profession with a lot of characters, haha. Similarly, we can use contractions, yes?

 

In the end, it really just depends on your writing style and flow, nothing to do with the actual program requirements. If you use acronyms just put them in brackets the first time "occupationaI therapy (OT)" and then use OT after that. I personally don't like to use contractions in my written work but I'd like to think that someone's choice to pick me for professional program isn't based on the fact I chose to use contractions or not. Remember, this isn't an "academic paper". Let your personality shine through

 

e.g.

"This past summer, I was able to work with special needs children at a summer day camp. I was in charge of coordinating activities for the kids. If a child wasn't  able to perform a specific activity, I would creatively think of new ways to adapt the task to suit the individual."

 

vs.

 

"This past summer, I was able to work with special needs children at a summer day camp. I was in charge of coordinating activities for the kids. If a child was not able to perform a specific activity, I would creatively think of new ways to adapt the task to suit the individual."

 

 

 

What's the bigger picture here? She worked with special needs kids in a creative way!! She understood what it meant to have the activity be suitable for the child! She understood the individual and put them first in a client-centered way!!

[helloyou]

Hi,

 

I just first wanted to thank you so much for doing this! I don't know anyone that is in a OT program so being able to ask you is going to be SO helpful- especially because I'm really hoping to go to Queens soon too!

 

If you don't mind my asking, how competitive was your GPA? I've read that Queens is more focused on experiences/personal statement- which is thankfully in my favour.

 

Did you find this true in your case? I'm asking because I am so worried about my low GPA. I'm applying in 2016 but I'm going to be around a cGPA of 3.1 and sGPA of ~3.6.. which I know is extremely low. I'm hoping that my diverse and many hrs of volunteer and work experience will make up for it.. hopefully!

 

Also, can you please talk about your experience at Queen's OT so far? Likes/dislikes about the program or school?

 

Any insight you can provide on this matter would be greatly appreciated

 

Great questions!

 

I did have a 'low' gpa going in, somewhere around 3.2-3.4 I think? If you're above the threshold that they state you should have, you will be 'considered,' although it doesn't guarantee anything. I was above the threshold, so I worked harder on my application rather than worry and fuss about my gpa. I figured that either way, I was going to submit an amazing application regardless if I had a 4.0 or 3.0. To give you an idea, I was also asked to interview at UBC and was accepted at UA. On the flip side, because of my 'low' GPA I wasn't accepted into other Central Canada schools like UofT or Western of course... they seem to be more focused on people with higher GPAs because I think they get more applicants.

 

In my opinion, Queen's seems to be more accepting of holistic applications and well-rounded individuals. However, many students in my program came in with high GPAs.. but having a lot of experience will of course help your application. So in the end, I wouldn't say that Queen's only goes by experience because there are very intelligent people in my class!

 

I've only been a semester in but the program is amazing! Keep in mind that my opinions are obviously a little biased though

Throughout the year you have a learning team. You work with these individuals for all your projects. This can be good or bad depending on your working style, but it really is representative of your future workplace environment. Depending on the dynamics of your learning team, most team members become good friends since you spend a lot of time together.

 

I also feel like Queen's has a lot of resources regarding hands-on opportunities before you start your first placement. You have to appreciate that Kingston is a city with rich history and has a population that is well suited for rehab programs. Kingston is home to one of the largest federal correctional facilities in Canada (now closed), it has a huge area for mental health services and it's heritage involves the military services (RMC is close by). ie. war veterans, marginalized populations, etc. that need help getting back into the community

 

The program itself is not difficult in the sense that the material is hard, but because you have so much going on at once, it's a lot of work and can get overwhelming. This fall semester, we had 8 courses at one time, but some were 3x a week, 2x a week or 1x a week, etc. Anatomy is tough if you haven't done it before, BUT regardless of what people say, it is completely do-able. It is a huge chunk in your first semester. Once you're in the program, it becomes so much more about your interaction with people rather than grades. Grades do matter in the regard that you have to pass of course, but it becomes less competitive, which fosters an environment for collaborative work, leading to amazing results and ideas!! Your classmates turn into your supporters and if you're really struggling, you can always count on your classmates to help keep you on track and boost your confidence and give you motivation! (But I think OTs in general are just really positive people haha :lol: )

 

Besides my feelings about the program, I love Queen's as a school itself. A lot of school spirit (if you did your undergrad in Central Canada, you know what I mean.) It's a great student atmosphere and Kingston is a beautiful city!

[miml6]

Like the other poster, I too wrote mine as a personal statement. Queen's specifically asks for a copy of your resume (at least this was true for last year's application, should be same) so I focused more on my own personal growth and wrote about my passion for working with others and how my experience has taught me how to be less judgemental, more tolerant, more accepting..etc.

 

My trends essay didn't have any citations at all by the way, so I also don't think it's something they're expecting from you. However, if you want to cite things, it doesn't hurt at all.

Did you actually have to do any research for the trends essay, or was it more about what you know in general and relate that back to OT?

[Mhunte03]

Hi,

 

I just first wanted to thank you so much for doing this! I don't know anyone that is in a OT program so being able to ask you is going to be SO helpful- especially because I'm really hoping to go to Queens soon too!

 

If you don't mind my asking, how competitive was your GPA? I've read that Queens is more focused on experiences/personal statement- which is thankfully in my favour.

 

Did you find this true in your case? I'm asking because I am so worried about my low GPA. I'm applying in 2016 but I'm going to be around a cGPA of 3.1 and sGPA of ~3.6.. which I know is extremely low. I'm hoping that my diverse and many hrs of volunteer and work experience will make up for it.. hopefully!

 

Also, can you please talk about your experience at Queen's OT so far? Likes/dislikes about the program or school?

 

Any insight you can provide on this matter would be greatly appreciated

 

Definitely talk about your diverse experiences and volunteering, Queen's is known for having a more 'holistic' approach to looking at applicants and I truly believe this makes the difference as to why some applicants are accepted over others.  The trend has tended to show that 'well roundedness' of applicants is preferred - that is work experience, volunteer experience, academics, and also who you are as a person, for instance I talked about being in my community choir - although this might sound a little irrelevant occupational therapy prides itself on the power of occupation and this was a meaningful activity to me.  In terms of my GPA I was somewhere in the cum - 3.4 and sub - 3.65 I participated in the MMI at Mac and rejected my MMI invite at McGill shortly after the Mac one, I was only accepted to Queen's and was placed on UofT's waitlist.  Had I been accepted off the list into Toronto I very likely would have accepted a spot there however in all honesty I had always been more interested in Queen's program itself and this decision would have been solely based on location (thus I have to believe things happen for a reason and the universe left me no choice!)  

 

The program at Queen's has been great so far, in our first semester, despite the busyness of the schedule which takes some getting used to, although we have had some heavier academic courses (i.e. some intense anatomy) we also have courses that give us hands on experience right from the start and include working with actual clients and meeting real people from the community - as a person who learns from doing I can say this has been my favourite part of the program so far.  Although I don't know a lot about the other programs in terms of their courses I believe these introductory courses are unique to Queen's.

 

 http://www.queensu.ca/sgs/occupational-therapy-emerging-unique-field-canada

 

-->  This recent article might also be of interest - based on two recent grads and their experience in the program at Queen's

[Mhunte03]

Did you actually have to do any research for the trends essay, or was it more about what you know in general and relate that back to OT?

 

I had some trends in the back of my head based out of interest but I also lurked the CAOT website quite a lot in terms of just looking at their definition of OT along with reading some of their guiding statements.  I also found this link helpful http://www.caot.ca/default.asp?pageid=4 for actually choosing areas to touch upon and reading the position statement that the CAOT had on certain areas.  However, this was more out of personal interest than anything else, and I also did not use any citations for my trends essay. 

[miml6]

I had some trends in the back of my head based out of interest but I also lurked the CAOT website quite a lot in terms of just looking at their definition of OT along with reading some of their guiding statements.  I also found this link helpful http://www.caot.ca/default.asp?pageid=4 for actually choosing areas to touch upon and reading the position statement that the CAOT had on certain areas.  However, this was more out of personal interest than anything else, and I also did not use any citations for my trends essay. 

I've perused the CAOT website as well but haven't gone to that link. Thanks so much for your advice!

[Linda12]

Hi there,

 

I'm applying to the OT program in Queens this year and I was wondering if you included specific reason for applying to Queens in you personal statement. I noticed the two general questions within the ORPAS application doesn't ask applicants why they want to go the specific university. 

[Linda12]

Hi, 

 

I have another question: how specific did you write your personal intent to be? Would talking about personal patient cases without including identifying information about them considered to be breaking confidentiality? 

 

Thank you and happy holidays

[Littlelionwoman]

Hello again! Does anyone know if the 5000 character limit includes spaces or not? Right now I have 5105 characters with spaces but 4282 without.

 

Thanks!

[OT2015]

Hello again! Does anyone know if the 5000 character limit includes spaces or not? Right now I have 5105 characters with spaces but 4282 without.

 

Thanks!

 

The limit includes spaces!

[Mhunte03]

Hi, 

 

I have another question: how specific did you write your personal intent to be? Would talking about personal patient cases without including identifying information about them considered to be breaking confidentiality? 

 

Thank you and happy holidays

 

Hi There,

 

In my personal intent statement I wrote about clients I had worked with in placements and just wrote them in a confidential manner - i.e. In my final clinical placement I worked at Infant and Child Development Services, one experience that stands out is my work with an infant who had Prader Willi syndrome and their family to create an individualized family program plan and set goals for development etc. As long as your respect your clients confidentiality I would say definitely include relevant experiences.

 

Happy Holidays  

[helloyou]

Hi there,

 

I'm applying to the OT program in Queens this year and I was wondering if you included specific reason for applying to Queens in you personal statement. I noticed the two general questions within the ORPAS application doesn't ask applicants why they want to go the specific university.

 

Nope, I suggest not wasting your precious characters writing about why you want to get into a certain school. Your application should be about YOU and your skills/qualities and experience.

 

fyi I submitted the same essays for all schools.

[OThopeful-]

You guys are so amazing! Thank you so much for your insight

[mtigs]

Hi All,

 

I'm a non-traditional student. I was out of school for 5 years working in Education as a Teacher. I recently wanted to make a career change. Since I work full-time and have a family, it is difficult to take face to face courses. To meet required courses, increase gpa, and gain references I took up to 4 courses per term for 2 terms (8 months). I would definitely quit to go back full-time for my Masters, but do not want to do this if I can avoid it for pre-reqs. I have extensive experience with students with special needs. I have also volunteered along side an OT working with stroke patients. 

 

I plan on applying for next year, 2016. I am looking for academic references and unfortunately many online professors refuse to write references. I was advised to volunteer with professors, but since I need to keep my job to save up for grad studies...I was wondering if any one had experience/success with approaching an old prof? I'm worried not many will remember me. On the upside, I have stellar work/volunteer references. 

[fingerscrossedOT]

In the review they have a space for volunteer experience etc and I can't seem to find where to submit that info. Help please!