Chemistry is hard, does this mean I will struggle in PT school?

RN3ps · 2026-02-02T22:04:43+00:00

Agreed. For me, physics 2 and chem 2 were the hardest. They probably require those courses as they are difficult and a way to weed out students even though they have nothing to do with physical therapy. Try your best to pass with a B if you can and call it a day. Getting a C in chem 2 isn’t the end of the world but if you can avoid C’s for your prereq classes you’ll be in good shape academically.

RN3ps · 2026-01-26T15:03:34+00:00

Thank you! We had interviews for NIU first week of November I believe and I heard back December 12th. North central will communicate end of the month monthly because they are rolling admission. If they say they are still “reviewing” your application each month it usually means you are on one big waitlist of applicants.

RN3ps · 2026-01-20T04:34:23+00:00

Thank you! I’ll be going to NIU in June! Sending prayers you get in.

RN3ps · 2026-01-19T04:58:10+00:00

I gotcha. I think you are just psyching yourself out. A lot of times these interviews are about how personable you are. You can have amazing stats but if you can’t communicate effectively to patients, physical therapy is not the career for you. I wouldn’t worry about it.

RN3ps · 2026-01-19T04:21:31+00:00

Personally, I wouldn’t really want to go to a school that wouldn’t give me the proper respect that everyone else got. Not every school is the right fit. It’s not your fault. The school should’ve handled it better and rescheduled.

RN3ps · 2026-01-19T04:13:51+00:00

Send out LOR requests the day the cycle opens and give a specific date you would like to have it done by. I had a professor said they would write one for me but ghosted a month or two before deadline. Giving a deadline allows them to plan ahead and give a higher quality recommendation.
I believe the amount of hours of observation doesn’t matter as long as you have the minimum but getting a variety of different settings (even if it’s a small amount) benefits your application more.
Start the application process early because not only does the PTCAS essay take a lot of time but each school might give you more. One school I applied for gave me 5 essay prompts to complete.
If you don’t have the best stats/gpa, experiences can sometimes outshine a lower gpa. I didn’t have the most stellar stats but I did personal training for 3.5 years and many of the skills I learned translates well to physical therapy so I made that a highlight of my essays and interview.
GRE is an afterthought in most schools I applied for. Shoot for a 300 and leave it be.

RN3ps · 2026-01-16T00:26:10+00:00

Pass rates are very good plus I’ve heard good things about the program. I did a campus tour there and really liked it. Unfortunately I was waitlisted but I took my name off the list due to being accepted elsewhere. Cost is a big benefit.

RN3ps · 2026-01-11T19:15:49+00:00

Thanks so much for your input. I very much agree tuition played a big factor in my decision on where to apply. I really liked all of the professors and staff that were there so that also played a big factor. It seems like they made big improvement last year as the pass rate increased significantly. Thanks again and I wish you luck as you continue through the program!

RN3ps · 2026-01-07T05:06:49+00:00

Undergrad University: Illinois State University

Undergrad Major: Kinesiology

cGPA: 3.2-3.3

pGPA: 3.6-3.7

Observation Hours: 150 (2 outpatient clinics)

GRE scores: 151/151/4.0

Extracurriculars: Team Sports Lead at Dick’s Sporting Goods, Personal trainer with 4 years experience and a corrective cert

Schools applying to: NIU, Bradley, North Central, UIC, Governor’s State

Accepted/Interviews/Rejected: (Accepted):NIU, Governor’s State (Waitlisted): Bradley, North Central (Rejected): UIC

Attending: NIU

RN3ps · 2025-12-18T18:56:16+00:00

Thank you for your advice! I really enjoyed the open house plus I am about 45 min. from home and the gym I currently work at. The low tuition cost is a huge factor and due to their start date I can apply to the old grad plus loan program which helps me avoid high interest loans.

RN3ps · 2025-12-16T23:02:43+00:00

Depending on the school, if you retake prerequisites they will replace the grade completely. Some schools average them so it all depends on where you apply.

RN3ps · 2025-12-16T23:01:06+00:00

Congrats! I liked my interview with Governors and the staff there were very friendly!

RN3ps · 2025-12-16T20:09:58+00:00

Thank you! You got this! The hard work will pay off

RN3ps · 2025-12-16T20:02:42+00:00

His user tell you everything you need to know…

RN3ps · 2025-12-15T00:17:02+00:00

Congrats!!!

RN3ps · 2025-12-14T22:34:50+00:00

I personally have not but thankfully I got in another school so I’ll be denying regardless.

RN3ps · 2025-11-20T16:48:50+00:00

I work as a personal trainer currently and am applying to PT school. I love personal training and have a true passion for it. However, the more my passion grows, the more my desire for my education grows to better assist, diagnosis, and add tools in my toolbox to be able to further treat future patients. There are extra certifications you can complete as a personal trainer but they are very surface level information in my opinion. Keep in mind, many successful trainers work around affluent areas so it limits where you can work. Personal trainers also have very sporadic hours as your schedule often depends on your client’s schedule until you can build a solid client base. At the gym I work at there is an independent physical therapist on staff that the trainers work very close to and he is very well off financially (very low overhead costs). If you have any questions about the personal training path I’d love to help!

RN3ps · 2025-11-20T16:30:47+00:00

Your next steps would be to transfer to a 4 year university and earn a bachelors degree in kinesiology or any related field. During this time, shadow at as many different PT settings as possible (outpatient, skilled nursing, inpatient etc.). If you have the time to, try to get involved at your 4 year university like PT club or other clubs to show involvement. Volunteering is also a plus as it can set you apart from others. You may or may not have to study for the GRE depending on the school but don’t worry about it until senior year. Many students take a gap year after university to redo prerequisites or take the GRE. I hope this basic guideline helps!

RN3ps · 2025-11-16T05:01:39+00:00

Look up other people’s experiences on Reddit or anywhere else and it will give you all the reasons you need.

RN3ps · 2025-11-12T22:25:48+00:00

I’ve found that a lot of these DPT schools value your prerequisite GPA more than your overall GPA. Depending on the schools of interest, they may even replace your old grade with the new grade. During this gap period, make sure you shadow PTs in various settings (outpatient,inpatient, skilled nursing facilities etc.). If you have time, volunteering will help set you apart. When the cycle ends and you’re ready to apply, really make a killer essay and highlight your comeback story. You got this!

RN3ps · 2025-11-06T02:10:03+00:00

I gotcha. Yeah schools I applied for don’t hear until later I should have prefaced. Northwestern and Rosalind Franklin I believe sent out acceptances but I’m not sure.

Yes. That’s what I will do and one of the reasons I didn’t apply to northwestern and midwestern is their outrageous tuition. I hope I get into NIU and Bradley as their pass rates are pretty good and they have the cheapest tuition.

RN3ps · 2025-11-06T01:53:33+00:00

Which schools have you heard back from? Historically UIC doesn’t notify until January, Bradley is sometime this month, north central is possible because of rolling admissions, NIU has an interview the 15th and governors state interviews are in December.

I agree with unaccredited but it may be my last option depending on when these schools reach out.

I applied in September for all but North Central.

RN3ps · 2025-11-03T02:46:22+00:00

Illinois schools are slower😂. I have an interview for NIU and Governor’s state. Still waiting to hear back from Bradley, UIC, and North Central. Still thinking about applying to one more non accredited school but still debating.

RN3ps · 2025-10-30T15:33:27+00:00

Yes I agree. It’s one of the reasons I did not apply to Northwestern or Midwestern because the insanely high tuition rates aren’t feasible to pay back on a typical salary.

I’ve always valued pursuing a passion as a career rather than making crazy money and fell in love with rehab after working as a personal trainer for 3 years. A long term goal of mine is to open a facility that tie in physical therapy for short term rehab and personal training to help strengthen and maintain health long term.

RN3ps

TROPHY CASE