Personal Statement Advice for PT School STAND OUT WITH THIS STRATEGY!

Summary

In this video, Dr. Liv for Change Justin Lee offers seven practical tips to help students stand out in their physical therapy school applications. He emphasizes the importance of answering the prompt specifically, knowing your 'why', sharing experiences, connecting extracurriculars to the physical therapy journey, being unapologetic about your goals, revising your essay, and ending with a strong conclusion that ties back to your aspirations.

Takeaways

• 📝 The PT cast application cycle for 2021-22 has just opened, and it's crucial to address the specific prompt for your personal statement effectively.
• 🎯 To stand out, follow seven practical tips provided by Dr. Liv for Change Justin Lee, a physical therapist and coach for PT school applicants.
• 📖 Make sure to answer the prompt specifically, comparing different healthcare professions and explaining why you chose physical therapy.
• 🔍 Define 'confirmed' in the context of the prompt to highlight the experiences or events that solidified your decision to pursue physical therapy.
• 📏 Stay within the 4500 character limit for the personal statement, and make the most of this space to convey your story.
• 💡 Know your 'why' for wanting to become a physical therapist, as it is the core of your personal story and must be clearly communicated.
• 🌟 Share experiences that demonstrate your passion for physical therapy, rather than just stating it, and be unafraid to highlight your achievements.
• 🧶 Dig deep into your extracurricular activities and find connections to your journey towards becoming a physical therapist.
• 💪 Be unapologetic about your aspirations as a future physical therapist, and clearly communicate your future plans and desires.
• ✍️ Read your essay out loud and revise it multiple times, seeking feedback from others to ensure clarity and flow.
• 🎉 Use the final paragraph to reiterate your goals and aspirations, tying them back to how attending physical therapy school will help you achieve them.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is to provide seven practical tips to help viewers stand out in their physical therapy school application, specifically in their personal statement.

Who is the speaker in the video?

The speaker in the video is Dr. Liv for Change Justin Lee, a physical therapist and high-performing physical therapy school coach.

What is the purpose of the personal statement in the physical therapy school application?

The purpose of the personal statement is to share the deeper story that confirms the applicant's decision to specifically pursue physical therapy as their career.

What are the two main aspects the prompt asks applicants to address?

The two main aspects are to compare different healthcare professions and explain why physical therapy was chosen, and to share the deeper story that has confirmed the decision to pursue physical therapy.

What is the character limit for the personal statement in the prompt?

The character limit for the personal statement is 4500 characters.

Why is it important to know your 'why' in the personal statement?

Knowing your 'why' is important because it helps you communicate clearly why you want to be a physical therapist, based on your experiences, role models, or events that have influenced your decision.

What should applicants do to showcase their passion for physical therapy in their personal statement?

Applicants should share specific experiences and not just state that they are passionate. They should describe what led them to want to become a physical therapist and how their past experiences relate to their career choice.

How can extracurricular activities be connected to the desire to become a physical therapist?

Extracurricular activities can be connected by finding the common thread or how they relate to physical therapy, such as demonstrating service, community involvement, or skills that can be applied in a physical therapy setting.

Why is it important to be unapologetic about what you want in your personal statement?

Being unapologetic about what you want shows your determination and clarity of purpose, which can help make your application more compelling and memorable to the admissions committee.

What is the recommended approach for revising the personal statement?

The recommended approach includes reading the essay out loud, revising multiple times, and seeking feedback from others. This helps improve the flow and clarity of the essay.

How should the conclusion of the personal statement be structured?

The conclusion should reiterate the applicant's desire to become a physical therapist and how getting accepted into physical therapy school will help them achieve their goals, creating a memorable and impactful ending.