PT Application SO GOOD they CANT IGNORE you | Doing this 1 Year before applying STANDS OUT

Summary

In this video, Dr. Justin Lee, a PT school admission expert, outlines the top three strategies for prospective physical therapy students to prepare for their applications one year in advance. He emphasizes taking the GRE early to alleviate stress later, securing a leadership position to demonstrate initiative, and researching 20 PT schools to tailor applications effectively. This advice aims to maximize students' chances of acceptance into competitive PT programs.

Takeaways

• 🗓️ Start preparing for PT school application a year in advance to avoid last-minute stress.
• 📚 Take the GRE early on in the process to have a starting point and time to improve your scores.
• 📉 Use the GRE as a way to increase your options for PT schools, as many good programs require it.
• 📈 Give yourself three months to study and prepare after your initial GRE attempt to identify areas for improvement.
• 🏫 Consider the difficulty of your remaining prerequisites and how taking the GRE now can alleviate stress later.
• 💡 Take advantage of the time before application season to focus on other important aspects like essays and references.
• 👩‍💼 Pursue a leadership position to demonstrate your ability to guide and influence, which is valuable in PT school admissions.
• 🏆 Engage in activities that can showcase your leadership skills, such as community service or tutoring roles.
• 🔍 Research and compile a list of 20 PT schools, considering factors like state, GRE requirements, and minority status filters.
• 📋 Review the prerequisites for each school on your list to ensure you meet their requirements and can plan accordingly.
• 🚀 Act on these recommendations now to set yourself up for a successful PT school application process.

Q & A

What is the primary advice given in the video for those planning to apply to PT school next year?

The primary advice is to take the GRE as early as possible, ideally within the next 365 days, to avoid stress and confusion during the application period.

Why is taking the GRE early recommended in the video?

Taking the GRE early allows students to have a starting score, identify areas of improvement, and focus on studying without the added pressure of other application tasks and prerequisite courses.

What are the potential consequences of not taking the GRE according to the video?

Not taking the GRE might limit a student's options to schools that do not require the GRE, potentially missing out on better schools that do require it.

What is the significance of taking the GRE in relation to the application process?

The GRE is a critical component of many PT school applications. By taking it early, students can focus on other aspects of their application, such as prerequisites and essays, without the added stress of preparing for the GRE.

What is the second piece of advice given in the video for PT school applicants?

The second advice is to get involved in a leadership position to demonstrate leadership skills, which can be beneficial for the application and interviews.

Why is leadership experience important for PT school applications?

Leadership experience shows that a candidate can guide others towards positive outcomes, which is a desirable trait in future physical therapists.

What types of leadership positions are suggested in the video?

Examples include being a lead PTA, organizing community service events, or taking charge in a tutoring or youth camp setting.

What is the third and final piece of advice given in the video?

The third advice is to make a list of 20 PT schools that the student might want to apply to and research their requirements and preferences.

Why is it beneficial to make a list of potential PT schools early?

Having a list helps students to focus their applications, understand prerequisites, and tailor their applications to meet the specific requirements of each school.

What filters are suggested for researching PT schools in the video?

Filters suggested include location (state), GRE requirement, rolling admissions, interviews, and minority status.

How can students use the list of 20 PT schools to their advantage?

Students can use the list to narrow down their applications, focus on schools that match their qualifications and preferences, and avoid last-minute surprises regarding prerequisites or requirements.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Preparing for PT School Applications

Dr. Justin Lee, a physical therapist and PT school admission expert, advises students with one year left before applying to PT school to start preparing early. He emphasizes the importance of taking the GRE, as many good PT schools require it. He suggests taking the GRE once to establish a baseline score and then dedicating three months to improve. This allows students to focus on other crucial tasks like maintaining a positive GPA trend, completing prerequisite courses, and preparing application materials without the added stress of the GRE.

05:02

🏆 Developing Leadership Skills

Dr. Lee's second piece of advice is for students to get involved in leadership positions. He explains that demonstrating leadership skills is crucial for PT school applications as schools are looking for leaders, not just followers. He suggests taking on roles like leading a community service event or tutoring. This involvement can be highlighted in essays and interviews, showcasing a student's ability to guide others towards positive outcomes.

10:04

🔍 Researching PT School Programs

The final advice from Dr. Lee is to research and compile a list of 20 potential PT schools. He recommends starting by looking at programs in the student's state and then filtering by whether the GRE is required. He also suggests considering additional filters such as rolling admissions, interviews, and minority status. By narrowing down the list based on prerequisites and other factors, students can focus their applications on schools that are a good fit, reducing the stress of last-minute changes or discoveries of missing prerequisites.

Keywords

💡PT school

PT school refers to a Physical Therapy educational institution where students can pursue a degree in physical therapy. In the video, the theme revolves around preparing to apply to such schools, emphasizing the importance of early preparation and understanding the requirements to increase the chances of acceptance.

💡GRE

The GRE, or Graduate Record Examinations, is a standardized test that is an admissions requirement for many graduate schools in the United States. In the context of the video, the speaker strongly encourages taking the GRE early, as it is a common requirement for PT schools and can be a significant factor in the application process.

💡Pre-requisites

Pre-requisites are the courses or qualifications that must be completed before enrolling in a particular program. The script mentions finishing up pre-requisites like biology, chemistry, or physics, which are essential steps for applicants to PT schools.

💡Leadership position

A leadership position implies a role where an individual is responsible for guiding or directing others. The video suggests that taking on a leadership role can be beneficial for PT school applications, as it demonstrates the ability to lead and manage, qualities that are valued in the competitive admissions process.

💡Application

In the context of the video, application refers to the process of submitting required documents and information to apply for admission to a PT school. The script discusses various components of the application, including essays, observation hours, and references.

💡PTCAS

PTCAS, or Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service, is an online application system used by many physical therapy schools. The video mentions using PTCAS to search for programs and filter schools based on various criteria, such as GRE requirements and state.

💡Competitive advantage

A competitive advantage refers to a condition or capability that makes an applicant more appealing to an admissions committee. The script discusses using filters on PTCAS to identify schools that may offer a competitive edge, such as those that recognize minority status.

💡GPA

GPA stands for Grade Point Average, which is a numerical measure of a student's academic performance. The video emphasizes maintaining a strong GPA and a positive grade trend as part of the PT school application strategy.

💡Extracurricular activities

Extracurricular activities are pursuits undertaken outside of a student's academic curriculum. The script mentions these activities as a way to demonstrate a well-rounded profile, which can enhance a PT school application.

💡Admissions expert

An admissions expert is someone who has specialized knowledge or experience in the college or university admissions process. In the video, Dr. Justin Lee positions himself as a PT school admissions expert, offering advice to potential applicants.

💡Rolling admissions

Rolling admissions is a process where applications are reviewed as they are received, rather than at a specific deadline. The video script mentions this as a filter on PTCAS, allowing applicants to identify schools that may offer earlier consideration.

Highlights

Preparing for PT school application should start 365 days in advance.

Top three things to do for PT school application preparation are discussed in the video.

Number three highlight is a game changer that can be done immediately.

The importance of taking the GRE for PT school applications is emphasized.

Students with potential miss opportunities due to fear of taking the GRE.

Taking the GRE early can alleviate stress during the application period.

GRE preparation should take about three months after the initial test.

Leadership positions are crucial for PT school applications.

Even a single event can demonstrate leadership skills.

PT schools seek leaders, not just followers.

Creating a list of 20 PT schools to consider is recommended.

Utilize filters on PT school directories to find suitable programs.

GRE requirement is a filter for choosing PT schools.

Consider schools that offer a competitive advantage for minority status.

Evaluate prerequisites for each school to streamline the application process.

Avoid last-minute stress by planning and preparing early for PT school applications.

The speaker encourages viewers to share their application preparation steps in the comments.

The video concludes with a reminder of the importance of taking the GRE for PT school applications.

Transcripts

so you're going to apply to PT school

next year that means from now till then

you have 365 days to figure out what the

heck you need to do to best prepare so

you're not like struggling and stressing

out in the moment during applications

and what you can get involved right now

to set yourself up for Success so in

this video I'm going to give you the top

three things that you need to be doing

to make sure you get your best

application and please make sure you

watch till the end of this video because

number three is gonna be a game changer

that you literally can do right now so

you don't have to Super stress later on

I'm just trying to help you out my

friend

what's up everybody my name is Dr Justin

Lee physical therapist I'm a PT school

admission expert and I help students get

accepted into PT school so in this video

we're going to talk everything about

what you literally should be doing right

now if you have one year left before

you're going to apply so this is most

likely my juniors my seniors maybe

you've been out of school and you've

take kind of are finishing up your last

prerequisites so what you should be

doing right now to have your best

application yet

all right so we're just going to jump

right in number one this honestly is

applying to a lot of students and very

much likely if you haven't if you are

watching this video

this is applies to you and this number

one is take the freaking GRE

all right I'm just gonna be super blunt

and honest with you it frustrates me so

much that a student has so much

potential with the strong GPA has all

these extracurricular activities and is

an overall great and authentic and

awesome person who has the potential to

be a great physical therapist but

because they're so scared of taking the

GRE they choose not to take it and they

only apply to schools where they don't

accept the GRE and now guess what those

schools that don't take the GRE yeah I

mean some of them are good but a lot of

them you can do better and to set

yourself up to be a really good physical

therapist you need to go to a school

that sets you up to do that and most of

those schools that set you up to be a

good physical therapist requires the GRE

right so first things first take the

freaking GRE like take it once and at

least get get it done with get your

scores it's probably not going to be

your best score and that's okay but at

least you have a starting point now this

is super critical because once you have

this starting point now you need to

prepare and start studying so give

yourself three months after you take

that first exam to figure out where did

I lack where are my scores not good and

where should I go and what should I

focus on please take advantage of this

opportunity because guess what check

this out check this out this is really

important let's fast forward one year

from now when the application opens

okay we're in future mode right now

you are still in school and you're

probably finishing up your last several

classes juniors seniors maybe you've

graduated but you're still taking

prerequisites now these last remaining

prerequisites are really hard because

very likely you're taking biology

chemistry or physics to finish off your

prerequisite list now you're stressing

out I get it I've been there those

classes are really hard and now you're

trying to get A's and do the best that

you can because you want to show a

positive GPA grade Trend but at the same

time you're applying to PT school which

is a big deal and there's a lot of

different things that you have to be

aware of a lot of moving pieces

observation hours getting your

references uh filling out your

application writing your PT cast essay

writing your supplemental questions all

that stuff and on top of that now oh my

gosh I still need to take the GRE oh

think about how much stress and how

overwhelmed you would be feeling at that

point

now if you can just think ahead and just

have the courage to just take one step

further

and take the GRE right now in this 365

days that you have think about how much

hope man I am so glad I don't have to

take the GRE during this time because

all I'm focused on is my physics class

and my chemistry class and just

graduating and then the oh my gosh the

essay that I have to do so I mean let

yourself be overwhelmed with that and

not worry have to not having to worry

about taking the GRE at that time so if

you're watching this video and you

haven't taken the GRE yet and you're

ready to apply next year

let this be the the word of wisdom from

your future self

Dr Justin Lee is telling you take the

freaking g r e

it's hard and it's just like your

chemistry and physics class it's hard

but you're gonna get through it right so

take it give your month give yourself a

couple months to prepare and it's better

to do it now and break this into chunks

rather than being super overwhelmed at

the very end trust me there are so many

students who miss that opportunity that

potential that have so much potential

but they miss that opportunity because

did anyone take the GRE so I mean that's

on you and that's all you got to say

about that let's go ahead and move on to

number two number two is that you need

to get involved in a leadership position

right now now leadership position

literally means that you need to take uh

be in a position where you are leading

at least one person all right that means

if you're a PT aide maybe you can be

like a lead PTA or you're training

another PT uh a that's coming on that's

a leadership position if you're in

community service and you've been just a

part of like you know the the group of

people that go and attend community

service see if you can talk to the

president vice president secretary

whatever and say hey I'm trying to get

some leadership opportunities is there

any way that I can be in charge of an

event or uh our couple

um times that we get together because

those are things that you can write and

talk about in your essay and in the

interview and it doesn't and think about

this it doesn't have to be an ongoing

thing it can be one event and this one

event can definitely display your

leadership PT schools are getting way

more and more competitive and they are

looking for people that are Shepherds

and not sheep they are looking for

people that will guide people towards a

positive outcome rather than people that

just follow somebody mindlessly you see

what I'm saying here right so please get

yourself involved in a leadership

position Youth Camp is great being a

tutor is great right if you're doing any

kind of summer camp Sports Camp whatever

get yourself involved in a leadership

position I promise you're gonna thank me

in a year from now

okay number three this is the big whammy

this is the game changer that you

literally can do right now and I'm gonna

tell you exactly what you should be

looking for so check this out

make a list of two zero 20 PT schools

that you might want to get into just a

list of them and now I'm going to tell

you what to do right now I'm going to I

want you to Google list of PT cast

programs p t c a s PT Cass programs

Google that you're going to find apta's

website and a list of directories of

schools now on this website you're going

to see different filters you're going to

see uh of how to search programs by

State uh how to search programs by GRE

and all that kind of stuff so let me

tell you the top three things that you

should look out for first number one I

would highly recommend that you look for

programs in your state you probably

already know a couple of them already so

go ahead and put California if you're

from California or Georgia if you're

from Georgia right and look at the

programs there and check them out click

on the website and see if they interest

you if they do great okay all you have

to do is just make a list and just put

that put that program on your list

you're going to make 20 of them

next filter GRE

W my first point I said take advantage

and do the GRE but if you're like brah

Justin standardized does Bell smell for

me like most students say and that's all

right the schools that are subpar will

take you because you are just too scared

to take some standardized tests

anyway so you can choose the schools

does this school require GRE no awesome

so it's going to list the schools that

don't require the GRE so you can add

that to your list of 20. there's

additional filters that you can add in

here such as do they have rolling

admissions do they have do interviews do

they have a minority status

now if you're a minority right Asian

black Hispanic Pacific Islander all that

kind of stuff sorry if I didn't name you

out here uh Latinos right

there's a status that some schools

take part of that so that means they

recognize them a little bit more

especially if you claim yourself or

identify yourself as that type of

uh race or ethnicity so you can filter

in that and have a competitive advantage

now you have a list of 20 schools and of

those 20 schools now you just go in

there and then you're going to look at

the prerequisites that they require

you've already taken prerequisites and

some of them you gotta think about okay

I knocked out a lot of these schools oh

my gosh I pretty much only have one more

class I need to take I can take that

while I am applying to PT school which

you definitely can but if you're looking

at some of those schools and you're like

oh this I have to take way more classes

than I I don't want to do that then toss

that out but at least you have 20 that

you can really hone in on and really

make a final list versus trying to say

I'm just going to apply to wherever and

just see what they take me and then

realize oh I didn't have a uh the

prerequisite for that or last minute oh

I need to take my second bio and I don't

have that which definitely happens to a

lot of people

all right so number one number two

number three you have 365 days you have

one year before you're gonna apply to PT

school are you going to take advantage

of these three things that I mentioned

to you and if you are and if you're

doing that right now I'd love to hear

that please please comment below which

ones you're doing right now or which

ones you're planning on doing right and

I really recommend honestly honestly

honestly the biggest thing that students

do not do is they don't take the GRE and

to me

that really sucks because I talk to

students and they are quality chefs kiss

people

but

they just miss

the chance

to knock it out of the park

because they're just too scared to even

go for it back right all right y'all I

hope this video was helpful for y'all

have a great rest of your day have a

good one you guys