I really want to be a Physical Therapist or an Occupational Therapist. But I have no Idea what to major in or minor in. Im only a sophomore in high school so I know college is a ways away but I just want to know what to do to get where I want to be. What are good majors for me?
There is no required or preferred major for PT/OT preparation. You should study subjects you do well in and enjoy. PT and OT programs typically require a minimum GPA of 3.0, but the GPA of admitted students at some schools may be much higher. Do your best. An upward trend in your GPA looks good.
You will need to take certain pre-requisite science and social science classes for admission. Pre-requisites vary widely from school to school, so check with each school for their particular requirements. Common pre-requisites include:
General Biology with Lab
Human Anatomy & Physiology with Lab
General Chemistry with Lab
Physics with lab
Psychology and/or Sociology (2-5 courses)
Statistics
Writing/Composition/Literature (usually satisfied by your college writing requirement)
Additional required or recommended courses may include microbiology, cell biology, organic chemistry, exercise science/kinesiology, math, oral communication, biochemistry, nutrition, human development, health, and humanities.
In order to be an occupational therapist you need to major in Occupational Therapy and get a masters degree. To become a Physical Therapist, you need to get a doctorate degree in Physical Therapy. Both majors require extensive science courses. You also have to complete internships and take a certification exam to practice . Most programs are extremely competitive for admission . They require observation and volunteer hours prior to admission.
Most OT, PT, and PA programs have no preference with regard to what kind of degree you earn, or which major (or minor/s) you choose.
Few if any programs are particularly concerned with what undergraduate degree / major you choose. If you ask a program which majors tend to be “common” or “popular” among its applicants, they will probably have a ready answer for you; but more “common” does not mean preferred or more competitive. It is very important that you draw this distinction! - see below.
OT, PT, and PA programs suggest that you simply choose a degree / major in which you are genuinely interested, and in which you can excel, as you develop the skills and experience necessary to thrive in an intensive graduate school environment.
Therefore, do not choose a degree / major based upon what you think “will look good” on an application! Programs do not tend to screen applications in this manner.
That said, here is some links to some schools that offer Occupational and Physical therapy majors.
https://www.■■■■■■■■■■/colleges/majors/Occupational-Therapy/Therapist-142#!p=1&
https://www.mycollegeoptions.org/search-results-college-search-by-major/59/0/Physical-Therapy.aspx
https://www.■■■■■■■■■■/colleges/majors/Physical-Therapy/Therapist-144#!p=1&
There are programs that you can immediately major in PT or OT and not wait for graduate school. You can go on the American Occupational Therapy Association or the American Physical Therapy Association website to identify accredited programs and curriculum requirements.
The most efficient way to do this is to go directly into a OT or PT program as an undergrad. If you are uncertain and don’t want to go that route, you can major in anything but just look online for the prerequisites needed to apply to PT/OT Master’s programs and be sure to fulfill those requirements as an undergrad.