<p>I graduated 3 years ago from a 4 year university with a bachelor of arts in psychology. Thing is I didn't take my studies very seriously and had no idea what I want to do so only half of the effort was put it. I graduated with a cumulative GPA of a 2.73. Since I've graduated, I have been on and off thinking of becoming a physical therapist. I already know graduate schools won't look at you if your gpa is below a 3.0</p>
<p>So what about getting a second bachelors instead? My first degree isn't a science one anyways so even if i TRIED to get into graduate school, I'd have to take A LOT of science prerequisites. If I got a second degree, I get a whole new GPA, correct? Will that help my chances of getting in?</p>
<p>Your current transcript won’t go away. Even if you get a 2nd bachelors, you’ll still need to reveal your Psych degree. However, speak with PT admissions officers. Perhaps there are ways of demonstrating turnaround ability (such as getting great grades in a post grad pgm w/o having to enroll for a 2nd bachelors) that will allow you to skirt the min GPA requirement. It can’t hurt to ask. Surely people inquire about those programs as a 2nd career choice and may not have much recent college experience. Good luck</p>
<p>Your situation is more common than you might think. Many people go to college because its expected but without full motivation to take advantage of their opportunity, and many also find after college that their interests have taken a new direction and end up switching career focus in their 20’s. What I suggest is to go about this in a smart way.</p>
<p>First off, check to see if your college offers career counseling to its grads. Many do, and at a reduced rate for recent grads. Even if you don’t live near your college, there may be reciprocity agreements with ones in your area.</p>
<p>I’m no expert, let me warn you in advance, but I suggest you take the longer view of this rather than trying to change everything right away. The long-term view is you might want to be a PT and you should proceed down the path of exploring, then entering. Unless you’ve worked in a PT office or had extensive need for PT yourself you might probably don’t have real knowledge of the day-to-day life of a PT. So first off is to get some. Start perhaps by seeing if a local clinic will let you shadow a PT for a few days. PTs work in a variety of settings, so take a look at all you can. Even better would be to get a job in a PT clinic. Any job. Receptionist. Billing. Spend 6 months in the daily environment and you will really know if it is right for you. Furthermore when you apply to PT school they are going to want to see 2 things: references and that you have relevant experience so they’re giving a slot to someone that really knows this is what they want. As you work in the clinic opportunities will open up to an eager and cheerful person like you to at least volunteer assisting the PTs, and maybe it will become part of your regular job as they try to help out “one of their own” who is aiming for PT licensure. Here is a common requirement
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<p>Next is the schooling. Again, talk to a real counselor (and PT programs probably have information sessions), but a 2nd bachelors is probably not what you need. Look at some PT programs, but I took a quick look and it seems like about a year’s worth of science courses is all you need. And hopefully you can find programs that will weigh your more recent grades as a reflection of the kind of student you are rather than your overall GPA. You may be able to take these courses at a CC, in limited status at a 4-year school, or maybe even thru a university-extension program that allows non-enrolled students to take the regular college courses while not officially enrolled as a student (you’d still get a transcript, which is what matters).</p>
<p>There may be alternative paths to becoming a PT. You might find out, for example, how common it is for someone with a Physical Therapy Assistant degree (which you can get at some community colleges) to then go on to become a PT. It would be a longer process, but again taking the long-term goal it may be a a better way to get there. And its worth thinking about if being a PTA would be a career you’d like in itself instead of aiming to be a PT.</p>