i've got my BA in exercise and sport science, with a gpa of 2.9. i applied and was denied to physical therapy school, mainly because my science prereqs were mostly C's. even if i wanted to retake them, from what i can find they're offered during the day (specifically anatomy/physiology) and i work full time.

i don't know whether i should keep pursuing this or not, because it would be a damn shame to apply again and be denied (it has to be within driving distance of greensboro, so basically wssu or elon), and waste another year of my life. however, i have to do something because i make $10.50 an hour at a job that is as dead end as you can get. any suggestions? i feel like i should be doing something in health care, and realistically would like to eventually make 50-60K

4/8/2007 11:22:15 PM

So you need advice on how to not be completely mediocre? Don't think TWW can help you with that.

4/8/2007 11:25:07 PM

i imagine you went to unc-g and not ncsu - that's your first problem

are you not willing to take out school loans and go back to school full time?

4/8/2007 11:27:27 PM

i wouldnt rush diving into a career if you have a chance to get a significantly better job if you do 1 or 2 more years of school, remember you'll work for like 40 years but school is short

4/8/2007 11:27:34 PM

if i could get into grad school i'd definitely be willing to go full time. i just feel like i have to waste a lot of time retaking classes when its no sure thing i'll get in regardless. i guess i thought it'd be easier than this

4/8/2007 11:30:21 PM

Quote :

"i imagine you went to unc-g and not ncsu - that's your first problem"

I think he went to Chapel Hill. So his first problem is actually a non-technical major. And his second is a mediocre GPA.

4/8/2007 11:32:53 PM

i did that major thinking grad school all the way, and now i've got nothing to show for it. hence why i need career advice

4/8/2007 11:36:02 PM

you can get in somewhere with a 2.9

4/8/2007 11:36:15 PM

where do you work now? related to health care at all?

4/8/2007 11:36:41 PM

i work at an orthopaedic clinic with physical therapists, but apparently that with a good GRE score isn't good enough for admission

4/8/2007 11:37:48 PM

Quote :

"i feel like i should be doing something in health care, and realistically would like to eventually make 50-60K"

I recommend you go to nursing school.

You'll be making 50-60K starting out, and you'll go to school with a lot of hot nursing chicks.


The downside is that you'll work long hours and you'll get shit on by the doctors.

[Edited on April 8, 2007 at 11:40 PM. Reason : 2]

4/8/2007 11:40:10 PM

long hours, no

hot nursing chicks, already engaged

plus its about 10x more competitive than PT school to get into


i just feel like that fucking gpa is gonna haunt me. i mean if wssu turns me down i'm really screwed

[Edited on April 8, 2007 at 11:43 PM. Reason : .]

4/8/2007 11:42:48 PM

How the fuck is nursing school so damn competitive if there is such a dire need for nurses in this country?

That makes no sense.

4/8/2007 11:46:58 PM

My friend got into WCU's Physical Therapy graduate program. I know you said you wanted something within driving distance... but you could consider it as an alternative last-resort. My friend had an excellent GPA; however, it IS Western, I doubt it could be very competitive.

4/8/2007 11:48:56 PM

^^they don't want dumb people being nurses, regardless. Funny when people shit on GPA until it matters

[Edited on April 8, 2007 at 11:50 PM. Reason : sdf]

4/8/2007 11:50:21 PM

yeah but PT is growing and anywhere is tough to get into. your friend probably had good prereq scores too which all they really care about. you'd think experience and good recommendations would carry some weight, but apparently not

4/8/2007 11:52:12 PM

those help in the "real world" but not so much in the academic realm

4/8/2007 11:55:01 PM

its just so irritating because i know deep down i could do a really good job with it, but because i fucked up in physics and chemistry, its gonna hold me down (failed them both, which is probably the main reason for the 2.9) i retook them both however and got an A and C, respectively

4/8/2007 11:57:52 PM

^ if that is the case, how will going back and retaking them help?

4/9/2007 4:58:33 AM

talk to the graduate admissions advisor.

there is always a "backdoor" into professional schools.

it involves building up your application to include lots of things that they look for, that will help overcome your undergrad GPA deficit.

these things are, in order of importance:

(1) taking core graduate level prereqs as a "continuing ed" sort of status at the univ. you want to attend. 1 class at a time, for 2 or 3 classes. needless to say, you HAVE to get "A"s in those classes, nothing less will do.

(2) get letters of recommendation from at least one of those professors.

(3) get involved in PT professional organizations. become member of societies, subscribe to journals.

(4) volunteer in some sort of PT-related capacity for the community or the traditionally underserved.

(5) get to know working PTs, especially ones that might have a relationship with the school or hospital attached to your grad program. get letter(s) of recommendation from them.

---------

good luck. its a hard road, but can be done if youre motivated. thats the real key. they want to see how motivated you are. just declaring an interest with a poor GPA wont cut it.

4/9/2007 5:21:57 AM

Quote :

"long hours, no"

Well, the first thing you might want to think about is developing a work ethic.

4/9/2007 7:31:36 AM

Quote :

"So you need advice on how to not be completely mediocre? "

damn, this is fucked. i see this happen often, people chose majors where the job market is fucked. fortunately, i majored in political science - which could have been the same situation as you, but i chose that major cause i just liked the books - not to get real work.

if I were you - i'd just be a personal trainer or something and get clients ..... or something.

4/9/2007 8:27:41 AM

^^ so not wanting to work 12 hour shifts means i have a bad work ethic? come with something else besides that weak sauce

that part is really moot anyway, because i know i don't have the acumen for nursing

[Edited on April 9, 2007 at 8:48 AM. Reason : .]

4/9/2007 8:35:53 AM

he does have a point.

so far you've missed your opportunity to make yourself stand out in school. you're going to have to put in more than just the minimum from now on if you really want to move up.

you cant just expect to be given 50-60k without working for it.

4/9/2007 8:48:38 AM

Every nurse I know is always tired, cranky and bitch about the 12 hour shifts that turn into 14-16 often.

You work 8 hour shifts max... maybe a few hours here and there. Imagine working 8am to 8pm. That's why most nursing staff try to get jobs at doctors offices that do normal hours. Sure you might make that kind of $$$ but you sacrifice time with family and i don't know a SINGLE nurse that doesn't have to work a weekend day.

I love my weekends. He's trying for a plan and knows what he wants to do. Physical Therapy is a huge market now. It's growing as Raleigh is growing so I would encourage him to follow what he's good at. I would list to joe_schmoe. Also contact the schools student services departments directly. They will tell you exactly what they are looking for.

The Vet school here doesn't give a damn about a GPA past a 3.9. It's all about who you are, what you did, who's recommending you etc. I bet if you honestly take the time to speak to people at those schools you'll hear what THEY want to see and then you know what to do.

4/9/2007 8:54:18 AM

If you've been aiming for Grad School all the way, why didn't you work harder and get a better GPA the first time around?

4/9/2007 8:54:55 AM

Quote :

"i don't know a SINGLE nurse that doesn't have to work a weekend day. "

That doesn't mean it's non-existant. My mother-in-law is a Nurse at Rex and works 7-3 M-F. But she works in same day surgery.

Another friend of mine is a nurse anesthetist (they START at $90k) and barely works 40 hours a week.

Like anything else, it depends on where you are and what you're doing. A lot of nurses do get absolutely shit on in terms of work environment and workload. But to assume that all nurses are the same is patently wrong.

4/9/2007 9:09:10 AM

i haven't read any of the responses, and i have no advice to offer right now. but...

Quote :

"i've got my BA in exercise and sport science, with a gpa of 2.9"

dude, i have had NO FORMAL TRAINING in exercisesci/nutrition/anatomy/etc, but i am damn sure i can get a gpa of 2-2.5 if i were to take all the final exams of all the courses after a couple of months.

how could you only get 2.9? and so, why did you do that major, if you weren't really into it?

ok, i have some advice now:

i think you should become a professional personal trainer. take the courses, get the diploma/certificate (make sure the courses are accredited by the ACSM), and you will be set.

scope of personal training is good for the next few years. demand has been rising, and there aren't enough qualified people.

you will get a job at a sports/health club, not making much money, but it will be supplemented by good money from private clients in the evenings and on off-days.

IF YOU ARE GOOD, and once word spreads enough, you can quit and either go freelance full time and make shit loads of money, or even open your own business.

that's what i would do in your situation, and maybe even now that's what i would one day in the near future, even though i have an MS in operations research from NCSU.


[Edited on April 9, 2007 at 9:29 AM. Reason : ]

4/9/2007 9:21:12 AM

Quote :

"The Vet school here doesn't give a damn about a GPA past a 3.9. It's all about who you are, what you did, who's recommending you etc. "

err?? typo or am I missing something?

4/9/2007 10:19:57 AM

be a vagabond, that's my advice.

4/9/2007 2:05:01 PM

Asking career advice from people who (as a general population) have yet to get one...

4/9/2007 2:42:01 PM

there are plenty of people on here that already have careers.

4/9/2007 2:43:34 PM

but... your profile says Class : Graduate Student

4/9/2007 3:43:17 PM

Nursing is not the same as physical therapy, or even close to it. If you really are interested in PT, then keep trying to get in. Don't do something like nursing school if its not what you really really want to do. Its too much work and stress to spend the time and money on if its not your passion. As far as getting into PT school, maybe take some classes that would count towards a PT degree/certification at a community college or something. Get your GPA higher and continue with your work experience.

I am in nursing, and not PT, so I could be misinformed, but I think there is some kind of PT assistant certification. You could look into that and get some more experience that way. Did you apply to more than one place? Even if you are highly qualified, it can still be hard to get into competitive programs d/t the volume of applicants. Keep your options as wide open as possible, apply to lots of places, and keep applying! Eventually, you'll get in, esp if you take some more classes successfully. Good luck!

4/9/2007 4:15:35 PM

Quote :

"If you've been aiming for Grad School all the way, why didn't you work harder and get a better GPA the first time around?"

because i took physics and chemistry and was completely terrible at them. what sucks is they're both prereqs, yet aren't really necessary for PT at all. i know, i know, they're probably just there to weed out people like me, but thats not really fair for people who have a passion for it. anyway, i've managed to find an online course of anatomy/physiology thats actually accredited, and physics 2 is online through nc a&t.

Quote :

"how could you only get 2.9? and so, why did you do that major, if you weren't really into it?"

my major GPA was 3.1, overall was 2.9, all because of fucking chem and physics. originally i wanted to go into chiropractics, but 2 things steered me away from that: the closest school is spartanburg, and i started to get a feel for how they aren't really respected by good number of people

4/9/2007 6:28:21 PM

the only thing i've gotten from this thread is that stingrayrush needs a whole lot more than just some career advice

4/9/2007 6:32:18 PM

sounds like you want a sweet deal without having to travel far or work very hard

4/9/2007 6:38:10 PM

alright listen, i can't travel because i live with my fiance and she bought a house, so it needs to be within driving distance. as for working hard, i work full time and don't have the fucking time to take day classes, and the ones i want aren't offered at night. say whatever you want about living with my fiance, but thats a choice i made and now i'm trying to do the best i can while working around that. i should've known better than to start this thread

4/9/2007 6:45:02 PM

You gotta make some sacrifices.

Either give up your dreams or ditch the fiance.


Problem solved.

Quote :

"i've got my BA in exercise and sport science"

PS, what the fuck is this? You should have gone to a real school that didn't have bullshit majors like that.


[Edited on April 9, 2007 at 7:26 PM. Reason : Fuck UNC]

4/9/2007 7:23:48 PM

nice

4/9/2007 7:26:24 PM

i did engineering, and got paid 66K a year right out of school


... thats my career advice for u

4/9/2007 8:19:43 PM

try apply again. If you don't get in, go to a community college and learn a trade.

4/9/2007 8:33:00 PM

Get a job at the YMCA in your area because there is a lot of turnover. Start out as a fitness staff member, get them to help you out with Personal Trainer Certification, and then see what opportunities open up as people leave their jobs. OR keep working your job now, whatever it is, and apply to be a physical therapist assistant. however, that program takes 2 years, so if you really have your heart set on becoming a physical therapist, just take your time and take the courses that you need to get in.

i understand your frustration. but accept that it will take time. i understand how hard it can be for you to maintain a serious, committed relationship, yet you are still trying to get your education out of the way, especially something as demanding as PT school.

What is it that appeals to you about PT? helping people? fitness? the human body? the pay? the fact that it isn't a sedentary job?

i don't know if this is good advice or not, but i think it is certainly something to be considered: one of the other posters touched on the fact that people choose majors in fucked up job markets. be careful when there isn't a high enough demand for a particular field. i know money isn't the most important thing, but seriously, when it comes down to it, why do we work anyway? FOR THE MONEY! To pay our bills, to eat, to live. Of course we;d all rather be beach bums, or eating, or sleeping, or playing video games, etc. Strive to get a job you can tolerate is my motto, haah.

What is important to you in life? I bet that fiance is. So just take your time, realize you've got your woman by your side, and this will all be underway before youknow it. ONe day at a time. Just try to enjoy where you are right now, but while take small, FEASIBLE steps to getting somewhere else. If you aren't sure what to do, then don't stress. Just make a choice and go with it.


[Edited on April 9, 2007 at 8:46 PM. Reason : ]

4/9/2007 8:45:06 PM

"i did engineering, and got paid 66K a year right out of school


... thats my career advice for u"


That's what i reccomend. Study engineering,or double major in engineering and something interesting like foreign language, graduate, make some killer dough for awhile working as an engineer, then do whatever fluffy thing you like, assumming you were saving moola while working as an engineer.

4/9/2007 8:48:34 PM

Quote :

"i did engineering, and got paid 66K a year right out of school ... thats my career advice for u"

laughed.

4/9/2007 9:02:26 PM

^^^ thanks for the encouragement

Quote :

"What is it that appeals to you about PT? helping people? fitness? the human body? the pay? the fact that it isn't a sedentary job?"

all of the above honestly. working at the PT clinic lets me see first hand people getting better, and its very rewarding to work with them and watch their progression. the pay is very nice, and i'm into fitness, so the physicality of the job interests me as well. being a PTA crossed my mind, but the pay is about 1/2 of what a PT makes, and they do essentially the same job. i have financial goals for myself that wouldn't happen if i did PTA school


as for engineering, i'd love to be able to do that, but my weakness is math and all courses related to it, including physics. i'm just not very good at that sort of thing

[Edited on April 9, 2007 at 9:07 PM. Reason : .]

4/9/2007 9:07:03 PM

Quote :

"ok, i have some advice now: i think you should become a professional personal trainer. take the courses, get the diploma/certificate (make sure the courses are accredited by the ACSM), and you will be set. scope of personal training is good for the next few years. demand has been rising, and there aren't enough qualified people. you will get a job at a sports/health club, not making much money, but it will be supplemented by good money from private clients in the evenings and on off-days. IF YOU ARE GOOD, and once word spreads enough, you can quit and either go freelance full time and make shit loads of money, or even open your own business. that's what i would do in your situation, and maybe even now that's what i would one day in the near future, even though i have an MS in operations research from NCSU. "

4/10/2007 3:27:19 AM

Quote :

"i did engineering, and got paid 66K a year right out of school ... thats my career advice for u"

Here's to engineering, although this guy would probably get stuck on the weed out classes once again.

4/10/2007 7:52:04 AM

man fuuuuck some engineering

65 thou out the gate doesn't mean shit when they're paying me to do that sort of shit.

4/10/2007 8:09:44 AM

What?

4/10/2007 8:25:44 AM