Are you flying too low as a pre-PT? Let’s use an analogy to talk through this. For example, let’s talk about eagles and pigeons. Eagles are very majestic, strong, and dominant birds. They usually fly alone and tend to fly very high above a storm and above EVERYTHING else. And then there are the pigeons. The majority of pre-PT students are like pigeons. Pigeons will typically flock together in big groups. They’ll designate a leader and then switch or rotate as they fly.

Like the pigeons, as a pre-PT, you might be surrounded by many people that will tell you. “You know what..you’ve taken the GRE three times already. Maybe you should do something else. Maybe you should consider taking a different avenue.” You might be surrounded by who tell you, “maybe this isn’t your calling” and try to persuade you not to commit to a certain career. At the end of the day, those people are the pigeons that are flying around with you. 

Then,...

Imagine that you have received your acceptance to the PT school of your dreams. It’s a HUGE accomplishment and something to be proud of! Now that you have gone through the process, have you reached out to other Pre-PT students? I’ve learned paying it forward to help another student who was in my shoes is the best feeling.   

I realized being a mentor was what I am passionate about and that I enjoy helping students succeed. I know that I have been through the same application, took the same GRE, and got invited to an interview. I’ve learned about the whole process and what PT schools look for in their applicants. Being a mentor for Pre-PT’s and helping out in any way I can all came from being apart of the Pre-PT Grind community.

I found Pre-PT Grind a few months before I submitted my application last year. I knew there wasn’t a platform like this where it felt like a community of individuals. When I did reach out to the team to tell them...

"Find people who believe in you more than you even believe in yourself."

Do you ever just get so overwhelmed? Studying for tests, working at your job, filling out applications, studying for the GRE, trying to maintain a social life, and everything else? No doubt, it is TOUGH trying to juggle all of that. But don’t stop putting in the work. Keep training your mind and your body to put up with the stress of life because you’ll get to that next level of graduate school and it will just get more intense than it is now. Life doesn’t get harder, you get better.

If you’re applying to PT school now, have you felt really good about the direction you’re headed in and felt so confident? At some point, have you felt yourself slipping, having frustrations, or even doubting yourself? Maybe right now, you’re at the point where you we’re saying to yourself, “I don’t know..I really don’t know if I’m going to be able to get through...

What prompts those of us with already stable careers to take the leap and apply to PT school later in life? Are we driven by unseen forces and internal fire? Are we simply bored with our current career path and looking for a change? And most of all, is it worth taking the leap?

"I love the independence and freedom I have as a practicing PT."

Applying to PT school as an established professional and well developed adult has its positive selling points. We tend to look more well-rounded on applications because of the additional experiences those years have given us. Perhaps we have travelled, lived in a foreign country, run a business, or raised children. We bring to the table a maturity, and in making this transition to PT school later in life, we show we are serious.

Making this decision as an older candidate also comes with a different variety of challenges. Perhaps we are in the process of raising small children, have mortgage payments to make, or feel inept at using modern...

Spending weeks of writing and editing your application essays can easily leave you feeling emotionally and mentally drained. I’ve been in the same boat of working tirelessly through what seems like constant writer’s block. Unfortunately, I repeatedly asked myself the same question: “Is my essay what the admissions committee is looking for?”

I had the pleasure of speaking with 4 individuals involved with the admissions process through their respective physical therapy programs. While each program will have differing opinions on each of the following questions, overall each of the 4 individuals wrote similar answers for each question. The following answers are direct quotes (with minimal editing).

I truly hope that this post helps guide you through this stressful time, and I wish you the best of luck with completing your essays!

 1. What are qualities that you typically look for in an essay?

• Make sure you answer the question or theme the essay is...