What to do if COVID is Affecting Your PT School Application

Over the past few weeks, I’ve heard from several physical therapy school applicants wondering what they can do for their applications during this unprecedented time. Many of you have had shadowing experiences canceled, classes switched online, opportunities for recommendations letters diminished, and standardized tests postponed. These are unprecedented times, but I have a few suggestions for things you can do to keep your application on track:

1. Know that everyone is in the same boat as you. Whether your volunteer experience got canceled because the clinic closed or you’re not sure when you can take the GRE, know that you are not alone. There isn’t anyone in the country whose life has been unaffected by COVID-19. The schools to which you’re applying know this, and they are making changes to the application process. My educated guess is they’ll be flexible because they understand so many of you have had a change in circumstances.
2. Stay up to date with legitimate sources. It’s a little ironic for me to mention this, but there’s been a proliferation of blog and social media posts giving updates on the application process. Many are accurate; some are not. To stay informed and ensure you’re not missing out on any crucial information, go straight to the sources:
   1. PTCAS – they have been putting out frequent updates on the application process. To get information on how this central application is changing, ask them directly. If there’s any information you can’t find on the website, ask! They have a super response team. I personally have asked them a ton of questions via Twitter, but email and phone work too.
   1. CAPTE – This is the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, or the organization in charge of PT schools. They mainly focus on current students, but have acknowledged that admissions will need to change in the near future.
   1. APTA – the American Physical Therapy Association has been mainly centered on putting out updates for physical therapists, assistants, and students, but it never hurts to pay attention to your future professional organization.
   1. ACAPT – the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy is a branch of the APTA dedicated to PT education. They have also put out several COVID-19 updates.
3. Talk to your schools. If you already know where you plan on applying, email the schools directly to find out how their application process is changing. But be patient. I’ve spoken to many professors and they’re facing the same circumstances you are – they’ve been affected by the virus personally and professionally and are trying to figure everything out as well. If they’re not getting back to you, give them a few weeks. It’s likely because the details haven’t been ironed out yet. Schools are scrambling to figure out how to adapt to meet their current students’ needs in addition to trying to adjust the admissions process.
4. Reach out to future shadowing sites. If you had a volunteer opportunity canceled or planned for the future, now might be a good time to reach out. Be polite and patient, while acknowledging the weird situation we’re all in. Ask if they might have room for you to shadow when things start to open up again. However, realize that many hospitals are overwhelmed and potentially unsafe for non-workers, and several clinics are struggling financially at this time due to changes in normal operations. This will likely depend on where in the country you’re located, but if you reach out now, you may have a better chance at getting back in once things are safe to reopen.
5. Boost your resume in other ways. Now could be the time to take extra summer classes and get ahead on your prerequisites. If you’ve got a handle on these, you may want to become a certified strength and conditioning specialist, a personal trainer, or something similar. This can be a nice way to show that you did something productive during this crazy time.
6. Start your application essay! Of course, I’m biased, but I can’t not mention what I consider to be one of the most important aspects of the application. Although PTCAS has not confirmed the prompt and will not officially open the application until June 17, the new prompt for 2020 is out there. Why not use this time to get a jump start on the writing process?

However, you spend this time, be kind to yourself and others. Like me, you may know people who have been sick or even died, lost their jobs, and suffered in others way from this virus. Not everyone has the chance to be productive right now. No matter your circumstances, I hope you and your loved ones are staying healthy, and that we’ll all come together to find a new normal soon.