Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: How many physical therapy schools are there in Texas?
A: There are currently 14 accredited PT programs in the state of Texas.
Q: What are the statistics for Aggies being accepted to & entering into PT school?
A: Link from the TAMU Career Center: https://careercenter.tamu.edu/Documents/PSA/Stats/PT/2019-Stats
Q: What is the average GPA for students accepted to PT school?
A: The average overall undergraduate GPA for accepted PTCAS applicants in 2018-19 was 3.57. However, the average GPA's of those accepted vary by institution and may be higher or lower depending on the program. (Accepted students in Texas tend to have higher average GPA's around 3.6-3.8).
Q: What are the pre-requisites required before applying for PT school?
A: The prerequisites vary by institution, but the most commonly required course prerequisites are listed below:
Q: What major should I choose in order to become a physical therapist?
A: You are not required to select a particular major in order to be eligible for admission to a PT program. The most common undergraduate majors among PT students include exercise science, biology, kinesiology, and psychology. If you're having trouble choosing a major, we suggest speaking to your advisor.
Q: What is the GRE?
A: The GRE, or Graduate Record Examination, is an exam including three main divisions: Analytical Writing; Verbal Reasoning; Quantitative Reasoning. Most PT programs require applicants to complete the GRE before applying to their program and some may have minimum acceptable scores.
Q: Will I need letters of recommendation to apply to a DPT program?
A: Most programs require 1 to 3 letters of recommendation. Usually one letter is required from a college professor and one or two letters are required from practicing physical therapists.
Q: How many observation/volunteer hours should I get before applying?
A: Most DPT schools require applicants to complete a minimum amount of observation hours. While these requirements may range from 20-100 hours, most applicants apply with 200-500 observation hours. However, obtaining a smaller number of hours in a variety of physical therapy settings is more beneficial than obtaining many hours in one or two settings.
All statistical information is acquired from the American Physical Therapy Association website: https://www.apta.org/.
Q: How many physical therapy schools are there in Texas?
A: There are currently 14 accredited PT programs in the state of Texas.
Q: What are the statistics for Aggies being accepted to & entering into PT school?
A: Link from the TAMU Career Center: https://careercenter.tamu.edu/Documents/PSA/Stats/PT/2019-Stats
Q: What is the average GPA for students accepted to PT school?
A: The average overall undergraduate GPA for accepted PTCAS applicants in 2018-19 was 3.57. However, the average GPA's of those accepted vary by institution and may be higher or lower depending on the program. (Accepted students in Texas tend to have higher average GPA's around 3.6-3.8).
Q: What are the pre-requisites required before applying for PT school?
A: The prerequisites vary by institution, but the most commonly required course prerequisites are listed below:
- Anatomy / A&P 1 with lab, Physiology / A&P 2 with lab
- Biology 1 (not botany or zoology), Biology 2 (not botany or zoology)
- General Chemistry 1 with lab, General Chemistry 2 with lab
- General Physics 1 with lab, General Physics 2 with lab
- Psychology
- Statistics
Q: What major should I choose in order to become a physical therapist?
A: You are not required to select a particular major in order to be eligible for admission to a PT program. The most common undergraduate majors among PT students include exercise science, biology, kinesiology, and psychology. If you're having trouble choosing a major, we suggest speaking to your advisor.
Q: What is the GRE?
A: The GRE, or Graduate Record Examination, is an exam including three main divisions: Analytical Writing; Verbal Reasoning; Quantitative Reasoning. Most PT programs require applicants to complete the GRE before applying to their program and some may have minimum acceptable scores.
Q: Will I need letters of recommendation to apply to a DPT program?
A: Most programs require 1 to 3 letters of recommendation. Usually one letter is required from a college professor and one or two letters are required from practicing physical therapists.
Q: How many observation/volunteer hours should I get before applying?
A: Most DPT schools require applicants to complete a minimum amount of observation hours. While these requirements may range from 20-100 hours, most applicants apply with 200-500 observation hours. However, obtaining a smaller number of hours in a variety of physical therapy settings is more beneficial than obtaining many hours in one or two settings.
All statistical information is acquired from the American Physical Therapy Association website: https://www.apta.org/.