Physical Therapy (DPT) Program Admissions
Admission is selective and enrollment in the DPT program is about 50 students. To be eligible for admission, students must have earned a bachelor's degree by the start of the program.
The Admissions Committee considers the following factors in the selection process:
Strength and Breadth of Academic Record
In order to be considered for admission, your overall cumulative GPA, and prerequisite GPA must each be a 3.0 or higher at the time of application.
All prerequisite coursework must be completed by the start of the program with a grade of "C" or higher and taken on a graded basis unless the course was switched to pass-fail grading by an institution during the spring 2020 or summer 2020 semesters due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If given an option applicants should take prerequisite courses for a letter grade.
To ensure academic coursework will fulfill our requirements, complete an optional Unofficial Prerequisite Worksheet and submit to the Admissions Counselor for review.
Observation Experience
The Admissions Committee encourages applicants to seek out observation experiences with a practicing, licensed physical therapist in diverse settings and with diverse patient populations. Examples of Physical Therapy settings may include but are not limited to: hospitals, clinics (sports medicine, pediatrics, hand therapy), private offices, home health, skilled nursing/extended care facilities, and schools. Documentation of these experiences will occur in the PTCAS application. The Admissions Committee recommends a minimum of 100 hours of paid or volunteer experience to cover the breadth of physical therapy practice described above.
Strength of Professional Evaluations
Two professional evaluations must be submitted with your application; at least one of which must be from a licensed PT. It is recommended that the second reference should be from a second licensed PT, a college faculty member, a pre-professional committee, supervisor, or an employer. Professional evaluation forms are available through the PTCAS application.
Strength of Personal Interview
Selected applicants will be invited to participate in an interview.
Additional Criteria Considered
- Understanding of the physical therapy profession
- The quantity and quality of extracurricular and community activities
- Demonstration of cultural awareness and diversity
- Demonstration of leadership abilities
- Quality of writing ability as demonstrated in the application essay responses
- Professionalism and communication demonstrated throughout the admissions process and interview
Class of 2026 Profile | |
---|---|
Cumulative GPA | 3.70 |
Prerequisite GPA | 3.66 |
Observation Hour Avg. | 804 |
Average Age | 23 |
Oregon Residents | 36% |
States and Provinces Represented | 13 |
Applications Received | 430 |
Applicants Interviewed | 240 |
Incoming Class Size | 53 |
The GRE is not required or evaluated
More Information
The Physical Therapy Program does not grant advanced standing nor accept transfer students from other physical therapy programs.
Contact Us
Andrea Lybarger | Senior Assistant Director of Graduate and Professional Admissions
503-352-7217 | PT.AT@pacificu.edu