How To Get Into Physical Therapy School In 2025-DPT Admissions

If you are trying to figure out the best path to get into physical therapy school in 2025 then you came to the right place! Whether you are in college or this is a second career, this guide will help you.

When I was applying to physical therapy school I found that there were very few resources available to guide applicants. I remember typing “how to get into physical therapy school Reddit” so many times on Google.

This was because I just could not find any better resources at the time. I really just wanted an organized “how to” guide to tell me exactly how to get into physical therapy school.

How Long is PT School?

The majority of PT school’s in the United States are 3 years long. PT school is longer in the United States because it is one of the few countries that require a doctorate of physical therapy to practice as a physical therapist.

There are some accelerated schools that allow you to receive both your bachelor’s and doctorate degree together in a 3+3 program for a total of 6 years instead of the normal 7 years.

PT School GPA Requirements

The GPA requirements for a DPT program are important in applying to physical therapy school. Most schools have a minimum requirement of 3.0. However, they will not take you seriously unless you have at least a 3.5. You can get away with a 3.2, but it will be an uphill battle.

Schools look at two GPAs from your undergraduate degree, your overall GPA, and your prerequisite GPA.

Most schools will average your grades if you retook a class. For example, if you initially got a C in chemistry and then retook the course and received an A, it averages out to a B or 3.0.

It is important to note that the majority of doctorate of physical therapy programs will require a letter grade. A pass/fail course will not meet his requirement.

How To Get Into PT School With Low GPA

Although raising your GPA may sound daunting, there are a couple of tips to make it easier. First, retake prerequisite courses. If you take courses at multiple universities you need to make sure that you can send your official transcripts to all of the doctor of physical therapy programs that you are applying to.

An easy way to boost my overall GPA was by taking courses at a community college. These classes tend to be easier. Few people think about taking courses at a community college. I have found that it is a great hack to boost your overall GPA.

Not all schools accept coursework from community colleges so be sure to check each school you are applying to. Take your GPA seriously and prove to the schools that you are capable of putting in the hard work to manage the course load.

As frustrating as it may sound, your bachelor’s degree is important! You could have these great PT qualities and life experiences, but if you don’t have the GPA it won’t matter. The school will not extend an interview without the grades. Why?

Schools want to make sure that you can keep up with the rigorous curriculum of a doctor of physical therapy degree.

How Many Years To Become A Physical Therapist

It is typically 4 years of undergraduate school plus 3 years of doctoral school for a total of 7 years to become a physical therapist.

All physical therapy education programs are doctorates now.

An exception to this rule is if you live in a country outside of the United States. Many international students from other countries such as India are able to become physical therapists with only a bachelor’s degree. Unfortunately, if these international students do want to practice in the United States they will have to go to additional schooling.

International applicants have additional physical therapy school requirements. It is important to look at these admissions requirements when deciding which physical therapy schools to apply to!

Can You Become A Physical Therapist With A Bachelor’s Degree?

The simple answer is no, not anymore, a least not in the United States.

Many years ago you used to be able to practice in the United States with a bachelor’s degree. That then changed to a master’s degree and now a doctorate.

You may be thinking of some physical therapists in their 60’s who are practicing with only masters. This is because they received their master’s before this was changed.

They will be able to practice for the remainder of their career with a master’s. However, it is no longer possible to receive a master’s in physical therapy.

What Is The Best Major To Get Into Physical Therapy School?

You can major in any major you want as long as you take the necessary prerequisite classes. If you want to major in art you can!

Typically the best major is exercise science or kinesiology. This is because there is more overlap between your required major courses and required prerequisite courses.

Physical therapy school programs do not particularly care about which major you choose. As long as you take the prerequisite courses, which usually include biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy, physiology, psychology and statistics courses.

Each school has slightly different prerequisites, so please check each school you are interested in and write them down. You want to stay organized when planning out when and how to take your prerequisite courses.

Take the Correct Prerequisites

Many schools require the anatomy and physiology courses to be human anatomy and exercise physiology. Be sure to take the correct course. Some schools require courses that you never would have taken had it not been a requirement.

For example, NYU requires a physical activity/movement course. The last thing you want is to be scrambling to find a physical movement class last minute at your school. Being proactive and prepared helps the admissions process to go more smoothly.

I created a document with each school I planned to apply to and included all of the requirements for that school. I then mapped out which semesters I would be taking these courses. Many of these courses have prerequisites prior to taking the courses.

For example, you can’t enroll in physics II until you complete physics I. My undergrad school required me to complete biology I/II, general chemistry I/II, and physics I/II prior to enrolling in anatomy and physiology courses.

The last thing you want is to be sending off your application and realize that you can’t apply to that school because you missed one prerequisite course. The prerequisite classes are important since they are the closest indicator of how you will perform with your future physical therapy school’s curriculum.

Take the GRE

The GRE or graduate record examination is controversial because some schools are moving away from it, however, I highly suggest taking the GRE. I know many people are looking for a short cut but please do not only apply to schools that don’t require the GRE.

A lot of applicants try to cut corners and it’s NOT the way to get into PT school! Your GRE scores are important.

Most schools require at least a minimum score of 150 in both the verbal and quantitive sections. Some schools require you to be at least the 50th percentile, which is roughly 150. I would highly suggest taking a course as it will give you structure and practice tests. Speaking from experience, taking a practice course helps you to feel more at ease during the real test.

So you may be asking yourself when to take the green for PT school. I suggest taking the GRE early. This gives you time to take it again in case you don’t get your desired scores. The GRE test for PT school is important in the application process so make sure that you are putting the necessary time in to study.

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are important in the application process. You NEED letters of recommendation in order to even apply to physical therapy school.

You could have a 4.0 and 170 on your GRE, but if you don’t have any letters of recommendation you won’t get in. Schools need to make sure that you aren’t just a genius with no people skills.

Most schools require at least two letters of recommendation from a licensed physical therapist and one from a professor. If you are naturally more introverted like myself, force yourself to get outside of your comfort zone. Ask questions, go to office hours, and show an interest.

Observation Hours

Observation hours or volunteer experience are important in showing physical therapy schools that you have an actual interest in physical therapy.

It’s difficult to convince a future school how passionate you are about physical therapy if you have never seen clinical practice in action. Observation hours can get a little boring since legally you cannot touch patients, however, this is your first experience with the supervision of a licensed physical therapist.

Although it ends up being a lot of standing around, this is a great opportunity to show interest and get to know the physical therapist you are shadowing. Physical therapists get so many observers and know that they will never see the majority of them again so you want to stand out. This physical therapist could end up writing your letter of recommendation or getting you a job when you graduate.

Type Of Observation Hours

Now that you have mastered how to make a lasting impression on the physical therapists at your observation hours it’s time to determine the magic number of observation hours needed. I believe the number of hours does not matter as much as the TYPE of hours.

Try to diversify your observation hours. You may be positive that you want to go into a sports setting, however, you still have to show that you are open to other settings. This is your first taste of clinical experiences and you want to make the most of it!

I had observation hours in ortho, acute rehab, and subacute rehab. This gives you a reference point when asked in your interview why you want to work in ortho instead of long-term care facilities such as a skilled nursing home.

Some schools require as little as 8 hours of observation hours, but I would recommend meeting the minimum requirements of the majority of schools by getting at least 20-30 hours in at least 2 or 3 settings.

Interviews for How to Get Into Physical Therapy School

You finally made it to the interview! Yay! This means that the school is already very interested in you. Your grades, baccalaureate degree, and resume got you here so now is the time to shine and show those schools why you are so passionate about physical therapy.

Most importantly, now is the time to show why you would make such a great addition to their cohort. The PT school interview is an important part of the application process.

The interview is mostly focused on who you are as a person and how you will be as a future physical therapist. Each school will ask slightly different questions.

Although it is impossible to prepare for every single question, you can have a few broad questions answered, which will help you answer just about any question.

This article gives answers to 9 Important PT School Interview Questions You Need To Get Into PT School.

The question that every school will ask you is “why do you want to be a physical therapist?” Please don’t give a generic answer like “I want to help people.” Do not talk about the time that you tore your ACL and had physical therapy. These answers are overused and the admissions committee will lose interest.

You should have a unique answer along with a story to illustrate who you are. Physical therapy schools will also ask you “why do you want to attend our school?” This school may be your safety school, however make it seem like every school is your dream school. How? Research!

Look at the mission statement and core values on the school’s website. Additionally, look at what makes the school unique and bring that up in your interview. At NYU we had an aboard program to Trinidad. Guess what I brought up during my interview?

Lastly, be prepared for the hard questions! Some PT schools will run a criminal background check on you when you apply. If you know you have something on your criminal record you should have a prepared answer detailing why. Maybe you can even turn it into a learning experience!

Physical Therapist Salary

The average national physical therapist salary is $99,710. The average physical therapist salary in New York as of 2025 is $105,787.

How To Get Into Physical Therapy School: Apply!

Now that you have mastered all of these steps you can do the fun part and apply! I recommend using PTCAS. The PTCAS application is the physical therapist centralized application service of the American Physical Therapist Association (APTA).

PTCAS allows you to apply to many schools through one centralized application. This saves so much time! Not every school participates in PTCAS, so make sure to check each of the schools you plan to apply to.

Lastly be positive! Continually telling yourself you won’t get in isn’t helping anyone. Remind yourself that you have done everything you could to set yourself up for success. If you want more information on 8 Important Physical Therapy School Requirements you can read about it here.