Your GPA for Applying to OT School: What You Should Know

Occupational therapy school seems to be getting more competitive each year, with more people discovering the amazing field of occupational therapy. If your goal is to get into an OT graduate program, it’s important to not only know what the OT school prerequisites are that you will need to apply, but also what the typical OT school GPA requirements are so you can plan accordingly (and ahead of time).

In this post, we’ll cover what you’ll need to know about your GPA and applying to OT school, that the OT schools may not tell you directly. We’re covering what the typical GPA is for getting into OT school vs. what GPA you should strive for to be most competitive, along with tips to help you gain a competitive advantage if your GPA is on the lower end. We’ll be discussing both your cumulative GPA and your OT prerequisite GPA.

The Required GPA for OT School

Most OT schools have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, but more competitive programs might have an even higher minimum. For example, Washington University in St. Louis requires a minimum 3.25 GPA. Saint Louis University requires a 3.2. The University of Pittsburgh is 3.2 as well. 

To find out the minimum GPA at the school you want to apply to, visit the occupational therapy program’s website and search for the minimum GPA required to apply. While it’s good to know the minimum, in order to be competitive you’ll want to have an even higher GPA if at all possible.

What is the Average GPA of OT School Applicants?

The average GPA for admitted OT students is around a 3.5-3.8 for most programs that I researched for this post. In this range, you’ll be in line with most of your peers but unfortunately may not be standing out GPA-wise. a For that, you’ll want to achieve a GPA in the range of 3.8 and up if you have time to do so.

If your cumulative GPA is nowhere near this high and you are almost done with school, there are other ways to be competitive that I’ll cover down below. 

Your Cumulative GPA vs. Prerequisite GPA

These are two separate GPA scores that schools will review as part of your application. The general or cumulative GPA applies to all classes that you’ve taken as an undergrad – this could include sciences, art, math, economics, etc. – any and all classes you took. 

The OT school pre-req GPA is focused more on the science-oriented classes that are most relevant to occupational therapy. Both scores matter, but it is very important to have a high pre-req GPA. This will indicate that you have high proficiency for the subject matter that is most relevant to occupational therapy.

For example, if your general GPA is average around 3.5, it would be best to have an OT pre-requisite GPA that is a little higher at around 3.7 or 3.8. If you have a low OT pre-req GPA and can afford to take your lower grade pre-reqs before applying to get a better grade and GPA, I would recommend that. So if you’ve gotten a C in anatomy, for example, it would be wise to retake it to at least get a B. 

Some examples of common OT school prerequisite classes are:

• General biology with lab
• Anatomy and physiology with labs
• Physics
• Psychology
• Behavioral science: sociology, abnormal psychology, developmental psychology
• Statistics
• Medical terminology

Other Ways to Be Competitive

If your GPA isn’t as strong as you would like it to be, you’re not alone. I’ve been coaching pre-OT students for applying to OT school for about eight years now and I see this more often than not. Here are some great ways to make your OT school application more competitive, regardless of your GPA:

Get a high level of OT observation hours in various OT settings

There are many opportunities in your community for observation hours. Some of the most common settings that are typically a bit easier to get into for shadowing are pediatric outpatient clinics, subacute rehab in skilled nursing facilities, acute inpatient rehab, outpatient hand therapy clinics, schools, and neuro outpatient therapy clinics.

Any OT setting that you can get into for shadowing is great, though. While many OT schools require only around 40 hours of shadowing, many applicants have over 100 hours so the more you can get, the better your application will look. Check out this article for more ideas of OT settings for observation hours.

Write a great personal statement

Some tips here are to start early, giving yourself enough time to write a great statement, show sincerity, talk about why you want to be an OT, and demonstrate why you would make a great addition to their program. Check our more tips on our blog on writing a great personal statement for OT school. 

Practice interviews so you are ready when the opportunity arrives

There are a few key aspects of preparing for an interview that you have to consider. Be sure to check out our OT school interview guide for more helpful tips and example questions.

• A positive mindset is everything
• Seriously prepare for your interview (research the program ahead of time)
• Keep your answers short and concise
• Write and memorize answers to example questions
• Ask THEM questions

Get amazing letters of recommendation

Letters of recommendation are required by almost every OT school and usually come from an occupational therapist, a professor, and a supervisor.

The letter should focus on the most positive attributes of you as a student or as an employee. Make sure you choose people who you know will write you a glowing review, and be sure get these letters done early, right around when OT programs open up their applications if possible. Here are some extra tips from us to get great letters of recommendation to help your chances of getting accepted. 

Volunteer

While volunteering is not usually a requirement for OT school, it will still help to improve your application while being a fulfilling opportunity. Some examples of volunteer work can include special needs camps, non-profits related to medical diagnoses, church volunteer opportunities, and more. Here is a list of some of great volunteer opportunities to check out. 

Ace the GRE

Thankfully, many OT schools are no longer requiring the GRE (here are 137 programs that don’t). Some programs still do, so if the ones you are applying to do, be sure to get a high GRE score to further strengthen your application. Be sure to study for the GRE early and often, and use multiple study guides as needed.  

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It’s important to acknowledge that GPA plays an important role in your application for admission to occupational therapy school. While the minimums are around 3.0, it is almost always better to have higher than the minimum to increase your acceptance odds, if possible.

If your GPA is on the lower end, however, you now know that there are still plenty of things you can do to improve your chances of being admitted into an OT program. Be sure to get started on these other aspects as early as you can to improve your chances of getting accepted.

If you would like more individualized advice, I do offer personalized one on one coaching here, as often as you need. It is a service that I really wish I had while going through the stresses of applying to OT school.

I also created this super handy e-book that includes all of my pre-OT school advice that I’ve ever written over the years, all in one place to help you improve your odds of acceptance: