Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) Admissions

What You'll Need

Submit the following documents on PTCAS along with your application. While GRE scores are not required, we strongly encourage applicants to submit them if they have taken the exam. Applicants who choose to submit GRE scores must ensure that official scores are received by the May 1 deadline.

• Official Transcripts
• Personal Statement: We require a personal statement of approximately 750 words
• Two (2) letters of recommendation:
  • One reference must be from a professor who taught you in class
  • One reference must be from a physical therapist with whom a clinical observation was performed
• Volunteer/Work Experience: Your application must include evidence of at least 50 hours of volunteer or work experience in one or more settings under the direction of a physical therapist
• Custom Questions: Answer the NYMC-specific questions

Application Deadlines

The application deadline is May 1; classes begin in June. 

Admission Criteria

Physical therapy is a clinical doctoral profession, and admission to Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs is therefore highly regulated. Our goal is to ensure that students enter the program well prepared to meet its rigorous academic and clinical demands, thereby maximizing their likelihood of successful progression, graduation, and development as competent entry-level physical therapists. Accordingly, a number of prerequisite courses and other requirements must be successfully completed prior to admission to our physical therapy program.

Academics & Essential Functions

• Bachelor’s Degree – You must have a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree from an accredited college.
• GPA – Admission is very competitive; most of our successful applicants have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5.
• Balanced Academic Background - Academic records should demonstrate well-rounded coursework across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, as well as competency in written English. However, strong academic performance in science coursework will be given special consideration, as these courses provide an important foundation for success in our Physical Therapy curriculum.
• Essential Functions - It is expected that you can meet these essential function criteria to be accepted into and complete our program.
• Volunteer hours - Applicants are encouraged to use and submit the clinical observation log provided by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) to document and report a minimum of 50 clinical observation hours across clinical settings. Successful applicants seek volunteer clinical observations in a variety of clinical settings.
• Prerequisite Courses - Specific prerequisite courses as noted below.

Prerequisite Coursework

Applicants must complete the following prerequisite courses within 10 years of the application deadline with a minimum grade equal to C. Most of our successful applicants achieve a B+ or greater in most prerequisite courses.

• Two (2) courses in Anatomy and Physiology with laboratory component. These may be:
  • one (1) course in Anatomy and a one (1) course in Physiology, OR
  • a two-semester sequence in Anatomy and Physiology as a combined course
• Two (2) courses in Physics: General Physics I and General Physics II, with laboratory component, as a sequence
• One (1) course in General Biology with laboratory component (not Botany or Zoology)
• Two (2) courses in Chemistry: General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II, with laboratory component, as a sequence
• One (1) course in Psychology (Sociology or other non-Psychology courses do not meet the requirement)
• One (1) course in Statistics

The Intangibles

In addition to excellent grades, our admissions committee is looking for students who show:

• motivation
• maturity
• stability              
• sound judgment
• a sense of responsibility
• good moral character

We also look for:

• cognitive, motor and organizational skills
• sensory perception
• ability to synthesize and apply knowledge

We want to make sure you have the attributes essential to becoming a caring and effective physical therapist.

International Students

International students must complete additional requirements. Visit the International Student Applicants page for more information.

Application Review and Notification

Applications are reviewed from November 1st through April 3rd. Applicants are invited to campus for an orientation to the program and for a formal interview. Acceptances are issued on a rolling basis from November through April. Accepted students must submit a deposit to guarantee their place in the class.

Accepted Applicants

In order to guarantee a place in the class, an accepted applicant must submit the following:

• a non-refundable $500 tuition deposit must be sent to the School of Health Sciences Admissions Office
• the health packet, which is required by New York Medical College, must be sent to the NYMC Health Services Office
• Adult and Pediatric Basic Life Support (BLS) with AED. We require that you have an in-person component which can be combined with the on-line component. Some courses are all in-person which is also acceptable. This certification must be for Healthcare Professionals. If it was not part of your application, students must provide a copy of their certificate as soon as possible, but no later than June 1.

Both the deposit and the health forms must be submitted at the time of acceptance of an offer of admission. The deposit is applied to the first-year tuition.

Accepted students are also subject to a criminal background check.

Contact

School of Health Sciences and Practice
Office of Admissions
School of Health Sciences and Practice Building, Room 316
Valhalla, NY 10595
914-594-4510
shsp_admissions@nymc.edu