DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRAM HOW TO COMPLETE THE GRADMIT APPLICATION: AN INSTRUCTIONAL GUIDE 1
APPLICANT TIPS: REFER TO THIS DOCUMENT WHILE COMPLETING YOUR APPLICATION. START EARLY! UB STUDENTS: USE YOUR UB EMAIL FOR ALL CORRESPONDENCE USE YOUR UB EMAIL IN THE APPLICATION USE YOUR PERSON NUMBER IN ALL CORRESPONDENCE 2
GETTING STARTED - REQUIREMENTS Completion of two years lower division prerequisite courses and one year of upper division professional sequence in UB s exercise science program, or approved equivalent prerequisites from another institution. Completion of forty (40) hours of volunteer experience in a physical therapy setting is REQUIRED. The Volunteer Experience form is available online at: https://sphhp.buffalo.edu/content/dam/sphhp/rehabilitation-science/pdfs/dpt-volunteer-hours-form.pdf A minimum GPA of 3.0 and a minimum grade of C or better in all prerequisite coursework. Minimum GRE score of 295 Verbal and Quantitative. 3
GETTING STARTED - REQUIREMENTS Completion of UB s general education requirements. For more information go to: https://catalog.buffalo.edu/policies/ubcurriculum.html Read the Technical Standards for Admission, Promotion and Graduation. You can find it at: https://sphhp.buffalo.edu/content/dam/sphhp/rehabilitationscience/technical%20standards%20for%20dpt%20admission.pdf 4
GETTING STARTED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: For letters of recommendation, you will need to be sure that you have the names and email addresses of those individuals you are asking to provide you with recommendations. The request for a recommendation will go out as an email DIRECTLY FROM GRADMIT after you submit your application. (More information on Recommendations can be found on Pages 18-21) Request that official transcripts from each college or university you have attended (other than UB) are sent to MaryAnn Venezia the mailing address is provided on the application. If you transferred into UB s exercise science program and were given credit for courses taken elsewhere which appear on your Academic Advising Report (AAR), you do not need to send additional transcripts. 5
INFORMATION ON GRE S Sections from multiple GRE tests CANNOT be combined to reach a total score of 295. UB students can make arrangements to take the test through Career Services. This component of the DPT application process is accepted after November 1st. The writing component of the GRE must also be completed. Request that your GRE scores, taken within five years of the date of application, are sent to the department. When requesting your GRE scores, use these reporting codes: School 2925; Department 0619 It is imperative that your name and email address are spelled the same at the test site and on Gradmit. It can take up to 12 days from the day you take your test for your scores to link to your Gradmit application. All scores must be linked to your Gradmit application no later than Monday, December 18 th, 2017. 6
STUDENTS NOT CURRENTLY ATTENDING UB Students not currently attending UB are encouraged to apply and should review the prerequisites required for admission to determine their eligibility for direct admission into the DPT program. Program prerequisites can be found at: http://sphhp.buffalo.edu/rehabilitation-science/education/doctor-of-physical-therapy-dpt/prerequisites.html Earned a grade of "C" or better and a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in all prerequisite courses. NOTE: BOTH lower and upper division prerequisites MUST be completed. Earned Bachelor of Science or Arts degree from an accredited US institution at time of entry to the DPT program It is also REQUIRED that you contact MaryAnn Venezia, Transfer Advisor, before completing the application in Gradmit. You can contact her via email at: venezia3@buffalo.edu. 7
WHEN CAN I APPLY? The application typically opens in late-august and will close November 1. We recommend that you START completing the application EARLY to allow yourself extra time. You do not want to find yourself with a lot of questions and scrambling in panic near the deadline. WHERE IS THE APPLICATION? The application can be found online at: http://www.gradmit.buffalo.edu/ets/et.asp?nxappid=gra&nxmid=getpublicapplicationsite&progid=08k0kuo4h IS THERE A FEE? There is a non-refundable application fee of $50 that can be paid through UB s system. 8
VOLUNTEER FORMS KEY POINTS Forms are due by November 1: the date the application closes. If you have previously applied and submitted volunteer hours and would like them brought forward, you must send an email request to Jaclyn Levesque, Administrative Coordinator at: jl388@buffalo.edu. Due to the volume of applicants, hours are NOT automatically brought forward you must email a written request. Forms MUST be completely filled in and signed appropriately. The Total Number of Hours MUST BE COMPLETELY FILLED IN. This line CANNOT BE LEFT BLANK. If you are a Physical Therapy Assistant you do NOT need to submit Volunteer Hours. HOWEVER, you DO need to notify Jaclyn Levesque so that this information can be noted as well as submit an official transcript that shows that you have completed the program and have been awarded the degree. The transcript should be sent to Jaclyn Levesque. The volunteer hours form does NOT count as reference. HOWEVER, you CAN have the person who completes the form provide a reference. 9
VOLUNTEER FORMS KEY POINTS - Continued A minimum of 40 hours must be completed your hours can be completed either in 1 location or divided between 2 locations. You may volunteer in no more than 2 sites to meet the minimum 40 hour requirement. If you volunteer in more than 2 sites for a total of 40 hours the hours for the additional site(-s) WILL NOT be accepted. If you are applying for 2018 admission, your volunteer hours must be completed between November 1, 2015 and November 1, 2017. Submitting over 40 volunteer hours does not enhance your application; nor does it give you a preferred status when you apply. REMEMBER: Quality over quantity! If you complete over the 40 hour minimum requirement, it would be best to mention this in your personal statement in lieu of submitting an additional volunteer form, as the additional form may not be reviewed. 10
COMPLETING THE APPLICATION Be sure to review the information you input for accuracy. REMEMBER: This is a PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENT for a PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM. Capitalize your name, address and all other information appropriately. When completing the application, you will see areas that are starred. Any starred item is a REQUIRED ITEM. If it is not starred, you do NOT need to fill it in, unless otherwise noted in this presentation. Be sure to write down your assigned log in information. Do NOT start multiple applications! If you do, they will be DELETED and you will have to start over again. Make sure your application is complete prior to submitting it. If the application is submitted but the fee is NOT paid, it will NOT be reviewed. 11
COMPLETING THE APPLICATION Section 1: GENERAL INFORMATION Provide your personal information completely fill in the following: Salutation Last Name First Name Address Last 4 of Social Security # - if International Student ONLY Country of Birth Country of Citizenship If not a US Citizen, are you a permanent resident of the United States? 12
COMPLETING THE APPLICATION Section 2: APPLICANT S BIOGRAPHICAL DATA Provide your personal information completely fill in the following: Date of Birth Legal Sex Have you ever been dismissed or prohibited rom the programs or properties of a college or university for disciplinary (not academic) reasons? (Yes/No) Have you ever been academically dismissed from a department or program within a college or university? (Yes/No) Have you ever been convicted of a felony? (Yes/No) 13
COMPLETING THE APPLICATION Section 3: MAILING ADDRESS Provide your personal information completely fill in the following: Street Address City State Country Zip code Email address If you are currently a UB student, you MUST provide your UB email address. Cell Phone Number If International, a fax number If International, date after which we should send all mail to your permanent address 14
COMPLETING THE APPLICATION Section 4: PERMANENT ADDRESS Provide your personal information completely fill in the following: Are you a NYS resident? Is your permanent address the same as your mailing address? If NO then you will need to provide your permanent address in the area provided. 15
COMPLETING THE APPLICATION Section 5: ACADEMIC BACKGROUND Provide your personal information completely fill in the following: If you have an undergraduate degree, provide that information in this area. Be sure to list the name of the college/university that you previously attended if different from UB. You will also need to provide: The name of the degree expected Your major Date the degree was earned or will be earned 16
COMPLETING THE APPLICATION Section 6: EXPLANATORY NOTES ONLY fill in this section if you answered yes to any of the following questions: Have you ever been dismissed or prohibited rom the programs or properties of a college or university for disciplinary (not academic) reasons? (Yes/No) Have you ever been academically dismissed from a department or program within a college or university? (Yes/No) Have you ever been convicted of a felony? (Yes/No) If you answered yes to any of these questions, please explain. Otherwise LEAVE BLANK. Section 7: ENROLLMENT INFORMATION Term/Year you will enroll: Fall 2018 17
COMPLETING THE APPLICATION Section 8: RECOMMENDATIONS Two individual references are required. At least one of the references should be from persons who have knowledge of the physical therapy profession and can attest to your potential for success in the physical therapy program. These individuals should know you and your interpersonal skills. References from friends or relatives are NOT acceptable. ** Do NOT assume someone will provide you with a recommendation be sure to ASK the person who you would like to receive a recommendation from, prior to putting their contact information in Gradmit.** You will input the name and email address of the people who will be providing you with a recommendation in this section. **THIS INFORMATION MUST BE ON THE APPLICATION WHEN YOU SUBMIT IT ON NOVEMBER 1 ST. ** 18
COMPLETING THE APPLICATION Section 8: RECOMMENDATIONS - Continued BE SURE TO NOTIFY EACH PERSON THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION TO PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION AFTER YOU HAVE INPUT IT IN GRADMIT SO THAT THEY CAN LOOK FOR THE EMAIL. You will want to tell them to look for an email from the University at Buffalo. **IMPORTANT**: The Gradmit system will send an email automatically to your referees after you submit your application. We can ONLY accept recommendation letters through the Gradmit system. Do not provide our office with hard copy letters. 19
COMPLETING THE APPLICATION Section 8: RECOMMENDATIONS - continued It is your responsibility to follow up for any outstanding recommendations. If you fill in the information for 2 references but only 1 provides a recommendation, you must re-send the request and follow up with that person for the recommendation to be provided. Be Aware: If 2 recommendations are NOT received, your application will be considered INCOMPLETE and will NOT be reviewed. The Volunteer Form(s) you submit are not considered references. Completed recommendations from your Referees are due by December 1 st. If you have questions/concerns about the reference process, you can contact Jaclyn Levesque at jl388@buffalo.edu. 20
COMPLETING THE APPLICATION Section 8: RECOMMENDATIONS - Continued After you have submitted your application, you are still able to follow up on your references and re-request outstanding references. Should you wish to change your referee information AFTER you have submitted your application, you can email Jaclyn Levesque at jl388@buffalo.edu to change the information. A request will then be sent to the new referee to submit a reference. You will receive confirmation that your reference has been provided and received through the Gradmit system after your referee submits it. The confirmation will be sent to you via email. Be Aware: Some medical facilities have security blocks for outside emails. It is pertinent to advise the person that you would like to receive a reference from that an email will be sent from UB with a link requesting a reference. Confirm with your Referee the receipt of the reference request. If they do not receive an email and nothing appears in their spam folder, you must send an email to jl388@buffalo.edu to notify of this so that they may be emailed directly. 21
COMPLETING THE APPLICATION Sections 9: HONORS List any honors and/or awards that the Admissions Committee should consider. If you are part of the HONOR S COLLEGE you must indicate that here. You must ALSO then email Jaclyn Levesque at: jl388@buffalo.edu. If you do not have anything to put here, leave this section blank. Sections 10: OTHER RELEVANT EXPERIENCE LICENSED CERTIFICATIONS Are you a Physical Therapy Assistant? Are you a Certified Athletic Trainer? Are you ACSM Certified? Do you have experience working in a healthcare setting? Do you have any Licenses or Certifications? Put information like this in this section. If you do not have anything to put here, leave this section blank. 22
COMPLETING THE APPLICATION Section 11: EXTRACURRICULAR, COMMUNITY OR PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES List extracurricular and/or public service activities here. If you do not have anything to put here, leave this section blank. Section 12: PUBLICATIONS/HONORS List any publications that you have. If you do not have anything to put here, leave this section blank. 23
COMPLETING THE APPLICATION Sections 13: OTHER In this section you can remit payment for the application via Epay. You select how you will remit payment (echeck or credit card) You can also answer the questions regarding child care and campus housing. Sections 14: PROGRAM INFORMATION SOURCE Select the option of how you heard about the DPT Program. 24
UPLOADING DOCUMENTS / SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS 25
THE CHECKLIST IN GRADMIT: The Checklist allows you to upload documentation into Gradmit. The Checklist is also where you check to see where information/paperwork has been received in our office. For example, it is here you will be able to see if your Letter of Recommendation has been received or if your completed volunteer hours have been received. Volunteer hours will be logged into Gradmit when a full 40 hours have been completed. Volunteer hour information will be logged once weekly on Wednesdays. Your checklist will also reveal if your GRE scores have been linked to your application. 26
THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS MUST BE UPLOADED INTO CHECKLIST PORTION OF THE GRADMIT SYSTEM: If you are not currently a UB student upload transcripts from any other University that you have attended. Personal Statement DO NOT UPLOAD UB TRANSCRIPTS If you are an international applicant, you will also need to upload the following: Official TOEFEL or IELTS Scores Copy of Passport Copy of Current I-20 and Visa International Applicant Financial Form Bank Documents 27
INFORMATION ON EPAY 28
PAYING YOUR APPLICATION FEE You can remit payment securely by credit card or by echeck. Be sure to use the same email when remitting payment as the one you are using in the application. Epay LINKS via your email. If you have 2 different emails, your application will show as unpaid. BE CONSISTENT and use your @buffalo.edu email! You should receive a confirmation for receipt of payment after you have remitted it. Keep that confirmation for your records. It can take between 24-48 hours for your payment to process. Do not panic if you do not see PAID by your application right away after you have remitted payment. Check back in 2-3 days to be sure that the information has been updated. If after 48 hours your payment still has not posted, you will need to contact Jaclyn Levesque by emailing her at: jl388@buffalo.edu. 29
WHAT HAPPENS NOW? ACCEPTANCE WAIT LIST IF YOU DON T GET ACCEPTED 30
WHAT HAPPENS NOW? ACCEPTANCE Decision letters will be sent out by the end of February. If you receive an acceptance letter, you need to respond by accepting or declining your spot in the program by the stated deadline found in the letter. This must be returned to 515 Kimball Tower. A postage paid return envelope will be included to mail your response. Acceptance is conditional and is based on successful completion of prerequisite courses spring semester. Grades will be checked at the end of the semester. If you are taking any courses this spring outside of UB, you must send official transcripts to: MaryAnn Venezia, Coordinator for Professional Programs, Dept. of Rehabilitation Science, SUNY at Buffalo, South Campus, 3435 Main Street, 523 Kimball Tower, Buffalo, NY 14214 We ask that you do not email requesting your admission status. Everyone will be notified at the same time. 31
WHAT HAPPENS NOW? WAIT LIST Some students who are not initially accepted into the program may be invited to be placed on the wait (alternate) list. Those students will receive a letter indicating that they have been placed on the wait list. There are no guarantees that seats will be open and we cannot predict your chances of gaining a seat. We cannot share information on an applicant s placement on the waitlist. 32
IF I DON T GET ACCEPTED, WHAT DO I DO? Follow up meetings are available with Office for Academic and Student Affairs (OASA) 104B Kimball Tower 716-829-6769 (call or email for an appointment) sphhp-oasa@buffalo.edu Career Services Call 716-645-2231 to make an appointment. Students are strongly encouraged to schedule appointments with these offices to discuss their future plans. 33
IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION For questions about volunteer forms, application procedures, or the PPS form, you can contact: Jaclyn Levesque Administrative Coordinator jl388@buffalo.edu For questions about the PPS application process and to request course approvals, you can contact: MaryAnn Venezia Professional Program Coordinator venezia3@buffalo.edu 34