Application Requirements

The University of Montana is again participating this year in the centralized application service (PTCAS) for first-time physical therapy students along with 110 other schools in the US and virtually all of the schools in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain states. In this system, applicants need only fill out a centralized application once for all the schools to which they wish to apply, along with a short supplemental application specific to The University of Montana’s School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science. At UM, the application will be launched July 1st. Our application period therefore will change to July 1st through October 15th, 2012 for both our supplemental application and the PTCAS application. The PTCAS application can be found at www.PTCAS.org.

UPDATE: GREs for entry-level applicants for Fall, 2013

The change in the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and associated reporting scores has made admissions more problematic this year. The University of Montana (UM) will accept the new Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores for applicants for 2012 with one caveat; Educational Testing Services will provide a report of the results using the new testing format that also provides an estimated equivalent score from the prior format.  UM will enter that estimated equivalent score for application evaluation purposes for this application cycle. This represents the fairest way to evaluate GRE scores given the separate exam formats. Note - Because scores for the new test format will not be reported until November, applicants using the new test format for their application for this cycle will not be eligible for the Early Decision program.

Early Decision Program

The University of Montana (UM) will be participating in the Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service’s (PTCAS) Early Decision Program for entry into our program in Autumn, 2013.   The Early Decision Program is a new feature so please note the deadline for application to this program is August 15, 2012 for both the PTCAS application and UM’s supplemental application.  In this program, applicants must indicate on their PTCAS application the physical therapy school they have chosen to receive their application for early decision consideration.  PTCAS will prioritize processing the application and materials and forward to UM for expedited consideration and an interview; an admission decision is made before the end of September.  It is very important to appreciate reaching the thresholds for early decision consideration and an interview does not guarantee admission at that juncture, although the applicant may be admitted later in the regular pool of applicants.

In the Early Decision Program, if admitted, the applicant is bound to attend UM and may not apply to any other PTCAS program in the 2013 application cycle. The Early Decision Program conveys significant advantages to the student who is clearly committed to a specific program as well as to the program that accepts the student by minimizing the time, resources and anxiety associated with multiple applications.

The minimum standards for early decision that UM has provided PTCAS for their review are as follows:

• Prerequisite Grade Point Average of 3.5
• Cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.4
• GRE Verbal Reasoning score of 150
• GRE Quantitative Reasoning score of 148
• GRE Analytical Writing score of 4.0

Applicants must also meet the other standard UMPT application requirements to qualify for a September interview.

General Applications

The application deadline for the PTCAS application and University of Montana supplemental application for entering the program in Fall, 2013 is October 15, 2012.

In addition to meeting the minimum grade point average (3.0 for both cumulative and prerequisite GPA) it may be useful for applicants to appreciate that GRE scores below the following thresholds are unlikely to result in admission to our program:

• GRE Verbal Reasoningscore of 146
• GRE Quantitative Reasoning score of 146
• GRE Analytical Writing score of 3.5
• Note: Fall semester/term grades can still be submitted for inclusion in our general applicant pool if needed in order to fulfill our prerequisite requirements e.g. seven of nine prerequisites complete at time of application including a minimum of one physics and one chemistry course in a sequence. If that is the case, please send an official transcript to our program as well as PTCAS as soon as Fall grades are posted.

Good luck and we look forward to your application!

 

Degree Requirement

Proof of completion of a bachelor's degree from a college or university accredited in the United States (or the equivalent from another country) is required prior to entry into the program.

International Students

Applicants whose native tongue is not English, must submit TOEFL scores of at least 525 (paper-based test) or 195 (computer-based test). If you are a graduate of an English-speaking university, TOEFL scores are not required, but you must submit GRE scores.

Before issuing a visa form, the Physical Therapy Program must receive a certified statement from a bank or sponsoring agency indicating that at least $34,486 (U.S. currency) is available to meet the first-year cost of study. You may be asked to put this sum on deposit with The University of Montana. If you plan to bring your family to the United States, add $3,000 to your financial statement for your spouse and $1,500 for each child. All estimates of cost are subject to change by the Montana Board of Regents without prior notice. Please contact the Physical Therapy Program for current information.

Grade Requirements

To be considered for admission, an applicant must have obtained a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (on a four-point scale) in all college courses for which the applicant has registered, as well as a minimum GPA of 3.00 in the required prerequisite courses. All prerequisite courses must be passed with a 2.00 or better. A C- grade or lower is not acceptable.

Prerequisite Courses

 

1. Anatomy and Physiology – Minimum of two semesters or two to three quarters of human anatomy and physiology.  This coursework must be completed in a Biology, Anatomy, and/or Physiology Department.  A full sequence must be completed of two semesters or two to three quarters, depending upon what is offered by the institution.  A comparative anatomy course and an animal physiology course may be substituted for human anatomy and physiology.
2. Chemistry – Minimum of two semesters or three quarters of chemistry with laboratory. A full sequence must be completed of two to three semesters or two to four quarters, depending upon what is offered by the institution.
3. Physics – Minimum of two semesters or two to three quarters of physics with laboratory. A full sequence must be completed of two to three semesters or two to four quarters depending upon what is offered by the institution.  
4. Statistics – Minimum of one semester or one quarter of statistics coursework.
5. Social Sciences – Minimum of two semesters or three quarters of social/behavioral science classes. These classes can include courses offered by Psychology, Educational Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Cultural Geography and Anthropology departments.
6. Seven of the nine prerequisite courses need to be complete at the time of application, including at least one course from both the chemistry and physics class sequences.
7. Certification in adult, child, and infant CPR is assumed.
8. Computer literacy is assumed. You should be able to utilize email communication, word processing, statistical and spreadsheet programs, and be able to complete searches on the web.

Students should note that these courses might require prerequisites also.

Completion of a baccalaureate degree and all prerequisite coursework is required before the beginning of professional curriculum in the fall.

It is strongly recommended that students complete a course in microbiology. 

Advanced placement credits are accepted for prerequisites only if a letter grade appears on the official college transcript.  If a college grade is not assigned to the course, the sequence needs to be completed in college to complete the prerequisite. 

It is recommended that prerequisite coursework ten years of age or greater be retaken, especially in the areas of anatomy and physiology and exercise physiology.

Upper-division undergraduate or graduate-level coursework in the same subject may be substituted for a prerequisite course. This upper-level coursework must have at least the equivalent number of credits as the prerequisite lower-level coursework.

Deadline for both the Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) application and The University of Montana Supplemental Application is October 17.

Refer to the official UM course catalog for more information on the Physical Therapy Program and the recommended prerequisite courses for those students attending The University of Montana-Missoula. It is expected that most students will not have all requirements completed at the time of application.

GRE

GRE scores are required for admission and must be available at the time of application. Have official scores sent to The University of Montana (Institution Code 4489).

Letters of Recommendation & Official Transcripts

Three letters of recommendation will be needed with your application, one of which must be from a licensed Physical Therapist. You will use forms as provided through the PTCAS application. You will be providing official transcripts to PTCAS as part of the application process. Should you be admitted to our program, we will need official transcripts indicating completion of your bachelor's degree and all prerequisite courses.

Observation Requirements

Applicants must demonstrate appreciation and knowledge of the practical duties and responsibilities of the physical therapist through direct experience in a variety of clinical settings. A minimum of 80 hours of observation or work under the direct supervision of physical therapists in a variety of settings is required BEFORE APPLICATION SUBMISSION. We strongly recommend that this documented experience be completed in at least 3 different practice environments selected from acute care, outpatient, inpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing, home health, schools, or industry.

Activities / Honors / Leadership

Applicants are expected to participate in activities beyond their academic pursuits, such activities should include employment, volunteer activities (school/sport, community, or church), and employment /volunteer activities interacting with people with disabilities. Leadership includes serving as an officer in an organization, team captain, situations where you routinely supervise individuals in volunteer activities, and employment situations where you routinely supervise other employees.

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Successful Applicant Profile

Entering Class of 2007
No. of Applications Received:	159
Size of Class:	34
Overall GPA:	3.75
Prerequisite GPA:	3.7
Mean GRE Scores:	Verbal: 446 Quantitative: 598 Analytical Writing 4.26
Residency:	22 in state, 12 out of state
Entering Class of 2008
No. of Applications Received:	197
Size of Class:	34
Overall GPA:	3.66
Prerequisite GPA:	3.69
Mean GRE Scores:	Verbal: 460 Quantitative: 615 Analytical Writing 4.06
Residency:	27 in state, 7 out of state
Entering Class of 2009
No. of Applications Received:	225
Size of Class:	32
Overall GPA:	3.24
Prerequisite GPA:	3.53
Mean GRE Scores:	Verbal: 460 Quantitative: 572 Analytical Writing: 4.05
Residency:	23 in state, 9 out of state
Entering Class of 2010
No. of Applications Received:	350
Size of Class:	32
Overall GPA:	3.64
Prerequisite GPA:	3.67
Mean GRE Scores:	Verbal: 472 Quantitative: 593 Analytical Writing: 4.18
Residency:	21 in state, 11 out of state

Entering Class of 2011
No. of Applications Received:	423
Size of Class:	34
Overall GPA:	3.63
Prerequisite GPA:	3.76
Mean GRE Scores:	Verbal: 483 Quantitative: 629 Analytical Writing: 4
Residency:	24 in state, 10 out of state