Admission Requirements

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND APPLICATION PROCESS

Students who wish to be candidates for admission to the Physical Therapist Assistant Program must complete the following minimum admission requirements:

  1. Be admitted to Polk State College.  Students who had never attended Polk State College must apply to be admitted to the College before applying to the PTA Program.
      • Transcripts and admission documentation must be processed by the Registrar’s Office before applying to the program. Please note: This process will take 6-8 weeks. Students should follow the admission steps to Polk State here.
  2. GPA Requirement: Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above on a 4.0 scale at the time of application and admission to the program.
  3. Required prerequisite courses: The following course must be completed with a grade of “C” or better within the last 5 years of applying to the program.
  4. Students must complete any required college prep courses.
  5. Prospective students must have verification of at least 10 volunteer/observation hours in any type of physical therapy OR verification of employment hours in the field (observation hours must not be more than three (3) years old at the time of application to the PTA program).  Please see our Observation Hours page for more details and the required observation verification form.
      • Please note: Some hospitals and facilities may require students to meet certain criteria before allowing them to observe in their facilities.
  6. The program has a new application requirement consisting of attending one Program Informational Meeting. Times and dates are posted below:
      • August 23, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. (In Person Only) WRH 100, Winter Haven campus
      • September 27, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. (Virtual Only) Zoom link
      • October 18, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. (In Person Only) WRH 100, Winter Haven campus
      • November 15, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. (Virtual Only) Zoom link
      • December 11, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. (In Person Only) WRH 100, Winter Haven campus
      • January 24, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. (Virtual Only) Zoom link
  1. Submit a completed application to the PTA Program. The PTA Program online application will be available during the following specified dates through a link on the program’s Online Application page.

SELECTION ADMISSIONS PROCESS:

The selection process is a merit-based point system using the following metrics:

  1. Overall GPA (2.5-3.0 = 1 point, 3.0-3.5 = 3 points, 3.5-4.0 = 5 points)
  2. Additional points are provided for the following criteria:
      • Military service (2 points)
      • An Associate in Science degree or higher degree (1 point per degree)
      • Additional observation hours (1 point per additional 10 hours, for up to three points maximum; these hours cannot all be completed at the same facility or a student’s place of employment)
      • Clinical work experience (e.g., CNA (or other nursing experience), rehabilitation technician, athletic trainer, or any other healthcare field per Program discretion)
  3. Completion of BSC 2086C Anatomy and Physiology I and II with a grade of “C” or above prior to application, or currently enrolled in this course at time of application  (3 points if passed with B or better on first attempt, 2 points if passed with “C” or better on first attempt, 1 point if passed with “C” or better on subsequent attempt)
  4. Completion of General Education courses prior to application with a grade of “C” or better, or currently enrolled in the course(s) at time of application (3 points if passed with “B” or better on first attempt, 2 points if passed with “C” or better on first attempt, 1 point if passed with “C” or better on subsequent attempt)
  5. Completion (or in the process of completing) HSC 1531 Medical Terminology with a grade of “C” or better (3 points if passed with “B” or better on first attempt, 2 points if passed with “C” or better on first attempt, 1 point if passed with “C” or better on subsequent attempt)
  6. Residence in Polk County (1 point)
  7. Submission of Essay (minimum 150 words, maximum 300 words) on why you want to be a Physical Therapist Assistant (1 point)

Note: Provisional acceptance is provided if the prerequisite courses are not completed at the time of application. If the courses are not completed with a “C” or better prior to start of the program, the student is not accepted.

The PTA Selection Committee utilizes a point system as a guide in the selection of qualified students for the Physical Therapist Assistant Program. Questions about this system can be addressed to the Program Director.