Application Process

• Physical Therapist Assistant Admissions Application
• Physical Therapist Assistant Program Survey
• Physical Therapist Assistant Program Experience Form

To become a competitive candidate for the PTA Program, Pre-PTA students must:

1. Submit an application for admission: Students who have never attended Seminole State College must apply and be admitted to Seminole State before applying to the PTA Program. Students may also apply online. If you prefer, you can download and print and application or pick one up in the Admissions Office. 
2. Complete a minimum of 20 hours of observation, volunteer service or work experience in physical therapy departments: Students are required to seek out exposure to physical therapy by working, volunteering or observing in several physical therapy settings. This can be done in hospitals, nursing homes and in outpatient physical therapy sessions. To gain exposure or experience, students should contact the chief of the physical therapy department at a medical facility near them. They should tell the physical therapist that they are a pre-PTA student completing a requirement for the Seminole State PTA Program. Students should then courteously request the opportunity to work, observe or volunteer in the department. Each facility may have its own requirements.
   
   A Physical Therapy Experience Form must be completed and signed by the supervising physical therapist or physical therapist assistant from each facility. An experience form signed by a non-PT or non-PTA does not meet this criterion.
   
   To be considered in the selection of competitive candidates, the exposure must be a minimum of 20 hours within the last academic year. For those pre-PTA students re-applying to the program, documentation of 20 current experience/exposure hours is required.
3. Complete a criminal background check: All students entering a healthcare program with a clinical component are required to complete a criminal background check (Florida Statute 400.211). Admission into clinicals is at the discretion of the clinical agencies.                                                                                                             
4. Complete prerequisite courses: Student must complete the following prerequisite courses prior to submitting an application for the PTA Program:
   
   
   • Anatomy and Physiology I* (4 credits)
   • English I (3 credits)
   • College Algebra** (3 credits)
   • Psychology/Sociology (3 credits) or Humanities (3 credits)

   * At Seminole State, General Biology is a prerequisite for Anatomy and Physiology I. The eight-year restriction described below does not apply to the General Biology course, since General Biology is not a program prerequisite.
   
   ** Intermediate Algebra (MAT 1033) is a prerequisite to College Algebra (MAC 1105) and a prerequisite or corequisite to General Biology. The remaining general education courses can be taken throughout the PTA curriculum, but we recommend they be completed prior to beginning of the program.
   
   A minimum overall GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale is required for prerequisite course work. A grade of "D" or "F" is not acceptable.

   These courses may be taken at any accredited college or university. Official transcripts must be sent to Seminole State's Office of Admissions to become part of a candidate's official record. It is the student's responsibility to request that other colleges and universities send official transcripts to Seminole State in a timely fashion, so they can be evaluated, recorded onto an Evaluation Report of Transfer Credit and placed in the applicant's file. Check the Seminole State Academic Calendar for the deadline for transcripts to be received.
   
   Unofficial MySCC transcripts, along with the prerequisite courses highlighted by the pre-PTA student, will confirm that all course work (from Seminole State or other colleges) has been completed with grades of "C" or higher.                                                                                                                              
5. Submit completed application packet by deadline date: The application packet contains all of the forms needed to apply to the PTA Program. All items in this packet must be submitted together to:
   
   Physical Therapist Assistant Program
   Seminole State College of Florida
   850 S. State Road 434, Room A106
   Altamonte Springs, FL 32714
   
   Note: Students must apply before May 31 each calendar year.
   
   It is the applicant's responsibility to keep the PTA Admission Committee aware of changes in address. Incorrect addresses may delay and/or eliminate competitive students from the applicant pool. Address corrections should be made in writing and sent to the PTA Admissions Committee and the Office of Admissions.
   
   Students who receive letters of acceptance to the program are given a limited period of time to formally accept a seat in the class. If they do not accept their seat by the deadline date, it will be offered to another student. No information concerning a student's status or the status of a student's file will be given over the phone.

How do I get additional information?

• It is recommended that students visit a counselor or academic adviser for guidance in course selection, sequencing and scheduling.
• Financial assistance and scholarship opportunities are available. All services are free and available on all Seminole State campuses.
• The Seminole State College Catalog can be obtained in the Admissions Office or viewed using the Seminole State online catalog.
• Additional information is available on the American Physical Therapy Association Web site.

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