Application Process

• PTA 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 complete these criteria:

1. Acceptance to Seminole Community College: Pre-PTA students who have never attended Seminole Community College must complete the SCC Admission Application Form and be admitted to SCC before applying to the PTA Program. SCC Admission Application Forms can be downloaded here or obtained in the Admissions Office.
2. Completion of a Minimum of 20 hours of Observation, Volunteer Service or Work Experience in Physical Therapy Departments: Pre-PTA students are required to seek out exposure to physical therapy by working, volunteering or observing in several physical therapy departments. This can be done in hospitals, nursing homes and/or in outpatient physical therapy sessions. To do this, students should contact the chief of the physical therapy department at a medical facility near them. They should first, tell the physical therapist that they are pre-PTA students completing a requirement for the SCC PTA Program. Then, they should courteously request the opportunity to work, observe or volunteer in the department. Please note that each facility may have its own requirements.
   
   To verify these clinical experiences, 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 sure that a pre-PTA student understands the field of physical therapy, recent exposure within the last academic year to at least two types of PT settings, for a minimum of 20 hours, is required and will be considered in the selection of competitive candidates. For those pre-PTA students reapplying to the program, documentation of 20 current experience/exposure hours is required.
   
   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.
3. Completion of Prerequisite Courses: A 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 SCC, General Biology is a prerequisite for A and P I. The General Biology course does not have the eight-year restriction on it since it 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. A grade of D or F is not acceptable in prerequisite courses. Science courses must be taken within eight years of the projected year of acceptance into the program.
   
   These courses may be taken at any accredited college or university; official transcripts must be sent to SCC, Office of Admissions, to become part of a candidate's official record. It is the pre-PTA student's responsibility to request, from other colleges and universities, that official transcripts be sent to SCC in a timely fashion, so they can be evaluated, recorded onto an Evaluation Report of Transfer Credit and placed in the applicant's SCC file. Allow at least 28 days for the evaluation of transcripts.
   
   Unofficial MySCC transcripts, along with the prerequisite courses highlighted by the pre-PTA student, will confirm that all coursework (from SCC or other colleges) has been completed with grades of C or above.

4. Submission of Completed Application Packet by Deadline Date: The Application Packet contains all of the forms needed for application to the PTA Program. All items in this packet must be turned in at one time, together, to the:
   
   Physical Therapist Assistant Program
   Seminole Community College
   850 South State Road 434
   Altamonte Springs, FL 32714
   
   Note: It is recommended that students apply prior to 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 the 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 advisor for guidance in course selection, sequencing and scheduling. Financial assistance and scholarship opportunities are available. All services are free and available on all SCC Campuses. The SCC College Catalog can be obtained in the Admissions Office or viewed using the SCC online catalog. Additional information can be found on the American Physical Therapy Association here.

Did you know?

SCC awarded 1,377 A.A. and A.S. degrees in 2005-06 - an all-time high!