First-year overview and requirements
First-year students include those who have graduated from high school and have attempted fewer than 18 semester hours of college coursework at another college or university after high school graduation.
The minimum high school units required for admission to the Occupational Therapist Assistant program include four secondary units of English, two units of mathematics (including one unit of algebra), two units of science (one unit must be biology), and five units of arts, humanities, social studies, and/or foreign languages.
A high school diploma or equivalent (GED) and satisfactory Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or ACT scores (for those who have been out of high school five years or less) are also required.
Although the minimum high school GPA required for admission is a 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale), this does not guarantee admission into the program. The program is competitive, and applicants who submit their application to Penn State by January 15 of the year they wish to enroll will be given priority consideration. Applications received after January 15 will be reviewed on a space-available basis.
The ranges in the chart below represent the middle 50 percent of first year students offered admission to the Occupational Therapy Assistant program for last year — they are not cutoffs or averages. Placing in the upper end of both ranges increases the likelihood of being offered admission to the major. This chart in no way represents a promise or guarantee of admission.
| High School GPA (on a 4.0 scale) | Combined SAT |
|---|---|
| 2.69 - 3.41 | 1230 - 1520 |
How to Apply
Penn State encourages all applicants to submit their application online at the Penn State University Admissions website; however, paper applications are available from the admissions office and from many high schools. Once you have completed the online application, you should submit official high school transcripts or proof of equivalency and standardized test scores to the undergraduate admissions office.
Currently, the Occupational Therapist Assistant program only admits students to begin the program for the fall semester.
