How PTCAS Calculates Your Physical Therapy Science GPA

The Physical Therapy Bottleneck

Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs have exploded in popularity. Because PTs enjoy high salaries, excellent job security, and relatively low stress compared to physicians, getting into a top DPT program is highly competitive.

All applications are routed through the PTCAS (Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service) portal.

When you submit your transcripts, PTCAS will slice and dice your grades into several different buckets. The most critical metric they generate is your Science GPA.

The PTCAS Science Definition

PTCAS is notoriously rigid about what constitutes a "Science" course.

They use a strict BPC (Biology, Physics, Chemistry) framework.

Included: Anatomy, Physiology, General Biology, Zoology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, General Physics, Biomechanics.

What is EXCLUDED from the PTCAS Science GPA? Unlike medical school, PTCAS explicitly excludes Math and Statistics from the Science GPA. (They place math in its own distinct category). More importantly, they usually exclude Kinesiology and Exercise Science.

This is a massive shock to thousands of Pre-PT students. Many Pre-PT students major in Kinesiology, assuming their major courses will pad their Science GPA. If the Kinesiology class focuses on "Sports Management" or "Coaching," PTCAS will categorize it as Non-Science. Only hardcore cellular/anatomical kinesiology classes are allowed in the Science bucket.

The Anatomy Requirement

The single most important grades on your PTCAS application are Human Anatomy and Physiology (A&P I and II).

Many PT schools require a strict 'B' or higher in both A&P courses. If you get a 'C' in Anatomy, you must retake it, regardless of how high your overall Cumulative GPA is. The admissions committee assumes that if you cannot master basic Anatomy, you will completely fail the brutal neuroanatomy and gross anatomy dissections required in the first year of a DPT program.