Admission predictors for pre-physical therapy majors

This study was designed to determine whether a criterion exists for advisors to give students some indication early in their academic careers of their ultimate chances for admission to professional schools of physical therapy. Biographical questionnaires completed by pre-physical therapy students at Northern Illinois University provided materials for a descriptive study. Data obtained from files of successful and unsuccessful student applicants provided variables for a multiple-regression analysis. Results indicate that biographical data cannot be used to differentiate successful from unsuccessful applicants to professional programs. The only statistically significant variable tested that might be considered in advising students whether to remain in the major is their grade-point average at the end of the freshman year.