Frequently Asked Questions

When is the deadline to apply?
The deadline to apply, EACH YEAR, is June 1st.

How many times does the Program admit students each year?
The PTA Program admits a new class of students once a year. The top 20 students chosen from the admissions process begin the Program in the Fall semester each year.

What has to be submitted by the application deadline?

• Physical Therapist Assistant Program application
• All college transcripts from other schools, including Del Mar College transcript
• Evidence of a total of 15 hours of observation in at least 3 different settings (i.e., hospital, nursing home, pediatrics, home health, outpatient clinic, etc.)
• Evidence of a minimum of 2.00 cumulative GPA on all college work
• Evidence of a minimum 3.00 GPA in the general education courses required for PTA degree
• Evidence of Reading, English, and Math scores at college level (i.e., R3, E3, M3)

What is the TEAS for Allied Health?
The TEAS for Allied Health is an acronym for Test of Essential Academic Skills. The entrance test examines reading, math skills, and knowledge of science. ONLY the top 40 applicants will take the TEAS. After June 1st, all applicant files are reviewed by the PTA Program Admissions Committee. Based on a point system, those applicants falling in the top 40 will be contacted and given information to schedule to take the TEAS. After the top 40 have taken the TEAS, additional points will be awarded and the total points will be recalculated. The top 20 will finally be selected for admission. More information on the TEAS, as well as ordering a study guide for the exam, can be found on the PTA Program web site, click on “TEAS”.

Are there any pre-requisites?
There are no pre-requisite courses for the PTA Program. HOWEVER, selective admission into the Program is based on a point system. The student is given points based on completion of any of the general academic courses listed on the PTA Degree Plan (i.e., BIOL 2401, BIOL 2402, ENGL 1301, etc.); and the amount of points awarded is also based on the grade made in each course (i.e., an “A” in BIOL 2401 = 10 points out of a possible 10 points, a “C” in BIOL 2401 = 4 points out of a possible 10). So, completion of the general academic courses enhances the student’s selection to the Program. To be awarded points, the course(s) MUST BE COMPLETED, with a grade given, BY JUNE 1st. General academic courses not completed before Program entry MUST BE TAKEN in the semester listed on the PTA Program Degree Plan.

How long is the PTA Program?
The PTA Program is five (5) semesters long. Each new class begins in the Fall semester, and continues through the subsequent semesters: 1st Fall, 1st Spring, Summer, 2nd Fall, 2nd Spring. The Program is approximately 20 months.

When will I be notified if I was accepted?
All applicants, both selected and not selected, will be notified within 45 days of the application deadline. Priority notification will be given to the top 20 students chosen to begin the PTA Program that Fall.

How can I find more detailed information about the PTA Program?
Please visit the PTA Program web page for admissions information, contact information, degree plan, etc. You can also contact program faculty.

How do I contact my advisor?
When contacting program faculty, we recommend email rather than phone. There are only two faculty for the program; faculty spend most of the day in the classroom and clinic, only an average of an hour per day is in the office. Email is a better form to contact faculty since we are rarely in the office to answer the phone. To make an advising appointment, contact the department's administrative assistant, Liza Lara, llara@delmar.edu, or Dr. Rebekah Pounds, Program Director, rpounds@delmar.edu, or Nicholas Rios, Director of Clinical Education, nrios@delmar.edu.

If I am not accepted, what can I do to improve my chances if I apply the next year?
We recommend taking any or all of the general academic courses listed on the PTA Program Degree Plan. (Those courses with the rubric “PTHA” cannot be taken unless accepted and enrolled in the PTA Program; but, all other courses listed on the degree plan can be taken at any time.) The student is given points if he/she has completed any of the general academic courses listed on the PTA Program Degree Plan; and points are awarded based on the grade given in the course. If a student completed a course but made a grade of “B”, “C”, or “D,” we recommend the student retake the course. Higher grades will give the student more points. This is a selective admissions process, this is a competition. As in any competition, the student with the most points will win. Please note, per state regulations, students are NOT allowed to repeat previously passed courses more than once.

If I have taken general academic courses at another college or university, will those courses transfer?
The faculty would need to review the transcripts in order to answer that question. The student would need to contact one of the two Program faculty and arrange to have a copy of the transcript(s) sent to the PTA Program Office for review.