2018-2019 SENIOR TOP TIPS!

KAROLINA
1. Take advantage of resources offered on campus- writing center for personal statement,
mock trial interviews, reaching out to professors, students, and advisors for opportunities
and advice etc.
2. Build connections with people and places while expressing gratitude for the
opportunities you are offered. You never know if you might benefit from those connections
in the future.
3. Log your observation hours while noting at least one piece of new information or
something that stood out to you for each opportunity. This will be helpful when getting
around to writing your personal statement and even possibly during an interview (there is a
great template on the UIC Pre-OT Club website).
4. Give yourself enough time to study for and take the GRE. Studying will be crucial and if
thinking about taking it more than once, organize your schedule accordingly.

MIRIAM
1. Make sure this is what you want. I recommend doing this by volunteering in different
settings, plus his helps make your application well rounded.
2. Plan out your letters of recommendation in advance. Who knows you best? What
schools did they go to? Can you find someone that graduated from a school in which you
are interested?
3. Make yourself unique. Become a Rehab Aide, a CNA, travel abroad for a summer,
participate in research, whatever it may be! Make sure there’s something on your
application to help you stand out, because you are unique and can offer something
individualized to the programs you are exploring!
4. When studying for the GRE, figure out your strengths and weaknesses early on so
you can be most prospered. For me, my weakness was vocabulary. To compensate, I
watched GRE vocab videos on YouTube while working out for a month until I memorized
the most common words. Find a strategy that works for you!
5. Have someone look over your essays! I sent mine to friends, family members, and
professors until I had a bulletproof essay that expressed who I am and what I can offer.

JANNELLE
1. Start shadowing early to gain more insight on the career. This will help you learn if OT is right
for you or help decide which population you will want to work with.
2. Learn what your strengths and weaknesses are! Not everyone can be stellar at everything
they do (if you are - I am nervous). Navigate what your own strengths are as you apply and take
courses so that they can give you that “advantage.”
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Ask questions from other Pre-OT students because odds are
they are in the same boat as you! You can learn and help each other as you navigate OTCAS,
shadowing, volunteering, and GRe test-taking.
4. Start working on OTCAS as soon as it opens in the summer, this will help you spread out
your timeline on when to complete what and allow time to focus just on the app when not in school.

ASHA
1. Start as early as you and make a plan on how you’re going to check off each part of your
OTCAS application. Are you going to do shadowing during breaks and volunteering during the
year? What about internships and research?
2. Ask lots of questions. Everyone’s experience is different their perspectives are unique. What
worked for one person won’t work for everyone. Make sure to listen to everyone’s advice to help
yourself understand what works for you and what you think is best for your needs.
3. Do internships. Being a Pre-OT student can make this a little tricky but as long as you find an
internship that allows you to practice skills related to OT (social skills, independence, anything
related to disabilities) that preferably has OT’s in the setting, you’ll gain some really valuable
experiences and a better understanding of OT. You can also end up meeting some really cool
people!
4. Start your personal statement as early as you can, even if you haven’t had enough OT
experiences yet, your personal statement is a culmination of who you are as a person and how
that’s going to make you a good OT. Start writing your story early and highlight what led you to the
field and what about you will contribute to you making a difference for your patients. It will change
a 100 times but that’s okay! Make sure to have at least 10 people read it.

ALAN
1. Keep track of deadlines. It is essential to always stay organized and plan ahead. Use a
planner, write daily reminders on a whiteboard, or use a calendar app on your phone. Stay on top
of these deadlines so they won’t cause any unnecessary stress later on!
2. Be courteous towards letter recommenders. When asking people for letters of
recommendation, make sure to give them time to write one for you. Don’t ask them for a letter one
week before it’s due! Make sure to respect their time and plan ahead.
3. Volunteer/Observe in multiple settings. Getting actual hands-on experience is the best way to
expose yourself to the world of OT. Make sure to volunteer and observe in various settings with
different age groups so you can see the full scope of care OTs provide for patients.
4. Believe in yourself. I believe in hardwork and perseverance. If you put in the effort, anything is
possible. Focus on your strengths and use them to your advantage. Acknowledge your
weaknesses and work to improve them. You truly can achieve anything if you put your mind to it!

Handout created by Alan Sadural for the Pre-Occupational Therapy Club at UIC, Spring 2019 GBM #3
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