How To Apply
Dear Prospective OTA Student:
We are excited about what our Occupational Therapy Assistant Program offers and hope you will be a part of it! Our application deadline is May 1st at 4PM with interviews held in May. All applicants should be notified in writing by June 1st of their admission status unless otherwise stated or noted. Please review the application process below and if we can assist you in any way, call 601-554-5487 or email us at ota@prcc.edu.
How to Apply:
- Complete the PRCC Admissions Application. Within 3-5 days, you will receive RiverGuide Credentials. Once you start an application, you may save your progress to come back to finish it at a later time. Once you have submitted it, the application will no longer be available to you and you will receive confirmation of submission.
- Once you receive your RiverGuide credentials, use them to complete the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Application
- *You must eScript (preferred) or mail an official high school/GED transcript and official transcripts from all previously attended colleges to:
Pearl River Community College
Office of Admissions
101 Hwy 11 North
Poplarville, MS 39470 - Submit your ACT score(s) of 18 or higher. (Applicants who have taken the ACT prior to October 1989 will have their results converted to the Enhanced ACT scores. Example: a score of 15 prior to October 1989 converts to an 18 on the Enhanced ACT scoring scale.)
- Click this link to print the Verification of Observation Hours Form – To ensure each applicant has an understanding of the various roles within occupational therapy, we require a minimum of six (6) observation hours in a setting that provides occupational therapy services and have the verification form completed and returned with your application information.
*If you have attended PRCC, please indicate this on your application as our administrative assistant can pull that transcript from our Admissions Department. In addition, please note that e-scripts from other schools typically do not take long to receive and any information you submit will be confirmed via email. Please follow up with us if you do not receive an email confirmation in a timely manner.
Admission Point Scale
Admission to the OTA program is competitively based upon a combination of academics/scores and soft skills (gauged through a formal interview).
We base admission into the program on a combined point scale in which academics are weighted at 50% and include: cumulative GPA of coursework taken (high school transcript if no college) plus ACT score. Details are how points are calculated are listed below.
GPA: | Points | ACT Composite Score: | Points | Bonus Points for Completed Coursework*: | Points |
3.76- 4.0 | 10 | >26 | 10 | All pre-requisite & core academic courses | 3 |
3.5 – 3.75 | 7 | 24-25 | 7 | ||
3.0 – 3.49 | 5 | 22-23 | 5 | Pre-Requisite A&P I & II or Principles of A&P I & II with labs | 2 |
2.5 – 2.99 | 4 | 20-21 | 4 | ||
2.0 – 2.49 | 3 | 18-19 | 3 | Core academic courses | 1 |
Max Total: | 10 | 10 | 3 |
Once academic points are calculated using the formula above, we determine your Combined Academic Score (CAS) by adding GPA and ACT points and then multiplying that by “5” to get your Total Academic Score (TAS). Since 20 is the maximum number of points that can be earned, multiplying by “5” allows us to remain consistent with our interview scoring system, which is rated on a 0-100 points scale.
Interview points are earned using Likert scale ratings that address each of the following components:
OT practice familiarity | 5 |
Motivation | 10 |
Helping characteristics | 10 |
Realism | 10 |
Focus & determination | 5 |
Self-presentation | 10 |
Communication skills | 25 |
Basic writing skills | 25 |
Max Total | 100 |
The sum of your TAS and Interview scores plus *bonus points added at the end determine the Application Assessment Tool Total Score and entry into the program.
Program Requirements:
- The following courses with labs must be taken in order to be eligible to graduate: BIO 1514/1524 or 2514/2524 (Anatomy and Physiology I & II or Principles of A&P I & II). We highly recommend that these courses are completed prior to starting the OTA program curriculum and believe it will benefit the student greatly to complete all academic course requirements prior to starting our program. Students are responsible for ensuring that all pre-requisites are met prior to Level I fieldwork in fall of the second year. Advisement will be provided by OTA faculty and each case will be reviewed accordingly.
- OTA courses are managed through Canvas so students should have access to technological resources such as a computer, laptop or tablet for completing assignments and tests. If there are challenges, please notify faculty as the OTA Program promotes inclusion within the classroom and will assist the student in obtaining the resources necessary in providing an accessible learning environment.
- All OTA courses (with the OTA prefix) must be passed with a “C” average (70 or more) to continue to the next OTA course in the curriculum sequence. Students cannot progress towards the next semester when they receive a final grade of less than 70 in any OTA course. Retention is our goal so students will be regularly evaluated throughout the course of the semester and a midterm meeting will be held to ensure that students are aware of their standing within the program each semester. Students are given every opportunity to succeed with office hours that are specifically tailored for student advisement.
- A health examination (routine physical) which includes a TB skin test is required at the beginning of the program and will be discussed during orientation if accepted into the program. A criminal background check and drug screen are also required and provided by the school upon admittance to the program. Immunization records that include the Hepatitis B (HBV) vaccination series should also be sent to the program upon admission. All of these items are necessary in order to participate in Level I and Level II fieldwork. If a student does not have the HBV vaccine, they may opt to start the series at their own expense. Flu shots are also required at many fieldwork sites during flu season, but some sites offer declination forms for both the flu and HBV vaccines. Please be aware that we must be in compliance with the policies and procedures of fieldwork sites at all times.
- Students are required to complete two eight-week Level II fieldwork clinical rotations. Clinical rotations will be scheduled by the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator to begin during the last spring semester of the program. In rare circumstances where a student cannot complete a rotation during the scheduled time(s) in order to graduate with their class, students have a total of 20 months after the didactic portion of their studies (i.e.- end of fall semester of their second year) to complete the required 16 weeks of Level II fieldwork required to be eligible for graduation. All clinical rotations are assigned with contracted facilities within or outside the state of Mississippi to provide the most appropriate educational experience. Please know that this may incur an extra expense for the student as expenses related to commuting and traveling are not uncommon.
- Once the student has completed all components necessary for graduation (i.e.- all pre-requisite courses completed, OTA coursework completed with a 70 average or higher, all fieldwork rotations completed and passed), they will be required to schedule a time to take the National Board of Certification for Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) examination once their degree is issued (i.e.- post-graduation). This exam is an additional expense and must be passed to be eligible to apply for a license to work as an occupational therapy assistant (OTA). Once the NBCOT exam is passed, the student is considered “certified” and becomes a “COTA”. This “C” credential allows the student to apply for a license in all states and each state has its own regulations, costs and requirements regarding the licensing/credentialing process.
Felony conviction: Please be aware that a felony conviction can affect a person’s ability to become an Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) by preventing them from taking the national certification exam or obtaining state licensure. The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) will review a person’s information and determine if their felony conviction violates the Candidate Code of Conduct. The NBCOT’s Qualifications and Compliance Review Committee may sanction a person by barring them from becoming certified for a set period of time or indefinitely. Individual states also have review procedures which may bar an applicant for state licensure from obtaining a given state license.
Attention All Applicants:
We have many clinical partnerships within a 100-mile radius of our school, but in some instances, students may be required to travel a further distance for at least one of those rotations. Grace is given to anyone who has a child or other caregiver obligations, and all fieldwork placements are carefully considered and chosen based on the expertise of faculty. If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of submitting your program application, please contact us via e-mail or phone for application confirmation status.
