Physical Therapist Assistant - Admissions Requirements

The Physical Therapist Assistant program is a selective admissions program. Select your appropriate student status to view specific admission requirements.

NYS High School Students

Requirements ✅

Criteria Requirement
HS GPA 80 Cumulative
Biology 75 or greater on the Living Environment Regents Exam
Chemistry 75 or greater on the Chemistry Regents Exam
Math 75 or greater on the Geometry Regents Exam plus another year of Regents-level Math
Personal Statement (see below) ALL Applicants are required to submit a Personal Statement. Email statement to admissions@canton.edu.

Out-of-State High School Students

Requirements ✅

Criteria Requirement
HS GPA 80 Cumulative
Biology 80 Biology Course Average
Chemistry 80 Chemistry Course Average
Math 80 Geometry Course Average plus one additional math
Standardized Test Scores SAT score of 1080 or higher (out of 1600 new version) or an ACT composite score of 21 or higher
Personal Statement (see below) ALL Applicants are required to submit a Personal Statement. Email statement to admissions@canton.edu.

College / Transfers

Requirements ✅

Criteria Requirement
HS GPA 2.5 Cumulative
Biology C Minimum Course Average in Introductory Biology or Higher Level Biology
Chemistry C Minimum Course Average in Introductory Chemistry or Higher Level Chemistry
Math C Minimum Course Average in Intermediate Algebra or Higher Level Math
Math and Science GPA 3.0 Cumulative GPA
Personal Statement (see below) ALL Applicants are required to submit a Personal Statement. Email statement to admissions@canton.edu.

Completed Physical Therapy Courses

  • Applicants who have completed physical therapy related coursework may be eligible for admission to the program in advanced standing.
  • Applicants are required to provide the Program Director with a copy of their transcript and course syllabi from all relevant courses to determine eligibility for advanced standing. There may be testing requirements that need to be met prior to transfer course credit being awarded.

A brief PERSONAL STATEMENT explaining why the applicant has chosen to pursue the Physical Therapist Assistant degree is required as part of the application. Include academic and personal attributes that the applicant believes best prepares them to enter this healthcare degree program (500 words or less).

Applicants should review the PTA Program Admission Rubric for additional academic considerations for admission review.

Students who do not meet the prerequisites may be eligible to enroll in a preparatory curriculum. Completion or admission into a preparatory curriculum does not guarantee admission to the PTA Program.

Recommended Supporting Documents

Although not required, it is recommended that applicants consider completing observation hours and a reflective summary, as detailed below, to strengthen their application rubric score.

Observation Hours

Minimum of 20 hours of observation in a physical therapy setting with a completed PTA Program Observation Experience Form from the supervising therapist; ideally this would include two different types of physical therapy settings (i.e. inpatient and outpatient).

Reflective Summary

Reflective summary of observation experience, sharing what was learned from the experience and how that impacts their interest in the physical therapy profession (500 words or less). Email summary to admissions@canton.edu

How to Apply

  1. Check PTA Admissions Requirements chart to determine eligibility.
  2. Submit The Common Application or the SUNY Application on-line. Be sure to select Physical Therapist Assistant as your intended major.  Students who are already enrolled at SUNY Canton should complete the Change of Major Request for selective programs.
  3. Ensure any supporting documentation that has been completed is submitted as follows:

Application Review Process

Applications will be reviewed by the admissions department as they are received and all eligible applications will be forwarded on to the Program Director. An applicant may be considered for early decision by the Program Director if they have completed all requirements and achieve a minimum rubric score of 15 or higher. The early decision deadline for applications is December 1. Review of all qualified applicants for regular decision will begin in early February and will continue until the enrollment cap of 24 students is reached. A wait list will be created for any additional accepted applicants and will be drawn from if spots become available.

The PTA Program Director has the right to make all final admissions decisions at their discretion taking into consideration all aspects of the student's application and academic record.

*Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the PTA program.

Acceptance/Matriculation Rates

In Fall 2023, 100% of qualified applicants were offered admission to the program; 75% enrolled in the PTA program.

Deborah Molnar, PT, DPT, MSEd
PTA Program Director
(315) 386-7394
molnard@canton.edu