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AACC physical therapy students learn from instructor in classroom.

Application Process

  1. Credit students must apply for admission to AACC, identify Health and Human Services as their Field of Interest and select Physical Therapist Assistant (A.A.S.) as the degree. The general college application process is further detailed on the credit application page.
  2. To apply to the program, you must submit a completed Physical Therapist Assistant program application (which can be found on the Health Sciences Applicants page). Program applications are available in January with an application deadline of April 30.* The program begins every fall (August) term.
  3. You can apply to the program only after meeting all academic and admission criteria. Know your program's requirements and follow directions carefully (see Admission and Academic Requirements below).
  4. The applications will be reviewed and you will receive an email to your AACC student email indicating the status of your application.
  5. Incomplete applications are not considered and will not be processed. You will be notified via your AACC email if required application information was not submitted. 
  6. Email your completed application to [email protected]. Although email is the preferred method, you may also mail your application to the college via mail at:

    Anne Arundel Community College
    ATTN: School of Health Sciences Admissions, HLSB 174
    101 College Parkway
    Arnold, MD 21012

*If the application deadline falls on a weekend, applications will be accepted until the close of business on the next business day.

Note: The Physical Therapist Assistant program is administered by the Chesapeake Area Consortium for Higher Education (CACHE) comprised of Anne Arundel Community College, Chesapeake College and the College of Southern Maryland.

Advising

Before you meet with a health sciences advisor, apply to AACC and submit official transcripts from prior academic institutions. Be sure to meet with a health sciences academic advisor.

If you plan to transfer general education requirements, have your official transcripts sent directly to the college's records and registration office. The official transcripts from all previously attended institutions of higher education must be submitted.

Foreign Education and International Students

If you are an international student, there may be additional requirements for you. Visit our international student admissions page to learn more about visa status and for other valuable information.

Foreign Education Transcripts

Foreign educated students must have their college and high school transcripts evaluated by one of the following credential evaluators:

F-1 Visa Students Nonnative English Speaker TOEFL Requirement

International students who plan to obtain an F-1 visa and whose native language is not English must submit a satisfactory Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score. Review AACC’s TOEFL Score Requirement webpage for information, including exemptions for the TOEFL requirement.

Social Security Number Requirement

If you do not have a Social Security number, you may not be permitted at some clinical rotation sites, and site availability could delay or inhibit your progression in the program. An international student admission specialist in AACC's Admissions and Enrollment Development office may be able to assist students with F-1 visa status to obtain a Social Security number through practical training. Call them at 410-777-2677.


Admission and Academic Requirements

Information Session

Attendance at an information session is highly recommended prior to submitting the Physical Therapist Assistant program application. Call 410-777-7310 for dates, times and locations, or view the schedule on the CACHE website.

  • There is no cost to attend.
  • We offer virtual information sessions.
  • Detailed information regarding program, profession, admission and academic requirements, and selection criteria will be discussed.

English

You must demonstrate eligibility for ENG 101/ENG 101A. There are a number of ways this can be done:

  • Qualifying SAT/ACT scores
  • Appropriate score on the English placement test
  • Unweighted high school GPA (if you graduated in the last five years)
  • Successful completion of developmental courses, if applicable
  • Transfer of credits for ENG-101 equivalent (English Composition 1)
  • Appropriate score on an AP exam
  • Appropriate score on a CLEP® test
  • Appropriate score on GED® test

See an academic advisor for information or visit our Determine Placement page.

Mathematics

You must demonstrate eligibility for College Algebra (MAT-137). There are a number of ways this can be done:

  • Qualifying SAT/ACT scores
  • Appropriate score on the mathematics placement test
  • Unweighted high school GPA plus coursework (if you graduated in the last five years)
  • Successful completion of developmental courses, if applicable
  • Transfer of credits for a MAT-137 course
  • Appropriate score on an AP exam
  • Appropriate score on a CLEP test

Note: MAT-145, MAT-151, MAT-191 or MAT-230 satisfies the MAT-137 requirement. (Former MAT courses MAT-121, MAT-131, MAT-141 or MAT-142 will also satisfy the MAT-137 requirement.)

For information see an academic advisor or visit our Determine Placement page.

High School Graduate or Equivalency or College Degree

Before you submit your application, you must have your high school transcripts or GED® equivalency transcripts submitted electronically to AACC's records and registration office by the application deadline. A copy of a high school or GED® diploma will not be accepted. 

OR

Provide transcript verifying an associate degree or higher from a nationally recognized institution. An official transcript is required if course evaluation and transfer is required and/or if your chemistry requirement was completed in high school.

Note: A transcript/equivalency certificate is considered official when enclosed in a sealed envelope from the institution or sent electronically by the sending institution. It must also include a graduation/completion date and a school official’s signature. Your application will not be considered complete if the required documentation is not received prior to or at the time your application is submitted.

Satisfactory Academic Standing

You must have a minimum adjusted grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 at this college to be considered for selection to the Physical Therapist Assistant program.

College Credit Transfer

If you have taken program prerequisites or other general education courses at a nationally recognized institution other than AACC, you must submit official transcripts with your application for review.

Learn more about transfer credit.

Note: A transcript/equivalency certificate is considered official when enclosed in a sealed envelope from the institution or sent electronically by the sending institution. It must also include a graduation/completion date, if applicable, and a school official’s signature. Your application will not be considered complete if the required documentation is not received prior to or at the time your application is submitted.


Required Courses

The required courses for this program may be found in the Loading....

All students must receive a minimum grade of C or better in each general education course and each physical therapist assistant course to proceed in the program.

Due to the selection process, the Physical Therapist Assistant program cannot accept pass-fail as a replacement for letter grades in the required courses.


Selection Process

  • Applications must be submitted by application deadline date.
  • You are eligible for selection if you have completed all the admissions and academic requirements by the end of the spring term.
  • The applications will be reviewed and you will receive an email indicating the status of the application.
  • Selection for the class will be made after spring grades are posted.
  • The admissions department will choose the most competitive applicants and review the following:
    • Highest number of points attained in the General Education Course Point System. The total score will be calculated as follows:
      • Each general education course required for the program completed with a grade of C or better will be counted toward the final score.
      • The score for each course is the product of the number of credits for the course times a numerical score for the final letter grade achieved in the course. Courses passed by CLEP Exam will be awarded the maximum number of points.

How to Calculate Your Score

Instructions: To calculate your total score, multiply column 2 (# of credits) by the numerical grade and enter in column 4. Add all the scores in column 6 for your total score.

Required Gen Ed Course Credits X Final Grade
A=4
B=3
C=2
CLEP = 4
AP 5 = 4
AP 4 = 4
AP 3 = 3
= Score

ENG-101 or ENG-101A

3

       

MAT-137

3

       

BIO-233 or BIO-231

4

       

BIO-234 or BIO-232

4

       

PSY-111

3

       

PSY-211

3

       

Arts and Humanities

3

       

Maximum Total

23

     

/92

  • Students who have completed the largest number of required general education courses with a grade of C or better
  • Grade point average (GPA) in all general education courses (to include AP and transfer grades) required in the program
  • GPA in math and science courses required in the program or high school math and science courses
  • Students who have the longest continuous enrollment at this college. Students who have completed all required courses and are not currently taking classes will be considered as having continuous enrollment.

Selected applicants will have their selection packet for conditional acceptance emailed to their AACC email address.

Conditional Acceptance

Applicants who have met the academic and admission requirements and have been selected into the program are given conditional acceptance. If you are granted conditional acceptance, you must submit a completed health examination record and criminal background check by designated deadlines. You must also submit verification of current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR certification by a designated deadline. Students who do not meet this deadline will not be considered further for admission and the next person on the list will be contacted. Instructions on how to complete the criminal background check will be enclosed in the selection packet and are not to be done until instructed to do so.

  • Waitlist: Qualified applicants not initially selected for conditional acceptance will be placed on a waitlist in order received and notified of selection when a seat becomes available. Waitlist applicants not given a seat for the term in which they applied must reapply for future consideration.
  • Final acceptance into the program shall be contingent upon satisfactory completion of a health examination record, criminal background check and CPR.

CPR

Students must successfully complete the American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR certification course. CPR certification must be valid through graduation.

Criminal Background Check and Drug Screen

All Health Sciences students who are offered conditional acceptance and/or clinical placement into the Physical Therapist Assistant program are required to satisfactorily complete a criminal background check and possible urine drug screening. For complete details visit the Criminal Background Checks and Drug Screening page.

Health Examination Record

Students conditionally accepted to this program must submit a health examination record completed by a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant validating that the student meets the technical standard of good physical and mental health as established by the School of Health Sciences, and verifying that the student is free of communicable diseases as evidenced by required immunizations/titers.

Learn more about the health examination record to include vaccinations and technical standards.

Anne Arundel Community College and/or the School of Health Sciences reserves the right to revise requirements for admission into the Health Sciences programs, the selection criteria and procedures, and the required courses for programs of study as deemed necessary without prior notification.