Program Admissions Overview

• The expected pathway to this program is to enroll as a Freshman at Ohio State's main campus in Columbus and follow the steps described here.  If you are a transfer student or if you plan to start at a regional campus of Ohio State, your program will likely take five years instead of four. Some of our pre-requisite courses are ONLY available at the Columbus Campus of Ohio State.
  Admission to the AT major is separate from Admission to Ohio State and is selective and competitive.  Admission to Ohio State does not guarantee admission to the AT major.
• Pre-AT students apply for admission to the Athletic Training Major by March 1st of the academic year in which they will complete their admission requirements (the freshman year in most cases).
  
• IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
• The AT Division's Admission Committee selects the best overall applicants for admission.
• Typically, over 70 students apply to the Major each year and roughly 20 - 25 students are accepted. 
• Applicants are selected for admission interviews based on performance in the pre-requisite courses and performance in the athletic training observation.   
• Admission decisions are announced prior to the end of Spring Quarter. 
• Admitted students begin coursework and clinicals in August (summer term).
• Students not admitted may re-apply the following year or should select another major for which they might be better suited.
• Following admission, program students must fulfill several enrollment requirements such as vaccinations, CPR & First-Aid Certification, and passing a criminal background check. 

How competitive is the A.T. Major at Ohio State?

Requirements for Admission Eligibility

1. Pre-requisite Courses  - courses must be completed by the end of Spring Quarter (early June) in order to be eligible for acceptance into the major. A grade of C- or better is required in each pre-requisite.

• ATH TRNG 303 (5 hrs) - Basic Athletic Training
• 25 hours of Athletic Training Observation included in this course
• BIO 113 (4 hrs) - Biological Sciences: Energy Transfer and Development
• NOTE: "survey of" or "introduction to" courses are generally not accepted
• CHEM 121 (5 hrs) - General Chemistry
• NOTE: "survey of" or "introduction to" courses are generally not accepted
• EEOB 232 (5 hrs) - Introductory Physiology
• MATH 148 or higher (4 hrs) - Algebra & Trigonometry & Their Applications
• PSYCH 100 (5 hrs) - General Psychology
• Allied Med 500 (3 hrs) - Medical Terminology
• can also use HIMS 500 or Classics 210

2. Other Admission Requirements

• INTENT TO PRACTICE: A strongly demonstrated intent to practice Athletic Training / Sports Medicine is required. Given our large number of applicants each year, applicants who do not intend to practice Athletic Training or Sports Medicine are less likely to be selected over applicants who demonstrate that they intend to practice the profession.
• ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: Minimum CPHR (cumulative GPA) of 2.5 (4.0 scale) is required for application.  Admission is competitive and most applicants typically have a GPA's of 3.0 or higher. The average GPA of accepted students has consistently been around 3.45 and students with a GPA below 3.0 are not likely to be admitted.
• CLINICAL OBSERVATION: At least 25 hours of Athletic Training Observation supervised by an ATC (this is normally completed through taking ATH TRNG 303).  During this observation, students are evaluated on their suitability for the program and profession using a specific evaluation form that is distributed to students and reviewed at the beginning of the course.  This evaluation is used as an important part of the admissions selection process.  We retain a copy of the completed form for students who complete their observation in our facilities, therefore you do not need to submit one when you apply. 

Application Procedures

• When to apply 
• No later than March 1 of the academic year in which you will finish your pre-requisite courses (high school students do not apply directly into the major).
• Applicants MUST complete all pre-requisite courses no later than the end of Spring quarter to be eligible for consideration. 
• You can apply if you are currently enrolled in your last pre-requisite courses.
• If you are missing a pre-requisiste course after spring quarter, your application will not be considered.
• How to apply
• WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO
• Complete your pre-requisite courses with a grade of at least C- in every pre-requisite.  They must all be complete by the end of spring quarter or your application will not be considered. If you took a course at another university, you must submit official transcripts to the Office of Professional Admissions at the time of your application. 
• Complete your 25 hour observation requirement.  This is done as part of ATH TRNG 303, so you do not need to arrange this yourself.
• Submit an online application prior to March 1st through the Office of Professional Admissions. 
• It is helpful if you apply BEFORE the deadline rather than waiting until the last minute. 
• Once you have applied, you can check the status of your application online. 
• What we do for you:
• We begin review of applications in week 6 of the spring quarter 
• This seems like a very long time after our application deadline, but we choose this time for a reason. Because some applicants are enrolled in ATH TRNG 303 in the spring quarter, we cannot evaluate applications until this group has completed their clinical observation (week 5).
• We review your academic history (for all coursework at all colleges), your Observation Evaluation Form, and other application materials 
• The observation evaluation form was completed during your ATH TRNG 303 required observation and we retain these on file.
• If you are a TRANSFER student who did not complete your observation at Ohio State, you MUST have your observation supervisor complete this form and send it to the AT Division Office. Also be sure to have transcripts sent to Ohio State. Incomplete applications that are missing transcripts will not be reviewed.
• We will select and contact the set of finalists who will be interviewed for admission. We will post a notice on the AT website when this has occurred.
• Not all applicants will be selected as finalists and all students offered admission come from the group of finalists.  We typically select around 30 finalists each year.
• If you are chosen as a finalist for admission, we'll invite you for an interview (usually early - mid May). Interviews typically last around 15 minutes and serve to help us understand your motivation, goals, readiness and committment.  All of these plus your academic and clinical observation performance are considered in admission decisions.
• How do we choose admission finalists?
  • The applicant pool is narrowed down to a group of finalists for interviews based upon:
    • Cumulative GPA = 25%
    • Pre-Requisite Courses GPA = 25%
    • Athletic Training Observation form = 50%
  • We typically interview 5 - 10 more finalists than will ultimately be admitted.
• How do we determine which finalists will be admitted?
  • All finalists will be formally interviewed to determine program admission.
  • The interview is a critical part of this process and has a large impact on admissions decisions. Applicants are advised to treat it as such and are encouraged to both dress appropriately and to spend time preparing and practicing their interview skills. Your efforts all year can put you into the interview room.  Your interview can either put you into the program or leave you out of it.
  • The combination of the interview and all admission materials, grades, observer evaluations and interactions are used in making admission decisions. The best overall applicants are offered admission.

• When will I know if I have been selected for an interview?
  • Because some applicants are enrolled in ATH TRNG 303 during the Spring Quarter, we wait until these applicants have finished their clinical observation before we are able to calculate applicant rankings and announce interviews (usually in wk 6 of the spring quarter).
• When will I know if I am admitted?
  • We complete our process prior to the end of spring quarter. Notifications occur before summer break begins. We typically notify admitted students in mid-May.
• How will I be notified of my admission decision?
• All applicants will receive a letter from professional admissions telling you your outcome from our admissions process. This letter is often sent in late May or early June.
• Students not selected for interviews are notified by email around the 6th week of spring quarter. Finalists will be contacted by phone for interview scheduling at this time. If you are a finalist and we can't reach you by phone, you will receive an email offering you an interview.
• When final admission decisions are made (mid - late May), all interviewed students will be notified through a personal phone call from the Director of the Division (Dr. Merrick) as well as a letter.
• Admissions Outcomes:
  • If you are offered admission, you will need to accept or decline by returning the form and any additional materials indicated.  We will also have a reception and orientation for you before the end of the quarter.
  • you will need to complete several post-admission requirments including Technical Standards.
  • If you are an alternate for admission, your final status will depend on whether any offers of admission are declined or withdrawn. Once the class is full, you will receive an additional letter confirming this. This typically is late June or early July. In the mean time, you should schedule for the fall as if you were not offered admission.  If your status changes, we will help you to change your schedule.
  • If you are not offered admission, you have several options:
    • you can re-apply next year.  If this is your intention, please make an appointment to meet with Dr. Merrick to discuss your odds and ways to strengthen your application. Re-apply without first seeking guidance from Dr. Merrick is not recommended.
    • you can choose another major at OSU (most students choose another program in the School of Allied Medical Professions).
    • you can choose to transfer to another school's AT program.

While meeting the following does not guarantee admission, competitive applicants typically...

• ... embrace our program's professional identity and specifically come to Ohio State because they are high ability students who want to make an impact in the athletic training profession rather than just looking for an accredited program
• ... have a cumulative GPA of greater than 3.0 for all college courses completed (average accepted student's GPA was 3.45 in 2005 & 2006)
• ... actively demonstrate their passion and enthusiasm for athletic training (average accepted student's clinical evaluation score was 93.5%)
• ... ask a lot of questions and get very involved in their clinical observation opportunity instead of watching from a distance
• ... are VERY outgoing and energetic. Quiet, reflective students often struggle with their clinical observation time here because the don't demonstrate their passion & enthusiasm as much as they need to in order to be admitted.   
• ... demonstrate a professional demeanor and represent themselves as dependable and responsible.
• ... make it obvious that they are here to become healthcare providers and not just because they are sports fans or former athletes
• ... see our athletes as patients and as real people instead of being in awe of them or treating them like sports heroes
• ... demonstrate that they are highly responsible and can be counted on to go the extra mile
• ... vigorously protect their patients' confidentiality
• ... accept nothing less than excellence from themselves and those around them 
• ... take tremendous pride in their professionalism, appearance, knowledge, skill, and dedication
• ... take personal responsibility for their future and their success 
• ... plan for contingencies and have a clear idea of their future professional goals
• ... understand and embrace the extensive out-of-class time commitment required for the major
• ... plan to use their athletic training skills in their professional career instead of using us as just a stepping stone to a graduate program in a different profession.  Intent to practice sports medicine or athletic training are important to us.

Admissions FAQ