Admission Info

Physical Therapist Assistant Admission Information

Are you ready to apply to the Physical Therapist Assistant Program? Acceptance into the PTA program is competitive with enrollment limited to 24 students who start each fall semester. The application deadline period is Dec. 1 - March 1. Discover more about the admission process and program.

Admission Made Easy

  1. Apply for Admission Into San Jacinto College

  2. Submit All Official Transcripts

    Send your official transcripts from colleges/universities by mail to: 
    San Jacinto College Records Management 
    13735 Beamer Road 
    Houston, TX 77089

  3. Upload Unofficial Transcripts

    Submit unofficial transcripts to the admissions portal (copies are acceptable) and print out your San Jac GPS (student transcript) by accessing your SOS account.

  4. Obtain Observation Hours

    Observation hours are required from two different therapy settings. Twenty hours in inpatient and twenty hours in outpatient.

  5. Submit Three Recommendation Forms

    One (of the three) must be completed by a PT/PTA. Each form must be completed and placed in a separate envelope. All three forms must be submitted in person or sent via email by the individual completing the recommendation to ptaprogram@sjcd.edu. All three sealed and signed envelopes must be included in the PTA program application packet. Recommendation forms cannot be completed by family or friends.

  6. Submit All Required Forms

    All forms, with the exception of the 3 Recommendation Forms,  must be submitted using the online application. See "Important Forms" section below.

  7. Complete PTA Program Application

    Have all of your documentation ready before you start the application form. The application period is December 1 - March 1.

    You will have 45 minutes to complete the application once you start. If you have any issues with the application, please reach out to ptaprogram@sjcd.edu or 281-998-6350 ext. 3350.

  8. Complete Interview Process (If eligible)

  9. Complete Criminal Background and Drug Screen (If eligible)

Admissions Points System

Admission to the program is based on a points system. Students with the greatest number of points will be offered acceptance. Students are encouraged to take non-PTHA courses in order to enhance their application. Learn how you can earn points based on the following criteria: 

Strategic Steps to Success

  • Attendance at San Jacinto College PTA Information Session (mandatory)
  • Recommendation forms (3 total). One must be from a PT/PTA
  • Submittal of completed application between December 1 - March 1

Prerequisite Courses (Four Total)

Only one may be in-progress (enrolled) at time of application. 
  • English 1301 (Composition I)  
  • Math 1314 (College Algebra)  
  • Biol 2301/2101 or 2401: A&P I Lecture and lab  
  • Biol 2302/2102 or 2402: A&P II Lecture and lab

Additional Education

  • Psyc 2301 (General Psychology)  
  • Humanities or Fine Arts (see list on application)  
  • Other courses to increase points include Speech, Kinesiology, Nutrition and Medical Terminology

Related Experience

  • Complete 40 hours of observation of a PT or PTA in two different settings (inpatient and outpatient required)
  • PT technician/aide experience  

How We Select Students for The PTA Program

 

Selection Process

Top students will be invited for an interview with faculty and a written essay. Students with the greatest amount of points will be offered acceptance. 

Acceptance and Decision

Accepted applicants will be notified by the end of May and will have five days to decide whether to accept or decline the position in the program. If positions in the program are not filled after five days, the alternate list will be contacted for acceptance in the appropriate order.

Requirements for Admission

Accepted students must have a criminal background and urine drug screen before admission into the program. Any students convicted of misdemeanors (other than minor traffic violations), felonies or have a positive drug screen will be contacted immediately and directed to the ECPTOTE website.

Keep in Mind

Meeting the criteria does not guarantee admission to the program. We want to ensure we’re selecting the best candidates who will thrive in the program and succeed in their careers. 

Navigate Program Requirements

Check out these helpful sources on costs, guides, forms, and information sessions.

Information sessions will be held on a regular basis on our South campus location in building S.1. Registration is not required. The sessions will cover topics such as PT as a profession, career potential, program requirements, and general information.

Date Time  Location
Oct. 7, 2024  12 p.m. S-1.146
Oct. 8, 2024  6 p.m. S-1.146
Nov. 11, 2024  12 p.m. S-1.146
Nov. 12, 2024  6 p.m. S-1.143
Dec. 2, 2024  12 p.m. S-1.146
Dec. 3, 2024  6 p.m. S-1.146

*Please note that you are required to attend one full session and provide your name and email address to obtain credit for your attendance prior to enrolling in the PTA program.

Information sessions will be held on a regular basis on our South campus location in building S.1. Registration is not required. The sessions will cover topics such as PT as a profession, career potential, program requirements, and general information.

Date Time  Location
Oct. 7, 2024  12 p.m. S-1.146
Oct. 8, 2024  6 p.m. S-1.146
Nov. 11, 2024  12 p.m. S-1.146
Nov. 12, 2024  6 p.m. S-1.143
Dec. 2, 2024  12 p.m. S-1.146
Dec. 3, 2024  6 p.m. S-1.146

*Please note that you are required to attend one full session and provide your name and email address to obtain credit for your attendance prior to enrolling in the PTA program.

The cost of the PTA program is the standard published San Jacinto College tuition with additional fees for insurance, background check, drug screen, immunizations, CPR certification, and travel expenses for clinical rotations.  Uniforms may need to be purchased for some clinical rotations.
PTA Student Financial Fact Sheet

Program Outcomes

Our dedicated faculty and staff take pride in helping our students achieve academic success. Here are the program outcomes for our PTA program.

Class Year

First-Time Pass Rate

Ultimate Pass Rate

Graduation Rate

Employment Rate

2024

92.9%

92.9%

58%

100%

2023

100%

100%

75%

100%

2022

100%

100%

87.5%

100%


Two Year Average 2023-2024

Pass  Rate

96.5%

Graduation Rate

66.5%

Employment Rate

100%

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Is the PTA Program very difficult to get into? 
Yes. This is a selective admissions process; the student with the most qualifications earned with points will be offered a seat in the program. Please note, per state regulations, students are NOT allowed to repeat previously passed courses more than once. If a course was failed, then the maximum attempt is three times to report a course. There are only 24 positions in the program and the applicant pool exceeds that.

When is your application deadline? 
March 1 of each year.

Do I have to take the SAT, ACT, HESI or TEAS?
No.

Where do I go for observation? 
It is the applicant's responsibility to contact a local PT department to arrange for this observation. Most area physical therapy departments are accustomed to student volunteers and will help you in obtaining these observation hours. All applicants are required to do a total of 40 hours of observation. Any facility or home health agency is appropriate as long as you observe a licensed PT or PTA at work.

Is there a form for the Observation hours? 

Yes. You may use the Hours of Observation Form on this page under Important Forms. You may also use the form from the facility you observe at if they have one. Make sure to have the PT or PTA sign the paper verifying the information is correct.

Is there a form for references to complete? 
Yes. Use the Recommendation Form on this page under Important Forms. Three of these must be completed and at least one must be from a licensed PT or PTA. 

Do I have to apply for Admission to San Jacinto College and the PTA program? Are these separate? 
Yes, you must apply for Admission to San Jacinto College. This must be completed in the semester prior to applying for Admissions to the program (i.e. Fall Semester.)

Do you have many non-traditional students in the program? 
Yes, the PTA program has both male and female students of varying ages, cultural backgrounds, family dynamics and work situations.

Is there a limit on how many times I can take Human Anatomy Physiology I & II? 
Yes, there is a three attempt lifetime maximum for Human Anatomy and Physiology I & II. If you have attempted these courses more than three times and not earned a passing grade, your application will not be accepted.

If I want to reapply for the program, what should I do?
Many students reapply and we encourage you to do so. You will need to complete a new application with all new documents and note on your application that you are reapplying.

Which campus offers the PTA program? 
Only the South Campus has the PTA program. However, pre-requisite coursework may be completed at any San Jac's four campuses or an accredited college or university.

Do you offer this program at night? 
No. The PTHA courses listed in the Curriculum are offered only as day classes; however, you can take pre-requisite and other courses at night, on weekends, on the Internet, etc.

When does your program start?
The incoming class of students begins each fall semester.

Is the job market good? 
The Houston job market is excellent at this time. ~100% of our graduates in the last five years were employed within six months - one year of graduation. 

What is the starting salary? 
Salary information can be found at the United States Bureau of https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes312021.htm

How physical is the job? 
The duties of a PTA are typically very physical in nature. Pushing, kneeling, lifting and walking are routine activities. See the PTA Student Handbook on this page under Essential Guides. 

How would clinical placements impact my ability to work throughout the program? 
The program is extremely rigorous; therefore working whilst in the program is discouraged. There are three (3) clinical rotations that you will need to complete. They are full time for five or seven weeks as outlined in the Curriculum portion of the brochure. The clinical hours could possibly include evenings and weekends depending on the schedule of your Clinical Instructor and/or facility.

If I have all the non-PTHA classes completed prior to the start of the program, can I finish the PTHA courses in one year versus two? 
No, the PTHA courses must be taken in order, which will take five semesters.

Do any of the required non-PTHA classes have to be taken within a certain time period? 
No, there is no time limit to when any of the non-PTHA classes need to have been taken as long as they are equivalent and reflected accordingly on your transcript.

Accreditation 

The PTA program at San Jacinto College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.

3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100 
Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085 

Telephone: (703) 706-3245 
Email: accreditation@apta.org 
Website: www.capteonline.org


If you need to contact the program/institution directly, please call 281-998-6350 ext. 3350 or email PTAprogram@sjcd.edu.

Complaints

If you have complaints that cannot be resolved through the normal process, please contact Kira Beal. You can reach her at kira.beal@sjcd.edu.

Program Complaints

If you have complaints regarding the program not following the CAPTE standards, you can get the materials for submitting a complaint by contacting the APTA Accreditation Department at 703-706-3245 or accreditation@apta.org.
 If you have student complaints, please visit Policy VI.6004.C on our website to learn about the Code of Student Conduct and Complaint Processes.

Contact Us

Have questions about our PTA program? Please contact us!