High School Early Assurance Pathway

An Early Assurance Pathway into the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Program 

The High School Early Assurance Pathway (HEAP) is for high school students who have been admitted into the Health Sciences - Pre-Occupational Therapy program and would like to secure their spot in UC's Occupational Therapy program. Acceptance to the pathway is limited to highly qualified incoming first year students only, and students are admitted to the pathway in the fall semester only.

High School Early Assurance Pathway students must enroll in the undergraduate Health Sciences - Pre-Occupational Therapy program at the University of Cincinnati. Upon completion of this degree, students will have completed all prerequisite courses required for enrollment in the Occupational Therapy graduate program.

Deadline: March 31st

Application Requirements

Applicants to the High School Early Assurance Pathway must first be admitted to the Health Sciences - Pre-Occupational Therapy program then complete and submit the supplemental High School Early Assurance Pathway application. Applicants are required to meet requirements beyond those required for admission to the health sciences program.

Admissibility into the pathway is based on the following:

  • Minimum GPA in high school 3.5 out of 4 
  • Minimum standardized test scores: ACT - 27 composite or SAT - 1280
    • At this time, the program will still require test scores, even if the university has a test-optional admissions process. 

Three online references 

  • At least one recommendation must be from a high school math/science teacher
  • References can not be friends or relatives
  • In no more than 250 words, please explain how you heard about occupational therapy and why you want to become a occupational therapist.

Your resume should provide details on the following items:

  • Extracurricular activities
  • Work experience
  • Volunteer work
  • Honors and awards
     

Accepted Student Expectations

Following acceptance into the High School Early Assurance Pathway program, students will be directed by the program to submit the following information.

Students must meet the following GPA minimums:

  1. Cumulative GPA of 3.5 at the end of their 1st, 2nd and 3rd years in the Health Science program. (A student who fails to maintain the specified GPA forfeits High School Early Assurance Pathway status)
  2. Prerequisite coursework GPA of 3.5 with no less than a B- received in any of the prerequisite coursework. The OTD graduate program prerequisite courses are:
  • Anatomy & Physiology I & II
  • Neuroanatomy of Biological Psychology
  • English composition
  • Psychology 
  • Abnormal Psychology
  • Lifespan Developement
  • Statistics
  • Medical Terminology
  • Sociology or Anthropology
  • Musculoskeletal Anatomy or Kinesiology

Apply

To submit your application to the High School Early Assurance Pathway, you will log in using your application status portal login credentials. 

Deadline: March 31st

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CAHS Admissions

Admissions Counselor, College of Allied Health Sciences

513-558-0236