You're Not Rejected, You're Waitlisted: The Complete Guide To The Wait

Waitlisted for OT school? Stop treating that letter like a rejection with better manners. A waitlist is not necessarily a soft no, and what you do next can make a difference. But here's what most Pre-OT applicants don't understand: not all waitlists work the same way, and the wrong strategy can waste valuable time or even cost you an opportunity.

In this episode of Occupied & Unlocked: The OT Student's Playbook, Dr. L breaks down what really happens behind OT admissions decisions, the difference between ranked and unranked waitlists, what belongs in a letter of continued interest, and how to communicate with admissions without becoming THAT applicant. We're also tackling the deposit deadline dilemma, keeping your options open, and what to do if the final answer is no. No false promises, no admissions fairy tales, just practical advice from someone who knows how the process works. Subscribe to Occupied & Unlocked for more OT school application strategies and the conversations your advisor might be too nice to have with you.

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OT School Professionalism: 3 Unwritten Rules No One Puts in the Syllabus

Nobody is going to write you up for resting B face. They're just going to remember it. Your OT school syllabus covers grades, assignments, and academic integrity, but what about the unwritten professionalism rules that quietly shape how faculty and fieldwork educators perceive you? In this episode of Occupied & Unlocked: The OT Student's Playbook, Dr. L exposes three behaviors that can make even a clinically capable occupational therapy student appear disengaged, defensive, or unprepared.

We're talking about resting B face, the phone habits you don't realize you have, and what happens to your face when someone gives you feedback. More importantly, Dr. L shares practical strategies to strengthen professional communication, receive constructive feedback, and develop the professional behaviors expected in occupational therapy education and fieldwork. These so-called soft skills aren't easy, but they are trainable. Subscribe to Occupied & Unlocked for more OT student secret codes and the conversations your syllabus isn't having with you.

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Code 005: When to Start Studying for the NBCOT Exam

Think NBCOT prep starts three months before graduation? Dr. L has some uncomfortable news for you. Your OT program's NBCOT pass rate is public information, your early practice exam scores may predict more than you realize, and waiting until the last minute to develop a study strategy could be a costly gamble.

In Code 005 of Occupied & Unlocked: The OT Student's Playbook, Dr. L breaks down what the research says about NBCOT exam performance, why program pass rates matter without defining your future, and how to use knowledge assessments, practice exams, and clinical reasoning development to prepare strategically throughout OT school. Whether you're a first-year occupational therapy student or approaching fieldwork and capstone, this episode challenges the idea that board preparation is something you worry about after graduation. Subscribe to Occupied & Unlocked for more OT school strategies, professional insights, and the unwritten rules nobody explains.

https://linktr.ee/mariposasconsulting