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Will getting a PTA boost my chances of getting into PT school?

I'm currently a senior in college, who is about to get a B.S. in Biology. I'm interested in a career in Physical Therapy. Some background informaton is that I did not take the GRE because I had no time to study for it, but I have all the volunteer/shadowing hours.
My fear is that my gpa isn't strong enough to get into a PT school. Would it be beneficial for me to enroll into a PTA program in order to have a career? Or would it be wise of me to just retake the Anatomy and Physiology classes and apply next fall to PT schools. The PTA program I'm looking at takes a year and a half. Would having my bachelors going into the PTA program shorten the amount of time it would take to become a PTA?
I've also heard that if you start working for certain physical therapy centers that they could possibly help pay for grad school. Is there any truth to this?
I'm just concerned about what I should do. And yes I've read that PTA's rarely transition into PT's; I just find that hard to believe. PT school's are extremely competitve and I feel that having the knowledge and experiece as a PTA would make you a better canidate. It's not like I wouldn't have my bachelors finished. Plus those articles are all from the mid to early 2000's. I would like a more up to date opinion.

Help Please A Confused Student!!!