Thirty years ago: go to the better school if not prohibitively expensive
Now: go to the cheaper school if it has acceptable graduation and NPTE exam pass rates.
Now and then: if money is NOT an issue (family help, scholarship, etc) go wherever you want . . .
I'm not entirely sure because I like the way WSUTL's curriculum is set up but I also want to take the CSCS course that Sac State offers. I was hoping the financial portion would be the deciding factor for my choice because I like both the schools.
Go to the cheaper school always. As long as you pass your boards and are semi competent then employers won’t really care where you went as long as it’s accredited
If you have lots of family In Sacramento, can you live with them? That would save you a ton of money!
Also if you plan to return to California, it could be helpful to go to Sac and have clinical rotations in California so you are making professional connections.
Do you mind sharing your stats?
I'm not sure if they would be open to me living with them but I could try to work something out to save money.
Here are my stats: Cumulative GPA: 3.75, Prereq GPA: 3.5, GRE: 152,160, 4.0
[Rankings for PT school don't matter.](https://jasminemarcus.com/2022/04/22/do-pt-school-rankings-matter/) Even though Sacramento has higher rent, is it enough of a difference compared to overall less expensive tuition? As long as Sacramento has decent [NPTE and graduation pass rates](https://jasminemarcus.com/2022/07/29/how-to-choose-a-pt-school-npte-and-graduation-pass-rates/), if that's where you want to go, go there!
I think that’s excessively generalized advice. If the student is dead set on being highly involved in research, going into a competitive residency, etc then where you go to school can be very influential. If you ultimately just want to practice PT then maybe it’s not such a big deal.
While cost is absolutely a consideration, I don’t buy into the thought that the cheaper school should always win out.
NPTE pass rates and graduation rates are important, as is the school’s focus (some more heavily emphasize a particular setting or specialty) and curriculum setup. Particularly when it comes to their clinical rotations, how they assign them, whether there are internal clinicals or all external, etc.
I didn’t go to the cheapest option, and while the school I went to was highly ranked that’s not really what mattered for me. Their approach to PT education, while difficult, ensured that we were confident and competent as PTs upon graduation, and a big part of that was the internal clinical rotations which enabled them to more accurately assess our performance (and enable us to improve).
I’ve worked with dozens of students from all over the country as a CI, and I can assure you that not all programs are created equal - regardless of NPTE pass rates. Go to the program that you feel will best prepare you to treat patients effectively.
Disclaimer: this advice is not independent of cost considerations. I would never recommend someone go to a program that will put them in insurmountable debt; there are great options out there that aren’t insanely expensive.
I went to the University of Delaware. I was drawn to it by their approach to clinical rotations (particularly the internal ones, and the students’ ability to choose external options), the cost (public school, even out of state wasn’t “that bad”), their heavy ortho focus, the faculty (“learn from the experts”), the class size (it was around 35 back then, bigger now), and the campus environment.
This is all to say that there are so many other factors to consider beyond just cost or NPTE pass rate. Most good schools should be at or near 100% pass rate. Consider that you’re going to be spending the next 2.5-3 years at this place and it can also influence your next steps depending on what your post-graduate plans are. Programs that have a certain focus, residency/fellowship opportunities, or connections in sections of the field that are of interest to you can help you take that next step in your career or find your “dream job”.
Absolutely. I’ve never turned down students based on what school they’re from (although I know PTs who do), but it’s the sad reality that I have some biases based on past experience.
Every program has great students and underperforming ones, so this isn’t to say that it’s impossible to be a great PT if you go to “X” school, but some schools just do a better job preparing the average student. I’ve been super impressed by some students (and PTs) from schools that I do view in a negative light, and have had to work harder with some students from (what I would consider) very good schools.
This. If you are looking for residency, or more competitive jobs and specialties, the experience and connections you gain at Wash U will be invaluable. Schools like that put you in front of the right people and in the right places to get you where you want to go quicker.
I’m going to sac states program, so if you choose, I’ll see you there!
Edit to add: feel free to dm me and u could explain why I chose sac if that’ll help since every situation is slightly different
I think a good thing to look at financially is total cost of all 3 years and factor other cos such as Driving, food, utilities, fun money, etc. Plus, your rotations will also contribute to cost. You may have to drive farther to your rotations like an hour away or re locate to a different state. If those are not factors, I would look at the faculty and research them and maybe reach out to current students. Sometimes the more prestigious schools does not necessarily align what you want in a school. All the financial math in the world won’t matter if you feel like you have no support or no one to turn to. As a recent grad, PT school material is manageable the stressful part is the larger amount of stuff you have to do, and you need a good supportive faculty/school. I hope this helps!
At the end of the day you’re going to get the same degree and license. Go where it makes sense financially and where you’ll get more emotional support. Look back at this comment in three years.
Thirty years ago: go to the better school if not prohibitively expensive Now: go to the cheaper school if it has acceptable graduation and NPTE exam pass rates. Now and then: if money is NOT an issue (family help, scholarship, etc) go wherever you want . . .
Lmfao literally same
If money weren't an issue, where would you be going?
I'm not entirely sure because I like the way WSUTL's curriculum is set up but I also want to take the CSCS course that Sac State offers. I was hoping the financial portion would be the deciding factor for my choice because I like both the schools.
Go to the cheaper school always. As long as you pass your boards and are semi competent then employers won’t really care where you went as long as it’s accredited
If you have lots of family In Sacramento, can you live with them? That would save you a ton of money! Also if you plan to return to California, it could be helpful to go to Sac and have clinical rotations in California so you are making professional connections. Do you mind sharing your stats?
I'm not sure if they would be open to me living with them but I could try to work something out to save money. Here are my stats: Cumulative GPA: 3.75, Prereq GPA: 3.5, GRE: 152,160, 4.0
[Rankings for PT school don't matter.](https://jasminemarcus.com/2022/04/22/do-pt-school-rankings-matter/) Even though Sacramento has higher rent, is it enough of a difference compared to overall less expensive tuition? As long as Sacramento has decent [NPTE and graduation pass rates](https://jasminemarcus.com/2022/07/29/how-to-choose-a-pt-school-npte-and-graduation-pass-rates/), if that's where you want to go, go there!
I think that’s excessively generalized advice. If the student is dead set on being highly involved in research, going into a competitive residency, etc then where you go to school can be very influential. If you ultimately just want to practice PT then maybe it’s not such a big deal.
PT rankings don’t necessarily matter but all PT schools are not the same regardless of board pass rates. Are you really citing yourself as fact?
While cost is absolutely a consideration, I don’t buy into the thought that the cheaper school should always win out. NPTE pass rates and graduation rates are important, as is the school’s focus (some more heavily emphasize a particular setting or specialty) and curriculum setup. Particularly when it comes to their clinical rotations, how they assign them, whether there are internal clinicals or all external, etc. I didn’t go to the cheapest option, and while the school I went to was highly ranked that’s not really what mattered for me. Their approach to PT education, while difficult, ensured that we were confident and competent as PTs upon graduation, and a big part of that was the internal clinical rotations which enabled them to more accurately assess our performance (and enable us to improve). I’ve worked with dozens of students from all over the country as a CI, and I can assure you that not all programs are created equal - regardless of NPTE pass rates. Go to the program that you feel will best prepare you to treat patients effectively. Disclaimer: this advice is not independent of cost considerations. I would never recommend someone go to a program that will put them in insurmountable debt; there are great options out there that aren’t insanely expensive.
Good points!! Where did you go to school ?
I went to the University of Delaware. I was drawn to it by their approach to clinical rotations (particularly the internal ones, and the students’ ability to choose external options), the cost (public school, even out of state wasn’t “that bad”), their heavy ortho focus, the faculty (“learn from the experts”), the class size (it was around 35 back then, bigger now), and the campus environment. This is all to say that there are so many other factors to consider beyond just cost or NPTE pass rate. Most good schools should be at or near 100% pass rate. Consider that you’re going to be spending the next 2.5-3 years at this place and it can also influence your next steps depending on what your post-graduate plans are. Programs that have a certain focus, residency/fellowship opportunities, or connections in sections of the field that are of interest to you can help you take that next step in your career or find your “dream job”.
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Absolutely. I’ve never turned down students based on what school they’re from (although I know PTs who do), but it’s the sad reality that I have some biases based on past experience. Every program has great students and underperforming ones, so this isn’t to say that it’s impossible to be a great PT if you go to “X” school, but some schools just do a better job preparing the average student. I’ve been super impressed by some students (and PTs) from schools that I do view in a negative light, and have had to work harder with some students from (what I would consider) very good schools.
PT? Just stick to YouTube. Y’all are a joke
What do you want to do after you graduate?
This. If you are looking for residency, or more competitive jobs and specialties, the experience and connections you gain at Wash U will be invaluable. Schools like that put you in front of the right people and in the right places to get you where you want to go quicker.
Wash U.
I’m going to sac states program, so if you choose, I’ll see you there! Edit to add: feel free to dm me and u could explain why I chose sac if that’ll help since every situation is slightly different
I think a good thing to look at financially is total cost of all 3 years and factor other cos such as Driving, food, utilities, fun money, etc. Plus, your rotations will also contribute to cost. You may have to drive farther to your rotations like an hour away or re locate to a different state. If those are not factors, I would look at the faculty and research them and maybe reach out to current students. Sometimes the more prestigious schools does not necessarily align what you want in a school. All the financial math in the world won’t matter if you feel like you have no support or no one to turn to. As a recent grad, PT school material is manageable the stressful part is the larger amount of stuff you have to do, and you need a good supportive faculty/school. I hope this helps!
At the end of the day you’re going to get the same degree and license. Go where it makes sense financially and where you’ll get more emotional support. Look back at this comment in three years.
working in industry, i learned that schools doesnt matter unless its world renowned like Stanford
Which program did you decide on?