Here is my question:

Does it really matter where you go to school?

Some private schools are very expensive while there are more affordable private schools out there.

In the end does it matter?

Will potential employers chose expensive private school applicants over cheap state school applicants?

No.

PT is not like medicine, names of schools do NOT matter to employers, it simply doesn't. Experience and/or work history does. Ie the PT/ATC from Evansville would be more advantagious than the PT from Wash U. Of course this is a generalization, but stands for most employers.

Agreed.

The one thing that I did find beneficial coming out of school was having faculty that knew people at potential jobs, so that they could call and put in a good word, or tell you what to avoid. Tends to be only a local area thing, but useful nonetheless.

dc

The school does not matter, however, debt does. A community college like CUNY Hunter has a terrific program and costs 1/6th of what most private university programs cost.

DocWagner,
Does the name of the medical school really matter to employers?

Medical school matters for externships as a 3rd and 4th year medical student and then very much matters while applying to residencies.
It matters to a lesser degree for fellowships, but is taken into consideration. After all of that is done, is looks nice on the CV to employers, but clearly plays a critical roll prior to that.
This is not the case in PT.

But, I absolutely agree with the poster that private vs public tuition HAS to be a factor. Debt in PT education has gone up dramatically without the same increase in pay. So that is a consideration.

Agreed.

UTMB PT Class of 2002