Commute?

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This question is for current DPT students, what do you feel is a reasonable commute to travel to and from school? Is the program so rigorous that a commute of an hour one-way unreasonable? I am just worrying about my commute and hope that I will not be too exhausted to study. I own a house so moving closer to school isn't really an option.

I am not currently a dpt student, I will be applying this year. So I can't speak for how rigorous dpt programs are from personal experience, but I can say that I know a few people who are currently in dpt programs. They said that while the programs are rigorous, and there is a lot of work, they still have anywhere between 1 to 3 hours a day of free time after they finish studying.
If I get into the school of my choice, which is about 1 hour away, I most likely will be commuting mainly because the commute would be going against rush hour traffic to and from class, the commute would not have many redlights, my car has great gas mileage, and it is much cheaper for me to live where I currently live than to relocate and live close to the school or even on campus.
Because the people I know all said they have between 1 to 3 hours of free time a day, I am not really worried that much about the commute being longer. Hope this helps.

One hour commute doesn't seem unreasonable. Granted, I live in a large city and public transit is available so you could do work on the train..... There are a few peole in my class that have a commute (at least) that long. If you know how to prioritize and use your time well, it shouldn't be a problem. Most nights I spend more than one hour ****ing around on facebook, pinterest and watching TV, and I've made it through all my coursework fine (one 8 week trimester left!).

I'd ask at the school you are applying to if anyone commutes and see if you can talk with them!

Originally Posted by NYCPT

This question is for current DPT students, what do you feel is a reasonable commute to travel to and from school? Is the program so rigorous that a commute of an hour one-way unreasonable? I am just worrying about my commute and hope that I will not be too exhausted to study. I own a house so moving closer to school isn't really an option.

It all depends on the type of learner you are. I would recommend getting a good audio recorder, you can use your phone, or a livescribe pen, that you can review the lectures and material during the commute. If you go by public transportation and don't get motion sick, then you have built in study time. I live close to my campus, but there are many in my class that commute an hour or more back and forth.

Hope it helps, again it's all up to you.

Roxanne M., SPT
TWU Dallas DPT Class of 2014

My commute is about 45 minutes one-way (90 minutes per day) and public transportation is not an option so I drive. I've not found it to be an impediment to my studies so far but it is a real drag making that drive every day, although it's all on fairly open freeways and not stop and go, in-town traffic. Gasoline costs are pretty steep doing this and car pooling isn't an option as everyone else in my class lives close to school.

I volunteered with one young woman who got accepted to an expensive school in the city. She said she was going to commute from the suburbs to save money. I thought she was nuts. Sure enough, I met her roommate at the interview a year and a half later. They were living not too far from the school. Clearly, she couldn't or didn't want to deal with the commute. Clearly it's possible, but do you really want to face a one hour commute after studying for nine or ten hours?

Kevin

there are some people in my class that commute anywhere from 30 mins to 3 hours one way to class, so it's doable. However, we routinely comment that our classmates who commute the furthest away seem to be the craziest/crankiest people in class. I'd say quality of life is something to consider.

Of course it's a feasible commute. However, you need to consider more than just gas mileage with your car. You need to consider "wear and tear". many who commute neglect to factor this and are shocked one day when they suddenly realize they are buying new tires, replacing breaks more often, having other mechanical issues more frequently..... it adds up fast. You can figure between 40 and 50 cents a mile for wear and tear, depending on roads and driving style.

Another factor I would consider is that you will not likely get to spend those awesome study nights at the school or lab with your classmates if you are looking at an hour commute home after an already long day. These studies sessions in the gross, kines, thera, etc.. labs can be so beneficial to your performance. On a more morbid not....you have to realize that the most dangerous thing you will ever do in life, based on mortality figures, is drive a car. I would not want to have to get up earlier, be a little more tired and then drive an hour. Even moreso, I would not want to spend 8-12 hours at school, and then have to face an hour drive home. Besides, when will you have fun??? If you give up 2 hours of your non-school/study time, when will you have "you" time?

I would move close to school. If money is an issue (and isn't it always LOL), then see if you can room with some of your classmates. Several of my classmates live together and they love it.

I wish you the best!

last year I did both...I lived 15 minutes from campus in the city, but ended up subletting my apartment toward the end of my lease and moved back to my parents' house to save money (I had a job in the suburbs anyway on weekends, so I was always there). I took the commuter train in every morning (about an hour and 5 minutes), and then a quick bus ride to campus (5 minutes). It was brutally early, but I didn't mind it - I found that it let me review notes without a distraction (since I couldn't be on the internet), and sometimes I would use it to wind down and just read for fun, do a crossword, or sleep. I did that for a month or two. It was early and sometimes I wouldn't have a ton of time when I got home at night before I had to go to bed, but it was doable.

I don't think I would want to drive that every day, though. I think commuter trains are the way to go if you're making a crazy commute.

My guess here is not that you are asking people whether you should commute or not, since you say you own a house already. It sounds like you are just asking people how horrible/manageable it will be, but you plan on doing it either way. In this case, I wonder why it matters what other people think? If this is your only option, you will find a way to make it work, even if it is a drag.
But, since you're curious... I myself commute about 45 minutes each way. The time is not too bad since there isn't much traffic the direction I go, but it is a fair distance (35 miles each way) so the gas adds up, and I always feel guilty about putting all those miles on the car. I was able to commute with a classmate for most of the year, but I found that I was exchanging my sanity for the savings in gas, and so I opted to finish out the year driving by myself. So, if you can find someone to commute with who isn't super annoying, then that's good for you. My advice would be to be wary and get an idea of their personality first, because if they get on your nerves it will certainly add to your stress level. Overall, though, I definitely do not have any regrets about choosing to commute; even if it does cost money in gas and wear and tear I'm still saving quite a bit from not having to pay rent. To be honest, it's nice to have a change of scenery when I go home after being at school all day. If I need to practice in the labs for anything, there's usually someone willing to stick around after class, so I've only had to make an extra trip in to school a couple times over the course of a year. Next year my living situation will be different but I will still have to commute, and I'm not worried about it. It is certainly manageable, and I currently have a 3.9 to prove it :-)

Originally Posted by pumpkinpatch

I myself commute about 45 minutes each way. The time is not too bad since there isn't much traffic the direction I go, but it is a fair distance (35 miles each way) so the gas adds up, and I always feel guilty about putting all those miles on the car. I was able to commute with a classmate for most of the year, but I found that I was exchanging my sanity for the savings in gas, and so I opted to finish out the year driving by myself. So, if you can find someone to commute with who isn't super annoying, then that's good for you. My advice would be to be wary and get an idea of their personality first, because if they get on your nerves it will certainly add to your stress level. Overall, though, I definitely do not have any regrets about choosing to commute; even if it does cost money in gas and wear and tear I'm still saving quite a bit from not having to pay rent. To be honest, it's nice to have a change of scenery when I go home after being at school all day. If I need to practice in the labs for anything, there's usually someone willing to stick around after class, so I've only had to make an extra trip in to school a couple times over the course of a year. Next year my living situation will be different but I will still have to commute, and I'm not worried about it. It is certainly manageable, and I currently have a 3.9 to prove it :-)

This is wierd.... I read this and thought "that's me, almost down the to GPA!"

nice, ptootles :-)