Program-Specific Info / Q's UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND MOT FALL 2018

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I got an acceptance call around 3pm today! I thought it was very cool they gave personal phone calls :D
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leemer said:
I got the call today too!!! I had really almost given up hope yesterday, so don't worry if you haven't heard. It seems like they're spreading out the calls instead of making them all at once! Good luck everyone!!
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Congrats, leemer! Do you think you will go to ups?

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leemer said:
I got the call today too!!! I had really almost given up hope yesterday, so don't worry if you haven't heard. It seems like they're spreading out the calls instead of making them all at once! Good luck everyone!!
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Congrats!!
 
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OTallday said:
Public Health Major+Disability Studies Minor
Undergrad GPA: 3.7
Pre-req GPA: 3.7-3.9 depending on program
GRE: 160 V, 160 Q, 4.0 W
Volunteer hours: A little over 200 OT hours accumulated at 5 different settings (4 outpatient and 1 inpatient), 100 extra hours in outpatient PT
Plus a jumble of extracurriculars and part time jobs, nothing crazy, just a diverse mix of things.
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Amazing stats!!!!
 
MamabearOT said:
Congrats, leemer! Do you think you will go to ups?

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I'm not 100% sure. I LOVE everything I've learned about their program and the campus/facilities are beautiful. The price tag is just a little daunting.
 
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leemer said:
I'm not 100% sure. I LOVE everything I've learned about their program and the campus/facilities are beautiful. The price tag is just a little daunting.
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I'm with you on that.

I was looking at the cost trajectory over the last decade, mostly from archived posts on here about tuition, and I noticed that in the last six years, tuition has increased, for some schools, from about 20k in 2011 to 50k in 2014 to 70-120k for this year. While tuition has increased drastically for the MSOT degree, over a relatively short period of time, earnings have not increased much, if at all, for the profession. I'm wondering why that is. Last night, I was speaking with a friend who is finishing up her law degree, and she mentioned that she has incurred 80k in total debt. 80k is a lot of debt; however, her future profession has a much higher earning capacity to pay back that debt. Why is there such a discrepancy between OT school tuition costs and earning capacity post graduation and beyond? I've read that, while starting salary varies across specialty and location, starting salary often falls around 60K, with a lifetime earning cap of around 80-85K.

Is anyone else thinking about this? I know there are not enough spots for the number of interested applicants, so schools can charge more for a degree that otherwise, realistically, should cost less. It just doesn't seem fair and I don't know why ACOTE hasn't stepped in to advocate/regulate in response to inflation of education costs.
 
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UPS is a private school with an on-site clinic, that’s why they charge so much.
But they do offer some scholarships to help bring the cost down.
With that said, I have had many OTs tell me they regret their large student loan debt. I was originally going to apply to Pacific but when it came time for me to submit the app I couldn’t do it. With the moving expenses and high cost, I couldn’t justify it.
UPS is attractive because it’s local and has the best reputation.
After talking to other OTs about student loans, it opened me up to looking at affordable schools.... Even if I would temporarily move to Eastern WA.
I just hope to get into a program though!
 
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I chose to apply to UPS because it’s amazing program was worth the tution to me. But if I happen to get accepted into an affordable option with a great program, I would be happy. As an olde student, it’s not as easy to take on $100k of student loans.
 
I just got a call about my acceptance!!!

And by the way, I don't think they're releasing acceptances in order by application submission date because I submitted mine Nov 29, two days before the deadline.
 
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Unstoppable OTRex said:
UPS is a private school with an on-site clinic, that’s why they charge so much.
But they do offer some scholarships to help bring the cost down.
With that said, I have had many OTs tell me they regret their large student loan debt. I was originally going to apply to Pacific but when it came time for me to submit the app I couldn’t do it. With the moving expenses and high cost, I couldn’t justify it.
UPS is attractive because it’s local and has the best reputation.
After talking to other OTs about student loans, it opened me up to looking at affordable schools.... Even if I would temporarily move to Eastern WA.
I just hope to get into a program though!
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Same, OTrex, same! I love the program, and the clinic is a big reason I applied.

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thekau said:
I just got a call about my acceptance!!!

And by the way, I don't think they're releasing acceptances in order by application submission date because I submitted mine Nov 29, two days before the deadline.
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Congrats! You applied around the same as me. I’ve lost hope for myself lol but I’m excited for you all!
 
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Got the call. Accepted. From CA, so still waiting on some other schools. Congrats to everyone so far.
 
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If it helps, it seems unlikely I'll be attending UPS. Looking at the cost of tuition (~$95k) , I just don't think I can justify taking on that much debt.

Does anyone know if the cost of living is high in that area? I'm from California, so you can imagine my idea of "high" is pretty high, lol.
 
Yes, the cost of living is still high. Not quite Cali high but unfortunately housing can be expensive.

I was accepted to a school with $110k plus in tuition and another school with only $64k of tuition. Hard to compare schools when you could get two degrees for the price one! Cost isn’t everything but it definitely is a big part of the decision!

Best of luck!

thekau said:
If it helps, it seems unlikely I'll be attending UPS. Looking at the cost of tuition (~$95k) , I just don't think I can justify taking on that much debt.

Does anyone know if the cost of living is high in that area? I'm from California, so you can imagine my idea of "high" is pretty high, lol.
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Denial email came today, with the suggestion of having all prerequisites completed before applying. I feel like my interview with EWU went well so hopefully I will be accepted this year at EWU.
 
Unstoppable OTRex said:
Denial email came today, with the suggestion of having all prerequisites completed before applying. I feel like my interview with EWU went well so hopefully I will be accepted this year at EWU.
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Praying for you, OTRex!

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Thanks! I only had one prerequisite left but I know it was an important one. Did you hear back MamaOT?
 
MamabearOT said:
I got an email about an hour ago saying that I'm an alternate.

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Despite the cost, the location is just really appealing to me because it would give my son the chance to know his grandparents. Living across the country, we never see them.

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Congrats! Hopefully there will be a spot for you! I am glad you’ll be able to stay close to family :)
 
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MamabearOT said:
I got an email about an hour ago saying that I'm an alternate.

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They are giving us until March 21st to make a decision, so it could be a while but I'm sure there will be some spots open by then!
 
leemer said:
They are giving us until March 21st to make a decision, so it could be a while but I'm sure there will be some spots open by then!
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That's very cool of them. It sounds like they don't want anyone to decide on them haphazardly and take a spot while they wait out other offers just because they've issued time pressure.

It shows they are conscientious about the application process for us, and ultimately, I think it will save applicants a lot of money and them a lot of time filling their class. I'm in strong support of that, even if doesn't serve my personal best interests at this time.

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Does anyone know the tuition difference between Puget Sound and University of Washington? I am out of state and it seems like UW is WAY cheaper.
 
Hi there! I just got accepted last week! I've never been to campus, so does anyone know anything about the area or the program? Thanks so much!
 
MamabearOT said:
I'm with you on that.

I was looking at the cost trajectory over the last decade, mostly from archived posts on here about tuition, and I noticed that in the last six years, tuition has increased, for some schools, from about 20k in 2011 to 50k in 2014 to 70-120k for this year. While tuition has increased drastically for the MSOT degree, over a relatively short period of time, earnings have not increased much, if at all, for the profession. I'm wondering why that is. Last night, I was speaking with a friend who is finishing up her law degree, and she mentioned that she has incurred 80k in total debt. 80k is a lot of debt; however, her future profession has a much higher earning capacity to pay back that debt. Why is there such a discrepancy between OT school tuition costs and earning capacity post graduation and beyond? I've read that, while starting salary varies across specialty and location, starting salary often falls around 60K, with a lifetime earning cap of around 80-85K.

Is anyone else thinking about this? I know there are not enough spots for the number of interested applicants, so schools can charge more for a degree that otherwise, realistically, should cost less. It just doesn't seem fair and I don't know why ACOTE hasn't stepped in to advocate/regulate in response to inflation of education costs.
Click to expand...
MamabearOT said:
I'm with you on that.

I was looking at the cost trajectory over the last decade, mostly from archived posts on here about tuition, and I noticed that in the last six years, tuition has increased, for some schools, from about 20k in 2011 to 50k in 2014 to 70-120k for this year. While tuition has increased drastically for the MSOT degree, over a relatively short period of time, earnings have not increased much, if at all, for the profession. I'm wondering why that is. Last night, I was speaking with a friend who is finishing up her law degree, and she mentioned that she has incurred 80k in total debt. 80k is a lot of debt; however, her future profession has a much higher earning capacity to pay back that debt. Why is there such a discrepancy between OT school tuition costs and earning capacity post graduation and beyond? I've read that, while starting salary varies across specialty and location, starting salary often falls around 60K, with a lifetime earning cap of around 80-85K.

Is anyone else thinking about this? I know there are not enough spots for the number of interested applicants, so schools can charge more for a degree that otherwise, realistically, should cost less. It just doesn't seem fair and I don't know why ACOTE hasn't stepped in to advocate/regulate in response to inflation of education costs.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with you on this! The cost of programs are quite high. I know that I would love UPS, but I don't know if I can justify taking that much out in loans when I got accepted to other schools that are significantly less. Not to mention cost of living in Tacoma is really high. I'm not sure what to do because it looks like a fantastic school! I'll have to do some thinking about this for sure. Best of luck to you too! You make some great points!
 
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OTEnthusiast123 said:
I totally agree with you on this! The cost of programs are quite high. I know that I would love UPS, but I don't know if I can justify taking that much out in loans when I got accepted to other schools that are significantly less. Not to mention cost of living in Tacoma is really high. I'm not sure what to do because it looks like a fantastic school! I'll have to do some thinking about this for sure. Best of luck to you too! You make some great points!
Click to expand...

Personally, I was really impressed with the UPS program and facilities and think that Tacoma would be a wonderful place to live. Also, living in state, many of the professionals I've observed have either gone to or worked with students who went to UPS and all say that their clinical skills are superior to graduates of other programs. But, every professional I've talked to has strongly advised me to seriously take into account program costs, and especially as an older applicant that is a big factor in making my decision. If you have any questions about the area/program I'd be happy to try an answer them! I'm not technically a local but have spent a bit of time exploring both!
 
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Hello! I got accepted last week as well and waitlisted today for UW today. UPS has a great program but the cost phew!UW is way cheaper! I personally do not think that the school matters because at the end of the day if you cannot pass the board and get your license you can't be an OT and at that point, employers are not really super concerned about where you graduated. I have heard the same about the students' clinical skills. I have also been adviced that it is the same degree ultimately minus the onsite clinic that they have. $120K is a lot of debt! UW classes are small I think that is a big plus for the program.
Good luck to everyone who is still waiting!!
 
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WandaOT2018 said:
Hello! I got accepted last week as well and waitlisted today for UW today. UPS has a great program but the cost phew!UW is way cheaper! I personally do not think that the school matters because at the end of the day if you cannot pass the board and get your license you can't be an OT and at that point, employers are not really super concerned about where you graduated. I have heard the same about the students' clinical skills. I have also been adviced that it is the same degree ultimately minus the onsite clinic that they have. $120K is a lot of debt! UW classes are small I think that is a big plus for the program.
Good luck to everyone who is still waiting!!
Click to expand...

I am in the same situation as you! Are you waiting to hear back from anywhere else or have you been accepted anywhere? If not do you think you will go to UPS or wait to see if you get off the waitlist for UW?
 
OTEnthusiast123 said:
I totally agree with you on this! The cost of programs are quite high. I know that I would love UPS, but I don't know if I can justify taking that much out in loans when I got accepted to other schools that are significantly less. Not to mention cost of living in Tacoma is really high. I'm not sure what to do because it looks like a fantastic school! I'll have to do some thinking about this for sure. Best of luck to you too! You make some great points!
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Hey thanks, enthusiast! We are all just along for crazy ride right now, but hopefully one day we'll be able to push for change.

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WandaOT2018 said:
Hello! I got accepted last week as well and waitlisted today for UW today. UPS has a great program but the cost phew!UW is way cheaper! I personally do not think that the school matters because at the end of the day if you cannot pass the board and get your license you can't be an OT and at that point, employers are not really super concerned about where you graduated. I have heard the same about the students' clinical skills. I have also been adviced that it is the same degree ultimately minus the onsite clinic that they have. $120K is a lot of debt! UW classes are small I think that is a big plus for the program.
Good luck to everyone who is still waiting!!
Click to expand...

I'm also worrying over the financial burden of attending UPS. I didn't apply to UW (didn't qualify; I was still taking physio during applications), but I did get accepted to SJSU, which is a significantly cheaper option for me. But naturally, UPS is much better funded since it is a private school.

I've decided I'm going to check out the school during the info session on March 2nd. Anyone else going? It's kind of inconvenient for me since I'm from California, but I'm hoping visiting the school will help me with making a decision.
 
FutureOT_14 said:
I am in the same situation as you! Are you waiting to hear back from anywhere else or have you been accepted anywhere? If not do you think you will go to UPS or wait to see if you get off the waitlist for UW?
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If I don't get UW I will take UPS I am looking to stay in WA my husband is stationed here and he can stay while I am in school. I had 2 other interviews that I canceled Midwestern and A.T. Still.
 
thekau said:
I'm also worrying over the financial burden of attending UPS. I didn't apply to UW (didn't qualify; I was still taking physio during applications), but I did get accepted to SJSU, which is a significantly cheaper option for me. But naturally, UPS is much better funded since it is a private school.

I've decided I'm going to check out the school during the info session on March 2nd. Anyone else going? It's kind of inconvenient for me since I'm from California, but I'm hoping visiting the school will help me with making a decision.
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Thekau, I really wanted to attend the March 2nd session but I cannot make it but I will definitely e-mail them and see if I can sit with a counselor
 
MamabearOT said:
I got an email about an hour ago saying that I'm an alternate.
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Hey there ! If it helps ease your mind at all I got accepted to UPS but will be accepting my offer at UW instead! I'm going to wait to get some official info from UW after I tell them about my acceptance to make sure everything is on the up and up before telling UPS that I'm out lol! So, there's at least gonna be one spot open!

Good luck!!
 
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Lorow said:
Hey there ! If it helps ease your mind at all I got accepted to UPS but will be accepting my offer at UW instead! I'm going to wait to get some official info from UW after I tell them about my acceptance to make sure everything is on the up and up before telling UPS that I'm out lol! So, there's at least gonna be one spot open!

Good luck!!
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Hey, thanks for looking out, Lorow! And congrats on your acceptance to UW!

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Apparently they emailed me on Monday and I somehow missed it. Looks like I did not get in this year.
 
Hi all,
I was accepted to UPS and Dominican University in California last week. I'm trying to decide which program to attend. I've been comparing the programs and am wondering about the difference in the number of units required (UPS 14.5 and DU 80). Does anyone know why some programs require more units than others? Are there advantages for having completed more units? I'll likely ask the academic advisors for clarification but just wanted put this out there to see if anyone can comment.

Thanks!
 
Tmgonzal said:
Hi all,
I was accepted to UPS and Dominican University in California last week. I'm trying to decide which program to attend. I've been comparing the programs and am wondering about the difference in the number of units required (UPS 14.5 and DU 80). Does anyone know why some programs require more units than others? Are there advantages for having completed more units? I'll likely ask the academic advisors for clarification but just wanted put this out there to see if anyone can comment.

Thanks!
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Is DU on a Quarter schedule? I know UPS goes by semesters and so 14.5 semester units would be equivalent to about 85 quarter units. But I’m not sure. Just a guess!
 
LetsgoOT said:
Is DU on a Quarter schedule? I know UPS goes by semesters and so 14.5 semester units would be equivalent to about 85 quarter units. But I’m not sure. Just a guess!
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Thats a good point. Thanks for sharing!
 
leemer said:
Personally, I was really impressed with the UPS program and facilities and think that Tacoma would be a wonderful place to live. Also, living in state, many of the professionals I've observed have either gone to or worked with students who went to UPS and all say that their clinical skills are superior to graduates of other programs. But, every professional I've talked to has strongly advised me to seriously take into account program costs, and especially as an older applicant that is a big factor in making my decision. If you have any questions about the area/program I'd be happy to try an answer them! I'm not technically a local but have spent a bit of time exploring both!
Click to expand...

Thank you so much! I will let you know!
 
Does anyone know when we can expect to hear from FAFSA about scholarships and loans for UPS? Do we need to keep checking online ourselves or will we receive an email as soon as that information is available?
 
Has anyone who got an acceptance with the 3/21 decision date decided against ups and given up their spot in favor of another program? Just curious what my chances are of getting off the waitlist at this point.

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MamabearOT said:
Has anyone who got an acceptance with the 3/21 decision date, decided against ups and given up their spot in favor of another program? Just curious what my chances are of getting off the waitlist at this point.

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I've accepted the offer from UW. I was hoping to receive a bit more communication from them before declining my other offers so I haven't officially declined yet, but I will by the 21st!
 
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MamabearOT said:
Has anyone who got an acceptance with the 3/21 decision date, decided against ups and given up their spot in favor of another program? Just curious what my chances are of getting off the waitlist at this point.
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I also declined my spot at UPS, I'm going for a program in California that is closer to my family. I really really hope you get it, MamabearOT, please keep us posted!!
 
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OTallday said:
I also declined my spot at UPS, I'm going for a program in California that is closer to my family. I really really hope you get it, MamabearOT, please keep us posted!!
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Congrats, otallday!! I'm so happy for you!! I will keep you guys posted

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leemer said:
I've accepted the offer from UW. I was hoping to receive a bit more communication from them before declining my other offers so I haven't officially declined yet, but I will by the 21st!
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Thanks for the update, leemer.

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For those of you still on the wait list, I'll most likely be declining my spot due to the cost. The onsite clinic seemed really intriguing, but in talking to a current student, it actually seemed like the level I exposure to different practice areas was limited compared to other programs I was accepted into. I wasn't sure the extra hands on experience was worth the cost at the expense of maybe not getting to experience a variety of practice areas that I'd be more interested in.
 
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I will likely be declining my spot and will do it by the deadline
 
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