University of Southern Maine - Lewiston/Auburn College

[WatchTheSky]

I know this is a much lesser-known MOT school than most of the ones on this forum, but this is the program I'm attending beginning Fall 2012 so I was just wondering if anyone else had heard of it/applied!

I've also seen a lot of people on here asking about programs that aren't extremely competitive, and while all OT schools are competitive, this one was actually easier to get into than I was expecting. They only get about 30-40 applications for 25 slots, though the number is increasing in recent years, and they currently fill spots on a first-come, first-serve basis (I was told this may change in future years sine interest seems to be increasing).. so if you meet the prereqs and get your app. in early, you have a great chance of being accepted since you're compared with a smaller group of applicants.

I was in contact with the graduate studies coordinator for a couple years before I was ready to apply, just getting an idea of what undergrad courses I should take to meet prereqs and everything, and I began submitting application materials in September, about a week or two before admissions opened. Then I had my interview/writing sample mid-November, and exactly one week later I received my acceptance letter in the mail.

And, in case people are curious about the stats I applied with.. I have a 3.4 undergrad GPA, I did not take the GREs since the program doesn't require them, 16 hours of job shadowing in a pediatric setting, and I don't remember my exact prereq. GPA but I got mostly A's and B+'s. I realize I very likely couldn't have gotten into most MOT programs with my stats, but luckily this is the only one I applied to (it's close enough to home that I can easily commute, which is important because finances are an issue for me) and I got in. It's a VERY small commuter campus, in the second-largest city in Maine (spoiler alert: Maine does not have cities, this is more like a large town), so it's not for everyone.. but I'm personally very excited to go here! I just thought I would throw it out there because I've seen a lot of people very interested in applying to OT programs, but don't believe they have the stats to get accepted anywhere.

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[lizzo76]

OP - where did you go to undergraduate college, and where are you from?

I know I'm going to get flamed for this...

I looked at this briefly because I am originally from Maine. I'll be honest - this school has a terrible reputation, and I don't mean in the OT world. They used to essentially be a community college, and are still pretty much viewed as such, despite a bit of reorganization within the university system. Also, Portland is actually reasonably city-like (actually a really cool, hip place though the most expensive area in Maine to live) but alas, Lewiston is a terrible place. Trust me, I'm not saying this to unnecessarily bash this poster. I know Maine through and through. Straight out of college I turned down a residential counselor position in Lewiston because I knew I couldn't hack it in that area. At the same time, totally coincidentally my college boyfriend (from Massachusetts) had accepted a paralegal position in Lewiston, and was living just across the bridge, in Auburn. It is an absolutely unpleasant place to be, despite a bit of economic revival in the last few years (which is actually largely due to an influx of Somali refugees.) But there is major economic blight, and crime, and not in that kind of "gritty authentic" way you put up with in a big city. (I love big cities and all their gritty industrial aspects.) Despite the nice photos from their hot air balloon festival which make it look attractive, it's really not. It's also in Central Maine, not coastal Maine.

Also, no date on this, but the website now says, "MOT ADMISSIONS FOR FALL 2012 ARE CLOSED EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY due to a high volume of applications."

Still, OP may be right that if someone is deadset on attending OT school this might be a good choice (although it seems like it must be getting more popular!) Just VISIT before you decide to go there. Bates College, a highly-ranked liberal arts college, is in Lewiston. But, it's a residential school with its own attractive tree-filled campus, and students pretty much stay on the Bates campus. The big drawback they all cite is the location.

To add - if you are already in this area and are simply not mobile, this would be okay. If you're not from the area, I would NOT advise moving here to attend this school. (I wouldn't advise moving for any commuter school... it would be a fairly lonely existence.) If you're mobile then your best bet is to go somewhere where there will be a vibrant campus culture, students socializing outside of school, lots going on... a high quality of life beyond your grad program (I say, having one masters already.) If you want to go to OT school in Maine, there is University of New England (OT program is now in Portland) but it is very expensive.

 

[runningmoose689]

WatchTheSky- I'm attending this program next fall too. I agree that it is a viable option for OT applicants, but I think that it makes the most sense for Mainers to attend. For me, I am going because it was affordable as an In-State program. I'm really looking forward to starting though-- where are you living(if you don't mind me asking?)

Lizzo- I agree that Lewiston/Auburn would be a weird place to move to if you were from out of state, but I think that this program is mostly aimed at Mainers. Also, it is a "campus" (its only one building) right off of the highway, so not in a seedy/dangerous area of the city. Because of the way the class schedule is constructed, students can easier live a more desirable city/town and commute (you only have to be on campus 3x per week). I plan on moving to Portland (currently living in Boston).

As far as the school's terrible reputation- that is mostly aimed at its commuter undergrad programs. I know people who have attended the school's MOT and they are happily employed. I'll note that I graduated with a high GPA from one of the best undergraduate institutions in the country and have chosen to attend USM-LAC because I already have a great deal of undergraduate debt. I believe that it is always smarter to reduce debt-load in career path's such as OT, where the job market is very good and school pedigree matters less. If I were going into Law, where employment is directly correlated with the strength of the job applicant's law school, I would certainly go to a top tier school and take the financial risk. Occupational therapy, in contrast, simply isn't lucrative enough to take on that kind of debt. The OP was simply pointing out an option to the community of the board, there is no need to bash their chosen school.

 

[lizzo76]

WatchTheSky- I'm attending this program next fall too. I agree that it is a viable option for OT applicants, but I think that it makes the most sense for Mainers to attend. For me, I am going because it was affordable as an In-State program. I'm really looking forward to starting though-- where are you living(if you don't mind me asking?)

Lizzo- I agree that Lewiston/Auburn would be a weird place to move to if you were from out of state, but I think that this program is mostly aimed at Mainers. Also, it is a "campus" (its only one building) right off of the highway, so not in a seedy/dangerous area of the city. Because of the way the class schedule is constructed, students can easier live a more desirable city/town and commute (you only have to be on campus 3x per week). I plan on moving to Portland (currently living in Boston).

As far as the school's terrible reputation- that is mostly aimed at its commuter undergrad programs. I know people who have attended the school's MOT and they are happily employed. I'll note that I graduated with a high GPA from one of the best undergraduate institutions in the country and have chosen to attend USM-LAC because I already have a great deal of undergraduate debt. I believe that it is always smarter to reduce debt-load in career path's such as OT, where the job market is very good and school pedigree matters less. If I were going into Law, where employment is directly correlated with the strength of the job applicant's law school, I would certainly go to a top tier school and take the financial risk. Occupational therapy, in contrast, simply isn't lucrative enough to take on that kind of debt. The OP was simply pointing out an option to the community of the board, there is no need to bash their chosen school.

Runningmoose, I see that you are very new (just joined and have one post.) I actually shouldn't have even put in a disclaimer about being "flamed" for my post, because my post was completely normal. If you spent more time here, you would see that posters often warn other posters about negative aspects of various programs... dangerous locations, unattractive locations, locations lacking cultural resources or anything to do outside of school, etc.. OP put this out as a good option, and I was pointing out some of the negatives. That's not "bashing". Chill out.

 

[WatchTheSky]

Sorry, I'm just now seeing the replies in this.. I don't check these boards too often..

Anyway, I understand and agree with your criticisms Lizzo, so no need to worry about being flamed for your points.. we're all adults here. Plus it's good for people to know the good and the bad.
Anyway, I'm from a town about a half hour away from Lewiston and I'm extremely familiar with the area... I've lived in Maine my whole life. Lewiston is not a nice place at all and I would never ever choose to live there, but I've been to the school and it's somewhat secluded and doesn't give off the ghetto vibe that you get from the rest of the city. It's also a commuter campus, and there are plenty of towns nearby that aren't quite as bad. No, I wouldn't expect anyone to move to some random middle-of-nowhere place to attend a commuter school, but there are people in certain circumstances for whom this might be a good option.. so I just wanted to mention it since it's not a well known program.

I agree that it's probably a better option for people from Maine.. For me it was the most cost-effective program (UNE is far too expensive for me, and I had no desire to go to Husson) that's a comfortable drive from my house.. It's not nearly as competitive as most programs (although that is gradually changing as it gets more popular). It's also not a bad place to go to school if you commute from a nicer town nearby. Several of the OTs I job shadowed attended this program and gave it excellent reviews. The staff are wonderful, and while the undergrad programs may not be highly regarded, the MOT program is respectable.

Runningmoose- Thank you for coming to my defense (although I don't feel bashed, she made some good points), and I look forward to meeting you when we're in the same program this Fall! I live near Augusta, which is not nearly as exciting as Portland, and I'm also going to this school mainly because it's the most cost-effective option and I really liked the faculty and the nice things former MOT students had to say about the program. I'm super excited to start as well!