Program-Specific Info / Q's Better rank vs better for me?

[JMU_2016]

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I have gotten into the MOT program at Temple which according to that US news ranking system we have all seen is #31 or so, along with Bay Path in Massachusetts, which is ranked well over 100 on the same list. I am not much of a city person and Bay Path seemed to be in a nice area, should I pass up a better ranked school for going to a school that "fits" me better? Do employers consider what school you went to much at all when considering employing you, as far as the program's rank or prestige? I would love to hear any feedback anyone has regarding either of these programs, along with any feedback regarding whether a receiving an MOT/ passing the NBCOT exam is the main thing employers care about or if different schools lead to better career opportunities!

 

[HopefulOT17]

I have gotten into the MOT program at Temple which according to that US news ranking system we have all seen is #31 or so, along with Bay Path in Massachusetts, which is ranked well over 100 on the same list. I am not much of a city person and Bay Path seemed to be in a nice area, should I pass up a better ranked school for going to a school that "fits" me better? Do employers consider what school you went to much at all when considering employing you, as far as the program's rank or prestige? I would love to hear any feedback anyone has regarding either of these programs, along with any feedback regarding whether a receiving an MOT/ passing the NBCOT exam is the main thing employers care about or if different schools lead to better career opportunities!

Forget rankings. They don't mean anything. Focus on the NBCOT results. That's seems to be the true measure of a program. Do what is best for you personally.

 

[scubagator87]

From what I understand, rankings are mostly from the research the university is doing and not really related to the actual education you're getting. I would ask OTs you know what their impressions are of students from those schools and look at the pass rates for NBCOT.

 

[beestrng]

May impact if you want to go into academics. Otherwise no difference same pay.

 

[sky7]

I have gotten into the MOT program at Temple which according to that US news ranking system we have all seen is #31 or so, along with Bay Path in Massachusetts, which is ranked well over 100 on the same list. I am not much of a city person and Bay Path seemed to be in a nice area, should I pass up a better ranked school for going to a school that "fits" me better? Do employers consider what school you went to much at all when considering employing you, as far as the program's rank or prestige? I would love to hear any feedback anyone has regarding either of these programs, along with any feedback regarding whether a receiving an MOT/ passing the NBCOT exam is the main thing employers care about or if different schools lead to better career opportunities!

Thank you for asking this, I've been very conflicted with this as well. I've gotten accepted into Bay Path as well as NYU (top 15 OT programs). Please let me know what you decide and why.

 

[idahograd14]

I just had this situation between a schools about 30 spots difference on the ranking list. I ended up picking the school that had the "lower" ranking because it was a way better fit for me. From talking to practitioners passing the NBCOT exam is what matters, the school itself (especially their ranking) seemed to have very little to do with job opportunities, pay, etc. after graduating. I personally looked at the schools and found the one that had everything I wanted (extra hands-on experience; good balance of research, background/theory within OT, and sciences). The other program was better ranked however the program I chose was a much better fit for what I wanted out of a program, location, tuition, etc.

 

[calling4color]

List both schools on paper and write the pros and cons for each! Thats what I did. I will be attending a highly ranked school, but my reasoning for choosing that school had nothing to do with the ranking and everything to do with my own research, talking to current classmates, tuition, area, and everything else that factors into an OT program. If I had the choice to go to my in-state school- which I don't even think is ranked- I would have gone there over this one because its half the price and I know people who go there and love it. It all depends on what truly is a better fit and where you can see yourself

 

[beestrng]

Idk brotha, everyone knows Temple. Bay Path nobody lol.

 

[JMU_2016]

1- What is the TOTAL cost of the program?
2- What is the feel you got from the program and faculty?
3- How many pass the NBCOT?

If these tip in either direction, let #1 weigh that scale heavily. An OT degree is an OT degree, rank is next to meaningless. And by next, I mean it is meaningless. No one cares what your GPA was from OT school (this isn't undergrad), and next to no one cares where you went to OT school. This isn't law school. Rank doesn't matter.

You all get paid the same. Your debt load isn't the same though.

Yeah, Temple is close to $100,000 for MOT out of state, which I am. Bay Path is around $70,000, and Salus (also in Philly... the only other one I am currently considering) is about $56,000. All have above 95% for NBCOT pass rate. Thanks for the tips! I am doing my best to choose based on how I feel about the school and the prices above.

 

[beestrng]

I just meant in the academic world. I am pretty sure Temple is more well known compared to Bay Path.

Not talking about general OT practice. Nobody cares about where you went to school.

 

[beestrng]

You right man.

 

[Bokonomy]

Yeah, Temple is close to $100,000 for MOT out of state, which I am. Bay Path is around $70,000, and Salus (also in Philly... the only other one I am currently considering) is about $56,000. All have above 95% for NBCOT pass rate. Thanks for the tips! I am doing my best to choose based on how I feel about the school and the prices above.

My friend told me Bay Path was closer to 75k. And I believe Salus was closer to 60k when I got the sheet. Not to nitpick.

 

[sky7]

I have the same concerns. I've been very conflicted and need to decide soon. I got into both NYU and Bay Path and can't decide what's more worth it. I'm already from New York, but the tuition is the same at NYU for both in-state and out-of-state. Bay Path is cheaper, shorter (2 years), but it's 3 hours away from home and I would still need to pay for housing and living expenses. At NYU, I can commute right from home and it is one of the top 12 OT programs in the country. Although it's more expensive and 6 months longer of a program. Any advice would be appreciated, because I am seriously having such a hard time deciding on the two. Regardless, these are all good worries to have of course! I grateful to even have choices and appreciate to have this opportunity in general.

 

[sky7]

You'll learn to do that in OT school 🙂 I reduced your problem down to these bullet points. I would like you to figure out how much cost of living expenses near BayPath will be cost you. Do you know? Figure out exactly how much more the degree will be from NYU. After you do this subtract these from each other to figure out how much more NYU will cost you.

Once you know this, you can then decide if that amount of money is worth going to a higher ranked school, or if staying home is worth it etc. It very well may be to you. Only you can make that decision. I would like to remind you that when you apply for jobs it will not matter, at all, if you go to NYU or Bay Path. You will not make a red cent more. You will not face any real advantage based on where you go to OT school in terms of employment short of "connections" or a tiny mention during an interview. Employers do not care about your GPA at all in OT school. They are interested in your experience, interests, and that you have passed the NBCOT and your references.

Once you know those stats (NYU - Bay Path) = ?$ you can make your decision. It may be worth it to go to NYU when you factor in costs we can't quantify here, like the desire to stay in NYC?

Thank you so much for trying to help. You made some great points. There’s a little more to it. My mom recently fell ill and is going through intensive OT & PT herself. 3 weeks after, I found out I myself gotten accepted to OT school. I have to go. I really like Bay Path’s program and the people there who I have met so far are very accommodating, supportive, and friendly. I would have gone to Bay Path, but then this offer for NYU to stay in my home city, came after. It’s an extremely tough choice for me, personally. They are both solid programs and high NBCOT pass scores. Bay Path is a 2 year program with 3 day weekends (Fri-Sun) where I can sometimes drive back home every other week as needed. But even though NYU is a longer program (6 more months difference), and its Mon-Fri class/field work, I’ve heard only good things about it. It is also not just a prestigious school but a solid program, that even my OT supervisor where I shadowed at one of the best rehab hospitals in NY said the NYU students who do their field work with her are very knowledgeable and well-prepared when working with them. They knew what they were doing. My friends who went to NYU (even one who graduated as a PT) have nothing but good things to say. Now, she opened up her own Pediatric PT/OT practice, and she is only 31 yrs old. At NYU’s OT program, only 50 students get accepted, so it is a huge honor. The class settings were important to me, because I wanted to avoid big lecture type classes, but they are also intimate - just like Bay Path. I also keep thinking about the connections you make at a higher ranked school. I am a city girl, lived in New York my whole life, so it’s not like I have to re-adjust to a new town. Even though I was looking forward to a small-town vibe when I applied to Bay Path, getting into NYU just made me so happy because of how hard I worked to just have a chance at becoming an OT. I worked so hard for this to not go all the way now. I worked in healthcare administration for years and was in school nights and weekends, while working full-time and taking care of family. It’s a big opportunity for me and that’s why it’s extra important to choose the right school now. I only have a few days. I was thinking of maybe attending a welcome event in another 2 weeks at NYU to get more of a feel for the staff and students there and ask questions. I already know everything I need to about Bay Path so I’m not going in blind. I even have a woman holding a house for me in case anyone from the program wants to live there as tenants. And at Bay Path, they put roommates in the same classes together so they can go to class and study together. As I said – both great choices! So you can understand why it’s not just tuition that is a factor in this decision (even though it is an important one).

 

[Bokonomy]

Thank you so much for trying to help. You made some great points. There’s a little more to it. My mom recently fell ill and is going through intensive OT & PT herself. 3 weeks after, I found out I myself gotten accepted to OT school. I have to go. I really like Bay Path’s program and the people there who I have met so far are very accommodating, supportive, and friendly. I would have gone to Bay Path, but then this offer for NYU to stay in my home city, came after. It’s an extremely tough choice for me, personally. They are both solid programs and high NBCOT pass scores. Bay Path is a 2 year program with 3 day weekends (Fri-Sun) where I can sometimes drive back home every other week as needed. But even though NYU is a longer program (6 more months difference), and its Mon-Fri class/field work, I’ve heard only good things about it. It is also not just a prestigious school but a solid program, that even my OT supervisor where I shadowed at one of the best rehab hospitals in NY said the NYU students who do their field work with her are very knowledgeable and well-prepared when working with them. They knew what they were doing. My friends who went to NYU (even one who graduated as a PT) have nothing but good things to say. Now, she opened up her own Pediatric PT/OT practice, and she is only 31 yrs old. At NYU’s OT program, only 50 students get accepted, so it is a huge honor. The class settings were important to me, because I wanted to avoid big lecture type classes, but they are also intimate - just like Bay Path. I also keep thinking about the connections you make at a higher ranked school. I am a city girl, lived in New York my whole life, so it’s not like I have to re-adjust to a new town. Even though I was looking forward to a small-town vibe when I applied to Bay Path, getting into NYU just made me so happy because of how hard I worked to just have a chance at becoming an OT. I worked so hard for this to not go all the way now. I worked in healthcare administration for years and was in school nights and weekends, while working full-time and taking care of family. It’s a big opportunity for me and that’s why it’s extra important to choose the right school now. I only have a few days. I was thinking of maybe attending a welcome event in another 2 weeks at NYU to get more of a feel for the staff and students there and ask questions. I already know everything I need to about Bay Path so I’m not going in blind. I even have a woman holding a house for me in case anyone from the program wants to live there as tenants. And at Bay Path, they put roommates in the same classes together so they can go to class and study together. As I said – both great choices! So you can understand why it’s not just tuition that is a factor in this decision (even though it is an important one).

If you live on campus, you might end up living in a dorm building with freshmen, from what my friend said who goes there. Also, is working in NYC important to you? Having those connections might be worth the extra cost. How much is NYU total, out of curiosity?

 

[sky7]

If you live on campus, you might end up living in a dorm building with freshmen, from what my friend said who goes there. Also, is working in NYC important to you? Having those connections might be worth the extra cost. How much is NYU total, out of curiosity?

Your friend in NYU or Bay Path? For NYU I wouldn't need any housing because I live in my house in Queens already (30 min from the city to commute by subway). I'm still waiting to find out the cost for NYU, I was holding for too long on the phone today to speak to someone at financial aid, so I'll try again tomorrow. But I think it's estimated around 110-115? The person at the OT department estimated it around 1600 per credit for a total of 69 credits for the whole program. It will be more if you do get housing of course, in my situation, I won't need to.