DPT Seattle or Minneapolis?

[Rydpt2022]

Hi,

I'm looking for any outside opinion or perhaps insight into the DPT programs at University of Washington-Seattle and University of Minneapolis-Twin Cities. I have been accepted already and am currently deciding between both. I have weighed the pros and cons. I have read their sites and both say what is unique and why to choose them, but I am hoping to find more personal experiences from those already in the programs or also deciding between these schools. Perhaps their are current students in the program who can offer insight or people who live in these areas who can offer opinions on the locations. Any outside perspective helps, honestly. Perhaps others know something I am missing and not considering.

Background about me: I am a veteran (so I have the GI Bill), living in MN, and I've got a vehicle I plan on bringing with me to school. I've got friends and family in both locations. I would most likely do my best to use public transportation and save on gas. I would try to live on the outskirts of either city to save money and I also have a new vehicle I don't want sitting on the street.

UW
Pros: I have friends in the area. Beautiful area and campus (from what I have seen online). Its a new experience.
Cons: Far away from family. Commute could possibly be over 30 min if I live just outside of the city. (Correct me if I am wrong?). Cost of living is slightly higher than Minneapolis.

U of M
Pros: Close to friends and family. I know the area and campus (I have visited the campus but not attended the school). Cost of living is cheaper.
Cons: Possibly missing out on an opportunity to travel and see a new city for a few years. Winters can be long.

Questions:
What is the commute like? How long?
What is the program like for those who are in it?
Biggest pros and cons for the city and/or program?

Any additional information is greatly appreciated! Good luck to everyone who got in. Hope to see some of you soon.

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[jserthetrainr]

Currently a 2nd year at UW...

Commute: I don't commute since I live fairly close to campus; a good chunk of my classmates, however, do. Many take the bus from where they live so I can't give specifics on how long it takes them. However, the Link Light Rail (train) runs from the SeaTac airport all the way to UW, with a number of stops along the way. You can see the route here: Routes & schedules | Sound Transit
Maybe you can try to find places to live along those stops to make it convenient for you.

Program pros: excellent faculty/staff - I truly feel they are about our success: they work with you re: assignments, exams, etc. They're also highly knowledgeable and passionate in their respective fields, namely ortho, neuro, acute care, pediatrics, and more. I feel I am in good hands learning here.

Program cons: no facility dedicated to just PT; space; an inter professional course that isn't fully fleshed out yet.. I do like the idea of integrating a class with other fields though, such as OT, P&O, SLP, etc. Out-of-state tuition.

City pros: beautiful, with 4 distinct seasons. Currently there's a snowstorm. I'm from a place where sunlight is rampant, so it's a nice change. Summertime is wonderful. Not diverse, relatively, but still liberal and therefore makes for a positive environment. Lots of outdoors opportunities

City cons: weather, particularly if you love sunlight. Constant rain and cloudiness can make one sad (speaking for myself).

 

[Rydpt2022]

Currently a 2nd year at UW...

Commute: I don't commute since I live fairly close to campus; a good chunk of my classmates, however, do. Many take the bus from where they live so I can't give specifics on how long it takes them. However, the Link Light Rail (train) runs from the SeaTac airport all the way to UW, with a number of stops along the way. You can see the route here: Routes & schedules | Sound Transit
Maybe you can try to find places to live along those stops to make it convenient for you.

Program pros: excellent faculty/staff - I truly feel they are about our success: they work with you re: assignments, exams, etc. They're also highly knowledgeable and passionate in their respective fields, namely ortho, neuro, acute care, pediatrics, and more. I feel I am in good hands learning here.

Program cons: no facility dedicated to just PT; space; an inter professional course that isn't fully fleshed out yet.. I do like the idea of integrating a class with other fields though, such as OT, P&O, SLP, etc. Out-of-state tuition.

City pros: beautiful, with 4 distinct seasons. Currently there's a snowstorm. I'm from a place where sunlight is rampant, so it's a nice change. Summertime is wonderful. Not diverse, relatively, but still liberal and therefore makes for a positive environment. Lots of outdoors opportunities

City cons: weather, particularly if you love sunlight. Constant rain and cloudiness can make one sad (speaking for myself).

Thank you very much for the feed back! I appreciate the detail and it wasn’t far off from the general consensus most people have given me. Thanks for taking the time and the bus routes. It was helpful. I will be attending in the fall and look forward to experiencing it for myself.

 

[slow_twitch]

I grew up in Western Washington but go to Minnesota for PT school.

Washington is beautiful, love going home to visit so you would really appreciate the sights of Washington. Clouds dont bother me but growing up there you dont know different and appreciate it. I am a bicycle rider so yes the rain can limit you in a way but you just adapt. I adapted to Minnesota too as I commute by bicycle to class even in the winter, just need to bundle up.

Pros: Very similar to the ones posted by the previous poster. Very strong staff who care for you and want you to succeed. Numerous areas represented by their backgrounds and many classes are taught together so they get different viewpoints on same subject areas. Cohort of 52, so a good amount of classmates to practice on which is helpful in lab to have different body types. There is a building here where most of our classes are which is primarily our program only but do share one floor with OT. Not the newest of rooms but they are plenty fine for what we need to get our practice and repetitions in. You live in Minnesota so you get state tuition, Washingtons program you do not so its higher. When I applied to Washington even though I had lived there but moved away I would have been out of state so definitely made me lean away from it but you have GI bill so that makes it easier for you to decide on that. There is a 3+3 DPT, PhD so if you like the research idea, that can be a transition for it.

Cons: Residencies are around the area but only one is tied into the school in the geriatrics field. Not a mandatory to have a residency but many look for that. Not a ton of interprofessional courses but we have made an effort to do things with OT and we do have class with Med students at times. Could be improved upon though I feel which I think is in the works for future classes.

Minnesota is cheaper to live as I have friends who live in Seattle and the rent they pay is insane. And driving in the area sucks so use mass transit in Seattle. Twin cities has traffic too but bicycling is awesome with the dedicated trails as I rarely cross roads when I ride to class which is a 5 mile ride.