It was mainly the expense. However, I am from out of state so I would have to pay more. If I were a WA resident I might have picked UW, maybe. I do not think that the reputation and extra opportunities UW offers are worth the extra 20k it would cost me in tuition to go to UW vs. the school I ended up choosing. Seattle is really lovely, but it is also really expensive to live there.
I was also unimpressed by the facilities and the fact that TAs teach DPT classes. The professors did not seem to be easily accessible (perhaps too busy with research?) and the classes include the ortho and prosthetics students, so the class size is actually triple what one would think. That didn't make sense to me, considering the program's cost. It just felt to me like UW's DPT program was like the weird unwanted child of the school. Additionally, I did not like the way they set up their clinicals, and especially their weird georgraphical requirements. They make you go out of town (which is at least 1 1/2 hours away one-way, with a ferry ride included in the mix). If you include the horrible traffic in Seattle, you are looking at an absurd commute if you don't want to move for the required away clinical. The other requirement is a rural setting. I just think that's weird. I know a lot of people choose to go away for a clinical or two, but CHOOSING is different from being forced to go.
Essentially, I got the idea that what I would be paying for would be the name. I can get an equally good (if not better) education elsewhere for a lot less money. However, if the name is important to you and your future career goals or you have a lot of extra money burning a hole in your pocket, then probably UW is your best bet. There's obviously a lot of great stuff about the program too, but everyone already knows that stuff. Lol.
Good luck!
