Drexel vs. UMDNJ

[bituinfd]

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I have been accepted at the top two DPT programs on my list - Drexel (Center City) and UMDNJ (Newark). Now that I've been accepted, I'm having a really difficult time deciding between the two. Drexel is offering me a scholarship that makes tuition the same as UMDNJ's tuition, so the cost of the program isn't really an issue in this decision. My main criteria for this decision is the program's strength/quality and reputation.

Because I live in NJ, I know that UMDNJ has a great reputation and program. They have an impressive faculty and a great 1st time pass rate. However, when I interviewed at Drexel, I was impressed with the integrated nature of their program. It seemed much more "colorful" and exciting compared to UMDNJ. This may be due to the fact they Drexel was trying to "sell" their program, whereas UMDNJ was not really.

Does anyone have any experience with/knowledge about either program? Which school has a better program/reputation? If any current/former Drexel students are reading, I know that one of the clinical rotations have to be completed at a site over 60 miles from campus - was this really beneficial or more of an inconvenience?

Honestly, any advice and/or opinions would be greatly appreciated! I feel very lost, and anything will help! I've given myself a deadline of March 31st to make a final decision.

 

[TheOx777]

I can only really speak on Drexel. I applied there and was accepted as well, although I decided to attend another program. I thought Drexel's program offered a well-rounded curriculum and faculty. The facilities may not have been as impressive as other places, but that is a matter of personal preference. UMDNJ is ranked only slightly higher than Drexel; however I would be cautious to read too much into those very subjective ratings anyway. I would say go with the program that will offer you the least hassles in the short and long-term(tuition, costs of living, travel expenses, proximity to family and friends if that's important to you,). Congrats to you either way!!!

 

[ONWARDandUPWARD]

Wow, it is a relief to hear that someone is having the exact same dilemma that I had just gone through. I was accepted to both programs and both were my top choices so I needed to make this very same decision, and trust me it was not an easy one. Essentially, for me it came down to financial reasons. I live in DE, so both programs would be out-of state, making total tuition for UMDNJ roughly ~30K more than Drexel. Nonetheless I still needed to weigh my options on the strength of the two programs, because I also did not want to sacrifice the "best fit" just for monetary reasons.

All in all, I reasearched both prgrams as much as I possibly could and decided Drexel was the better fit for me. I loved the fact that it is an accelerated program as opposed to the normal 3 years offered by UMDNJ. The other leading factors was Drexel's curriculum and their expertise in pediatrics (my specialty pursuit).

I was thoroughly impressed with UMDNJ though, so if I can offer any advice it would be to make a list of the 5 most important factors about your DPT education that matter to you (distance, curriculum, area, clinicals, etc) and rank which school you would prefer. I know I wrote a novel and may not have helped much but good luck with your decision!

 

[bituinfd]

TheOx7787 - Thanks for your advice. I agree with you on the school rankings - I feel that since both were so closely rated that their rankings are pretty much equivalent to each other. That just makes the decision even harder! But thank you very much for your input and advice.


ONWARDandUPWARD - Wow, it's so comforting to know that I'm not the only one who has to deal with this! Thank you for replying and all your advice! They're both such good schools - it feels impossible to decide. Luckily (or unfortunately) for me, tuition isn't really an issue for this decision because the scholarship offered by Drexel makes the difference in tuition amount to only ~$3,000. That makes the decision even harder. I do love the accelerated program at Drexel though - it's one of the program's greatest attractions to me. However, the clinical rotation that must be completed >60 miles away from the main campus is giving me some pause... How do you feel about this requirement? I feel like it would be a bit of an inconvenience - finding somewhere to stay, paying rent while not living at your apartment at Drexel, etc.

Are you starting the program this fall then? And what are you planning to do for housing?

 

[shahhar]

Hi can u share your UMDNJ experience? I have an interview ..did u have to write an essay?

 

[PTHopeful12]

Hi everyone. I know this post is a year old but I'm having the same dilemma. Does anyone have any new incite on either school? Pros and cons of either? I am from NJ so umdnj is cheaper for me but Drexel seems to have a much better/interesting program. Thanks in advance!