What is your opinion on Flex vs. Hybrid DPT programs for a non-traditional DPT student. I have two young kids, my husband is unable to relocate at the moment, and there is only one traditional, affordable program close by (Texas State, in Round Rock, about 1.5 hour commute with traffic). It's also extremely difficult to get into, and my GPA is good, but not super competitive. I have recently been strongly considering University of St. Augustine's Flex program and Baylor University's new Hybrid program. They are both very expensive, but would allow me to be a little more flexible for my family. St. Augustine is close to my home in Austin and would allow me to build relationships with fellow students and professors who most likely live close by. It would also allow me to be home with my kids during the week, instead of paying for full time daycare, and my husband could watch them every other weekend during labs. It is, however, a 4 year program. Baylor's program is new, but seems pretty cutting edge. It is a 2 year program, and would only require me to go to labs every other month for about a week- 10 days. I know students from this year's cohort are from 22 states, so I most likely wouldn't make too many connections with people who live near me. They do have synchronous classes every day from about 12-4pm, and since it's an accelerated program, it requires around 50-60+ hours of studying/class per week. I would definitely have to put the kids in some sort of daycare during the week, which is very expensive. Baylor does have a better overall reputation than USA, and the Baylor-Army program is one of the top programs in the country. Not sure if it would be worth the added daycare expense to finish 2 years earlier, although I also do care about spending quality time with my kids while they are little. What are your opinions on/experiences with both of these types of programs? Do you think they are effective ways to learn and become equipped PT's? TIA
