1st thing: to the person who posted about contacting thier legislature for a PT loan forgiveness, how did u go about this and in what state? i really appreciate your input and help!!
to the orginal post... biggest thing i would consider is how much loans you will have after grad school while considering the starting salary of PT. i was in my 5th year of school (of a 6 yr DPT) program when i realized how ridiculous my loans would be. It was not my undergrad that put me in what i like to call "the hole", but instead was the 2 years of all year round schooling at a private university. I just finished my 1st year of work and i still get bitter at times when discussing my student loans (i am sorry if i vent some). what is most frustrating that in 6 years i received 2 bachelors degrees and a doctor of physical therapy degree to come out not being able to sit as financially comfortable as we all think we will sit after achieving such high goals in life. i live comfortably, do not get my wrong, but i have faced reality in giving up on having an expensive apartment or getting a new car at this time. it can be very disheartening. i learned i will never drive that BMW, haha, well maybe later if i play my cards right, but not right now....
i think it is so sad that we all can work so hard for 6 or 7 years and then come out making what we make knowing that that amount of schooling should put us ahead in life and not make us have to determine monthly budgets etc. i know this is a part of life and do not get my wrong i enjoy what i do and the hours i work. Unfortuately my family was middle class and could not pay for my college tuition, as some of my friends parents could, i think the cost of tuition is growing out of control. MY TIP: attend a public university for your DPT (cheapest) or go an get your MPT.
Keep in mind, where i work (pittsburgh area) entry level MPT and DPT make the same, which is not necessarily fair considering DPT degree holders have 1 more year of loans to pay back (which was 40,000 at the school i attended). (NOTE: as everyone knows different regions obviously have higher pays than others- i will say Pittsburgh is on the lower end of salary for cost of living due to the abundance of PT schools & UPMC in my opinion, i would have moved to a different city if i had not stayed to be with my boyfriend)
Considering i was 18 and the oldest in my family i never thought about student loans hindering me later in life after graduation. I know have knowledge i will pass on to my younger sis and brother so that they may be more financially secure and in less debt than what i unfortunately chose. i would never have went to my school had i known that 2 yrs of grad school what have cost what they did. Keep that in mind.
I am sorry this is so long, i hope some of this was some food for thought. I do love what i do,do not get me wrong. its just i wish i could have done school in a cheaper way. I hope you can find a great program with reasonable costs so that you too may achieve your ultimate goal. Best of luck!! 🙂
P.S. one plus to the profession that i have enjoyed is for extra money i work PRN and make very good money per hr. plus it helps me keep up with my other PT skills (i work PRN in acute care and rehab, my full time job is in outpatient - this way i will be well rounded and more marketable if later down the road i choose to work contract PT or home health- both of which are known to make more money with flexible scheduling)
