love or money???

Started by ashy87pt
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ashy87pt

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I need some serious advice..and as many opinions as I can get the better..

I have been lucky enough to be accepted into a program in my home state which is only 10 grand per year..along with very low living expenses as it is located in a smallish town. I have been also been accepted into a program in Az and am waiting to hear back from one in DC, California, and Philly. All four of these are about 28 grand per year and have pretty high living expenses.

So heres the question...1. Do you choose the school that will cost you wayyy less? or do you choose the school that you love (and that also happens to be in a location you would much prefer to live in)

I keep going back and forth on this and as I dont really want to put down multiple deposits I am hoping to get more opinions. Two more things to note are that 1. the california program is done in 2.3 yrs so Id be out working that much quicker and 2. I plan on doing a travelling pt job for at least 6 months after graduation to make more money quicker. Please Help Guys!!!!
 
I'm wondering the same thing. As a junior in college, who will acquire up to 100k in student loans debt, going out-of-state, I would love to reside in my state now and apply to a PT school here.

Now, I love my school and the experience, so much. So, what I can tell you is, is that if you think you'll be happier going out-of-state, paying more, but you are happy, then why not try to live there for a year, change your plates on your car to that state, along with voter registration and car insurance switching over, and you should be good.
 
IMO I would choose the cheaper home state school ( I wish I had the option to apply/attend an in-state school) assuming that the NPTE pass rate is high. As long as the cheaper school can prove that they will adequately prepare you to get your licenses, then why spen 3X as much to go to another school. Just think you can use that money you'll be saving to move to where you prefer to live once school is done. A couple of years is not long in the grand scheme of things...

As far as working as a traveling PT immediatley after school; most people I have talked to (PT's who have worked as a traveling PT and those who plan on traveling) advise that you get some work experience (~ 1 year) under your belt first before traveling.
 
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Hi! First of all, please take whatever advice I and the others give on the thread with a grain of salt.

Now for me, the choice is easy. I would attend the lowest costing PT program. The sooner you get out the debt, the better your life will be. I hear you saying that you love some out-of-state PT school and vice versa, but don't forget that PT programs (like all university/college programs) are a business. Simply put, they "love" your money - not you. If you want to live out of your state, then do it after you get your PT degree from your state school.

After much thought, I decided to only apply to in-state schools that would cost me less than 65K in tuition payment. This leaves me with only 3 schools and the risk is not getting into any PT school because I'm applying to so few. However, to me, I cannot justify having to pay over 65K for a PT degree considering that the first few (if not several) years of being a full-time PT will only allow me to make 65K IF I am lucky.

Good luck! 🙂
 
I vote for cheap. I had a similar decision to face; I "fell in love" with a school that was 30K a year, but also got accepted to a school that was less than 10K a year (they waive tuition during semesters where you're at clinicals for 2/3 or more of the semester, which a lot of schools will not do). At first I was leaning to the "love" school first, but then I started thinking about how my boyfriend and I intend to get married when I'm done (or sooner), we want to have kids and buy a house someday, etc etc, and that can be really difficult to do when you have a boulder of debt weighing you down. There are so many additional expenses beyond tuition, between loan fees and rent and books and food and going out and gifts... especially when you start accruing interest on your loans, it adds up really fast, and what you initially picture as $84,000 in debt can easily balloon to $150,000 and beyond when you consider all the other factors. That's a lot of money for a field where entry level PTs make roughly 60K per year.

Consider also the fact that when you're in school, you're not going to have much time for exploring a new place anyway. And since the NPTE exam is a national exam, you can always relocate after school is done. Remember that PT school is only 3 years, but you could be stuck paying back those loans for 30 years. PT is a secure field to go into, but all the same, we're not making as much as doctors; it's still going to take quite a while to pay back hefty loans. And although it's not fun to think about, what if PT school doesn't work out? What if you get sick or injured and can't continue, but you've already taken out loans for two years? It could be really scary.

I've been reading a lot about how scary student debt can be, so here are a few inspirational sites for you to check out, if you want to hear about some horror stories of the trouble people can get into if they don't make smart choices:

http://www.walletpop.com/2010/08/20/student-loan-horror-stories-whats-the-worst-than-can-happen/

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=58440324477&topic=6463

http://www.forgivestudentloandebt.com/content/share-your-student-loan-stories
 
For ME, I would choose the cheapest school, but also a cheap school that has a high pass rate. In the end it doesnt matter TOO much where you graduated from as long as you are licensed (Correct me if Im wrong)

Like NATO I simply cannot justify paying $80k-100k for tuition when there are schools that are wayy less than that. Just doesnt make sense. I know that the cheaper schools probably are harder to get into, so that is gonna make me just work extra harder.

It really depends on your situation, if you are pretty young without any major commitments, than I suppose checking out a new state would be fun and all that, but you probably wont have time for that during PT school. If you have a mortgage, family etc (Like I do) than obviously its a lot harder and staying where you are is the way to go.
 
There's a PT school in my city of Tallahassee that is very cheap. But their pass rates aren't the best, in fact it is the lowest in the nation. Like others have said, cheaper is best, but not when you sacrifice education. I'm wondering how Florida A & M University is still accredited.

If I were in your shoes I would go with the best combination cheap and good education/clinical affiliations and pass rates.

Now, I fell in love with the program at Temple, but came to my senses that 39k a year for an out of state is ridiculous just for tuition.
 
First...to reiterate what Yohan said, I don't know if becoming a travel PT right out of the starting gate is as easy as you are hoping. I haven't talked to many travel PTs, but I had a pretty in-depth conversation with a travel OT, who emphasized the importance of establishing yourself in a particular field for a minimum of 1-2 years before diving into travel work.

Now to the heart of your question...love or money? Sit down, and make a list of what you absolutely MUST have in a PT program - class size? clinicals? facilities? curriculum?..etc. Then make a list of "bonuses." Now look at what your home-state program has to offer. Does it match all of the "must haves?" Does it match some or most of the "bonuses?" If that's the case, then go. If not, then look at the other programs you have, and really sit down to calculate the costs. Decide if it's worth the additional debt. We can't make that decision for you sadly, only you know what is "worth it" to you.

Every PT I've spoken to has told me to SAVE as much as I can during my grad school...ie: go to the more affordable program (though as jbizzle mentioned, don't sacrifice education).

To address the note that the CA program is only 2.3 years...well, where do they skim off the curriculum? Do you lose clinicals? Which courses are missing? There's a reason the program is shorter -- find out WHY.

Hope this helps, and best of luck with your situation. I hope that everything works out well for you.
 
ashy, think of it this way-- you could go to the cheaper in-state program and come out of school with a $30K debt- this would be fairly easy to pay off and you're post-grad monthly payments wouldn't be too bad. Now think if you went to the $70K plus program and you had a blast in the bigger city, but you're bogged with insane monthly debts that keep you from enjoying the nice money you're making as a PT. I would go to the cheaper school so you'll have a lower monthly payment and can easily afford to go on vacation in all of those out-of-state cities you were googly-eyed over.

On top o' that, the in-state program is probably only two years of classes, then you do your clinicals both in-state and out of state. do your clinicals in the bigger cities if you think you can afford the living expenses.

hope this helps.
 
pumpkinpatch said:
i vote for cheap. I had a similar decision to face; i "fell in love" with a school that was 30k a year, but also got accepted to a school that was less than 10k a year (they waive tuition during semesters where you're at clinicals for 2/3 or more of the semester, which a lot of schools will not do). At first i was leaning to the "love" school first, but then i started thinking about how my boyfriend and i intend to get married when i'm done (or sooner), we want to have kids and buy a house someday, etc etc, and that can be really difficult to do when you have a boulder of debt weighing you down. There are so many additional expenses beyond tuition, between loan fees and rent and books and food and going out and gifts... Especially when you start accruing interest on your loans, it adds up really fast, and what you initially picture as $84,000 in debt can easily balloon to $150,000 and beyond when you consider all the other factors. That's a lot of money for a field where entry level pts make roughly 60k per year.

Consider also the fact that when you're in school, you're not going to have much time for exploring a new place anyway. And since the npte exam is a national exam, you can always relocate after school is done. Remember that pt school is only 3 years, but you could be stuck paying back those loans for 30 years. Pt is a secure field to go into, but all the same, we're not making as much as doctors; it's still going to take quite a while to pay back hefty loans. And although it's not fun to think about, what if pt school doesn't work out? What if you get sick or injured and can't continue, but you've already taken out loans for two years? It could be really scary.

I've been reading a lot about how scary student debt can be, so here are a few inspirational sites for you to check out, if you want to hear about some horror stories of the trouble people can get into if they don't make smart choices:

http://www.walletpop.com/2010/08/20/student-loan-horror-stories-whats-the-worst-than-can-happen/

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=58440324477&topic=6463

http://www.forgivestudentloandebt.com/content/share-your-student-loan-stories
Click to expand...


+1,000,000
 
Agreed, provided that there is no major prob w/ the program. Pulling off w/ 30k is pretty damn lucky. The cheapest instate in MI is still around 60k so I thought what the heck, so now I'm settled for Arcadia (or consider UDel if they hurried n send out the official acceptance letter & forms already!) which is ~76k WITH the 27k scholarship! I don't know if I'm being unrealistic but I'm planning to pay it off in 2-3 yrs by living like a frugal college student or to move back w/ my folks. Good luck w/ your decision, it also depends on what kind of lifestyle u want immediately after graduation & your financial management ability.
 
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Try to weigh the short and long term. What will offer you the highest return? Will you be better aided as a PT with fewer loans starting out, or might the more expensive program provide you with more refined tools for professional success? To a degree, the education you receive at a less expensive, smaller school is the same, and in many ways can be superior to a large program, but don't discount the advantages obtainable through a better connected and well-funded faculty. Personally, I would vote against choosing the school based on the sake of the locale. Ignore the "now" of grad school and look at the story between graduation and retirement.
 
Wow guys..thanks for all the great advice. I must admit I am a little surprised that everyone went for the money..but..its probably what I needed to hear. Ive been thinking about it constantly and I think everyone is right. Having only 40k in debt would be a huge blessing. The instate school is Eastern Washington University which is apparently a great program, in brand new facilities, and has a very high pass rate. I will be visiting the school later this month so if I like it..I think the decision is made.

The only thing that is still bothering me about this choice is thinking about U of St Augustine in Cali. This program is really attractive because:
1. I want to do pediatrics & they have several pediatric courses (which Eastern is entirely lacking)
2. They have a strong manual therapy focus which is something I was planning on doing in my continued eduation & I think would be invaluable for pediatric work
3. Their school only does PTs and OTs and you have lots of classroom interaction with both groups which I think is great.
But again..these desired program attributes probably arent worth the 100 k price difference...
 
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jbizzle said:
EWU, for 40K total???? thats a no brainer!!
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly, I couldn't sign the papers fast enough.

And ya, a couple ped. classes are definitley not worth the price difference...

Good luck on your decision.
 
ashy try listening to pumpkinpatch, NATO and jesspt go to the school that's most financially rewarding. Get your placement at clinicals that may help you w/ Peds. BTW I'm not at all geared toward Peds, so perhaps I'm biased. I'm likely giving up my spot at top 10 schools to go top 40. I'm confident w/ the program and the money saved very much works in my favor.

Before you choose make sure you can get the clinical placement you'd like... but debt a very real factor. It does not magically go away and unless you've faced such amount you'll wish you didn't. Don't fall for USA's 90K + high cost of living if you can help it. Sure the place is nice, but you'll pay for it.
 
ashy87pt said:
Wow guys..thanks for all the great advice. I must admit I am a little surprised that everyone went for the money..but..its probably what I needed to hear. Ive been thinking about it constantly and I think everyone is right. Having only 40k in debt would be a huge blessing. The instate school is Eastern Washington University which is apparently a great program, in brand new facilities, and has a very high pass rate. I will be visiting the school later this month so if I like it..I think the decision is made.

The only thing that is still bothering me about this choice is thinking about U of St Augustine in Cali. This program is really attractive because:
1. I want to do pediatrics & they have several pediatric courses (which Eastern is entirely lacking)
2. They have a strong manual therapy focus which is something I was planning on doing in my continued eduation & I think would be invaluable for pediatric work
3. Their school only does PTs and OTs and you have lots of classroom interaction with both groups which I think is great.
But again..these desired program attributes probably arent worth the 100 k price difference...
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that the manual therapy emphasis at USA is taught within the framework of orthopaedic manual therapy, while much of a pediatric therapist's caseload consists of children with neurological conditions. While they certainly benefit from manual handling, you likely won't be using joint mobilization, manipulation, soft-tissue mobilization, etc. with them to any great extent.
 
ashy87pt said:
Wow guys..thanks for all the great advice. I must admit I am a little surprised that everyone went for the money..but..its probably what I needed to hear. Ive been thinking about it constantly and I think everyone is right. Having only 40k in debt would be a huge blessing. The instate school is Eastern Washington University which is apparently a great program, in brand new facilities, and has a very high pass rate. I will be visiting the school later this month so if I like it..I think the decision is made.

The only thing that is still bothering me about this choice is thinking about U of St Augustine in Cali. This program is really attractive because:
1. I want to do pediatrics & they have several pediatric courses (which Eastern is entirely lacking)
2. They have a strong manual therapy focus which is something I was planning on doing in my continued eduation & I think would be invaluable for pediatric work
3. Their school only does PTs and OTs and you have lots of classroom interaction with both groups which I think is great.
But again..these desired program attributes probably arent worth the 100 k price difference...
Click to expand...

Hey! I currently go to USA in cali. I am happy at the school, but honestly... I would go for the cheaper bet. Yes, it's only 2 years & 4 months ... BUT that means it is way more intense! If you're thinking about location, it honestly doesn't matter because you will be inside studying the majority of your 2 years here. I was lucky to have gone to undergrad in San diego, so i had time to enjoy the area, but my classmates who moved here just for PT school haven't experienced SD at all (also because the school is actually 30 miles north of san diego city in san marcos). We do have a child development class & 1 pediatrics class, but I would think at most schools you could at least do an internship in peds. The school is nice as it is very new... not trying to bash my school or anything, haha, but I will be in $130k debt EASILY (whatever tuition costs now, remember they raise it quite a bit every september!)
If i had the option for a cheap good school & could live with my parents I would take it!
Good luck with your decision 🙂
 
hefe said:
Before you choose make sure you can get the clinical placement you'd like...
Click to expand...

This is what sealed the deal for me in my internal debate between Chatham and Pitt. When Chatham told me that I still had a shot at getting a clinical within the UPMC network, it was more than enough to realize I should save around $25k or so.
 
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