Narrow Down Graduate Schools?

[xx6xx12]

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How do I go about narrowing down which DPT Grad schools to apply to?

I'm using PTCAS to find average GPA's of incoming students, then using that to figure out which schools to apply to. Can you guys recommend other things i should consider when deciding a PT school? So far i've researched License exam pass rates, and tuition costs. I've also used collegeprowler to get a better perspective.

I still feel like i may be overlooking something. Any advice? Also i've made some charts and documents if anyone would like me to post them.

 

[hmmmatt]

Another thing you may want to look at is their teaching methods. Look to see if they do problem based learning or go more the traditional route. Figure out which you think you would like better. This may not be a big factor to you, but it's one possible way to narrow it down a bit more.

 

[Kismet426]

i considered the estimated cost of living in the area for each of the schools.
some places I realized it would cost me 2,000/month in rent to live.
i can't swing that, so they were out.

also if you plan on wanting to visit anyone (parents, partner, etc) on a lot of your breaks, you can see if the airport close to the school flies to the town you need/if they fly direct/etc.

GRE scores.
especially with the writing. I've seen a lot of questions on here lately regarding the writing section.
if you don't have a 4.0 like they require, or if you don't have anything else they *require* for that matter, then don't waste the money - they won't look at your application anyway

 

[okramango]

Some schools are focused more on research, while others are focused more on clinical skills. Although all programs need to prepare you as a generalist clinician, you may want to look at the emphasis that each program places on these. Also, look at the curriculum of the programs to see what interests you the most. You can also look at the biographies and publications of the faculty to see who you would like to study with. Programs also vary in the amount of time you spend in clinical rotations, so that can also be something to consider.

 

[xx6xx12]

@okramango Hey would you be willing to further explain why this difference is important? I apologize for my ignorance.

 

[NewTestament]

You can narrow down schools all you want, but keep in mind that most of them will reject you, so they'll do a lot of narrowing down for you. I don't want to discourage you, but I do encourage you to not narrow down your options too much. If you do, you might not have any options at all.

Kevin

 

[jdaniels360]

xx6xx12 I would love to see those documents/charts that you created.

 

[okramango]

@okramango Hey would you be willing to further explain why this difference is important? I apologize for my ignorance.

I listed a few things you might look at, so I'm not sure which difference you're referring to in this question. I basically just wanted to point out aspects of various programs you may decide to consider, if they are important to you. It all depends on what you are looking for in a program.

 

[T2T2]

I went overboard with this, but it was definitely helpful. I typed up a spreadsheet with a preliminary group of schools I could see myself going to (about 30). Then I gathered information on every program about GPA, GRE, and observation expectations, tuition, location, average class size, application deadlines, etc. I also took mental notes on estimated cost of living and abstract factors/numbers like that. After that I eliminated the ones I definitely no longer saw myself going to, mainly based on the cost and requirement aspects. From there, I tried to eliminate one school each day until I was at 10.

That's not for everyone, but while it is somewhat time consuming, it is effective.

 

[jdaniels360]

I'm on a similar path T2T2, which ten did you end up with?

 

[babaO98]

I found that actually visiting some of the programs I thought of applying to was helpful. As a new englander wanting to stay in the area it was easy for me, but I understand this isn't feasible for everyone. I don't recommend visiting dozens of them, but sometimes there are intangible things you won't know until you get there. Some of the schools I thought I loved on paper weren't as good of a fit for me once I visited and talked to faculty and students.

This is particularly helpful if you get accepted to more than one place. I know thats a while from now, but something to keep in mind! Hope this helps!

 

[xx6xx12]

Some schools are focused more on research, while others are focused more on clinical skills. Although all programs need to prepare you as a generalist clinician, you may want to look at the emphasis that each program places on these.

How can i better understand the difference between the two. I'm not even aware of the pros and cons between research focused, and clinical skills focused.

 

[mawfa]

I'm the parent of applicant. My daughter went through the admissions process two years in a row and this is what we've learned from our experiences and reading this forum for the past year or so...

The approach you take towards applying really depends on the type of applicant you are. If you're a very strong applicant, you will be admitted to most schools. You'll have the luxury of picking the school that meets the criteria you're looking for, thus narrowing down the list of schools of which to apply. If you're a weak applicant, than you'll have to apply to a lot more schools and, if you're lucky, a school will accept you. In other words, the school chooses you... you don't choose the school.

One thing to keep in mind when looking at stats (gpa's and gre's) on PTCAS... take note of which schools have an "articulation agreement" with undergrad schools because this can skew the averages a little. If your undergrad school is not on the list it will be more difficult to be admitted. You can check this on the school's PTCAS profile by looking at the "Additional Information about the class profile" under the "Program Information" section... it may mention it there or check on the school's website (or call). Also, make sure you check out schools that don't use the PTCAS system... they sometimes are not as "numbers" oriented and have a holistic approach towards admitting applicants... you can find a list of them on the PTCAS website.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

 

[xx6xx12]

Any one else have more advice? I'm pouring through information and trying to organize it as best I can, but I'm interested in any advice that can be offered. Also how many schools should a weak participant apply to? My GPA is a 3.4..

 

[okramango]

How can i better understand the difference between the two. I'm not even aware of the pros and cons between research focused, and clinical skills focused.

I'm sorry I just realized that I never responded to this. I was accepted to two great programs - one was very clinically-focused, where students do not conduct much research, but they have the option of assisting a professor with research as an extra-curricular activity; the other program emphasized research a lot more, and every student assists a professor with research, then presents the results in a forum of PTs who get continuing education credits for attending. I chose the school with more emphasis on research. Even though I am not interested at this point in doing research in the future, I would like exposure to it while I am in school, to help me better understand and be able to read the literature as a clinician. Other people might choose the more clinically-oriented school because they are not at all interested in doing research and would rather focus their time on mainly clinical skills. This is just a personal preference, and this difference may or may not be important to you.

Another factor you might want to look at is whether or not the programs offer scholarships, out-of-state tuition waivers, or graduate assistantships. These are often not listed on school websites, so you need to contact the programs to find out.

 

[xx6xx12]

Thanks a ton okramango, this definitely answers my question. Now i just have to decide which one is right for me. Congrats on your acceptances!

 

[Damccookster]

While I was doing my volunteer hours, I loved talking to the other volunteers about where they were applying to an why. Hearing another persons opinions is always helpful.

Also, (while volunteering) I liked talking to the PTs I shadowed. Hearing their honest/personal experiences about their program (especially the ones that just recently graduated) gave me a good perspective. You can also always tell how much someone liked their program but how enthusiastically they describe it.

 

[Junta87]

Any one else have more advice? I'm pouring through information and trying to organize it as best I can, but I'm interested in any advice that can be offered. Also how many schools should a weak participant apply to? My GPA is a 3.4..

What is your pre req gpa? I got into my top choice school and my gpa was 3.4, but my prerequisite gpa was higher. Also, what parts of the country are you thinking?

 

[xx6xx12]

Prereq GPA is a 3.6. I'm trying to focus on the northeastern united states. Gauging which out of state schools are practical to attend has also been daunting.

 

[Junta87]

Prereq GPA is a 3.6. I'm trying to focus on the northeastern united states. Gauging which out of state schools are practical to attend has also been daunting.

We have just about the same stats and I am going to UVM. Where are you located?