Trinity University (San Antonio) vs UT Austin vs Tx State U for pre-physical therapy

[njurkovi]

So, my daughter is a junior at a decent public high-school at San Antonio, TX, HS ranking 30/700, first SAT score 1250 (no prep at all, so realistically around 1350 within next 6 months); weighted GPA >100; taking a lot pre-AP / AP courses.

Until very recently, she had no idea what she wanted to major in; after a lot of discussion it seems that she is leaning toward physical therapy (DPT).

We are trying to decide among the 3 schools mentioned in the title.

What the above scores don't show is that all this doesn't come naturally - she puts a lot of work in it, and that includes spending many hours with me "studying togehter". I don't mind - that is one of the ways in which we connect, and I (coming from tough eastern European schools) couldn't really settle for her not taking tough science courses in HS. With hindsight, I admit that I have been "academically helicoptering" a bit too much, and I wonder how she would do in highly competitive environment of UT on her own

I am a bit conflicted because I don't want her next 4 years to be stressful for no reason (if she indeed goes for her DPT degree, I doubt anybody will ask about her undergraduate degree). I also have a soft spot for TxSU, because I got my masters in CS there (and that was the first academic environment in which I actually understood what the professors talked about in the classroom, rather than having to decode their lectures afterwards).

On the other hand I am a bit worried if she changes her mind (about DPT) and gets 'stuck' with an undergraduate TSU degree.

Trinity (I think) falls somewhere in between the two in terms of difficulty (more rigorous than TSU, but also known for excellent teaching faculty - something I think my daughter would appreciate).

There is of course the overall cost consideration, but that is secondary.

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[isceleste]

I was sort of in the same position that your daughter is in when I was thinking about which school I wanted to attend. I decided to go to Texas State because I fell in love with campus as soon as I toured it. The degree has changed since I graduated (I'm now doing my Masters in Exercise Science if that tells you how much I've loved being here). She would probably be majoring in Exercise Science with a concentration in Pre-Rehabilitation Sciences. The changes they made allow students to make sure they have ALL pre-reqs for any PT, OT, or DC program they would like to attend.

The main benefits of going to TXST for me were how amazing the faculty are, how involved I was able to be (Cat Camp, Peer Mentoring, and Student Orgs.), and MOST importantly how prepared this program makes students for PT/OT/DC school. We had the opportunity to take a class that I've never seen on another university's degree plan for the major (PT3400). The class allows undergraduate students to learn from a DPT faculty member and work with a dry/wet lab to see human cadavers while also studying models. It's taught the way many DPT anatomy courses are and is hands-down one of the best classes I ever took in undergrad. Other courses that are clinically focused are taught be the AT department, so we learned how to take practicals that are similar to PT school practicals. All of my friends that have gone on to DPT and OT programs have told me how much more prepared they've felt when compared to other students from different schools.

Regardless of where she goes to school, DPT programs don't really care about the name-brand schools as much as people think they do. What matters is that your daughter enjoys what she's doing and that she does well enough to get into a DPT program if she so chooses. Now that I'm 6 years into school at TXST, I've had the most amazing college experience I could have ever asked for because it was the right fit for ME.

To be real about my experience: I've been accepted to 2 DPT programs and also rejected from 2 with a 3.87 undergrad GPA/4.0 masters GPA, over 700 hours observing, various volunteer and work experiences, an undergraduate thesis and a masters thesis, Honors college distinction, and amazing letters of recommendation. So even though I "check" the education boxes, sometimes you just don't fit into the program. I would let your daughter tour the schools that she's thinking of attending and really talk to a student who has gone to those schools. Everyone's experience is different, but it helps to hear from people who have been through it.

I hope that helps and good luck to your daughter!!

 

[njurkovi]

Thank you very much for your reply; it kind of confirms my experience at TXST.
Would you mind letting me know which DPT schools accepted you and which ones rejected you>

Thanks!