Trying to make a tough decision: USC or UW

[SuperShred]

At the risk of sacrificing nuance and for the save of brevity, I will try to be succinct:

To my surprise, I've been accepted to every 2012 DPT program I applied to (four total). My top two choices are USC and UW. I sent in my deposit to USC to secure a spot at one of my top schools before I found out I was accepted to UW. Now I am considering if it will be worth it to (painfully) burn that deposit to go to USC in order to attend UW to ultimately save about 28,000 dollars (difference in total tuition between USC and UW). I'm still waiting on financial aid award letters (I'm sure that will help me figure things out as well). In addition, I'm trying to compare other expenses between living in L.A. area vs Seattle.

A friend of mine who has been through graduate school suggested I consider the geography of where I'll spend the next three years of my life...

I know I should ultimately go to where I feel is the "best fit," but I'm having a hard time deciding where that is. I know I'll enjoy the weather and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (a hobby of mine) down in southern California more, but I figure most of my time will be spent on PT school anyway, so it's not like I'll be out soaking up the festivities of So. Cal. everyday .

On the other hand, many people say go to the lesser expensive school, so that is why I am trying to consider UW. In addition, I think I will enjoy living in Seattle as well.

As far as the education goes, I know both programs are top notch. The smaller class size of UW is appealing to me as well ...

Anyway, I apologize for the rambling -- it's just been a bit nerve wracking trying to figure this all this out. Although I suppose there are worse things to be stressed out about, right?

Can any current or former physical therapy students weigh in on how they made similar decisions? Does anyone have any experience with either of these two schools? How did you decide which school was "the best fit?" Any other insights will be greatly appreciated as well!

Thanks so much!

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[MrsStarkey]

At the risk of sacrificing nuance and for the save of brevity, I will try to be succinct:

To my surprise, I've been accepted to every 2012 DPT program I applied to (four total). My top two choices are USC and UW. I sent in my deposit to USC to secure a spot at one of my top schools before I found out I was accepted to UW. Now I am considering if it will be worth it to (painfully) burn that deposit to go to USC in order to attend UW to ultimately save about 28,000 dollars (difference in total tuition between USC and UW). I'm still waiting on financial aid award letters (I'm sure that will help me figure things out as well). In addition, I'm trying to compare other expenses between living in L.A. area vs Seattle.

A friend of mine who has been through graduate school suggested I consider the geography of where I'll spend the next three years of my life...

I know I should ultimately go to where I feel is the "best fit," but I'm having a hard time deciding where that is. I know I'll enjoy the weather and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (a hobby of mine) down in southern California more, but I figure most of my time will be spent on PT school anyway, so it's not like I'll be out soaking up the festivities of So. Cal. everyday .

On the other hand, many people say go to the lesser expensive school, so that is why I am trying to consider UW. In addition, I think I will enjoy living in Seattle as well.

As far as the education goes, I know both programs are top notch. The smaller class size of UW is appealing to me as well ...

Anyway, I apologize for the rambling -- it's just been a bit nerve wracking trying to figure this all this out. Although I suppose there are worse things to be stressed out about, right?

Can any current or former physical therapy students weigh in on how they made similar decisions? Does anyone have any experience with either of these two schools? How did you decide which school was "the best fit?" Any other insights will be greatly appreciated as well!

Thanks so much!

I am from Southern California and currently live in the Seattle area (*across the water). I also was accepted to USC and UW. I am currently deciding between UW and University of Puget Sound. I can't really tell you a lot about the programs...I will be visiting UW this week and UPS next week.

However, I can give you the perspective of a CA-transplant living in the area. I thought that I would really miss the sunshine and the beach, but it's not as bad as I thought it would be. There is so much to do here (if you like nature and greenery). If you have a chance to visit Seattle before you make your decision, you definitely should. Seattle is a big city...I am sure you can find somewhere to continue with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu . As far as expenses for the two areas...I think they are pretty similar. Rent might be slightly cheaper, but there is excellent public transportation, which is less stressful than LA traffic. One thing that I thought was funny moving from CA to WA was how much more expensive the water bill is here! There is water everywhere, why is my water bill so high? haha

Good luck making your decision!

 

[SuperShred]

I am from Southern California and currently live in the Seattle area (*across the water). I also was accepted to USC and UW. I am currently deciding between UW and University of Puget Sound. I can't really tell you a lot about the programs...I will be visiting UW this week and UPS next week.

However, I can give you the perspective of a CA-transplant living in the area. I thought that I would really miss the sunshine and the beach, but it's not as bad as I thought it would be. There is so much to do here (if you like nature and greenery). If you have a chance to visit Seattle before you make your decision, you definitely should. Seattle is a big city...I am sure you can find somewhere to continue with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu . As far as expenses for the two areas...I think they are pretty similar. Rent might be slightly cheaper, but there is excellent public transportation, which is less stressful than LA traffic. One thing that I thought was funny moving from CA to WA was how much more expensive the water bill is here! There is water everywhere, why is my water bill so high? haha

Good luck making your decision!

Hey, thanks for the response! I'm originally from Southern California as well, so I'm familiar with the living conditions if I decide to go to USC. As of right now, I'm starting to lean in the direction towards attending UW for the primary reasons of saving money in the long run and having an easier time getting around.

I'd be interested in hearing your opinions regarding UPS vs UW when you get a chance to check both of them out!

 

[MrsStarkey]

I visited UW today, and there are a lot of PROs on the list.
UW DPT is housed under the school of medicine, so there are lots of opportunities for research.
The students I met were very welcoming. I sat in on a class and a few students asked me if I was considering UW and told me what they liked about the program.
The campus is gorgeous...and HUGE. Something like 40,000 students...15,000 are graduate students. The Health Sciences Building (where PT is) is 8 city blocks long!
Jam-packed curriculum. 150 credits spread over 11 back to back quarters makes for a busy DPT student. Although I am sure this is pretty standard.
Gross Anatomy lab is well-stocked. There are always 6 cadavers. 3 new cadavers each year, which means DPT students can prepare the new cadavers for the incoming class the following year, if they are so inclined.

CONS
The first two years are mostly lecture/lab...not clinical. Although one student told me that she is glad clinicals aren't until the third year (when she will feel more confident in her knowledge), I think the more hands-on practice I can get the better.
First-year students often take classes with OT and Prosthetics and Orthotics students...this makes for larger class sizes (max 85).
Facilities are somewhat outdated...just the buildings really. The equipment is fine.

I think that's it. I have to visit UPS next and make my final decision.

 

[Jarrodmac10]

I visited UW today, and there are a lot of PROs on the list.
UW DPT is housed under the school of medicine, so there are lots of opportunities for research.
The students I met were very welcoming. I sat in on a class and a few students asked me if I was considering UW and told me what they liked about the program.
The campus is gorgeous...and HUGE. Something like 40,000 students...15,000 are graduate students. The Health Sciences Building (where PT is) is 8 city blocks long!
Jam-packed curriculum. 150 credits spread over 11 back to back quarters makes for a busy DPT student. Although I am sure this is pretty standard.
Gross Anatomy lab is well-stocked. There are always 6 cadavers. 3 new cadavers each year, which means DPT students can prepare the new cadavers for the incoming class the following year, if they are so inclined.

CONS
The first two years are mostly lecture/lab...not clinical. Although one student told me that she is glad clinicals aren't until the third year (when she will feel more confident in her knowledge), I think the more hands-on practice I can get the better.
First-year students often take classes with OT and Prosthetics and Orthotics students...this makes for larger class sizes (max 85).
Facilities are somewhat outdated...just the buildings really. The equipment is fine.

I think that's it. I have to visit UPS next and make my final decision.

Let me know how your visit to UPS goes. I just submitted my $300. If you thought UW had a beautiful campus wait til you see UPS. Brick buildings covered in vines, the last time I was there was during a recruiting trip in high school.

 

[stopitmarcy]

UW for sure
I think it has more credibility
and you can hit up Vancouver for the weekend if you wanted to!
Just a 2 hr drive north!
USC is way too expensive
plus its in Compton!!!

 

[ShannonG]

If the financial aid award will be an important part of your decision, I would recommend following up with the programs to learn when you might receive that letter and let them know how interested you are in their program.

USC seems to get hated on for the neighborhood. However, the campus is VERY safe and I have never felt edgy or unsafe in or around school. I attend USC and my commute is a 20 minute drive (on a surface street with minimal traffic) from a safe, quiet neighborhood where I pay less money for more space than I had in the bay area.

If you have any specific questions about USC or living in LA, send me a note and I'm happy to help if I can.

 

[MrsStarkey]

Visited UPS today. Pretty sure I am going to go there. In the interest of full disclosure, this school is much closer for me than UW.

PROs: The facilities are brand new. Gorgeous campus. The on-site clinic makes for convenient hands-on learning. Met a bunch of the faculty, all were very nice. Sat in on a class which was quite interesting, and the professor was funny. Smaller class sizes than UW.

CONs: More expensive than UW.

 

[CherokeeWahine]

Pick UPS! We'll be classmates!

 

[vederosa]

Something to consider is your interests in Physical Therapy vs Faculty interests and areas of specialty practice that you could obtain at either school.

For example, does the program have staff with Peds, Neuro or Ortho board certifications, or does the staff have more research interests.

UW and USC both have tremendous reptutations when it comes to medical schools and facilities.

However, doing the hard math on your loans can help you make a decision. Make sure you look at the compound interest and realized that after this summer there will no longer be subsidized loans for graduate school AND the fed is increasing interest rates on loans. (yikes!)

Some states have loan forgiveness if you commit to working in a rural area for 3-5 years after graduation, so that could be a way to help defray costs.

So in short, make a list and do the math.

Good luck wherever you end up at!

 

[Jarrodmac10]

Something to consider is your interests in Physical Therapy vs Faculty interests and areas of specialty practice that you could obtain at either school.

For example, does the program have staff with Peds, Neuro or Ortho board certifications, or does the staff have more research interests.

UW and USC both have tremendous reptutations when it comes to medical schools and facilities.

However, doing the hard math on your loans can help you make a decision. Make sure you look at the compound interest and realized that after this summer there will no longer be subsidized loans for graduate school AND the fed is increasing interest rates on loans. (yikes!)

Some states have loan forgiveness if you commit to working in a rural area for 3-5 years after graduation, so that could be a way to help defray costs.

So in short, make a list and do the math.

Good luck wherever you end up at!

That's the great thing about UPS, they hire their faculty based on how well they can teach the curriculum. UPS doesn't pride themselves for being able to get their research published, but instead they pride themselves with their 100% NPTE pass rate and 100% employment rate. UW has a great reputation, but if I were an out of state applicant I would choose UPS with ease.

 

[vederosa]

The 100% NPTE pass rate, I'm assuming that not the first time pass rate is it?

 

[Jarrodmac10]

The 100% NPTE pass rate, I'm assuming that not the first time pass rate is it?

Since merging into the DPT, I believe so. I'm positive that since offering the PT degree that the 1st time passing rate has been at 98, but eventually everyone passed over the program's 30 yr history.