Are all of my classmates younger than me? Please tell me I'm not going to the only "over 25" person!
My school started a DPT group for those who are going to be in my class, so as people are added we can meet each other virtually. It's sort of nice to get a sneak peak, but so far it looks like I'm the only one not coming straight from my undergrad. I hope that there is at least one other "oldie" so I feel more comfortable.
I know age is just a number, but I would really appreciate it if someone else was a nontraditional student/career changer so that I have someone to relate to. I was so happy when I found my couple "older" friends when I did my prerequisites and they have honestly become lifelong friends. We really bonded over the fact that we weren't 18 and freshman... it was really nice.
Regardless, I know that I'll find someone (or a group!) that I'll get along with and everything will be ok... I'm a chronic worrier, fyi. In case you didn't pick up on that. ;)
Friday, April 8, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Registration
Well, it's that time again. I just got done registering for my first semester of DPT school today! :)
Of course my classes are planned out for me, but I can't believe I actually registered!
My schedule looks like this:
Human Anatomy (6 credits)
Human Physiology (3 credits)
Introduction to Clinical Skills (2 credits)
Principles of Practice I: Intro to PT Practice (3 credits)
Total: 14 credits
That 6 credit Anatomy scares me, I'm not going to lie about that... plus the Phys on top of it... I hated Human Physiology the first time... I'm really not interested in how things work on the cellular level and my professor was really boring... Hopefully I'll have a better time with it the second time through and with a different professor.
The only choice I got to make was if I wanted to do my anatomy lab on Tuesday or Thursday. I chose Tuesday so that I'm done for the week on Thursdays at 11. No class on Fridays! Although, who knows when all the open labs/potential other requirements will be... But, it'll be nice to be done with classes on Thursday and have the rest of the weekend for studying, relaxing, house cleaning, etc. :)
It's so interesting how different every PT program is... I have a friend who's been regularly taking 17+ credits per semester... I think that I have less overall credit hours because of the modified Problem Based Learning program; a lot of courses are combined, so instead of having four 3-credit courses, I have one 11-credit course. That will be interesting... Hopefully, I made the right judgement call that I feel I can succeed in that type of learning environment when it comes around in Spring 2012.
Of course my classes are planned out for me, but I can't believe I actually registered!
My schedule looks like this:
Human Anatomy (6 credits)
Human Physiology (3 credits)
Introduction to Clinical Skills (2 credits)
Principles of Practice I: Intro to PT Practice (3 credits)
Total: 14 credits
That 6 credit Anatomy scares me, I'm not going to lie about that... plus the Phys on top of it... I hated Human Physiology the first time... I'm really not interested in how things work on the cellular level and my professor was really boring... Hopefully I'll have a better time with it the second time through and with a different professor.
The only choice I got to make was if I wanted to do my anatomy lab on Tuesday or Thursday. I chose Tuesday so that I'm done for the week on Thursdays at 11. No class on Fridays! Although, who knows when all the open labs/potential other requirements will be... But, it'll be nice to be done with classes on Thursday and have the rest of the weekend for studying, relaxing, house cleaning, etc. :)
It's so interesting how different every PT program is... I have a friend who's been regularly taking 17+ credits per semester... I think that I have less overall credit hours because of the modified Problem Based Learning program; a lot of courses are combined, so instead of having four 3-credit courses, I have one 11-credit course. That will be interesting... Hopefully, I made the right judgement call that I feel I can succeed in that type of learning environment when it comes around in Spring 2012.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Loans! Loans! Loans!
I got my financial aid package today. This is exciting and also a little scary, only because I can't believe I am signing myself up for debt. Eek!!
I've never done this student loan thing before, so all of the paperwork/visiting the website is really scary. It's not that the websites/information is hard to understand, it's just hard for me to sign myself up for 7.8% interest rate on around $70k... that's a lot of money and a lot of interest.
I didn't receive enough money to go unsubsidized all the way, but I received almost the max amount allowed for unsubsidized, so I have very little in subsidized.
What's the difference? Unsubsized means that no interest collects until you are done with school/are not enrolled full-time. Subsized means that interest starts accruing immediately. So, I will be making interest payments on my loans while I attend school. If you don't make payments on subsidized loans then the interest "capitalizes" and you end up paying even more back when you are out of school.
I got approved for just a little bit more than what I need for the school year tuition/fees wise, so I accepted it. I figured I can use the extra hundred for books or I can just put it right back on the subsidized loan as payment for the interest. We'll see when it actually happens...
What alarmed me when I got my letter was in big, bold, red letters the amount of +$40,000 as my estimated school+cost of living!!! I thought that I was only approved for 1/4 of that amount and didn't know what I was going to do! Then I realized that they estimated my cost of living to be around $20k... Um, I don't think so! I can live much poorer than that! Actually, the truth of my personal situation is that I am dating a very supportive person who has agreed that he will support me while I go through school. Without this, I honestly don't know how it would be possible for me to go to school. My parents supported my entire undergraduate degree (what wasn't covered by grants) and living costs (because even though I lived close enough to commute to school I wanted to be "grown up" and live near campus) as well as when I went back for my prerequisites and I really can't ask anymore from them. They have been nothing but amazingly supportive of my decision (once they got over the disappointment of me not wanting to teach.)
So, since my rent/utilities will be paid for by my boyfriend, I can count on my parents to support me here and there for gas money and whatnot. I'll also be losing the job I have currently when they downsize, so I am hoping that I will be able to collect unemployment for awhile, and that will definitely help.
As far as getting a job while in school? I get overwhelmed easily and don't always accept change the best, so I want to get settled into my new "home" (wherever that may end up being), figuring out how to get places from there and get settled into my new school environment and the coursework. If I feel that I can handle something part-time eventually, then I'll deal with that then, but for now I want to remain unemployed.
But, anyway... I was a big girl today and signed myself up for a massive amount of debt that will follow me around for the next 13 years (the 2.5 while I'm in school and then the 10 afterwards of paying it back... I hope that I can pay it off quicker, though...)
I've never done this student loan thing before, so all of the paperwork/visiting the website is really scary. It's not that the websites/information is hard to understand, it's just hard for me to sign myself up for 7.8% interest rate on around $70k... that's a lot of money and a lot of interest.
I didn't receive enough money to go unsubsidized all the way, but I received almost the max amount allowed for unsubsidized, so I have very little in subsidized.
What's the difference? Unsubsized means that no interest collects until you are done with school/are not enrolled full-time. Subsized means that interest starts accruing immediately. So, I will be making interest payments on my loans while I attend school. If you don't make payments on subsidized loans then the interest "capitalizes" and you end up paying even more back when you are out of school.
I got approved for just a little bit more than what I need for the school year tuition/fees wise, so I accepted it. I figured I can use the extra hundred for books or I can just put it right back on the subsidized loan as payment for the interest. We'll see when it actually happens...
What alarmed me when I got my letter was in big, bold, red letters the amount of +$40,000 as my estimated school+cost of living!!! I thought that I was only approved for 1/4 of that amount and didn't know what I was going to do! Then I realized that they estimated my cost of living to be around $20k... Um, I don't think so! I can live much poorer than that! Actually, the truth of my personal situation is that I am dating a very supportive person who has agreed that he will support me while I go through school. Without this, I honestly don't know how it would be possible for me to go to school. My parents supported my entire undergraduate degree (what wasn't covered by grants) and living costs (because even though I lived close enough to commute to school I wanted to be "grown up" and live near campus) as well as when I went back for my prerequisites and I really can't ask anymore from them. They have been nothing but amazingly supportive of my decision (once they got over the disappointment of me not wanting to teach.)
So, since my rent/utilities will be paid for by my boyfriend, I can count on my parents to support me here and there for gas money and whatnot. I'll also be losing the job I have currently when they downsize, so I am hoping that I will be able to collect unemployment for awhile, and that will definitely help.
As far as getting a job while in school? I get overwhelmed easily and don't always accept change the best, so I want to get settled into my new "home" (wherever that may end up being), figuring out how to get places from there and get settled into my new school environment and the coursework. If I feel that I can handle something part-time eventually, then I'll deal with that then, but for now I want to remain unemployed.
But, anyway... I was a big girl today and signed myself up for a massive amount of debt that will follow me around for the next 13 years (the 2.5 while I'm in school and then the 10 afterwards of paying it back... I hope that I can pay it off quicker, though...)
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
My (Hard) Decision.
Well, after weeks of debate, stress and decision making I have finally decided what offer I would like to accept for PT school!
When I wrote the last time, I was in the middle of a really hard time... choosing the right school for me. And after a LOT of consideration and time I decided on School B, the smaller, unranked school.
My reasoning?
It was really a curse with the multiple acceptances, but it taught me to be very thorough in decision-making and I 110% believe that I made the right choice for me.
When I wrote the last time, I was in the middle of a really hard time... choosing the right school for me. And after a LOT of consideration and time I decided on School B, the smaller, unranked school.
My reasoning?
- This school is significantly less expensive tuition wise than School A.
- School B gave me an amazing first impression & was cemented when I visited again for the interview.
- School B had my interviewer personally call me to congratulate me on my acceptance and offered his direct line should I have any questions/comments.
- School A couldn't even bother to send me anything official in the mail; all I received was an email.
- School B is actually more well-known in this area than I gave it credit for; a lot of people sound impressed that I'm going to attend there.
- I couldn't visit School A before the School B's deadline of acceptance and I wasn't willing to risk choosing a school I never visited.
- I have heard from a lot of people that School A is very number oriented whereas School B really gets to know its students and helps them succeed as individuals, not numbers.
- School B felt like it fit my personality better than School A; and I am excited about the curriculum.
- And... as a bonus; School B is a 2.5 year program, not a 3 year program so I can graduate in December 2013 instead of May 2014. :)
It was really a curse with the multiple acceptances, but it taught me to be very thorough in decision-making and I 110% believe that I made the right choice for me.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
The Curse of Multiple Acceptances.
So, I think that there is an unsaid curse when it comes to being accepted to multiple schools. Instead of putting myself out there and having one school tell me yes, I am having 2 schools tell me yes and now the decision is actually mine to make. I think I'd much rather prefer having the decision made for me... now I find myself panicking over "what if" I make the wrong choice.
I have a hard decision between attending the Highly Ranked School versus the Smaller Unranked School. I can't deny the highly ranked school; it's highly ranked for a reason... but, I can't help but remember the feeling of "home" and "friendliness" when I visited the unranked school.
I've been having a HUGE struggle with this and talking to just about everyone that I can; even those who are sick of listening to me. In fact, I even made a spreadsheet to weigh out the pros and cons. That has definitely helped a lot, and so did talking to the PT that encouraged me to go DPT instead of PTA.
The thing is, even after all of this, I am still debating. Back and forth, back and forth. That's how it's been... At first I was Highly Ranked School all the way! Then, I visited the Unranked School and was like "This is it!", but then I got accepted by the Highly Ranked School and so then I wanted to go there again, then as soon as I got my acceptance for the unranked school I wanted to go there! And back and forth I keep going.
I'm running out of time to decide. The deadline for accepting the offer to the Unranked School is December 15th and they are unable to give me an extension. The open house for the Highly Ranked School isn't until January 15th. Can I really choose to go to a school I've never visited?
This is driving me bat crazy... and so, back to the pros/cons spreadsheet it is... and anyone else who wants to listen to me ramble about the choice that I have to make.
I have a hard decision between attending the Highly Ranked School versus the Smaller Unranked School. I can't deny the highly ranked school; it's highly ranked for a reason... but, I can't help but remember the feeling of "home" and "friendliness" when I visited the unranked school.
I've been having a HUGE struggle with this and talking to just about everyone that I can; even those who are sick of listening to me. In fact, I even made a spreadsheet to weigh out the pros and cons. That has definitely helped a lot, and so did talking to the PT that encouraged me to go DPT instead of PTA.
The thing is, even after all of this, I am still debating. Back and forth, back and forth. That's how it's been... At first I was Highly Ranked School all the way! Then, I visited the Unranked School and was like "This is it!", but then I got accepted by the Highly Ranked School and so then I wanted to go there again, then as soon as I got my acceptance for the unranked school I wanted to go there! And back and forth I keep going.
I'm running out of time to decide. The deadline for accepting the offer to the Unranked School is December 15th and they are unable to give me an extension. The open house for the Highly Ranked School isn't until January 15th. Can I really choose to go to a school I've never visited?
This is driving me bat crazy... and so, back to the pros/cons spreadsheet it is... and anyone else who wants to listen to me ramble about the choice that I have to make.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Acceptance #2 - School B!!
WAHOO!! :) Got my ACCEPTANCE email from School B today! :) They are sending a packet of information & my official letter soon!
After the interview, I thought for sure I blew it, but I guess that maybe I'm not as crazy as I thought I was and they did see the potential in me! I am so relieved!
I can't believe it! Two acceptances! And just a month ago I was bawling my eyes out feeling like I wouldn't get in anywhere!
After the interview, I thought for sure I blew it, but I guess that maybe I'm not as crazy as I thought I was and they did see the potential in me! I am so relieved!
I can't believe it! Two acceptances! And just a month ago I was bawling my eyes out feeling like I wouldn't get in anywhere!
Friday, November 19, 2010
Acceptance #1 - School A
Surprisingly, the last place I was expecting to hear from this afternoon was the highly ranked school I applied to; even more surprising was the fact that it was an ACCEPTANCE EMAIL!!!!!!!!! Wow! I can't believe I got an acceptance and way before the December 15th deadline!!! When I first started the process this school was my #1 choice... I am so excited! I have quite a bit of time to let them know my decision, and that's great, because I should be hearing back from School B soon. :) YAY!!! :)
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