<p>I am a SUNY Albany sophomore extremely interested in pursuing a career in physical therapy. I am willing and kind of anxious to transfer out of my current school to a school that offers something more similar to my career goals. I have found out that I don't need undergrad studies in PT but my current school barely has the pre req courses I need. Can anyone recommend me a great university in the northeast or mid atlantic states that offers at least a graduate degree in PT? I have seen that places such as Hartford, Buffalo, Ithaca, and northeastern among many others have pre PT or PT programs. I am definetley going to keep psychology as either a minor or major if possible, but I want some kind of program that will ensure that I have the right pre req's. Is there anyone that has experience or a lot of knowledge about a really good broad studies university in around the New York tri state area or further, that can most definetley lead to physical therapy? To narrow it down even more I am really interested in a school which i'd be able to transfer to that is in a somewhat descent sized city or town where I can have a good social life.</p>
<p>I know that Quinapiac near Hartford, CT has a GREAT pre-PT and a PT/Masters graduate program - very highly regarded in the Northeast.
(6-8000 students)</p>
<p>I also know that East Carolina University in Greenville, NC (which is part of the UNC system in NC) has pre-PT and PT/Phd graduate program - very highly regarded also. Has ALL pre-reqs also large medical concentration there - large medical center - has own med school - Brody School of Med - nursing - Phys Ther - Occ Ther - Rec Ther - Speach Ther - ancillary health programs also.
(20,000 students) Greenville is a city of about 65,000++ - college part of the city - nice campus - great socials - cost of living MUCH less than in the NE - fairly affordable for out-of-staters - lots to offer.</p>
<p>Hope this helps a bit</p>
<p>I know that Quinapiac near Hartford, CT has a GREAT pre-PT and a PT/Masters graduate program - very highly regarded in the Northeast.
(6-8000 students)</p>
<p>I also know that East Carolina University in Greenville, NC (which is part of the UNC system in NC) has pre-PT and PT/Phd graduate program - very highly regarded also. Has ALL pre-reqs also large medical concentration there - large medical center - has own med school - Brody School of Med - nursing - Phys Ther - Occ Ther - Rec Ther - Speach Ther - ancillary health programs also.
(20,000 students) Greenville is a city of about 65,000++ - college part of the city - nice campus - great socials - cost of living MUCH less than in the NE - fairly affordable for out-of-staters - lots to offer.</p>
<p>My DD started there as a pre-PT major - tho has changed direction (but that is why she went there in the first place) and discovered a major that has changed her life - literally!! She loves it at ECU tho and has had MANY opportunities fall into her lap - so we have a very happy college camper. Alot is happening at ECU - lots of good changes and growth also. When she decided to change her major - she had no problem at all - the school has been great to work with. Just an FYI - NC schools only take about 18% of out-of-staters and have rolling admissions also. Deadline BTW is March 15th - but not sure about that date being engraved in granit for tranfer applications. The also admit for fall and spring semesters.</p>
<p>The only negative that I can think of about ECU is the rep they have for being a party school - what school doesn't!!!! But the social atmosphere is under your control where ever you may go. The education and opportunities are there to be had if you want them. I have NO problem with my DD at ECU - she loves it there and that counts for alot - and she is getting a great education - and I have NO doubt about that. One great positive about ECU - the resources the school has and the opportunities there.</p>
<p>I don't know if this makes any difference to you - but ECU is a tier 3/nat Univ school - has climbed out of now-where land in the last 3 years and I am sure it will continue to climb the rankings - may be over time. At least a school to consider for you.</p>
<p>Hope this helps a bit</p>
<p>The American Physical Therapy Association has a searchable database of ACCREDITED PT programs (you want an accredited program) plus loads of information on requirements and what to look for. Here's the link:
<a href="http://www.apta.org/education/accreditation/dir_acc_pt_ed_prog%5B/url%5D">http://www.apta.org/education/accreditation/dir_acc_pt_ed_prog</a></p>
<p>That said, the University of Hartford and Ithaca College both have excellent accredited PT programs.</p>
<p>Thanks for the great info! Yeah quinipiac is another school I am looking into. I am now sure I have to transfer out of my current school since it does not offer even anatomy or physiology. East Carolina University looks very interesting. Do you know what exactly it offers in PT? Also how is such a nice school like that so inexpensive? Do you know anything about the University of Delaware and if it has good pre pt program and opportunities? Thanks in advanced again</p>
<p>Thanks Carolyn...
Do you know what kind of programs they offer? I most likely want to keep myself well rounded by keeping psychology as a major or minor, do you know if it is possible to be on a pre pt track with a different major in those schools? Thanks in advanced!</p>
<p>East Carolina University looks very interesting. Do you know what
exactly it offers in PT?</p>
<p>ECU has EVERYTHING and more that you would need for pre-PT - (I err'd in my last post - they also have PT/masters - not Phd). You can actually major in anything - as long as you have all the pre-req's done for the PT/masters. I will try to find the requirements and post them for you.</p>
<pre><code> Also how is such a nice school like that so inexpensive?
</code></pre>
<p>NC UNC's (16 of them I think) are all very reasonable in their tuition - all students are actually subsidized by the state - many many northerners attend school in NC - because of the tuition deals there and because of the educational opportunities there.</p>
<pre><code> Do you know anything about the University of Delaware and if
it has good pre pt program and opportunities? Thanks in advanced again
</code></pre>
<p>Sorry I really don't know about U of Del - but I am sure someone here does lol.</p>
<p>(sorry - correction again here - ECU has PT/Phd program.)</p>
<p>Check out this link - it will give you a good idea of the requirements and pre-PT needs also - which will be pretty much universal for all PT programs. Tho this link is for ECU - it will give you an idea of what you will need for your undergrad.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ecu.edu/pt/Default.cfmschools%5B/url%5D">http://www.ecu.edu/pt/Default.cfmschools</a>.</p>
<p>Hi! NY mom here. If you want to stay within the SUNY system (as you may have a better chance of your credits being transferred), you may want to look into the U. of Buffalo & The Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse. Upstate is apart of SUNY system and has a program which leads to a DPT. It looks promising but as I am not too familiar with the field I do not want to give you misleading info. You can check out the Upstate program from the SUNY.edu website -"Upstate Medical Center"-College of Health Professional. You can also check out UB on this site too. I know Ithaca College has a PT program too. I'm sure there are many others but it's a start. Good luck.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot NY mom! Yeah Buffalo and Upstate Med school in syracuse both offer pt programs. The only thing is, from my experience at Albany I have realized that I might want to go out of New York. Albany is a good experience but I could see myself in a city like boston or somewhere similar, or in a place that has that traditional college campus look with tree's and old looking buildings like in the south or midwest or something. I cant believe i didn't think of this stuff before going to Albany!</p>
<p>Hi again. I just checked out Carolyn's link- apta.org. It's wonderful. It links you up to all the schools that have programs. That really should make your search a lot easier. Good luck to you--- and Thanks Carolyn for the info.</p>
<p>So Sorry again - that the link i posted does not work - try</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ecu.edu/pt%5B/url%5D">www.ecu.edu/pt</a></p>
<p>i just tried this link - and it worked!!</p>
<p>One other thing to consider when you are searching for PT program info - There is a fairly new push for schools to upgrade to Phd programs - so some schools will only offer a Masters and others only offer Phd programs.</p>
<p>I know when we looked at Quinipiac - they have a Masters program - they had no intention of changing it to a Phd - they also have a freshman trac program too - so transfers into a program like theirs may be a bit difficult. But the undergrad piece is the important part - as PT grad schools are pretty competitive - and may have different focuses - ex - UNC-CH grad school for PT is a very research oriented program.</p>
<p>My friend's daughter who is pursuing PT has applied to UNE- Univ of New England in Maine and Simmons in Boston.</p>