3. Finding the Right College

Finding the Right College
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No matter who you are, choosing the right college is a huge step, and a very important one in anyone's life. You need at least a bachelor's degree to become a physical therapist, so you are already locked into a 4-year college. Some other things that can help you determine what college is right are:

Public or Private?
One decision you will have to make is whether or not you want to go to a private school or a public school. Public schools run the benefit of usually being less expensive. Regardless, you can still receive financial aid no matter which type you decide to go with.

Location:
Another decision you will have to make is the location of the campus. Do you want it close to home? Or do you want to get away? You may also want to make this decision based on other specifics you want the college to be around. Would you like a college near a certain city? Maybe you prefer to have a college near a rural setting. Whatever you prefer, this can help you determine where you want to go and is completely up to you.

Size
Size affects a few factors. What kind of experience do you want? Larger schools could possibly have more resources for you to use. But in a smaller school, there is the availability for more specialized help.

Tuition and Cost:
This could be the single biggest factor for everyone. Just because a college is out of your affordable price range, don't fret just yet. Financial aid is available for any and all who qualify. If you have the academic qualifications, you will be awarded every opportunity possible to get into that college. Scholarships.com is an excellent resource for those looking for scholarships or financial aid.

GPA and Admissions Tests:
Your GPA and SAT and ACT scores will help determine if you get accepted. You can apply to as many schools as you want, but having a high GPA, or high test scores will help you get accepted into colleges where more applications are turned down.

There are many other decisions that you will have to make, but those will be your own preference.

Here is a list of the top ten physical therapy graduate programs in the country with links to help you with your selection:

1. University of Southern California
   
2. University of Pittsburgh
   
3. Washington University in St. Louis
   
4. University of Delaware
   
5. US Army-Baylor University
   
6. University of Iowa
   
7. Arcadia University
   
8. MGH Institute of Health Professions
   
9. Northwestern University
   
10. University of Miami

Enough about searching for colleges. The type of program you go for will depend on your school and whether you are going for your Bachelors Degree, DPT, Masters, or other. The next section is all about the different types of branches of physical therapy.
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