Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Physical Therapists
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Central Florida, Florida International, University of Florida, and University of South Florida-Main Campus.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider Florida International, Nova Southeastern, University of North Florida, and University of Miami.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Florida A&M, Florida International, Nova Southeastern, and University of Miami.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Nova Southeastern.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of University of Miami, Nova Southeastern, Florida A&M, and Florida International.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Florida Gulf Coast University, University of Miami, University of North Florida, and Florida A&M.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at University of Miami, University of Florida, Central Florida, and University of South Florida-Main Campus.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Florida International, University of South Florida-Main Campus, University of Florida, and University of Miami.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at University of Miami, Florida A&M, University of Florida, and Florida Gulf Coast University.
Spotlight Schools Search
Study from Anywhere at Online Schools Related to This Career
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Coursework, Diploma
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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University Of St Augustine • St Augustine, FL
Studying Physical Therapy (completion in 2010)
• 5/6/2011
"Besides tuition costs, I am very satisfied with my school. I enjoyed my time there and the new friends I gained. I also gained a lot of experience and knowledge."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I believe in our school's principles. Even though it is a tough program, I believe we got the best education. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Many people like our school because of the manual therapy experience we get. There is also the dual program for those wanting to get their PT and OT degrees. |
| Program Quality | 9 | My program was heavily based on manual therapy techniques. I think we learned a great deal about topics that other schools do not focus on. For that reason I am grateful I went to this school. |
| Instruction | 9 | Many of our instructors went to the school and were still working in the field at our school's clinic. Due to our school being small and private, I felt we got more attention and time with instructors. |
| How Difficult | 9 | I think our program was very challenging. Our second semester was >18 credits. We had a greater workload in a short period of time. We were constantly studying, but it paid off. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I would say we have a good mix of hands on and book learning. We had a lot of labs and there were practicals in certain classes. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | Our class schedule is not flexible. Each semester is planned a certain way. If you were to fail a class, it might prevent you from taking classes next semester. Our school goes by trimesters. They admit 3 times a year, so in that way they are flexible. We go to school all year round. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | I think our library has gotten better over the years. Tutors are available if you sign up for one. Usually it's upper semester students that act as tutors. Professors are very accessible and make time for students. |
| Social Life | 7 | It is a small private school so there weren't any athletics. We did have class parties and school events. Our class did a lot of things outside of school and hung out often. |
| Placement Services | 7 | Our school had job fairs twice per year. We didn't exactly have any job placement services. Some of our teachers did help with jobs. They kept us posted about jobs available in the area and connected us with alumni working in the field. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | I am not sure how good (or not good) it is yet. I'm a new alumnus so this question is hard for me to answer. I do know we get a newsletter every now and then. |
UCF • Orlando, FL
Studying Physical Therapy (completion in 2005)
• 6/25/2011
"The program was geared toward preparing its graduates for clinical practice using practical applications & critical thinking. The staff was clearly engaged, not only with the profession but with teaching as well."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The program is well respected throughout the community. The staff & curriculum are second to none. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | Enrollment in the program has increased significantly since I've graduated. Graduates of the program are well respected in various clinical settings throughout Central Florida. |
| Program Quality | 8 | My professors, for the most part, were very engaged/passionate about the profession. We were encouraged to use our skills to give back to the community through volunteering. |
| Instruction | 10 | Professors had advanced degrees and extensive experience in clinical practice. They often provided 'real-world' examples to highlight various concepts. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The work-load left little to no time to work outside of class. Clinicals often required increased travel time or living away from home. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was a great deal of emphasis on applying concepts learned to 'real-world' scenarios. Case studies were a large part of the curriculum. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | The program is 'lock-step.' There are no alternate schedules offered that would allow you to remain in the same graduating class you began with. At the time I was enrolled, I do not recall taking on-line classes, however, I did attend during the summers. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | We had excellent, up to date equipment for labs. The UCF library has a wide variety of resources including computer technology & staff assistance. |
| Social Life | 9 | My graduating class was very close-knit. We often attended sporting events together. We were very proud of our institution. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I do not have personal experience with this aspect because I was hired for my first position while I was still in school. Several of my classmates did use it & had no complaints. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I have not had experience with the alumni association personally. I have worked with several physical therapists who have also graduated from my program. |
University Of St. Augustine • St. Augustine, FL
Studying Physical Therapy (completion in 2005)
• 8/4/2011
"I am very pleased with the education. In retrospect, I am frustrated by the high cost and modified admissions standards."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I always recommend they go somewhere else that is less expensive. I always tell them be at the top of your class and it doesn't matter where you go. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | There is definitely a reputation associated with "Parasites" from USA, but for the most part people are very complimentary of my education. The quality of their continuing ed is also improving their reputation. |
| Program Quality | 6 | USA was very difficult to get into when I applied for PT school. After I got there they increased the number of students per class considerably and I feel they had to lower academic standards to do so. I feel like the cost of the education there is too expensive, especially since it's a private school requiring private student loans. |
| Instruction | 10 | I consistently have other therapists seek me out with questions. I feel like my education has led me to be one of the better PTs in my area. |
| How Difficult | 10 | The school prides itself on making it very difficult to graduate. Speaking to other PTs about their education, it is apparent that USA is very difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of the classes had a large practical component. Most of the DPT courses were similar to the con ed versions. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | When I was there it was totally inflexible. Now there are two campus locations and many opportunities for online learning, including the flex DPT. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The facilities are less than 5 years old. The professors are required to keep office hours. I never had a hard time meeting with my professors. |
| Social Life | 10 | There wasn't much time for socializing, but that forced us to be friends with each other. When we finished a test or practical, the instructors encouraged us to celebrate and unwind. |
| Placement Services | 4 | They had a small job fair for local businesses. They offered some ideas in how to find job placement. It's hard to judge since I already had a job when I graduated. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | I am attending a CE class next month and one of my professors is presenting there. I am still in contact with most of my classmates and several of my instructors. I have been able to refer people to former classmates in other states. |
College Of Central Florida • Ocala, FL
Studying Psychology (completion in 2009)
• 8/21/2011
"It was difficult to get accepted. The learning programs were top notch."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I had a good experience there. I got where I needed to be. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Not many Physical Therapists study here, but the ones that do are the best. |
| Program Quality | 8 | School was fun and easy. |
| Instruction | 6 | The curriculum was amazing because it was so easy to learn. It might have been too easy. |
| How Difficult | 1 | The teachers were easy to get along with. The curriculum was great. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The program was mostly hands on. But it did also have a good amount of book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | You sign up for your classes so they are on your schedule. It is very flexible. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The library has everything you will need. |
| Social Life | 8 | I am and have always been a big school football fan. I was never really an athlete, though. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Jobs are hard to come by anywhere. But when they can help, they do. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | I never really had anything to do with this, but I do know it was good. |
Florida Gulf Coast University • Fort Myers, FL
Studying Physical Therapy (completion in 2011)
• 8/16/2011
"I am extremely satisfied looking back at my time at Florida Gulf Coast University. The education was made exciting and was much more than just the typical bookwork. The events on campus and the amenities available made students get involved and enjoy their college experience while allowing them to also focus on their studies."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would definitely recommend FGCU to other students interested in pursuing my career. It is a very small school that allows everyone to feel like more than just a number or another face. I had a great experience and I would not change it for the world. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | The physical therapy program at Florida Gulf Coast University is a relatively new program, in comparison to surrounding universities. So far their reputation has been excellent, and I believe that if they keep up with what they are doing it will continue to grow. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I have been at this institution since I began years ago working on my undergraduate degree. All of the professors at the university are great teachers and have so much knowledge and experience in the field (in my case, physical therapy). |
| Instruction | 10 | All of the professors in the physical therapy program had a great deal of experience as physical therapists. This added to the curriculum in a great way as they were able to teach us in many different ways. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Any doctorate level program will be difficult, and this one in particular was especially trying. Unfortunately, with any health career, you have to know all of the ins and outs of the human body in order to do your job correctly. This makes the academic workload much larger and adds to the stress of being a student. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Due to the fact that the professors in my program have all had first hand experience as physical therapists, they are able to successfully carry that over into the classroom. Of course we have to do a certain amount of bookwork to learn the foundation, but the experiences and personal stories that they share are such a great blend for an education. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | Due to the fact that the school is relatively small and the program is even smaller, there are no options as to when classes will be conducted. Each cohort is required to follow a strict schedule and does not have a choice as to when or what days they attend classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The resources at Florida Gulf Coast University are very good considering the size of the school. They do an excellent job taking the students and their needs into consideration. They understand that students have certain stresses and so they offer different resources and amenities to help them. These include a free clinic, free mental health services, free book rentals, access to articles and journal databases, and free printing. |
| Social Life | 10 | The school does a great job of making students feel as though they are part of a community and it goes to extreme measures to help everyone find their niche and feel included. Athletic events, on campus concerts and fairs, & club events are great ways to help achieve this and make everyone's college experience one to be remembered. |
| Placement Services | 10 | Florida Gulf Coast University has a great reputation for post-graduate job placement and the physical therapy department is no exception. Most of the professors in the program are actively involved in the community and in different settings involving the major, so they are able to pass their connections on to students and give them the opportunity to network and find the right job for them. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | As a new alum, I have seen the efforts the alumni association has made to maintain a solid network between everyone. There have been many opportunities and events that have been put on in hopes of bringing everyone back together and there are discounts and special benefits that are involved with being an alumni member. |
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