The ranking of the school always intrigues students yet the most important part to remember is that it is the student that makes the school, not the school that makes the student. Therefore, you should not be stressed out if the top school is too expensive or you are unable to get into it. This should not be discouraging. If anything, you should look at the top places to have your practical in, because the job experience may be more rewarding than the actual education experience. Plus, the remaindering factors such as location, price, specializations, scholarships, etc should influence your choice over the ranking of the school.
Nevertheless, there are reasons why the top schools for physical therapy are the best schools to attend. Some factors may be the connections that the universities have to clinics, the awards that the schools have achieved for their teaching, the percentage of students who received work right after graduation, etc.
Given below are the names of some of the top schools in the United States to attend for physical therapy. You can see where they are located, approximately how much it is to attend the school, whether scholarships are available, the specializations that the school provides, and any pertinent awards that the university has received in recognition of its high standards of academic training in the field of physical therapy.
SUNY (State University of New York) Upstate Medical University is a top ranked school for physical therapy studies. It has various programs, which range from bachelor's degrees to professional doctoral programs. This university offers its students a variety of scholarships that can help to pay for their tuition. Tuition at this school costs almost $12,000 for residents of New York and $18,000 for non-residents. It is located in Syracuse, New York.
Another top physical therapy school in New York is the Touro College located in Manhattan and Bay Shore. For a three year degree on the Manhattan campus, the tuition is a total of $59,670, while on the Bay shore campus it costs $59,690. This school offers master's degrees and doctorates in the field of physical therapy.
If you are looking for a school on the West Coast, the University of Southern California has an excellent program. This physical therapy department has specializations in orthopedic physical therapy and also in neurological physical therapy. World Report and U.S. News rank the University of Southern California number one in its division. It has a state of the art learning facility as well as numerous famous clinical internships for students who are enrolled in one of their many programs. There are residency programs as well as degrees offered for masters and doctorates in physical therapy.
There are other students who feel better living in a more controlled and relaxed environment rather than in the rush of the city life. A great University is the Saint Louis University for Physical Therapy, which has been noted as the number one school in the United States for physical therapy programs. There are various scholarship opportunities available and students can receive their masters here. The tuition for the Saint Louis University's degree program is around $17,000 per year.
Georgia State University is another university that excels in physical therapy. It was recently named the winner of the 20th Marquette Challenge for physical therapy. This program is three years long for the doctorate program and includes five clinical internships. Georgia residents pay about $2,500 per semester while non-residents pay almost $10,000. It is an excellent school with a state of the art facility for learning.
In Atlanta, in Georgia, you can find Emory University's programs in physical therapy. It tops the list of best schools in this particular academic area. At Emory University you will be able to participate in their doctorate program, which lasts a typical 35 months. The school is ranked 8th in the United States by US News and World Report. It has a 100% employment rate for six months after graduation and a 72% employment rate thereafter. Plus over 96% of its graduates pass the state licensing exams.
There are multiple universities in the United States that are known for their physical therapy programs and there is one especially for you. The best way to narrow down schools is to find your ideal location and start from there. Then look at pricing and scholarship opportunities. Once you have narrowed that down, you should look at the top rated schools; what they offer, their clinical programs, etc. If you follow these recommendations, you will be well on your way to finding the perfect physical therapy program out there.
