Should I bother with Baylor?

[MaybeDPT]

I'm a Freshman in college, but it's not too early to start at least trying to get a plan together.
I'm seriously considering becoming a DPT and am currently working on prereqs for the prereqs (so many prereqs). My father is the first in my family's line to not join the military, but he recommended I look at graduate programs that will not leave me in debt, and so far the only program I've found that fits my prospective education "agenda" is Baylor.
So here's my deal,
-Ideally, I find a program that will pay for my education (I am a relatively determined person, whatever credentials I need I will get)
-I do want to work with men and women in the service, but I am also interested in sports related injuries, more so than geriatrics
-I am okay with committing to work for a few years in an assigned place before I run off into the world on my own
-I honestly don't mind strictness, intense workout regimens, or the idea of bootcamp.
So far it seems like Baylor is a good idea (based on what I've picked up from a couple weeks of research) But I have a couple concerns
-I really really would like to be on the west coast. It's not a deal breaker, but I've has my eye on it for years
-I am not religious at all. This doesn't go to say I am a militant atheist, but I am definitely not a Christian. I don't have any issues what so ever with Christians, but I'm not sure how the population of the school would receive me.
-I want to travel. My junior year of college, I'm going to apply for a program in Venezuela where I can gain experience in a clinical atmosphere and work alongside PTs. I hope to spend the bulk of my life traveling the world and practicing in 3rd world countries, maybe settling in Europe for a couple years. I don't know if the military route hinders this? Again, I'm really shooting in the dark with what knowledge I have, I don't have any immediate family in the military.
-I am afraid of committing my youth to rigorous work and finding myself trying to compensate for my lack of "life experience" later in life (it's hard to sleep on floors and travel on foot when you're 50, or so I hear)
-I prefer environments with plenty of diversity.

Will I be working along side people terribly different from my for the duration of my education? I'm finishing my bachelors here in New Mexico. I am not sure if Baylor's environment and expectations will make or break me.

Any information or tips are VERY appreciated!

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[CortneyDPT]

I'm a Freshman in college, but it's not too early to start at least trying to get a plan together.
I'm seriously considering becoming a DPT and am currently working on prereqs for the prereqs (so many prereqs). My father is the first in my family's line to not join the military, but he recommended I look at graduate programs that will not leave me in debt, and so far the only program I've found that fits my prospective education "agenda" is Baylor.
So here's my deal,
-Ideally, I find a program that will pay for my education (I am a relatively determined person, whatever credentials I need I will get)
-I do want to work with men and women in the service, but I am also interested in sports related injuries, more so than geriatrics
-I am okay with committing to work for a few years in an assigned place before I run off into the world on my own
-I honestly don't mind strictness, intense workout regimens, or the idea of bootcamp.
So far it seems like Baylor is a good idea (based on what I've picked up from a couple weeks of research) But I have a couple concerns
-I really really would like to be on the west coast. It's not a deal breaker, but I've has my eye on it for years
-I am not religious at all. This doesn't go to say I am a militant atheist, but I am definitely not a Christian. I don't have any issues what so ever with Christians, but I'm not sure how the population of the school would receive me.
-I want to travel. My junior year of college, I'm going to apply for a program in Venezuela where I can gain experience in a clinical atmosphere and work alongside PTs. I hope to spend the bulk of my life traveling the world and practicing in 3rd world countries, maybe settling in Europe for a couple years. I don't know if the military route hinders this? Again, I'm really shooting in the dark with what knowledge I have, I don't have any immediate family in the military.
-I am afraid of committing my youth to rigorous work and finding myself trying to compensate for my lack of "life experience" later in life (it's hard to sleep on floors and travel on foot when you're 50, or so I hear)
-I prefer environments with plenty of diversity.

Will I be working along side people terribly different from my for the duration of my education? I'm finishing my bachelors here in New Mexico. I am not sure if Baylor's environment and expectations will make or break me.

Any information or tips are VERY appreciated!

First of all, congratulations on being dedicated to your future and schooling. It's rare people have a plan for their lives and actually notice that it is important to plan early on. I just finished applying to the Baylor Army-DPT program, and although I am unsure on whether I will get in or not, I have learned more about the program throughout the long application process. For DPT alone, it is competitive but doable. If you are determined to become a physical therapist, you can definitely do it. First and foremost, keep your GPA (especially your prerequisite GPA) very high. This will give you the best chance in getting into Baylor. Start looking into volunteering at the closest military base to get an idea of what it would be like by speaking to a military PT. That is truly the only way to grasp an understanding of what they really do. It is very different than being a civilian PT. That will help you make your decision. Also, most of the injuries you will see if you are deployed with a unit, are sports type injuries. Those injuries are the ones you will be able to treat on site. If you work at a military base, you will see a lot of sports injuries as well. Although there are many more serious injuries you would help rehabilitate, the smaller ones will be sports related. Although I know Baylor is the only program that will pay for your education, don't take that lightly. They won't pay for just anyone, and you really have to understand you will be joining the military (as an officer) and you have a good chance of being deployed. As long as you understand, and are okay with that, you should definitely look into it further. In the military, you will have the opportunity to travel, learn all aspects of the medical field and work with the military one on one and truly make an impact on their lives. You don't have to have any military experience to become accepted into the program, you just have to have a clear understanding of what you are signing up for. And yes Baylor is a GREAT idea. Not only for being the only military PT program, but also they are just an incredible PT program. Another thing, I was worried about the religious side of Baylor as well but you will not be associated with Baylor in any way besides the program using their name. You won't even be on the campus, you would be in San Antonio, TX instead of Waco, where Baylor is. You won't step foot on campus until your graduation day. So, that is not really of concern for you if that was bothering you. If you truly have a passion for working with the military and understand the risks and benefits, then you should go for it. Work hard and you will be able to do it. I wish I would have known about Baylor years ago, but I am glad I at least had the opportunity to apply. I started my application process in May of 2013 and finished this last month. There are a lot of little things you need to do, and they want to know everything about you. From what you are saying, I think if you keep that attitude, you definitely have a real chance of doing it and you should give it all you have. Keep some back up plans and realize there are other ways to graduate with minimal debt, such as scholarships and becoming a graduate assistant. But if this is what you want, you can even contact one of the recruiters (they are listed on the website) and talk to them about the possibility and what steps they think you should take. They know more about the program than anyone you would talk to in the military. A lot of people aren't really aware of the program itself. Sorry I went on a bit. But GOOD LUCK! I really think you could do it

 

[MaybeDPT]

First of all, congratulations on being dedicated to your future and schooling. It's rare people have a plan for their lives and actually notice that it is important to plan early on. I just finished applying to the Baylor Army-DPT program, and although I am unsure on whether I will get in or not, I have learned more about the program throughout the long application process. For DPT alone, it is competitive but doable. If you are determined to become a physical therapist, you can definitely do it. First and foremost, keep your GPA (especially your prerequisite GPA) very high. This will give you the best chance in getting into Baylor. Start looking into volunteering at the closest military base to get an idea of what it would be like by speaking to a military PT. That is truly the only way to grasp an understanding of what they really do. It is very different than being a civilian PT. That will help you make your decision. Also, most of the injuries you will see if you are deployed with a unit, are sports type injuries. Those injuries are the ones you will be able to treat on site. If you work at a military base, you will see a lot of sports injuries as well. Although there are many more serious injuries you would help rehabilitate, the smaller ones will be sports related. Although I know Baylor is the only program that will pay for your education, don't take that lightly. They won't pay for just anyone, and you really have to understand you will be joining the military (as an officer) and you have a good chance of being deployed. As long as you understand, and are okay with that, you should definitely look into it further. In the military, you will have the opportunity to travel, learn all aspects of the medical field and work with the military one on one and truly make an impact on their lives. You don't have to have any military experience to become accepted into the program, you just have to have a clear understanding of what you are signing up for. And yes Baylor is a GREAT idea. Not only for being the only military PT program, but also they are just an incredible PT program. Another thing, I was worried about the religious side of Baylor as well but you will not be associated with Baylor in any way besides the program using their name. You won't even be on the campus, you would be in San Antonio, TX instead of Waco, where Baylor is. You won't step foot on campus until your graduation day. So, that is not really of concern for you if that was bothering you. If you truly have a passion for working with the military and understand the risks and benefits, then you should go for it. Work hard and you will be able to do it. I wish I would have known about Baylor years ago, but I am glad I at least had the opportunity to apply. I started my application process in May of 2013 and finished this last month. There are a lot of little things you need to do, and they want to know everything about you. From what you are saying, I think if you keep that attitude, you definitely have a real chance of doing it and you should give it all you have. Keep some back up plans and realize there are other ways to graduate with minimal debt, such as scholarships and becoming a graduate assistant. But if this is what you want, you can even contact one of the recruiters (they are listed on the website) and talk to them about the possibility and what steps they think you should take. They know more about the program than anyone you would talk to in the military. A lot of people aren't really aware of the program itself. Sorry I went on a bit. But GOOD LUCK! I really think you could do it

Wow, thank you so much, this was very helpful! From what I've heard I can tell Baylor is definitely worth my time, but because of my nature to second guess myself often (something I need to learn to harness in a positive way so it's not a set back, especially if I have a person's health in my hands) I really do need people to reassure me I'm making a good decision in my life! There's a base in New Mexico that isn't too far away, I'll for sure look into it, and in the mean time work to get a kick ass GPA (easier said than done, but now I have an extra bit of motivation!) Good luck on your application, and thank you again!