Acceptance into a non-top/only choice

[Jluvi20]

Hello, 

 

I am having to make a really tough decision. 
 

I got into PA school. I went into the mentality that as long as I got accepted it wouldn’t matter where I attended, I’d go. However, the school I will be attending, I will be charged out of state tuition like 150000 ish. It is a newer school and the only school that I got accepted to. Is it worth it? Of course I could decline and try somewhere more established. 
 

anyway any on advice or thoughts on what I should do!? Help! Haha TIA

[SedRate]

150k is a LOT of money but IMO, your focus should be on your education and opportunities afforded by your school.

My experience:

I applied to a local school my first year and got an interview but wasn't accepted as I had zero experience. The next year, I applied to more and I was accepted at multiple. I chose my top choice because it had a great reputation within the community, had established rotation sites, had an excellent graduation rate, had an excellent job placement rate, and was in the state I wanted to practice in so developing connections there during PA school was important to me.

I graduated almost 10 years ago with >125k debt despite also receiving a grant. I paid it off in 4 years. (Probably could've paid it off faster if I didn't buy a house and 20k car and paid for our wedding.) I had the opportunity to go to school for 30k but I didn't think I'd get the same opportunities nor education.

Looking back, I'm glad I made the choice I did. The costs sucked but I got my first job on a school rotation and felt like I got a great education. Had I been accepted my first year with my token application, who knows where I'd be right now.

What I'll say is be wary about a new program; there can be a lot of growing pains with new programs which can affect your experience as a student. Secondly, that's a ton of money for a brand new program; examine what sets it apart from other programs and if the cost difference is worth it. Thirdly, starting your PA education now will theoretically get you into practice a year sooner which means you'll make an additional 90-100k+ which could offset the costs of waiting another year to get in. Fourthly, part of what you get out of PA school is what you put in, so regardless of what school you attend, be prepared to study your tail off. 

Choose what's best for you, your education, and career. Good luck!

Edited March 21, 2023 by SedRate
Fourthly

[Billdog29]

I agree with SedRate - it will depend on your goals. If you want the best education, go with the best school you get into. If you want to stay local and enter the local market (local schools will have local connections for your first job), then stay local. If you want to start quickly, pick from the schools you get accepted to the first round. The money should be (to some degree) your least worry - if you're smart with repayment, you can get that out of the way quickly.  Worry more about getting a good training aligned with your goals and cultivating a "learning" personality in your first years of practice wherever you are. 

[CAAdmission]

It's tough to forecast what the upcoming admissions pools will look like. There are a ton more PA programs these days (?300) and the number of college age students is dropping rapidly so theoretically/statistically, it should become somewhat easier to get into PA school in the future.

It has been my experience that no one cares what school you went to. 

[SedRate]

8 minutes ago, CAAdmission said:

the number of college age students is dropping rapidly so theoretically/statistically

Interesting. Why do you think that is?

8 minutes ago, CAAdmission said:

It has been my experience that no one cares what school you went to.

Ultimately I agree: they care if you can do the job as evidenced by diploma, +/- rotations, and references and for cheap. Lol

[CAAdmission]

4 hours ago, SedRate said:

Interesting. Why do you think that is?

Academic folks attribute a plummeting birth rate to the recession that hit back around 2008. Those kids are now getting to be of a college-bound age, and there are a lot fewer of the than typical. It's causing a panic in higher education circles:

https://www.bestcolleges.com/news/analysis/looming-enrollment-cliff-poses-serious-threat-to-colleges/

 

[SedRate]

45 minutes ago, CAAdmission said:

Academic folks attribute a plummeting birth rate to the recession that hit back around 2008. Those kids are now getting to be of a college-bound age, and there are a lot fewer of the than typical. It's causing a panic in higher education circles:

https://www.bestcolleges.com/news/analysis/looming-enrollment-cliff-poses-serious-threat-to-colleges/

 

Do you think all the quarantine babies will offset that? Jk but seriously 

[at1313]

On 3/21/2023 at 12:52 PM, Jluvi20 said:

Hello, 

 

I am having to make a really tough decision. 
 

I got into PA school. I went into the mentality that as long as I got accepted it wouldn’t matter where I attended, I’d go. However, the school I will be attending, I will be charged out of state tuition like 150000 ish. It is a newer school and the only school that I got accepted to. Is it worth it? Of course I could decline and try somewhere more established. 
 

anyway any on advice or thoughts on what I should do!? Help! Haha TIA

If you are still stuck on your decision, you should try to speak to current students of the program about their experience.