And the winner is....USC!!!

The journey I have had to get into PT school has been a long one, as described in one of my earlier blogs. And then the waiting game for finding out from schools has been very stressful but now it is worth while, as I have made my decision of where to go. In August, I will be starting at University of Southern California as a first year in their Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.

I'll start by saying that USC has been one of my dream schools; I never thought I'd ever become a Trojan. But still I applied to their PT program just to see if I could get in. I thought I'd be rejected or IF I got in, it would be after getting into another school. As luck would have it, I got in! I was selected out of the 982 applicants for the class of 95ish!! That definitely made me feel good about myself. When I first got accepted I thought that I would turn it down and wait for something cheaper but my parents and I decided to send in the deposit just to secure a spot. And the day after I found out that I had been wait-listed at Western University. Hmmm, coincidence?

After that, I started to get excited about the possibility of going there. But still had some reservations so I made an appointment to visit the school. I was impressed with the program but had lots to think about. Later that day I found out I was wait-listed at Chapman(my former #1 pick). Ironic? Yes, probably! It might have been a big hint!! The next day I had an interview at St. Augustine in San Marcos. It was a good program but not for me. Seeing a program that definitely was not for me gave me a different perspective on what I look for in a program and what I like about USC.

More thinking went on and parents gave me their opinions laying down all the reasons to pick USC. Yes, I did feel a little pressured but I pretty much knew what I was going to choose, I just needed to let myself accept it. After a hot bath, I made a chart of pro's and con's for USC and Chapman(because it's the only one that would have been able to change my mind). Money aside, the pro's of USC nearly doubled Chapman's and Chapman's con's nearly doubled USC's. It helped me visualize how much better USC's program was for me. Though, I'll admit it was hard to let go of the idea of going to Chapman because for 4 years it was the one I wanted to go to. Such a quick change of mind and heart was shocking and scary for me.

Some of the deciding factors that helped me make my decision were:

• the newest research and technology available at USC that I wouldn't see in the field for years
• Networking/Alumni relations
• Much more clinical hours at USC and the 3rd year structure was appealing
• Even with such a large class the student to faculty ratio was amazing
• The faculty and admin. I met were very impressive and personable!
• All the TA's have PhDs!!
• I could take the train with a tram from Union Station to the campus.
• It's not just a separate building but a campus(safer one than the main campus).
• The students seemed cool, many were on campus for classes and they all looked happy to be there!
• IT'S USC!!

I will keep you updated with what happens next on my journey to becoming a PT but I am very excited to become part of the Trojan family! I already bought my family and boyfriend USC gear and ordered a cool sweatshirt for me! :-)

Wish list!

This pretty Tory Burch 'Dafina' bag. I really like the shape and LOVE the color.

Yes, another Tory Burch piece but I love how simple it is and the classic look to it.

Last but not least, for Christmas I got my first Burberry accessory which was a classic scarf. Naturally next I wanted to get a pair of matching rain boots! I will definitly be saving for a pair of these. I also need a pair of neutral colored rain boots because I only have harsh black & white houndstooth ones but those don't go with everything.

Vacation

Before I start school again Aaron and I decided that we should take a trip/vacation together. After all, I'll be consumed with school for the next three years and won't have much of a life outside of studying. So far we have thought of three possible destinations:

1. Las Vegas- It's only 4 hours away and we can get rooms for decent prices and won't have to travel far to find entertainment.
2. Catalina- It's $66 round trip for the Boat ride to Avalon though since there are limited number of hotels there but decent enough for being close to the beach and we wouldn't have to rent a car or anything. Lots to do like hiking, snorkeling, or sun bathing. The night life is supposed to be decent too.
3. San Diego- It is close and there is a lot to do down there. We'd save money on gas and could probably find a decently priced hotel close to the beach or wherever we'd want to be.

If anyone has any suggestions on where to stay, what to do, or even maybe somewhere else we should take a trip to I'd really appreciate it! :-)

On second thought...

After giving more thought to getting accepted to USC's Physical Therapy program, I have had a change of mind. My parents and I talked and decided that we should send in the deposit for USC. Yes, it is a lot of money but it does guarantee that I will be going to a PT school during Fall. I would very likely regret declining the admission especially if I didn't get into any other school. Better safe than sorry I guess.

Also, where I would be studying(if I go there) is away from the main USC campus and in a much better/safer area of town. From google-mapping the address it shows that without traffic it is only 1 hour away(only ten minutes more than Western and same time as St. Augustine) but with traffic it could be 1 hour 40 minutes(same as Western interestingly enough).

I will set up a meeting to get a tour though since I was not able to make it to the Open House, just to see if it's all about. After all, if I don't get accepted anywhere else I'll probably end up there so I might as well know what I'm getting myself into. But who knows? Maybe I am destined to be a Trojan and wear Cardinal and Gold. If the Lord thinks it's meant to be my school then he will find a way to make it happen and make sure I find a way to pay for it all.

I have always like USC anyways. And it would be cool to go to a few football games. Too bad Pete Carroll isn't the coach anymore though...

When Aaron found out I got into USC he automatically thought of this commercial. Made me laugh...and is so true!

RE: Fortune Cookie

In response to my previous response, two hours after writing my post about doubts my dad brought in the mail. One of the envelopes was addressed to me from USC. I opened it expecting it to be a rejection letter since I thought I'd find out in April or May.

To my surprise...I GOT IN!! I was and still am in complete shock. USC is the number one ranked Physical Therapy school in the nation! I guess I shouldn't doubt myself so much and the fortune cookie was right. 

Even though I would love to have a USC degree, I sadly will have to decline my acceptance. It is $50,000/year for three years not including living expenses. It isn't the best area to live in and it's too far for a commute. Also they want a $1,000 deposit by February 11th, that's 8 days away.

Although it breaks my heart to have to turn down a USC degree, I will be holding out for the other cheaper schools which include Chapman University, CSU Long Beach, Western University of Health Sciences, and St. Augustine in San Marcos. Hopefully I can get into one of these schools.

Fortune Cookie

"Any doubts you may have will disappear early this month."

Wow! That was the perfect fortune for me at this time in my life since I do have some doubts. Since my senior year in high school I have known that I wanted to be a physical therapist. Not just thought that's what I wanted but actually KNEW it deep down in my heart it is the career for me. From then on, I have done everything that I could to make sure that my dream becomes a reality.

This 'everything' includes earning good grades in high school which got me into Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. I majored in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Science and Health Promotion. Grad schools required extra Chem, Bio, and Physics so I dutifully took them even though I loathed the subjects and received decent grades. Graduated with a 3.43 GPA having Dean's Honor List for 4 quarters. For a WHOLE year I was my Sorority's Collegiate Chapter President still maintaining my good grades(now my sanity...is a different story). And to make grad schools happier I got observation hours from not one but TWO clinics and now even have volunteer hours in Mission Hospital's Acute Rehab Unit. In-patient hours are the golden ticket however, I got them too late to put them on all applications, expect CSULB which highly recommends them. I even had a Chapman Alumnae write a personal email to the department head for me (Chapman doesn't look at letters of recommendation).To top it all off, I even took two extra psychology classes to meet schools' prerequisites. Then got all my applications, letters of recommendation, GRE scores, and transcripts to the right places on time. But is it all good enough?!

Now all that seems like a lot but now that it is all done and the applications are finished, which was no walk in the park either, the hardest thing is waiting. Waiting to hear whether you're good enough, might be suitable, or no shot in hell to get in.


I recently had an interview with Western University of Health Sciences so that made me feel better that I was at least good enough for an interview. At the end of February I have another interview with University of St. Augustine but until then I'll be playing the waiting game.

What I'm really waiting for is to hear back from Chapman about whether or not I made the cut. February through March is the approximate time I could find out. CSULB is my second choice which is also the biggest stretch for me to get into, as I have 1 different biology course. Although, I've heard that they are more lax about prerequisites than they seem but I'll probably have to wait until April to find out from them.

Tom Petty had it right when he sang the song "The waiting is the hardest part." In that song the lyrics also include"Oh don't let it kill you baby, don't let it get to you." But the waiting is getting to me! It is killing me. Causing me doubts!!

I'm hoping that my fortune cookie from tonight holds up to its word. And hopefully it is talking about my doubts of getting into my dream school, Chapman and that it positively makes my doubts disappear(i.e. I get in). Until then, I will just wait because there is nothing else I can do!