<p>My daughter is interested in attending Allegheny College to pursue their 3+2 arrangement w Chatham college for Dr. in Physical therapy… I’d like to see it work for her, and support her, but I’m a bit puzzled… What is the advantage of going to one school to go to another?? Why not just go to the school that offers the degree you really want?? Am I missing something?? Thanks for any opinions.</p>
<p>My son was considering going to W&J to do the 3-2 in engineering, but ultimately decided against it. The benefit would be a broader education in the liberal arts. The disadvantages were the extra year and not trying an engineering class until he moved in the 4th year. One other disadvantage was having to leave friends in the senior year.</p>
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Williams offers a similar 3/2 in Engineering with Columbia, and they told us the same thing…students are reluctant to give up their senior year at their own college, and rarely do it.</p>
<p>I’ve received similar feedback – these programs sound great at the beginning, but by the third year the interest level declines quite a bit.</p>
<p>If you want broader liberal arts education, you could always just take them at your 4 year college, either as an extra elective here and there, or maybe as summer courses.</p>
<p>Well. None of that was very encouraging!!! Thank you, I had not thought of some of those concerns, so I’m happy to have them pointed out to us… will have to reconsider this plan… Anyone w a good experience to share??</p>
<p>Just thought I’d bump this – I’d also be interested in hearing some good results rather than the discouraging things I’ve heard here and from others.</p>
<p>The two girls next door to me did 3-2 engineering programs and did well. BUT they never left home really. The LAC was a SMALL college about 10 miles from home (although they did live on campus) and the engineering school was also in our home town. So, they didn’t really feel like they were leaving friends etc. They had an apartment by the time they went to the engineering school. They are very religious and the LAC was a religious college, and acted as sort of a step out of their very small, very religious high school. For them, kids who were not really ready to make a break from home (VERY family oriented), it worked well.</p>
<p>One has gone on to grad school (in town) and the other took a job out of town. She had a lot of job offers. </p>
<p>I know for my son (who thinks he wants to be an engineer) – he’d be miserable at a LAC. He just is too “techie” for it.</p>
<p>My daughters small Christian college has a 3-2 program with WashU in St. Louis, about 45 minutes from her college in IL. For the students at her college the advantage is they can have the great Liberal Arts education at a private school with great financial aid, then attend a school with a good engineering major, and still be in commuting distance (possibly?) from home school. Her school also has a fabulous solar car program where students from all disciplines work on the car and then compete with it in a National race. It came out in the top ten in the 2005 solar car race - beating out Stanford, among others! Yale and Penn didn’t even qualify…Working on a project like that might not be possible at a larger school.</p>
<p>to the OP - the 3-2 program for PT does have a benefit for Physical Therapy - going the ‘regular’ route - 4 year undergrad - would then require at least 2 years to get PhD in PT - so that adds an extra year - PT schools are extremely competitive also - so no guarentees.</p>
<p>You may also want to take a look at Quinnapiac in Conn. they have a freshman entry level PT program that is very interesting - and it is a 5 year Masters PT program - do an extra rotation and can also be certified in Sports PT - in 5 1/2 years.</p>
<p>Just a thought - 3-2 programs are for the ‘‘very’’ dedicated - where there is no chance of changing direction - so can be a bit dangerous if the student decides differently. The 4-2 programs do give the student at least the ability to exercise some imagination during their undergrad years - many many students change direction once they are on campus and find interests that they may never have been aware of.</p>
<p>LOL been there - done this.</p>
<p>OP - with the 3-2 program - one gets BS usually from the original school and PhD from the professional school - or the BS is just left behind totally - but that overlaping year is kinda of the 4th year combined with the 1st year of the PhD piece. It is still a very competitive way to go - as no guarantee til the second school is applied to - and making sure ALL requirements are met in those 3 years - very science heavy too BTW - even for a LAC - and the GRE still has to be taken as well. These programs usually take only the very cream of the crop of applicant pool. Actually now - all the Physical Therapy Programs have become extremely competitive.</p>
<p>Another thing to consider as well - is doing a 4 year undergrad - in just about any major (including the requirements for PT school) and depending on how things go - the decision to continue on to PT school is still there as well - and the 100hr volunteer requirement is easier to meet as well.</p>
<p>We also looked into all the options for PT school - started the undergrad piece - in an exercise physiology major direction. This lasted just about a year - the PT organization decided to change the science requirements for PT school - and kiddo is now on to a completely direction and place in life - and still involved in adaptive activities.</p>
<p>If the 3-2 program is the way she wants to go - just make sure that she is really on top of things - there is little room for error. Look at all of your options to make sure that this is exactly what she wants to do - if there is ANY chance that she may change her mind - then a 4-2 program would be a better route to go - just in case.</p>