DPT programs are about 3 years, not 4. Some are less- Columbia is 33 months and Rutgers is now 2.5 years (that seems to be new).
PA programs are generally about 27 months.
Regardless, I agree with you about keeping costs down during undergrad when possible. Of course there are some families who are fortunate enough to have the funds for both degrees.
I have 3 friends kids/family who are currently in/recently graduated from DPT programs and they did their undergrad at state schools- Delaware, Binghamton etc.
As far as getting into a āgreatā graduate program- keep in mind that rankings for DPT and professional/grad schools etc can be different than undergrad when it comes to school name. The D.P.T. program at Delaware, for example, is ranked very high.
My daughter is a UDel exercise science graduate, itās like āpre-medā get a high gpa and GRE scores. UDel gave her a nice merit scholarship and has an amazing clinic where she spent a lot of time. I really donāt think it matters where one gets their undergrad, itās how well they do. One of the reasons she chose UDel was their DPT program which is excellent, but she decided she wanted urban (sheās at BU, NEU was an option). Go with fit, prepare for some weed out classes freshman year.
As others have mentioned Exercise Science is typically not a terminal degree but a popular option for those seeking to get into specific health fields as many of the courses are prerequisites for graduate programs. As such the quality of the exercise science program may not be as important as how well the program prepares you in your prerequisites. Much of this is going to depend on you. Of course do well in the course work but also develop relationships with your professors (they will be your future references and may help become a teaching assistant), make sure you have access to places to shadow (a variety of settings for PT), and check on opportunities research. Also mentioned is cost. A DPT program for instance can run as low as $50k for some instate programs (which are often hardest to be accepted to due to cost) to over $150 thousand for private and some OOS programs plus housing and living costs. Some schools have 3+3 or 4+3 programs which helps with getting into a program but usually only the undergrad portion will offer scholarships.
I think if you have an intention to get a graduate degree in a health science find a school that you feel you can do well in rather than the school with the best reputation. Graduate programs will look at the student not the school.
My adviceā¦go in with an open mind. The average college student changes their major at least twice. Make sure the school you choose has flexibility just in case you decide on something different. All three are good schools. Just tour if you can and choose something that works for you.
I work in peds rehab and our PT/OTās have degrees from all over. Of the ones I know they got their undergrad degrees from cc to local U, regional university, private religious college not ranked all the way to flagships and more known in media private colleges. They all got into good PT schools with a good board pass rate/graduation rate. They are all on the same pay scale. Most have lots of debt from grad school. Go to the school you like best and have the most options for your interests. Keep budget in mind as well. All the schools listed offer the curriculum to get you to grad school. Congratulations on some really great options!
Keep in mind that grad school is expensive. It is not uncommon for the lower cost state schools to be more competitive (more applicants) than many of the privates (doesnāt mean the degree overall is not competitive).
For this reason, I would also look at where the student could stand out more during undergrad, assuming affordability. Of course, happiness is also important.
I think that these schools are close enough in quality that you should decide based on cost and fit ā setting/location, weather (if important to you), curriculum and available electives, vibe, etc.
And in your particular case, and to which others have alluded: career path and grad school implications. (grad school is easier with relative savings from undergradā¦)