ISU

I got back just a few hours from my first "interview" experience at Idaho State. Instead of doing formal interviews at ISU they just have applicants come to a reception and learn more about the program and meet all of the faculty and admissions committee. It was so much fun! I was so nervous last night before I went to bed, but it was so relaxed and comfortable. I met some really cool people and the faculty all seemed very nice and open to students. A lot of the people I talked to have interviews at the same places I do, some I'm excited to get to see them again in a few weeks. It will be nice to see a few friendly faces when I get to the more formal, slightly more scary interviews.

The program seems really awesome. There is so much clinical experience as they have you in their in-house clinic several days a week right from the beginning. The class size is smaller than some of the other schools I applied to, so that makes it intriguing too. When I first got there and was putting on my name tag, one of the professors/admissions committee members saw my name and told me he remembered my file and was impressed by it! :D I saw this as a really really good sign! This gave me just a little bit of confidence in my application status. Who knows what will happen; I just hope to be accepted to at least one school this cycle. Going to the reception and learning more about the program made it so much more real and made me that much more excited to get started!

Really the only downside I saw to the school is that it was pretty old. Being a state-funded school, I'm sure they have smaller funds than other universities. The building the physical therapy school is in is a renovated dorm, so the rooms are relatively small, which is probably one explanation for the small class size. When we went on our campus tour I noticed that the gym kind of smelled like the Old Gym at CVMS and the student union and library were just like the Getchell and Jot Travis. I think I've gotten spoiled in the last couple years by the Joe and the Knowledge Center.

Pocatello is a pretty cute little town. It really reminded me of the Carson Valley, all nestled into the mountains. I was nervous driving in because all the land in Southern Idaho is so flat. There were just miles and miles of flat farming land with the only mountains visible in the distance. I assume they were potato farms, as I could smell that fresh dirt smell of potatoes on the drive in. I was relieved when we arrived in Pocatello and saw the mountains. I think I could only live somewhere flat if there was an ocean involved.

At the receptions there were significantly more guys than girls, which I found surprising. I always heard that there were higher ratios of women to men at physical therapy schools, but not at ISU. The vast majority of the people there were LDS, which I found surprising until Morgan reminded me that both BYU and BYU Idaho were in close proximity. Everyone was so nice and shared at least one similar interest, so I found it easy to talk to people. I just wonder if all those Mormons would still like me once they heard my dirty mouth. ;)

Although the drive was long, I really had a good time and was glad I went. Eight hours actually didn't really feel like eight hours either direction. Eight hours always feels like eight hours when driving to somewhere like Vegas, but maybe it didn't feel that bad since just a week ago I was in the car for thirteen hours! I'm really glad that Morgan was able to come with me. I'm so lucky to have so many people who support me! This trip made me so excited and so ready to face the next few months!

Idaho State

Tomorrow we are driving to Pocatello, ID to go to a reception for DPT students at Idaho State on Saturday. Although it's not really an interview, I'm still nervous as if it was one. I searched all day for a dress to wear and didn't find one that I really felt was appropriate, so I ended up buying a long sleeve button up top to wear with dress pants. I'm not stoked about it, but it will do. I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep very well tonight. Hopefully I will at least sleep tomorrow night so I don't look tired at the reception. I can't believe the point that I've been working toward for so long is here. I am actually interviewing at schools!!! I'm so excited!!!

Possibilities

I decided to create a blog to keep a journal of my experiences through the PT school application process and (hopefully) physical therapy school. This is mostly for me to be able to really appreciate what is happening and for my family to keep up with me when I am engrossed in the world of PT school.

When I welcomed the New Year I knew that 2010 was going to be a great year. This was going to be the year I've been waiting and preparing for since 2003. I will be graduating from UNR this May and hopefully be starting physical therapy school in the summer. This is the year my life begins. I cannot wait for what lies ahead.

I currently have heard from four of the six schools to which I applied; UCSF/SFSU, UNLV, EWU, and ISU and I have interviews at all of them! I declined the interview at UCSF/SFSU because Morgan and I decided that the cost of living in San Fransisco is just not worth it. I am still waiting to hear back from NAU and UMT, hopefully both will be in the next couple of weeks. I am getting ready to travel to my interviews and preparing to answer questions. I have my schools in priority order of which I want to attend, but I won't put that here for fear of jinxing myself. I can't believe the interview process is here! My first is in less than two weeks! It's so unreal that something I've been working towards and which always seemed so far away is now here! I'm so excited!!!