Where Will You Be Accepting?

[cashmere]

For those who have offers it multiple offers I'm interested to hear your choices. If here we could share what schools were picking any why that would be great. Also if you'd just like to share general information you know about certain programs that might help others make their decision.

[AmJa]

Congrats Cashmere, 

 

I was accepted to Western and Queens for OT.

 

I'm also very lost about which to pick. I live in Mississauga and for both I would have to move. To be honest financially this isn't the best option, I would have loved to have been accepted to Mac or UofT.

 

So if anyone could comment about which university has cheaper housing, better social life...etc 

[ontarioOT]

Congrats on your acceptances! I am torn between U of T and Mac (OT). I already live near Mac but I do think U of T has some great opportunities for placements. I'm also on the fence about PBL. Any input would be greatly appreciated

[OT__2015]

Congrats on your acceptances! I am torn between U of T and Mac (OT). I already live near Mac but I do think U of T has some great opportunities for placements. I'm also on the fence about PBL. Any input would be greatly appreciated

Congrats !! Must be nice to have a choice Mac is my dream school . I love the PBL style, also you're being admitted based on an interview which means personality. That's a huge accomplishment ! Also your classmates would probably be similar to you since it is based on interview. I also think there would be a strong sense of community since it's in a small area whereas u of t is right down town. There's a lot to consider. I wish I was in your shoes ! Good luck and maybe so some research on both schools and evaluate where you see yourself succeeding. All the curriculums are posted online !! Good luck

[PTapplic]

Congrats Cashmere, 

 

I was accepted to Western and Queens for OT.

 

I'm also very lost about which to pick. I live in Mississauga and for both I would have to move. To be honest financially this isn't the best option, I would have loved to have been accepted to Mac or UofT.

 

So if anyone could comment about which university has cheaper housing, better social life...etc 

I grew up in London and went to Western. I lived at home, but I know housing in London is extremely affordable. Furthermore, if you move even further outside of campus and don't mind taking the bus itll be even cheaper.

[StephBenedict]

I'm stuck in between Queens PT and McMaster PT and I have a huge headache weighing the two schools....

I thought being in this position would be a happy struggle but this is actually very very stressful!!!!

[michmich17]

I've been accepted to U of T and Mac, waitlisted at Western - I'm pretty sure I'm going to be accepting U of T!

 

Reasons:

 

1. I live in the GTA and would prefer to save money on housing since I already went away for my undergrad. I also won't need to buy a car to get to placements, which might be the case in other cities. 

 

2. During the CAP/MMI, I talked to some current students and found out that McMaster doesn't do cadaver dissections while U of T and Western do. I don't know how much this matters to most people, but personally it's something I'm so excited to be able to do, and I think that the hands-on anatomy learning experience will be really valuable (and cool)!! 

 

3. I'm on the fence about PBL. I know people who go to mac and they say it's an adjustment at first, but in the end they love it. It's not for everyone though, and I'm not sure if it's for me. I guess you can't know until you try it. 

 

4. I'm really interested in neuro, and I hear that U of T has more neuro/cardioresp focus than other schools (I doubt it's a huge difference though if it's true). 

 

I'm not really factoring in Western at this point because I'm on the waitlist, and U of T was my first choice even before I found out I got accepted.

 

For anyone considering Western though I can tell you what I know about the school in general from doing my undergrand there. I know I'm biased but it truly is a great school in terms of social atmosphere. London is a university town so it's a great place to live as a student - there's lots to do . I lived in an apartment that was a 10-15 min walk to most of my classes for $550 a month, but if you go a little farther from campus (eg. 10-15min bus ride) you can pay as low as $400 in a shared house. I know one person in the PT program and she says the profs are all really great, but it's a tough program (probably true at any school). She also said Western might be more musculoskeletal focused. 

 

Sorry this got really long but hopefully it helps! 

 

[PTapplic]

I've been accepted to U of T and Mac, waitlisted at Western - I'm pretty sure I'm going to be accepting U of T!

 

Reasons:

 

1. I live in the GTA and would prefer to save money on housing since I already went away for my undergrad. I also won't need to buy a car to get to placements, which might be the case in other cities. 

 

2. During the CAP/MMI, I talked to some current students and found out that McMaster doesn't do cadaver dissections while U of T and Western do. I don't know how much this matters to most people, but personally it's something I'm so excited to be able to do, and I think that the hands-on anatomy learning experience will be really valuable (and cool)!! 

 

3. I'm on the fence about PBL. I know people who go to mac and they say it's an adjustment at first, but in the end they love it. It's not for everyone though, and I'm not sure if it's for me. I guess you can't know until you try it. 

 

4. I'm really interested in neuro, and I hear that U of T has more neuro/cardioresp focus than other schools (I doubt it's a huge difference though if it's true). 

 

I'm not really factoring in Western at this point because I'm on the waitlist, and U of T was my first choice even before I found out I got accepted.

 

For anyone considering Western though I can tell you what I know about the school in general from doing my undergrand there. I know I'm biased but it truly is a great school in terms of social atmosphere. London is a university town so it's a great place to live as a student - there's lots to do . I lived in an apartment that was a 10-15 min walk to most of my classes for $550 a month, but if you go a little farther from campus (eg. 10-15min bus ride) you can pay as low as $400 in a shared house. I know one person in the PT program and she says the profs are all really great, but it's a tough program (probably true at any school). She also said Western might be more musculoskeletal focused. 

 

Sorry this got really long but hopefully it helps! 

See you in September classmate!

[TFra PT]

I'm stuck in between Queens PT and McMaster PT and I have a huge headache weighing the two schools....

I thought being in this position would be a happy struggle but this is actually very very stressful!!!!

 

I agree! I got in at U of A (I already live in Edmonton with my boyfriend) and Queens (close to my family). Ah!

[CodyDreas]

I'm stuck in between Queens PT and McMaster PT and I have a huge headache weighing the two schools....

I thought being in this position would be a happy struggle but this is actually very very stressful!!!!

 

I'm on the same boat Steph. I am deciding between the two. UT booted the crap out of me.

Actually my brother went to Mac for PT and my sister went to Queens for PT.. haha

First of all, they both loved their programs.

But from everything I gather, I am leaning towards the Queens program.

The PBL method of learning sounds amazing but like Michmich stated, I don't know if it is for everyone - I'm not sure if it's for me.

Other aspects too, only from the objective facts I've seen, Queens seem to offer more when compared to Mac.

Personal factors and preferences come in to play too. Queens is the school that's most "hands-on" as many students seek from a PT school and they teach some fine manual therapy, I want that!

In no way am I saying that Mac is not good... these are all top notch schools and I feel we're fortunate living in Ontario already for having this privilege (speaking for those from Ont i mean). 

I will do further research for myself and decide but it'll probably be Queens PT.

[jgOT2017]

I may be bias because I did my undergrad at Western but I truly think it is a great school and London is a great city to live in. Overall I've heard that it is cheaper to live in London vs Kingston as well. I will be attending Western OT this year so we may be classmates

[FuturePT15]

I was accepted to Queens, Mac and Toronto for PT ... and I have no idea what to pick!

 

I don't think I will be choosing Mac, I know I learn well with traditional style teaching methods so adjusting to PBL makes me nervous. 

 

I was really impressed with the Toronto program when I went for the CAP, I talked to some current students after and they all seemed so happy with the program and felt really supported by the staff. The wide variety of placement opportunities is another positive, especially in the major hospitals. The only thing I don't like about that program is the larger class size, and I'm personally not a city person so I'm not sure how I feel about living in Toronto (but I'm sure it will be a good experience).

 

As for Queens I feel like I just don't know much about the program, I wish I had an opportunity to visit and check it out. I'm from Ottawa so location-wise Kingston is convenient, and I'm sure housing would be cheaper than Toronto. One thing I don't like is that the catchment is pretty big and I don't have a car, so I might have to find temporary housing for 6 weeks at a time during placements. This contrasts Toronto where its easier to get a placement in the city, accessible by public transportation.

 

So I guess its between Toronto and Queens, and I'll have to do more research into the Queens program!

Congrats to everyone on the acceptances

[AmJa]

I may be bias because I did my undergrad at Western but I truly think it is a great school and London is a great city to live in. Overall I've heard that it is cheaper to live in London vs Kingston as well. I will be attending Western OT this year so we may be classmates

Congrats!!

 

From the looks of it I might be picking Western OT over Queens OT too!

 

In a class size of 57, I'm sure I'll see you around haha.

[michmich17]

See you in September classmate!

Yay!!! I'm so excited!

[breepi]

I got accepted at all four schools for OT, which I was not expecting, and so today has been a blur of over-thinking and pro-con list-ing

 

Right now I'm torn between McMaster and Western (I can't afford Toronto, and Queens is very far away from home) - I love London as a city, and do well with traditional learning styles but McMaster was such a great interview experience, and I have heard from a couple people that really do love Hamilton too - I loved what the first year students had to say at Mac, everyone I interacted with was so friendly, and I love that you get in based on your personality/aptitude for the people part of the profession as much as your grades...

 

It's such a heartwrenching decision, and I know there isn't a *wrong* decision but I want to make the better one :s

[michmich17]

I got accepted at all four schools for OT, which I was not expecting, and so today has been a blur of over-thinking and pro-con list-ing

 

Right now I'm torn between McMaster and Western (I can't afford Toronto, and Queens is very far away from home) - I love London as a city, and do well with traditional learning styles but McMaster was such a great interview experience, and I have heard from a couple people that really do love Hamilton too - I loved what the first year students had to say at Mac, everyone I interacted with was so friendly, and I love that you get in based on your personality/aptitude for the people part of the profession as much as your grades...

 

It's such a heartwrenching decision, and I know there isn't a *wrong* decision but I want to make the better one :s

As they said to us at the CAP exam - all the schools are great, and any decision you make will be a good decision! I know that doesn't help you choose but still Try to listen to your gut feeling?

[ptwaffle]

I'm most likely going to pick U of T PT since I'm waitlisted at Western and didn't apply to Mac. Like others have said, transportation and a surplus of hospitals are the biggest pros while the biggest con is living expenses. I did my undergrad at U of T and enjoy the city life, however it would be kind of nice to not be in the same location for another 2 years haha.

 

On another note, I'm kind of intrigued at the fact that Western seems to have been more holistic this year after sifting through people's GPAs and acceptances there since I was under the impression that Western was pretty much GPA-based. 

[breepi]

As they said to us at the CAP exam - all the schools are great, and any decision you make will be a good decision! I know that doesn't help you choose but still Try to listen to your gut feeling?

 

Thank you That was lovely (and very comforting) to hear!

[sophlh]

Hey everyone! I am also in the same boat as a few of you - torn between Queen's and Western OT!! At first I was leaning more towards Queen's as I am from Ottawa and it is just that much closer. But from reading everyone here I don't know! If anyone else has any personal insight on the differences/advantages/disadvantages to the 2 programs/student life I would greatly appreciate it!

[OT16]

Congrats Cashmere,

 

I was accepted to Western and Queens for OT.

 

I'm also very lost about which to pick. I live in Mississauga and for both I would have to move. To be honest financially this isn't the best option, I would have loved to have been accepted to Mac or

 

So if anyone could comment about which university has cheaper housing, better social life...etc

I have a mortgage in my hometown and I pay rent in London and I work 2 part time jobs while on placement. I have 2 kids and I'm married. There are always options. there's cheap housing no matter where you go and a social life exists anywhere.

[OTMac17]

I got accepted to Western, Mac and Queens, waitlisted at UofT (all OT). I think I'm going to choose McMaster, but I'm not sure and I'm so glad this thread came up so I can try to learn some more!

 

I contacted someone who is in her second year at McMaster OT and here's what she said about the PBL:

 

The Problem Based Tutorials (PBT) are a main component of every term and are based on Problem Based Learning (PBL), which is the theory behind it. What you need to know about PBT is really exactly what it says - you are learning based on problems that are provided t oyou.

 

For instance, each week in your tutorial group you choose a case scenario from a list provided and work as a group to identify the main issues or concerns for teh individual or organization, develop goals or objectives for personal learning and group learning, and then do independent research to bring back to group the following week. I like the model in that you are working through real cases that would be found in practice (e.g. a person with a new spinal cord injury on a rehabilitation unit).

 

I have found that it is a good forum to not only learn practical skills for practice but also develop better interpersonal and collaborative skills as you must work with your team to make all decisions. Additionally, there is a lot of room for feedback so you begin to understand how your learning style and perspective is different from others which has been helpful in not only understanding colleagues but also learning how to best communicate your ideas clearly.

 

Mac isn't your school if you are looking for someone to give you the answers. It is actually quite frustrating at first because you don't even know what you don't know in the beginning, but it becomes more clear as you move forward. You definitely need to be okay with uncertainty and be flexible because I found that graduate school in general was quite a bit different than undergrad in addition to PBL.

 

 

The idea of PBL kind of terrifies me because school has never been like that before, it's always been classrooms and lectures, etc. But that's also why I kind of love it. I know I'll have a tough time at first and it will be scary, but I think I will gain so much more from it than a regular lecture setting. Because in the real world, in our careers, we won't be handed an answer - we have to figure it out. Being able to learn how to do this in a safe place like school I think is invaluable.

 

But I'm still not totally sure, I haven't looked enough into all the programs yet!

[OT16]

Hey everyone! I am also in the same boat as a few of you - torn between Queen's and Western OT!! At first I was leaning more towards Queen's as I am from Ottawa and it is just that much closer. But from reading everyone here I don't know! If anyone else has any personal insight on the differences/advantages/disadvantages to the 2 programs/student life I would greatly appreciate it!

I can't help you there since I'm at western but I'd you choose western be prepared to work your ass off. The faculty are great and the 2nd years will help you as best we can. As for queens, they are an enigma, I already told you I had many years experience with rehab (13) worked in the OHL on a traing staff and volunteered more than I can rememebr for various charities, disabled etc and queens didn't even wait list me with a 3.80 , amazing references and a stellar essay proof read by 2 Ph.d's. Which school do you think cares about who you are? I am of the opinion that queens prefers their own undergrads or children of alumni.

[OT16]

I got accepted to Western, Mac and Queens, waitlisted at UofT (all OT). I think I'm going to choose McMaster, but I'm not sure and I'm so glad this thread came up so I can try to learn some more!

 

I contacted someone who is in her second year at McMaster OT and here's what she said about the PBL:

 

The Problem Based Tutorials (PBT) are a main component of every term and are based on Problem Based Learning (PBL), which is the theory behind it. What you need to know about PBT is really exactly what it says - you are learning based on problems that are provided t oyou.

 

For instance, each week in your tutorial group you choose a case scenario from a list provided and work as a group to identify the main issues or concerns for teh individual or organization, develop goals or objectives for personal learning and group learning, and then do independent research to bring back to group the following week. I like the model in that you are working through real cases that would be found in practice (e.g. a person with a new spinal cord injury on a rehabilitation unit).

 

I have found that it is a good forum to not only learn practical skills for practice but also develop better interpersonal and collaborative skills as you must work with your team to make all decisions. Additionally, there is a lot of room for feedback so you begin to understand how your learning style and perspective is different from others which has been helpful in not only understanding colleagues but also learning how to best communicate your ideas clearly.

 

Mac isn't your school if you are looking for someone to give you the answers. It is actually quite frustrating at first because you don't even know what you don't know in the beginning, but it becomes more clear as you move forward. You definitely need to be okay with uncertainty and be flexible because I found that graduate school in general was quite a bit different than undergrad in addition to PBL.

 

 

The idea of PBL kind of terrifies me because school has never been like that before, it's always been classrooms and lectures, etc. But that's also why I kind of love it. I know I'll have a tough time at first and it will be scary, but I think I will gain so much more from it than a regular lecture setting. Because in the real world, in our careers, we won't be handed an answer - we have to figure it out. Being able to learn how to do this in a safe place like school I think is invaluable.

 

But I'm still not totally sure, I haven't looked enough into all the programs yet!

The vast majority of the program at western is group work, mentorship and fieldwork so you will be working in groups throughout: collaborating and problem solving. It is challenging but if you can manage group conflicts you can do it

[cashmere]

I think I've eliminated Queens. 

[matsundinn]

I think I've eliminated Queens. Now am deciding between U of T and Western.

 

I am waitlisted at Mac (#3). I'm assuming my current offers will expire before I hear back from Mac about waitlist movement? Anyone know?

you can give a provisional acceptance to U of T which is a week or so past the deadline to accept. So if you get an offer from Mac in that week, you take Mac, otherwise your U of T provisional will become a firm acceptance by a certain date