Thinking of moving to Texas for grad school.. (Houston, Dallas: apartment, schools)

[Bloopers]

Some questions...

What are some pretty good grad schools that are located in a decent area? I'm thinking of doing a Masters in Healthcare Administration. Which city is best?

Are people nice in Texas? I currently live in Florida, but have lived in Washington state and Massachusetts when I was younger.

My ideal work location is at a hospital... which begs the question - how hard is it to obtain a decent job in Texas with a Bachelor's in Health Services Administration and no practical experience in the healthcare field? It's quite a task in Orlando...

I'm a 21 y/o Asian female, if it makes any difference. I know some of the questions are open to very different opinions, but I'd still like some insight. I've moved out of the city for college before, but moving out of state is a big step for me. I don't know what I'm looking for... maybe some assurance?

My top choice school is University of Florida, but I gotta apply to a few just in case things doesn't pan out. And with a 20% acceptance rate at UF, I could never be too sure...

But yeah, any advice is appreciated! Thanks

[DanielWayne]

UHCL in Houston is ok. Maybe a 'safety' school to consider. Lots of Vietnamese and Indian students and a lot of them are not from the US. In addition to the local folks returning for their masters, it seems to attract people from overseas with $$$. It's in a residential area and most students there are part time. It won't be on the level of UF, and it is small and not at all exciting. But on the positive side:
-It is ranked as the 2nd safest university in the nation
-I believe some classes for this program are in the Texas Medical Center, which is a massive collection of hospitals like no where else on the planet
-This school can't be all that bad since it was originally created for the people that work at NASA-Johnson Space Center

Healthcare-Administration

In general, Texas is friendly. At least you wouldn't have a hard time adjusting to our summers if you are in Orlando.

[Bloopers]

Thanks Daniel. And just to clear it up, I'm not looking for an area with a large Asian community. I actually prefer to stray away from such area... I prefer to be surrounded by a diverse population.

[TXEX06]

You have a bachelor's in healthcare administration and can't find a healthcare admin job. Now you want to spend more money and get your master's in healthcare administration? I suggest you get some actual real work experience before you get your master's. Lots of hospitals will pay for you to go back and get your master's.

[Bloopers]

Originally Posted by TXEX06

You have a bachelor's in healthcare administration and can't find a healthcare admin job. Now you want to spend more money and get your master's in healthcare administration? I suggest you get some actual real work experience before you get your master's. Lots of hospitals will pay for you to go back and get your master's.

A masters will open more doors for me and let me gain the knowledge I need for higher positions. Some graduate programs that I've researched have very high placement rates post-grad. A bachelors is almost useless, at least in Orlando, but I don't know how it works in other cities/states as it's generally hard to find decent jobs in Orlando no matter the field you're in. I'm more motivated than ever to continue on with a masters, so I rather just get it now than wait a few years down the line to go back. Motivation may be lost by then. And I plan on working while getting my masters, I just have no idea how hard it is to get a job at a hospital in Texas.

This is moreso a back-up plan than anything else, honestly.

[CptnRn]

People are pretty easy going in Texas. I understand that Houston has the largest concentration of health care facilities, so it would make sense to go to school there, assuming that would enable you to network and make connections that could help you get a job later.

[ChristieP]

Be sure you understand how the process works to become a Texas resident, or you will be stuck paying a lot higher out-of-state tuition!

I agree that you need some work experience. Even an internship or just a year in an entry-level position. And yes, many hospitals (including the one I work for) have excellent tuition reimbursement policies!

[TexasVines]

here are some answers in another thread started by someone from AZ that was looking at the same

//www.city-data.com/forum/texas...a-program.html

they has specific questions about the areas dealing with 3 particular schools A&M, Texas Tech and Texas State so I gave detailed answers to those questions so you might get some info from that as well (or maybe not)

Houston will have by far the largest health care industry and in Houston Texas Southern (avoid at all cost) and UH Clear Lake will offer that degree program.....UHCL is a jr/sr level university and graduate level so there are no fr or soph students there......it is more of a non-traditional university because of that and it is located in a generally suburban area, but it is a good school and the UT Health Science Center Houston has a Masters in Public Health (probably not exactly the same as one specifically focused on administration, but you should contact them and ask and it is a fine institution and right in the Texas Medical Center)

Baylor in Waco, Trinity in San Antonio, Our Lady of The Lake in San Antonio offered online, TWU in Denton, UTD and Dallas Baptist in the dallas area and Midwestern in Wichita Falls, TX all have that program....there might be others I am leaving off

I would say any of them even OLOTL online would land you a decent job with some experience either before or while going to school, but I would say to contact OLOTL since it is small, private, and online and discuss in detail cost and placement rates and the like and see if that is for you

Houston has a very very large Asian population from all the various countries if you prefer to be around that and if not you will be just fine anyway I am sure since there are many that choose to just "be" and not do the whole "Asian area" thing....dallas has a large population as well and more of a Korean area in dallas VS what is called "Chinatown" in Houston, but in fact is a massive area with all types of Asians living in and around there and again if that is not your thing you will do just fine anyway since many in Houston live outside of there as well and only go there to eat or look around like other non-Asians do

as was very importantly pointed out by the poster above me you need to understand that to get in state tuition in Texas you need to establish residency (home/apartment address, drivers license change, utility bills) for one full year AND you need to WORK for that entire full year with no breaks......if you go to any university 4 year or community college before you have established residency for a year then you WILL NOT be eligible for in state tuition for the entirety of your schooling.....the exception to this is if as an incoming graduate student you can have the grades to qualify for a tuition waver....so you need to either be ready to pay out of state tuition, find a way to have the grades/qualifications for a waver or you need to get established and work for a full year before starting school

the discussion in the linked thread was detailed to specific questions the OP of that thread ask, but it hopefully will help you as well and Asians will be more than welcome at any of the schools and cities the OP in the other thread ask about as well.....good luck I personally think the idea of landing a job BEFORE coming here in health management (should be possible) and then working for a year to establish residency and more importantly to gain knowledge would be the best route especially since you will have a much broader perspective with the work experience to apply to your schooling and vice versa

[Carmen Rees Prado]

I am sixty-eight years old and have lived in Texas for two years. These are the things I considered before moving to Texas from Nevada: the recession, what Texas has to offer to the younger generation i.e., technology and new businesses moving in for whatever reasons, in addition I have relatives here, it is a big state with lots of room for growth. I have also lived in Honduras, California, Colorado and lastly I wanted to be in a verdant; agriculturally speaking, community.