Narrowing Down My Choices.

As of right now I have narrowed down my college options to four options. My first option is Messiah College with their pre-physical therapy program and division three swimming and then transferring to Arcadia University for their doctorate of physical therapy program. My second option is Marymount University. Marymount University offers a pre-physical therapy concentration, doctorate of physical therapy, and a division three swim team. My third option is Liberty University for undergraduate in their exercise science program and then transferring to Lynchburg College for their doctorate of physical therapy. My last option is Methodist University. Methodist University offer a pre-physical therapy concentration, doctorate of physical therapy, and division two swimming. I will tour all the colleges this summer, apply to all of them, and then make the decision when I see what happens.

Finding the Perfect College

Recently I have been cracking down to find the perfect college for me. I want to go to a college where the classes are not too big, there is a christian education and atmosphere, as well as a college that is going to benefit my future. Right now I have been looking for a college that offers an undergraduate program in either a pre-physical therapy concentration or an exercise science program and then I want to go somewhere that also offers a doctorate in physical therapy program. I also would like to swim for college but probably nothing past division two.

Why Physical Therapy

Five years ago I started having problems with chronic shin splints. I went to a local physical therapy office and they began therapy with me twice a week for four months. Then after each five of my knee injuries I have gone back to physical therapy to try and recover and gain my strength back. With that being said, somewhere in the last five year of being in and out of physical therapy my interest in becoming a physical therapist sparked. From there I have began talking to my physical therapist to learn as much as possible about what it take to be a physical therapist, what the job entails as well as I began taking sport medicine and athletic training course at my high school. I am a very active person and do not like sitting still which is why being a physical therapist is perfect for me since I can be active during the day rather than sitting a a desk.

Summer Camps and Courses

I just received the acceptance letter to a pre-physical therapy summer intensive camp at VCU and William and Mary! I will be spending two weeks at VCU learning about what it take to becoming a physical therapist and a basic course overview! Then I will be spending four days at William and Mary going to lectures and laboratories on emergency first aid, taping and wrapping skills, and the prevention, care and rehabilitation of athletic injuries. I will also taking six credit hours of college course online that will help me get head-start on my major! I am taking a medical terminology class and a psychology class through Messiah College.

About Me

My name is Lauren Crickenberger and I am currently a junior in high school. I have always been involved in athletics, in particular soccer, swimmimg, and tennis.   I started playing soccer when I was five years old, however, when I was eight my parents made me choose between soccer and dance. Unfortunately, I chose dance. When I was thirteen I realized that I had made a mistake. I began with playing for a recreational team in the fall with an amazing coach who suggested that I try out for a travel team in the spring. I tried out for that travel team in the spring, but didn't make it. I was not about to give up, so I traveled to Charlottsville and tried out for their travel team and made it. After just one year of playing for that travel team I made a higher level elite travel team. However just two months after making the elite team I encountered my first knee injury. In one of my high school games I got kicked in the knee and fractured my growth plate. After recovering from this I pushed myself really hard to get back in shape before fall season began and ended up getting tendonitis in my knee. Then during my first game of the season on the elite travel team, in a Labor Day tournament, I tore my MCL. I was out for a total of eight weeks which put me back coming back just before college showcase weekend. This was my chance to show just what I was made of and potentially be considered for a future recruit. The second I stepped on the field I knew I was going to go all out no matter what. I ended up retearig my MCL, but that didn't stop me from finishing out the weekend. I got noticed that weekend, but that didn't stop the reoccuring knee injuries that eventually took me out of soccer for good. I began swimmimg when I was five for a summer swim team, POST, and eventually began swimming year round for Gators Extreme. However, when I began to get more serious about soccer I had to cut back and only swim during the summer. But, when I was sixteen, and could no longer play soccer due to too many knee injuries, I started swimming year round again except this time I swam for my high school team during the winter, summer swim team during the summer, and on my own at the local ymca the rest of the time. Swimming has been my therapeutic recovering mechanism after the knee injuries. I have now put all my attention on swimming and hope to swim for college. I have always played tennis, but it has always been for fun. That is until this year when I tried out for my school team and made it. I may not be the best one on the team, but I am getting better and having a lot of fun!